Jesus was trampled underfoot

JESUS WAS TRAMPLED UNDERFOOT
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Hebrews 10:29 29How 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 bloodof the covenantthat
sanctifiedthem, and who has insultedthe Spirit of
grace?
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
The DarkestSinAnd The MostDreadful Doom
Hebrews 10:26-29
W. Jones
For if we sin willfully after that we have received, etc. These solemnwords set
before us -
I. A SIN OF THE GREATEST ENORMITY. TO obtain a correctview of the
dark sin which is here depicted, let us notice:

1. The spiritual experience which precededthe sin. Two clauses ofour text set
forth a personalexperience of genuine religion. "After that we have received
the knowledge ofthe truth." The word which is translated"knowledge" -
ἐπίγνωσις - as Delitzsch points out, cannot mean an unreal or false knowledge,
but a genuine and intelligent apprehension of the truth. "The sacredwriter,
therefore, clearly intimates by the very choice ofthe word that it is not a mere
outward and historicalknowledge ofwhich he is here speaking, but an
inward, quickening, believing apprehension of revealedtruth (Hebrews 6:4-
8)." "The blood... wherewithhe was sanctified." In the case supposedthe man
"had advanced so far in the reality of the spiritual life, that this blood had
been really applied to his heart by faith, and its hallowing and purifying,
effects were visible in his life (Alford).
2. The characterof the sin itself. The sin is apostasyfrom Christianity, after
having personallyexperienced its powerand preciousness.But see how it is
here sketched.
(1) Contemptuous rejection of the Divine Redeemer. "Hath trodden underfoot
the Sonof God." The expressiondoes not simply mean to casta thing awayas
useless, whichis afterwards carelesslytrampled on by men (Matthew 5:13);
but a deliberate, scornful, bitter treading down of a thing. So terribly wicked
is the rejectionof the Sonof God which our text sets forth.
(2) Profanation of the sacrificialblood of the Savior. "Hath counted the blood
of the covenant, wherewithhe was sanctified, an unholy thing." The blood of
sacrifices offeredunder the Law was regardedas sacred, and as having
cleansing power(Leviticus 16:19). How much more really and more intensely
holy must the blood of Christ be (Hebrews 9:13, 14)! To regard this blood as
common, or as the blood of an ordinary man, was not only a degradationof
the most sacredthing, but also an admissionthat Jesus was deservedlyput to

death; for if his was the common blood of a mere man, he was a blasphemer,
and according to the JewishLaw deserveddeath.
(3) Insultation of the Holy Spirit. "And hath done despite unto the Spirit of
grace;" or, "insulted the Spirit of grace." The expressiondesignatesthe Holy
Spirit as the Source of grace, and leads us to think of him as a living and
loving Person. "To contemn or do despite to this Holy Spirit is to blaspheme
the whole work of grace of which one has once beenthe subject, and to exhibit
it as a deception and a lie. It is profanely to contradict the very truth of God,
and draw down a vengeance whichcannot fail" (Delitzsch).
3. The aggravations ofthe sire. The preceding experience of the blessings of
Christianity sorely aggravates so bitter an apostasyfrom it. But the sin is
further aggravatedby the willfulness, deliberateness, andcontinuousness with
which it is committed. "The sin here spokenof is not a momentary or short-
lived aberration, from which the infirm but sincere believeris speedily
recalledby the convictions of the Spirit, but one willfully persistedin." "If we
sin willfully." Moreover, it is not an actor acts of willful sin committed once,
or more than once, and then repented of, which is here set forth; but a
continuous condition of sin. The use of the present participle - ἁμαρτανόντων-
"indicates perseveranceand continuance in apostasy." It is not a case of
ordinary religious backsliding or declensionfrom Christ; for then there would
be some hope of repentance and encouragementto repent (Jeremiah 3:14;
Hosea 14:4). It is a case ofwillful, deliberate, contemptuous, persistent
rejectionof Christ and of Christianity, after having known his truth and
experiencedhis grace.
II. A PUNISHMENT OF THE MOST TERRIBLE SEVERITY.

1. The utter loss of the hope of spiritual reformation. "There remaineth no
more a sacrifice for sins." The sacrifices ofJudaism to which, in the case
supposed, the apostate returns have no powerto take awaysins. The efficacy
of the sacrifice ofthe Saviorhas not been exhausted by him, but he has
deliberately and scornfully rejectedit, so that for him it has no longerany
atoning or saving power. And no other exists for him, or will be provided for
him. When a man willfully, contemptuously, and persistently rejects the only
sacrifice through which salvation may be attained, what hope can there be for
him of forgiveness and spiritual renewal?
2. The dreadful anticipation of an awful judgment. "There remaineth a
certain fearful expectationof judgment." The apostate looksforwardwith
dismay, and even with terror at times, to the approaching judgment and the
righteous retributions which will follow. His punishment is alreadybegun in
his alarming anticipations of the dread penalties awaiting him hereafter.
3. The infliction of a punishment worse than death. "A fierceness offire which
shall devour the adversaries. A man that hath setat naught Moses'Law dieth
without compassion,"etc. If an Israelite apostatizedfrom Jehovahto idolatry,
when "two witnesses orthree witnesses"testifiedagainsthim, he was to be
stoned to death (Deuteronomy 17:2-7). If one sought to seduce anotherto
idolatry, the person so tempted was to take the leadin stoning the tempter to
death, even though the tempter was the nearestand dearestrelative, or a
friend beloved as his own soul (Deuteronomy 13:1-11). But for the apostate
from Christ there is a "much sorerpunishment" than the death of the body
by stoning. The severity of the punishment will be in proportion to the
clearness ofthe light and the richness of the grace and the preciousnessofthe
privileges rejectedby the apostate. "The wrath of God burns as hotly as his
love, and strikes no less surely than justly." Yet it seems to us that nothing in
the punishment of the apostate canbe darkeror more terrible than this, that
for him "there remaineth no more a sacrifice for sins." "Wherefore lethim
that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." - W.J.

Biblical Illustrator
Trodden under footthe Son of God.
Hebrews 10:28, 29
Aggravatedapostasy
G. Lawson.
I. THE APOSTATE TREADS UNDER FOOTTHE SON OF GOD. The
expressionis metaphorical, and presupposeththat Jesus Christ is the Sonof
God, and affirmeth that He, though the Son of God, is trodden under foot. To
tread a thing under foot is —
1. To undervalue it, if it be of any worth.
2. To vilify it.

3. To vilify it very much.
4. To express this contempt by casting it upon the ground and trampling upon
it, which is the greatestdebasement, andis sometimes an expressionof utter
detestation.Thus Jezebelwas throwndown upon the earth, and trampled
upon by Jehu's horses. To vilify and debase things that are base is no fault;
and to despise unworthy men is tolerable; but the apostate undervalues the
Son of God; and the greaterHis dignity, the greaterthe indignity. He is not
mere man, though man, yet as man the best of men; for He is the Son of God,
and that not any kind of son, but the only begottenand belovedSon of God,
the brightness of His Father's glory, and the express image of His person; and
so the Son of God, that He is God. Thus neither the Personand Deity of
Christ, nor His natures, nor the personalunion of them, nor His transcendent
gifts, nor His heavenly wisdom, nor His glorious works, nor His rare virtues,
nor His greatwork of expiation, nor His glory and power; which He enjoys at
the right hand of God, could anyways move him; but he debaseth Him that
was higher than the heavens, as low as the dust under his feet; yet this
debasementwas only an act of his base mind, but could not in the leastdegree
obscure the excellencyof Christ, This is the first aggravationofapostasy.
II. HE COUNTETHTHE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT, WHEREBYHE
WAS SANCTIFIED, AN UNHOLY THING.
1. By the blood understand the sacrifice ofChrist, so much magnified in the
former chapter; for it is that blood by which Christ, entering the holy place of
heaven, obtained eternalredemption; that blood which purgeth the conscience
from dead works to serve the living God; that blood which confirmed the
everlasting covenant, in which respectit is called the blood of the covenant.
This covenantis called the covenant of grace, whereinGod promiseth
remissionof sins, and the eternal inheritance of glory, upon condition of
repentance and faith in Christ. And it is called the blood of this covenant

because upon it the covenantwas grounded, and by virtue of it all the
promises thereof are made effectual.
2. This was the blood by which this apostate, upon his receiving the knowledge
of the truth, was sanctified. For —(1) This blood, as offeredand acceptedof
God, made his sin remissible.(2)Upon the professionof his faith his sin was, at
leastconditionally, pardoned and purged.(3) So long as he continued in his
profession, and so far as he proceededaccording to certain degrees in faith
and the professionof it, so far he might be said to be in a state of justification,
and not only to justification, but sanctification.
3. Yet this sanctifying blood the apostate counts unholy or common. To be
common blood may be understood —(1) Such as hath no expiating and
purging power.(2)Such as is no better than the blood of bulls and goats
sacrificed.(3)Suchas differs not from the blood of other men.(4) Such as is the
blood of a malefactor, guilty and vicious person, and that is impure and
unholy blood. So that the apostate, though he had receivedsome kind and
measure of sanctificationfrom it, yet ascribedno more virtue and excellency
to it than to common blood; denied the sanctifying power of it, nay, did
accountit unholy. Yet you must note, that though it be so vile in his conceit,
yet it is really in itself the only sanctifying blood to all such as do sincerely
believe. This is the secondaggravatior,.
III. THE APOSTATE DOTHDESPITE UNTO THE SPIRIT OF GRACE.
1. This Spirit is not the spirit of man, neither is it any angel, nor any created
person of substance;but it is an uncreatedSpirit, the Spirit of God, so as that
it is God; therefore the perfections and operations of God are predicated of it.

2. This Spirit is said to be the Spirit of grace. Thus He may be called in
opposition to the spirit of bondage and fear, which is the spirit proper to the
law. For the Spirit by the law, which had no expiation for sin, no promise of
powerto keepit, nor of pardon if transgressed, couldwork nothing but fear,
which was a continued slavery. The Spirit of the gospel, which is the Spirit of
Christ, promised and given in the gospel, is a Spirit of comfort and
confidence.
3. They do despite unto this Spirit. In this despite there are injury, reproach,
contempt; and the greaterthe person to whom the despite is done, the more
heinous it is. This here meant is not done to man, but God; because done to
that Spirit which is so the Spirit of God, that He is God. This is committed —
(1) By resisting the sanctifying power of God.(2)By undoing all that God, by
His Spirit, had done in him for his salvation.(3)By accounting the gifts,
notions, motions of this Spirit, the works, delusions, and impulses of the devil;
and that not only in himself, but in others sanctified by this Spirit, and endued
with His gifts. This is a sin against Godthe Father, who loved us, and sent
Christ to redeem us; againstGod the Son, who had shed His precious blood
for the expiation of our sins; againstGod the Holy Ghost, who had begun the
work of sanctificationand consolationin us.
(G. Lawson.)
The folly of rejecting Christ
Ralph Robinson.
It is as if a Venice glass should dispute againsta marble wall. It is as if a little
ship should run itself againsta rock;the rock would soonsplit the ship, but
the ship could not have hurt the rock.
(Ralph Robinson.)

