Hebrews 9

“THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS”

Chapter Nine To appreciate the difference between the two covenants, their respective sanctuaries and divine services are compared. First the earthly sanctuary and the limitations of its divine services are reviewed (Hebrews 9:1-10); then the greater and more perfect heavenly sanctuary with emphasis on its better sacrifice, the blood of Christ Himself (Hebrews 9:11-28).

POINTS TO PONDER

• The symbolism of the earthly tabernacle and its divine services

• The superiority of the heavenly High Priest and His sacrifice

REVIEW

1. What are the main points of this chapter?- The earthly sanctuary and its service - Hebrews 9:1-10- The heavenly sanctuary and its sacrifice - Hebrews 9:11-28
2. Describe the two parts of the earthly tabernacle and what they contained (Hebrews 9:2-5)- Holy place: lampstand, table of showbread, altar of incense (cf. Exodus 30:1-7)

• Holiest of All: ark of the covenant, with the items in it, and the mercy seat

3. What were the limitations of the earthly tabernacle and its services? (9-10)- Symbolic, and could not make one perfect in regard to the conscience

• Imposed only until the time of reformation

4. Of what was Christ the High Priest? (Hebrews 9:11; Hebrews 9:24)- Of good things to come, of the greater and more perfect tabernacle (heaven)

5. What sacrifice did Jesus offer? (Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 9:14)- His own blood, offered without spot

6. What does the sacrifice of Christ accomplish? (Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 9:14-15; Hebrews 9:26; Hebrews 9:28)- Eternal redemption (even for transgressions under the first covenant)

• Cleansing consciences from dead works to serve the living God
• To put away sin, once and for all

7. When did the new covenant (testament) come into force? (Hebrews 9:15-17)- Not until Jesus died on the cross

8. What is appointed for men? (Hebrews 9:27)- To die once, and then the judgment

9. For whom will Christ appear a second time for salvation? (Hebrews 9:28)- Those who eagerly wait for Him HEBREWS CHAPTER NINE. The Old and New Testament.SUMMARY.–The Tabernacle. Its Furniture. The Significance of Its Service. The Greater Tabernacle and Its High Priest. The Two Testaments. When the New Testament Came into Force. The Dedication of the First Testament. This a Pattern of Heavenly Things. Christ, Our High Priest, Hath Entered the Perfect Tabernacle. 1-5. The first covenant had also ordinances of divine service. The two covenants, the Mosaic and the Christian, have been named in chapter 8 . Here they are contrasted. The first, or Mosaic, had its ordinances, and a sanctuary, or tabernacle of worship, in this world. 2. For there was a tabernacle made.The tabernacle prepared at Sinai. See Exod. chapter 26 . The first.

The first room, or division, called the holy place. Wherein was the candlestick. See Exodus 25:31-40 . It was made of gold and had seven lamps for burning olive oil. Our space will not allow a discussion of the symbolical meaning of the furniture. Also in the holy place was a table on which were kept twelve loaves of bread, called shew bread. This table was overlaid with gold. See Leviticus 24:5 to Leviticus 9:3.

After the second vail. The first vail was over the door into the holy place. The second vail separated the holy place from the Most Holy Place, with the innermost recess, the Holiest Place in the worship of Israel. 4. Which had the golden censer. The critics are divided whether theword rendered censer refers to the golden censer or to the altar of incense. Both our versions have adopted censer, which is probably correct. In the golden censer was burned incense in the Most Holy Place, when the High Priest entered it once a year . The altar of incense stood against the vail of the Most Holy Place.

The ark of the covenant. See Exodus 25:10-16 . This chest, made of acacia wood and overlaid with gold, was the most sacred thing in the tabernacle. Wherein was the gold pot that had manna . Aaron’s rod . The tables of the covenant . The two stone tables of the law. All these but the tables had been removed before the temple was built .

Many hold that they were by the ark, not in it. See Deuteronomy 31:26 Numbers 17:10 . The ark itself disappeared when the temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. 5. And over it the cherubim. These symbolic figures, made of gold, hovered over the lid of the ark, called the mercy seat. Cannot now speak particularly. Cannot discuss the significance of each of these objects. The cherubim were angels.

See Genesis 3:24 . 6-10. The priests go in continually. The present tense used in the Greek as in the Revision. The temple, which was a copy of the tabernacle, was still standing when the Epistle was written. Into the first tabernacle. Into the holy place. The priests went in every day in the service. 7. But into the second.

