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Willful Sins
On verse 26 today:
"The author may have in mind Num 15:27–31 where sacrifice is available for unintentional sins, but for “high-handed” sins no sacrifice is available...One thing is clear: under the Mosaic covenant, the penalty for willful sin was physical death. In Numbers 15, soteriology is not the issue. The issue is what happens when one violated the Mosaic covenant. For example, in Num 15:32–36, a man found picking up sticks on the Sabbath day was in violation of the Mosaic law. The penalty for such was severe according to Exod 31:14–15: the person was to be “cut off,” where the clear meaning is “put to death.” That this scenario from the Old Testament is in the author’s mind in Heb 10:26 is confirmed by his statement in 10:28 that one who has violated the law of Moses dies without mercy “on the testimony of two or three witnesses.” Gleason sums up the meaning of the author of Hebrews:
Far from a public repudiation of belief in Christ, the sin in view denotes any deliberate act of covenant unfaithfulness, including in the Old Testament context even the seemingly harmless act of picking up sticks on the Sabbath. The gravity of the sin is determined by the defiant attitude with which it is committed. However, the penalty is not eternal damnation but rather physical punishment resulting in death.
In comparison, the author of Hebrews states that willful sin committed after conversion creates a situation where there is no sacrifice for sins available just as there was none available in the Old Testament for willful disobedience to God under the Mosaic covenant. The point is that new covenant believers cannot presume upon the salvation brought to them in Christ to cause God to overlook their willful disobedience." [1] (emphasis mine)
So basically, this passage isn't talking about sin in general after salvation, but very willful, "I'm doing this as defiantly as a can because I hate you" -type sinning. Definitely another hard warning passage today - questions? Comments?
Willful Sins
On verse 26 today:
"The author may have in mind Num 15:27–31 where sacrifice is available for unintentional sins, but for “high-handed” sins no sacrifice is available...One thing is clear: under the Mosaic covenant, the penalty for willful sin was physical death. In Numbers 15, soteriology is not the issue. The issue is what happens when one violated the Mosaic covenant. For example, in Num 15:32–36, a man found picking up sticks on the Sabbath day was in violation of the Mosaic law. The penalty for such was severe according to Exod 31:14–15: the person was to be “cut off,” where the clear meaning is “put to death.” That this scenario from the Old Testament is in the author’s mind in Heb 10:26 is confirmed by his statement in 10:28 that one who has violated the law of Moses dies without mercy “on the testimony of two or three witnesses.” Gleason sums up the meaning of the author of Hebrews:
Far from a public repudiation of belief in Christ, the sin in view denotes any deliberate act of covenant unfaithfulness, including in the Old Testament context even the seemingly harmless act of picking up sticks on the Sabbath. The gravity of the sin is determined by the defiant attitude with which it is committed. However, the penalty is not eternal damnation but rather physical punishment resulting in death.
In comparison, the author of Hebrews states that willful sin committed after conversion creates a situation where there is no sacrifice for sins available just as there was none available in the Old Testament for willful disobedience to God under the Mosaic covenant. The point is that new covenant believers cannot presume upon the salvation brought to them in Christ to cause God to overlook their willful disobedience." [1] (emphasis mine)
So basically, this passage isn't talking about sin in general after salvation, but very willful, "I'm doing this as defiantly as a can because I hate you" -type sinning. Definitely another hard warning passage today - questions? Comments?
[1] David L. Allen, Hebrews, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B & H Publishing Group, 2010), 521-22.
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