Chapter XXVII (continued, part 32)
viz., of animals, which cannot make a covenant, much less make a testament, it is not strictly a testament ; wliere it is ratified by the death of him thp.t makes the arrangement,
it is strictly, Greek dlathece, Hebrew berilh, taken in a wider sense, a testament" [Bengel]; thus, in i'. 18, referring to the old dispensation, we may translate, " the first (covenant);" or better, retain "the first (testament)," not tliat the old dispensation, regarded by itself, is a testament, but
it is so when regarded as the tyjncal representative of the new, which is strictl}' a Testament. 19. Fot—Confirming the general truth, v. 16. spokeiii . . . according to the law—strictly adhering to every direction of " tlie law of commandments contained in ordinances " (Ephesians 2.
else, "be brought forward in court," so as to give effect to the will. Tliis sense (testament) of the Greek dialhece here does not exclude its other secondary senses in the other passages of the New Testament: (1.) a covenant between
15). Cf. Exodus 21. 3, " Moses told the people all the words
of the Lord, and all the judgments : and all the people answered with one voice," &c. the blood of calves Greek, " the calves," viz., those sacrificed by the " young men " whom he sent to do so (Exodus '24. 5). The "peace offerings" there mentioned were " of oxen" (LXX.,
tJiio parties ; (2.) an arrangement, or disposition, made by God alone in relation to us. Thus, Matthew 26. 28 may be translated, " UXooCL of the covenant;" for a testament does not require blood shedding. Cf. Exodus 24. 8 (covenant), which Christ quotes, though it is probable He included in sense " testament" also under the Greek word diathece. (comprehending both meanings, "covenant" and "testament"), as this designation strictly aiid properly applies to the new dispensation, and is rightly applicable to the old also, not in itself, but when viewed as typilying the new, which is properly a testament. Moses (Exodus 21. 8) speaks of the same thing as [Christ and] Paul. Moses, by the term " covenant," does not mean aught save one concerning giving the heavenly inheritance typified by Canaan after the death of the Testator, which he represented by the sprinkling of blood. And Paul, by the term " testament," does not mean aught s.ave one having conditions attached to it, one which is at the Vime a, covenant [PoLi, Synopsiny, the conditions are fulfilled by Christ, not by us, except that we must believe, but even this God works in His people. Tholucic explains, as elsewhere, "<yrvenant , . . covenant . . . mediating victim ;" thenire.?-
' little calves'), and the "burnt offerings" were probably (though this is not specified), as on the day of atonement, goats. The law in Exodus sanctioned formally many sacrificial practices in use by tradition, from the primitive revelation long be-
fore, with water—Prescribed, though not in Exodus 21., yet in otlier purifications, as ex. gr., of tlie leper, and the water of separation which contained the ashes of the red heifer, scarlet wool, and hyssop-Ordinarily used for purification. Scarlet or crimson, resembling blood : it was thought to be a peculiarly deep, fast dye, whence it typified sln(i\''ote, Isaiali 1. 18). So Jesus wore a scarlet robe, the emblem of the deep-dyed sins He bore oraHim, though He had none in Him. Wool was used as imbibing and retaining water; the hyssop, as a bushy, tufty plant (wrapt round with tlie scarlet wool), was used for sprinkling it. The wool was also a symbol of purity (Isaiah 1,
18). Tlie Hyssopus officinalis grows on walls, with small lancet-formed woolly leaves, an inch long, witli blue and white flowers, and a knotty stalk about a foot higli. sprinkled . . . the book—uiz., out of wliicli he had read " every precept :" the book of the testament or covenant. This sprinkling of the book is not mentioned in Exodus
CK.'ine is used of the victim personified, and regarded as mediator of the covenant; especially as in the new covenant a MAN (Christ) took the place of the victim. The covenanting parties used to pass between the divided
24. Hence Bengei, translates, " And (having taken) the book itself (so Exodus 24.7), he both sprinkled all the people, and (v. 21) moreover sprinkled the tabernacle." But the GJ-eefc supports English Version. Paul, by inspiration, supplies the particular specified liere, not in E.\odus
part-s of the sacrificed animals; but, without reference to this rile, the need of a sacrifice for establishing a covenant suff eiently explains tliis verse. Others, also, explaining the Greek as " covenant," consider that the death of the sacrificial victim represented in all covenants the death of both yinrties a,s tmalterably bound to the covenant. So in the redemption-cov^enant, the death of Jesus symbolized the death of God (?) in the person of the mediating victim, and the death of man in the same. But the expression is not "there must be the death of both parties making the covenant," hnt singular, "of Him who made (aorist, past time; not 'of Him making') the testament."
24. 7. The sprinkling of the roll (so the Greek for " book") of the covenant, or testament, as well as of the people, implies that neither can the law be fulfilled, nor the people be purged from their sins, save by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ (1 Peter 1. 2). Cf. i'. 33, which shows that there is somethingantitypical to the Biblein heaven
itself (cf. Revelation 20. 12). The Greek, "itself," distinguishes the book itself from the " precepts" in it whicli he "spake." ao. Exodus 24. 8, "Behold the blood of tlie covenant, which the Lord has made with you concerning
A.liiO, it is "death," not " sacrifice" or "slaying." Plainly, the death is supposed to be pcmt (aorist, "made"); and the fact of the death Is brought (Greek) before court to gl>'e effect to the will. These requisites of a will, or teetament, concur here: 1. A testator; 2. heirs; 3. goods;
all these words." The change is here made to accord with Christ's inauguration of the new testament, or covenant, as recorded by St. Luke 22.20, "Tills cup (is) the new testament in my blood, which Is shed for you:" the only Gospel in which the "is" has to be supplied. Luke was Paul's companion, which accounts for the cor-
4. the death of the testator; 5. the fact of the death
hri ught forward in court. In Matthew 28. 28 two ot her requlcltes appear: witnesses, the disciples; and a seal, the acrament of the Lord's .-jupper, the sign of His blood
4G3
The Saci'ijices of the Law IIEBEF.WS IX. far Inferior to that of Christ,
respoiuleiice, as here too "is"' has to be supplied, testnnn-Ht—(Xote, V. 16, 17.) The Greek diathcce means both testament and covenant: the term " covenant" better suits
.sacrifices. It, though but one, is manifold in its effecta and applicability to many. 34:. Kesuniplion more fully of the tliought, "He entered in once into the holy place,"
V. 12. He has iu v. 13, li, expanded the words " by His own blood," V. 12; and in v. 15-23, he has enlarged on "an High Priest of good things to come." not . . . iikto . . . Itoly places made Avitli Ikands—as was the Holy of holies in the earthly tabernacls (.note, v. 11). figures—copies "of the true" holiest place, heaven, the original archetype (ch. 8. 5). into Ikea-ven itself—tlie immediate presence of the invisible God beyond all the created heaveu.s, through which latter Jesus passed (note, ch. i. U; 1 Timothy 6. 16), now—ever since His ascension in the present economy (cf.
tlie old dispensation, though the idet. testament is included, for the old was one in its typical relation to the new dispensation, to wliich the term " testament ' is belter suited. Clirist has sealed the testament wiLli His
o^oorf, of which the Lord's Supper is the sacramental sign. The testator was represented l)y the animals slain in the old dispensation. In both dispensations the inlieritance was bequeathed: in the new by One who has come in person and died; in the old by the same one, only typically and ceremonially present. See Alfokd's excellent
jVote. enjoined unto you commissioned me to ratify in relation to you. In the old dispensation tlie condition to he fulfilled on the people's part is implied in the woids, EKodus 21. 8, " (Lord made with you) concerning all these
r. 26). to appear—TO PRESENT Hjjiself; Greek, "to be made to appear. ' Mere man may have a vision through a medium, or veil, as Moses had (Exodus 33. 18, 20-23). Christ alone beholds the Father without a veil, and is Hia perfect image. Through seeing Him only can we see the Father, in tike presence of God Greek, "to the face of God." The saints shall hereafter see God's face in Christ (Revelation 22. -!): the earnest of which Is now given (2 Corinthians 3. IS). Aaron, the Levitical high priest /or the people, stood be/ore the ark ami only saw the c/o(((i, the synil>ol of God's glory (Exodus 28. 30). for us—in our behalf as our Advocate and Intercessor (ch. 7. '25; Komans S.
