John Calvin 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)

Wherefore, when he comes, etc. This entering into the world was the manifestation of Christ in the flesh; for when he put on man’s nature that he might be a Redeemer to the world and appeared to men, he is said to have then come into the world, as elsewhere he is said to have descended from heaven (John 6:41).

And yet the fortieth Psalm, which he quotes, seems to be improperly applied to Christ, for what is found there by no means suits his character, such as, My iniquities have laid hold on me, unless we consider that Christ willingly took on himself the sins of his members.

The whole of what is said, no doubt, rightly accords with David. But as it is well known that David was a type of Christ, there is nothing unreasonable in transferring to Christ what David declared concerning himself, especially when mention is made of abolishing the ceremonies of the Law, as is the case in this passage.

However, not all consider that the words have this meaning, for they think that sacrifices are not expressly repudiated here, but that the superstitious notion which had generally prevailed—that the whole worship of God consisted in them—is what is condemned.

If this is so, it may be said that this testimony has little to do with the present question. It is therefore important for us to examine this passage more minutely, so that it may become clear whether the apostle has appropriately cited it.

Everywhere in the Prophets, sentences of this kind occur: that sacrifices do not please God, that they are not required by him, that he sets no value on them; indeed, on the contrary, that they are an abomination to him.

But in those instances, the blame did not lie with the sacrifices themselves, but with what was adventitious to them. For as hypocrites, while obstinate in their impiety, still sought to pacify God with sacrifices, it was in this manner they were reproved.

The Prophets, then, rejected sacrifices, not as they were instituted by God, but as they were corrupted by wicked men and profaned through unclean consciences.

But here the reason is different, for the psalmist is not condemning sacrifices offered in hypocrisy, or otherwise improperly performed through the depravity and wickedness of men. Instead, he denies that they are required of the faithful and sincere worshippers of God.

For David speaks of himself as one who offered them with a clean heart and pure hands, and yet he says that they did not please God.

If anyone were to object and say that sacrifices were not accepted on their own account or for their own worthiness, but for the sake of something else, I would still maintain that such an argument is unsuitable here.

For in that case, people would merely be called back to spiritual worship when they ascribe too much to external ceremonies, and the Holy Spirit would then be understood as declaring that ceremonies are of no account to God only when, through human error, they are too highly exalted.

David, being under the Law, surely ought not to have neglected the rite of sacrificing. I grant that he ought to have worshipped God with sincerity of heart; but it was not lawful for him to omit what God had commanded, and he had the command to sacrifice in common with all the rest of the people.

We therefore conclude that he looked further than his own age when he said, Sacrifice you would not. It was, indeed, in some respects true, even in David’s time, that God did not regard sacrifices; but as they were all still held under the yoke of the schoolmaster, David could not perform the worship of God in a complete manner, unless, so to speak, clothed in this form.

Therefore, we must necessarily come to the kingdom of Christ, so that the truth of God’s unwillingness to receive sacrifice may fully appear. There is a similar passage in Psalm 16:10: You will not suffer your holy one to see corruption. For though God delivered David for a time from corruption, yet this was not fully accomplished except in Christ.

It is highly significant that when he professes that he would do the will of God, he assigns no place to sacrifices. For from this we conclude that perfect obedience to God is possible without them, which could not be true unless the Law were annulled.

I do not, however, deny that David in this place, as well as in Psalm 51:16, so downplayed external sacrifices as to prefer to them what is most important; but there is no doubt that in both places he looked towards the kingdom of Christ.

And so the Apostle testifies that Christ is rightly introduced as the speaker in this Psalm, in which not even the lowest place among God’s commandments is allowed to sacrifices, which God had nevertheless strictly required under the Law.

But a body have you prepared me, etc. The words of David are different: An ear have you bored for me. Some think this phrase was borrowed from an ancient rite or custom of the Law (Exodus 21:6).

For if anyone set no value on the liberty granted at the jubilee and wished to be in perpetual servitude, his ear was bored with an awl. The meaning, as they think, was this: “You shall have me, O Lord, as a servant forever.”

I, however, take another view, regarding it as intimating docility and obedience; for we are deaf until God opens our ears, that is, until he corrects the stubbornness that cleaves to us.

There is at the same time an implied contrast between the undiscriminating common people (to whom the sacrifices were like phantoms without any power) and David, to whom God had revealed their spiritual and legitimate use and application.

But the Apostle followed the Greek translators when he said, A body have you prepared; for in quoting Scripture, the Apostles were not always so scrupulous about the exact wording, provided they did not pervert Scripture to their own purpose.

We must always consider the purpose for which they quote passages, for they are very careful about the main object, so as not to twist Scripture to another meaning. However, as for words and other details that do not affect the main point, they exercise great freedom.