How can Hebrews 13:10 deepen our understanding of the New Covenant in Christ? Setting the Scene Hebrews closes by reminding believers of their unique position in Christ. Verse 13:10 says, “We have an altar from which those who serve at the tabernacle have no right to eat.” The author points to a spiritual reality that surpasses the old sacrificial system. The Altar We Now Possess • Not a stone structure, but the cross and all it accomplished. • It is permanently accessible—no veil, no limited priesthood. • All believers, not merely Levites, are invited to draw near. • The privilege is exclusive to those who are in Christ; those clinging to the old tabernacle “have no right to eat.” Contrast With the Old Covenant • Old Covenant priests: daily sacrifices that “can never by the same sacrifices year after year make perfect those who draw near.” (Hebrews 10:1) • New Covenant believers: “By one offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14) • Earthly altar: blood sprinkled outside the veil; people stayed back. • Heavenly altar: Jesus’ blood grants “confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus.” (Hebrews 10:19) Participation Through Grace, Not Ritual • We “eat” by faith—receiving the benefits of Christ’s finished work. • Jesus’ words echo this: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” (John 6:53) • Communion becomes a living proclamation: “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 10:16) Linked Passages That Illuminate Hebrews 13:10 • Matthew 26:26–28—Christ institutes the Lord’s Supper, connecting His body and blood with the New Covenant. • 1 Peter 2:5—believers are “a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God.” • Hebrews 13:15—“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise.” • Revelation 5:9—heaven’s song centers on the Lamb’s redeeming blood, not earthly rituals. Implications for Worship and Daily Life • Draw near confidently—your access is secured, not tentative. • Worship centers on Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice, not our performance. • Fellowship is table fellowship; we share one altar and therefore one body. • Live gratefully: every act of obedience flows from a position of acceptance, not striving. |
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