Hebrews 10:1-18 summarizes the contrasts between the Levitical offerings of the Old Covenant and Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice in four ways – a shadow/reality contrast in 10:1-4; animal sacrifice/willing obedient sacrifice in 10:5-10; and the finality of: a) the priesthood in 10:11-14 and b) Christ’s sacrifice in 10:15-18. Verse 11 is a summary of the first four verses of the chapter where we found the weakness of the law demonstrated by the fact that sacrifices had to be repeated endlessly year after year. The author’s argument is that if these sacrifices were effective to perfect the worshipper, they would no longer need to be offered continually. In verse 11, he picks up on this same theme showing that while the Aaronic priests never sat down during the performance of their sacred duties, Jesus Christ, by contrast, finished his sacrificial work and sat down at the right hand of God demonstrating its finality and efficacy. It perfected for all time those who are being sanctified (v. 14); unlike the Old Covenant sacrifice, Jesus’s death on the cross provides forgiveness of sins and cleansing of the conscience, enabling the worshipper access into God’s presence. The perfection, of which the author refers, is found in the New Covenant. This is made clear by his reiteration, in verses 15-17, of the New Covenant prophecy. He concludes his theological argument in verse 18: Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. At last, we learn in this central section of Hebrews that God’s people’s sins have been decisively removed as the New Covenant prophecy is decisively fulfilled by Christ’s single once-for-all sacrificial death on the cross.
