Hebrews 10:1 - Exposition

For the Law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer continually, make the comers thereunto perfect . The Law is said here to exhibit a shadow ( σκιὰν ) of the good things to come ( τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν ), viz. of the "good things" of which Christ is come as "High Priest" ( Hebrews 9:11 ), belonging to the μέλλων αἰών ( Hebrews 6:5 ), μέλλουσα οἰκουμένη ( Hebrews 2:5 ), which is still, in its full realization, future to us, though already inaugurated by Christ, and though we have already tasted the powers of it ( Hebrews 6:5 ). Similarly ( Hebrews 8:5 ) the priests under the Law are said to have served a copy and shadow of the heavenly things; i.e. of the heavenly realities to be revealed in the "coming age." To "shadow" is opposed "very image" ( εἰκόνα ) , which means, not a representation apart from the things, but (as emphasized by αὐτὴν ) the actual presentment of the things themselves; which were, in fact, archetypal and prior to the shadows of the Law, though their manifestation was reserved to the future age. Such is the sense of εἰκὼν in Colossians 3:10 , κατ εἰκόνα τοῦ κτίσαντος αὐτόν : and Romans 8:29 , συμμόρφους τῆς εἰκόνος τοῦ υἱοῦ . (Cf. Colossians 1:15 , where Christ is called εἰκὼν τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου : cf. also Colossians 2:17 , where σκιὰ is opposed to σῶμα —shadow to body) In the latter part of the verse, "they," who "offer," are the priests of the Law; "the comers thereunto" ( οἱ προσερχομένοι ) are the people who resort to the rites. "Make perfect" ( τελειῶσαι ) means full accomplishment for them of what is aimed at; in this case, remission of sin, and acceptance after complete atonement. The verb τελειοῦν , though variously applied, signifies always full completion of the purpose in view (cf. Hebrews 7:19 , οὐδεν γὰρ ἐτελείωσεν ὁ νόμος ) . (For its application to Christ himself, see under Hebrews 2:10 ; Hebrews 5:9 )