Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

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

“So Christ's total and absolute conquest at His coming is symbolized. be made his footstool--literally, "be placed (rendered) footstool of His feet."”

because by a single offering He has made perfect for all time those who are being sanctified.

“For--The sacrifice being "for ever" in its efficacy (Heb 10:12) needs no renewal. them that are sanctified--rather as Greek, "them that are being sanctified."”

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

“The Greek, has "moreover," or "now." is a witness--of the truth which I am setting forth. The Father's witness is given Heb 5:10. Now is added that of the Holy Spirit, called accordingly "the Spirit of grace," Heb 10:29.”

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus,

“Compare Eph 3:12, "In whom we have boldness and access with confidence." It is His having once for all entered as our Forerunner (Heb 6:20) and High Priest (Heb 10:21), making atonement for us with His blood, which is continually there (Heb 12:24) before God…”

let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure…

“On the "pure water," the symbol of consecration and sanctification, compare Joh 19:34; The perfects "having . . . hearts sprinkled . . .”

And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds.

“Here, as elsewhere, hope and love follow faith; the Pauline triad of Christian graces. consider--with the mind attentively fixed on "one another" (see on Heb 3:1), contemplating with continual consideration the characters and wants of our brethren, so as to render mutual help and counsel.”

If we deliberately go on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no further sacrifice for sins remains,

“There the warning was that if there be not diligence in progressing, a falling off will take place, and apostasy may ensue: here it is, that if there be lukewarmness in Christian communion, apostasy may ensue.”

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…

“So he treads under foot God Himself who "glorified His Son as an high priest" (Heb 5:5; 6:6). an unholy thing--literally, "common," as opposed to "sanctified."”

For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.”

“Vengeance belongeth unto me--Greek, "To Me belongeth vengeance": exactly according with Paul's quotation, Ro 12:19, of the same text.”

Remember the early days that you were in the light. In those days, you endured a great conflict in the face of suffering.

“In spiritual baptism, Christ, who is "the Light," is put on. "On the one hand, we are not to sever the sign and the grace signified where the sacrifice truly answers its designs; on the other, the glass is not to be mistaken for the…”

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

“The persecutions here referred to seem to have been endured by the Hebrew Christians at their first conversion, not only in Palestine, but also in Rome and elsewhere, the Jews in every city inciting the populace and the Roman authorities against Christians.”

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

“Consequent exhortation to confidence and endurance, as Christ is soon coming. Cast not away--implying that they now have "confidence," and that it will not withdraw of itself, unless they "cast it away" wilfully (compare Heb 3:14). which--Greek, "the which": inasmuch as being such as.”

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

“A Pauline elegant turning-off from denunciatory warnings to charitable hopes of his readers (Ro 8:12). saving of the soul--literally, "acquisition (or obtaining) of the soul." The kindred Greek verb is applied to Christ's acquiring the Church as the purchase of His blood (Ac 20:28).”

This is why the ancients were commended.

“For--So high a description of faith is not undeserved; for . . . [ALFORD]. by it--Greek, "in it": in respect to . . . in the matter of," it, "or, as Greek more emphatically, "this."”

By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts.

“The Greek is more literally rendered [KENNICOTT] by WYCLIFFE, "a much more sacrifice"; and by Queen Elizabeth's version "a greater sacrifice." A fuller, more ample sacrifice, that which partook more largely and essentially of the true nature and virtue of sacrifice [ARCHBISHOP MAGEE].”

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

“Faith was the ground of his pleasing God; and his pleasing God was the ground of his translation. translated-- (Ge 5:22, 24).”

By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family.

“Join "by faith" with "prepared an ark" (1Pe 3:20). by the which--faith. condemned the world--For since he believed and was saved, so might they have believed and been saved, so that their condemnation by God is by his case shown to be just.”

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, without knowing where he was going.

“From the antediluvian saints he passes to the patriarchs of Israel, to whom "the promises" belonged. called--by God (Ge 12:1).”

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

“Jacob was fifteen years old at the death of Abraham. heirs with him of the same promise--Isaac did not inherit it from Abraham, nor Jacob from Isaac, but they all inherited it from God directly as "fellow heirs."”

Now those who say such things show that they are seeking a country of their own.

“For--proof that "faith" (Heb 11:13) was their actuating principle. declare plainly--make it plainly evident. seek--Greek, "seek after"; implying the direction towards which their desires ever tend. a country--rather as Greek, "a fatherland."”

Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

“Proving the truth that the old fathers did not, as some assert, "look only for transitory promises" [Article VII, Book of Common Prayer]. now--as the case is. is not ashamed--Greek, "Is not ashamed of them."”

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,

“Put to the proof of his faith. Not that God "tempts" to sin, but God "tempts" in the sense of proving or trying (Jas 1:13-15). and--and so.”

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

“Of whom--rather as Greek "He (Abraham, not Isaac) TO whom it was said" [ALFORD]. BENGEL supports English Version. So Heb 1:7 uses the same Greek preposition, "unto," for "in respect to," or "of." This verse gives a definition of the "only-begotten Son" (Heb 11:17).”

Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and in a sense, he did receive Isaac back from death.

“It was then that Abraham saw Christ's day (Joh 8:56): accounting God was able to raise even from the dead: from which state of the dead he received him back as a type of the resurrection in Christ.”

By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning the future.

“Jacob is put before Esau, as heir of the chief, namely, the spiritual blessing. concerning things to come--Greek, "even concerning things to come": not only concerning things present. Isaac, by faith, assigned to his sons things future, as if they were present.”