FOR BY ONE
OFFERING HE HAS PERFECTED FOR ALL TIME: mia gar prosphora teteleioken (3SRAI)
eis to dienekes: (1;
7:19,25;
9:10,14)
Perfected
(5048)
(teleioo related to
teleios from telos = an end, a
purpose, an aim, a goal, consummate soundness, idea of being whole) means to
accomplish or bring to an end or to the intended goal (telos). It means to
be complete, mature, fully developed, full grown, brought to its end,
finished, wanting nothing necessary to completeness or in good working
order. It does not mean simply to terminate something but to carry it out to
the full finish which is picked up in the translation "perfected". Teleioo signifies the attainment of consummate soundness
and includes the idea of being made whole. Interestingly the Gnostics used
teleios of one fully initiated into their mysteries and that may
have been why Paul used teleios in this epistle.
The
perfect tense
here in Hebrews 10:14 speaks of the
permanence of this perfection and thus refers to past tense salvation
or positional sanctification. Believers are forever perfect in Christ
which is how God now see them.
In
Hebrews 12:2 (see note)
Jesus is designated as "the author and perfecter of faith" where perfecter
is teleiotes, the Completer, the One Who reached the goal so as to win the
prize so to speak.
Wuest has
this note on the NT word group (telos, teleioo, teleios, teleiosis,
teleiotes)...
Teleios the adjective, and
teleioo the verb. The adjective is used in the papyri, of heirs being
of age, of women who have attained maturity, of full-grown cocks, of
acacia trees in good condition, of a complete lampstand, of something in
good working order or condition. To summarize; the meaning of the
adjective includes the ideas of full-growth, maturity, workability,
soundness, and completeness. The verb refers to the act of bringing the
person or thing to any one of the aforementioned conditions. When applied
to a Christian, the word refers to one that is spiritually mature,
complete, well-rounded in his Christian character.
Richards commenting on the
word group (telos, teleioo, teleios, teleiosis, teleiotes) writes that
These words emphasize wholeness and
completeness. In the biological sense they mean "mature," or "full grown":
the person, animal, or plant achieved the potential inherent in its
nature. The perfect is the thing or person that is complete, in which
nothing that belongs to its essence has been left out. It is perfect
because every potential it possesses has been realized. (Richards,
L O: Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Regency)
Telioo is used 19 times
of 24 total NT uses in Hebrews, often in the sense of to make perfect or
fully cleanse from sin in contrast to ceremonial (Levitical) cleansing. The writer
is emphasizing the importance of perfection...
(which should cause any Jew who is contemplating the worth of Christ and the
New Covenant to realize his utter hopelessness to every attain perfection
under the Old Covenant).
Hebrews 2:10
(note) For it was fitting
for Him, for Whom are all things, and through Whom are all things, in
bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation
through sufferings (What sufferings? Certainly one would consider His temptation by Satan in the
barren wilderness [see Mt 4:1-11, Lu 4:1ff, Mk 1:12, 13] and Gethsemane
[Mt 26:36,44, Lu 22:39,44][in agony He was praying very fervently]).
(Comment: This does not imply any moral imperfection in the Lord
Jesus, but speaks of the consummation of the human experience of suffering
the death of the Cross, through which He must pass if He is to become the
Author or Captain of our salvation.)
Hebrews 5:9 (note) And having
been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the
source of eternal salvation,
Hebrews 7:19
(note) (for the Law
made
nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a
better hope, through which we draw near to God. (Comment:
This means to carry through completely, to make complete, to finish, bring
to an end. The old covenant could bring nothing to conclusion. The Mosaic
economy could reveal sin but it could never remove sin, and so it
had to be removed. It gave no security.
It gave no peace. A man never had a clean conscience.)
Hebrews 7:28
(note)
For the Law appoints men as
high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the
Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.
