Thomas Aquinas Commentary Hebrews 10:19-25

"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; and [having] a great priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience: and having our body washed with pure water, let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised: and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works; not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting [one another]; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh." — Hebrews 10:19-25 (ASV)

After showing the many ways in which Christ’s priesthood is superior to that of the Old Law, the Apostle, in keeping with his practice, comes to a conclusion and exhorts us to adhere faithfully to that priesthood. For previously, after recommending something, the Apostle always gave an admonition, because he took the trouble to commend Christ’s grace to incline them to obey Christ and desist from the ceremonies of the Law. In this regard, he does two things: first, he gives the admonition; secondly, he gives the reason for it (in verse 26). Concerning the first part, it should be noted that he had said two things about the priesthood of Christ: the power of its rite (because it is by His own blood) and its dignity (because He is a high priest forever). Therefore, in the admonition, he recalls these two things. In urging faithful obedience to Christ, he first mentions these two points, and secondly, he gives the admonition itself (in verse 22). Regarding the first point, he does two things: first, he recalls the rite of the priesthood; secondly, its dignity (in verse 21).

He says, therefore: Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Christ. As it is written, In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him (Ephesians 3:12); and You shall bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance, in your most firm habitation (Exodus 15:17); and I rejoiced at the things that were said to me: We shall go into the house of the Lord (Psalms 122:1). And this is by the blood of Christ, because This is the blood of the new testament (Matthew 26:28), that is, of the new promise concerning heavenly things. He shows how we have this confidence to enter, because Christ by His blood opened a new and living way for us: He shall go up that shall open the way before them (Micah 2:13); If I shall go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself (John 14:3); It shall be called the holy way: the unclean shall not pass over it (Isaiah 35:8).

This, therefore, is the way to go to heaven. It is a new way because before Christ no one had found it: No man has ascended into heaven, but he that descended from heaven (John 3:13). Therefore, he who would ascend must adhere to Him as a member to the head. As it is said, To him that overcomes I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is the paradise of my God (Revelation 2:7); and I will write upon him the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalem (Revelation 3:12), because they will be brought in anew. It is a living way, that is, one that is always continuing. In this, the power of the Godhead appears, because it is always living.

The author then shows what that way is when he says, through the veil, that is, through His flesh. For just as the priest entered into the Holy of Holies through the veil, so we, if we wish to enter the holy place of glory, must enter through Christ’s flesh, which was a veil for His divinity: Verily, you are a hidden God (Isaiah 45:15). For faith in the Godhead is not enough without faith in the incarnation: You believe in God, believe also in me (John 14:1). Alternatively, “through the veil” means through His flesh given to us under the veil of the appearance of bread in the sacrament. He is not offered to us in His own form because of the awe it would inspire and for us to obtain the merit of faith.

Then he praises the dignity of the priesthood when he says, a great high priest, who dedicated the way for us. It is as if to say: We have confidence to enter through the priest, namely, Jesus: You are a priest forever (Psalms 110:4). He is called a great priest because His priesthood is not merely over one people, as Aaron’s was, but over the house of God, that is, the entire Church Militant and Triumphant: That you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God, which is the church (1 Timothy 3:15). He says, over the house, because Moses was faithful in all my house as a servant (Numbers 12:7), but Christ is over the whole house as the Son, who is the Lord of all things: All power is given to me in heaven and in earth (Matthew 28:18).

Then (in verse 22) he gives his admonition: because Christ is such a great person, we must faithfully adhere to Him. This is done in three ways: by faith, by hope, and by love, for Now there remain faith, hope and charity (1 Corinthians 13:13). First, then, he urges them concerning matters of faith; secondly, matters of hope (in verse 23); and thirdly, matters of love (in verse 24).

For the first, two things are required: faith itself, for Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6), and the sacrament of faith. Regarding the first, he says, let us draw near to Him with a true, not a false, heart: Remember how I have walked before you in truth and with a perfect heart (Isaiah 38:3). This is accomplished when our actions agree with our heart. Let us draw near in full assurance of faith: He that comes to God must believe (Hebrews 11:6). Nor is just any kind of faith sufficient; full faith is required. This involves two things: that all things proposed for our belief are indeed believed, and that it is a faith “formed” by love, which is accomplished by love, for Love is the fullness of the law (Romans 13:10).

Regarding the sacrament of faith, he says, having our hearts sprinkled, which is an allusion to Numbers 19:12. There, the ceremony of the red heifer is described, where the water of purification was sprinkled on an unclean person on the third day; then on the seventh day, his body and clothing were washed with other water. The passion of Christ was foreshadowed by the sprinkling with the water of the red heifer, because on the third day—that is, by faith in the Trinity in baptism—we are cleansed from our sins.

