Hebrews 10:11

καὶ introduces a new aspect of the finality of Christ's sacrifice, to wit, that “whereas every priest stands daily ministering and often offering the same sacrifices, inasmuch as they are such as never can take sins away this man having offered one sacrifice for sins for ever sat down on God's right hand, henceforth waiting till his enemies be set as a footstool for his feet. For by one offering He hath perfected for ever the sanctified.” The argument is in this statement advanced a step. For although the three points urged in Hebrews 10:1-4 are here still in view, viz., that “the Levitical service consists of repeated acts (καθʼ ἡμέραν, κατʼ ἐνιαυτόν) and these the same (αἱ αὐταὶ θυσίαι) and essentially ineffective (οὐδέποτε δύνανται, κ. τ. λ), yet it is now the action of the priest rather than the nature of the sacrifice that comes to the front, and the finality of Christ's offering is argued from the historical fact that He was not any longer standing ministering but had sat down as one who had quite finished His work. Therefore in Hebrews 10:14 τετελείωκεν εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς τοὺς ἁγιαζομένους takes the place of ἡγιασμένοι ἐσμὲν of Hebrews 10:10. Nothing further requires to be done to secure in perpetuity the fellowship of man with God. In the one sacrifice of Christ there is cleansing which fits men to draw near to God, to enter into covenant with Him, and there is also ground laid for their continuance in that fellowship. The future (εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς) is provided for as well as the past. Limborch quoted by Bleek says “perficit, i.e., perfecte et plene a peccatorum reatu liberavit, ita ut in perpetuum sanctificati sint et ulteriore aut nova oblatione non indigeant”. “His one offering gathers up into itself both the sacrifice that inaugurates the covenant, and all the many sacrifices offered year by year to maintain it and to realise it; it reaches the idea which they strove towards in vain, and by reaching it for ever sets them aside” (Davidson).

In Hebrews 10:11 the more expressive περιελεῖν replaces ἀφαιρεῖν of Hebrews 10:4. It means “to take away something that is all round” as δέρματα σωμάτων, a garment, the covering of a letter. In Genesis 41:42 it is used of Pharaoh taking off his ring. The phrase therefore suggests that man is enwrapped in sin; or if this is to press too hard the etymological meaning, it at least suggests complete deliverance. οὗτος cf. Hebrews 3:3 and Hebrews 8:3. εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς cannot be construed with προσενέγκας but must be taken with ἐκάθισεν. “To say of the Levitical priests that they προσφέρουσιν εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς (Hebrews 10:1) is appropriate; to say of Christ that He προσήνεγκεν εἰς τὸ διην. is almost a self-contradiction” (Vaughan). εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς ἐκάθισεν balances ἕστηκεν καθʼ ἡμέραν, and cf. especially Hebrews 1:3. No doubt the usual position of εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς is after the word it qualifies, Hebrews 10:1-14 and Hebrews 7:3. τοὺς ἁγιαζ. has no time reference, cf. Hebrews 2:11.