Hebrews 9:9
(note) which is a symbol for
the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which
cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience,
Hebrews 10:1
(note) For the Law, since it
has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of
things, can never by the same sacrifices year by year, which they offer
continually, make perfect those who draw near. (Contrast with
Jesus in Hebrews 5:9 above. The idea in Hebrews 10:1 is that the
ceremonial law could not actually save the believer. Its work was always
short of completeness.)
Hebrews 10:14
(note) For by one
offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
(Comment: Wuest writes "Here, the completeness of the state of
salvation of the believer is in view. Everything essential to the salvation
of the individual is included in the gift of salvation which the sinner
receives by faith in Messiah’s sacrifice. The words “for ever” here are to
be construed with “perfected.” It is a permanent state of completeness in
salvation to which reference is made. The words “them that are sanctified”
are descriptive of the believer. He is one set apart for God) (ibid)
Hebrews 11:40
(note) because God had
provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be
made perfect.
Hebrews 12:23 (note) (But you have
come...) 23 to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are
enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of
righteous men made perfect,
In sum the fundamental idea of telioo is the bringing of a person or
thing to the goal fixed by God.
It is interesting and doubtless no
mere coincidence that in the
Septuagint (LXX)
teleioo is translated numerous times as consecrated or
consecration, especially speaking of consecration of the priests (cf Jesus
our "great High Priest") (Ex 29:9, 29, 33, 35 Lv 4:5;
8:33; 16:32; 21:10; Nu 3:3). The LXX translators gave the verb teleioo a special sense of consecration to
priestly service and this official concept stands behind the writer's use in
this passage in
Hebrews 5:9 (note).
It signifies that Jesus has been fully equipped to come before God in
priestly action.
All time
(1336)
(dienekes from dia = through +
phéro = carry, bear) means carried through. It is used in the Greek
idiomatic phrase "eis to dienekes" which means unlimited
duration of time with particular focus upon the future, and therefore means
always, forever, forever and ever, eternally, continually.
Under the LAW,
the OLD COVENANT, it was MANY offerings, daily, time after time, year
after year.
THE NIV GETS IT EXACTLY RIGHT, not the NASB. The NIV says,
"By one sacrifice he has made perfect forever THOSE WHO ARE BEING MADE
HOLY."
"Are being made
holy", that's exactly right. In the context of Hebrews "perfected"
most likely refers to the fact that now we are fully cleansed from sin
in contrast to the CEREMONIAL cleansing of the Old Covenant. The Law
could make no one perfect (Heb 7:19, 7:11, 9:9, 10:1,2 cp Ro 8:3-4)
and could never give the sinner a cleansed conscience, freeing him
from consciousness of sins. What the Old could not do the New effected
as shown to us by our Teacher the Holy Spirit in 10:16,17.
We are being brought to the full purpose (telos = goal) for which we
were created...now in process but one day like Him for we shall see
Him face to face (1Jn 3:2). Having this hope we make choices by which
the Spirit purifies us daily from "glory to glory" (2Cor 3:18).
(sanctified here is present tense and passive).
The passive voice indicates that this continual daily setting apart is
BY GOD ("sanctifying work of the Spirit" 1Pe 1:2, 2Th 2:13, both
primarily probably referring to "positional" sanctification but
certainly not precluding His part in daily setting apart). But
believer's do now have a responsibility to work out their salvation in
fear and trembling (Php 2:12,13) as shown in 2Co7:1 (where the verb
voice for cleanse is active subjunctive = possibility.)
Notice the recurrence of the favorite idea of perfecting. [Heb 2:10;
5:9; 6:1; 7:11, 19, 28; 9:9; 10:1, 14; 11:40].
