Hebrews 13:10

We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

We have {G2192} an altar {G2379}, whereof {G1537}{G3739} they have {G2192} no {G3756} right {G1849} to eat {G5315} which serve {G3000} the tabernacle {G4633}.

We have an altar from which those who serve in the Tent are not permitted to eat.

We have an altar from which those who serve at the tabernacle have no right to eat.

We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat that serve the tabernacle.

Commentary

Context of Hebrews 13:10

Hebrews 13:10 appears within the concluding exhortations of the Epistle to the Hebrews, a letter primarily addressed to Jewish Christians who were tempted to revert to Judaism and its Old Covenant practices. The author has extensively argued for the superiority of Christ and the New Covenant over the Old Testament Law, its priesthood, and its sacrificial system. In this chapter, practical instructions are given, including a warning against "diverse and strange doctrines" (verse 9). Verse 10 specifically contrasts the Christian reality with the Levitical system, setting the stage for the call to "go forth therefore unto him without the camp" in Hebrews 13:13.

Key Themes and Messages

  • The Christian Altar: The phrase "We have an altar" refers not to a physical structure but metaphorically to Jesus Christ Himself, and specifically to His one-time, perfect sacrifice on the cross. This "altar" is the means by which believers have access to God and partake in the benefits of His atonement. It signifies the ultimate sacrifice that superseded all Old Testament animal sacrifices.
  • Exclusion from Old Covenant Participation: "whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle" highlights the irreconcilable difference between the Old and New Covenants. Those who cling to the Levitical system and its tabernacle (or temple) rituals cannot simultaneously partake in the benefits of Christ's sacrifice. The Old Covenant system, with its priests and sacrifices, has been rendered obsolete by Christ's finished work.
  • Superiority of Christ's Sacrifice: This verse underscores the central message of Hebrews: Christ's sacrifice is final, complete, and eternally effective, unlike the repetitive and temporary sacrifices of the Old Law. It provides a unique spiritual nourishment that the old system could not offer.

Linguistic Insights

The term "altar" (Greek: thysiastērion) here is used in a profound theological sense. In the Old Testament, the altar was where sacrifices were offered and sometimes where priests would eat portions of the offerings as part of their service. However, the Christian "altar" is not a place but a person—Jesus Christ—whose body was broken and blood shed for the remission of sins. The phrase "serve the tabernacle" (Greek: latreuontes tē skēnē) refers to those who perform religious duties and sacrifices under the Levitical law, emphasizing their adherence to a system that has been fulfilled and surpassed by Christ.

Related Scriptures

  • For understanding Christ as the ultimate sacrifice: Hebrews 9:12 speaks of Christ entering "once into the holy place... by his own blood."
  • For the obsolescence of the Old Covenant: Hebrews 10:1-4 explains the weakness of the Old Law's sacrifices.
  • For Christ suffering outside the gate: The concept of the "altar" is intrinsically linked to Hebrews 13:12, where Jesus suffered "without the gate," mirroring Old Testament sacrifices whose bodies were burned outside the camp (Leviticus 16:27).

Practical Application

For believers today, Hebrews 13:10 serves as a powerful reminder to place our faith solely in the finished work of Jesus Christ. We are not saved or made righteous through rituals, ceremonies, or adherence to a legalistic system, but through the perfect sacrifice made by Christ on the cross. This verse encourages us to fully embrace the grace of the New Covenant and to recognize that salvation and spiritual nourishment come from Christ alone. It calls us to abandon any reliance on human efforts or religious traditions that might detract from the sufficiency of Christ's atonement, urging a focus on offering sacrifices of praise and good works that flow from a heart transformed by Him.

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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 1 Corinthians 10:20

    But [I say], that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.

  • 1 Corinthians 5:7

    ¶ Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

  • 1 Corinthians 5:8

    Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened [bread] of sincerity and truth.

  • 1 Corinthians 9:13

    Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live [of the things] of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?

  • 1 Corinthians 10:17

    For we [being] many are one bread, [and] one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

  • 1 Corinthians 10:18

    Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

  • Numbers 7:5

    Take [it] of them, that they may be to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man according to his service.
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