The murdered Christ
B. K. Noel.
I do believe that a murderer would rather see the ghostof his murdered
victim standing by his side, sitting at his table, looking at him through the
curtains of his bed, confronting him in every societyhe visits, haunting him in
solitude — I believe a man would rather see the ghostof a murdered victim
following him everywhere than you would like to see the murdered Christ,
whom your sins pierced on the Cross.
(B. K. Noel.)
COMMENTARIES
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(29) Shall he be thought worthy.—Better, shallhe be accounted(or, judged)
worthy, by God the Judge of all, when “the Day” shall come. In the act of
apostasythe sinner trampled under foot the Son of God, treated with
contempt and scornHim to whom belongs this highestName (Hebrews 1:1-4);
and the principle of this actbecomes the principle of the whole succeeding life.
That “blood” by which the new covenant was established(Hebrews 9:15-17)—
the blood in which he himself had receivedthe sanctificationwhich the law
could not give—he has esteemedanunholy thing. There is no medium
betweenhighest reverence and utter contumely in such a case:to those who
did not receive Jesus as Lord He was a deceiver(Matthew 27:63), and one
who deservedto die.
Hath done despite.—Hath treatedwith outrage and insult the Spirit of whose
gifts he had been partaker(Hebrews 6:4), for “grace”returning arrogant
scorn.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
10:26-31 The exhortations againstapostacyand to perseverance, are urgedby
many strong reasons. The sin here mentioned is a total and final falling away,
when men, with a full and fixed will and resolution, despise and rejectChrist,
the only Saviour; despise and resistthe Spirit, the only Sanctifier; and despise
and renounce the gospel, the only way of salvation, and the words of eternal
life. Of this destruction God gives some notorious sinners, while on earth, a
fearful foreboding in their consciences, withdespair of being able to endure or
to escape it. But what punishment can be sorer than to die without mercy? We
answer, to die by mercy, by the mercy and grace whichthey have despised.
How dreadful is the case, whennot only the justice of God, but his abused
grace and mercy call for vengeance!All this does not in the leastmean that
any souls who sorrow for sin will be shut out from mercy, or that any will be
refused the benefit of Christ's sacrifice, who are willing to acceptthese
blessings. Him that comethunto Christ, he will in no wise castout.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
Of how much sorerpunishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy - That
is, he who renounces Christianity ought to be regardedas deserving a much
severerpunishment than the man who apostatizedfrom the Jewishreligion,
and if he ought to be so regarded he will be - for God will treat every man as
he ought to be treated. This must refer to future punishment, for the severest
punishment was inflicted on the apostate from the Jewishreligionwhich can
be in this world - death; and yet the apostle here says that a severer
punishment than that would be deservedby him who should apostatize from
the Christian faith. The reasons why so much severerpunishment would be
deserved, are such as these - the Author of the Christian system was far more
exalted than Moses,the founder of the Jewishsystem; he had revealedmore
important truths; he had increasedand confirmed the motives to holiness;he
had furnished more means for leading a holy life; he had given himself as a
sacrifice to redeem the soulfrom death, and he had revealedwith far greater

clearness the truth that there is a heaven of glory and of holiness. He who
should apostatize from the Christian faith, the apostle goes onto say, would
also be guilty of the most aggravatedcrime of which man could be guilty - the
crime of trampling under foot the Son of God, of showing contempt for his
holy blood. and despising the Spirit of grace.
Who hath trodden under foot the Son of God - This language is takeneither
from the customof ancientconquerors who were accustomedto tread on the
necks of their enemies in tokenof their being subdued, or from the fact that
people tread on what they despise and contemn. The idea is, that he who
should apostatize from the Christian faith would actas if he should
indignantly and contemptuously trample on God's only Son. What crime
could be more aggravatedthan this?
And hath counted the blood of the covenant - The blood of Jesus by which the
new covenantbetweenGod and man was ratified; see the notes on Hebrews
9:16-20;compare the notes on Matthew 26:28.
Wherewith he was sanctified- Made holy, or setapart to the service of God.
The word "sanctify" is used in both these senses. Prof. Stuartrenders it, "by
which expiation is made;" and many others, in accordancewith this view,
have supposedthat it refers to the Lord Jesus. Butit seems to me that it refers
to the personwho is here supposed to renounce the Christian religion, or to
apostatize from it. The reasons for this are such as these:
(1) it is the natural and proper meaning of the word rendered here
"sanctified." This word is commonly applied to Christians in the sense that
they are made holy; see Acts 20:32; Acts 26:18;1 Corinthians 1:2; Jde 1:1;
compare John 10:36; John 17:17.

(2) it is unusual to apply this word to the Saviour. It is true, indeed, that he
says John 17:19, "for their sakesI sanctify myself," but there is no instance in
which he says that he was sanctifiedby his own blood. And where is there an
instance in which the word is used as meaning "to make expiations?"
(3) the supposition that it refers to one who is here spokenof as in dangerof
apostasy, and not of the Lord Jesus, agreeswiththe scope of the argument.
The apostle is showing the greatguilt, and the certain destruction, of one who
should apostatize from the Christian religion. In doing this it was natural to
speak of the dishonor which would thus be done to the means which had been
used for his sanctification - the blood of the Redeemer. It would be treating it
as if it were a common thing, or as if it might be disregardedlike anything else
which was of no value.
An unholy thing - Greek common; often used in the sense ofunholy. The word
is so used because whatwas holy was separatedfrom a common to a sacred
use. What was not thus consecratedwas free to all, or was for common use,
and hence, also the word is used to denote what is unholy.
And hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace - The Holy Spirit, called"the
Spirit of grace,"becausehe confers favor (grace)upon people. The meaning
of the phrase "done despite unto" - ἐνυβρίσας enubrisas - is, "having
reproached, or treated with malignity, or contempt." The idea is, that if they
were thus to apostatize, they would by such an acttreat the Spirit of God with
disdain and contempt. It was by him that they had been renewed; by him that
they had been brought to embrace the Saviour and to love God; by him that
they had any holy feelings or pure desires;and if they now apostatizedfrom
religion, such an actwould be in fact treating the Holy Spirit with the highest
indignity. It would be saying that all his influences were valueless, andthat
they needed no help from him. From such considerations, the apostle shows
that if a true Christian were to apostatize, nothing would remain for him but

the terrific prospectof eternalcondemnation. He would have rejectedthe only
Saviour; he would have in fact treated him with the highest indignity; he
would have consideredhis sacredblood, shed to sanctify people, as a common
thing, and would have shown the highest disregardfor the only agent who can
save the soul - the Spirit of God. How could such an one afterward be saved?
The apostle does not indeed saythat anyone ever would thus apostatize from
the true religion, nor is there any reasonto believe that such a case everhas
occurred, but if it should occur the doom would be inevitable. How dangerous
then is every step which would lead to such a precipice! And how strange and
unscriptural the opinion held by so many that sincere Christians may "fall
away" and be renewed, againand again!
(See the supplementary note on Hebrews 6:6. where certainprinciples are laid
down, for the interpretation of this and similar passages,in consistencywith
the doctrine of the saints' perseverance.If that doctrine be maintained, and
our author's view of the passage atthe same be correct, then plainly it
contains an impossible case. It is descriptive of real Christians, yet they never
can fall away. The utility of the warning, in this case, mayindeed successfully
be vindicated, on the ground that it is the means of preventing apostasyin the
saints, the means by which the decree of God in reference to their stability is
effected. Most, however, will incline to the view which regards this case, as
something more than imaginary, as possible, as real. The warning is
addressedto professors generally, without any attempt of distinguishing or
separating into true or false. Doubtless there might be some even of the latter
class in the churches whose members the apostles, presuming on their
professedcharacter, addressedas "saints, "elect,"and "faithful," without
distinction.
Of course, in consistencywith the doctrine of perseveranceonly the "false," in
whom the "rootof the matter" had never existed, could apostatize;yet at the
same time, when no distinction was made, when the apostle made none, but
addressedall in the language ofcharity, when Christians themselves might

find it difficult at all times to affirm decidedly on their own case, universal
vigilance was secured, or at all events designed. But is not the party whose
apostasyis here supposed, described by two attributes which belong to none
but genuine Christians, namely, the "receptionof the knowledge ofthe truth,"
and "sanctificationthrough the blood of the covenant?" The answerwhich
has been given to this question is generally, that neither of these things
necessarilyinvolves more than external dedication to God. The first is parallel
to the "once enlightened" of Hebrews 6:4, and of course admits of the same
explanation; see supplementary note there.
The secondthing, namely, the sanctificationof the party "is not real or
internal sanctification, and all the disputes concerning the total and final
apostasyfrom the faith of them who have been really and internally sanctified
from this place, are altogethervain. As at the giving of the Law, the people
being sprinkled with blood, were sanctifiedor dedicated to God in a special
manner, so those who, by baptism and confessionof faith in the church of
Christ, were separatedfrom all others were especiallydedicatedto God
thereby." - "Owen." Yet, this eminent writer is rather disposedto adopt the
opinion of those who construe, ἐν ᾡ ἡγιασθη en hō hēgiasthē with the
immediate antecedent, τονΥἱον του Θεου ton Huion tou Theou, thus referring
the sanctificationto Christ, and not to the apostate;see John 17:19.
Whichever of these views we receive, the greatdoctrine of perseverance is, of
course, unaffected. In reference to an objectionwhich the author has urged
that "the sentiment (in the Hebrews 10:26 and Hebrews 10:27 verses)would
not be correct, if it referred to any but true Christians," let it be noticed that
while many may be saved, who have long resistedthe Spirit, yet the assertion
must appear hazardous in the extreme, that any can be saved, who do all that
the apostate in this passage is allegedto do. The sin describedseems to be that
of a determined, insulting, final rejectionof the only remedy for sin.)
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary

29. sorer—Greek, "worse,"namely, "punishment" (literally, "vengeance")
than any mere temporal punishment of the body.
suppose ye—an appealto the Hebrews'reasonand conscience.
thought worthy—by God at the judgment.
trodden under foot the Sonof God—by "wilful" apostasy. So he treads under
foot God Himself who "glorified His Sonas an high priest" (Heb 5:5; 6:6).
an unholy thing—literally, "common," as opposedto "sanctified." No better
than the blood of a common man, thus involving the consequencethat Christ,
in claiming to be God, was guilty of blasphemy, and so deserved to die!
wherewith he was sanctified—forChrist died even for him. "Sanctified," in
the fullest sense, belongs only to the saved elect. But in some sense it belongs
also to those who have gone a far wayin Christian experience, and yet fall
awayat last. The higher such a one's past Christian experiences, the deeper
his fall.
done despite unto—by repelling in fact: as "blasphemy" is despite in words
(Mr 3:29). "Ofthe Jews who became Christians and relapsedto Judaism, we
find from the history of Uriel Acosta, that they required a blasphemy against
Christ. 'They applied to Him epithets used againstMolechthe adulterous
branch,' &c." [Tholuck].
the Spirit of grace—the Spirit that confers grace. "He who does not acceptthe
benefit, insults Him who confers it. He hath made thee a son: wilt thou
become a slave? He has come to take up His abode with thee; but thou art

introducing evil into thyself" [Chrysostom]. "It is the curse of evil eternally to
propagate evil: so, for him who profanes the Christ without him, and
blasphemes the Christ within him, there is subjectively no renewalof a change
of mind (Heb 6:6), and objectivelyno new sacrifice forsins" (Heb 10:26)
[Tholuck].
Matthew Poole's Commentary
Of how much sorerpunishment: the expostulationaggravatesboth the sin and
the punishment in the consequenton the former assertion;a punishment
heavier, bitterer, sorer, more grievous, and unexpressibly greater, than death.
Suppose ye; you yourselves being judges, to whom I appeal about it; what can
you suppose, think, or determine of it?
Shall he be thought worthy; doth he fully deserve, and is liable to, by the
judgment of man, but much more by the righteous and inexorable judgment
of God?
Who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God; who sinneth at a higher rate
than a Jew againstMoses’s law, being an apostate from the gospel, a revolter
from and a rebel againstit, discovering it by as much as in him lieth, tearing
from his throne God the Sonincarnate, and treading him under his feet,
wickedlyundervaluing and horribly vilifying him, treating him with the
greatestcontemptthat can be expressedby such an action, as if he were the
vilest malefactor. A personso much greaterand more excellentthan Moses, to
be so used; so as, if he were here on earth, he would tread him (who is higher
than the heavens, and had done and suffered so much for him) as the dust and
dirt under his feet; and this by a contemptuous forsaking his church
assemblies, whereinhe was setout in all his excellencies.

And hath counted the blood of the covenantan unholy thing; accounting and
so deserting the blood of Christ, (which ratified the everlasting covenantof
grace, by whose virtue was made unalterable, firm, and effectualin all the
promises of it of pardon, righteousness, holiness,grace,and glory, unto
penitent believing sinners), as either the common blood of men, or the blood of
a malefactor, to have not so much excellencyin it as the blood of bulls, or
goats, orrams, or birds, under the law; as not sanctifying souls, but polluted.
Wherewith he was sanctified; en w hgiasyh, in or by which he was sanctified,
is by most interpreters referred to the apostate, as aggravating his sin, to
despise that blood by which he thought he was so, and boastedof it, and was
so reputed by the church upon his baptism and professionof his faith, and, as
a member of the church, had a visible relationto it, partaking of those
ordinances wherein its fruits were conveyed, and enjoying the external
privileges purchased by it. Others refer it unto Christ himself, the blood
whereby he was consecratedto Godas a holy sacrifice, John17:19. All this
was discoveredby his forsaking the church assembly, wherein this was
declaredto be the only way and means to justification of life and salvation.
And hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace;injuring, wronging, despising,
greatly grieving, not a creature, but God the Spirit, the quickening Spirit of
dead sinners, who fits them for union to God, and in order to it, uniteth him to
Christ and his God, animateth it; who graciouslycommunicated to these
apostates the knowledge naturaland supernatural which they had and
abused, Hebrews 6:5, by the desertionof the assemblies, where he manifested
his gifts and graces. Theyrejecthim with them, and treat his gifts and
motions as if they were the delusions and impostures of an evil spirit; and this
wilfully done out of malice to Christ, and abhorrence of his church and
religion. A sin like the devil’s, for them to forsake Godloving, Christ
redeeming, his blood justifying, his Spirit renewing, and so wilfully refuse to

be saved, and expose themselves to the severestpunishment God can inflict on
such sinners, and they do deserve.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
Of how much sorerpunishment,.... Than a mere corporealdeath, which was
the punishment inflicted on the transgressors ofthe law of Moses.
Suppose ye; the apostle appeals to the Hebrews themselves, and makes them
judges of what punishment
shall he be thought worthy; who is describedas follows:
who hath trodden under foot the Sonof God: this seems to be a stronger
expressionthan crucifying him again, Hebrews 6:6 and is to be understood,
not of what was in fact committed, but in will by persons;who, could they
have had their will of him, would have pulled him from his throne, and
trampled upon him: it is a phrase expressive of the utmost scorn, contempt,
and ill usage;and which such are guilty of, who deny his deity, and eternal
sonship; who render him useless in his offices, undervalue his sacrifice,
despise his righteousness, andstrip him of the glory of his person, office, and
grace. And this is aggravatedby his being the Son of God who is thus used,
who became the son of man for the sake ofmen, is superior to men, and equal
with God:
and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an
unholy thing; or "common thing"; putting it upon a level with the blood of a
bullock, or at most counting it , "as that of another man"; as the Syriac
version renders it; yea, reckoning it as unclean and abominable, as the blood
of a very wickedman: this is aggravatedby its being "the blood of the
covenant";of the covenantof grace, becausethat is ratified and confirmed by
it, and the blessings of it come through it; and from sanctificationby it: either
of the person, the apostate himself, who was sanctifiedor separatedfrom

others by a visible professionof religion; having given himself up to a church,
to walk with it in the ordinances of the Gospel;and having submitted to
baptism, and partook of the Lord's supper, and drank of the cup, "the blood
of the New Testament", or"covenant":though he did not spiritually discern
the body and blood of Christ in the ordinance, but counted the bread and
wine, the symbols of them, as common things; or who professedhimself, and
was lookedupon by others, to be truly sanctifiedby the Spirit, and to be
justified by the blood of Christ, though he was not really so: or rather the Son
of God himself is meant, who was sanctified, setapart, hallowed, and
consecrated, as Aaron and his sons were sanctifiedby the sacrifices ofslain
beasts, to minister in the priest's office:so Christ, when he had offered
himself, and shed his precious blood, by which the covenantof grace was
ratified, by the same blood he was brought againfrom the dead, and declared
to be the Son of God with power; and being setdown at God's right hand, he
ever lives to make intercession, whichis the other part of his priestly office he
is sanctified by his own blood to accomplish. This clause, "wherewithhe was
sanctified", is left out in the Alexandrian copy:
and hath done despite unto the spirit of grace;by denying his being, deity, and
personality; despising his powerful operations as enthusiasm; treating his
extraordinary gifts as illusions; and ascribing his miracles to Satan, and
representing the Gospeldictated by him as a fable, or a lie: and this is
aggravatedby his being "the spirit of grace";the author, giver, and applier of
all grace to the saints; and who therefore ought not to be in the leastslighted,
but highly esteemedand honoured; nor will such affronts go unpunished.
Geneva Study Bible
Of how much sorerpunishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who
hath trodden under foot the Sonof 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?

EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary
Hebrews 10:29. Of how much more severe punishment, think ye, will he be
counted worthy, who, etc.
With δοκεῖτε the author leaves the decisionto the readers, inasmuch as on the
question how this will be given, no doubt whatever canprevail.
ἀξιωθήσεται]sc. by God at the judgment.
τιμωρία in the N. T. only here.
ὁ καταπατήσας]who has trodden under foot, as though it were a
contemptible, useless thing. A strong expression. Designationofthe bold
contemning and insulting of Him who is nevertheless the Son of God, and with
whom one has become personallyacquainted as the Redeemer.
τὸ αἶμα τῆς διαθήκης]the blood of the covenant, i.e. the blood which Christ
shed for the sealing of the New Covenantfor the redemption of mankind.
Comp. Hebrews 9:15 ff.
κοινόν]either: as common, ordinary blood, not distinguished in any respect
from other blood (Peshito, Oecumenius, Theophylact, Clarius, Beza,
Schlichting, Bengel, Schulz, Stuart, Bleek, Stein, de Wette, Bloomfield,
Bisping, Delitzsch, Alford, and others), or—whatis better, because stronger,
and on that accountmore in accordwith the other statements—asimpure
(Vulgate, Luther, Grotius, Carpzov, Michaelis, Chr. Fr. Schmid, Storr,

Böhme, Tholuck, Ebrard, Riehm, Lehrbegr. des Hebräerbr. p. 769;Maier,
Moll, Kurtz, and others), i.e. as the blood of a transgressor, whichChrist must
be, if He was not the Sonof Godand the Redeemer.
ἐν ᾧ ἡγιάσθη]contrasting addition to κοινὸνἡγησάμενος, andparonomasia:
by the communion with which he was nevertheless sanctified, or:the
sanctifying efficacyof which he has nevertheless felt in his own person.
καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς χάριτος ἐνυβρίσας]and has done despite to the Spirit of
Grace, sc. by scorn and mockery of the wondrous unfolding of that Spirit’s
powerin the life of the Christians. The compound form ἐνυβρίζειν τινί or τί,
found, apart from the poets (Soph. Phil. 342), only with the later Greeks.In
the N. T. a ἅπαξ λεγόμενον.
τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς χάριτος]the Holy Spirit, who is a gift of the divine grace.
Expositor's Greek Testament
Hebrews 10:29. πόσῳ δοκεῖτε χείρονος.… “Ofhow much sorerpunishment,
think ye, will he be counted worthy, who, etc.” The argument of Hebrews 2:1-
4 and Hebrews 12:25. By the parenthetically interjected δοκεῖτε he appeals to
their own sense ofproportion and fitness; although the judgment alluded to in
ἀξιωθήσεται is not theirs but God’s. ὁ … καταπατήσας… The guilt of the
apostate whichjustifies this sorerpunishment is detailedin three particulars.
He has trampled on the Son of God. The highest of Beings who has deserved
best at his hands is spurned with outrageous scorn. καὶ τὸ αἷμα … ἡγιάσθη
“and has reckonedthe blood of the covenantwith which he was sanctified, a
common thing”. “The blood of the covenant” is the blood of Christ (cf.
Hebrews 9:15 ff., Hebrews 13:20);here it is thus designatedbecause
repudiation of the covenantis in question. This blood is the purifying agentby
which men are fitted for the fellowship and service ofGod, and so brought
within the covenant. Cf. ἡγιάσθη with ἁγιάζει ofHebrews 9:13 and καθαριεῖ

of Hebrews 9:14. This sole means of purification, the sanctifying virtue of
which the supposedapostate has experienced, he now counts κοινὸν, common
or unclean. [The Vulg. has “pollutum,” the Old Latin “communem”.
Chrysostomἀκάθαρτονἢ τὸ μηδέν πλέον ἔχον τῶν λοιπῶν; and so Kübel,
“which has no more worth than the blood of other men”. All these meanings
lie close to one another. Cf. Mark 7:2, Acts 10:14. What is “common” is
unsanctified, ceremoniallyunclean.] The third point in the heinousness ofthe
sin of apostasyis τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς χάριτος ἐνυβρίσας, “and has insulted the
spirit of grace”. This seems the direct antithesis to “Moses’law” ofHebrews
10:28. The spirit of grace is the distinctive gift of Christian times, and is not
only the Pauline but the universal antithesis to the law. To have blasphemed
this gracious Spirit, who brings the assurance ofGod’s presence and pardon,
and gifts suited to eachbeliever, is to renounce all part in things spiritual. Cf.
Hebrews 6:4, Hebrews 2:4; Ephesians 4:7.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
29. of how much sorer punishment] The word for “punishment” in the N.T. is
in every other passagekolasis,whichmeans, in accordancewith its definition,
and in much of its demonstrable usage, “remedialpunishment.” Here the
word (though the difference is not observedby our A.V. which has createdso
many needless variations, and obliterated so many necessarydistinctions)is
timoria which means “vengeance”or“retribution.” It need hardly be said
that “vindictive punishment” can only be attributed to God by the figure of
speechknownas anthropopathy, i.e. the representationof God by metaphors
drawn from human passions. It is also obvious that we misuse Scripture when
we press casualwords to unlimited inferences. “Vengeance”is here used
because (1)the author is alluding to defiant and impenitent apostates, in
language derived from the earthly analogies, and(2) because he is referring to
the temporal ruin and overthrow of the Jewishpolity at the fast-approaching
Day of Christ’s Coming. The passage whichhe proceeds to quote
(Deuteronomy 32:35)refers directly to national and temporal punishments.
The verb “to avenge” is only used twice in the N.T. (Acts 22:5; Acts 26:11)—
both times of the persecutionof Christians by Saul.

