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“Christ's Obedience Replaces Sacrifices”· Hebrews 10:5–10
Translation
World English Bible Messianic
You had no pleasure in whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin.
Young's Literal Translation
in burnt-offerings, and concerning sin-offerings, Thou didst not delight,
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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Hebrews 10:1–6. His two-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Passage under commentHebrews 10:1–6
1¶ For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
2For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
3But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.
4For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.
5Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
6In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points
Here the apostle, by the direction of the Spirit of God, sets himself to lay low the Levitical dispensation; for though it was of divine appointment, and very excellent and useful in its time and place, yet, when it was set up in competition with Christ, to whom it was only designed to lead the people, it was very proper and necessary to show the weakness and imperfection of it, which the apostle does effectually, from several arguments. As,
I.That the law had a shadow, and but a shadow, of good things to come; and who would dote upon a shadow, though of good things, especially when the substance has come? Observe,
1.The things of Christ and the gospel are good things; they are the best things; they are best in themselves, and the best for us: they are realities of an excellent nature.
2.These good things were, under the Old Testament, good things to come, not clearly discovered, nor fully enjoyed.
3.That the Jews then had but the shadow of the good things of Christ, some adumbrations of them; we under the gospel have the substance.
II.That the law was not the very image of the good things to come.
An image is an exact draught of the thing represented thereby. The law did not go so far, but was only a shadow, as the image of a person in a looking-glass is a much more perfect representation than his shadow upon the wall. The law was a very rough draught of the great design of divine grace, and therefore not to be so much doted on.
III.The legal sacrifices, being offered year by year, could never make the comers thereunto perfect; for then there would have been an end of offering them, Heb 10:1, Heb 10:2. Could they have satisfied the demands of justice, and made reconciliation for iniquity, - could they have purified and pacified conscience, - then they had ceased, as being no further necessary, since the offerers would have had no more sin lying upon their consciences. But this was not the case; after one day of atonement was over, the sinner would fall again into one fault or another, and so there would be need of another day of atonement, and of one every year, besides the daily ministrations. Whereas now, under the gospel, the atonement is perfect, and not to be repeated; and the sinner, once pardoned, is ever pardoned as to his state, and only needs to renew his repentance and faith, that he may have a comfortable sense of a continued pardon.
IV.As the legal sacrifices did not of themselves take away sin, so it was impossible they should, Heb 10:4. There was an essential defect in them.
1.They were not of the same nature with us who sinned.
2.They were not of sufficient value to make satisfaction for the affronts offered to the justice and government of God. They were not of the same nature that offended, and so could not be suitable. Much less were they of the same nature that was offended; and nothing less than the nature that was offended could make the sacrifice a full satisfaction for the offence.
3.The beasts offered up under the law could not consent to put themselves in the sinner's room and place. The atoning sacrifice must be one capable of consenting, and must voluntarily substitute himself in the sinner's stead: Christ did so.
V.There was a time fixed and foretold by the great God, and that time had now come, when these legal sacrifices would be no longer accepted by him nor useful to men. God never did desire them for themselves, and now he abrogated them; and therefore to adhere to them now would be resisting God and rejecting him. This time of the repeal of the Levitical laws was foretold by David (Psa 40:6, Psa 40:7), and is recited here as now come. Thus industriously does the apostle lay low the Mosaical dispensation.
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Historical interpretation
Six Centuries of Reception
12 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Post-NiceneEarly Medieval
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Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
If they had become perfect, their priesthood would have ceased, because they should have abstained from their sacrifices. And if their conscience was cleansed from sin, at the same time they would have been cleansed from the impurity of flesh. But “in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sin” every day. “For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin.” Therefore our Lord, who came to this world, said through the mouth of David, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body you have prepared for me,” so that the victims of sacrifices might be abolished through his sacrifice.
"Wherefore when He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared Me. In burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo! I come, in the volume of the book it is written of Me, to do Thy will, O God."
The types therefore contain the figure only, not the power; just as in images, the image has the figure of the man, not the power. So that the reality and the type have somewhat in common with one another. For the figure exists equally in both, but not the power.