All time - unlimited duration of time = w
particular focus upon the future; always, forever, forever and ever,
eternally
THOSE WHO
ARE SANCTIFIED: tous hagiazomenous
(PPPMPA):
(2:11;
6:13,14;
13:12;
Acts 20:32;
26:13;
Romans 15:16;
1 Corinthians 1:2;
Ephesians 5:26;
Jude 1:1)
Passive voice =
this process of progressively being set apart from the world & to God
is coming from an outside Source (Jesus in Heb 2:11). 1Th 4:3 What
this means is that you can know that you stand perfect in the eyes of
your heavenly Father if you are moving away from your present
imperfection toward more and more holiness by faith in his future
grace. This truth is full of encouragement for imperfect sinners like
us, and full of motivation for holiness. This means that you can have
assurance that you stand perfected and completed in the eyes of your
heavenly Father not because you are perfect now, but precisely because
you are not perfect now but are "being sanctified", "being made holy",
that, by faith in God's promises, you are moving away from your
lingering imperfection toward more and more holiness. (See
Heb10:32-35; 11:24-26 etc. for ex of how faith in future grace
sanctifies.)
KJV Bible
Commentary notes that here in Hebrews 10 where we see the
verb sanctify (here and
Hebrews 10:10)
used twice the writer is describing...
the twofold nature of salvation
(see
Three Tenses of Salvation).
The believer possesses a positional, judicial standing of
righteousness and, second, a remaining need for practical, progressive
holiness. Three factors within this verse make perfected
absolute, suggesting the eternal security of the believer. The word
itself (Greek teleioo from telos = goal) involves completion, the
bringing of something to its end. Second, the use of the Greek
perfect tense
(have been sanctified -- see note
Hebrews 10:10)
suggests that the perfection has been accomplished and its effects are
continuing. Third, the modifier, forever, expresses security
for the believer.
The need, however, of a
progressive sanctification is expressed by the word sanctified.
The use of the present participle implies the thought of a
sanctification that is continuing, rather than completed. There is an
initial, or positional, sanctification involved in regeneration
(1Cor 1:2; 6:1). Equally, there is a progressive sanctification
by which the Holy Spirit continually maintains and strengthens the
holiness imparted in regeneration (see note
Romans 6:19;
2Cor 7:1; 1Thess 4:3). Finally, there exists for the people of God an
ultimate or completed sanctification whereby we will be freed from
even the very presence of sin within our lives (1Thess 5:23). Even
though the believer’s sanctification is still in progress, yet because
of Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice, he stands eternally secure and
perfect because of Christ’s righteousness (2Cor 5:21). (Dobson,
E G, Charles Feinberg, E Hindson, Woodrow Kroll, H L. Wilmington: KJV
Bible Commentary: Nelson
or
Logos)
(Bolding added)
Oswald Chambers writes on
The Impartial Power of God
We trample the blood of the Son of
God underfoot if we think we are forgiven because we are sorry for our
sins. The only reason for the forgiveness of our sins by God, and the
infinite depth of His promise to forget them, is the death of Jesus
Christ. Our repentance is merely the result of our personal
realization of the atonement by the Cross of Christ, which He has
provided for us. ". . . Christ Jesus . . . became for us wisdom from
God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption . . ." ( 1
Corinthians 1:30 ). Once we realize that Christ has become all this
for us, the limitless joy of God begins in us. And wherever the joy of
God is not present, the death sentence is still in effect.
No matter who or what we are, God restores us to right standing with
Himself only by means of the death of Jesus Christ. God does this, not
because Jesus pleads with Him to do so but because He died. It cannot
be earned, just accepted. All the pleading for salvation which
deliberately ignores the Cross of Christ is useless. It is knocking at
a door other than the one which Jesus has already opened. We protest
by saying, "But I don’t want to come that way. It is too humiliating
to be received as a sinner." God’s response, through Peter, is, ". . .
there is no other name . . . by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12 ).
What at first appears to be heartlessness on God’s part is actually
the true expression of His heart. There is unlimited entrance His way.
"In Him we have redemption through His blood . . ." ( Ephesians 1:7).
To identify with the death of Jesus Christ means that we must die to
everything that was never a part of Him.
God is just in saving bad people only as He makes them good. Our Lord
does not pretend we are all right when we are all wrong. The atonement
by the Cross of Christ is the propitiation God uses to make unholy
people holy. (My Utmost for His Highest)