trodden under foot the Sonof God] The writer could hardly use stronger
language to imply the extremity of wilful rebellion which he has in view. It
scarcelyapplies to any exceptblaspheming infidels and to those Jews who
have turned the very name of Jesus in Hebrew into an anagramof
malediction, and in the Talmud rarely allude to Him except in words of scorn
and execration.
the blood of the covenant]He uses the same phrase in Hebrews 13:20.
an unholy thing] Lit., “a common thing,” i.e. either “unclean” or “valueless.”
Clearly such conduct as this must be the nearestapproachwe can conceive to
“the sin againstthe Holy Ghost,” “the unpardonable sin,” “the sin unto
death,” for which no remedy is provided in any earthly means of grace
(Matthew 12:31; 1 John 5:16).
done despite unto] Lit., “insulted;” e.g. “by blasphemy againstthe Holy
Ghost” (Matthew 12:31-32). It is possible to grieve utterly that Holy Spirit
(Ephesians 4:30) and so to become “reprobate.” The apostateswhose case is
here imagined despise alike the Father(Hebrews 5:5), the Son, and the Holy
Spirit (Hebrews 6:4-6). They rejectthe very promises of their baptismal
professionand abnegate the whole economyof grace. The verb for “to do
despite” occurs here only in the N.T.
Bengel's Gnomen
Hebrews 10:29. Χείρονος) which is worse and more horrible than any
punishment of the body.—ὁ) i.e. he who most atrociouslysins againstGOD,
whose Sonis the Priest, ch. Hebrews 5:5, and againstthe Son, whose own
blood is the blood of the New Testament, and againstthe Holy Spirit, who is
the Spirit of grace. A man of this sort retracts the whole form and confession
of his baptism, and rejects the whole economyof the New Testament;comp.
Hebrews 6:6, note.—καταπατήσας, who has trodden) whereas he ought to

adore. But he who sins spontaneously, treads under foot, as it is describedat
Hebrews 10:26.—τῆς διαθήκης)ofthe testament, that is, the better testament
or covenant which GOD has made.—κοινὸν, common)as if it were the blood
of a mere man, common or even guilty. The antithesis is, he was sanctified.—
ἡγησάμενος, and has counted) without discernment; comp. 1 Corinthians
11:29.—ἐνᾧ ἡγιάσθη, by which he was sanctified)Therefore Christ died even
for such a man as this. The same word is used concerning the redeemed,
Hebrews 10:10; Hebrews 10:14, ch. Hebrews 2:11 (where they are
distinguished from the Redeemer, who sanctifies);ch. Hebrews 13:12, where
mention is likewise made of the blood.—τῆς χάριτος, ofgrace)See note on
Hebrews 10:26.—ἐνυβρίσας, andhas treated insultingly, [and hath done
despite to]) by repelling Him. Insult or despite is done by deeds;blasphemy is
vented by words: comp. 1 Timothy 1:13, note. Where blasphemy is added, the
guilt is in the very worstdegree aggravated;Mark 3:29.
Pulpit Commentary
Verses 29, 30. - Of how much sorerpunishment, suppose ye, shall he be
thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God, and hath
counted the blood of the covenant, wherewithhe was sanctified, an unholy
thing (κοινὸν, a word commonly denoting things unclean; cf. Mark 7:2; Acts
10:14, 28;Acts 11:8; Romans 14:14;and supra, Hebrews 9:13; and so
probably here, meaning more than common, i.e. ordinary human blood. If
vilified by denial of its atoning efficacy, it was relegatedinto the class of
unclean things themselves requiring purification. The word is used in
opposition to ἡγιάσθη), and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? It has
been already remarkedhow these very strong expressions (answering to those
in Hebrews 6:6) further denote the kind of sin. intended by ἁμαρτανόντωνin
ver. 26. Three characteristicsofit are given:
(1) contumelious repudiation of Christ;
(2) vilification of his atonement;

(3) despite to the Holy Spirit that has been given and enjoyed.
Citations from the Old Testamentfollow, according to the generalplan of the
Epistle, to show that there is a terrible as well as a gracious side of the
revelation of the God of Israel, and especially(as intimated by the second
quotation) that his own people may be the objects of his vengeance.Forwe
know him that said, Vengeance belongethunto me, I will recompense, saith
the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. Both citations are from
Deuteronomy 32:35, 36, the secondbeing introduced also into Psalm 135:14.
The first is remarkable as a combination of the texts of the Hebrew and the
LXX., neither being exactly followed. The Hebrew has (A.V.), "To me
belongethvengeance and recompense;" the LXX., Ἐν ἡμέρα ἐκδικήσεως
ἀνταποδώσω. And in the same form as in the text the passageis cited Romans
12:19. It may be, in this and some other casesofvariation from the LXX., that
a text different from ours was used by the New Testamentwriters. The
difference here is quite immaterial with regard to the drift of the quotation.
Vincent's Word Studies
Of how much (πόσῳ)
Not qualifying χείρονος sorer, but the whole clause:"by how much think ye
shall he be thought worthy of sorerpunishment."
Punishment (τιμωρίας)
N.T.o. Occasionallyin lxx, frequent in Class. Originally assistance;assistance
to one who has been wronged; punishment. With no sense of chastisement. It
is purely retributive.

Trodden under foot (καταπατήσας)
Only here in Hebrews. oP. Frequent in lxx for spoiling, defeating, treating
contemptuously. The strong term is purposely selectedin order to conveythe
sense ofthe fearful outrage involved in forsaking Christ and returning to
Judaism.
Hath counted an unholy thing (κοινὸν ἡγησάμενος)
Ἡγεῖσθαι to count or deem means a conscious judgment resting on a
deliberate weighing of the facts. See Romans 12:10;Philippians 2:3. Here it
implies a deliberate, contemptuous rejectionof the gifts of the new covenant.
The fundamental idea of κοινὸς is shared by all, public. Thus Acts 2:44; Acts
4:32; Titus 1:4; Jde 1:3. Out of this grows the idea of not sacred;not setapart
for particular uses by purification, and so (ceremonially) unclean or defiled,
as Mark 7:2, Mark 7:5; Acts 10:14, Acts 10:28;Acts 11:8. In these cases itis
not implied that the thing is defiled or filthy in itself, but only unclean through
the absence ofthat which would set it apart. Comp. Romans 14:14. Here the
word admits of two explanations:(1) that Christ's blood was counted
common, having no more sacredcharacterorspecific worth than the blood of
any ordinary person; (2) that in refusing to regardChrist's blood as that of an
atoner and redeemer, it was implied that his blood was uncleanas being that
of a transgressor.The former seems preferable. There was no specific virtue
in Christ's blood as blood; but a peculiar and unique virtue attachedto it as
the offering of his eternal spirit (Hebrews 9:14), as the blood shed in
ratification of a sacredcovenantestablishedby God, and as having sanctifying
virtue. This view is further justified by the combination of blood and spirit, as
sources ofsanctificationallied in the writer's mind.

Hath done despite unto the spirit of grace (καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς χάριτος
ἐνυβρίσας)
Ἐνυβρίζειν to insult, N.T.o. The simple verb ὑβρίζεινin Matthew, Luke, Acts,
and Pastorals. It will be observedthat the work of the Holy Spirit does not
receive in this epistle the emphasis which marks it in some other portions of
the N.T.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCE HURT MD
Hebrews 10:29 How much severerpunishment do you think he will deserve
who has trampled under foot the Sonof God, and has regardedas unclean the
blood of the covenantby which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit
of grace? (NASB:Lockman)
Greek:poso dokeite (2PPAI)cheironos axiothesetai(3SFPI)timorias o ton
uion tou theou katapatesas, (AAPMSN)kaito aima tes diathekes koinon
egesamenos(AMPMSN)en o egiasthe,(3SAPI)kai to pneuma tes charitos
enubrisas? (AAPMSN)
Amplified: How much worse (sternerand 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 consideredthe covenant blood by
which he was consecratedcommonand unhallowed, thus profaning it and

insulting and outraging the [Holy] Spirit [Who imparts] grace (the unmerited
favor and blessing of God)? [Exod. 24:8.] (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
Barclay:Of how much worse punishment, do you think, that man will be
deemed worthy who has trampled underfoot the Sonof God, who has failed to
regard the blood of the new covenant, with which he was made fit for God’s
presence, as a sacredthing, and who has insulted the Spirit through whom
God’s grace comes to us? (WestminsterPress)
NLT: Think how much more terrible the punishment will be for those who
have trampled on the Son of God and have treated the blood of the covenant
as if it were common and unholy. Such people have insulted and enragedthe
Holy Spirit who brings God's mercy to his people. (NLT - Tyndale House)
Phillips: How much more dreadful a punishment will he be thought to deserve
who has poured scorn on the Son of God, treated like dirt the blood of the
agreementwhich had once made him holy, and insulted the very Spirit of
grace? (Phillips: Touchstone)
Wuest: By how much do you think shall he be thought worthy of sorer
punishment who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has considered
the blood of the testamenta common thing by which [blood] he was set apart
for Godand His service, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
Young's Literal: For we -- wilfully sinning after the receiving the full
knowledge ofthe truth -- no more for sins doth there remain a sacrifice,