Into the second part, the Most Holy Place, none entered but the high priest alone, he only once a year at the feast of the atonement, and then carrying the blood of the atonement, which he offered for his own sins as well as those of the people. See Leviticus 16:11-15 Exodus 30:10-25 . The errors of the people. Their sins of ignorance and mistakes. High handed, open defiance of God’s law was not atoned for. 8. The Holy Ghost this signifying. The divine arrangement, which suffered only the high priest to enter into the Holiest of all, signified that the way into the Holy of Holies above had not yet been made manifest or revealed to men. It required the Gospel to open the way.

The vail was yet over the mystery of redemption. While as the first tabernacle was yet standing. So long as the first tabernacle or temple worship stood as the divine service, the true and living way opened up through Christ was not made manifest. Even the high priest himself could go to the “mercy seat” only once a year. 9. Which was a figure. The Jewish rites were not the true and complete divine service but only figures, types. Both gifts and sacrifices were symbols. Nor could they make the worshiper perfect.

They could not cleanse him from all sin, deliver him from all fear, and make his conscience clear. They were not perfect sacrifices but pointed to the perfect sacrifice. The Jewish sacrifices only removed ceremonial impurities and sins of ignorance. 10. Being only. See the Revision, which is much clearer. They pertained to the flesh, were outward, did not renew the spirit, and were temporal, imposed until the time of reformation. That is, until the new covenant was ushered in. Divers washings. “Baptisms” in the Greek.

Immersions of the whole body were often required in the Jewish service. For examples see Leviticus 1:1 Exodus 29:4 Leviticus 16:4 Numbers 19:7 Numbers 19:9 , etc. These washings were all carnal ordinances for ceremonial purification. 11-14. But Christ being come. The tabernacle service having been described, Christ’s work is now placed in contrast. Through a greater and more perfect tabernacle. The high priest below passed through the first tabernacle to the Holy of Holies; Christ, our high priest, through a greater one not made with hands, not a material building. What is meant? Various answers have been given, none of which are entirely satisfactory. It seems impossible to limit the meaning to his body, or to the church, or to the world, as some have done.

Rather the reference is to the rites of the true and great tabernacle service by which “good things,” heavenly blessings are secured, in contrast with those of the earthly tabernacle. The earthly high priest, by complying with its rites, which were only a figure, entered into the Holiest of all; Christ by his sacrifice, the rites of the greater tabernacle service, entered into the true Holiest of all of which the earthly most holy place was only a symbol. It is shown in the next verse that the reference is to the sacrifice by which he entered. 12. By his own blood. The high priest always carried into the Most Holy Place the blood of the atonement, but Christ carried his own blood when he entered the Holy of Holies above. Obtained eternal redemption.

By his offering. His ransom was complete, and for all time. 13.

For if the blood of bulls and goats. This was shed for the purification of the people on the day of atonement. The ashes of an heifer. See Numbers 19:21 . The red heifer was burned, the ashes were put in water, and this water sprinkled on the people for their ceremonial purification. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ. If the blood of animals had any efficacy to purify, how much more the blood of Christ? Through the eternal Spirit.

Led by the Divine Spirit. He was dragged to the sacrifice like the victims, but laid down his own life to take it up again. This he did as God’s Anointed, anointed with the Spirit, acting by its power. Your conscience from dead works. Cleanse it from the guilt of works which deserve death. To serve the living God? If the sacrifices of the tabernacle cleansed from ceremonial pollution so that men could engage in its service, will not the blood of Christ cleanse you so that you can join in the acceptable service of the living God? 15. For this cause he is the mediator of the new covenant.

Covenant here rather than testament. Diatheekeemeans both “covenant” and “testament,” but here “mediator” shows that covenant is referred to. That by means of death. His own death. Transgressions that were under the first covenant. None under the old covenant could have complete redemption except by the death of Christ. Those who served God under it offered sacrifices which were types of Christ’s sacrifices, but they could not be made efficacious without Christ. It is by his death that they which are called, of every dispensation, have the promise of eternal inheritance.16-17.

For where a testament is. An inheritance has just been spoken of . That suggests a last will and testament, one meaning of the Greek word diatheekee used in verse 15 . A testament has no force until the testator is dead. 17. Is of force after men are dead. As soon as a man dies, his last will and testament comes into force, but has no force whatever while he lives. The application of this is that Christ’s testament, the new covenant, came into force when he died. The old covenant was in force to the cross; it was then “nailed to the cross,” and Christ having died, the New Testament came into force.

It has been urged against this view that the making of wills was not a custom of Israel. It was, however the custom of the whole Roman Empire, and Judea was now a Roman province. The Roman customs had made provinces of the empire familiar with the use of wills. 18-22. Neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. The death and shedding of the blood of Christ was necessary to the inauguration of the New Testament, as has just been shown. Even when the First was inaugurated, Christ died in type and blood was shed. I believe that the apostle means to say that even in the inauguration of the Old Testament death was necessary, the death of a victim, which pointed to Christ’s death. 19. For when Moses.

