By That Will

The writer made the argument that the blood of bulls and goats cannot take away sin from the fact that the sacrifices had to continue to be offered. If they worked, there would be no further need for sacrifice. Now he is going to make the argument from Psalm 40. It is interesting that he quotes from the Septuagint which is very different than the NKJV translation of the Psalm. "My ears you have opened" becomes "but a body you have prepared for me." The Jews definitely saw this as Messianic so they may have picked an alternate translation from the straightforward one about the ears. Either way, Hebrews is saying the right way to interpret it, since it is the core of the argument, that Christ had to take on flesh to be a truly acceptable sacrifice. The writer then uses the argument of the Psalm to argue that since Christ took on flesh to do His will and produce a people that actually do His will. Because He came to do the will of the Father, His sacrifice produces a people that do the will of the Father, a sanctified people.