HOW MUCH SEVERER PUNISHMENT DO YOU THINK HE WILL
DESERVE:poso dokeite (2PPAI) cheironos axiothesetai(3SFPI):
He 2:3; 12:25
Hebrews 10 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries
Hebrews 10:26-31 The Only Options: Christ or Judgment? - Steven Cole
Hebrews 10:28-39 Apostasy:The Negative Response to the New Covenant2 -
John MacArthur
Hebrews 10 A Warning to Not Skip Church, or Something More? - John
MacArthur
How much severerpunishment do you think he will deserve - Charles Simeon
notes that "here he appeals to them, and makes them judges in their own
cause."
Much severerpunishment - The judgment on those who rejectGod’s work in
Christ will be immeasurably worse than the judgment of Israel(and they were
stoned in the OT passages to which the writer refers!Woe!).
Several“how much more” arguments (basedfirst on the OT illustration, then
the NT application) are woventhroughout Hebrews (obviously here in
Hebrews 10:29) -
Heb 2:2-note For if the word spokenthrough angels proved unalterable, and
every transgressionand disobedience receiveda just recompense,3how shall
we escape if we neglectso great a salvation? (In other words how much worse
will the "just recompense" be to those who make light of, are carelessor, fail
to regard the "greatsalvation" in and through the sacrifice ofthe GreatHigh
Priest) After it was at the first spokenthrough the Lord, it was confirmed to
us by those who heard

Heb 12:25-note See (presentimperative = keepon being aware)to it that you
do not refuse Him Who is speaking. Forif those did not escape whenthey
refused him who warned them on earth, much less shall we escape who turn
awayfrom Him who warns from heaven(In other words how much worse is
the fate from which there is no escape).
This style of argument was typical of the Rabbinical schooland was “the first
of Hillel’s sevenrules for exegesis”.
Vine - the appeal is made to their consciencesandto their judgment. The
word timōria, punishment, is used here only in the New Testament;the
corresponding verb in Acts 22:5; 26:11. It suggests the vindication of honor.
(The CollectedWritings of W. E. Vine)
Punishment (5098)(timoria from timoreo = to punish, avenge)means
vengeance, penalty, retribution. Used only here in the NT and 4 times in the
Septuagint - Prov. 19:29; Prov. 24:22;Jer. 31:21; Da 2:18.
Gilbrant adds this note on timoria that "The writer to the Hebrews warns us
here not to fall back into sin (10:26). Moulton-Milligan argues that the main
thought of the word is “punishment,” not “discipline.” The word indicates
giving an offender what he deserves. (Complete Biblical Library Greek-
English Dictionary)
Ponder what the writer is saying here - The judgment of God is describedas
punishment and it is a punishment that is worse than death, because it goes
beyond the grave. Now try and imagine a punishment worse than death!
Although the doctrine of degrees ofpunishment in hell is not directly taught

here, the Scriptures clearlyteach this truth (See Mt 11:21,22,23, 24, Mt
10:15;Mk 6:11; Lk 12:47, 48). As Jesus explained to Pilate
He who delivered Me up to you has the greatersin (Jn 19:11).
In other words the sin of Judas Iscariotwas greaterthan the sin of Pilate. To
be sure both men were unbelievers, but Judas' unbelief the "greater"unbelief
of an apostate. Judas had more "light" (the knowledge ofthe truth) than
Pilate, for he had seensigns and wonders at the hands of Jesus, and in spite of
this truth, he willfully, deliberately choose to betray the Lord.
WHO HAS TRAMPLED UNDER FOOT THE SON OF GOD: timorias o ton
huion tou theou katapatesas (AAPMSN):
2Kings 9:33; Psalms 91:13;Isaiah14:19; 28:3; Lamentations 1:15; Ezekiel
16:6; Micah 7:10; Matthew 7:6; Romans 16:20;1Corinthians 15:25,27
Hebrews 10 Resources- Multiple sermons and commentaries
John MacArthur
MacArthur
AN ALMOST UNSPEAKABLE
DESCRIPTION!

Who has trampled under foot (2662)(katapateo from kata = intensifies the
meaning + pateo = tread, trample) is used literally in Mt 5:13-note, Lk 8:5 and
Lk 12:1, but here in Hebrews 10:29 katapateo is clearly used figuratively with
the sense ofto treat contemptuously, to thoroughly despise, to spurn (reject
disdainfully) or to treat with insulting neglect.
See to it that no one comes shortof the grace of God; that no root of bitterness
springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled that there be no
immoral or godless personlike Esau, who sold his ownbirthright for a single
meal. (He 12:15, 16)
Comment: Esauis describedas "ungodly" which is the Greek wordbebelos
[word study] which literally means trodden under foot and figuratively
describes Esauas radically separate from that which is holy. The idea of
bebelos and the picture of Esauis that of one who lacks any relationship or
affinity to God!
1Sa 2:29 In the ancientNearEastone of the gestures usedto show contempt
for someone was to “lift up the foot” againstor towardthem (cf Ps 41:9). To
walk on top of someone or something was a more extreme gesture showing
utter contempt and scorn(cf 2Ki 9:33; Isa 14:19; Mic 7:10; Zec 10:5). Such
contempt demonstrates a complete rejectionof Christ as Savior and Lord.
Jesus employed katapateo to describe the fate of salt which has lostits
saltiness:Mt 5:13. On another occasionhe warned his disciples not to “throw
your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet” (Mt
7:6). Those who “deliberatelykeepon sinning” evidence the same attitude
toward the Son of God. They regard him as not goodfor anything and life in
complete disregard for his worth.

Wuest - Trampled under foot the Sonof God, is a sin againstGod the Father
who gave the Son to become the Sin-offering (John 3:16). (Hebrews
Commentary online)
He lived for himself, and himself alone;
For himself, and none beside.
Just as if Jesus had never lived,
And as if he had never died!
AND HAS REGARDED AS UNCLEAN THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT
BY WHICH HE WAS SANCTIFIED:kaito haima tes diathekes koinon
egesamenos, (AMPMSN)eno hegiasthe (3SAPI):
He 9:20; 13:20
He 2:11; 9:13; Jeremiah1:5; John 10:36;17:19; 1Corinthians 11:27,29
John MacArthur
MacArthur
Has regarded(2233)(hegeomai)refers to a conscious judgment resting on
deliberate weighing of the facts. The verb is an aoristmiddle participle,
(middle voice initiates actionand participates in results thereof) which implies
this is a deliberate, contemptuous rejectionof the Messianic sacrifice ofthe
Son of God. Once they regardedthemselves as holy (sanctified) by the blood
of Jesus, but now they deny this and rejectthe Cross (His blood was spilt on

Calvary) as unnecessaryfor acceptancebefore God. Do you know any folks
who have been at one time seeminglyzealous for the Lord Jesus, but now scoff
at the Name above all names? Mostof us who have been believers for a few
decades (3 in my case), sadlyknow of such individuals. Our hope and prayer
of course is that somehow, some waythey come to their senses before their last
breath on earth (Amen)!
Wuest - Counting (hegeomai= has regarded) the blood of the New Testament
an unholy (unclean) thing, is a sin againstGod the Son who shed His blood.
The word “counted” in the Greek text refers to a conscious judgment resting
on deliberate weighing of the facts. Here it implies a deliberate, contemptuous
rejectionof the Messianic sacrifice of the Son of God (Ed: Note also the use of
the reflexive middle voice). The word “unholy” is the translation of koinos, the
fundamental idea of which is “sharedby all, public.” From this comes the idea
of “not sacred” that is, “not setapart for God’s use.” The idea here is that the
apostate regardedMessiah’s bloodas common, having no more sacred
characteror specific worth than the blood of any ordinary person. (Hebrews
Commentary online)
Unclean (2839)(koinos)conveys the fundamental idea is that which is “shared
by all, public” of that which was “common” or “unclean” (Mk 7:2; Acts 10:14,
28; 11:8; Ro 14:14). From this comes the idea of “not sacred” that is, “not set
apart for God’s use.” The idea here is that the apostate regardedMessiah’s
blood as common, having no more sacredcharacterorspecific worth than the
blood of any ordinary person and implies that Christ was a sinner and a
blemished sacrifice!
The implication is that they "took communion", drinking the cup which
symbolized the blood of the new covenant, and went awayto sin, as if it were
not the most precious reality in the universe. (cp the serious, sobermanner in

which one should enter into the taking of the cup symbolic of the blood of the
New Covenant - 1Co 11:23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 where "sleep" = death!)
The blood of the covenant -
Oh, precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
(Play Nothing but the Blood)
Covenant(1242)(diatheke - see word study from dia = two + tithemi = to
place pictures that which is placedbetweentwo Thus, a covenantis something
placed betweentwo, an arrangement betweentwo parties.) was a commonly
used in the Greco-Romanworld to define a legaltransactionin settling an
inheritance. Diatheke denotes anirrevocable decision, which cannot be
cancelledby anyone. A prerequisite of its effectiveness before the law is the
death of the disposerand thus diatheke was like a "final will and testament".
In reference to the divine covenants, such as the Abrahamic covenant,
diatheke is not a covenantin the sense that God came to agreementor
compromise with fallen man as if signing a contract. Rather, it involves
declarationof God’s unconditional promise to make Abraham and his seed
the recipients of certain blessings.
Christ’s death inaugurated or ratified the New Covenant…

for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for
forgiveness ofsins. (Mt 26:28)
And He said to them, "This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out
for many. (Mark 14:24)
And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup
which is poured out for you is the new covenantin My blood. (Luke 22:19)
His blood was poured out for the forgiveness ofsins. Thus to regard this
precious blood as "unclean" leaves absolutelyno sacrifice forsins! Would a
genuine born againperson trample the precious blood of the Lamb of God. I
doubt it. Yes it is true -- We all wander (and wonder) and stray off path but
not to the point of such abysmal, utter blasphemy as to trample ( figuratively
it means to treat contemptuously) Jesus'blood!
He was sanctified - It should not be surprising that sanctifiedis controversial
and some take it to mean that one can be born again, justified by faith, on
their way to heaven, experiencing sanctification, and yet in the final analysis
be lost and destroyedas a result of forsaking the truth. This type of
interpretation arises from the factthat these apostates are saidto have been
sanctified. But Scripture does not support the teaching that one can lose their
salvation. In Hebrews 3:14 the writer says "Forwe have become partakers of
Christ, if we hold fastthe beginning of our assurance firm until the end (see
note Hebrews 3:14)
The meaning is that if we do not hold fast to the end, then we "had not
become a partakerof Christ." It follows that failure to persevere in the faith is
not a signof losing salvationbut of never having had it in the first place. You

cannot lose whatyou never possess.And Hebrews 10:14 says "By one offering
He has perfectedfor all time those who are being sanctified (descriptive of an
ongoing process ofgrowth in Christlikeness). (see note Hebrews 10:14)
In other words, there is a kind of true, spiritual sanctificationthat is sure
evidence that one is eternally perfectedin God's sight and for all time. And
the evidence that it is done, is that we are progressivelybeing truly made holy
or sanctified.
Wuest - The words by which he was sanctifiedin connectionwith the identity
of the personwho committed this sin, might trouble the readerwhen he
remembers that the historical backgroundand analysis of the book show that
that personis an unsaved person. But the difficulty disappears when we
remember that the writer is addressing himself to the professing Christian
church, made up of saved and unsaved, and that the idea here is, “by which he
professedto be sanctified.” (Hebrews Commentary online)
Others interpret this verse as stating that the possibility of sanctifiedpersons
committing apostasywill never happen, because those who are truly electand
born againwill be kept from apostasyby the work of the Holy Spirit. So
sanctifiedpersons never actually apostatize. And they thus conclude that the
prospectin Hebrews 10:26-31 neverhappens. The warning they sayis
theoreticaland meant to spur believers onward. This manner of interpreting
this passagegoesonto say that the electwill take heed to the warning and
persevere in faith.
In my opinion, the correctinterpretation of this difficult passage is that the
apostate pictured here at one time professedfaith in Christ, listened to the
Word preached, and even celebratedthe Lord’s Supper with genuine
believers. His "faith", such as it was, was not internal and was not genuine