ii ords." But here Paul omits this clause, as lie'includes the fulfilment of this condition of obedience to "all these M'ords'' in the new covenant, as part of God's promise, in ch. 8.5 10, 12, whereby Christ fulfils all for our justification, a id will enable us by putting His Spirit in us to
lultil all in our now progressive, and finally complete sanclitication. 31. Greek, "And, moreover, in like man-
'iter." 'She sprinkling of the tabernacle witli blood is added
31 ; 1 John '4 1). " It is enough that Jesus sliould shoiv Him-
l)y inspiration here to the account in Exodus 30. 2.5-30; lO.
tl, 10, which mentions only Jloses' anointing the tabernacle and its vessels. In Leviticus 8. 10, 15, 30, the sprinkling of blood upon Aaron and his garments, and upon his sons, and upon the altar, is mentioned as well as the anointing, so that we might naturallj' infer, as Josephus nas distinctly stated, that the tabernacle and its vessels were sprinkled with blood as well as being anointed: iycvilicus 16.16,19, 20," 33, virtually sanctions this inference. The tabernacle and its contents needed purification (2 Chronicles 2U. 21). 33. almost—to be joined with "all things," viz., almost all tilings under the old dispensation. Tbe exceptions to all things being purijied by blood are, Exodus 19. 10; Leviticus 15. 5, Ac. ; 16.26,28; 22. 6; 2^umbers 31. 22-21. -witliout— Gret'A-, "apart froni." sUcil- (Uug of blood — ,s7i((/ in the slaughter of the victim, and poured out at the altar subsecjuently. The j)oi«-i)isr Old of the blood on the altar is the main part of tlie sacrifice (Leviticus 17. 11), and it could not have place apart from the previous shedding of tlie blood in the slaying. Paul has, perhaps, in mind hero, Luke 22. 20, •"This cup Is the new testament in niy blood, which is shed for you." Is Greek, " takes place :" conies to pass, reuilsision — of sins: a favourite expression of Luke, Paul s companion. Properly used of remitting n debt (.Matlhew 6.12; IS. 27, 32); our sins are debts. On the Irulh here, cf. Leviticus 5. 11-13, an exception because of )M)vcrty, conlirming the general rule. 33. pntlerns—" the suggestive representations;" the typical copies (\ot.e, di.
self jor us to the Father: the sight of Jesus satisfied Gort In our behalf. He brings before the face of God no oU'ering which has exhausted itself, and, as only suflicing for a time, needs renewal; but He himself is in person, by virtue of the eternal Spirit, i. e., the imperishable lite of His person, now .and for ever freed from death, our eternally present oflering before God." [Delitzsch in AlKoun.] 35. As in v. 21, Paul said, it was not into the typical, but the true sanctuary, that Christ is entered ; so now he says, that His sacrifice needs not, as the Levitical sacrifices did, to be repeated. Construe, " xCor yet did He enter for tills purpose that JJe 7nay offer Himself often,"
i. c., present Himself in the presence of God, as the higb priest does (Paul uses the lircsont tense, as the legal service was then existing), year by year, on the day of alonemcnt, entering the Holyof holies. •wit\\—lit., " in." blood of olikers not his oicn, as Clirist did. 30. tlkeu—in
tliat case, ikkust . . . Have suifered—rather as Greek, "It would have been necessary for Him often to sutt'er." In order to "oiler" (v. 25), or present Himself often before God in the heavenly holiest place, like the legal high priests making fresh renewals of this high priestly func-
tion. He would have had, and would liave often to sulTer.
llxa oblation oi Himself betore God was once for all (i. e., the bringing in of His blood into tlie heavenly Holy of holies), and therefoi e the preliminary *i(^V') (»(; was once
for all. sikkce tike fouikdntiokk of the >vorld—The continued sins of men, from tlicir first crealiou, would entail a continual suH'ering on eartli, and coiiseiiueiit olilalion of His blood in the luvivenly lu)liest place, since the fovnda/ion of the Horld, it tlie one oblation "in the fulness of time" were not sulliciellt. PlllLO, t/c jl/ou., p. 6.37, shows that the high priest of the Hebrews ollered sacrifices for the wliole human race. "If there had been greater elticacy ill the repetition of the ol)latiou, Clirist necessarily would not have been so long promised, but would have been sent imnu'diately alter the foundation of the world
S. 5). tilings in tlic heavens—the heavenly tabernacle and tiie tilings tlieroin. ]iui-lfled tvillt tikese— with the blood of bulls and goals. Ueaveiily likings Ukeikknelves—the archetypes. ]\Ian's sin had introduced an element of disorder into the relations of God and His
lioly angels in respect to man. The purijiealion removes this element of disorder, and changijs God's wrath against man in lieaven (designed to be the place of (iod's
revealing His grace to men and angels) into a smile of
l econcillation. Cf. " peace in heaven" (Luke 10. 38.) " The uncreated heaven of God, though in Itself untroubled
to sutler, and oiler Himself at successive periods." (tiuoTuus.j ikow—as the case is. once— for all; without need
of renewal. Home's fiction of an unhloody sacrifice in the mass, contradicts her assertion that the bloodof Clirist
light, yet needed a purification in so far as the light of love was obscured by the fire of wrath against sinful man."
is present In the wine; and alsoeoulules her assertion that the mass is propitiatory; tor, it unbloody, it caiiiiol be propitiatory ; for willioid slunliling of blood there is no remission (r. '22). Moreover, the expression "once" fur all
I i)Kl,l'rzscn in Alfoud.J Contrast Ucvelation 12. 7-10.
Christ's atonement had the elh'ct also of casting Satan out of heaven (Luke 10. IH; .lolin 12. 31; cf. ch. 2. 11). Christ's body, the true tabernacle {notes, ch. 8. 2; 9. 11), as l)earlng our imputed sin (2 tjorlnthians 5. 21), was consecrated
here, and In v. 28, and cli. 10. 10, 12, proves the falsity of her view that there Is a contlnually-repeateil olleriug of
(.lohn 17. J7, 19) and purified by the shedding of His blood
(;hrist In the Eucharist or mass. Tlic otleriiig of Clirist was a thing once done that It might be thought of for ever
to be the ineetlug-placo of God and man. saei-idee—Tlio
plural Is used in expressing the general i)roposlt Ion, Ibougli strictly referring to the one sacrifice of Christ once for all. Paul Implies, that Ills one sacrillce, by its
(Note, cf. ch. 10. 12). in the eikd of the world— (/irct "al the consnniniallon of the ages;'' the winding up of all the previous ages from the founUatloii of the world; to be toi-
tiiatchloss excelloucy, Is equivalent to the Levltlcal many
4G4
J%e Once offered Sa.'rifice of Christ. HEBREWS X. The Weakness of Ike Law Saa iflces.
lowfid by a new age (ch. 1. 1, 2). The last age, beyond which nc) further age is to be expected before Cluisfs speedy second coming, wliicli is tlie complement of the
first to His second eonring; His iiingly office shall be fully manifested at, and after. His second coming.
first r;oming; lU., " tlie ends of the ages;" Matthew 2S.20 is
Hi., "the tonsummation of l/ic aye," or world (singular; not as here, plural, ays). C'f. "the fulness of times," Kpliesiaiis 1. lu. appeavetl—Greek, " been manifested" on earth (1 Timothy ;l l(j; 1 I'eter 1. 2i)). Enc/llsh Version has coafounded three disiinct Greek verbs, by tran.ilaliny all
Ver. 1-39. Conclusion of the Foregoing AnotrMENT. The Yearly Recukuing Law Sacrifices cannot Perfect THE 'WoilSIIIl'PER, HUT CHRIST'S ONCE-FORALi, Offering can. Instead of the daily ministry of the Levitical priests, Christ's service is perfected by the one
alike, v. 21, 20, 2-^, "appear." But, in i\ 21, it is " to present Himself," D(z., be/ore God in the heaven/}/ saneluary ; in v.
