Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Hebrews 10:3

"But in those [sacrifices] there is a remembrance made of sins year by year." — Hebrews 10:3 (ASV)

The author now contrasts false estimates of what sacrifices might do. “Reminder” (lit., “remembrance”; GK 390) is a word that usually involves action. When people remember sins, they either repent or persist in sin (Ezekiel 23:19). When God remembers sin, he usually punishes it (1 Kings 17:18; Revelation 16:19); when he pardons, he no longer remembers sin (Psalms 25:7). This verse uses an expression that recalls what Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me” , as he established a covenant in which the central thing is that God says, “[I] will remember their sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:34). The Day of Atonement ceremonies each year reminded people of the fact that something had to be done about sin. But the ceremonies did no more than that.