Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary Hebrews 10:5

"Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, But a body didst thou prepare for me;" — Hebrews 10:5 (ASV)

“Therefore” introduces the next stage of the argument. Because the Levitical sacrifices were powerless to deal with sin, another provision had to be made. The writer then quotes from Ps 40:6–8, words that he sees as coming from Christ and as giving the reason for the Incarnation. The preexistence of Christ is assumed here. This psalm is not quoted elsewhere in the NT, and this reminds us once more that the writer of this letter has his own style of writing and his own way of viewing Holy Writ.

In the passage quoted, the LXX reads “a body you prepared for me,” whereas the Hebrew has “ears you have dug for me.” Most likely the LXX gives an interpretative translation of the original Hebrew. It may be expressing the view that the body is the instrument through which the divine command, received by the ear, is carried out. Or it may be taking a part of the body (the “ears”) as meaning the whole body.

The words “sacrifice” and “offering” (v.5) are both general and might apply to any sacrificial offering, whereas the “burnt offerings” and the “sin offerings” (v.6) are both specific. The four terms taken together are probably meant as a summary of the main kinds of Levitical sacrifices under the old covenant.

The psalmist says that God did not “will” (NIV “desire”; GK 2527) or “take pleasure in” such offerings. This does not mean that the offerings were against God’s will or that God was displeased with them. Rather, considered in themselves as a series of liturgical actions, the offerings did not bring God pleasure. They might have done so if they had been offered in the right spirit, by penitent people expressing their state of heart. But the thrust of the quotation emphasizes the importance of the will.

“Then” (v.7) means “in those circumstances” rather than “at that time.” Since sacrifice as such did not avail before God, other action had to be taken. That action means that Christ came to do God’s will. In his case, there was no question of a dumb animal being offered up quite irrespective of any desires it might have. He came specifically to do the will of the Father, and his sacrifice was the offering of one fully committed to doing that will.

The reference to the “scroll” (GK 1046) is not completely clear, but probably the psalmist meant that he was fulfilling what was written in the law. The author of Hebrews sees the words as emphasizing that Christ came “to do” what was written in Scripture. The words that immediately follow in the psalm (“your law is within my heart”) show what this expression implies. The author uses the word “will” (GK 2525) five times, always of the will of God. It was important to him that what God wills is done. Christ came to do nothing other than the will of God.