Hebrews 10:29

Hebrews 10:29

Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

a. NLT: Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us.

b. NIV: How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?

c. YLT: of how much sorer punishment shall he be counted worthy who the Son of God did trample on, and the blood of the covenant did count a common thing, in which he was sanctified, and to the Spirit of the grace did despite?

1). I really dislike this translation for it makes it sound that the Son of God was trampling on the individual, but it is actually the opposite, the individual is trampling upon the Son of God.

d. Amplified Bible: How much worse (sterner and heavier) punishment do you suppose he will be judged to deserve who has spurned and [thus] trampled underfoot the Son of God, and who has considered the covenant blood by which he was consecrated common and unhallowed, thus profaning it and insulting and outraging the [Holy] Spirit [Who imparts] grace (the unmerited favor and blessing of God)?

e. Worrell Translation: of how much worse punishment, think ye, shall he be accounted worthy,  who trampled under foot the Son of God, and accounted the blood of the covenant with which He was sanctified an unholy thing, and treated with contempt the Spirit of grace?

1. “Of how much sorer punishment…”

a. of how much [4214 * posos] [Strong: from an absolute pos (who, what) and 3739; interrogative pronoun (of amount) how much (large, long or (plural) many):--how great (long, many), what.]

b. sorer [5501 * cheiron] [Strong: irregular comparative of 2556; from an obsolete equivalent cheres (of uncertain derivation); more evil or aggravated (physically, mentally or morally):--sorer, worse.]

c. punishment [5098 * timoria] [Strong: from 5097; vindication, i.e. (by implication) a penalty:--punishment.]

2. “…suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy…”

a. suppose ye [1380 * dokeo] [Strong: a prolonged form of a primary verb, doko dok'-o (used only in an alternate in certain tenses; compare the base of 1166) of the same meaning; to think; by implication, to seem (truthfully or uncertainly):--be accounted, (of own) please(-ure), be of reputation, seem (good), suppose, think, trow.]

b. shall he be thought worthy [515 * axioo] [Strong: from 514; to deem entitled or fit:--desire, think good, count (think) worthy.]

3. “…who hath trodden under foot the Son of God…”

a. who [3588 * ho] [Strong: including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

b. hath trodden under foot [2662 * katapateo] [Strong: from 2596 and 3961; to trample down; figuratively, to reject with disdain:--trample, tread (down, underfoot).]

1). The same wording is used in Matthew where Jesus describes a man who considered “salt” to be good for nothing, worthless. Hence, Jesus and his blood are worthless.

a). Matthew 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

c. the Son [5207 * huios] [Strong: apparently a primary word; a "son" (sometimes of animals), used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship:--child, foal, son.]

d. of God [2316 * theos] [Strong: of uncertain affinity; a deity, especially (with 3588) the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very:--X exceeding, God, god(-ly, -ward).]

4. “…and hath counted the blood of the covenant…”

a. and [2532 * kai] [Strong: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. hath counted [2233 * hegeomai] [Strong: middle voice of a (presumed) strengthened form of 71; to lead, i.e. command (with official authority); figuratively, to deem, i.e. consider:--account, (be) chief, count, esteem, governor, judge, have the rule over, suppose, think.]

c. the blood [129 * haima] [Strong: of uncertain derivation; blood, literally (of men or animals), figuratively (the juice of grapes) or specially (the atoning blood of Christ); by implication, bloodshed, also kindred:--blood.]

d. of the covenant [1242 * diatheke] [Strong: from 1303; properly, a disposition, i.e. (specially) a contract (especially a devisory will):--covenant, testament.]

5. “…wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing…”

a. wherewith [3739 * hos] [Strong: including feminine he hay, and neuter ho ho probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc.]

b. wherewith [1722 * en] [Strong: a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between 1519 and 1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:--about, after, against, + almost, X altogether, among, X as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (... sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), X mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, X outwardly, one, X quickly, X shortly, (speedi-)ly, X that, X there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

c. he was sanctified [37 * hagiazo] [Strong: from 40; to make holy, i.e. (ceremonially) purify or consecrate; (mentally) to venerate:--hallow, be holy, sanctify.]

d. an unholy thing [2839 * koinos] [Strong: probably from 4862; common, i.e. (literally) shared by all or several, or (ceremonially) profane:--common, defiled, unclean, unholy.]

1). He considered the blood of Jesus an unholy thing. The blood that sanctified him that won his salvation, his forgiveness, his grace, his right standing with God, he considered it unholy, just common blood. The Book of Jude is full of verses concerning behaviors and heresies faithful Christians should avoid. Jude 11 warns against following the behavior of Cain.

a).  Jude 11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah.

(1) Scofield Reference Bible: “Cain, type of the religious natural man, who believes in a God, and in religion, but after his own will and who rejects redemption by blood.”

(2) Genesis 4:3-5 “And in process of time it  came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.

And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:

But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.”

(3) Abel’s offering was accepted, and Cain’s was not. Why? Because Abel’s offering was by faith, Hebrews 11:4. Cain’s was not. Scofield: “Abel’s offering implies a previous instruction, for it was by faith. Faith is taking God at his word; so that Cain’s unbloody offering was a refusal of the Divine way.” Cain rejected the blood covenant.

2). Beware of pretending Christians who reject the blood atonement of Christ.

a). Harry Emerson Fosdick’s, “Shall the Fundamentalists Win?” 1922: “It is interesting to note where the Fundamentalists are driving in their stakes to mark out the deadline of doctrine around the church, across which no one is to pass except on terms of agreement. They insist that we must all believe in the historicity of certain special miracles, preeminently the virgin birth of our Lord; that we must believe in a special theory of inspiration—that the original documents of the Scripture, which of course we no longer possess, were inerrantly dictated to men a good deal as a man might dictate to a stenographer; that we must believe in a special theory of the Atonement—that the blood of our Lord, shed in a substitutionary death, placates an alienated Deity and makes possible welcome for the returning sinner; and that we must believe in the second coming of our Lord upon the clouds of heaven to set up a millennium here, as the only way in which God can bring history to a worthy denouement. Such are some of the stakes which are being driven to mark a deadline of doctrine around the church.”

 6. ‘…and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?”

a. and [2532 * kai] [Strong: apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:--and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

b. hath done despite [1796 * enubrizo] [Strong: from 1722 and 5195; to insult:--do despite unto.]

c. the Spirit [4151 * pneuma] [Strong: from 4154; a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze; by analogy or figuratively, a spirit, i.e. (human) the rational soul, (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc., or (superhuman) an angel, demon, or (divine) God, Christ's spirit, the Holy Spirit:--ghost, life, spirit(-ual, -ually), mind.]

d. of grace [5485 * charis] [Strong: from 5463; graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude):--acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace(- ious), joy, liberality, pleasure, thank(-s, -worthy).]