Gospel of John [Joh 16:8]. The Doctrine of the HS, part 5 Heb 10:26-31.

Title: Gospel of John [JOH 16:8]. The Doctrine of the HS, part 5. HEB 10:26-31.

 

Announcementsopening prayer: 

 

We are looking at the titles for God the Holy Spirit given in the word of God.  

 

The attribute of grace is found in two titles, Spirit of Grace (HEB 10:29), and Spirit of Grace and Supplication (ZEC 12:10).

 

HEB 10:26 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

 

We have begun the work in order to fully understand this text.

 

The sin which the book warns against is that of a Jew of the first century who left the temple sacrifices, identified himself with the visible Church and made a profession of Messiah as High Priest [likely not believing], renouncing that profession and returning to the temple sacrifices. If they were believers who returned to the temple worship, their motivation was to avoid the persecution that was coming from the other Jewish unbelievers.

 

This sin is spoken of in 2:1 as letting New Testament truth slip away.

 

In 3:7,8 as hardening the heart against the Holy Spirit.

 

In 6:4 as falling away and crucifying the Son of God.

 

HEB 6:1 Therefore leaving [having abandoned once and for all] the elementary [arche - beginning] teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

 

The context and Greek of this passage makes the interpretation quite easy. So many have taken this passage at face value, in English only, and without carefully reading the entire book in context.

 

"elementary teaching about the Christ" = OT sacrifices, tabernacle, priesthood, which all speak of His Person and work.

 

The phrase, "the elementary teaching about the Christ," or, " beginning word of the Christ," refers to that teaching concerning Him which is first presented in the Bible. And what is that but the truth concerning His Person and work found in the symbolism of the Levitical sacrifices. The tabernacle, priesthood, and offerings all speak of Him in His Person and work. And this interpretation is in exact accord with the argument of the book. All dependence upon the Levitical sacrifices is to be set aside in order that the Hebrews can go on to "perfection," as we have it here.

 

The historical context of the book and the context of the book as a whole leads us to believe that these heard the gospel and the person of Christ as the one true sacrifice was clearly explained to them and the HS convicted them of it, as is His ministry to the world, and that they said no to the person of Christ after all that and returned to the Levitical offerings in the temple.

 

The word "maturity," or, "perfection" speaks of the New Testament Sacrifice, the Lord Jesus, and the Testament He inaugurated by His work on the Cross.

 

This is seen from the use of the Greek word here teleios, referring to that which is complete.

 

And in 7:11 where the writer argues that if perfection (same Greek word) were under the Levitical priesthood, then there would be no further need of another priesthood. But since God has brought in a priestly line after the order of Melchizedek, it logically follows that completeness obtains under the New Testament which He brought in.

 

HEB 7:11 Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron?

 

He states in 7:19 that the law of Moses, namely the sacrificial law, made nothing perfect. That is, the Levitical offerings were not complete in that the blood of bulls and goats could not pay for sin. Neither was their completeness in what they could do for the offerer.

 

HEB 7:18 For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness

 

HEB 7:19 (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

 

Perfection was not through the Levitical priesthood, but "this priest (the Lord Jesus), after He had offered one sacrifice for sins, sat down in perpetuity on the right hand of God" (10:12).

 

HEB 10:11 And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;

 

HEB 10:12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God,

 

HEB 10:13 waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet.

 

HEB 10:14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.

 

His sacrifice was complete. Thus, the writer exhorts these Hebrews to abandon the type for the reality, that which is incomplete for that which is complete.

 

"maturity" - teleiotes = perfection or completion = Christ's sacrifice.

 

HEB 6:1 Therefore leaving [having abandoned once and for all] the elementary [arche - beginning] teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

 

HEB 6:2 of instruction about washings, and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

 

What is meant in each of these is the OT doctrine. Repentance from dead works - changing to serving God under the Law. Faith towards God - OT faith and not faith in the Person of Christ.

 

Washings - OT cleansing rituals; laying on of hands - sacrifice ritual; resurrection of dead - OT doc and not ress. body of Christ; eternal judgment - as opposed to no judgment for those in Christ.

 

These things, which Jews in Jerusalem had left for the Christian local assemblies, had returned to them. The longer they remained the more dull  they got to the message that the writer is giving and so he says in verse 3 that he hopes that his message will break through.

 

HEB 6:3 And this we shall do, if God permits.

