Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
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.
dieri Hii 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 incocnaton, 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 ol Hce, 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?-fC('.» and offe,-^ ings" (plural). This verse oomiiines the two clauses prnviously quoted distinctly, v. 5, (!, in contrast to the sacrtslave 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 sacribe 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." ta UetU 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,ca Ued 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 li Jii 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 trip Mrtitearrangement (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," stai Kls 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 accomiililiinent 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 ira Uinf/ 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). -«vit Uont -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 ot Tering 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, wov Xia). 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. lio Mse 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»). willaver. Relievers, as priests to God.nre once for all \v:>shed
In BODY (as dlslinguished from " hi'arls") at hniil isin. As weliavean iinnialerlal.and a materliil niiture, thccleans Ing 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