Having Therefore, Brethren, Boldness To Enter Into The Holiest By The Blood Of Jesus, By A New And Living Way Which He H
HOMILY XIX
HEB. 10:19–23.
HAVING THEREFORE, BRETHREN, BOLDNESS TO ENTER INTO THE HOLIEST BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS, BY A NEW AND LIVING WAY WHICH HE HATH CONSECRATED FOR US, THROUGH THE VEIL, THAT IS TO SAY, HIS FLESH, AND HAVING AN HIGH PRIEST OVER THE HOUSE OF GOD, LET US DRAW NEAR WITH A TRUE HEART, IN FULL ASSURANCE OF FAITH, HAVING OUR HEARTS SPRINKLED FROM AN EVIL CONSCIENCE, AND OUR BODIES WASHED WITH PURE WATER, LET US HOLD FAST THE PROFESSION OF OUR HOPE WITHOUT WAVERING.
[1.] HAVING therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He hath consecrated for us. Having shewn the interval [between them] as to the High Priest, and the sacrifices, and the tabernacle, and the Covenant, and the promise, and that the interval is great, seeing that those are temporal, but these eternal, those near to vanishing away, these permanent, those powerless, these perfect, those figures, these reality, for (saith he) not according to the law of a carnal commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. And Thou art a Priest for ever. Behold the continuance of the Priest. And concerning the Covenant, That (saith he) is old (for that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away) but this is new; and has remission of sins, while that [other has] nothing of the kind: for (saith he) the Law made nothing perfect. And again, sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not. That [tabernacle] is made with hands, while this is not made with hands: that has the blood of goats, this of the LORD; that has the Priest standing, this sitting. Since therefore all those are inferior and these greater, for this cause he saith, Having therefore, brethren, boldness.
[2.] Boldness: from whence? Just as sins (he means) produce shame, so the having all things forgiven us, and being made fellow-heirs, and enjoying so great Love, [produces] boldness [and confidence].
For the entrance into the holiest. What does he mean here by entrance? Heaven, and the access to the spiritual things.
Which He hath inaugurated, that is, which He prepared, and which He began; for the beginning of using is thenceforth called the inaugurating; which He prepared (he means) and by which He Himself passed.
A new and living way. Here he expresses the full assurance of hope. A new [way] he saith. He is anxious to shew that we have all things greater; since now the gates of Heaven have been opened, which was not done even in the case of Abraham. A new and living way. For the first way was [a way] of death, leading to Hades, but this [is a way] of life. And yet he did not say, “of life,” but called it living, (the ordinances that is,) that which abideth.
Through the veil (he saith) [even] His flesh. For this flesh first cut that way, by this He inaugurated it, in that He walked [along it]. And with good reason did he call the flesh a veil. For when it was lifted up on high, then the things in heaven appeared.
Let us draw near (he saith) with a true heart. To what should we draw near? To the holy things, to the faith, to the spiritual service. With a true heart, in full assurance of faith; [of faith], inasmuch as nothing is seen; neither the priest henceforward, nor the sacrifice, nor the altar. And yet neither was that priest visible, but himself stood within, and they all without, [even] all the people. But here not only has this taken place, that the priest has entered into the holy place, but that we also enter in. On this account he says, in full assurance of faith. For it is possible absolutely to believe while doubting, as there are even now many who say, that of some there is a resurrection and of others not. But this is not faith. In full assurance of faith (he says); for we ought to be so persuaded as [we are] concerning things that we see: nay, even much more, for here it is possible to be deceived in the things that are seen, but there not: here we trust to the senses, there to the Spirit.
Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience. He points out that not faith only, but a virtuous life also is required, and the not being conscious to ourselves of any evil. Since those who are not thus disposed the holy [places] do not receive with full assurance; For they are holy, and the holy of holies; and where no profane person enters. Those others were sprinkled as to the body, we as to the conscience, so that we may even now be sprinkled over; [that is], with virtue itself. And having our body washed with pure water. Here he speaks of the Washing, which no longer cleanses the bodies but the soul.
For He is faithful that promised. That promised what? That we are to depart thither and enter into the kingdom. Be then in nothing over-curious, nor demand reasonings. Our [religion] needs faith.
[3.] (ver. 24, 25) And (he saith) let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another and so much the more as ye see the day approaching. And again in other places, The Lord is at hand; be careful for nothing. For now is our salvation nearer: Henceforth the time is short.
What is, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together? He knew that much strength arises from assembling and gathering together. For where two or three (it is said) are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them; And again, That they may be One, as we also are; And, They had all one heart and [one] soul. And not this only, but also because love is increased by the gathering [of ourselves] together; and love being increased, of necessity the things of God must follow also. And earnest prayer (it is said) was made by the people. As the manner of some is. Here he not only exhorted, but also blamed [them].
And let us consider one another, he says, to provoke unto love and to good works. He knew that this also arises from gathering together. For as iron sharpeneth iron, so also association increases love. For if a stone rubbed against a stone sends forth fire, how much more soul mingled with soul! But not unto emulation (saith he) but unto the sharpening of love. What is unto the sharpening of love? unto the loving and being loved in a greater degree. And of good works; that so they might acquire zeal. For if acting has greater force for instruction than speaking, ye also have in your number many teachers, who effect this by their deeds.
