Hebrews 10

Hebrews 10:1

[To be] discreet. How often thoughtless indiscretion has caused great pain and trouble! Keepers at home. Those who are continually going must neglect the duties of domestic life. See 1 Timothy 5:13.

Hebrews 10:2

Young men . . . be sober-minded. The precept, sober-minded, occurs four times in six verses (Titus 2:2,4,6,12), and may be accounted for by the volatile character of the Cretans. See Titus 1:12,13.

Hebrews 10:3

Shewing thyself a pattern of good works. While exhorting others. [Showing] uncorruptness. Sincerity.

Hebrews 10:4

Sound speech. Speech of a healthy, moral effect. He that is of the contrary part. Opposers, whether heathen, Jews, or false teachers.

Hebrews 10:5

Servants. Slaves. See notes on Ephesians 6:5-8. Many of the first converts were servants.

Hebrews 10:6

Not purloining. Men robbed of liberty and labor have always been under temptation to steal. Good fidelity. Faithfulness in duty which will secure the master’s confidence. That they may adorn the doctrine of God. The virtues of a Christian servant would commend Christianity to the master. As a matter of fact we know that many masters were converted by their servants.

Hebrews 10:7

The grace of God . . . hath appeared to all men. The divine favor shown forth in the gospel of salvation is for all men, servants as well as masters.

Hebrews 10:8

Teaching us. We are taught in this system of grace that we must deny ourselves all sinful lusts, and live godly lives.

Hebrews 10:9

Looking for that blessed hope. The attitude of Christians is that of waiting in expectation of the fulfillment of a glorious hope. Compare 1 Corinthians 1:7 Philippians 3:20 1 Thessalonians 1:9.

Hebrews 10:10

Who gave himself for us. The Lord who will appear gave the greatest of all things, himself, for us. That he might redeem us. To deliver us from sin, not only from its power, but its penalty. A peculiar people. “A people for his own possession” (Revised Version). Separate, chosen, holy in life. The Jews were, under the old covenant, a peculiar people; now, Christians, are God’s Israel.

Hebrews 10:11

Let no man despise thee. Command respect.

Hebrews 10:13

Various Duties of Social Life SUMMARY OF TITUS 3: Duties of Christian Life. The Former State of Christians. How God Saved Us. The Bath of Regeneration. The Treatment of Heretics. Personal Directions. Be subject to principalities and powers. To the authorities over them. The Cretans were subjected to Roman sway B.C. 67, but had always been turbulent and impatient. Christians should keep aloof from seditions which could only work evil.

Hebrews 10:14

Gentle. Forbearing and patient.

Hebrews 10:15

For we ourselves. We Christians. Were sometimes. Once we were just as foolish, disobedience, turbulent and sinful as others.

Hebrews 10:16

But after that. That we are not so now is due, not to ourselves, but to the love of God shown in the gospel.

Hebrews 10:17

He saved us. Not by our righteousness, but by his mercy. The means chosen by his mercy to place us in the state of salvation are next spoken of. By the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. Two elements enter into the saving; these are referred to in John as the birth of water and of the Spirit (John 3:5). God’s spirit effects the renewal of the spirit of man by bringing him to faith and repentance through the preaching of the gospel; thus the renewal of the Holy Spirit is begun, and the gift of the Holy Spirit is promised as a sequence of baptism (Romans 6:1-8) shows that the sinner dies to sin, is buried by baptism, rises to a new life, and is a new creature. “Washing to regeneration” is literally, “bath of regeneration”. All commentators of reputation refer this to baptism, such as Meyer, Olshausen, Lange, Plumptree, Schaff, Canon Cook, Wesley, etc. Regeneration is due to the Holy Spirit, but baptism is an outward act that God requires to complete the fact. The term “regeneration” only occurs here and Matthew 19:28.

Hebrews 10:18

Which he. The Holy Spirit. Shed on us abundantly. On the church. On some even in miraculous measure. See Acts 2:1-10.

Hebrews 10:19

That being justified by his grace. Our sins all forgiven, that through God’s grace, we might be accepted as his children.

Hebrews 10:20

[This is] a faithful saying. What has been said in the last four verses. Affirm constantly. That they are saved by the gospel, and hence must live holy lives. Maintain good works. Active in good deeds.

Hebrews 10:21

But avoid foolish questions. How often this admonition! And genealogies. See PNT 1 Timothy 1:4. And strivings about the law. Disputes over points connected with the Jewish law.

Hebrews 10:22

An heretic. A divider, or schismatic. Any one who preaches doctrines which divide the household of faith is a heretic. So is any schismatic or factious man. This is the only passage in the New Testament where “heretic” occurs, though “heresy” is elsewhere named (Acts 24:14). Reject. First admonish and warn, repeat it, and if there is no change, then refuse his fellowship.

Hebrews 10:23

Knowing that he that is such. No one can continue factious unless he is perverted from the truth.

Hebrews 10:24

When I shall send. Titus was not stationed permanently in Crete, as a diocesan bishop, but was left for a certain work (Titus 1:5), and is now bidden to leave as soon as another is sent to take his place. Artemas. Otherwise unknown. Tychicus. Often named as one of Paul’s companions. See notes on Colossians 4:7 Ephesians 6:21. Come unto me to Nicopolis. A town on the west coast of Greece in Epirus, so named because Augustus Caesar gained the great battle of Actium there. It means “City of Victory”. History seems to make it probable that Paul did go there to winter, was again arrested, and carried to Rome to die.

Hebrews 10:25

Bring Zenas the lawyer. Of him nothing more is known. And Apollos. See Acts 18:24-28. It was the custom of the churches to help the early evangelists forward on their journeys.

Hebrews 10:26

Let ours also learn. Our fellow-Christians. This suggests that it would be a good work to aid Zenas and Apollos.