memorabor amplius....
10:16. Comp. Heb. 8:8 ff. note. (Jer. 31:31 ff. (38:31 ff.)) For the special phrase tw'/ oi[kw/ jIsrahvl here the writer substitutes pro;" aujtouv" ; and kardiva and diavnoia are transposed, and the clause kai; tw'n ajnomiw'n aujtw'n is added.
Heb. 10:17. ouj mh; mnhsqhvsomai ] Contrast 5:3 ajnavmnhsi" aJmartiw'n . 10:18. o{pou de; a[fesi" touvtwn ] Now where there is remission of these sins. For a[fesi" see Heb. 9:22 note. The consequences of sin are threefold: debt which requires forgiveness, bondage which requires redemption, alienation which requires reconciliation. See note on 1 John 1:9. The words a[fesi", ajfievnai express the first idea: comp. Matt. 18:27, 32, 35.
These words are rare in the Epistles, more frequent in the Synoptic Gospels and ( a[fesi" aJm. ) Acts. The remission of sins is essentially a creative act: compare Matt. 9:2 ff. and parallels.
Comp. Heb. 9:22. The only other places where a[fesi" occurs in the Epistles are Eph. 1:7 ejn w|/ e[comen th;n ajpoluvtrwsin dia; tou' ai{mato" aujtou', th;n a[fesin tw'n paraptwmavtwn . Col. 1:14 ejn w|/ e[comen th;n ajpoluvtrwsin, th;n a[fesin tw'n aJmartiw'n .
Contrast pavresi" Rom. 3:25. The prophetic words shew that under the New Covenant no place is left for the Levitical sacrifices. The Christian can therefore dispense with them without any loss. To be forced to give up their shadowy consolation is to be led to realise more practically the work of Christ.
This is the lastthe decisiveword of the argument.
V. THE APPROPRIATION AND VITAL APPLICATION OF THE TRUTHS LAID DOWN (Heb. 10:19-13:25)
Having established his theoretical view of the relation of Christianity to Judaism, as its complete fulfilment, the substance answering to the shadow, the writer of the Epistle at once goes on to enforce the practical consequences of his conclusions. The privileges must be used: the duties must be discharged. The faith is not for speculation but for life. All the consolations of the Levitical system can be surrendered without loss; and they must be surrendered at once if they come in any way into competition with Christian obligation.
This main line of thought is developed under four sections. The writer first makes a direct application of his teaching to his readers, defining sharply their privileges and perils and encouragements (10:19-39). Having thus insisted on the necessity of faith as an element in that patient endurance which God requires in the discipline of His Providence, he next shews that it was by faith the spiritual heroes of earlier times wrought their victories (ch.
11). Such examples had an immediate application to the circumstances of the crisis in which the Hebrews were placed; and they were sufficient to enable them to realise the grandeur of the responsibilities and hopes which were given to them (ch. 12). The last chapter (ch. 13) is a kind of appendix to the Epistle in which detailed instructions and personal notices find a place.
Thus we have:
i.
The privileges, perils, encouragements of the Hebrews
(10:19-39).