sacrifice, whence He now sits on the right hand of God aa
a Priest-King, until all His foes shall be subdued unto Him. Thus the new covenant (ch. 8. 8-12) is inaugurated, whereby the law is written on the heart, so that an offering for sin is needed no more. Wherefore we ought to draw near tlie Holiest in firm faith and love; fearful of the awful results of apostasy ; looking for the recompense
26, "been manifested" on earth: in v. "shall be seen" by all, and especially believers, put away— abolish; doing away sin's power as well by delivering men from
its guilt and penalty, so that it should be powerless to condemn men, as also from ils yoke, so that tliey shall at
last sin no more. sij»—Singular number; all the sins of men of every age are regarded as one ma-at laid on Christ. He hath not only atoned for all actual sins, but destroyed
to be givi^i at Christ's coniing. 1. Previously the oneness of Christ's ottering was shown ; now is shown its perfection as contrasted with the law sacrifices, having—Inasmuch as it has Init " the shadow, not the very image,"
tin itself. John 1. 29, " Heboid tiie Lamb of God that taketh away tlie sin (not merely the sins: singula!', not plural ) of the world." l»y s-icrillee of Mniavlf— Greek, "by
i.e., not the exact likeness, reality, and full revelation, such as the Gospel has. Tlie "image" here means the archetype (cf. ch. !). 21), tlie original, solid image fHENGEi,] roali/.ing to us those heavenly vei ities, of whicli the law furnished hut n shadowy outline before. Cf. 2 Corinthians
(tlirough) /f(,?o«'rtsacritice ;" not by " blood of others" (v. 2^5). Alfoki) loses thiseonlrast in triui^hi/inr/, " By hin sacri-
fice." 27. OS—inasmuch as. it ii$ nppoiied-d Greek, "\t
is laid up (as our appointed lot),'" Colossians 1. 5. The word "appointed" (so Hulirew " Seth" means) fn the ease of man, answers to "anointed" in the case of Jesns; therefore "the Christ," ). e., the anointed, is the title here given designedly. He is the representative man; and there is a strict correspondence between the history of man and that of the iSon of man. The two most solemn
3. 13, 14, 18; the Gospel is the very setting'forth by the Word and Spirit of tlie heavenly realities themselves, out of which it (the Gospel) is constructed. So Alford. As Christ is "the express imaf/e (Greek, impress) of the Father's person" (ch. 1. 3), so the Gospel is the heavenly ver-
ities themselves manifested b.y revelation—</ie heavenly very archetype, of which the law was drawn as a sketch, or outline CQpy (cli. 8.5). The law was a continual procesr' of acted prophecy, proving the Divine design that itscjunterparls should come; and proving tlie truth of ( osa counterparts when they came. Thus the imperff.;'. and contrnued expiatory sacrifices before Christ foretj; L, ano now prove the reality of, Christ's one perfect ant'.ypical expiation, good things to come—(ch.9. 11)—beli.ruging to " the world (age) to come." Good things in part made present by faith to the believer, and to be fully realized hereafter in actual and perfect enjoyment. Lessing says, "As Christ's Church on earth is a prediction of the economy of the future life, so the Old Testament economy is a prediction of the Christian Church." In relation to the temporal good things of the law, the spiritual and eternal good things of the Gospel are "good things to come." Colossians 2.17 calls legal ordinances "the shadow," and Christ "the body." never—at any time(ii. 11). with tliose sacrifices—rather, " with tte .same sacrifices, year by year —This clause in tlie Greek refers to the whole sentence, not mereljto the words "which they the priests offered" (Greek, "offer"). Thus the sense is, not as English Ver-
facts of our being are here connected with the two most gracious tiuths of our dispensation, oui' deAth and juilgment answering in parallelism to Christ's first coming to die for us, and His second coining to consummate our salvation, once—and no more, nfitcr this t!ie judgment
viz., at Clirisfs appearing, to which, in i'. 2$, "judgment" in this verse is parallel. Not "after tliis comes the heavenly glory." The intermediate state is astateof joy-
cus, or else agonizing and fearful exjieetation of "judgment;" after tiie judgment comes the full .and final state of joy, or else woe. 28. Clirist— G-'rce/.-, "the Christ ;" the representative Man; representing all men, as the first Adam did. once oflcred—not" often," r. 25; just as "men," of whom He is the representative Head, are appointed by God once to die. He did not need to die again and again
for each individual, or each successive generation of men,
for He represents all men of every age, and therefore needed to die but once for all, so as to exhaust the penalty of death incurred by all. He was offered by the Father, His own " eternal Spirit" (v. 14) concurring ; as Abraham spared not Isaac, but otfered him, the son himself nnresistingl.v submitting to the father's will (Genesis 22). to bear the sins—Referring to Isaiah .58. 12, " Ho bare the sins of many," viz., on Himself; so " bear" means, Leviticus 24. 15; Numbers 5. 31 ; 14. 31. The Greek is lit. to bear up
sion, but, Ihe law year by year, by the repetition of the same
sacrifices, testifies ils inability to perfect the worshippers, viz., on the YEARLY daj/ of atonement. The " daily" sacrifices
(1 Peter 2. 21). "Our sins were laid on Him. When, there-
.are referred to, v. II. continually— Grecfc, "coiitinuous-
fore, He was lifted up on the cross, He bare up our sins along with Him." [Bengel.J many—not opposed to all, but to few. He, the One, was offered for many; and that once for all (cf. Matthew 20. 2S). appear—rather, as Greek, "be seen." No longer in the alien " form of a servant," but in His own proper glory, without—apart from . . . separate from . . . "sin." Not bearing the sin of many on Him as at His first coming(even then there was no sin In Him). Thatsin has Ijeen at His first coming once for
Ij'." Implying that they offer a toilsome and ineffectual "continuous" ronnd of the "same" atonement-sacrificeii reciirriny "year by year." perfect— fully meet man's needs as to justification and sanctiflcation (Note, ch. 9. 9). coiners thereunto — those so coming unto God, viz., tht) worshippers (the whole people) coming to God in the person of their representative, the high priest. 2. For—If the law could, by its sacrifices, have perfected tliewoishippers. they — the sacrifices, once purged — if tliey were once for all cleansed (ch. 7. 27). conscience — "can' sciousncss of si n" (ch . 9. 9). 3. But—So far from tliose sacri-
all taken away, so as to need no repetition of His sin offering of Himself (u. 28). At His second coming He shall have no more to do with sin. look for him wit/i waiting expectation even un'o the end (so the Greek). It is Iransloled "wait for" in Romans 8. 19, 23; 1 Corinthians 1. 7, which
fices ceasing to be offered (v. 2). in, &c.—in the fact of their being offered, and in the course of their being offered on the day of atonement. Contrast f. 17. a remembrance— a recalVing to mind by the high priest's confession, on the day of atonement, of the sins both of each past year and
see. unto Bulvallon—to bring in completed salvation; redeeming then the body which is as yet subject to the bondage of corruption. Hence, in Phillppians 3. 20 he says, " we look for the SAViotrit." Note, Christ's prop/iet-
of all former years, proving that the expiatory sacrifices of former years were not felt by men's consciences to have fully atoned for former sins; in fact, the expiation and remission were only legal ar'' typical (i'. 4, 11). The 4Go
ical olBce, as the Divine Teaeh(v, was especially e.xercised during His earthly ministry ; His priestly is now from His
HEBREWS X.
i',7€ Wi'skness of the Law Sacrifices.
God has no Pleasure in Burnt Offerings.
Colossians 1.22. More probably "opened mine ears." means opened mine inward ear, so as to be attentively obedient to wliat God wills me to do, viz., to assume the body He has prepared for me for my sacrifice, so Job, Margin, 33. 16; 80. 10 (doubtless the boring of a slave's ear was the symbol of mieh willing obedience); Isaiah 50.5, "Tlie Lord God hath opened mine ear," i.e., made meofce-
Gospel remission, on tlie contrary, is so complete, that sins are " remembered no more" {v. 17) by Goci. It is unbelief to "forget" this once-for-all purgation, and to fear on account of " former sins" (2 Peter 1. U). The believer, once for all bathed, needs onlj' to "wash" his hands and "feet" of soils, according as he daily contracts them, in Christ's blood (John l:S. 10). 4. For—Reason why, necessarily, there is a continually recurring " rememl)rance of Sins" in the legal sacrifices (d. 3). Typically, "the blood of bulls," &c., sacrificed, had power; but it was only in virtue of the power of the one real autitypical sacrifice of Christ; they had no power in themselves; they were not the instrument, of perfect vicarious atonement, but an exhibition of the need of it, suggesting to the faitliful Israelite tlie sure hope of coming redemption, according to God's promise, take away—"take off." The Greek, v.