In this regard he says, having our hearts, not our bodies, sprinkled clean. As it is written, You have come to the sprinkling of blood (Hebrews 12:24). Our hearts are sprinkled clean from an evil conscience, not merely from contact with a corpse as with the water of the red heifer. Of the washing performed on the seventh day, he says, and our bodies washed with pure water. For in baptism, not only does the power of the passion work, but the gifts of the Holy Spirit are also infused in us. Hence, on the seventh day, that is, in the fullness of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the entire person is washed inside and out from all sin, both actual and original. Original sin is, in a way, corporeal, because the soul contracts it by uniting with tainted flesh. The Holy Spirit is called water because He cleanses: Purifying their hearts by faith (Acts 15:9); I will pour upon you clean water and you shall be cleansed from all your filthiness, and I will cleanse you from all your idols (Ezekiel 36:25); There shall be a fountain open to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem: for the washing of the sinner and of the unclean woman (Zechariah 13:1); By the laver of regeneration and renovation of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). As a sign of this, the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form upon Christ at His baptism.

Next, he mentions what pertains to hope. He does two things: first, he exhorts us to certainty in hope; secondly, he gives the reason for it (in verse 23).

It should be noted that by faith in Christ, we are given the hope of eternal life and entrance into the kingdom: He has regenerated us unto a lively hope (1 Peter 1:3). Hence, he says, Let us hold fast the confession of our hope, because it is not enough to have hope in one’s heart; it must be confessed with the mouth: With the heart we believe unto justice; but with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:10). Furthermore, this confession must be made not only by word but also by deeds, against those of whom it is said in Titus 1:16: They profess that they know God, but in their works they deny him. This confession is made by works, by which one strives for the things hoped for: Hold fast what you have, that no man take your crown (Revelation 3:11). This must be done without wavering, that is, not abandoning that confession in either prosperity or adversity: But such as turn aside into bonds, the Lord will lead out with the workers of iniquity (Psalms 125:5); This is the way, walk in it: and go not aside neither to the right hand nor to the left (Isaiah 30:21).

The reason for this is that he who has promised is faithful, and He cannot lie: The Lord is faithful in all his works (Psalms 145:13); God is faithful without any iniquity (Deuteronomy 32:4).

Then (in verse 24) he mentions what pertains to love. He does three things: first, he explains what he said; secondly, he addresses what is contrary to love (in verse 25); thirdly, he assigns the reason from the fittingness of the time (in verse 25b).

Regarding the first point, it should be noted that although love is directed principally toward God, it is demonstrated by love for one's neighbor: He that does not love his neighbor, whom he sees, how can he love God whom he does not see? (1 John 4:20). Therefore, it pertains to love to love one’s neighbor. Hence, he says, let us consider one another, so that we will be careful to do what pertains to our neighbor: And he gave to everyone of them commandment concerning his neighbor . But because some consider their neighbor with a zeal of envy, and others with a zeal of hatred—against whom it says in Proverbs 24:15, Seek not after wickedness in the house of the just—he says, to stir them up to love. This means that we should provoke them to love: As long as I am the apostle of the Gentiles I will honor my ministry, if by any means I may provoke to emulation them who are my flesh, and may save some of them (Romans 11:13–14). But such urging proceeds from love, which extends to outward actions: Let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth (1 John 3:18). For as Gregory says, “The love of God is not idle: for it does great things, if it exists, but if it refuses to work, it is not love. Therefore, the proof of love is the demonstration of works.” Hence, he says, and to good works: Being fruitful in every good work (Colossians 1:10).

Then he addresses what is contrary to love when he says, not neglecting to meet together. For since love’s function is to unite—because, as Dionysius says, love is a uniting force: That they may be one, even as we are one… and the world may know that you have loved them as you have also loved me (John 17:22–23)—to withdraw from one another is directly opposed to love.

Hence, he says, not neglecting to meet together in the assembly of the Church, which some abandon in three ways. First, by apostasy from the faith because of persecutions. These are signified by those of whom it is said that they went back; and walked no more with him (John 6:66). As it is also written, When there arise tribulation and persecution because of the word, he is presently scandalized (Matthew 13:21); and They believe for a while, and in time of temptation they fall away (Luke 8:13).

Secondly, some abandon the assembly through wicked leaders who leave the sheep in danger: The hireling flees, because he is a hireling (John 10:13). Thirdly, others separate from pride; because they could be useful for governing, they separate themselves from others out of pride, as though under the pretext of higher perfection: These are they, who separate themselves, sensual men, having not the spirit (Jude 1:19). Perhaps there were people like this at that time as well. Hence, he continues, as is the habit of some. Against such people, it says in 1 Corinthians 11:16: If any man seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor the church of God. Then he adds what they should do, saying, but encouraging one another. It is as if to say: if you see that your companion is not behaving well, do not abandon him, but encourage him, unlike those who forsake the assembly, of whom he says, as some do.

Finally (in verse 25b), he gives the reason for this. Someone might ask, “Why should we make progress in the faith?” Because a natural movement becomes more intense the closer it gets to its goal, whereas the opposite is true of a forced movement. But grace works in a way similar to nature. Therefore, he says we should not neglect our assembly, as some do, but encourage one another, and do this all the more as you see the Day—that is, the end—approaching: The night is passed, and the day is at hand (Romans 13:12); The path of the just, as a shining light, goes forward and increases even to perfect day (Proverbs 4:18).