Hebrews 10:9-10
then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The crucial point here is that Jesus doesn't just replace the old sacrifices; he abolishes them by perfectly fulfilling God's will through His own body. This means the old system wasn't just less effective, it was rendered entirely obsolete by Christ's singular, obedient act.
The author is explaining how Jesus' coming fulfills God's true will, contrasting it with the Old Testament sacrifices. This verse highlights Jesus' own declaration that He came to do God's will, thereby doing away with the need for the old system of animal offerings to establish His perfect, once-for-all sacrifice. The preceding verses quoted Psalm 40, emphasizing that God desired obedience over mere ritual, and the following verses will show how Jesus' sacrifice accomplished this.
The Old Testament was full of sacrifices and rituals. But were they the ultimate goal, or a stepping stone?
Hebrews 10:9 highlights a pivotal shift. Jesus declares, 'I have come to do your will.' This wasn't just another offering; it was the fulfillment of God's true desire.
The "First" vs. The "Second"
The text makes it clear: Jesus doesn't just add to the old system; He replaces it by accomplishing what it could only foreshadow. The animal sacrifices were done away with because they couldn't truly satisfy God's will. Jesus' coming establishes the perfect, once-for-all way to do God's will.
When Jesus said, 'I have come to do your will,' He wasn't just stating a fact; He was announcing the purpose of His entire mission.
The core of Jesus' coming was to perfectly execute God's will. This involved more than just obeying commandments; it meant offering Himself as the ultimate sacrifice.
The Will of God
Understand the original words
hagiazō · Greek Verb
The state of being set apart or consecrated for God’s exclusive use; in the New Covenant, it refers to being positionally made holy through faith in Christ.
sōma · Greek Noun
The physical human form of Jesus, which he offered as the definitive, atoning sacrifice to satisfy God’s justice.
ephapax · Greek Adverb
A term signifying that Christ's sacrifice was unique, complete, and unrepeatable, permanently finishing the work of redemption.
The author of Hebrews quotes Psalm 40 to show that Jesus' coming fulfilled God's will by replacing the old sacrificial system. This highlights that the Law's sacrifices were preparatory, pointing to Christ's perfect, once-for-all offering.
c. 1000 BC
Davidic Kingdom Flourishes
King David, a beloved figure in Jewish history, reigns, and the Temple in Jerusalem is planned. His Psalms are written during this era, reflecting deep spiritual experiences.
c. 950 BC
Solomon's Temple Completed
King Solomon completes the First Temple, establishing a central place for sacrifices and worship according to the Law of Moses. This marks the peak of Israel's early unified kingdom.
c. 750-600 BC
Prophetic Criticism of Sacrifice
Prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah critique the Israelites' over-reliance on sacrifices, emphasizing God's desire for justice and mercy over mere ritual observance. This foreshadows a deeper fulfillment.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and First Temple
The Babylonian conquest leads to the destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian Exile for many Judeans.
This passage is directly quoted in Hebrews 10:6-8, laying the foundation for the argument that Christ's coming to do God's will supersedes the old sacrificial system.
Jeremiah 7:21-23The prophet Jeremiah declared that God did not primarily desire burnt offerings and sacrifices, but obedience, echoing the sentiment that Christ's perfect obedience is what truly satisfies God's will.
Romans 3:21-26This passage explains how God's righteousness is revealed apart from the law, through faith in Jesus Christ's sacrifice, highlighting how Christ's work abolishes the first (the law's inability to justify) to establish the second (justification by grace through faith).
John 6:38Jesus states, 'For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me,' directly aligning with the proclamation in Hebrews 10:9 to 'do your will, O God.'
1 Peter 1:18-20This passage explains that believers were redeemed not with temporary things, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb foreknown before the foundation of the world, underscoring the substitutionary and foundational nature of Christ's sacrifice over prior rituals.
meyerHebrews 10:9: "Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second."
Hebrews 10:9 . Τότε εἴρηκεν ] are words of the author, and form the apodosis to ἀνώτερον λέγων , Hebrews 10:8 . Quite erroneously does Peirce, who, with Chrysostom, Hom . xviii. and the Vulgate (tunc dixi), instead of τότε εἴρηκεν will read τότε εἶπον , which, however, only arose from Hebrews 10:7 , make the apodosis begin first with ἀναιρεῖ τὸ πρῶτον . τότε , however, not…
clarkeHebrews 10:9: "Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second."
He taketh away the first - The offerings, sacrifices, burnt-offerings, and sacrifices for sin, which were prescribed by the law. That he may establish the second - The offering of the body of Jesus once for all. It will make little odds in the meaning if we say, he taketh away the first covenant, that he may establish the second covenant; he takes away the first dispensati…
The crucial point here is that Jesus doesn't just replace the old sacrifices; he abolishes them by perfectly fulfilling God's will through His own body. This means the old system wasn't just less effective, it was rendered entirely obsolete by Christ's singular, obedient act.
The author is explaining how Jesus' coming fulfills God's true will, contrasting it with the Old Testament sacrifices. This verse highlights Jesus' own declaration that He came to do God's will, thereby doing away with the need for the old system of animal offerings to establish His perfect, once-for-all sacrifice. The preceding verses quoted Psalm 40, emphasizing that God desired obedience over mere ritual, and the following verses will show how Jesus' sacrifice accomplished this.
The author is explaining how Jesus' coming fulfills God's true will, contrasting it with the Old Testament sacrifices. This verse highlights Jesus' own declaration that He came to do God's will, thereby doing away with the need for the old system of animal offerings to establish His perfect, once-for-all sacrifice. The preceding verses quoted Psalm 40, emphasizing that God desired obedience over mere ritual, and the following verses will show how Jesus' sacrifice accomplished this.
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c. 440 BC
Return from Exile and Second Temple Construction
Judeans return from Babylonian exile and rebuild the Temple. While a significant spiritual moment, it is seen by many as less glorious than Solomon's original Temple.
c. AD 30-33— this verse
Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection
Jesus Christ offers his body as a sacrifice, fulfilling the Law's sacrificial system and ushering in a new covenant. This event is the absolute culmination of God's plan.
c. AD 60-65
Authorship of Hebrews
The author of Hebrews writes his letter, likely to a community of Jewish Christians struggling with maintaining their faith amidst persecution or assimilation. He argues for the supremacy of Christ.
"then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." — The crucial point here is that Jesus doesn't just replace the old sacrifices; he abolishes them by perfectly fulfilling God's will through His own body. This means the old system wasn't just le…