dieriHii attentive as a slave to bis master. Others somewhat similarly explain, " Mine ears hast tliou digged," or
"fashioned," not with allusion to Exodns 21. 6, but to the true office of the ear—a willing, submissive attention to the voice of God (Isaiah 50. 4, .5). The forming of the ear implies the preparation of the body, i. e., the incarnation
this secondary idea, really in the Hebrew, thongli less prominent, is the one which Paul uses for his argument. In either explanation the idea of Christ taking on Him the form, and becoming obedient as a servant, is implied. As He assumed a body in which to make His self-sacri-
11, is stronger, explaining the weaker word here, "take away utterly." The blood of brutes could not tiflje away the sin of man. A man must do that {Notes, ch. 9. 12-14). 5. Christ's voluntary self-ofl'ering, in contrast to those inefficient sacrifices, is shown to fulfil perfectly "the will of God" as to our redemption, by complet'ely atoning " for (our) sins." AVlierefore—Seeing that a nobler than animal sacrifices was needed to " take away sins." when
fice, so ought we present our bodies a living sacrifice (Romans 12. 1). 6. bnmt offerings— C'rrtA:, "7vhole burnt offerings." tlioii liast had ho plenswre—as if these could in themselves atone for sin: Go<l had pleasure in (Greek, "approved," or "was well pleased with") them, in so far as they were an act of obedience to His positive command under the Old Testament, but not as having aa
lie Komctlx— Greek, "coming." Tlie time referred to is the period before His entrance into tlie world, when the inefficiency of animal sacrifices for expiation had been proved. [Tholuck.] Or, the time is that between Jesus'
intrinsic eilicacy such as Christ's sacrifice had. Contrast Matthews. 17. 7. I come—rather, "I am come" (Note, v,
5). "Here we have the creed, as it were, of Jesus: 'lam come to fulfil the law, Matthew 5. 17; to preach, Mark 1. 38; to call sinners to repentance, Luice 5. 32; to send a sword, and to .set men at variance, Matthew 10. 34, o'); I came down from heaven to do the will of Him that sent me, John 0. ;5S, 39 (so here. Psalm 40. 7, 8); I am sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, Matthew 15. 24; I am come into this world for judgment, John 9. 39; I am come that they might have life, and might liave itmoreabundaiitly, John 10. 10; to save what had been lost, Matthew 18. 11 to seek and to save that which was lost, Luke 19. 10; cf. 1 Timothy 1. 15; to save men's lives, Luke 9.56; to send fir© on the earth, IiUkel2. 49; to minister, Matthew 20. 28; as "the Light,'" John 12. 40; to bear witness unto the truth John IS. V.' See, reader, that thy Saviour obtain what He aimed at in thy case. Moreover, do thou for thy part say, wliy thou art come here? Dost thou, then, also, do the will of God? From what time? and in what way?" [Bengei..] "When the two goats on the day of atonement were presented before the Lord, that goat was tobeotfered as a sin ottering on which the lot of the Lord should fall; and that lot was lifted up on high in the hand of the high
first dawning of reason as a cliild, and the beginning of His public ministry, during which, being ripened in liumau resolution. He was intently devoting Himself to
tlie doing of His Father's will. [Alford.] But the time of "coming" \s present; not "when He had come," but "when coming into the world;" so, in order to accord with Alpobd's view, "tlie world" must mean His PUBLIC ministry: when coming, or about to come, into
public. Tlie Greek verbs are in tlie past: " sacrifice, Ac, thou didst not wish, but a body tliou diilst i)repare for me;' and, " Lo, / am come." Tlierefore, in order to harmonize these times, tlie present coming, or about to come, with the past, "A body lliou didst prepare for me," we must eillier explain as Alfokd, or else, if we take the
])eriod to be before His actual arrival in the world (the
eartli) or incocna^ton, we must explain \\\e past tenses to refer to God's purpose, which speaks of wliat He designed from eternity as though it were aheady fulfilled. "A body thou didst prepare in tliy eternal counsel." This seems to me more likely than explaining "coming into the world," COTni/i(/ iH/o })»6/ic, or entering on His public ministry. David, in Psalm JO. (liere quoted), reviews liis past tronblesand God's having deli vered him from Miem, and his consequent desire to render willing obedience to God as more acceptable than sacrifices; but tlie Spirit puts into liis moutli language finding its partial application to David, and its full realization only in the Divine Son of D.wid. "The more any son of man approadies the Incarnate Son of God in position, or olHce, or individual spiritual experience, the more directly may his holy breathings in the power of Christ's Spirit be taken as utterances of Christ Himself. Of all men, tlie ))rophetking of Israel resembled and foreshadowed Him the most." [Alfokd.] a body liast tUon prrgtai'td mc Greek, "thou didst JiU'or me a body."' "In thy counsels thou didst determine to moke for me a body, to be given up to death as a sacrificial victim." [Wahl.] In Un: Jlebrew, Psalm fO. 0, it is " mine ears hast thou opened," or "dug." Perhaps this alludes to the custom of boring the ear of a
priest, and then laid upon the head of the goat which was to die; so the hand of God det.e>-mined all that was done to Christ. Besides the covenant of God with man through Christ's blood, there was another covenant miideby the Father with the Son from eter)iity. The condition was, "If Hesliall make His soul an ollering for sin. He shall see His seed," Ac. ( Isaiah S^. 19). The Son accepted the condition, "Lo, I come to do Ihy will, O God." [BrsilOP Peaiwon.1 Oblation, intercession, and benediction, are His three priestly odices. In tlie volume, &c.—lil., " the
roll:" the parchiiient MS. being wrappi-d around a cylinder headed with knobs. Here, the .Scripture "volume" meant is the 40th Psalm. " By this very passage ' written of me,' I undertake to do thy will [viz., that I should die for the sins of the world, in order that all who believe may lie saved, not by animal sacrifices, v. 6, but by my death]." This is the written contra<;t of Messiah (cf Neliemiah 9. ;i8), whereby He engaged to be our surety. So complete is the inspiration of all that is written, so great the authority of the Psalms, that what David says is really what Christ then and there sai<l. 8. Chrl«t. onci-IOee, Ac—The oldest MSS. read, " .sac?-f^C('.» and offe,-^ ings" (plural). This verse oomiiines the two clauses prnviously quoted distinctly, v. 5, (!, in contrast to the sacrt-
slave u'hi.' volunteers torcmain under his master when he might
be free. Christ's assuming a human body, in obedience to the Father's will, in order to die the death of a slave (eh.
2. II), was virtually the .same act of voluntary sulimission
to service as that of a slave suH'erlng his ear to 1)^? bored by his master. Jl\>i irilling obedience lo the Father's will is what is dwelt on as giving especial virtue to His sacrifice
flee of Christ with which God was well pleased. 9. TI«n» said Ike—"At that time (?;f>., when speaking by David's mouth In the 40th Psalm) He hath .said." The rejection
(V. 7, H, 10). The preparing, or fitting of a body for Him, Is not with a view to His mere Incarnation, but to His expiatory sacrifice (u. 10), as the contrast to "sacrifice and ollenng" requires; cf. also Uomaiis 7. 1 ; Epueslans '2. 10; 466
of the legal sacrifices involves, as its concomitant, the voluntary oUTer of Jesus to make the self-sacrifico with
The Sacrifice of Christ, once Offered, HEBREWS X. has For Ever Taken uu-ay Sin.