Do you see that the law takes its force from the place? And, since the city is gone, there can no longer be a priesthood. There can be no emperor if there are no armies, no crown, no purple robe, none of the other things that weld together an empire. So, too, there can be no priesthood if sacrifice has been destroyed, if offerings are forbidden, if the sanctuary has been trampled into the dust, if everything that constituted it has disappeared. For the priesthood depended on all these things.…That great and wonderful prophet, David … made it clear that the one kind of sacrifice would be abolished and another brought in to take its place when he said, “You have multiplied, O Lord my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! Were I to proclaim and tell of them, they would be more than can be numbered.” See how wise the prophet is. He said, “You have multiplied your wondrous deeds,” and he stood aghast at God’s power to work miracles. But he did not go on to tell us about the creation of the things we see—of heaven, earth, and oceans, of water in Egypt or of any other miracles like those. What did he say were wondrous works? “Sacrifice and offering you do not desire.” …
David went on to say, “But a body you have fitted to me.” By this he meant the Lord’s body which became the common sacrifice for the whole world, the sacrifice which cleansed our souls, canceled sin, put down death, opened heaven, gave us many great hopes and made ready all the other things which Paul knew well and spoke of when he exclaimed, “O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways.”56
David, then, foresaw all this when he said, “Many are the wondrous works you have done, O Lord my God.” He went on to say, speaking of the person of Christ, “In holocausts and sin offerings you had had no pleasure,” and then continued, “Then I said, ‘Lo, I come.’ ” When was “then”? When the time was ripe for more perfect instructions. We had to learn the less perfect lessons through his servants, but the loftier lessons which surpass the nature of humankind we had to learn from the lawgiver himself.
These things have been spoken to those in Babylon who wanted to say to God, “You did not demand sacrifices from me but only to obey you and to do your will.” And right away the things pertaining to the quotation have become unambiguous as far as I am concerned. Changing it he speaks in this way about the person of Christ, saying, “I will establish a body” instead of “I will establish ears.”
How could the blood of brute beasts declare guiltless some murderer or parricide? This is the reason blessed David also said, “Had you wanted it, I would have offered sacrifice; you will take no delight in burned offerings.”
He showed both the law’s limitations and its usefulness: while it cannot remove sins, it mounts an accusation against them, instills fear and obliges one to have recourse to grace.
By “first” he meant the sacrifice of brute beasts, by the “second” the rational one, offered by himself.… He brought out clearly that God’s will is the salvation of humankind. The Lord also said as much, “This is the will of my Father, that everyone who believes in me may not be lost but may have eternal life.”
Christ spoke, “while coming into the world,” not “after he had entered it.” But manifestly he was already entering it when he promised David and maintained that he would seat one from the fruit of his loins on his throne until the age would come. Therefore, “while entering into the world” because of the promises made to David, he also says this through him, since “you did not wish for sacrifice and offering, neither were you well pleased” with the rites in the law. And he did not say, “you are not well pleased nor wish,” but “you did not want nor were you well pleased,” all but saying, “From their very institution and introduction the sacrifices were not entirely satisfactory and well pleasing. But really if any of them were accepted by you, it was accepted owing to the weakness of the one who brought them. Since then I reject these things and ‘I prepare a body for myself,’ then ‘I have come’ in order ‘to do your will.’ For this also is spoken concerning me not in a simple manner and in passing, but as the chief matter and the supposition of the book which foretold about me.” And he calls the book the whole Old Testament. For the chief thing and the most noteworthy supposition of the Old Testament are the predictions about Christ.
He calls them “the same sacrifices” because they are always being offered for the same things, since those sacrifices and offerings which have taken place and are taking place are not strong enough to strip away any sin purely and completely.
“Therefore, when he comes into the world.” Christ, he says, entering the world in a body, speaks through David. If sacrifices are useless, he says, why were they made at all? Why? Because of the dispute of the Jews, and because they always oppose God. And he shows them, even before the incarnation of the Lord, as hated by God; for he did not say, When Christ enters, but, when he comes into, indicating that before he enters, they were hated.
"Sacrifice and offering you did not desire." Those prescribed by the law, evidently. But offering here signifies something different from sacrifice; and I think the bloodless ones are indicated by the name. From here the person of Christ is introduced, saying to the Father, Since, He says, O Father, “Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin you did not desire nor did you take pleasure in," which are offered according to the law."
"for sin." That is, an offering concerning sin. Commonly, you have taken pleasure. And he rightly says, "for sin." For of the sacrifices, some were offered for salvation, and others for sin; as if he said, "Since in no way did you will any offering or sacrifice, nor burnt offerings, neither concerning salvation, nor concerning sin, I have come, having taken a body, to become a pleasing sacrifice to you, which I myself have prepared."
