Hebrews 10:19-31 (from the NRSV (Anglicised), with OT quotes in italics)
19 Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
26 For if we wilfully persist in sin after having received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful prospect of judgement, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has violated the law of Moses dies without mercy ‘on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 29 How much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by those who have spurned the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant by which they were sanctified, and outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know the one who said, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay.’ And again, ‘The Lord will judge his people.’ 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Reflection
These verses recall an earlier snippet in the letter. The focus shifted in chapter four, from pilgrimage to priesthood, and now it is about to shift back. Chapter nine was all priesthood, eleven will tell again of journeying, and here in ten is a hinge, a fulcrum in the writing. Just as the verses from 4:14 were a transition, pointing on to the priesthood of Jesus, so the verses from 10:19 draw on this priesthood to urge the readers on. There are several echoes between these two transition passages. You may spot others.
4:14-16 10:19-25
‘Let us’ is a chorus-line in these verses – ‘let us approach, let us hold fast, let us consider’ (vv.22-24). The plural is important; Christians need one another. The readers of Hebrews have been facing pressure, and perhaps even spiritual crisis. The best way to withstand the storm is to hold together, to carry on meeting, to encourage and support one another, and to nurture habits of love and service (vv.24-25). We receive from Christ through and with each other, not just alone.
Next comes another of the occasional warning passages that run through this letter. We met a couple of these earlier (2:1-4 and 5:11–6:8). The writer’s concern is not, I think, a general anxiety that the readers might sometimes sin, but a fear that they will abandon their allegiance to Jesus altogether. That would be a bad error, says Hebrews, because then there is nowhere else to go for pardon (v.26). The old sacrifices will not help. The prospect of judgment is a serious concern too (vv.27, 30, 31). If God steps in to vindicate the church, one would wish to be counted among the faithful. Persecution is afoot, of which we hear more tomorrow. Resilience matters.
For thought and prayer
If you were trying to dissuade someone from turning their back on the Christian life, what would you say? What issues, concerns and arguments might help?
Will you pray for any church friends you know who have been battered by circumstances recently, that they will find real encouragement from God and from other people?