Hebrews 10:19-22
What is written? (ESV)
Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
What does it say?
Therefore, brethren, we can confidently enter the holy place because of the blood of Jesus and the new and living way that was opened through the offering of Himself. He’s our great high priest over the church of God. Because of these things, we should singlemindedly draw near in full assurance of our faith having entered into His covenant with hearts/minds given a clear conscience and bodies cleansed with water.
What is its immediate context?
This letter to Jewish Christians that were now scattered throughout the region contrasts their Old Covenant worship practices (e.g. sacrifices, High Priest, etc.) with the New Covenant under Jesus Christ. Specifically here, the writer is calling to mind several Old Covenant practices that he has been contrasting to this point, including the “sprinkling” of the blood that was required for the forgiveness of sins (9:19-22).
How Hebrews 10:19-22 is applied across Bible answers
Top 5: Images for baptism?
To be baptized is to have our sins forgiven so that we can be in fellowship with God.
What is water baptism?
Using Jewish imagery much like Paul did with circumcision6, this writer uses sprinkling of blood, an image recalled from (Exodus 24:3-8) when Moses sprinkled blood on the people - the very point at which they entered into the [old] covenant. It’s the word "sprinkling” that looks back to the image, not forward to a practice (and obviously, hearts cannot literally be sprinkled). Therefore, it would be inappropriate to use this passage as a justification for baptism by sprinkling. Furthermore, lest there be any doubt, he couples the "sprinkled hearts" with "washed bodies" done by water (and not blood).
