Hebrews 10:26-39 Don't Shrink Back Part 1

Recall our discussion on the purity & power of the blood of Christ (9:11-22), i.e. the most precious commodity in the universe (1 Peter 1:18-20)… yet what if someone treated it as an unholy thing?!

Recall that 3x in the ministry of Jesus the voice of the Father spoke from heaven saying “This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased!” Imagine disagreeing with God the Father and saying in your heart that you are NOT well pleased with the Son. In fact, imagine doing more than just merely disagreeing, but actually despising God’s gracious gift...

This would be the equivalent of “doing despite” i.e. enraging the Spirit of grace, i.e. blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

The gracious Holy Spirit is entrusted with the task of honoring and heralding the Son of God (John 16:5-11). When you reject Christ, you frustrate the work of the Spirit, and you reject God’s grace.

God’s grace is available in none other. Only Jesus solves our sin problem (John 14:6; Acts 4:11-12).

When one rejects God’s grace, only wrath remains!

God not only vents His wrath, but specifically targets His “vengeance” against all those who reject His Son.

Verse 30 forms a quotation from Deut. 32:35-36, where God promises to bring judgment upon errant Israel.

Verse 31 then forms a summary statement and a dire warning. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God!”

Pointing to the Past (v. 32-34)

The harsh warning of v. 26-31 is then followed by gentle comfort. The pastoral nature of our author is coming out. Our author reminds his audience of their past faithfulness to God, which served to demonstrate the genuineness of their faith.

“Gazing-stock” (cf. cognate noun in 1 Cor 4:9)… literally “made a spectacle, something to gaze at mockingly…” This particular Greek word is where we get our English word “theater.” It was used of the Roman arena, where slaves were cast to fight to the death, all beneath the glaring eyes of a gleeful crowd.

Yet this suffering of persecution was to their benefit, for it resulted in four things: (R. Brown)

Deepened fellowship, “companions (koinōnoi) with those so used...” (v. 33).

Increased compassion, “ye had compassion on my in my bonds...” (cf. 6:10; 13:3)

Demonstrated resilience, “took joyfully the spoiling of your goods...” A non-Christian may tolerate his troubles, but he cannot rejoice in them. Only Christ can enable a believer to do that. Jesus taught his followers to rejoice when persecution comes: ‘Blessed are you when men revile you … rejoice and be glad.’

Sharpened priorities, “knowing ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance...”

Examples of such treatment are frequent in the Book of Acts (e.g., 4:1–3; 5:17–18; 6:9–14; 17:5; 18:12).

The persecution alluded to in v. 34 may reference to the Neronian persecution of A.D. 65-68, or more likely, Claudius’ expulsion of the Jews from Rome in A.D. 49 (cf. Acts 18). A famous quotation from the historian Suetonius indicates the character of the Claudian persecution: “There were riots in the Jewish quarter at the instigation of Chrestus. As a result, Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome” (Life of the Deified Claudius, 25.4). Historians believe “Chrestus” is a reference to Christ and that the riots and expulsion occurred when Jewish Christians were banished from the synagogue by the Jewish establishment. No one had been killed (cf. 12:4), but it was nevertheless a wrenching time of humiliation and abuse. - Hughes

Note what allowed the audience to take joyfully the spoiling of their goods… (v. 35). This idea will be expanded upon in chapter 11. Cf. Matt. 6:19-20; 1 Peter 1:1-7.

Pleading in the Present (v. 35-39)

Reminder of the Promise (v. 35-36)

Requirement of Patience & Perseverance (v. 36-39)

Reminding of the Promise (v. 35-36)

Based upon the allusion to “an enduring substance” (v. 34), our author now makes a present appeal (v. 35).

“Cast not away therefore your confidence!” (cf. 3:6, 14; 10:23) i.e. don’t walk away from Christianity, don’t stop believing in Jesus Christ, because it has “a great recompense of reward...” Christ has secured for us an eternal destiny that cannot be taken away (cf. 1 Peter 1:1-7). Yet if we walk away from Christ, we cannot enjoy the inheritance.

If we endure, if we believe, if our faith is genuine and produces faithfulness, than we will “receive the promise of God!” There is coming an end of suffering. Death will die. We have an enduring substance (1 Peter 1:1-7).

But we need patience!

Requirement of Patience & Perseverance (v. 36-39)

Perseverance takes patience. The Greek word “patience” refers to a rugged toughness required of a soldier during a long seige. This word refers to the endurance required for the long haul. It refers to a marathon, not a sprint.

This patient endurance is paralleled with faith in verse 38-39.

First, our author states his case in the positive: “We need patience” (v. 36).

He then corroborates this by quoting Hab. 2:3-4. Our author here highlights a fundamental requirement of one’s relationship with God, namely, faith & faithfulness.

Excursus on Hab. 2:4 in the NT: This OT quotation is centerpiece in three NT books, Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews. The use of Habakkuk is interesting, for in the late seventh century bc, distressed by widespread godlessness and disobedience, that prophet had cried for help to the Lord God.26 The divine reply was that Habakkuk was to be patient.

The phrase “the just shall live by faith,” can be translated in one of two ways, which are both correct:

“Righteousness comes by faith...”

“The Righteous will live faithfully...”

Second, our author states his case in the negative: the opposite of faith is “drawing back...”

To “draw back” is to quit, to come up short, to pull back.

The result of drawing back is falling into “perdition,” i.e. eternal destruction.

Yet on the heels of that statement, our asserts that he and his audience are not quitters!

Yet what is it that keeps us going? How can we exercise this endurance?

“He that shall come will come, and not tarry.” cf. Heb. 9:24-28, look to the Second Coming!

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