which God is well pleased (for, indeed, it was God's own "will" iliat He came to do in offering it: so that this sacri-
be subjected to Him. The Son waits till the Father shall "send Him forth to triumpli overall His foes." He Isnow sitting at rest (v. 12), invisibly reigning, and having His foes virtually, by right of His death, subject to Him. His present sitting on tlie unseen throne is a necessary preliminary to His coming forth to subject His foes openly. He shall then come forth to a visibly-manifested kingdom and conquest over his foes. Thus He fulfils Psalm 110. 1. This agrees witli 1 Corinthians 15. 23-28. He Is, by His Spirit and His providence, now subjecting His foes to Him in part (Psalm 110). The subjection of His foes fully shall be at his secoii j advent, and from that time to the general judgment (lievelation U». and 20.); then comes the subjection of Himself as Head of the Churcli to tlie Father (the mediatorial economy ceas ing wlien its end shall have been accomplished), that God .'iiay be all in all. Eastern conquerors used to trend on the neclcs of the vanquislied, as Josliu;T did to the five kings. So Christ's total and absolute conquest at His coming is symbolized, be made his footstool—;i7., " be placed (I'endered) footstool of His feet." his enemies—.Satan and Death, whose strength consists in "sin ;" this being taken away {v. II), the power of the foes is taken away, and their destruction necessarily follows. 14. For—The sacrifice being "for ever" in its efficacy (v. 12) needs no renewal. " For," <S:c. them that are sanctified-rallier as Greek, "then) that are 6ci?'.£r sanctified." The sanctification (consecration to God) of the elect (1 Peter 1. 2) believers is perfect in Christ once for all (Note.v.W). (Contrast tiie law, ch. 7. 19; 0. 9; 10. 1.) The development of that sanctiticalion is progressive. 15. The
flce could not but be well pleasing to God). I com^— "I am come." taUetU away—"sets aside the first," viz.,
"tlie legal system of sacrifices" which God wills not. the second—"the will of God" (v. 7, 9) that Christ sliould redeem us by His self-sacrifice. 10. By— Greek, " In." So "in," and "through," occur in the same sentence,
1 Peter 1.22, "Ye have purified your souls in obeying the trutli through the Spirit." Also, 1 Peter 1. 5, in the Greek. The "IN (fulfilment of) whicli will" (cf. the use of IN, Ephesians 1. 6, "wherein fin whicli grace] He hath made us accepted in the Beloved"), expresses the originating cause; "through the oireriiig ... of Christ," the instrumental or mediatory cause. The whole work of redemption flows from "the will" of God the Father, as the First Cause, who decreed redemption from
before the foundation of the world. The "will" here (boulema) is His absolute sovereign will. His "goodwill" (eudokia) is a particular aspect of it. are »aiitlifte«l— once for all, and as our permanent slate (so the Greek).
It is the finished work of Christ in iiaving sanctified us
(i. e., having translated us from a state of uiilioly alienation into a state of consecration to God, having " no more conscience of sin," v. 2) once for all and pernianentlj-, not the jirocess ofgradual sanctification, wliicli is here referred
to. tlie body—" prepared " for Him by tlie Father (f. 5). As the atonement, or reconciliation, is by the blood of
Clirist (Leviticus 17. 11), so our sanctification (consecration
to God, holiness and eternal bliss) is by the body of Ciirist (Coliissiaus 1. 22). Alfokd quotes the Book of Common Prayer Communion Service, " that our sinful bodies may be
Greek has " moreover," or "now." is a witness—of the truth wliich I am setting forth. The Father's witness
is given ch. 5. 10. The Son's, cn. 10. .5. Now is added that of the Holy Si>irit,caUed accordingly "the Spirit of grace,"
7iiade clean by His body, and our souls washed Ihrougli His most precious blood." once for all—(Ch. 7. 27 ; 9. 12, 26, 28 ;
10. 12, U.) 11. And—A new point of contrast ; tlte frequent repetition of the sacrifices, priest—Tlie oldest MSS. read, "high p; iesl," Thougli he did not in person stand "daily"
i). 29. The testimony of all Tlivce leads to the same conclusion (i). IS), for after tiint he liJii said, etc.—Tlie conclusion to the sentence is in v. 17, "A f/cr Ho had said before, This is the covenant tliat I will make witli them (with the house of Israel, cli. 8. 10; liere extended to the spiritual Israel), ic, saitli the Lord; I will pnt{lit., giving, referring to tlie giving of tlie law; not now as then, giving into the hands, but giving) my laws into their hearts (mind, ch. 8. 10) and in their minds (hearts, ch. S. 10) ; I will inscribe (so the Greek) them (here he omits the addition quoted in ch. 8. 10, 11, / will be to them a God, &c., and they shall not leach every man ?iis neighbour, itc), and (i. e., after Tie had said the foregoing. He then adds) their sins, &c., will I remember no more." The greiit object of the quotation here
oll'eriiig sacrifices, he did so by the subordinate priests of wliom, as well as of ail Israel, he was the representative
he.Kl. So " daily " is applied to the higli priests (ch. 7. 27). B<An{lctIi—the attitude of one ministering; in contrast to "sat dotvn on the right hand of God," v. 12, said of Christ;
tlie posture of one being ministered to as a king. wlilcU —Greek, "the which," i.e., of such a kind as. take away —utterly; lit., strip off all round. Legal sacrifices migiit, in part, produce the sen.se of forgiveness, yet scarcely even that (iVo/e, I). 4) ; but entirety to strip ofJ' one's guilt they never could. 1-J. this man—Emphatic (ch. 3. 3). forever —ynncd in E)iglisfi Version witli "offered one sacrifice;"
is, to prove tliat, there being in the Gospel covenant "reMi&siON of sins" (v. 17), there is no more need of asacrifice for sins. The object of the same quotation in cli. 8.8-13 Is to show that, there being a " new covenant," the old is antiquated. 18. where remission of tliese is—as there is under the Gospel covenant (r. 17). " Here ends the finale (ch. 10. 1-18) of the great tripMrtitearrangement (ch. 7. 1-2.5;
offered one sacrifice, the efficacy of which endures for ever; lit., continuously (c[. v. H). "The offering of Christ, once for all made, will continue the one and only oblation forever; no other will supersede it." [Uengel.] Themass, •which professes to be the frequent repetition of one and the same sacrifice of Christ's body, is hence disproved. For not only is Christ's body one, but also His offering is one, and that inseparable from His suffering (ch. 9. 2S). The mass would be much the same as the Jewish sacrifices which Paul sets aside as abrogated, for they were anticipations of the one sacrifice. Just as Rome makes masses continuations of it, in opposition to Paul's argument. A repetition would Imply that the former once-for-all oH'erlng of the one sacrifice was imperfect, and so would be dishonouring to it(«J. 2, 18). Verse 11, on the contrary, says, "He hath PEKFECTED FOR EVER them that are sanctified." If Christ offered Himself at the last supper, then He offered Him-
7. 26 to 9. 12 ; 9. 13 to 10. IS) of the in iddle porti on of the Epistle.
It.s great theme was Christ a High Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. What it is to be a high priest after the order of Melchisedec is set forth, oh. 7. 1-2.3, as contrasted with the Aaronic order. That Christ, however, as High Priest, is Aaron's antitype in the true holy place, by virtue of His self-sacrifice hereon earth, and Mediator of a better covenant, whose essential character the old only typified, we learn, ch. 7. 26 to 9. 12. And that Christ's selfsacrifice, offered through the Eternal Spirit, is of everlasting power, as contrasted with the unavailing cycle of legal offerings, is established in tlic third part, ch. 9. 13 to 10. 18; the first half of this last portion [ch. 9. 13-28], showing that both our present possession of salvation, and our future completion of it, are as certain to us as that Ho is wit a God, ruling asa Priest and reigning as a King, once more to appear, no more as a bearer of our sins, but in glory as a Judge. The second lialf, ch. 10. 1-18, reiterating the main position of the whole, the High Priesthood of Christ, grounded on His oUcringof Himself— its kingly character
self again on the cross, and there would be two offerings ; but Paul says there wasonlyo/te, once for all. Cf. Note, ch.
9. 2(i. English Version is favoured by the usage in this Epistle, of putting the Greek "for ever" after that which
It qualifies. Also, "one-sacrifice for ever," staiKls in contrast to "the same sacrifices oftentimes" (t). 11). Also, 1 Coriuthlans 1.5. 45, 28, agrees with v. 12, 13, taken as English Version, not joining, as Alfouu does, "for ever" with "sat down," for Jesus is to give up the mediatorial throiis " when all things shall be subdued unto Him," and not to
its eternal accomiili^liinent its <!iid, confirmed by Psalm 40 and 110., and Jeremiah 31." ( I JELI rzscu in Al.FOKD.] lti« Here beg'UJi tlie third and last liivision of the Kpistlo; our
8tt on It for ever. 13. exjiectlji};-" wiiiliiig." A waiting the execution of His Father's will, that ail His foes should
HEBREWS X.