(see discussionof faith), and the fruit of that root of his faithlessness was a
conscious rejectionofChrist’s finished work. Forexample, he might come to
the point where he says something like "The blood of Christ is common and
just like any other man’s. There is nothing specialabout it".
In short, this latter interpretation necessitatesa conclusionthat sanctification
of Hebrews 10:29-note is not the same as the sanctificationof Hebrews 10:14-
note. The one proves eternalperfection (Hebrews 10:14) and the other proves
greatguilt after apostasy(Hebrews 10:29).
What is this fruitless sanctification? Whatdoes it look like? As alluded to
above, this "sanctification"appears to be an external religious separationand
outward purification that often happens when a person becomes part of the
visible church. The PhariseesofJesus'day are a perfect illustration of those
who on the outside lookedso devout, so legitimate, so "set apart" (the root
meaning of Pharisee evenmeans setapart - from Aramaic word peras,
signifying to separate to a different manner of life from that of the general
public - sounds a lot like "sanctified"!) or "sanctified". Jesus Himselftestified
to their external set apartness or"sanctification" declaring to the audience
listening to His sermon on the mount…
For I sayto you, that unless your righteousness surpasses thatof the scribes
and Pharisees,you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:20-
note)
Could anyone have been more righteous appearing than the Pharisees?
Clearly not, at leastaccording to Jesus'assessment. And yet what did these
"setapart" ones do (most of them at least)? Did they not reject Jesus the
essenceofTruth even to the point of seeking to kill Him (compare "trampled

under foot the Son of God")? Surely their desire to kill Jesus was nothing
short of willful sinning and an insult to the Spirit of grace!
In the same way, the apostates the writer of Hebrews is describing had heard
and come under the influence of truth about Jesus. Theyhad mingled with
and to a degree come under the influence of the love of Christ among His true
followers. Theyhad come under the influence of Christian ordinances like
waterbaptism and the Lord's Supper (both of which are external acts that
can easilybe performed by unbelievers). And when one lookedat their
acclamations andactions, for all intents and purposes these men and women
appearedto be setapart from the corruption of the world. But their
sanctificationwas only on the outside. They were setapart in much the same
way as were the people of Israel in the OT who were set apart from the
Gentile nations, even though many of them were faithless apostates!
Spurgeon- Everything lies in the bowels of this sin—the rejecting of Christ.
There is murder in this; for if the man on the scaffoldrejects a pardon, does
he not murder himself? There is pride in this; for you rejectChrist, because
your proud hearts have turned you aside. There is rebellion in this; for we
rebel againstGod when we reject Christ. There is high treasonin this; for you
rejecta king. You put far from you Him who is crownedking of the earth,
and you incur therefore the weightiestofall guilt. Oh, to think that the Lord
Jesus should come from heaven—to think for a moment that He should hang
upon the tree—thatthere He should die in extreme agonies, and that from
that cross He should this day look down upon you, and should say, “Come to
me, all of you who labor and are burdened” (Matt 11:28), that you should still
turn awayfrom him—it is the unkindest stab of all. What more brutish, what
more devilish, than to turn awayfrom Him who gave His life for you? If this
does not mean that unbelief is a sin, and the sin that, above all others, damns
men’s souls, they do not mean anything at all. But they are just a dead letter
in the Word of God. Now, adultery and murder, and theft, and lying—all
these are damning and deadly sins; but repentance can cleanse allthese,

through the blood of Christ. But to reject Christ destroys a man hopelessly.
The murderer, the thief, the drunkard, may yet enter the kingdom of heaven,
if, repenting of his sins, he will lay hold on the cross ofChrist. But with these
sins, a man is inevitably lost, if he does not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ
(Acts 16:31).
AND HAS INSULTED THE SPIRIT OF GRACE:kai to pneuma tes charitos
enubrisas (AAPMSN):
Isaiah63:10; Matthew 12:31,32;Luke 12:10; Acts 7:51; Ephesians 4:30
Ps 143:10;Zechariah 12:10
John MacArthur
MacArthur
THE HOLY SPIRIT:
THE SPIRIT OF GRACE
James Smith writes:
Brethren, we need the Holy Spirit, as the Spirit of grace--to make us gracious
and gracefulChristians. Without the Spirit of grace . . .
we cannotlive up to our profession;

we cannotcopy the example of our beloved Master;
we cannotkeepHis commandments;
we cannotlove one another as He has loved us;
we cannotsympathize with lost sinners as we should;
we cannotkeepGod's glory in view in all that we do;
we cannotwalk in high and holy fellowship with God;
we cannotmeet death with peace and joy (see his full message below)
Has insulted (only used here in Bible)(1796)(enubrizo from en = in + hubrizo
= act arrogantly, ill-treat, exercise violence, abuse, use reproachfullyor
despitefully, actinsolently or spitefully toward someone)means to treat with
reproach, to insult, outrage, treat despitefully. Liddell-Scott = "to insult or
mock one in a thing."
Wuest - Doing despite (Webster = Extreme malice; violent hatred; malignity;
malice irritated or enraged;active malignity; angry hatred) to the Spirit of
grace is a sin againstGod the Holy Spirit. “Despite” in the Greek text has the
idea of insulting. It refers to the act of this professedHebrew, who after
allowing the Holy Spirit to lead him along in His pre-salvation work of
convicting him of sin and of energizing him to the act of repentance, now
turns awayfrom His further ministration of imparting faith, back to the
temple sacrifices. (Hebrews Commentaryonline)
The Spirit can be...
Quenched - 1Th 5:19-note
Grieved - Eph 4:30-note

Resisted- Acts 7:51-note
Lewis Sperry Chafer, founder of Dallas TheologicalSeminary, made a
statementthat certainly sounds reasonable that if we grieve not the Spirit
(Eph. 4:30), quench not the Spirit (1 Thess. 5:19-20), and walk by the Spirit
(Gal. 5:16-note), we will be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18-note). I would
"adjust" it slightly because I think that there is no wayto obey the command
to walk by the Spirit unless we are filled with, controlledby and empowered
by the Holy Spirit. The negative commands if broken(grieve, quench) clearly
will effectively"neutralize" the power of the Spirit in our lives. For that
reason, in some ways those two negative commands are two of the most
important commands in the Bible for a believer pursuing
sanctification/holiness(Heb 12:14-note)!
Compare Isaiah
(Isa 63:10)But they rebelled And grieved (Heb = atsab= to hurt, pain; Lxx =
paroxuno = to provoke to wrath, irritate, cause to be upset) His Holy Spirit;
Therefore, He turned Himself to become their enemy, He fought againstthem.
John Phillips explains that "There are three ways in which the Holy Spirit can
be opposed. He canbe grieved, He canbe quenched, and He can be resisted.
Only a Spirit-indwelt believer cangrieve the Holy Spirit. The word grieve is a
love-word. We can grieve only someone who loves us and who stands in a
specialrelationship to us. A church can quench the Holy Spirit by allowing
men to usurp His authority, by refusing to follow His leading, or by
permitting false doctrine or moral evil to take root. Sinners resistthe Holy
Spirit. Stephen now dropped his defense and went boldly to the attack,
vilifying his listeners for their persistent and continuing opposition to God.
Their chief sin was that of resisting the Holy Spirit. Their treatment of the
saviors, the Scriptures, and the sanctuaries Godhad given them, and, above

all, their treatment of the Son of God, constituted a persistentsin againstthe
Holy Ghost." (Exploring Acts)
Insulted the Spirit of grace - As explained above, this phrase most likely refers
to the actof a professedHebrew believer, who after allowing the Holy Spirit
to lead him along in His pre-salvation work of convicting of sin and of
energizing him to considerrepentance, now turns away from the Spirit's
further impartation of faith, instead choosing to turn from grace and go back
to the Law and the temple sacrifices.
ESV Study Bible - Such rejectionof the knowledge ofthe truth (10:26)
through willful disobedience is tantamount to trampling upon God’s Son,
reckoning his blood to be defiled, and insulting the Spirit who has offered
such grace;the one who does this deserves eternaljudgment (v. 27). Some
have argued that the statement by which he was sanctified(Gk. hagiazō, “set
apart,” “sanctify”)indicates that the personin view here was a true believer
(see note on 3:14, however, indicating a fundamental difficulty with this view).
Given the immediate context, it seems most likely that “he was sanctified”
should be understood in the sense ofsomeone who had been “setapart” or
identified as an active participant in the Christian community of believers, but
who has subsequently committed apostasyby renouncing his identification
with other believers, by denying the “knowledgeofthe truth” that he had
heard, and by repudiating the work and the person of Christ himself. Such a
person’s apostasyis thus evidence that his identification with the Christian
community was only superficialand that he was not a genuine believer.
Another view is that the author is confident that the grave warning in these
verses will be the means by which those who are truly electwill be braced to
persevere in faith and obedience, and so to be saved (see note on 6:4–8).
Elmer Towns - A third sin againstthe Holy Spirit is describedas insulting the
Holy Spirit (Heb. 10:29). This sin is identified in one of the five warning

passagesofHebrews. Many Bible teachers believe these passageswere
specificallydirected to unsaved persons who had become a part of the Early
Church, yet had not entered into a personalrelationship with God through
Christ. This teaching serves as a warning of the consequences ofcontinued
delay in responding to the gospel. Therefore, insulting the Holy Spirit may
involve unnecessarydelayin receiving the gospelonce one has realized his or
her need and been drawn to Christ by the Holy Spirit. (The Names of the Holy
Spirit)
Towns summarizes the...
TERMS FOR THE MATURING WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Indwelling Names of the Spirit
1. A New Spirit - He gives the believer the Spirit-filled life.
2. A Spirit of Grace - He helps the believer walk by grace, notlaw.
3. Spirit of Supplication - He motivates the believer to pray.
4. My Witness - He bears witness of the believer's salvation.
5. My Helper - He helps the believer grow in Christ.
The Life of God in Human Lives
1. Union with God - He puts the believer in God.
2. Communion with God - He helps the believer's fellowshipwith God. (Ibid)
RobertsonMcQuilkin - He is calledthe Spirit of grace (Zech. 12:10)because
He is actually the dispenser of all of God's free gifts. (Life in the Spirit)

