Question 1

What does it mean that the law is a shadow of good things to come?

Accepted Answer

When this passage says the law is a shadow of good things to come, it means the old sacrifices and rituals were like an outline, not the real thing. They pointed ahead to something better, but could not fully deal with sin. A shadow shows the shape of a person, but not the person himself. In the same way, the sacrifices under the law pointed to Christ and his work, but they could not make people truly clean inside. Only Jesus, the real substance, brings full forgiveness and a clean conscience.

Question 2

Why could the blood of bulls and goats not take away sins?

Accepted Answer

The passage plainly says it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Animal blood cannot truly match human guilt or change the heart. Those offerings were reminders of sin, not the final answer for it. They had to be repeated every year, which showed they were not enough. They served as signs and pictures, pointing forward to a better sacrifice. Only Christ, who became man and perfectly obeyed God, could offer a sacrifice with real and lasting power to remove sin.

Question 3

What does it mean that Christ came to do God’s will?

Accepted Answer

When Christ says, “Lo, I come to do thy will, O God,” it shows his willing obedience to the Father’s plan. God did not find pleasure in endless animal sacrifices, but in the obedient Son who offered himself. By doing God’s will, Jesus took away the first system of sacrifices and established the second, the new covenant. Through that will, believers are set apart by the offering of his body once for all. His whole life, and especially his death, was a glad and complete doing of God’s saving purpose.

Question 4

How does Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice change our access to God?

Accepted Answer

Because Christ offered one sacrifice for sins forever, the passage says we now have boldness to enter the holiest by his blood. In the old system, only the high priest could enter the most holy place, and only once a year. Now, a new and living way is opened through the “veil,” that is, Christ’s flesh. His death has removed the barrier of guilt. So believers can draw near to God with a true heart, full assurance of faith, hearts cleansed from an evil conscience, and lives set apart for him.

Question 5

What does it mean to draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith?

Accepted Answer

To draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith means coming to God sincerely, not pretending, trusting fully in what Christ has done. A true heart is honest and given to God, not double-minded. Full assurance of faith rests on Christ’s blood and promise, not on our efforts. The passage speaks of hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and bodies washed with pure water, showing a clean inside and outside. This is the way believers are to approach God in prayer, worship, and daily life.

Question 6

Why does the passage warn about sinning willfully after knowing the truth?

Accepted Answer

The passage gives a very serious warning: if someone sins willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there is no other sacrifice left for sins. This is not about every weakness or struggle, but about knowingly rejecting Christ and his finished work, treating his blood as common and insulting the Spirit of grace. Under Moses, despising the law brought death. Turning away from God’s Son is even more serious. For such a person, only a fearful expectation of judgment remains, not another way of salvation.

Question 7

What does it mean that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God?

Accepted Answer

When the writer says it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, he is stressing how serious God’s judgment is, especially for those who reject Christ. God is living, not a powerless idea. He says, “Vengeance belongs to me, I will repay.” For those who trample on his Son, there is real wrath. This is meant to shake people out of carelessness and cheap thoughts of sin. At the same time, for those who trust Christ, God’s hands are strong to save, not to destroy.

Question 8

How were these believers suffering, and how does that help us understand the passage?

Accepted Answer

The passage reminds the readers of earlier days when, after they were enlightened, they went through a hard struggle. They were made a public spectacle by insults and troubles, and they shared in the sufferings of others. They even accepted the loss of their goods with joy, knowing they had better and lasting riches in heaven. This background shows why they were tempted to give up, and why the writer urges them not to throw away their confidence but to endure, looking to the coming of the Lord and the promise ahead.

Question 9

What does it mean that the just shall live by faith and not draw back?

Accepted Answer

When it says the just shall live by faith, it means that those who are right with God do not live by sight or outward safety, but by trusting his promise in Christ. Faith keeps going when answers are delayed. To draw back is to shrink away from trusting God and from confessing Christ, especially when pressure comes. God says he has no pleasure in such shrinking back. The writer, however, encourages his readers, saying they are not of those who draw back to ruin, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

Question 10

How can I apply this passage about Christ’s sacrifice and endurance to my life?

Accepted Answer

You can apply this passage first by resting your hope in Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice, not in your own works or in any repeated ritual. Draw near to God often, with a sincere heart, trusting that his blood truly cleanses you. Hold fast to your confession of faith, especially when you suffer or feel pressure to give up. Stay close to other believers, not neglecting meeting together, but stirring one another up to love and good works. Remember that there is a better and lasting reward, and live by faith until he comes.

Hebrews 10:1

For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

Christ’s Perfect Sacrifice

A Call to Persevere

Christ’s Perfect Sacrifice

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Hebrews 10:1

For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

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Christ’s Perfect Sacrifice

A Call to Persevere

Christ’s Perfect Sacrifice

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