Hebrews 10:19-22
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near 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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The "boldness" believers have isn't just a feeling; it's a solid confidence rooted in Jesus' blood, which is the very ground of our access to God's presence. This means our confidence isn't based on our own merit, but on the finished work of Christ, making us secure in a way the Old Testament sacrifices could never achieve.
The author has just concluded a lengthy argument about Jesus's perfect, once-for-all sacrifice, highlighting its absolute superiority over the repeated, inadequate sacrifices of the Old Covenant. He's shown how Jesus's death fulfilled all the Old Testament rituals and established a new covenant. Now, he pivots to exhort his readers, urging them to live in light of these profound truths. This verse marks the beginning of a new section where he calls them to hold fast to their faith, draw near to God, and encourage one another, all grounded in the reality of Christ's work.
Forget timid, fearful approaches. The text uses a powerful word for our access to God. What does this 'boldness' truly mean for us today?
The original language word for 'boldness' (parrhesia) here doesn't just mean being loud or brash. It speaks of free, confident speech and open access, like speaking freely with a trusted friend. This isn't a boldness we generate ourselves; it's a gift. It's the result of Jesus' sacrifice.
Contrast with the Past
Under the Old Covenant, access to God's presence was restricted. The High Priest entered the Most Holy Place only once a year, with immense care and specific rituals, fearing for his life if he failed. The people were kept far outside.
Our New Reality
Through Jesus' blood, a 'new and living way' has been opened. We don't have to be afraid. We can come directly into God's presence with confidence because Jesus, our High Priest, has already paved the way for us.
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The verse mentions 'the blood of Jesus.' This isn't a casual detail; it's the very foundation of our access to God. What's so significant about His blood?
The phrase 'by the blood of Jesus' is crucial. The original language suggests 'in the power of' or 'on the basis of' His blood. This means Jesus' sacrificial death is not just a historical event, but the active, ongoing reason we can approach a holy God.
A Cleansing and Consecration
His blood cleanses us from sin and guilt, making us acceptable to God. It also consecrates (sets apart) the way for us. Unlike the temporary, repeated sacrifices of the Old Testament, Jesus' blood is a perfect and eternal sacrifice.
The Difference
Animal blood under the Old Covenant could not permanently atone for sin. It was a temporary sign. Christ's blood, however, is powerful and effective for all time. It deals with sin completely, satisfying God's justice and opening heaven's door.
Understand the original words
parrēsia · Greek Noun
Boldness, freedom of speech, or courageous confidence. In the NT, it describes the believer’s privilege to approach God directly without fear, based on the completed work of Christ.
hagios · Greek Noun
The most sacred space in the Tabernacle or Temple where God’s presence dwelt. In the New Covenant, this refers to the heavenly realm or the immediate presence of God.
hodos · Greek Noun
A spiritual metaphor for the path or means by which a person approaches God. It denotes both the method and the person of Jesus Christ, who is the exclusive way to the Father.
katapetasma · Greek Noun
In the Old Testament, the veil separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place. Symbolically, it represents the barrier between a holy God and sinful humanity, which Christ’s sacrifice removed.
hierea megan · Greek Noun phrase
A title emphasizing Christ's supreme office as the mediator between God and humanity, fulfilling the Aaronic priesthood but superior to it. He serves continuously in the heavenly tabernacle.
oikon · Greek Noun
A metaphor for the people of God, the church, or the community of believers where God dwells by His Spirit, echoing the Old Testament tabernacle/temple.
proserchometha · Greek Verb
To approach God in worship or prayer, implying intimate access made possible only through the blood of Christ.
alēthinēs kardias · Greek Noun phrase
A sincere, honest, and undivided commitment of the inner person (mind, will, and emotions) to God.
plērophoria pisteōs · Greek Noun phrase
The absolute, confident, and settled conviction regarding the truth of God’s promises, grounded not in oneself but in the character of God.
errantismenoi... syneidēsin ponēras · Greek Verb/Noun phrase
A metaphorical cleansing, referencing the Old Testament sacrificial rites where blood was sprinkled to make atonement and purge away the defilement of sin/guilt.
