In chapter ten, the writer to the Hebrews continues to expound the magnificent benefits of the work of Christ, particularly in Jesus' utter and unconditional fulfillment of the Day of Atonement rituals. In these, the complete obliteration of Israel's sins was prefigured, but never finally accomplished. In Christ, all that was prefigured has been completely realized. In him our sins have been entirely removed, and guilt wholly atoned for. Not only has Jesus perfected his people and sanctified them, he is also the means by which we enter into the presence of God.

All other OT sacrifices were unwilling (and unwitting) victims. Jesus was both fully aware of what he was doing and completely willing to do it. For this reason the writer underscores the limitations of the Old Testament system (e.g. 10:1-4, 11) and at the same time indicates that the reason these limitations do not apply to Christ's sacrifice are because of its inherently superior nature (e.g. 10:5-9, 18, 19-21). In Jesus' body our sins have been fully and finally judged, so that we enter in to the very presence of God through him (10:10, 19-22). This is the fulfillment of the new covenant promises (10:15-18) and also the reason behind Christ's uncontested reign in heaven on our behalf (10:12-14). He has completed his work, having made perfect once and for all those being sanctified (10:10, 14).

The idea of ‘perfection' in Hebrews 10 defines itself from its context. In 10:1 those who drew near under the old system were not able to be perfected. What does this mean? Simply that they did not find cleansing from sins once and for all (10:2). Indeed, the Day of Atonement provided a yearly reminder of sins (10:3) which finally could not be taken away by the sacrifices the worshippers brought (10:4). The very act of bringing the sacrifice reminded the people of the sins that necessitated the sacrifice! By way of contrast, being ‘perfected' is the same as being ‘cleansed' (10:2), having sins ‘taken away' (10:4); and having no further need of offering for sin because all sin has been completely forgiven (10:18).

By virtue of Jesus' atoning sacrifice, God's people are thus ‘sanctified'. The main meaning of this term in the Bible is to be set apart to God, by God's own decree. It is the presence of God which makes things, people and places holy. Thus the meaning is not firstly an ethical one (as in ‘holy behaviour') but positional one (holy status) (see, for example, Exodus 3:5; 13:2 cf. Numb 3:12f.; Exodus 29:44 and in the ‘holy implements' used in the Tabernacle/Temple).

It stands to reason that the unholy thing cannot make itself holy, and the impure thing cannot make itself pure. Jesus therefore sanctifies himself so that he might sanctify his new Temple/Bride/Flock once and for all. Jesus is the ‘one who sanctifies' and we, his people, are those who are thus sanctified (Heb. 2:10). The Son's coming into the world (in the incarnation, the point of quoting Ps. 40:6-7 in Heb. 5:5-9) is the means by which the Father has accomplished his will to sanctify his people. In the original version of Psalm 40 the text speaks of having ‘ears' opened (lit. ‘dug'), but the writer here quotes from the Greek version of the Old Testament (the LXX) which speaks of having a whole body at God's disposal, to willingly do the Lord's will. This amounts to the same thing. The ‘ears' in Psalm 40 from a synecdoche (a figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole) and in the Old Testament (indeed, the whole Bible) all obedience is linked to hearing. The Son hears and does only the Father's will with his whole heart and life. Having completed all he has been given to do, the Son is now able to sit down at the Father's right hand (10:12-13 cf. 1:3; 12:2), since he has been a consciously willing sacrifice for sin.

When persons, places or objects were sanctified in the Old Testament they were under the direct control of God (i.e. under his law) and under his protection. The Tabernacle, for example, was completely governed by the laws of the God whose presence made it holy. However, once persons, places or objects had been sanctified by God, they could then be put to holy use. So also with the people of God: having been sanctified (i.e. set apart) we are now being sanctified (i.e. conformed to his character).

Jesus' new covenant sacrifice is the ‘new and living way' (10:9ff), by which we may draw near to God in full assurance. In confession Christ to be the fully sufficient and only sacrifice for our sins we hold fast to our confession (10:23) i.e. to Christ himself. In assembling together we keep encouraging one another to have our eyes and hearts fixed on him, and this acts as a constant stimulation to love and to good deeds (10:23ff.). Thus Christ is the only way to enter the presence of God. He is the new and living way (as opposed to the dead Old Testament sacrifices) which at the same time means he is the only way to come to the Father (cf. Jn. 14:6; 10:9; Matt. 11:25ff.; Acts 4:12).

By contrast, therefore, there is no other place we may go to find the forgiveness of sins. The writer brings another strong warning in Hebrews 10:26-31, the force of which is truly terrifying. However, ‘sinning willfully' is defined in the passage for us, and it is the equivalent of setting aside the Law of Moses (10:28) i.e. not simply transgressing one or other aspect of the Law, but repudiating the whole system. This effectively placed one outside the people of Israel, and the equivalent of this is to utterly reject the new covenant and the sacrifice of Christ at its heart (10:29). If one does this where can any forgiveness be found?