For the events alluded to, see Exodus 24:1-8 . All that God had proclaimed in the ten commandments and the accompanying precepts was written in the book of the covenant. This was read to the people, and they promised obedience. Then the book and all the people were sprinkled with blood. 20. This is the blood of the testament. The covenant had been dedicated by blood.

It is well to note that this covenant embraced the Decalogue, yet it was the covenant done away to make room for the covenant of Christ. The tabernacle worship had not yet been set up. 21. Moreover he sprinkled with blood. Afterwards, about a year later, when the tabernacle was ready, both it and its furniture were sprinkled . 22. Almost all things. See Leviticus 16:16 Leviticus 16:19 Leviticus 16:33 .

Under the law almost every thing was purified by blood, lest it had been defiled. Without shedding of blood is no remission. Every sin under the law required atonement, and no atonement could be made without blood. 23-26. The patterns of things in the heavens. See chapter 8:5 . The tabernacle and all its service were shadows. These were purified, as we have just seen, by blood. The heavenly things with better sacrifices.By the heavenly things are meant all of which the tabernacle was typical.

The holy place was a type of the church, which is cleansed with the blood of Christ. Perhaps, too, there is a reference to the redeemed church above, in the heavens, which eternally praises him who cleansed it with his blood. 24. The holy places made with hands. The tabernacle on earth. Figures of the true. Pictures, copies.

Into heaven itself.The true Holy of Holies. There, in the presence of God, Christ intercedes for us, as the high priest below interceded before the Shekinah. 25. Nor yet, etc. The high priest entered once a year with the blood of a victim. Not so Christ, our High Priest. 26. For then.

In that case he must have suffered many times. But now once. Only once did he offer sacrifice, viz., himself. In the end of the world. At the end of the Jewish dispensation; literally, “the end of the ages,” the end of the antediluvian, patriarchal and Jewish ages. 27, 28. As it is appointed unto men once to die, etc. The fixed order for all men is to die once only, and to be judged after death. When they die, finality is stamped, on their life work. 28. So Christ was once offered. Died once as a sin offering. But judgment followed, and he was justified and vindicated by his resurrection. He died once, and after it was the judgment, that made him the King of glory. His work of redemption was done once for all. So unto them that look for him. All the saints who desire his appearing; to them he shall appear a second time, at his second advent, sinless and the mighty Savior. He becomes a sin offering but once, and appears the second time without a sin offering, because he hath done the work once and forever.

