The Law as a Shadow
When the author of Hebrews begins chapter ten, he explains how the Law was only a shadow of the good things to come. The Law was a shadow because of its imperfections, and what God ultimately had in mind was perfect without flaws. The Law as a shadow also suggests that the earthly system had enough elements of the original to point the people to the heavenly realities.[1] The “good things to come” can refer to two different events. The first refers to Christ’s sacrifice, which took away the guilt of sin, once and for all.[2] The second relies on the first because it was through this sacrifice that Christians hope for Christ’s second coming, where they will enjoy eternal life with their Lord and Savior.
When one looks at this sacrifice of Jesus in comparison to the animal sacrifices, one can see how superior Christ’s sacrifice was. First of all, the animal sacrifices could not make perfect the ones who draw near to worship (v. 1). This perfection, which the author is referring to, is a state of right relationship with God where the worshiper is free from the guilt of sin as well as cleansed from it.[3] The idea that the animal sacrifices could not make a worshiper perfect can be seen in the fact that the animal sacrifices has to be offered year after year. In contrast, Jesus offered one sacrifice for sin, taking away the guilt of sin and sitting down at the right hand of God. The other priests stood and performed their duties daily even though their sacrifices could never take away sin (vv. 11-2). Also, one can see that while Christ’s sacrifice took away the guilt of sin, the animal sacrifice, performed by the priest, only served as a reminder of their guilt and sinfulness since it had to be offered year after year.
The author’s reassurance to Christians about the extent of their salvation is a source of comfort and encouragement. Christ’s sacrifice, offered once and for all, frees us from the guilt of our sins. This serves as a powerful reminder that any lingering guilt over a sin we have repented from does not come from God. God sees Christ’s righteousness, not our sin when he looks at us. Any such guilt must be coming from the enemy, a reminder of the freedom we have in Christ.
