Hebrews 10:21
in Hebrews 10and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and having a great priest over the house of God;
KJV
And having an high priest over the house of God;
⋯
This verse in Hebrews 10
Commentary
13 notes on this verseHaving a "Priest," obviously Christ, and the "house" is us, the believers (Heb. 3:6), according to the following words: "I will dwell in them and walk among them" (2 Cor. 6:16, cf. Lev. 26:12). Or, what I think is better, heaven: for he also calls …
This site's exposition
boldness to enter into the holiest
on Hebrews 10:19-21
The therefore turns the whole doctrinal argument into an invitation: brethren, boldness, parrhesia, to enter into the holiest itself, not merely approach it, by the blood of Jesus, a right the high priest alone held once a year now extended to every believer. Verse 20 names the way as new and living, freshly consecrated, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh, the torn veil read as the torn flesh of the cross opening what was shut. Verse 21 adds the reason confidence is possible at all, an high priest over the house of God, the same priesthood the two chapters before have just finished arguing.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
Taking a hint from what has been said by Paul, who partially uncovered the mystery of these things, we say that Moses was earlier instructed by a type in the mystery of the tabernacle that encompasses the universe. This tabernacle would be "Christ who is the power and the wisdom of God," who in his own nature was not made with hands, yet capable of being made when it became necessary for this tabernacle to be erected among us.
Wherefore he again admonishes us in these words: Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the Holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; …
Having therefore boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way; the entrance into the Holies made by the blood of Jesus, he calls His entrance into the heavens, …
"over the house of God." He speaks of the house of God as the faithful, according to, "I will dwell in them, and walk among them." (Lev. 26:12; 2 Cor. 6:16)
"a great priest." This, having, in common. He calls the Lord a priest.
6 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church2 voices
503. – Then he commends the dignity of the priesthood when he says, a great high priest, who dedicated the way for us. As if to say: Having a confidence in entering in through the priest, namely, Jesus: 'You are a priest forever' (Ps. 109:4). …
The people I am speaking about, whom I call heretics, say there is no one in our time among us who is able to keep the gospel commandments and become like the holy fathers. Such a person would be, first of all, one who is …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And having an high priest over the house of God. The church of God, over which Christ is as prophet, priest, and King, and as the Son and owner of it; See Gill on Heb 3:6; See Gill on Heb 4:14. In the Greek text it is, "a great priest"; so the Messiah is called by the Targum on Zec 6:12 כהן רב, "a great priest", as he is; even a great high priest, as in Heb 4:14, and greater than Aaron, and any of his sons.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
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. Under the Jewish dispensation there was a great high priest, and the same is true under the Christian dispensation. This the apostle had shown at length in the previous part of the Epistle.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
high priest--As a different Greek term (archiereus) is used always elsewhere in this Epistle for "high priest," translate as Greek here, "A Great Priest"; one who is at once King and "Priest on His throne" (Zec 6:13); a royal Priest, and a priestly King. house of God--the spiritual house, the Church, made up of believers, whose home is heaven, where Jesus now is (Heb 12:22, 23).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
A high priest over the house of God - The house or family of God is the Christian Church, or all true believers in the Lord Jesus. Over this Church, house, or family, Christ is the High Priest - in their behalf he offers his own blood, and their prayers and praises; and as the high priest had the ordering of all things that appertained to the house and worship of God, so has Christ in the government of his Church. This government he never gave into other hands. As none can govern and preserve the world but God, so none can govern and save the Church but the Lord Jesus: He is over the house; He is its President; he instructs, protects, guides, feeds, defends, and saves the flock. Those who have such a President may well have confidence; for with him is the fountain of life, and he has all power in the heavens and in the earth.
The words behind it
8 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | and [having] | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἱερέα | hi'erea | a priest | G2409 → | 30 times |
| μέγαν | megan | great | G3173 → | 243 times |
| ἐπὶ | epi | over | G1909 → | 883 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οἶκον | oikon | house | G3624 → | 112 times |
| τοῦ | tou | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| θεοῦ, | theou | of God, | G2316 → | 1312 times |
καὶand [having]
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἱερέαa priest
hi'ereaG2409 →30 times
μέγανgreat
meganG3173 →243 times
ἐπὶover
epiG1909 →883 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
οἶκονhouse
oikonG3624 →112 times
τοῦ<the>
touG3588 →19766 times
θεοῦ,of God,
theouG2316 →1312 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Hebrews 2:17For this reason He had to be made like His brothers in every way, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, in order to make atonement…
it leads to
- Hebrews 4:14
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Philippians 2:7–8
but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.
- Hebrews 2:14
Now since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity, so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil,
- Hebrews 4:14
Through
Hebrews 8:1The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,
it leads to
- Hebrews 1:3
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His nature, upholding all things by His powerful word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the…
- Colossians 3:1
Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
- Revelation 3:21
To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
- Hebrews 1:3
Through
Hebrews 7:26Such a high priest truly befits us—One who is holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
it leads to
- 2 Corinthians 5:21
God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
- 1 Peter 2:22
“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.”
- 2 Corinthians 5:21
Where this verse is studied
On this page
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On this verse
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About Hebrews
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Cosmas Indicopleustes, The Christian Topography, Book 5; Cosmas Indicopleustes, The Christian Topography, Book 7; Gregory of Nyssa, LIFE OF MOSES 2.174; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Oecumenius, The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews; Symeon the New Theologian, DISCOURSE 29.4; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Hebrews and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Hebrews.