Digging Deeper Days
Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!
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The Questions
1) Who is included in “brothers and sisters”?
2) What is meant by “through the curtain that is His flesh”?
3) Why does the author use the terms “sprinkled clean” and “washed in pure water”? What significance do these phrases have?
Hebrews 10:19-22
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus— 20 he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)— 21 and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.
Original Intent
1) Who is included in “brothers and sisters”?
To get a broader picture of this language, we look back a few chapters to Hebrews 3. The author has just finished up his discussion on Jesus needing to become “like his brothers and sisters in every way, so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest..” (2:17) This reference to “brothers and sisters” refers to all of humanity. Jesus became 100% human and struggled as we do with temptation to sin, but He overcame it all perfectly! Christ became as his “brothers and sisters” in this regard, but 2 verses later in 3:1, the author makes a distinction which he carries through the remainder of the book. “Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession.” This reference is entirely different. Rather than including all of humanity, this “brothers and sisters” phrasing is smaller, more intimate, and carries 3 distinct marks. First, these brothers and sisters are “holy”, having been made righteous and their sins removed by the blood of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice. Second, they all “share in a heavenly calling”, meaning they are set apart, collectively and together, for the specific purpose of growing God’s kingdom and bringing Him glory. Third, they share a common “confession”, that is they each, personally, claim Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Throughout the remainder of Hebrews, the author uses “brothers and sisters” to demarcate the collective Body of those who have committed to following Jesus.
2) What is meant by “through the curtain that is His flesh”?
In the Old Testament Tabernacle, which was a portable place of worship where the Israelites would go to meet with God, there were 3 sections. First, there was the courtyard, followed by the Holy Place, followed by the Holy of Holies. Separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was a thick curtain (or veil), with its purpose being to further display God’s supreme holiness. In Leviticus 16:2, the Lord God gives the priest, Aaron, strict instructions to never enter the Holy of Holies, with the exception of once a year, or He would surely die for God’s presence dwelled there in the Holy of Holies. Hebrews 10:20 says, “He (Jesus) has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh).” The author is stating this glorious truth: Jesus is the new way through the curtain! We no longer need to depend on a single High Priest to give us access to God vicariously through himself once a year. Through Jesus’ flesh and blood sacrifice, we have been bought, we have been made righteous, we are permitted access to enter into God’s very presence for ourselves!
3) Why does the author use the terms “sprinkled clean” and “washed in pure water”? What significance do these phrases have?
Remember that Hebrews was written to a Jewish audience, and these phrases would have had perfectly clear ties to the Tabernacle for them. The laws and rituals of Tabernacle worship were routinely common for each of them, so the phrases “sprinkled clean” and “washed pure in water” would have immediately brought to their minds images of Tabernacle worship, specifically referencing the Bronze Basin. Anytime a priest entered the Tabernacle, he was required to stop and wash at this Bronze Basin before proceeding. To rush madly into God’s presence without washing was grounds for immediate death (Exodus 30:20). Because the author knew his intended audience, he chose a word picture that would help his hearers understand that, while the water from the Bronze Basin may have washed their bodies clean, only God through Jesus could wash their hearts!
Everyday Application
1) Who is included in “brothers and sisters”?
Though the author was originally writing to Jews and had no idea how many centuries would pass and people would still be reading his words, the Holy Spirit did know. The growing group of “brothers and sisters” the author had in his mind’s eye was infinitely larger than he could imagine. It would span the across time, encompassing all men, women, and children who chose to trust Him as their Savior. That’s me! And, I pray that is you also! While wildly exciting, this phrasing also carries weighty duty. The precious truths we will unpack in today’s Digging Deeper Study are for believers. The incredible gift of coming before God, right into His sanctuary, having been made whole, is only for “brothers and sisters” who each, personally, hold unswervingly to Jesus Christ for salvation from sin and death. This should at once fill us with gratitude and worship, while also breaking our hearts for those outside the familial circle of unity with Jesus. Who, in your sphere of influence, doesn’t know of the hope of Christ? Pray intentionally for opportunities to share truth with them that they too might enjoy the wonder of being drawn in to deep worship!
2) What is meant by “through the curtain that is His flesh”?
Do you live as if you’ve been redeemed and bought and set free from duty, obligation, and fearful performance? Does your life look like worship in the middle of your everyday because of that gift? When the relationship tension strains, when the budget doesn’t balance, when the dog vomits on white carpet, again, has your heart learned the rhythm of authentic worship? Worship takes practice and intentional self-discipline as we learn to listen to the Spirit’s voice as He Himself teaches us how to dance. Worship isn’t easy, but it’s always worth it. Because of access through Christ’s own flesh, because we can go “through the curtain”, we are in His presence at every moment…the wonderful and the yucky ones. Each moment is an opportunity for worship, what will you do with yours?
3) Why does the author use the terms “sprinkled clean” and “washed in pure water”? What significance do these phrases have?
A clean heart? No sin to mar it? No stumbles over words you wish you hadn’t said, no angry thoughts or rash deeds, no underhanded attempts to gain control, no jealous eyes, lustful heart, or dishonest hands, just a clean heart. There is only one who can provide that!
No amount of rule-following, church-going, generous giving, or well-crafted apologies can give us a clean heart, and we know it. Sure, we can justify our deeds all we want, explain away that God is exactly who He claims to be in the Bible, and “put off” getting right with God for another time, but none of that changes reality. To have a clean heart, we need a righteous intercessor, because we simply can not become right on our own. No amount of water washing is good enough. Whether you’ve crossed the line of faith or you haven’t, the temptation to keep washing in plain old water will always be there. Just try harder next time, compensate for the way you treated her, but nothing will hide our hearts before the God of the Universe. How desperately we need the blood of Jesus to cleanse us eternally from dead works?! (Hebrews 9:14) Whatever your everyday mess looks like, hold fast to the truth that forgiveness for your heart, and a new way to live, is being held out by the hands of the crucified Christ!
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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!
1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!
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Why Dig Deeper?
Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.
In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!
Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.
Study Tools
We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.
Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!
Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))
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