Hebrews 9 Verse 1

1. ֵἶקו לὲם ןὖם ך.פ.כ. “To resume then, even the first (היבט�ךח) had its ordinances.” No substantive is expressed with “ first,” but the train of reasoning in the last chapter sufficiently shews that “ Covenant,” not “ Tabernacle,” is the word to be supplied. וἶקו. Although he often refers to the Levitic ordinances as still continuing, he here contemplates them as obsolete and practically annulled. פ� פו ἅדיןם ךןףליך�ם. “And its sanctuary— a material one.” The word ךןףליך�ם, rendered “ worldly,” means that the Jewish Sanctuary was visible and temporary— a mundane structure in contrast to the Heavenly, Eternal Sanctuary. The adjective only occurs here and in Titus 2:12. Some editors, both here and in Josephus (B. J. IV. 5, § 2), render it “complete,” i.e. in perfect order. It is impossible to render with the A.V. “ a worldly sanctuary,” for the N.T. writers keep the rule about the attributive adj. being placed before the article or after the noun. ךןףליך�ם is in apposition, and some regard it as a sort of substantive. See Winer, p. 166. Verses 1-10 1– 10. AFTER THUS TRACING THE BETWEEN THE TWO , THE WRITER TO SHEW THE BETWEEN THEIR OF Verses 1-28 CH. 9. After thus tracing the contrast between the Two Covenants, the writer proceeds to shew the difference between their ordinances of ministration (Hebrews 9:1 to Hebrews 10:18). He contrasts the sanctuary (1– 5), the offering, and the access (6, 7) of the Levitical Priests, in their shadowy and inefficacious ritual (9, 10), with the sanctuary [11], the offering, and the access of Christ [12], stating how far superior was the efficacy of Christ’ s work (13, 14). In the remainder of the chapter (15– 28) he explains the perfection and indispensableness of Christ’ s one sacrifice for sin. His object in this great section of the Epistle is to prove to the Hebrews that Christ is “ the end of the Law” ; that by His sacrifice all other sacrifices have been rendered needless; and that unlike the brief, intermittent, and partial access of the High Priest to the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement, we have through Christ a perfect, universal, and continuous access to God. Verse 2
2. ךבפוףךוץ�ףטח. “Was prepared” or “established.” He treats of the Sanctuary in 2– 5, and of the Services in 6– 10. ἡ נס‏פח. By this is not meant the Tabernacle in contrast with the Temple, but “the outer chamber (or Holy Place).” It is however true that the writer is thinking exclusively of the Tabernacle of the Wilderness, which was the proper representative of the worship of the Old Covenant. He seems to have regarded the later Temples as deflections from the Divine pattern, and he wanted to take all that was Judaic at its best. His description applies to the Tabernacle only. It is doubtful whether the seven-branched candlestick was preserved in the Temple of Solomon; there was certainly no ark or mercy-seat, much less a Shechinah, in the Herodian Temple of this period. When Pompey profanely forced his way into the Holy of Holies he found to his great astonishment nothing whatever (vacua omnia). ἐם ᾗ. Understand “ is.” The whole tabernacle is ideally present to the writer’ s imagination. ἥ פו כץקם�ב. Exodus 25:31-39; Exodus 37:17-24. The word would more accurately be rendered “ lampstand.” In Solomon’ s temple there seem to have been ten (1 Kings 7:49). There was indeed one only in the Herodian temple (1Ma 1:21; 1Ma 4:49; Jos. Antt. XII. 7, § 6, and allusions in the Talmud). It could not however have exactly resembled the famous figure carved on the Arch of Titus (as Josephus hints in a mysterious phrase, Jos. B. J. VII. 5, § 5), for that has marine monsters carved upon its pediment, which would have been a direct violation of the second commandment. ךבὶἡ פס�נוזב. Exodus 25:23-30; Exodus 37:10-16. There were ten such tables of acacia-wood overlaid with gold in Solomon’ s temple (2 Chronicles 4:8; 2 Chronicles 4:19). ἡ נס�טוףיע פῶם ἄספשם. Rendered by the LXX. ἄספןי פῆע נסןט�ףושע. Lit., “the setting forth of the loaves.” The Hebrew name for it is “ the bread of the face” (i.e. placed before the presence of God), Exodus 25:23-30; Leviticus 24:5-9. ἅדיב. Neut. plur. ἅדיב ἁד�שם represents the Hebr. superlative קֹרֶשׁ הַקֳּרָשִׁים. In the O. T. Kodesh is “ the Holy Place.” ἅדיב ἁד�שם. Lit., “the Holy of Holies,” a name which, like the Latin Sancta Sanctorum, is the exact translation of the Hebrew Kodesh Hakkodashim. In Solomon’ s Temple it was called “ the Oracle.” Verse 3
3. לופὰ הὲ פὸ הו‎פוסןם ךבפבנ�פבףלב. “Behind the second veil.” There were two veils in the Tabernacle— one called מָסָךְ (Exodus 26:36-37, LXX. ך�כץללב, or ἐנ�ףנבףפסןם) which hung before the entrance; and “ the second,” called פָּרֹכֶת (LXX. ךבפבנ�פבףלב), which hung between the Holy Place and the Holiest (Exodus 26:31-35). The Rabbis invent two curtains between the Holy Place and the Holiest with a space of a cubit between them, to which they give the name Tarkesin, which is of uncertain origin. They had many fables about the size and weight of this curtain— that it was a handbreadth thick, and took 300 priests to draw it, &c. &c. Verse 4
4. קסץףןῦם … טץליבפ�סיןם. It has been long disputed whether טץליבפ�סיןם means Censer or Altar of Incense. It does not occur in the Greek version of the Pentateuch (except as a various reading), where the “ altar of incense” is rendered by טץףיבףפ�סיןם טץלי�לבפןע (Exodus 30:27; comp. Luke 1:11); but it is used by the LXX. in 2 Chronicles 26:19; Ezekiel 8:11, and there means “ censer” ; and the Rabbis say that “ a golden censer” was used by the High Priest on the Day of Atonement only (Yoma, IV. 4). “ Censer” accordingly is the rendering of the word in this place in the Vulgate, Syriac, Arabic, and Aethiopic versions; and the word is so understood by many commentators ancient and modern. On the other hand (which is very important) both in Josephus (Antt. III. 6, § 8) and in Philo (Opp.