A C Gaebelein- He is calledin this verse "the Spirit ,of Grace" because He is
given through the grace ofGod and He communicates that grace to the heart
and life of the believing sinner. This exhortation (Heb 10:29)had its special
meaning for those Hebrews who had not been fully converted and were
halting betweentwo opinions; it is of the same meaning as Hebrews 6:1-6.
(The Holy Spirit in the NT)
R A Torrey on the Spirit of grace - This name brings out the factthat it is the
Holy Spirit’s work to administer and apply the grace ofGod: He Himself is
gracious, it is true, but the name means far more than that, it means that He
makes ours experimentally the manifold grace of God. It is only by the work
of the Spirit of grace in our hearts that we are enabled to appropriate to
ourselves that infinite fullness of grace that God has, from the beginning,
bestowedupon us in Jesus Christ. It is ours from the beginning, as far as
belonging to us is concerned, but it is only ours experimentally as we claim it
by the powerof the Spirit of grace.
William Evans - As the executive of the Godhead, the Spirit confers grace. To
resistthe Spirit, therefore, is to shut off all hope of salvation. To resistHis
appeal is to insult the Godhead. That is why the punishment mentioned here is
so awful. (The Great Doctrines ofthe Bible)
We see this same phrase "Spirit of grace"in the end times when "all" (all
those who believe) will be saved(Ro 11:26-note), which is the diametric
opposite of Heb 10:29!
Zech 12:10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants
of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on
Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for

an only son, and they will weepbitterly over Him, like the bitter weeping over
a first-born.
Hughes comments that "This is the only place in the New Testamentwhere
the Holy Spirit is called“the Spirit of grace” (Ed:but see Zechariah12:10),
and what a beautiful and fitting title it is. He enlightens our minds (Eph 1:18,
1Cor2:12-16), He seals our hearts in adoption (Eph 1:13, Eph 4:30), He
regeneratesus with spiritual life (Jn 3:6-8, Titus 3:5), and he grafts us into the
Body of Christ (1Cor12:13)—alleffects of grace. We ought to make note of
this lovely ascription and use it devotionally. The Spirit of grace—the Holy
Spirit of grace—He gives andgives and gives!(Hughes, R. K. Hebrews:An
Anchor for the Soul. Volume 1. CrosswayBooks;Volume 2)
Morris - there are seven distinct appellations given to the Holy Spirit in the
New Testament. He is called:(1) Spirit of Truth (John 16:13); (2) Spirit of
Holiness (Romans 1:4); (3) Spirit of Faith (2 Corinthians 4:13); (4) Spirit of
Wisdom (Ephesians 1:17); (5) Spirit of Power(2 Timothy 1:7); (6) Spirit of
Grace (Hebrews 10:29); and (7) Spirit of Glory (1 Peter4:14).
Herbert Lockyer- The Holy Spirit is styled—
• The Spirit of Grace, since He is the Dispenserofthe divine favor to all
men.
• The Spirit of Supplication, because He teaches us how to pray and for
what to pray.
• The Spirit of Revelation, because He reveals Christ to the eye of faith.
• The Spirit of Wisdom, because He imparts wisdom from above.
• The Spirit of Adoption, because He certifies the believer's sonship.

• The Spirit of Christ, because He was sentby the Father through the
mediation of the Son.
• The Spirit of Truth, because He makes the Word of Truth and "The
Truth" real to us. "Theologywithout the Holy Spirit," said ProfessorBeckof
Tūbingen, "is not only a cold stone, it is a deadly poison."
• The Spirit of the Lord God, because He shares the sovereigntyof the
Godhead.
• The SevenSpirits of God, because of the plenitude of His power and His
diversified activity.
Grace (favor) (5485)(charis from from chairo = to rejoice. English= charity.
Beggarsneed"charity" even as sinners need grace, for we are all spiritual
paupers outside of Christ, but "Godgives where he finds empty hands"-
Augustine [cp Mt 5:3-note]) is a word which defies a simple definition but at
its core conveys the sense offavor while the specific nuances of charis depend
on the context in which it is used. Someone has written that the word grace is
probably the greatestwordin the Scriptures, even greatereven than “love,”
because graceis love in action, and therefore includes it. It is hardly too much
to say that God has in no word uttered Himself and all that was in His heart
more distinctly than in this word grace (charis)!
Grace in simple terms is God's unmerited favor and supernatural enablement
and empowerment for salvationand for daily sanctification. Grace is
everything for nothing to those who don't deserve anything. Grace is what
every man needs, what none can earn and what God Alone can and does
freely give (see Ro 8:32-note where "freely give" is charizomai [word study]
from charis = a grace gift!). Grace addressesman's sin, while mercy addresses
man's misery. The gift of grace makes men fit for salvation, miraculously
making separatedstrangers into God's beloved sons (1Th 1:4-note, 1Jn 3:1-
note, 1Jn3:2-note, 1Jn 3:3-note).

Too many of us (yours truly included far too often!) are like the story of the
poor European family who savedfor years to buy tickets to sailto America.
Once at sea, they carefully rationed the cheese and bread they had brought
for the journey. After 3 days, the boy complained to his father, “I hate cheese
sandwiches. If I don’t eatanything else before we get to America, I’m going to
die.” Giving the boy his last nickel, the father told him to go to the ship’s
galleyand buy an ice-creamcone. When the boy returned a long time later
with a wide smile, his worried dad asked, “Where were you?” “In the galley,
eating three ice-creamcones anda steak dinner!” “All that for a nickel?”
“Oh, no, the food is free,” the boy replied. “It comes with the ticket.” Indeed,
Amazing Grace, not cheap, but free, sufficient to save a wretchlike me, the
first day, and then every day for the rest (pun intended) of my life!
In a passage thatbears some resemblance to that here in Hebrews 10,
Matthew records Jesus words regarding blasphemy of the Spirit…
Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but
blasphemy againstthe Spirit shall not be forgiven. And whoevershall speak a
word againstthe Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoevershall
speak againstthe Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age, or
in the age to come. (Matthew 12:31,32)
Jesus'warning deserves some explanation. From the context one notes that
the unpardonable sin is a knowledgeable, verbal, and continuous attributing
of the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan. Can one commit this sin today is the
question?
Here are two other relatedNT passagesupon which to mediate…

Luke 12:10 “And everyone who will speak a word againstthe Son of Man, it
shall be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes againstthe Holy Spirit, it shall
not be forgiven him.
Acts 7:51 “You men who are stiff-neckedand uncircumcised in heart and ears
are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did.
Comment: Stiff-necked= sklerotrachelos (sklerós= hard + tráchelos = the
neck)- Note that this word is first in the Greek for emphasis. This is the
climax of Stephen’s speech, the personalapplication that cut his hearers to the
heart. Throughout the centuries, Israelhad refusedto submit to Godand
obey the truths He had revealedto them. Their ears heard sounds but did not
hear the truth, their hearts did not receive the truth, and their necks did not
bow (surrender, submit) to the truth. As a result, they killed their own
Messiah!
Uncircumcised = aperitmetos - They had only the physical circumcision
which was useless. The Jews placedgreatstress onthe physical ritual of
circumcision, forgetting that it was meant to be symbolic of their complete
dedication to the will and purposes of God. Thus, their hearts were still cold
toward God and their ears inattentive to His Word, so that God could not
reachthem
Resisting - antipipto in present tense (continually) falling or rushing againstin
a hostile manner, assault, resistby force and violence.
Gracious Spirit

Come, Holy Dove,
Descendonsilent pinion,
Broodo'er my sinful soul with patient love,
Till all my being owns Thy mild dominion.
Spirit of grace,
Revealin me my Saviour,
That I may gaze upon His mirrored Face,
Till I reflectit in my whole behaviour.
—RichardWilton,
quoted in You Can SayThat Again.
Christianity Today,
William MacDonaldhas a well wordedthought on the unpardonable sin
writing that…
These verses mark a crisis in Christ’s dealings with the leaders of Israel. He
accusesthem of committing the unpardonable sin by blaspheming againstthe
Holy Spirit, that is, by charging that Jesus performed His miracles by the
powerof Satanrather than by the power of the Holy Spirit. In effect, this was
calling the Holy Spirit Beelzebub, the ruler of demons.
There is forgiveness forother forms of sin and blasphemy. A man may even
speak againstthe Sonof Man and be forgiven. But to blaspheme the Holy
Spirit is a sin for which there is no forgiveness in this age or in the millennial

age to come. When Jesus saidin this age, He was speaking ofthe days of His
public ministry on earth. There is reasonable doubt whether the
unpardonable sin can be committed today, because He is not bodily present
performing miracles.
The unpardonable sin is not the same as rejecting the gospel;a man may
spurn the Saviorfor years, then repent, believe, and be saved. (Of course, if he
dies in unbelief, he remains unforgiven.) Nor is the unforgivable sin the same
as backsliding; a believermay wander far from the Lord, yet be restoredto
fellowship in God’s family.
Many people worry that they have committed the unpardonable sin. Even if
this sin could be committed today, the fact that a personis concernedis
evidence that he is not guilty of it. Those who committed it were hard and
unrelenting in their opposition to Christ. They had no qualms about insulting
the Spirit and no hesitancyin plotting the death of the Son. They showed
neither remorse nor repentance. (MacDonald, W & Farstad, A. Believer's
Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson)
Kent Hughes gives an illustration of trampling "the Son of God under foot"
writing that…
The January 1991 issue ofHarper’s Magazine carried a reproduction of an
anti-Christian tract entitled Dear Believer, a “non-tract” published by the
Freedomfrom ReligionFoundation of Madison, Wisconsin. The tract
variously attackedcreationand miracles and then God Himself, finally
coming to Jesus and saying:

And Jesus is a chip off the old block. He said, “I and My Father are One,” and
He upheld “every jot and tittle” of the Old Testamentlaw. He preached the
same old judgment: vengeance and death, wrath and distress, hell and torture
for all nonconformists. He never denounced the subjugation of slaves or
women. He irrationally cursedand withered a fig tree for being barren out of
season. He mandated burning unbelievers. (The Church has complied with
relish.) He stole a horse. You want me to acceptJesus, but I think I’ll pick my
own friends, thank you. I also find Christianity to be morally repugnant. The
concepts oforiginal sin, depravity, substitutionary forgiveness, intolerance,
eternal punishment, and humble worship are all beneath the dignity of
intelligent human beings.
This tract captures the emotion of the word “trampled,” which is a singularly
powerful expressionfor disdain as, for example, when the swine find your
pearls and “trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to
pieces” (Matthew 7:6; cf. Matthew 5:13; Luke 8:5). Figuratively, the
metaphor portrays taking “the Son of God”—the highest accordgivento
Christ in Hebrews—andgrinding him into the dirt. Thus, turning awayfrom
Christ is an attack on his person. (Hughes, R. K. Hebrews: An Anchor for the
Soul. Volume 1. CrosswayBooks;Volume 2 )
SPIRIT OF GRACE
The Spirit of grace. (Hebrews 10:29)
The book of Hebrews addressedgenuine believers who, during a time of
persecution, were sorelytempted to return to their Jewishroots. But if they
had takensuch a drastic step, they would have losta greatreward and
ultimately facedthe judgment of God. Forthem to leave the Christian church
would have been the equivalent of deliberately sinning after receiving the
knowledge ofthe truth (Hebrews 10:26). In that case, they would discoverthat