The verse draws a powerful contrast between the limited, fear-filled access the Old Covenant provided to God's presence and the complete, confident access believers now have through Jesus' sacrifice. The historical context of the Tabernacle and Temple, with their strict rituals and inaccessible Holy of Holies, highlights the revolutionary nature of Christ's work.
c. 1440 BC
Construction of the Tabernacle
The Tabernacle, a portable sanctuary, was constructed under Moses' leadership, featuring a Holy of Holies separated by a veil, accessible only to the High Priest once a year. This established the ritualistic system for approaching God.
c. 960 BC
Dedication of Solomon's Temple
Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem replaced the Tabernacle as the central place of worship. It also contained a Holy of Holies, emphasizing God's presence and the need for atonement through sacrifice.
587 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and the First Temple, marking a catastrophic end to sacrificial worship at the central sanctuary and the exile of many Jews. This event underscored the fragility of physical structures and the limitations of the old covenant.
c. 450 BC
Rebuilding of the Second Temple
Following their return from exile, the Jews rebuilt the Temple in Jerusalem. While a place of worship, it lacked the Ark of the Covenant and the full glory of the First Temple, with ongoing interpretations of its significance.
c. AD 30— this verse
Crucifixion and Death of Jesus
Jesus Christ was crucified. His death, understood as a sacrifice for sins, is seen as fulfilling the Old Testament sacrificial system and providing a new, living way for humanity to approach God.
c. AD 64-67
Writing of the Book of Hebrews
The Epistle to the Hebrews was written, likely to a community of Jewish Christians struggling with maintaining their faith. The author emphasizes Christ's superiority over the old covenant and encourages perseverance.
This verse describes God meeting with Israel in the Most Holy Place, which directly relates to the 'holiest' that believers can now enter by Christ's blood.
Leviticus 16:11-12This passage details the High Priest's annual entrance into the Most Holy Place with blood, highlighting the Old Testament ritual that Christ's one-time sacrifice and entrance supersede.
Isaiah 53:5This prophecy beautifully explains the atoning work of the Suffering Servant, whose wounds and sacrifice are the very foundation for our bold access to God, as mentioned in Hebrews.
John 14:6Jesus declares, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life,' echoing the idea in Hebrews that Christ Himself is the new and living way into God's presence.
1 Peter 3:18This verse states that Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, underscoring the sacrificial aspect that grants us access.
ellicottHebrews 10:19: "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,"
(19) The exhortation which here begins is very similar to that of Hebrews 4:14-16 . Its greater fulness and expressiveness are in accordance with the development in the thought. Therefore.—The chief thoughts taken up are those expressed in Hebrews 9:11-12. The word “boldness” has occurred in Hebrews 3:6; Hebrews 4:16. (See the Notes.) By the blood of Jesus.—Better, in the blood of Jesus; for t…
vincentHebrews 10:19: "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,"
To enter into the holiest (εἰς τὴν εἴσοδον τῶν ἁγίων)Lit. for the entering of the holiest. The phrase παρρησία εἰς boldness unto, N.T.o. Παρρησία with περὶ concerning, John 16:25; with πρὸςwith reference to, 2 Corinthians 7:4; 1 John 3:21; 1 John 5:14. Ἔισοδος in N.T. habitually of the act of entering.By the blood (ἐν τῷ αἵματι)Lit. "in the blood": in the power or virtue of.
The "boldness" believers have isn't just a feeling; it's a solid confidence rooted in Jesus' blood, which is the very ground of our access to God's presence. This means our confidence isn't based on our own merit, but on the finished work of Christ, making us secure in a way the Old Testament sacrifices could never achieve.
The author has just concluded a lengthy argument about Jesus's perfect, once-for-all sacrifice, highlighting its absolute superiority over the repeated, inadequate sacrifices of the Old Covenant. He's shown how Jesus's death fulfilled all the Old Testament rituals and established a new covenant. Now, he pivots to exhort his readers, urging them to live in light of these profound truths. This verse marks the beginning of a new section where he calls them to hold fast to their faith, draw near to God, and encourage one another, all grounded in the reality of Christ's work.
The author has just concluded a lengthy argument about Jesus's perfect, once-for-all sacrifice, highlighting its absolute superiority over the repeated, inadequate sacrifices of the Old Covenant. He's shown how Jesus's death fulfilled all the Old Testament rituals and established a new covenant. Now, he pivots to exhort his readers, urging them to live in light of these profound truths. This verse marks the beginning of a new section where he calls them to hold fast to their faith, draw near to God, and encourage one another, all grounded in the reality of Christ's work.
"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house…" — The "boldness" believers have isn't just a feeling; it's a solid confidence rooted in Jesus' blood, which is the very ground of our access to God's presence. This means our confidence isn't based on…
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