Exhortation to hold fast the Faith
viilh Patieiio. and Thanksgiving.
drdy now ivhilsl iraUinf/ for the Lord's second advent. Resumption and expiinsion of the exhortation (ch. 4. 14-16;
the outer man, of a spiritual washing (1 Peter 3. 21). " Body" (not merely " fiesli," the carnal part, as 2 Corinthians 7.1) includes the tvhole material man, which needs cleansing, as being redeemed, as well as the soul. The bod.y, once polluted with sin, is washed, so as to be fitted like Christ's holy body, and by His body, to be spiritually a pure and living offering. On the "pure water," tho symbol of consecration and sanctification, cf. John 19. 34;
Cf. V. '22, 23 here) wherewitli he ch)secl the first part of tlie Epistle, preparatory to his great doctrinal argument, beginning ch. 7. 1. boldness—" free confidence," grounded on tlie consciousness tliat our sins liave been forgiven, to enter— "as regards the entering." by Greek, "in;" it
Is m the blood of Jesus that our boldness to enter is grounded. Cf. Ephesians 3. 12, " In whom we liave boldness and access witli confidence." It is His having once for all entered as our Forerunner (ch. 0. 20) and Higli Priest (v. 21), making atonement for us with His blood, which Is continually there (ch. 12. 24) before God, tliat gives us confident access. No priestly caste now mediates between the sinner and his Judge. We may come boldly with loving confidence, not with slavish fear, directly through Christ, the only mediating Priest. The minister
1 Corinthians 6. 11 ; I John 5. 6; Ezekiel 36. 25. The perfects "having . . . hearts sprinkled . . . body (the Greek is singular) ivashed," imply a continuing state produced by a once-for-all accomplished act, viz., our justification by faith through Christ's blood, and consecraiion to God, sealed sacramentally by the baptism of our body. 33. Ch. 3.6,14; 4.14. profession— GrecA, "confession." our faitli—rather as Greek," ovv. hope;" whichis indeed faith exercised as to the future inheritance. Jlope rests on faith, and at the same time quickens faith, and is the ground of our l-.old confession (1 Peter 3. 15). Hope is similarly (i'.22) connected with purification (1 John 3. 3). -«vitUont -tvavering-without declension (ch. 3. 14), "steadfast unto the end." he—God is faithful to his promises (ch. 6.
is not officially nearer God than tlie layman ; nor can the latter serve God at a distance or by deputy, as tlie natural inan would like. Eacli mustcome for himself, and all are accepted when they come by the new and living way opened by Christ. Thus all Christians are, in respect to access directly to God, virtually high priests (Revelation
17, IS; II. 11 ; 12. 26, 28: 1 Corinthians 1. 9; 10. 13; 1 Thessalonians 5. 24; 2 Thessalonians 3. 3; see also Christ's prom-
1. 6); They draw nigh in and through Christ, the only proper High Priest (ch.7.25). 30. whicU—The antecedent in the Greek is "the entering;" not as English Version, "way." Translate, "'Which (entering) He has consecrated (not as though it were already existing, but has been the
ise, John 12.26), but man is too often unfaithful to his duties. 24. Here, as elsewhere, /iope and love {oUow faith,
the Pauline triad of Christian graces, consider—with the mind attentively fixed on "one another" (Note, ch. 3.
first to open, rNAUGUitATED as a new thinri ; Note, vh.9. 18, where the Greek is the same) for us (ns) a new {Greek, re-
1), contemplating with continual consideration the characters and wants of our brethren, so as to render mutual help and counsel. Cf. "consider," Psalm 41. 1, and cli. 12.
cent; recently opened, Romans 16. 25, 26) and living way" (not like the lifeless way through the law otTering of the Dlood of dead victims, but real, vital, and of perpetual
15, "(All) looking diligently lest aji^^ fail of the grace of God." to provoke— GrecAr, "with a vieio to provoking unto love," instead of provoking to hatred, as is too often the case. 35. assembling of ourselves togetlier The Greek, episunagoge, is only found here and 2 Thessalonians 2. 1 (the gathering together of the elect to Christ at His coming, Matthew 24. 31). The assembling or gatliering of ourselves for Christian communion in private .and public, is an earnest of our being gathered together to Him at His appearing. Union is strength; continual assemblings together beget and foster ?oi'e, and give good opportunities for " provoking to good works," by " exhorting one another" (ch. 3. 13). Ignatius says, "Wlien ye frequently, and in numliers meet together, the powers of Satan are overthrown, and his miscliief is neutralized hyyourlikemindedness in the faith." To neglect such assemblings together might end in apostasy at last. He .avoids the Greek term sunagoge, as suggesting the .lewish synagogue meetings (cf. Revelation 2. 9). ng tbe manner of some Is —" manner," »'. c, habit, custom. This gentle exiiression proves he is not here as yet speaking of apostasy, tlie dayapproaching—This, the sliortest designation of the day ot the Lord's coming, occurs only in 1 Corinthians 3. 13; a coiifirniation of the Pauline authorship of this ICpistle. The Cliurch being in all ages kept uncert.ain how soon Christ is coming, Wie day is, and has been, in each age, practically always near; whence, believers have been called on alwa,vs to be watching for it as nigh at liand. The Hebrews were now living close upon one of those great types and foretastes of it, the destruction of Jerusalem (Matthew 21.), "the bloody and fiery dawn of the great da.v; that day is the day of days, the ending day of
efficacy, because the living and li/e-giving fin\iouv is that way. It is a living hope that we have, producing not dead, but living, wovXia). Christ, the first-fruits of our nature, has ascended, and the rest is sanctified tiiereby. "Christ's ascension is our promotion; and whither the glory of the Head hath preceded, thither tlie hope of the body, too, is
called." [Leo.] the veil—As the veil had to he passed through in order to enter the holiest place, so the weak, human suflrering.fl('.s7((ch.5.7)of Christ's humanity (which veiled His Godhead) had to be passed through by Him in entering tlie heavenly holiest place for us; in putting olf His rent flesh, the temple veil, its type, was simultaneously rent from top to bottom (Matthew '27. 51). Not His bodi/, but His weak sutl'ering /ic.sVi, was the veil; His body was tne temple (John 2. 19). 21. Hijjh Priest—As a difl'eretit Oreek term (arrhiei-eus) is used always elsewhere in this Epistle for "High Priest," translate as Greek here, "A Great Priest;" one who is at once King and " Priest on His throne" (Zechariah 6. 13); a royal Priest, and a priestly
ICing. lioMse of God—the spiritual house, the Church, made up of believers, whose home is heaven, wliei'e Jesus now is (ch. 12. 22, 2.'?). Thus, liy " the bouse of Goil," over which Jesus is, heaven is included in meaning, as well as the Cnurch, whose home it is. 3'i. (Ch. 4. 10; 7. 19.) wItJi n true lieai-t—without hypocrisy; "in truth, and with a perfect heart;" a heart thoroughly iniliued with "the truth" (r. 26). lull assurance—(Ch. 6. 11)—With no doubt as to our acceptance when coming to God by the lilood of
Christ. As "faith" occurs here, so "hope," and "love," v.
