Albert Barnes

In the passage above He says, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not desire, nor did You delight in them” (although they are offered according to…

“Above when he said - That is, the Messiah. The word “above” refers here to the former part of the quotation.”

Then He adds, “Here I am, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second.

“Then said he - In another part of the passage quoted. When he had said that no offering which man could make would avail, then he said that he would come himself.”

Day after day every priest stands to minister and to offer again and again the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.

“And every priest standeth daily ministering - That is, this is done every day. It does not mean literally that every priest was daily concerned in offering sacrifices, for they took turns according to their courses, (notes on Luk 1:5), but that this was done…”

But when this Priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God.

“But this man - The Lord Jesus. The word “man” is not in the original here. The Greek is literally “but this;” to wit, this priest. The apostle does not state here whether he was a man, or a being of a higher order.”

Since that time, He waits for His enemies to be made a footstool for His feet,

“From henceforth expecting - Or waiting. He waits there until this shall be accomplished according to the promise made to him that all things shall be subdued under him; see the notes on 1Co 15:25-27.”

The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First He says:

“Whereof the Holy Ghost is a witness to us - That is, the Holy Spirit is a proof of the truth of the position here laid down - that the one atonement made by the Redeemer lays the foundation for the eternal perfection of all…”

and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

“And having an High Priest over the house of God - Over the spiritual house of God; that is, the church; compare the notes on Heb 3:1-6.”

Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering - To secure this was one of the leading designs of this Epistle, and hence, the apostle adverts to it so frequently. It is evident that those whom he wrote were suffering persecution Heb.”

Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together - That is, for purposes of public worship. Some expositors have understood the word rendered here as “assembling” - ἐπισυναγωγὴν episunagōgēn - as meaning “the society of Christians,” or the church; and they have supposed that the object…”

but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume all adversaries.

“But a certain fearful looking for of judgment - The word “certain” here does not mean “fixed, sure, inevitable,” as our translation would seem to imply. The Greek is the same as “a (τις tis) fearful expectation,” etc. So it is rendered by Tyndale.”

How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and…

“Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy - That is, he who renounces Christianity ought to be regarded as deserving a much severer punishment than the man who apostatized from the Jewish religion, and if he ought to be so…”

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God - There may be an allusion here to the request of David to “fall into the hands of the Lord and not into the hands of men,” when it was submitted…”

Sometimes you were publicly exposed to ridicule and persecution; at other times you were partners with those who were so treated.

“Partly - That is, your affliction consisted partly in this. The Greek is, “this” - specifying one kind of affliction that they were called to endure.”

So do not throw away your confidence; it holds a great reward.

“Cast not away therefore your confidence - Greek “your boldness;” referring to their confident hope in God. They were not to cast this away, and to become timid, disheartened, and discouraged.”

For, “In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay.

“For yet a little while - There seems to be an allusion here to what the Saviour himself said, “A little while, and ye shall not see me; and again, a little while and ye shall see me;” Joh 16:”

But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

“But we are not of them ... - We who are true Christians do not belong to such a class. In this the apostle expresses the fullest conviction that none of those to whom he wrote would apostatize.”

Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for - On the general nature of faith, see the notes on Mar 16:16. The margin here is, “ground or confidence.””

By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.

“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed - The first instance of the strength of faith which the apostle refers to is that by which we give credence to the declarations in the Scriptures about the work of creation; Gen 1:1.”

By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.”

“By faith Enoch was translated - The account of Enoch is found in Gen 5:21-24. It is very brief, and is this, that “Enoch walked with God, and was not, for God took him.””

By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country.

“By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country - The land of Canaan that had been promised to him and his posterity. He resided there as if he were a stranger and sojourner.”

By faith Sarah, even though she was barren and beyond the proper age, was enabled to conceive a child, because she considered Him faithful who had promised.

“Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed - The word “herself” here - αὐτὴ autē - implies that there was something remarkable in the fact that “she” should manifest this faith.”

All these people died in faith, without having received the things they were promised. However, they saw them and welcomed them from afar.

“These all died in faith - That is, those who had been just mentioned - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Sarah.”

If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.

“And truly if they had been mindful of that country ... - If they had remembered it with sufficient interest and affection to have made them desirous to return.”

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac on the altar. He who had received the promises was ready to offer his one and only son,

“By faith Abraham - The apostle had stated one strong instance of the faith of Abraham, and he now refers to one still more remarkable - the strongest illustration of faith, undoubtedly, which has ever been evinced in our world.”

even though God had said to him, “Through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.”

“Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called; - Gen 21:12. A numerous posterity had been promised to him.”