Hebrews 10:3

But in those [sacrifices there is] a remembrance again [made] of sins every year.

But {G235} in {G1722} those {G846} sacrifices there is a remembrance again {G364} made of sins {G266} every {G2596} year {G1763}.

No, it is quite the contrary — in these sacrifices is a reminder of sins, year after year.

Instead, those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins,

But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance made of sins year by year.

Context

Hebrews 10:3 is part of a larger argument in the book of Hebrews that emphasizes the superiority of Christ's sacrifice over the Old Testament sacrificial system. The author has been explaining how the Law, with its many rituals and animal offerings, served as a "shadow of good things to come" (Hebrews 10:1), rather than the perfect reality itself. Specifically, this verse refers to the annual sacrifices, particularly those performed on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:34), where the high priest would offer sacrifices for the sins of the people. This yearly ritual was a central part of ancient Israelite worship, designed to provide temporary atonement for sin.

Key Themes

  • Inadequacy of Old Covenant Sacrifices: The verse highlights the inherent limitation of the animal sacrifices. They were not capable of truly taking away sins or making the worshiper perfect. The very need for their annual repetition proved their insufficiency. If they could truly cleanse, they would have ceased (Hebrews 10:2).
  • Perpetual Remembrance of Sins: Instead of eradicating sin, these yearly rituals served as a constant reminder that sin still existed and required atonement. The act of offering the sacrifice annually brought the people's sins back to mind, underscoring their persistent need for forgiveness. This cyclical remembrance underscored the ongoing brokenness due to sin under the Old Covenant.
  • Foreshadowing Christ's Perfect Work: While insufficient on their own, these sacrifices were divinely ordained to point forward to the ultimate, once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus Christ. They established the principle of atonement through blood, preparing God's people for the perfect Lamb of God who would truly take away the sin of the world.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "remembrance again made" in the KJV translates the Greek word anamnesis (ἀνάμνησις). This term signifies a "calling to mind" or "recollection." It emphasizes that the annual sacrifices did not obliterate the memory or consequence of sins but rather served to bring them back into focus, requiring a repeated act of propitiation. This starkly contrasts with the promise of the new covenant, where God declares, "their sins and iniquities will I remember no more."

Practical Application

This verse, when understood in its full context, powerfully affirms the finished work of Jesus Christ. We no longer need annual rituals or animal sacrifices because Christ's single offering has perfectly and permanently atoned for sin (Hebrews 10:12). For believers today, this means:

  • Complete Forgiveness: We are not under a system where sins are merely remembered annually; through Christ, they are truly forgiven and forgotten by God.
  • Freedom from Condemnation: There is no longer a need for a constant, guilt-inducing reminder of sin, because there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.
  • Confidence in Access to God: The perfect sacrifice of Christ grants us bold and confident access to God's presence, not based on our repeated efforts, but on His one-time, perfect act (Hebrews 10:19).
Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Hebrews 9:7

    But into the second [went] the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and [for] the errors of the people:

  • Exodus 30:10

    And Aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin offering of atonements: once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations: it [is] most holy unto the LORD.

  • Leviticus 23:27

    Also on the tenth [day] of this seventh month [there shall be] a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.

  • Leviticus 23:28

    And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it [is] a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God.

  • Leviticus 16:34

    And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.

  • Leviticus 16:6

    And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which [is] for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house.

  • Leviticus 16:11

    And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which [is] for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which [is] for himself:

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