 

HEB 6:4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit,

 

Partakers is not the word for fellowship but a word that means to be in association with.

 

"partakers" - me,tocoj[metochos] = associate or participate with another in a common activity. The HS convicts the world and He had convicted them, but they likely did not believe.

 

There is nothing here to state dogmatically that they did believe. Some say it is impossible for them to be believers if they went back to the sacrifices. I'm of the camp that a believer can do many things that unbelievers can do, however, the context makes it likely that they did not believe, but rather tasted the ministry of God the HS to the unbeliever but rejected Christ and went back to the temple. To a Jew in Jerusalem at this time, to go back to the temple after hearing the full message of the gospel and submit to the Levitical offerings, we would have to conclude with fairly certain confidence that they did not believe that Christ was the One and only sacrifice for sin, and this was thoroughly communicated to them.

 

HEB 6:5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,

 

They tasted the gospel and they saw miracles. Some had seen Christ's miracles and more had seen the miracles of the apostles and others who had the early, temporary spiritual gift.

 

HEB 6:6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and put Him to open shame.

 

Some say that this verse is stating that if the ministry of God the HS gave someone the gospel, through the agency of the Church, and miracles were witnessed and they still said no to the gospel that it is impossible for them to ever believe again. I cannot hang my hat on such an interpretation because I adhere to the thought that if anyone is still alive there is hope to believe in Christ as Savior. The b part of the verse gives us a better conclusion. Since they are in the temple sacrificing animals they will not repent, or change their mind concerning the person of Jesus Christ. One cannot think simultaneously that an animal sacrifice covers sin temporarily and that Christ removed sin once and for all, forever. They cannot remain under the practice of the Law in the temple and see the light of the gospel. So the writer of Hebrews is entreating them to come out or to abandon them once and for all. The writer fears that his wonderful epistle will have no effect on them because their free will has made them dull to its message.

 

To openly participate in the Levitical offerings after the finished work of Christ was the same as saying that Jesus was not the Christ or that His work was incomplete.

 

The apostate crucifies Christ on his own account by virtually confirming the judgment of the actual crucifiers, declaring that he, too, has made trial of Jesus and found Him no true Messiah but a deceiver and therefore worthy of death. The greatness of the guilt is aggravated by the fact that they thus treat the Son of God.

 

Is it any wonder that God allowed the temple to be destroyed in 70 AD. This barbarous activity could not be done after that. People continued in living under the law and rejecting Christ as Savior, but none can slit an animal's throat on the brazen altar and claim it was a covering for sin under the Mosaic Law. Therefore this particular sin can no longer be done.

 

Our current point:

The attribute of grace is found in two titles, Spirit of Grace (HEB 10:29), and Spirit of Grace and Supplication (ZEC 12:10).

 

HEB 10:26 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

 

In HEB 10:26 this sin is revealed as a wilful sin, and is analyzed in 10:29 as the threefold sin against the three Persons of the Triune God.

 

This sin could only be committed in the first century while the temple was still standing and only by an unsaved Jew or proselyte to Judaism. In this case, there can be no secondary application to present day circumstances or individuals.

 

The willfullness reveals that it is not a sin of weakness or a sin unawares but a repetitive and deliberate act. All sin is paid for, willful, ignorant, or unexpected weakness, but this is a particular sin that is unique to the unsaved Jew in Jerusalem between 33 AD and 70AD.

 

"knowledge of the truth" - epignosis. They were fully informed by the HS of the gospel and the issues that differentiated the old and new Testaments.

 

Thus it is clear that the Jew who committed this sin, was fully informed by the Holy Spirit of the issues involved between the First Testament and the New Testament, and also of the meaning and the implications of the New Testament, (6:4, "who were once enlightened") and therefore, he sinned with his eyes wide open.

 

These Jews sat in the Christian assemblies in Jerusalem and heard the truth taught. The HS convicted them as per Joh 16 concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment and they concluded, like those in Jerusalem 30 years prior, that Jesus was a blasphemer and they rejected Him and went back to the Levitical sacrifices.

 

There was one sacrifice for sins for all time. There remains no other. They shut the door on Christ and went to, now meaningless, rituals.

 

HEB 10:27 but a certain terrifying expectation of judgment, and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.

 

HEB 10:28 Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

 

What he is saying here is that if the transgression of the Mosaic Law was deserving of death then how much severer is the punishment of this particular sin?