23, 21. sprinkled from i. e., sprinkled .so as to be cleansed from, evil eonselence— oonsciousni-ss of guilt nnntoued
all days, the settling da.v of all da.vs, the dn.v of the promotion of time into eternity, the day which, for the Church, breaks through and breaks off the night of the present world" [DEM'rzson in Alfoiid]. 26. Cf. on this and following verses, ch. 6. 4, &o. There the M-arning was that if there be not diligence In progressing a falling off
for, and nncleansed awivy (f. 2; ch. !). !)). Hotli the /icroV* and the bodies are cleansed. The legal purifications were with blood of animal victims and with water, and could only cleanse the flesh (ch. 9. 13, 21). Clirlst's blood purifies the heart and conscience. The Aaronie priest, in entering the holy place, washed with ivater (ch. 9. 19) in the brazen
will lake place, and aposlas.v ma.v ensue : here It is, that if there be lukewiirniiiess In Christian communion, apostasy ma.v ensue, if «e >i\n— Greek present pari lei pie : If we bo found sinning, i.e., not Iwilated acts, but :\, slate o( s'n. [Alford.] a violation not only of the !au', but of tiie whole economy of the New Testament (v. 28, '2»). wil-
laver. Relievers, as priests toGod.nre once for all \v:>shed
In BODY (as dlslinguished from " hi'arls") at hniil isin. As weliavean iinnialerlal.and a materliil niiture, thccleansIng of both is exprrased by " hearts" and bod.y," the Iniier and the outer man; so the wliole man, material and Immaterial. Tlie baptism of the body, however, Is not the mere putting away of ninlerin! filth, nor an act operating by Intrinsic efticacy, but the sacramental seal, applied to
fullj' — presumptuously, Greek "willingly." After recelvlug "full kuciwle(lgc(so the Greek, cf.l Timothy '2. 1) of the truth," by having been "enlightened,
" and by having
Exhortation to holdfast the Fuilh IIEBKICWS X. with Patience and ThauLtgiving,
"tasted" a certain measure even of grace of "the Holy Ghost" (the Spirit of truth, John U. 17; ami "the Spirit
than man, wlien one does so with fiVM\\ faith in his father's love, Ihiiugh (iod chastises him. "It is fearful" to fall into His hands iis a reprobate and presumptuous sinner doomed to His jusl vengeance as Judge (i>. 27). living God—therefore able to punish for ever (Mallhow 10.28). 32. As previously he has warned them by the awful end of apostates, so here he stirs thon up by the remembrance of their own former faith, patience, and self-sacrificing love. So Revelation 2. 3, 4. call to r<'meml>rance —Iiabitually : so the present tense means, illuuiinated —" enliglitened :" come to "the knowledge of the truth"
Of grace," v. 29) : to fall aivai/(a.s "sin " lu-re means, cli. :i. 12,
17; cf. ch. 0. 6) and apostatize (ch. S. 12) to Ju.hiisni or in-
fidelity, is not a sin of ignorance, or error {"oi// of the iva.i/," Ihe result) of infirmity, ljut a deliOi-rate sinnin;/ against the Spirit (v. 29; ch. 5. 2): siicfi sinning, wliere a couBCiousness of Gospel ohligations not only was, but is present: a sinning presumptuously and perseveringly ayaiust Christ's redemption /or us, and tlie Spirit ofgraee
in us. " He only wlio stands high can fall low. A lively reference in the soul to what is good is necessary in order to be thoroughly wicked; hence, man can be more repro-
{v. 2()) in connection with baptism {iS'ote, cli. (>. 4). In spiritual bnptism, Christ, who is "the Light,'' is put on. "On the one hand, we are not to sever tlie sign and tlie grace signified where Ihesacrifice truly answers its liesigns ; on
liate than the beasts, and the apostate angels than apos-
tate man." [Tholuck.] 1-eiiiaiuetli no more sacrllice
I"or there is but one Sacrifice tlial can alone tor sin ; they,
tlie other, the glass is not to be mistaken lor the liquor, nor the sliealh for the swoi d." [liENGEJ>.] liglit of— (. e., consistingof afflictions. 33. The persecutions liere referred to seem to have been endured by the Hebrew Christhins at their first conversion, not only in Palestine, hut also in Rome and elsewhere, the Jews in every city inciting the populace and the Roman authorities against (Christians, gazing-stocli—as in a ?/ieah-e (s(> the Greek): pften used as the place of punishment in tiic presence of the assemliled multitudes. Acts 19. 2>; 1 Corinthians 4. 9, " Made a theatrical spectacle to the world." yc became of your own accord : attesting your Christian sympathy with your suflering bretliren. companions of—sharers
a''ter having fully known that sacrifice, deliberately reject
27. a certain—an extraordinary and indescribable. The indefiniteness, as of something peculiar of Us kind, makes the description tlie more terrible (cf. Greek, James
1. IS), looking for—"expectation:" a later sense of the Greek. Alfoud strangely translates, as the Greek usually means elsewhere, "reception." The transition is eas.y frotu "giving a reception to" something or some one, to looking for. Contrast the "expecting" (the very same Greek as here), v. 13, which refutes Afford, fiery in<Ii<;- uation—W., "zeal of fire." Fire is personilieil : glow or ardour of fire, i.e., of Him wlio is "a consuming fire." devour—continually. !48. Cf. ch. 2.2,3; 12. 25. «lcspise<l —"setat naught " [Al-KoKDj: utterly and heinously violated, not merely some minor detail, but the u-liole law and covenant, as ex. gr., by idolatry (Deuteronomy 17. 2-7). So hi>re opos<((«i/ answers to such an ul ter violation of the old covenant, died— G'rccA:, " dies :" tlie noi nial punishment of such transgression, then still in force, ^vitliottt mer< y—lit., mercies: removal out of the pale of mitigation, or a respite of his doom, umler—on the evidenceof. 29. sorer Greek, " worse," viz., " punisliment " {lit., vengeance) tluin any mere temporal punishment of the body, suppose ye—an appeal to the Hebrews' reason and conscience, thoiiglit wortliy—by God at tlie judgment, trodden under foot tite Son of Cod—by "willul " apostasy. So he treads under foot God Himself who "glorified His Son as an high priest" (ch. 5.6; 0'. G). nn iinHoly tiling—?/;., "common," as opposed to " .sanctified." No better than the blooO of a common man, thus involving the consequence that Christ, in claiming to be God, was guilty of blasphemy, and so deserved to <iie ! wJierewitli lie was sanctified-for Clirist died even for him. "Sanctified," in the fullest sense, belongs only to tlie saved elect.. But in some sense it belongs also to those who have gone a far way in Christian experience, and yet fall away at last. The higher such a one's past Christian experiences, the deeper his fall, done despite unto—Ijy repelling in fact: as " blasphemy" is despite in words (Mark 3. 2i)). " Of the Jews who Ijecame Christians and relapsed to Judaism, we And from the history of Ukiel Acosta, thiit they required a blasphemy against Chi'st. Tiiey applied to Him epithets used against Molech the adulterous branch,' "Ac. [Tholuck.] the Spirit ot grace-the Spirit that confers grace. "He who does not accept the lienefit, insults Him •wlio confers it. He hath made thee a son: will thou become a slave 7 He has come to take up His abode with thee; but thou art introducing evil into tliyself." [CiuivsOSTOM.] "It is the cur.se 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 renewal of a change of mind (ch. 6. 6), and objectively no new sacrifice for sins" (ch. 10. 26). [Thoi.uck.] 30. Iiim— God, who enters no empty threats, vengeance Itelong-
in affliction with. 34. ye had coiiipassiuu on me in my !>onds—Tlie oldest MSS. and versions omit " me," and read, " Ye both sj-mpathized with t/iosc in bonds (answering to the last clause of v. 33; cf. ch. 13. 3, 2:3; 6. 10), and accepted (so the Greek is translated ch. 11. Xi) with JO'/ (James 1.2; Jo.y in tribulations, as exercising faith and other graces, Romans 5.3; and (he pledge of the coming glory, Matthew 5. 12) the plundering of yonr (own) goods "
(answering to the first cliiuse of v. ;i3). in yoursclveis The oldest MSS. omit " in :" translate, " Knowing that ye have for (or to) yourselves." iM'.lter—a heavenly (cli. 11.
IG). enduring—not liable to spoiling. subj,tance—possession : peculiarly our own, if we will not cast aivay our birth-right. 35-37. Consequent exhortation to confidence and endurance, as Christ is soon coming. Cast not away—Implying that they now have "confidence," and that it will not withdraw of itself, unless they "cast
it away" wilfully (cf. cli. 3. 14). -wMcU — Greek, "the which:" inasmucli as being sucli as. liafU— present tense : it is as certain as if you had it in your hand {v. 37) It hath in reversion, recompense of rewi««d—of grace not of debt: a reward of a kind whicli no mercenary sellseeker would seek : holiness will be its own reward ; selldevoting unselfishness for Christ's sake will be its own rich recompense {Note, ch. 2. 2; 11. 2(i). 3f;. patience— Greek, "waiting endurance," or "enduring perseverance :" the kindred Greek verb in the LXX., Habakkuk
2,3, is translated, ''Wail for it" (cf. James 5. 7). after ye have done the will of God—"that whereas ye have done the will of God" hitherto {v. 32-35), ye ma.v now shoiv also jiatient, per.^evering endurance, and so "receive tl.e promise," i. e., the promised reward: eternal life aLd bliss commensurate with our work of faith and love (ch.