For the Holy Spirit and the power of the Most High overshadowed the Virgin. (Luke 1:35) And it was said, that I may do your will, O Father (Jn. 6:38); that those whom you have given me, I may not lose any of them. (Jn. 18:9) The title of the book, the Hebrews say, is the Law. Isaiah, teaching about the mystery of the Incarnation of the Only Begotten, heard; "Write for me in it with a man's pen." (Isa. 8:1) That it is a sacrifice and offering. Do you see that the sacrifices were cast aside even before the incarnation?
For after not wanting, he says, Burnt offerings and sacrifices, Then I said, "Behold, I have come. Who said, Behold, I come? Christ, obviously. I have come to do your will. But what is the will of the Father, but that the Son be crucified? And that I have come, he says, and I will do your will, it is written in the scroll of the book, he says, about me these things. Thus it is necessary to arrange. For being prophetic, it is a difficulty. The scroll of the book is the bundle of the law, that is, the book of the Old Testament. Therefore, in this Scripture it is written concerning my coming and that I am to be offered for the world.
"you did not desire nor did you take pleasure in."Paul himself interprets the Davidic more clearly.
"which are offered according to the law," that is, the Jewish law, and they are offered by the Jews. Do you see that before the descent, the sacrifices were hated?
"to do your will, O God." What then? Were the sacrifices according to the law not the will of God? They were, but necessarily. For he did not say to them only this, that in general the sacrifices of animals are detestable to me, the incorporeal one. But since you desire to offer sacrifices, at least offer them to me and not to the idols, which was not of a pure and original will.
"the first in order to establish the second.” What is the first? The sacrifices. What is the second? The cross. Therefore, the sacrifices are expelled, and the cross, that is, the sacrifice of Christ, is introduced.
“we have been sanctified.” By which will, he says, you are sanctified. Of which? Of the cross, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ. For we have not only obtained forgiveness, but we have also been sanctified.
"the offering of the body of Jesus Christ." Behold, he has interpreted what the will of the Father is; the offering of the body of Christ. For since he was speaking above and below about the will, he then said what the will is.
"Once," he says, that is, not in the manner of the Jewish sacrifices, but once. "Once, indeed." The offering of the body of Jesus Christonce for all.That is, those who are sanctified through the once-for-all offering of the body of Jesus Christ.
when coming into the world, Christ said, but coming into. He was coming into, namely, when he promised to David, and he was extending, from the fruit of his womb, to sit him upon his throne forever. (Ps. 131:11) Therefore, entering the world through the covenants with David, and this he says through him, that "Since you did not desire sacrifice and offering," (Ps. 39:7) nor were you pleased with the things done in the law. And he did not say, "You do not take pleasure nor desire," but, "you did not desire, you did not take pleasure in," only saying, as if from the very foundation of them and the beginning of those things, that the whole sacrifices were not acceptable and pleasing to you. But even if something of theirs has been accepted by you, it has been accepted due to the weakness of those presenting it. Therefore, when I have also dismissed these things and have prepared a body for myself, then I come to do your will. For this has been said about me not simply and in passing, but as the main point and premise of the book concerning my proclamation. And the book speaks of the whole old one. For the chief point and the most esteemed hypothesis of the old covenant is the prophecies concerning Christ.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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Summary
Hebrews 10:6, quoting Psalm 40:6, serves as a foundational declaration within the Epistle to the Hebrews, asserting that God never found ultimate pleasure or efficacy in the animal sacrifices and burnt offerings prescribed under the Old Covenant Law for the atonement of sin. This verse highlights the inherent inadequacy of such rituals to truly perfect the worshiper or fully remove guilt, thereby setting the stage for the author's profound argument for the absolute superiority and finality of Jesus Christ's perfect, once-for-all sacrifice as the sole means of genuine reconciliation and purification.
Context
Literary Context
Hebrews 10:6 is strategically placed within the author's extended argument (Hebrews 9-10) demonstrating the supremacy of the New Covenant over the Old. Immediately preceding this verse, the author has detailed the limitations of the Old Covenant sacrificial system, explaining how the Mosaic Law, with its repeated sacrifices, could never achieve perfect cleansing or make the worshipers truly "perfect" in their conscience Hebrews 9:9. The constant repetition of these offerings served as a perpetual reminder of sin, rather than its complete removal Hebrews 10:1-4. By quoting Psalm 40:6-8, the author transitions from describing the failure of the old system to articulating God's true desire for a sacrifice of perfect obedience, which ultimately points to Christ. This verse initiates the climactic presentation of Christ's willing and perfect offering of His body as the fulfillment of God's will.
