Today's passage: Hebrews 10

Throughout the various letters of the new testament we have seen multiple times in which the sacrifice of Jesus is described as being superior to Mosaic Law.  It is one thing to state such supremacy, but it is much more daunting to prove such an assertion.  In Hebrews 10 verses 1-18, the author sets out to do precisely that.  It continues thoughts from the previous chapters with very compelling arguments supporting the new covenant as a superior replacement for the Law and continued traditional sacrifice.  

The author uses resources that would have been familiar to the audience when referencing support from Psalms and Jeremiah.  In addition, the author uses what I would call a common sense approach.  For example, in the first few verses, it is argued that traditional sacrifice cannot make one perfect, otherwise why should the sacrifices be repeated.  In verse 4 this point is summed up with what I suspect may have been a somewhat provocative statement, "It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."  From there, it is explained the the sacrifice of the Christ was a sacrifice for once and for all, and no further sacrifice was required.  Verse 10 states, "And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."  In a later verse, in contrast to verse 4 where traditional sacrifice is unable to remove sin, verse 18 states that as a result of Christ, sin can be forgiven, and further sacrifice is not necessary.  It seems that this would have been a fairly radical concept for a traditional Jew, but yet the support is given from sources with which they would have been intimately familiar.

As stated at the start of this blog, there are many statements in the letters regarding the supremacy of Christ over Law, but Hebrews 10: 1-18  (which expands upon the thoughts from chapter 9) reads as a particularly potent argument on the subject.  The arguments made are well thought out and supported by old testament references.  I suspect it would have invoked an interesting variety of reactions with its intended audience.