A BODY PREPARED.
Hebrews 10:4-10.
The epitaph of the Old Testament sacrificial system is: “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4; see also Hebrews 10:6; Hebrews 10:8). Now it was time to move on to new and better things (cf. Hebrews 7:19; Hebrews 8:6; Hebrews 8:13; Hebrews 11:39-40). The “fullness of time” had come (cf. Galatians 4:4-5), and the Son of God was waiting in the wings to fulfil all that the sacrifices had represented.
The answer to this deficiency came out from the borders of heaven (Hebrews 10:5). With the words of Psalm 40:6-8 upon His lips, Jesus was already on His way. He was heard announcing the incarnation: “a body You have prepared for me … Lo, I come” (Hebrews 10:5; Hebrews 10:7).
It is by ‘the body of Christ’ that we become ‘dead to the law’ (cf. Romans 7:4). ‘The Word became flesh’ (cf. John 1:14). Mary’s child, Jesus, was also known as ‘God with us’ (cf. Matthew 1:23).
Jesus also said, “In the volume of the book it is written of me” (Hebrews 10:7). His name is, in effect, the heading of the scroll. After the resurrection, Jesus opened up the Scriptures to show His disciples ‘the things concerning Himself’ (cf. Luke 24:27; Luke 24:44-45).
He added, “Lo, I come to do Your will, O God” (Hebrews 10:9). Jesus taught us to pray, ‘Thy will be done’ (cf. Matthew 6:10) - yet it was also His prayer. He echoed this in the Garden of Gethsemane: ‘not my will, but Yours be done’ (Luke 22:42).
The Lord takes away the Old Testament to establish the New, “by the body of Jesus Christ” (Hebrews 10:9-10). The incarnation had its foundation in the love of God (cf. John 3:16). It was the beginning of the Lord’s own self-sacrifice, which would lead all the way to Calvary (cf. Philippians 2:6-8).
John the Baptist recognised Jesus as ‘the Lamb of God, that takes away the sin of the world’ (cf. John 1:29). John the Evangelist writes that ‘He was manifested to take away our sins’ (1 John 3:5). It is by this outworking of God’s will that we are saved and sanctified: the “body of Jesus Christ” is the bridge between heaven and earth. (Hebrews 10:10).