G. 10-12). We must not only do, but also suffer (1 Peter 1.
19). God first uses the active talents of His servants ; the Q polishes the other side of the stone, making the passioe graces shine, patience, meekness, Ac. It ma.v be also trans-
lated, "That ye may do the will of God, and receive," &o. [Ai.ford]: "patience" itsellisa furtlier and a persevering doing of " God's will ;" otherwise it would be profitless and no real grace (Matthew 7. 21). We should lo< k, not merely for individual bliss now and at death, but for the great and general consummation of liliss of all saints, both in body and soul. 37, 38. Kneonragement to patient enduriuice by consideration of the shortness of the time till Clirist shall come, and God's rejection of him
etli unto me— Greek, "To me belongelh vengeance:" exactly according with Paul's quotation, Romans 12. 19, of the same text. Lord shall Judge his people— in grace, or else anger, according as eadi deserves: here, "juilge," BO a.s to punish the reprobate aiiostate ; there, "judge," so aa to interpose In behalf of, and save His peojile (Deuteronomy 32. STi). 31. fearful . . . to fall Into llkr liand», &c. —It le good like David to fall into the hands of God, rather
tliat draws back, t.-ilcen from Habakkuk 2. 3, 4. a little while—(John IG. IG.) he that shall come — lit., " tlia Comer." In Habakkuk, it is the vision that is said to be about to come. Christ, being tlie grand and ultimate snb«
4G9
Dcjiriilion of the Faith HEBREWS XI. junl Fpoken of hy Paid,
tUlngs not seen — the whole invisible and spiritual world ; not merely tilings future and things pleasant, as the " things hoped for," but also the past and present, and those the reverse of pleasant. "Eternal life is promised to us, but it is when we are dead; .we are told of a blessed resurrection, l)ut meanwhile we moulder in the dust; we are declared to be justitied, and sin dwells in us; we hear that we are blessed, meantime we are overwhelmed in endless miseries; we are promised abundance of all goods, but we still endure hunger and thirst
Jpcl of all prophetical vision, is liere niado by r;ml. nnJer inspiriilioii, llicsulijoc-tol tlu' spirit's propliccy by Ilali.iljkiik, ill ilN fiiiril and exliiinsiive fiilfilnu'nt. 38. just—Tlie okU-st AiSS.jind Va/rj(Uc read, "my just man." God is the speaker: "He who is just in niy sisht." Benkei^ traiis-
liifcx. '•The just sliall live by my faith:" answering to the ncbrrn; Halialikuli ^. 4., /(7., "tlie just shall live hy tlie
fail.h 0/ Him," viz.. C/irist, the final subject of " the vision," who "will not lie," i. e., disappoint. Here not merely the first beginning, as in Galalians 8. 11, but the coiUiiiu-
arirc, of the spiritual life of the justified man is referred to, as opposed to declension and apostasy. As the justitied man receives his first spiritual life by faith, so it is b,i/ faith that he shall continue to live (Luke 4. -1). The faith meant here is that fully developed livins; trust in the unseen (ch. 11. 1) Saviour, which can keep men steadfast amidst persecutions and temptations (v. HI-SI), bstt— Greek, "and." if anij num draw buck—So the (,'rce7c admits: though it might also be tran.tlaled, as Ai.r''OitD approves, "if /te(the just man) draw back." Even so, it would not disprove the final perseverance of saints. For "the just man" in this latter clause would mean one Beemingly, and in part really, though not savingly, "just" or justified: as in Ezekiel 18. 24, 2(i. In the Ifrbreu-, this latter half of the vefse stands first, and is, "Behold, his soul which is lifted up, is not upright in him." Habakkuk states the cause of drawing back : a soul lifted up, and In self-inflated unbelief setting itself np against God, Paul, tiy the Spirit, states the effect, it drmcx back. Also, what in Habakkuk is, " His soul is not upright in him,"
Goil declares He will immediately come to our help, but He seems deaf to our cries. What should we do if we had not faith and hope to lean on, and if our mind did not emerge amidst the darkness above the world by the shining of the Word and .Spirit of God ?" [Calvin.] Faith
is an assent unto truths credible upon the testimony of God [not on the reasonableness of the thing revealed, though by this we may judge as to whether it be what it professes, a genuine revelation], delivered unto us in the writings of the apostles and prophets. Thus Christ's ascension is the cause, and His absence the crown, of our faith: because He ascended, we the more believe, and because we believe in Him who hath ascended, our faith is the more .accepted. [Bishop Pe.vrson.] Faith believes wliat it sees not ; for if thou seest there is no faith: the Lord has g(nie away so as not to be seen: He is hidden that He may be believed; the yearning desire by faith after Him who is unseen is the preparation of a heavenly mansion for us ; when He shall be seen it shall be givea to us as the i-eward of faith, [.\ugustine.] As Revelation deals with spiritual and invisible things exclusively, faith is the faculty needed by us, since it is the evidence of things not seen. By faith we venture our eternal interests on the hare word of God, and this is altogether reasonable. 2. For—So high a description of faith is not undeserved; for, Ac. [.Vlford.] by— O'recfc,. " in :"
Is in Paul,"Jfy soul shall have no pleasure in him." Habakkuk states the cause, Paul the effect: He who is not right in his own soul, does not stand right with God ; God has no pleasure in him. Bengei. translates Habakkuk, "His soul is not upright in respect to him," viz., Christ, the subject of "the vision," i. e., Christ has no pleasure in him (cf. ch. 12. 2.)). Every flower in spring is not a fruit in autumn. 39. A Pauline elegant turning-olMroin denunciatory warnings to charitable hopes of his n-a<lers (Romans 8. 12). sivvln;; of tlie so«l— "acquisition (or obtuining) of the soul." The kindred Greek,\eYh is applied to Christ's acquiring the Church as tlie purchase of His blood (Acts 20. 28). ]f we acquire or obtain our soul's salvation, it Is through Him who has obtained it for us by his blood-shedding. " The unbelieving man loses his soul: for not being God's, neither is he his own fcf. .Matthew 16. 20 with Luke 9. 'Si]: faifh saves the soul by linklug it to God." [Delitzscii in Alford.]
in respect to . . . in the matter of, " it," or, as Greek more emphatically, "this."' tbe elders—as though still living and giving their powerful testimony to the reasonableness and excellence of faith (ch. 12. 1). Not merely the ancients, a^i though they were people solely of the past; nay, they belong to the one and the same blessed family as ourselves (v. 39, 40). "'J'he elilers," wliom we all revere so highly. "Paul shows how we ought to seek in all its fulness, under the veil of history, the essential substance of the doctrine sometimes briefly indicated." [Bengei..] "The elders," as "the fathers," is a title of lionour given on tlie ground of their bright faith and practice, obtnincd n good rei>ort Greek, " were testified
CII AFTER Xr.
of," viz., favoural)ly (cf. ch. 7. K). It is a phrase of Luke, Paul's companion. Not only men, but God, gave testimony to their faith {v. 4, 5, 39). Thus they being testified of themselves have become " witnesses" to all others (ch.
Ver. 1-40. Definition of the Faith .iust Spoken of
(ch. 10. 39): Examplf;s fijom the Old Covenant fou OUR Persevekance im Faith. 1. Description of the great things which faith, (in its widest sense : not here restricted io faith in the Gospel sense) does for us. Not a
12.1). The earlier elders had their patience exercised for a long period of life: those later, in sharper afflictions. Many things which they hoped for and did not see, sub-
s<'(]uently came to pass and were conspicuously seen, the event confirming faith. [Benoel.] 3. we understand we perceive witli our spiritual intelligence the fact of the worlil's creation by God, though.we see neither Him nor the act of creation as descrilied. Genesis 1. The natural world could not, without revelation, teach us this truth, though it confirms the truth when aviprehended by faith (Romans 1. '20). Adam is passed over in silence here as to his faith, perhaps as being the first who fell and brought sin on us all; though It docs not follow that he did not repent and lielieve the promise, worlds—///., "ages:" all that e.\ists In time and spaire, visible and invisible, present and eternal, frnincd—"fitly formed and consolidated;" Including the creation of the single parts and the harmonious organiza! Ion of t he whole, and the continual providence which maintains the whole thronghcrit a)l ages. As creation Is the foundation and a speclrr.en of the whole Divine economy, so faith in creation is th« foundation and a specimen of all faith. [Bknoeu] by
full defiuition of faitli in its whole nature, but a desciMptlon of its great characteristics in relation to tlie subject of Paul's exhortation here, viz., to perseverance, substance, Ac— It substantiates promises of God which we hope for, as future in fulfilment, m.aking them present realities to us. Howe ver, the Greek is translated in ch. .'i.