Hebrews 10:1-18

3. The accomplishment of our high priest 10:1-18

This section on the high priestly ministry of Christ (Hebrews 7:1 to Hebrews 10:18) concludes with this pericope in which the writer emphasized the perfecting effect of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on New Covenant believers. He wrote this to impress his readers further with the superiority of their condition compared with that of Old Covenant believers.

As pointed out previously, Hebrews 7:1 to Hebrews 10:18 constitutes an exposition of distinctive features of the high priestly office of the Son. These are its similarity to the priesthood of Melchizedek (ch. 7), the fact that it involved a single, personal sacrifice for sins (chs. 8-9), and its achievement of eternal salvation (Hebrews 10:1-18).

". . . in Hebrews 10:1-18 the writer elaborates the ’subjective’ effects of Christ’s offering for the community that enjoys the blessings of the new covenant. Christ’s death is considered from the perspective of its efficacy for Christians." [Note: Lane, Hebrews 9-13, p. 258.]

The argument is again chiastic.

A The inadequacy of the Old Covenant: repeated sacrifices were necessary (Hebrews 10:1-4)

B The one sacrifice of Christ: supersedes the repeated sacrifices (Hebrews 10:5-10)

B’ The priesthood of Christ: supersedes the Levitical priesthood (Hebrews 10:11-14)

A’ The adequacy of the New Covenant: no more sacrifice for sins is necessary (Hebrews 10:15-18)