there is no other sacrifice forsin. If you turn away from Jesus, you’re leaving
the only One who can forgive your sins. No one else can do what He does.
The only thing that is left for such a person is the expectationof God’s
judgment, a fact taught in the law of Moses (vv. 27–28).If God judged His
people for the sin of unbelief in the Old Testament, the same sin will bring
greaterpunishment during the age of grace (v. 29). The law itself reminds us
of this truth (v. 30). It is a dreadful thing for a sinning believer to fall into
God’s hands for judgment (v. 31).
The particular sin envisioned has three parts: First, there is public
rejectionof Christ (“trampled the Son of God under foot”). Second, there is
disrespectfor the blood of Christ (“treatedas an unholy thing the blood of the
covenantthat sanctified him”). Third, there is mocking the Holy Spirit
(“insulted the Spirit of grace”).A person committing such a sin deserves
God’s harsh punishment.
Could a genuine believer ever do such a thing? The answerseems to be yes. In
fact, it seems likely that only a believer could sin this way. More than that, this
sin (howeverrare it may be) can only be committed by those who have been
Christians for a fairly long period of time. Of all people, they should know
better because they have experiencedthe riches of God’s salvation. On the
other hand, an unbeliever has never been truly “sanctified” by the blood of
Christ.
In that light, the title “Spirit of grace” comes into clearfocus. Only willful,
presumptuous, hard-hearted believers who rebel in the face of all that God’s
Spirit has done for them cancommit such a sin.
Such a prospectought to fill every believerwith godly fear. When Jesus
announced that one of the disciples would betray Him, they individually (and
rightly) replied, “Lord, is it I?” (Matthew 26:22 KJV). Peterboastedthat he
would never deny His Lord, but he fell into sin less than four hours later.
God’s grace oughtto leadus to righteous living, but our self-confidence
may lead us into unexpected sin. Take nothing for granted. Guard your heart.
Keep short accounts with God.

If we follow Jesus with grateful hearts, we have nothing to fear.
Keep me true to You, Lord Jesus, lestI should begin to drift away. May I
never take You for granted, not even for a moment. Amen. (Ray Pritchard -
Names of the Holy Spirit)
The Spirit of Grace
James Smith, 1864
"And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem
the Spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have
pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and
grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son." Zechariah12:10
Grace is one of the most beautiful words in God's Book. The very sound of it
is musical to the believer who understands it. It just meets our case,for it tells
us that God is inclined to be favorable unto us; more, that he is prepared to
showerdown the richestblessings upon us; and that what he gives — he gives
freely, from the love of his own heart.
Grace is favor shownto the unworthy, without any cause orreason — but
what is found in God's own bosom. Grace never looks outside of itself for a
motive — but is its own motive. It dwells in all its fullness in Jesus, and is the
glory of the gospelscheme. But we are not going to dwell upon grace itself —
but to fix the eye upon the Holy Spirit, as called, "the Spirit of grace."
The Spirit is the gift of God's grace — one of it's greatestgifts. Indeed, it has
no greater. Grace gave Jesus,and it gives the Holy Spirit; these gifts are equal

in value and importance, as they are equal in nature, power, and glory.
Without Jesus, we could have no deliverance from wrath, or title to Heaven;
and without the Holy Spirit, we would never realize deliverance, or be made
fit for glory. The Father promised the Spirit to his Son, and the Son bestows
the Spirit upon his church, and makes us new creatures in Christ Jesus. The
Father laid up our fortune in Jesus;Jesus has preservedfor us all that the
Father entrusted to him; but it is the Holy Spirit who makes knownto us —
the wealthwhich our heavenly Father has laid up for us, and conveys the
foretastes andpledges of it into our souls. Holy and blessedSpirit, daily bring
down into our souls fresh and fuller supplies of grace from the Father and the
Son!
The Holy Spirit produces all our graceswithin us. He is the root — and our
graces are his fruits; hence we read, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, gentleness,goodness,faith, meekness, temperance."If we believe, it
is through grace. If we love, it is because the love of God is shed abroad in our
hearts by the Holy Spirit. If we rejoice, it is in consequenceofhis revealing
and applying the truth to our souls. When his influence is put forth within us
— then we . . .
believe God's word,
hope in his mercy,
rejoice in his goodness,
cleave to his cause,
walk in his ways,
love his truth, his people, and himself,
holiness is then happiness,
duties are then pleasant, and

even the cross lays light upon our shoulders.
But if the Spirit hides Himself, withdraws His influences, and leaves us to
ourselves — then we . . .
doubt and fear,
fret and pine,
kick and rebel,
rove from thing to thing, and
nothing will either please or satisfyus.
We often . . .
question the past,
are wretchedat present,
and dread the future.
But when he puts forth his powerin us again. . .
our gracesshootforth like bulbous roots in the spring,
our sighs are exchangedfor songs,
our fears are exchangedfor fortitude,
our doubts are exchangedfor confidence,

and our murmurings are exchangedfor gratitude and love.
We then . . .
sink into the dust of self-abasement,
admire the forbearance and longsuffering of God,
condemn our own conduct, and
wonder that we are out of Hell.
Then we take down our harps from the willows, and with a melting heart, a
weeping eye, and a tremulous voice we sing, "The winter is past; the rains are
over and gone. Flowers appearonthe earth; the seasonof singing has come,
the cooing ofdoves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the
blossoming vines spread their fragrance." Ourwilderness is now turned into
an Eden, and our desertinto the garden of the Lord. Come, Holy Spirit, come,
and produce a spring seasonin our souls, for, with the church of old, we cry,
"Turn us again, O Lord God Almighty; cause your face to shine, and we shall
be saved."
The Holy Spirit is, emphatically, the gracious Spirit. All that he does for us,
and all that he works within us — is of grace. His grace is his glory, and he
glories in his grace. We may obtain his presence, andreceive his blessing in
answerto prayer — but we can never deserve either, nor can we by any works
we perform merit them. He graciously. . .
quickens the dead,
instructs the ignorant,

liberates the captives,
restores the wanderers,
comforts the dejected,
strengthens the weak,
and sanctifies the impure.
His work is his delight, and to see us holy and happy his pleasure!
Nothing grieves him like neglect, indifference, and going back to the beggarly
elements of this present world. Such conduct wounds his loving heart, grieves
his kind and tender nature; hence it was said of Israel:"They vexed and
grieved his Holy Spirit." And the apostle exhorts us: "Grieve not the Holy
Spirit of God."
Brethren, we need the Holy Spirit, as the Spirit of grace--to make us gracious
and gracefulChristians. Without the Spirit of grace
we cannotlive up to our profession;
we cannotcopy the example of our beloved Master;
we cannotkeepHis commandments;
we cannotlove one another as He has loved us;
we cannotsympathize with lost sinners as we should;
we cannotkeepGod's glory in view in all that we do;
we cannotwalk in high and holy fellowship with God;

we cannotmeet death with peace and joy
Let us look up, therefore, to our heavenly Father, let us plead his precious
promises, let us go in the name of the Lord Jesus, and let us entreat him to
give us more of "the Spirit of grace." He is not backwardto bestow — if we
are willing to receive. He will not refuse to listen to us — if we are earnest,
hearty, and importunate. He will grant us the blessing — if we seek it as that
which is essentialto our holiness and happiness, and to his honor and praise.
His word warrants us to expectthat he will give his Holy Spirit to those who
ask him. (Luke 11:13). His nature and his name, encourage us to persevere in
our application to his throne, until we receive. Oh, ForJacob's spirit — that
we may wrestle until we prevail! Oh, for David's power with God — that a
messengermay be causedto fly very swiftly, to assure us that our prayer is
heard! Oh, for the faith and fervor of the first Christians — that we may be
all filled with the Holy Spirit and with power! Oh, for the fullness of "the
Spirit of grace,"to be poured out upon every member of the one church of
Jesus, that we may all love eachother, and endeavor, by all possible means, to
glorify his glorious name!
THE SPIRIT OF GRACE
James Smith
The GreatComforter
"I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem — a
spirit of grace and supplication." Zechariah12:10
"The Spirit of grace" -Heb 10:29

The Holy Spirit is gracious in his nature, and his office in the economyof
redemption is, to convey grace . . .
from the Father,
through the Son,
into the sinner's heart.
Our heavenly Father is the God of all grace;
this grace flows into Jesus, and he is full of grace and truth;
and this grace is by the Holy Spirit directed into our hearts, so that out of his
fullness we receive grace upon grace.
The grace we receive from Jesus — conforms us to Jesus;for grace is that
which purifies and elevates our nature, and sanctifies us to the Lord's glory
and praise. Grace is . . .
the spring of all realprayer,
the source ofall goodworks, and
the rootof all spiritual excellency.
If we would serve God acceptably — we must receive grace to do so.
If we would live as befits the gospelof Christ — it must be by grace received
from God.

If we would patiently endure afflictions, and cheerfully carry our cross — we
must come boldly to a throne of grace, thatwe may obtain mercy and find
grace to help us in time of need.
All our graces are wroughtin us by the Spirit.
All our graces are preservedand kept alive by the Spirit.
All our graces are excitedand drawn forth by the Spirit.
Nor is the plant in nature more dependent on the moisture of the soil, the rays
of the sun, the dews of heaven, and the air of the atmosphere — than our
graces are dependent on the Spirit of grace. We cando anything through
grace — but we cando nothing correctly, or as it ought to be done, without
grace.
O Spirit of grace, fill us with grace from Jesus, andteach us to make use of all
our grace forJesus, and at length may grace ripen into glory to the honor of
Jesus!
"Restore unto me the joy of your salvation; and uphold me with your free
Spirit." Psalm 51:12.
ResistNotthe Spirit
Robert Neighbour

"Ye do always resistthe Holy Ghost" (Acts 7:51).
The Lord Jesus Christ stands outside the life of eachindividual man, seeking
to enter in.
He is willing to save; He is unwilling that any should perish.
To His own people, Israel, Christ said: "How often would I * * and ye would
not" (Matt. 23:37).
Christ seemedto be saying, "I would, ye would not, I could not."
We are now about to considerthe fact that man may refuse the work of the
Holy Ghost.
The Spirit of God convicts him of his sin, but he will not hear.
Three things may be said.
1. The sinner may resistChrist. The scene in Acts is a solemnone. Stephen
was a man full of faith and power. He preacheda plain, positive, pungent
message, to Israel, concerning her treatment of the Prophets, and of the
Saviour.
Those who heard Stephen were pricked in their hearts. They knew that he
spoke of them; they knew that they were a stiffneckedand an uncircumcised
people, both in their heart and in their ears.
Stephen told them plainly: "Ye do always resistthe Holy Ghost: as your
fathers did, so do ye" (Acts 7:51).
Then the men, cut to their heart, gnashedon him with their teeth; stopping
their ears and crying with a loud voice, they ran upon him with one accord,
"and casthim out of the city, and stoned him" (Acts 7:58).
This is the attitude of many a lost man towardthe Lord Jesus Christ.
They will not come unto Him that they might have life; they stubbornly and
steadfastlysettheir hearts againstHim; and they will not hear.

Jesus was trampled underfoot

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