I. 504) the word טץליבפ�סיןם means “the Altar of Incense,” which, like the table, might be called “ golden,” because it was overlaid with gold; and this is the sense of the word in other Hellenistic writers of this period down to Clemens of Alexandria. The Altar of Incense was so important that it is most unlikely to have been left unmentioned. Further, it is observable that we are not told of any censer kept in the Tabernacle, but only in the Temple. The incense in the days of the Tabernacle was burnt in a מַחְתָּה (נץסוῖןם, “ brazier,” Leviticus 16:12); nor could the censer have been kept in the Holiest Place, for then the High Priest must have gone in to fetch it before kindling the incense, which would have been contrary to all the symbolism of the ritual. But it is asserted that the writer is in any case mistaken, for that neither the censer nor the “ altar of incense” was in the Holiest. But this is not certain as regards the censer. It is possible that some golden censer-stand may have stood in the Holiest, on which the High Priest placed the small golden brazier (machettah, LXX. נץסוῖןם), which he carried with him. There is indeed no doubt that the “ Altar of Incense” was not in the Holiest Place, but as all authorities combine in telling us, in the Holy Place. But there was a possibility of mistake about the point, because in Exodus 26:35 only the table and the lampstand are mentioned; and Exodus 30:6 is a little vague. Yet the writer does not say that the altar of incense was in the Holiest. It was impossible that any Jew should have made such a mistake, unless he were, as Delitzsch says, “ a monster of ignorance” ; and if he had been unaware of the fact otherwise, he would have found from Philo in several places (De Victim.

Offer. § 4; Quis rer. div. haer. § 46) that the Altar, which Philo also calls טץליבפ�סיןם, was outside the Holiest. Josephus also mentions this, and it was universally notorious (B.

J. Hebrews 9:5, § 5). Accordingly, the writer only says that the Holiest “had” the Altar of Incense, in other words that the Altar in some sense belonged to it. And this is rigidly accurate; for in 1 Kings 6:22 the Altar is described as “ belonging to” the Oracle (lit. the Altar which was to the Oracle, laddebמr), and on the Day of Atonement the curtain was drawn, and the Altar was intimately associated with the High Priest’ s service in the Holiest Place. Indeed the Altar of Incense (since incense was supposed to have an atoning power, Numbers 16:47) was itself called “ Holy of Holies” (A. V. “ most holy,” Exodus 30:10), and is expressly said (Exodus 30:6; Exodus 40:5) to be placed “before the mercy-seat.” In Isaiah 6:1-8 a seraph flies from above the mercy-seat to the Altar.

The writer then, though he is not entering into details with pedantic minuteness, has not made any mistake; nor is there the smallest ground for the idle conjecture that he was thinking of the Jewish Temple at Leontopolis. The close connexion of the Altar of Incense with the service of the Day of Atonement in the Holiest Place is illustrated by 2Ma 2:1-8, where the Altar is mentioned in connexion with the Ark. פὴם ךיגשפ�ם. This, as we have seen, applies only to the Tabernacle and to Solomon’ s Temple. “ There was nothing whatever,” as Josephus tells us, in the Holiest Place of the Temple after the Exile (B. J. Hebrews 9:5, § 5). The stone on which the Ark had once stood, called by the Rabbis “ the stone of the Foundation,” alone was visible. נ�םפןטום. The word rendered “ round about” means literally “on all sides,” i.e. “ within and without” (Exodus 25:11). קסץף�ῳ. The diminutive קסץף�ῳ here used for gold seems to imply nothing distinctive. Diminutives always tend to displace the simple forms in late dialects. ףפ�לםןע קסץףῆ. The Palestine Targum says that it was an earthen jar, but Jewish tradition asserted that it was of gold. The LXX. inserts the word “ golden” in Exodus 16:33 and so does Philo. It contained an “ omer” of the manna, which was the daily portion for each person. The writer distinctly seems to imply that the Ark contained three things— a golden jar (ףפ�לםןע) containing a specimen of the manna, Aaron’ s rod that budded, and the Stone Tables of the Decalogue. Here again it is asserted that he made a mistake.