What is let us draw near with a true heart? that is, without hypocrisy; for woe be to a fearful heart, and faint hands: let there be (he means) no falsehood among us; let us not say one thing and think another; for this is falsehood; neither let us be fainthearted, for this is not [a mark] of a true heart. The being weak-spirited arises from not believing. But how shall this be? If we fully assure ourselves through our faith.
Having our hearts sprinkled: why did he not say “having been purified?” because he wished to point out the difference of the sprinklings: the one he says is [the act] of God, the other our own. For the washing and sprinkling the conscience is God’s [act]; but the drawing near with truth and in full assurance of faith is our own. Then he also gives strength to their faith from the truth of Him that promised.
What is and having our bodies washed with pure water? With water which makes persons pure, or which has no blood [with it].
Then he adds the perfect thing, charity. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, which some (saith he) do, and divide the assemblies; this he forbids them [to do]. For a brother helped by a brother is as a strong city.
But let us consider one another to provoke unto love. What is, Let us consider one another? For instance if any be virtuous, let us imitate him, let us look on him so as to love and to be loved. For from Love good works proceed. For the assembling is a great good: since it makes love more warm; and out of love all good things arise. For nothing is good which is not done from love.
[4.] This then let us confirm towards each other. For love is the fulfilling of the law. We have no need of labours or of sweatings if we love one another. It is a natural pathway, leading towards virtue. For as on the public highway, if any man find the beginning, he is guided by it, and has no need of one to take him by the hand; so is it also in regard to Love: only lay hold on the beginning, and at once thou art guided and directed by it. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour; thinketh no evil. Let each man of himself consider himself, how he is disposed toward himself. He does not envy himself; he wishes all good things for himself; he prefers himself before all; he is willing to do all for himself. If then we were so disposed towards others also, all grievous things are brought to an end; there is no enmity; there is no covetousness: for who would choose to over-reach himself? no man: but on the contrary we shall possess all things in common, and shall not cease from assembling ourselves together. And if we do this, the remembrance of injuries would have no place: for who would choose to remember injuries against himself? who would choose to be angry with himself? do we not make allowances for ourselves most of all? If we were thus disposed towards our neighbours also, there will never be any remembrance of injuries.
And how is it possible (you say) that one should so love his neighbour as himself? If others had not done this, thou hadst reason to think it impossible: but if they have done it, it is plain that it is from indolence that it is not done by ourselves.
And besides, Christ enjoins nothing impossible, seeing that many have even gone beyond His commands. Who hath done this? Paul, Peter, all the company of the Saints. Nay, indeed if I say that they loved their neighbours, I say no great matter: they loved their enemies so, as no man would love those who were of one soul with himself. For who of us would choose for the sake of those even that are as his own soul, to go away into Hell, when he was about to depart unto a Kingdom? No man. But Paul chose this for the sake of his enemies, for those who stoned him, those who scourged him. What pardon then will there be for us, what excuse, if we shall not exhibit towards our friends even [what tends] to the very smallest portion of that love which he displayed towards his enemies?
And before him too, the blessed Moses was willing to be blotted out of God’s book for the sake of his enemies who had stoned him. David also when he saw those who had stood up against him slain, saith, I the shepherd have sinned, but these, what have they done? And when he had Saul in his hands, he would not slay him, but saved him; and this when he was himself about to be in danger. But if these things were done under the Old [Covenant] what excuse shall we have who live under the New, and do not attain even to the same measure with them? For if, unless our righteousness exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees, we shall not enter into the kingdom of Heaven, how shall we enter in when we have even less than they?
[5.] Love your enemies, He saith. Love thou therefore thy enemy: for thou art doing good not to him, but to thyself. How? Thou art becoming equal to God. He, if he be loved of thee, hath reaped no great gain, for he is [but] beloved by a fellow-slave. But thou, if thou love thy fellow-slave, hast gained much, for thou art becoming like unto God. Seest thou that thou art doing a kindness not to him but to thyself? for He appoints the prize not for him, but for thee.
What then if he be evil (you say)? So much greater is the reward. Even for his wickedness thou oughtest to feel grateful to him: even should he be evil after receiving ten thousand kindnesses. For if he were not exceedingly evil, thy reward would not have been exceedingly increased; so that the cause [thou assignest] for not loving him, the saying that he is evil, this same is a cause for loving him. Take away the adversary and thou takest away the opportunity of [obtaining] the crowns. Seest thou not the athletes, how when they have filled the bags with sand, they so exercise themselves? But there is no need for thee to practise this. Life is full of those that exercise thee, and make thee strong. Seest thou not the trees too, the more they are shaken by the winds, so much the more do they become stronger and more firm? We then, if we be long-suffering, shall also become strong. For it is said, a man who is long-suffering abounds in wisdom, but he that is of a little soul is strongly foolish. Seest thou how great is his commendation of the one, seest thou how great his censure of the other? Strongly foolish, i. e. very [foolish]. Let us not then be meanly contentious one towards another: for this does not arise from enmity, but from having a little soul. Inasmuch as if the soul be strong, it will endure all things easily, and nothing will have power sufficient to sink it but will lead it into the tranquil havens. To which may we all attain, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father and also to the Holy Ghost, be glory power honour, now and for ever and world without end. Amen.