The Heart of the Father

The writer of Hebrews has forcefully shown the superiority of the person and work of Jesus Christ. His sacrifice took place once and is fully sufficient for all who place faith in Him alone. Now, he begins a transition which focuses on the believer’s responsibility within the New Covenant. The old was a matter of works but the new is fully of grace. Yet, there is the privilege Christians have to live what we believe empowered by God’s provision.

This section emphasizes the difference between Jesus’ sacrifice and those of the old system. Again, there is the mention that His sacrifice was once for all time. Then, he digs deeper to show why Jesus’ sacrifice is superior by citing Psalm 40:6-8, In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”

These verses show the heart of the Father and the Son. According to Douglas Mangum, Through a bold interpretation of an obscure phrase in an ancient psalm, the author places the words of the psalmist (Ps 40:6–8) into the mouth of Christ at his incarnation. We read that the Father is not satisfied with animal sacrifices but with the sacrifice of obedience. The Son declares that He came to do the will of the Father. Note John 4:34, Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

Jesus did not make a mistake by dying on the cross. He had submitted Himself fully to the will of His Father. They planned the journey to Golgotha together for you and for me. David Brown got it right, The whole work of redemption flows from “the will” of God the Father, as the First Cause, who decreed redemption from before the foundation of the world. And William Barclay, Jesus was the perfect sacrifice because he perfectly did God’s will. He took himself and said to God: ‘Do with me as you will.’ He brought to God on behalf of men and women what no one had been able to bring—the perfect obedience, that was the perfect sacrifice.

These verses move from the plans of God to their fulfillment. Relish verse 10, And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. The key word to this passage is sanctified. It is speaking not only of positional sanctification (justification) but glorification, as well. What Jesus accomplished on the cross not only declared us righteous but guarantees our complete sanctification. Ray Stedman, The Greek expression for made holy (sanctified) indicates action with a lasting effect. We have been made holy by the death of Jesus, and we remain holy even though we struggle with daily weakness and sin . . . It is a holiness obtained by faith, not by self-righteous effort, and it is not lost by momentary failure.

Who Jesus is and what He did for us is almost too wonderful to imagine. Just think that it was planned from heaven between the Father and Son for you and me. That should give sufficient cause for us to want live what we believe. Such amazing truth is a solid basis for encouraging believers to heed the writer’s instructions in the rest of the Book of Hebrews.

I hope you will join our journey through Hebrews under the Books of the Bible tab. We must move forward motivated by grace, knowing that the favor received comes from our incomparable God and goes back to Him.