Certainly the Stone Tables were in the Ark, and the whole symbolism of the Ark represented the Cherubim bending in adoration over the blood-sprinkled propitiatory which covered the tables of the broken moral law. But Moses was only bidden to lay up the jar and the rod “before the Testimony,” not “in the Ark” ; and in 1 Kings 8:9, 2 Chronicles 5:10 we are somewhat emphatically informed that “ there was nothing in the Ark” except these two tables, which we are told (Deuteronomy 10:2; Deuteronomy 10:5) that Moses placed there. All that can be said is that the writer is not thinking of the Temple of Solomon at all, and that there is nothing impossible in the Jewish tradition here followed, which supposes that “ before the Testimony” was interpreted to mean “ in the Ark.” Rabbis like Levi Ben Gershom and Abarbanel had certainly no desire to vindicate the accuracy of the Epistle to the Hebrews, and yet they say that the pot and the rod were actually at one time in the Ark, though they had been removed from it before the days of Solomon. ἡῥבגה�ע. Numbers 17:6-10. Verse 5 5. ׳וסןץגו�ם. “The Cherubim,” since im is the Hebrew plural termination . ה�מחע. Not “ the glorious Cherubim” but “the Cherubim of the Shechinah” or cloud of glory. This was regarded as the symbol of God’ s presence, and was believed to rest between their outspread wings (see 1 Samuel 4:22; 2 Kings 19:15; Haggai 2:7-9; Sir 49:8). They were emblems of all that was highest and best in animated nature— the grandest products of creation combined in one living angelic symbol (Ezekiel 10:4)— upholding the throne of the Eternal as on “ a chariot” and bending in adoring contemplation of the moral law as the revelation of God’ s will. פὸἱכבףפ�סיןם, “the propitiatory,” is the translation used by the LXX. for the Hebrew cappפreth or “ covering.” The word probably meant no more than “ lid” or “ cover” ; but the LXX. understood it metaphorically of the covering of sins or expiation, because the blood of the expiatory offering was sprinkled upon it. ךבפὰ ל�סןע. “Severally,” rather than “ particularly” (A. V.), “ in detail.” It was no part of the writer’ s immediate purpose to enter upon an explanation of that symbolism of the Tabernacle which has largely occupied the attention of Jewish historians and Talmudists as well as of modern writers. Had he done so he would doubtless have thrown light upon much that is now obscure. But he is pressing on to his point, which is to shew that even the most solemn and magnificent act of the whole Jewish ritual— the ceremony of the Day of Atonement— bears upon its face the signs of complete transitoriness and inefficiency when compared with the work of Christ. Verse 6 6. װן‎פשם הὲ ןὕפשע ךבפוףךוץבףל�םשם. “Since then these things have been thus arranged.” וἰע לὲם פὴם נס‏פחם … ἐניפוכןῦםפוע. “Into the outer tabernacle the priests enter continually in performance of their ministrations.” Their ordinary ministrations were to offer sacrifice, burn incense, and light the lamps, and in the performance of these they certainly entered the Holy Place twice daily, and apparently might do so as often as they saw fit. No inference can be securely drawn as to the continued existence of the Temple service from the present וἰף�בףים, because the present is used by the writer of things ideally existent on the page of Scripture (Hebrews 7:3; Hebrews 7:5, Hebrews 9:22, &c.). Verse 7 7. פὴם הוץפ�סבם, i.e. “the inner,” “ the Holiest.” There was a graduated sanctity in the Tabernacle and in the Temple. In the Temple any one might go into the Outer Court or Court of the Gentiles; Jews into the Second Court; men only into the Third; priests only in their robes into the Holy Place; and only the High Priest into the inmost shrine (Jos. c. Apion. II. 8). ἅנבמ פןῦἐםיבץפןῦ, i.e. only on one day of the whole year, viz. on the tenth day of the seventh month Tisri, the Day of Atonement. In the course of that day he had to enter it at least three, and possibly four times, namely [1] with the incense, [2] with the blood of the bullock offered for his own sins, [3] with the blood of the goat for the sins of the people, and perhaps [4] to remove the censer (Leviticus 16:12-16; Yoma, Hebrews 5:2). But these entrances were practically one. נסןףצ�סוי. A vivid present. ὑנὲס … ἀדםןחל�פשם. Lit., “for the ignorances,” but the word seems to be used in the LXX. to include sins as well as errors (Hebrews 5:2-3; Exodus 34:7; Leviticus 16:2; Leviticus 16:11; Leviticus 16:34; Numbers 15:27-31). Verse 8 8. פὴם פῶם ἁד�שם ὁה�ם. Entrance into the Holiest symbolised direct access to God, and the “ way” into it had not been made evident until He came who is “ the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). He is “ the new and living way” (Hebrews 10:19-20). פῆע נס‏פחע ףךחםῆע ἐקן‎ףחע ףפ�ףים. “While yet the outer Tabernacle is still standing,” i.e. so long as there is— for the Temple, which represented the continuity of the Tabernacle and the Old Covenant, had not sunk in flames, as it did a few years later— an outer Tabernacle, through which not even a Priest was ever allowed to enter into the Holiest. Hence the deep significance of the rending of the veil of the Temple from the top to the bottom at the Crucifixion (Matthew 27:51). Verse 9 9. ἤפיע נבסבגןכὴ וἰע פὸם ךביסὸם פὸם ἐםוףפחך�פב. ἥפיע. It is perhaps better, with Mr Rendall, to refer this to ףפ�ףים rather than to ףךחםῆע “ while this outer tabernacle is still holding a position which &c.” It is more often understood to mean “ and this outer Tabernacle is a parable for the present time.” By “ the present time” he means the prae-Christian epoch in which the unconverted Jews were still practically living. The full inauguration of the New Covenant, of which Christ had prophesied as His Second Coming, began with the final annulment of the Old, which was only completed when the Temple fell, and when the observance of the Levitic system thus became (by the manifest interposition of God in history) a thing simply impossible. A Christian was already living in “ the Future Aeon” (Ha-olam habba); a Jew who had not embraced the Gospel still belonged to “ the present time” (Ha-olam hazzeh, ὁ ךביסὸע ὁἐםוףפחך‏ע). The meaning of the verse is that the very existence of an outer Tabernacle emphasized the fact that close access to God (of which the entrance of the High Priest into the Holiest was a symbol) was not permitted under the Old Covenant. ךבטʼ ἥם. The true reading is not ךבטʼ ὃם but ךבטʼ ἥם, so that the “ which” refers to the word “ parable” or “ symbol,” “ in accordance with which symbolism of