Therefore, brothers, since through the blood of Jesus we have confidence of entrance into the sanctuary 20 by the new and living way he opened for us through the veil, that is, his flesh, 21 and since we have “a great priest over the house of God,” 22 let us approach with a sincere heart and in absolute trust, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. 23 Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy. 24 We must consider how to rouse one another to love and good works. 25 We should not stay away from our assembly, as is the custom of some, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you see the day drawing near. 26 If we sin deliberately after receiving knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains sacrifice for sins 27 but a fearful prospect of judgment and a flaming fire that is going to consume the adversaries. 28 Anyone who rejects the law of Moses is put to death without pity on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Do you not think that a much worse punishment is due the one who has contempt for the Son of God, considers unclean the covenant-blood by which he was consecrated, and insults the spirit of grace? 30 We know the one who said: “Vengeance is mine; I will repay,” and again: “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Paul exhorts the Hebrews to be steadfast in faith, hope, and charity. He warns them about falling away from the faith and rejecting the truth once they received it.
Jesus Christ opened the new and living way to the sanctuary with his blood through the veil of his flesh. He is the High Priest over the house of God, the Christian community, so they can have confidence of entry into the sanctuary. Because of their repentance, baptism (1 Cor. 6:11), and their trust in God, they can approach the sanctuary with a sincere heart and a clean conscience through the purifying power of Christ’s sacrifice (Heb. 9:14). They must hold fast to the confession of hope in the promises of Christ made at their baptism because Christ is trustworthy. They must encourage each other in the virtue of love, do good works, and attend liturgical gatherings. The day of the Parousia is drawing near (1 Cor. 3:13).
The Hebrew Christians must not deliberately and persistently reject the truth, fall into serious sin, and forsake the living God once they have received full knowledge of the truth (Heb. 3:12) because there is no sacrifice that could atone for such serious sins. At the judgment, they will feel the wrath of God (Heb. 6:4-8; Is. 26:11). Anyone who persists in serious sin has contempt for the Son of God. He treats the sanctifying blood of Christ with disrespect and angers the Spirit of Grace. He will be punished worse than the capital punishment inflicted upon those who committed idolatry (Deut. 17:2-7). Paul quoted the judgment text from Moses (Deut. 32:35,36; Rom. 12:19). Paul concludes that it is a terrible thing “to fall into the hands of the living God” (v. 31).
Almighty God, we pray for our loved ones who have not yet fully turned to you or have fallen away from you and trust that in your mercy you will give them hearts that are malleable and minds that are receptive to knowledge of your Word and of the truth. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.
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