Pietisten

Vol. IX, No. 3 Herald of Awakening and Spiritual Upbuilding Fall 1994

Waldenstrom's Commentary

Hebrews 10:5-10 and Waldenstrom’s Commentary

Epistle Text for the Fourth Sunday in Advent

translated by Tommy Carlson

Dr. Paul Peter Waldenström based his comments on a Greek New Testament text that he translated into Swedish. Tommy Carlson has translated both the Biblical text and Waldenström’s comments from the Swedish text, 2nd Edition, 1892.

Verse 5 — Therefore, when he1 came into the world,2 he said,3 “Offerings and gifts4 you did not want,5 but a body you have prepared for me.6 (Psalm 40:7f., 51:18.)

  1. Christ.
  2. Comes from the Father here to the world.
  3. The author portrays the words of the Psalmist to God in Psalm 40 as the words said by Christ on his arrival in the world.
  4. Sacrifice and bloodless offering.
  5. It was God’s will that these offerings should cease with Christ’s arrival.
  6. In the original Hebrew text it is written: “But THE EARS have you opened for me, that is to say, you have taught me to understand your will and made me obedient so that I gladly do your will (Psalm 40:7). The author [of Hebrews] follows the Greek translation of the Old Testament by the 70 translators [Septuagint]: “A BODY have you prepared for me . . . .” The emphasis in this reading is that a body you have prepared for me to give as a sacrifice in place of the old sacrifices, which shall now cease.

Verse 6 — Burnt offerings and sacrifices have not pleased you.

Verse 7 — Then1 I said: ‘See, I come; in the scroll of the book2 it is written of me to do your will,3 God.’ ”

  1. When you prepared my body and sent me to the world.
  2. In those days, books consisted of large leaves of parchment that were rolled around a stick.
  3. That is to say that, according to your will, I offer myself for the salvation of your people. Here the author changes the Psalmist’s word according to the purpose of his argument. The Psalmist talks about his obedience to God’s law as more pleasing to God than all sacrifice (Psalm 40:9). The author of Hebrews, however, means Christ’s obedience to carry out the work of salvation for which God prepared him a body.

Verse 8 — In the above1 saying: “Offerings and gifts and burnt offerings and sacrifices you have not wanted and not found any delight in them” (these are carried forward according to the law.)2

  1. Above in the Psalm.
  2. According to the Old Testament rules. This was decided by God himself through the Mosaic law, but now should come to an end.

Verse 9 — Then1 he said: “See, I come to do your will.” He takes away the first2 so that he can establish the second.3

  1. Immediately following in the same Psalm.
  2. The legally established offerings.
  3. Namely, God’s will and commandment to the son about our salvation.

Verse 10 — In this will1 we2 are made holy,3 once and for all, through Jesus Christ’s bodily offering.4 (See both Colossians 1:22 and I Peter 2:24.)

  1. That is to say, because of this will.
  2. We who believe.
  3. Consecrated as property of God (see Hebrews 2:11).
  4. The people of Israel were sanctified as God’s own people. The utmost foundation to this was God’s good and gracious will. The means by which the sanctification happened was Moses’ offering, the blood of which spattered on the people. The continuing sanctification happened through repeated offerings. We who believe in Christ are now once and for all sanctified with God. The reason for that is God’s own will; the means is Christ’s bodily offering, which does not need to be repeated because it is complete. Note how the purpose of the offering is described here, namely, to sanctify the people to God. See in addition verse 14 and comments.

Verse 14 — Because, with one single offering, he has completed for all time1 those who are sanctified.2

  1. This is not to be understood that the believers already ARE sanctified, but rather that their sanctification is declared and given with Christ’s offering; that is the certain and definite result thereof. First, it is in the coming age that they shall attain sanctification. This way of speaking is common in the Holy Scriptures; things to come, which are really certain, are presented as already accomplished. See Romans 8:30; Ephesians 2:6. But if their sanctification is the certain result of Christ’s one and only offering, then, naturally, this does not have to be repeated. Note, in addition, how clearly the author describes here that the purpose and achievement of Christ’s offer is a sanctified cleansing of sin, a sanctified holiness.
  2. Meaning, those who, through faith in him, are taken out of the world and consecrated to God; not any others.