Hebrews 10:2

2 alioquin non cessassent offerri ideo quod nullam haberent ultra conscientiam peccati cultores semel mundati

Hebrews 10:2 Meaning and Commentary

Hebrews 10:2

For then would they not have ceased to be offered
The Complutensian edition, and the Syriac and Vulgate Latin versions, leave out the word "not"; and the sense requires it should be omitted, for the meaning is, that if perfection had been by the legal sacrifices, they would have ceased to have been offered; for if the former ones had made perfect, there would have been no need of others, or of the repetition of the same; but because they did not make perfect, therefore they were yearly renewed; unless the words are read with an interrogation, as they are in the Arabic version, "for then would they not have ceased to be offered?" yes, they would; they are indeed ceased now, but this is owing to Christ and his sacrifice, and not to the efficacy of these sacrifices; for yearly sacrifices were offered for former sins, as well as for fresh ones, as appears from the following verse.

Because the worshippers, once purged, would have had no more
conscience of sins;
there are external and internal worshippers; the latter are such who worship God in Spirit and in truth: but here ceremonial worshippers are meant, who, if they had been really purged from sin by legal sacrifices, and purifications, would have had no more conscience of sins, and so have had no need to have repeated them; as such spiritual worshippers, who are once purged from sin by the blood and sacrifice of Christ; not that they have no sin, or no sense of sin, or that their consciences are seared, or that they never accuse for sin, or that they are to make no confession and acknowledgment of sin; but that they are discharged from the guilt of sin, and are not liable to condemnation for it; and through the application of the blood of Christ to them, have peace with God, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Hebrews 10:2 In-Context

1 umbram enim habens lex bonorum futurorum non ipsam imaginem rerum per singulos annos hisdem ipsis hostiis quas offerunt indesinenter numquam potest accedentes perfectos facere

2 alioquin non cessassent offerri ideo quod nullam haberent ultra conscientiam peccati cultores semel mundati

3 sed in ipsis commemoratio peccatorum per singulos annos fit

4 inpossibile enim est sanguine taurorum et hircorum auferri peccata

5 ideo ingrediens mundum dicit hostiam et oblationem noluisti corpus autem aptasti mihi