the outer Tabernacle both gifts and sacrifices are being offered, such as (לὴ) are not able, so far as the conscience is concerned, to perfect the worshipper.” He says “ are offered” and “ him that does the service,” using the present (not as in the A.V. the past tense), because he is throwing himself into the position of the Jew who still clings to the Old Covenant. The introduction of “ a clear conscience” (or moral consciousness) into the question may seem like a new thought, but it is not. The implied argument is this: only the innocent can “ ascend the hill of the Lord, and stand in His Holy Place” : the High Priest was regarded as symbolically innocent by virtue of minute precautions against any ceremonial defilement, and because he carried with him the atonement for his own sins and those of the people: he therefore, but he alone, was permitted to approach God by entering the Holiest Place. The worshippers in general were so little regarded as “ perfected in conscience” that only the Priests could enter even the outer “ Holy” (Hebrews 7:18-19, Hebrews 10:1-4; Hebrews 10:11). לὴ הץם�לוםבי. The fig. indicates the thought of the writer, quae non valeant; ןὐ הץם�לוםבי (comp. Hebrews 10:1) would have been equally admissible, and would have emphasized the fact of their being inherently unable to perfect the conscience (quae non valent). Verse 10 10. ל�םןם ἐנ�. The “ which” of the A.V. refers to the “ present time.” The Greek is here elliptical. The meaning is that the “ gifts and sacrifices” consist only in meats and drinks and divers washings— being ordinances of the flesh, imposed (only) till the season of reformation. גס‏לבףים. Exodus 12; Leviticus 11; Numbers 6. נ�לבףים. Leviticus 10:8-9; Leviticus 11:34; Numbers 6:2-3. היבצ�סןיע גבנפיףלןῖע. Leviticus 8:6; Leviticus 8:12; Exodus 40:31-32; Numbers 19 and the Levitical law passim. All these things had already been disparaged by Christ as meaning nothing in themselves (Mark 7:1-15); and St Paul had written “ Let no man judge you in meat, or in drink … which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ” (Colossians 2:16-17). [ךבὶ] היךבי‏לבפב ףבסך�ע. The ךבὶ should be omitted, and for the היךבי‏לבףי of the Text. receptus we should read היךבי‏לבפב. It stands in apposition to the sentence in general, and to the “ gifts and sacrifices” of the last verse; they could not assure the conscience, because they had only to do with meats, &c.— being only ordinances of the flesh, i.e. outward, transitory, superficial. ל�קסי ךביסןῦ היןסט‏ףושע. The season of reformation is that of which Jeremiah prophesied: it is in fact the New Covenant, see Hebrews 8:7-12. The “ yoke of bondage,” which consists of a galling and wearisome externalism, was then changed for “ an easy yoke and a light burden” (Matthew 11:30). ἐניךו�לוםב. There is no need for the “ on them” of the A.V. The verb means “ imposed as a burden,” “ lying as a yoke.” Comp. Acts 15:10; Acts 15:28; Galatians 5:1. Verse 11 11. נבסבדום�לוםןע. “Being come among us.” פῶם לוככ�םפשם ἀדבטῶם. Another and perhaps better reading is “of the good things that have come” (דוםןל�םשם BD, not לוככ�םפשם). The writer here transfers himself from the Jewish to the Christian standpoint. The “ good things” of which the Law was only “ the shadow” (Hebrews 10:1) were still future to the Jew, but to the Christian they had already come. Bleek takes פῶם לוככ. ἀד. to be a gen. of dependence or reference, Delitzsch and Alford regard it as a gen. of the object. הי�. The preposition rendered “ by” may mean either “through”— in which case “ the greater and better tabernacle” means the outer heavens through which Christ (anthropomorphically speaking) passed (see Hebrews 9:24 and Hebrews 4:14); or “by means of”— in which case “ the better tabernacle” is left undefined, and may heremean either the human nature in which for the time “ He tabernacled” (Hebrews 10:20; John 1:14; John 2:19; Colossians 2:9; 2 Corinthians 5:1), or as in Hebrews 8:2, the Ideal Church of the firstborn in heaven (comp. Ephesians 1:3). ןὐ קויסןנןי�פןץ. Because whatever tabernacle is specifically meant it is one which “ the Lord pitched, not man.” ןὐ פב‎פחע פῆע ךפ�ףושע. The word ךפ�ףיע may mean either “building” or “creation.” If the latter, then the meaning is that the better tabernacle, through which Christ entered, does not belong to the material world. But since ךפ�זש means “ to build,” ךפ�ףיע may mean “building,” and then the word פב‎פחע by a rare idiom means “ vulgar,” “ ordinary” (Field, Otium Norvicense, III. 142); otherwise the clause would be a mere tautology. Verses 11-14 11– 14. OF , THE OF ACCESS TO GOD, WAS SECURED THROUGH CHRIST ALONE Verse 12 12. ןὐה�. “Nor yet.” היʼ בἵלבפןע פס�דשם ךבὶ ל�ףקשם. “By means of the blood of goats and calves” (this is the order of the words in the best MSS.). It is not meant that the sacrifices of the Old Covenant were useless, but only that when they were regarded as meritorious in themselves— apart from the faith, and the grace of God, by which they could be blessed to sincere and humble worshippers— they could neither purge the conscience, nor give access to God. When the Prophets speak of sacrifices with such stern disparagement they are only denouncing the superstition which regarded the mere opus operatum as sufficient apart from repentance and holiness (Hosea 6:6; Isaiah 1:10-17, &c.). היὰ הὲ פןῦἰה�ןץ בἵלבפןע. His own blood (i.e. His essential life poured out for us) was the offering by which He was admitted as our High Priest and Eternal Redeemer into the Holy of Holies of God’ s immediate presence (Hebrews 13:20; Revelation 5:6). ִיὰ expresses the means by which Christ entered. ἐצ�נבמ. “Once for all.” וἰע פὰἅדיב, i.e. into the Holiest, as in Leviticus 16:2-3. בἰשם�בם כ‎פסשףים, i.e. the forgiveness of sins (Ephesians 1:7), and ransom from sinful lives (1 Peter 1:18-19) to the service of God (Revelation 5:9). It should always be borne in mind that the Scriptural metaphors of Ransom and Propitiation describe the Atonement by its blessed effects as regards man. All speculation as to its bearing on the counsels of God, all attempts to frame a scholastic scheme out of metaphors only intended to indicate a transcendent mystery by its results for us, have led to heresy and error. To whom was the ransom paid? The question is idle, because “ ransom” is only a metaphor of our deliverance from slavery. For nearly a thousand years the Church was content with the most erroneous and almost blasphemous notion that the ransom was paid by God to the devil, which led to still more grievous aberrations.

