Topical Studies
Food and Drink Offerings
(From Forerunner Commentary)
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Hebrews 9:8-10 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
The subject involves food and drink offerings and various washings imposed until the time of reformation—not the entirety of God's law. In His mind's eye, whenever He gave them these rituals, there was a grandfather clause. A grandfather clause is stipulation attached to a law that causes it to expire either under certain conditions or at a certain time. These rituals were imposed until the time of reformation. This is the grandfather clause. These requirements, legally forced on the Israelites, were to last only for a certain period of time. Jeremiah 7:22-24 says that when these people made the covenant with God, He did not speak about sacrifices. He only said, "Obey My voice." However, because they transgressed, something was added—imposed on them. It was as though these rituals were a penalty because they transgressed God's voice, yet it was to last only for a certain period of time. This is similar in concept to what we have today when a convicted person is required to check in with a parole officer for a given number of years, sentenced to perform a certain number of hours of community service, or ordered to attend certain classes and to refrain from engaging in particular privileges for a stipulated period.
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Covenants, Grace and Law (Part 18)
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Hebrews 9:9 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
The sacrifices and offerings, though sincerely and fastidiously performed over centuries, could never accomplish what the offerers looked to them to do. They are symbols, shadows, of events and processes that have a far greater scope than most people ever realize. Though they are no longer necessary—because they were fulfilled primarily in the sacrifice of Christ "once for all" (Hebrews 9:11)—they can still teach us a great deal about this way to which we have committed our lives.
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Wavesheaf Offering
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Hebrews 10:1-3 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
"Those sacrifices" identifies the body of laws being talked of here—the sacrifices, of which the law is just a shadow. They were not a part of the original covenant, but were added later (see Jeremiah 7:22-23). Verse 3 tells us why it was considered to be a schoolmaster. God had a good reason for them doing these things: They were to remind people of sin. They did not define sin. They were commanded because people were sinning; He made them give sacrifices to remind them that they were sinning!
John W. Ritenbaugh
The Covenants, Grace and Law (Part 17)
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Hebrews 13:9 (Go to this verse :: Verse pop-up)
"Foods" represent physical, ritual observances. God is the author of rituals as well, and they have their place. Paul is referring to the ritual observances, the ceremonies, of the Old Covenant, as food was involved with them. But over the years, people came to have a superstitious attitude toward such things—that if, for instance, they ate of something that had been offered in sacrifice, it would impart to them some spiritual strength. Of course, it could not. We receive spiritual strength from spiritual things.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Grace Upon Grace
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