A Body Prepared for the Messiah

Q. In Hebrews 10.5 it says that a body was prepared for Messiah. It quotes Psalm 40.6 but it says “My ears you have opened.” Why is there a difference and is this contradiction?

A. No it’s not a contradiction. There is a difference in words but not in meaning. Let me explain from the verse in Psalms. David is clearly talking about the Messiah. When it says that his “ears have been opened” it means “pierced” as a servant’s ears were pierced in Exodus 21.5. So David is saying in a poetic way that the Messiah is a servant. This idea is reinforced in the Book of Isaiah with whole chapters called the “servant” passages. One portion begins in Isaiah 52.13 through 53.12. This portion clearly calls Messiah a servant and it goes on with the familiar crucifixion passages so many are familiar with. So, that brings us to the passage in Hebrews. Paul is quoting a paraphrase of Psalm 40.6 where it puts “body you have prepared for me” where “my ears have been pierced” was. The meaning is this.

In order to have your ears pierced as a servant (to fulfill the servant passages and to be the lamb led to the slaughter in Isaiah 52.13-53.12) you must have a body. It goes on to say in both these passages that the body of Messiah was prepared because the legal requirement demanded of God for sin could not be met by “burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin” so God took no pleasure in them, He never did as far meeting that requirement. Both passages go on to say that Messiah says “Behold, I have come” (with anticipation, eagerness, he is ready). “In the volume of the book (the Scriptures) it is written of me (Mt 26.54, Lk 24.27) to do thy will (which was to offer Himself up –Mt 26.42).”

Because God would not regard the blood of bulls, goats or lambs as meeting the requirement of sin, Yeshua agreed in eternity past, in those conversations with the Father before the world was, to have a body prepared for him, and that he would come to earth and be a servant and offer his precious blood. This was settled in Heaven and in the garden before he suffered when he said, “Not my will but yours be done.” So, putting it all together like that gives you a bigger picture of what was going on. By putting the word “body” in that verse it conveyed the meaning of the passage in Psalms that clearly illustrated why Yeshua came.