Historical & Cultural Context
The original audience of the Epistle to the Hebrews was primarily Jewish Christians, likely facing persecution or temptation to revert to Judaism. They were deeply familiar with the Temple cultus, the Levitical priesthood, and the intricate system of sacrifices for sin, burnt offerings, and other rituals that had been central to their religious identity for centuries. These sacrifices were divinely ordained under the Mosaic Law and were understood as the means by which a sinful people could approach a holy God. The author's assertion that God had "no pleasure" in these offerings would have been startling, even provocative, to a Jewish audience, challenging their deeply ingrained understanding of atonement. The quotation from Psalm 40:6 is drawn from the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Old Testament, which was widely used by Greek-speaking Jews and early Christians, further grounding the argument in their shared scriptural heritage. The cultural context underscores the radical shift in understanding that the author is advocating: from external ritual to internal transformation and from temporary atonement to eternal redemption through Christ.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Hebrews. Firstly, it underscores the inefficacy of animal sacrifices to truly cleanse sin and perfect the worshiper, a central argument throughout the book. The repeated nature of the Old Covenant sacrifices demonstrated their inability to achieve a final, complete atonement, as highlighted in Hebrews 10:1-4. Secondly, it reveals God's true desire for obedience and a willing heart over mere ritual. By quoting Psalm 40, which speaks of a body prepared and God's will being done, the author subtly introduces the concept that God's ultimate pleasure is found in perfect obedience, not in the blood of animals. This sets the stage for Christ's perfect obedience unto death Philippians 2:8. Lastly, and most importantly, it serves as a crucial premise for the theme of the anticipation and superiority of Christ's perfect sacrifice. The declaration that the old system did not please God paves the way for the profound truth that Christ's "once for all" offering of His body perfectly fulfills God's will and eternally sanctifies believers Hebrews 10:10.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term, translated "burnt offerings," refers to a "wholly-consumed sacrifice" or "holocaust." In the Old Testament, the holokaútōma was an offering entirely consumed by fire on the altar, symbolizing complete dedication and atonement, typically for general sin or as an act of worship. The author's inclusion of this specific type of sacrifice emphasizes that even the most comprehensive and dedicatory offerings under the Law were insufficient in God's ultimate estimation for perfect and final atonement.
Translated "sin," this word properly refers to sin in an abstract sense, encompassing the comprehensive reality of human transgression against God's law and nature. The phrase "sacrifices for sin" points to the specific offerings designed to address the problem of sin and guilt. The verse's assertion that God had "no pleasure" in these offerings for sin highlights their inability to truly resolve the fundamental issue of humanity's fallen state and alienation from God.
This verb, rendered "thou hast had pleasure," means "to think well of," "to approve," or "to be well pleased." Its negation ("no pleasure") is critical. It does not imply God disapproved of the sacrifices He commanded, but rather that they did not bring Him the ultimate delight or achieve the final purpose of perfect and eternal reconciliation. They were a temporary, preparatory measure, not the ultimate solution that His heart desired for His people's complete cleansing and fellowship.
Verse Breakdown
"In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin"
This phrase encompasses the core sacrificial system of the Old Covenant, particularly those offerings designed to atone for sin or express complete devotion. "Burnt offerings" (holocausts) were entirely consumed, symbolizing total dedication, while "sacrifices for sin" (sin offerings) were specifically for expiation. The author is addressing the entire apparatus of the Law's provision for dealing with human sin, emphasizing its comprehensive nature.
"thou hast had no pleasure"
This declarative statement, directly from Psalm 40:6 (LXX), is the theological crux of the verse. It signifies God's lack of ultimate delight or satisfaction in these rituals as the final means of atonement. It reveals that while these sacrifices served a pedagogical and provisional purpose, they were never God's ultimate goal for perfecting His people. His true desire was for something more profound, a perfect and willing obedience that would truly deal with the root of sin.
