Shadows

Hebrews 10:1-4

Key words: law, shadow, reality, sacrifice, perfect/cleanse and sins. The main argument is that the law is a shadow of the good things that are to come and, by implication, that the new covenant brings the realities of those shadows. Putting it in literary terms, the author is saying that the law with its tabernacle and religious rituals is foreshadowing the reality of the new covenant with its heavenly tabernacle and the sacrifice of Christ. The implication is that the shadow cannot be greater than the reality and therefore Christ and his new covenant is superior.
In this section the author argues his point but directing the reader's attention to the sacrificial system that is part of the old covenant. The author contends that the sacrifices offered year after year do not make anyone perfect. If they did, there would be no need to offer them again. This is a clue to when the book of Hebrews was written; the temple was destroyed in 70AD bringing a forceful end to the sacrificial system. The author indicates that at the time of writing, the sacrificial system is still in operation. This means it is likely that the book was written sometime before 70AD.
The author talks about the sacrificial system in much the same way that Paul talks about the law: Pauls says that the law "caused" sin and the author states that the sacrificial system, rather than wiping away the guilt of sin, acts as a yearly memorial to sin. I don't think that being reminded of my sin is a bad thing as long as it ends in worship. I think that part of remembering my Lord's death by eating bread and drinking wine is reflecting on the cause of his death - my sin. Not to heap guilt on myself - for there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ - but to increase my awe at the incredible unconditional love that Christ displayed for me and at the incredible way that he satisfied the justice and grace of God. I no longer live in the time of shadows. I live in the time of realized grace and forgiveness. I don't have to dream about being forgiven and pure; I can experience it now through Christ's blood.