Hebrews 10:19 – 25:
19: Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
20: by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,
21: and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
22: let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
23: Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
24: And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,
25: not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
BarbTalk:
This book of Hebrews was written to Jewish people who recognized Jesus as their Messiah. They had been taught from birth about God, and about the requirements that He had laid out for His people to follow, so that they could approach Him unharmed.
These new Christian believers had heard how the High Priest, once a year, would go into the Most Holy Place, with a rope tied onto his ankle, carrying blood that was from the spotless lamb they had slaughtered. The rope around his ankle assured him that if he died in the presence of the Lord, because his offering was not acceptable for some reason, that his attendees could pull him out of the temple and bury him.
The writer of Hebrews had explained in the first 9 chapters about how Jesus was superior to Moses, angels, High Priests and everything in creation. He explained how Jesus gave Himself as the perfect sacrifice, so that in His Name, we may approach God and be confident that we will be received.
Now the writer continues on with Therefore. Whenever I see the word therefore, I think, what’s it there for? Or as my English Professor husband would say, for which reason was it there?
The writer has clearly declared, Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, therefore, you can have confidence when you approach God. He also refers to the great curtain which separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (where the Arc of the Covenant was that contained The Ten Commandments, Aaron's staff that bloomed, a jar of Manna, and where the Mercy Seat of God and His Presence resided) The curtain that separated the two parts of the Worship Center split apart at Jesus’ death, opening a clear path to God.
These are the notes from the Life Application Study Bible:
“The Most Holy Place in the temple was sealed from view by a curtain. Only the high priest could enter this holy room, and he did so only once a year on the Day of Atonement when he offered the sacrifice for the nation’s sins. But Jesus’ death removed the curtain, and all believers may walk into God’s presence at any time.”
The writer also tells us that we have our consciences cleaned, and we need to continue to encourage each other and to continue to meet together.
The great Therefore. I like how the Message Paraphrase states verses 22-25:
22-25: “So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps His word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.”
Jesus is coming back to rescue us from this sin- and violence-filled world. We need to stand strong until He returns. Therefore, be strong and don’t be afraid, because He has told us what we’re here for.
19: Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,
20: by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,
21: and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
22: let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
23: Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.
24: And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,
25: not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
BarbTalk:
This book of Hebrews was written to Jewish people who recognized Jesus as their Messiah. They had been taught from birth about God, and about the requirements that He had laid out for His people to follow, so that they could approach Him unharmed.
These new Christian believers had heard how the High Priest, once a year, would go into the Most Holy Place, with a rope tied onto his ankle, carrying blood that was from the spotless lamb they had slaughtered. The rope around his ankle assured him that if he died in the presence of the Lord, because his offering was not acceptable for some reason, that his attendees could pull him out of the temple and bury him.
The writer of Hebrews had explained in the first 9 chapters about how Jesus was superior to Moses, angels, High Priests and everything in creation. He explained how Jesus gave Himself as the perfect sacrifice, so that in His Name, we may approach God and be confident that we will be received.
Now the writer continues on with Therefore. Whenever I see the word therefore, I think, what’s it there for? Or as my English Professor husband would say, for which reason was it there?
The writer has clearly declared, Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, therefore, you can have confidence when you approach God. He also refers to the great curtain which separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (where the Arc of the Covenant was that contained The Ten Commandments, Aaron's staff that bloomed, a jar of Manna, and where the Mercy Seat of God and His Presence resided) The curtain that separated the two parts of the Worship Center split apart at Jesus’ death, opening a clear path to God.
These are the notes from the Life Application Study Bible:
“The Most Holy Place in the temple was sealed from view by a curtain. Only the high priest could enter this holy room, and he did so only once a year on the Day of Atonement when he offered the sacrifice for the nation’s sins. But Jesus’ death removed the curtain, and all believers may walk into God’s presence at any time.”
The writer also tells us that we have our consciences cleaned, and we need to continue to encourage each other and to continue to meet together.
The great Therefore. I like how the Message Paraphrase states verses 22-25:
22-25: “So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps His word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.”
Jesus is coming back to rescue us from this sin- and violence-filled world. We need to stand strong until He returns. Therefore, be strong and don’t be afraid, because He has told us what we’re here for.