Literary Devices
The primary literary device at play in Hebrews 10:6 is Quotation/Allusion, as the author directly quotes Psalm 40:6 from the Septuagint. This serves to ground the New Covenant argument in the Old Testament Scriptures, demonstrating that the inadequacy of animal sacrifices was not a new revelation but implicitly understood even within the Old Testament. Furthermore, the verse employs Contrast, setting up the Old Covenant's insufficient sacrifices against the backdrop of the perfect, pleasing sacrifice of Christ that is about to be introduced. The Old Covenant rituals are presented as a Shadow or type, pointing to the greater reality (Christ) that was to come, rather than being the ultimate substance themselves. This is a recurring motif in Hebrews, where the earthly tabernacle and its rituals are consistently portrayed as mere copies or shadows of heavenly realities Hebrews 8:5.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Hebrews 10:6 is a profound theological statement that reorients our understanding of worship and atonement. It reveals that God's ultimate desire has always been for a perfect, obedient heart and a complete, willing submission to His will, rather than mere external rituals or animal sacrifices. While the Old Covenant sacrifices were divinely instituted for a time, they were never intended to be the final solution for sin or the ultimate expression of God's pleasure. They served as a temporary covering, a constant reminder of sin, and a foreshadowing of the perfect sacrifice to come. This verse underscores the progressive nature of God's revelation and salvation history, culminating in Christ, and highlights the spiritual nature of true worship that transcends outward ceremony.
Reflection and Application
Hebrews 10:6 offers profound comfort and liberation for believers today. It assures us that our standing with God is not dependent on our own imperfect efforts, religious rituals, or repeated acts of penance, but solely on the finished, perfect work of Jesus Christ. This truth frees us from the burden of trying to earn God's favor or sufficiently atone for our sins through our own means. Instead, it calls us to a life of genuine faith and heartfelt obedience, understanding that these are the true expressions of worship that God desires. Our worship, then, should not be a perfunctory performance, but a joyful response to the complete and final redemption accomplished by Christ, prompting us to live in alignment with His will out of gratitude and love. This verse encourages us to rest in the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice, knowing that through Him, we have perfect and eternal access to God.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Did God disapprove of the animal sacrifices He commanded in the Old Testament?
No, God did not disapprove of the sacrifices He commanded. The sacrifices under the Old Covenant were divinely instituted and served a crucial, temporary purpose: to cover sins, to remind the people of the seriousness of sin, and to foreshadow the ultimate sacrifice of Christ. The phrase "thou hast had no pleasure" in Hebrews 10:6 (quoting Psalm 40:6) indicates that these sacrifices were not God's ultimate desire or the final solution for sin. They could not perfectly cleanse the conscience or provide eternal redemption. God's "no pleasure" refers to their inherent inability to achieve what only Christ could: a complete, once-for-all atonement that truly perfects the worshiper and fully reconciles humanity to God. It highlights their provisional nature, not their invalidity for their intended purpose in the Old Covenant.
If God had no pleasure in them, what was the purpose of the Old Testament sacrificial system?
The Old Testament sacrificial system served multiple vital purposes, even if it wasn't God's ultimate pleasure or final solution for sin. Firstly, it provided a divinely ordained means for people to approach a holy God and receive temporary atonement for their sins, demonstrating God's mercy and provision Leviticus 4. Secondly, it served as a constant reminder of the gravity of sin and the necessity of shedding blood for forgiveness Hebrews 9:22. Thirdly, and most importantly, the entire system acted as a shadow or type pointing forward to the coming of Jesus Christ. Every sacrifice, priest, and ritual foreshadowed the perfect High Priest and the ultimate, once-for-all sacrifice of the Lamb of God, who would truly take away the sin of the world John 1:29. Thus, while not the ultimate end, the Old Covenant system was an indispensable part of God's redemptive plan.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Hebrews 10:6, by declaring God's ultimate lack of pleasure in animal sacrifices, profoundly elevates the person and work of Jesus Christ as the singular fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. The "no pleasure" in the old system directly foreshadows and necessitates the "perfect pleasure" found in Christ's offering. Where the blood of bulls and goats could not truly take away sins Hebrews 10:4, Christ, in perfect obedience to the Father's will, offered His own body "once for all" Hebrews 10:10. This fulfillment is not merely a replacement but a divine culmination, as Christ Himself embodies the perfect sacrifice, the perfect priest, and the perfect obedience that God truly desired. His willing submission, as articulated in the verses immediately following, "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God" Hebrews 10:7, is the ultimate expression of God's pleasure, providing eternal redemption and perfecting those who are sanctified by His offering Hebrews 9:12. In Christ, the temporary shadows give way to the eternal reality, and God's true pleasure in a perfect, complete atonement is fully realized.