Anselm who exploded this error substituted for it another— the hard forensic notion of indispensable satisfaction. Such terms as those of “ substitution,” “ vicarious punishment,” “ reconciliation of God to us” , have no sanction in Scripture, which only reveals what is necessary for man, and what man can understand, viz. that the love of God in Christ has provided for him a way of escape from ruin, and the forgiveness of sins. וὑס�לוםןע. “Having obtained.” The “for us” is rightly supplied in the A.V.; but the middle voice of the verb shews that Christ in His love to us also regarded the redemption as dear to Himself. וὑס�לחם is the aor. mid. for וὑס�לחם. It is also found in Pausanias, and is due to a kind of false analogy with the form of the 1st aor. Verse 13 13. וἰ דὰס פὸ בἶלב ך.פ.כ. The writer has designedly chosen the two most striking sacrifices and ceremonials of the Levitical Law, namely the calf and the goat offered for the sins of people and priest on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16), and “ the water of separation,” or rather “ of impurity,” i.e. “ to remove impurity” “ as a sin-offering,” described in Numbers 19:1-22 (comp. Hebrews 7:26). The blood of Christ is described as having at once a cleansing (1 John 1:7, Revelation 7:14) and an atoningefficacy, and by blending the two distinct types of the great yearly Atonement and of the Red Heifer, the writer here combines this twofold efficacy of expiation and purification into one. הבל�כושע. The Jews have the interesting legend that nine such red heifers had been slain between the time of Moses and the destruction of the Temple. פןὺע ךוךןיםשל�םןץע. Those that have become ceremonially defiled, especially by having touched a corpse. נסὸע פὴם פῆע ףבסךὸע ךבטבס�פחפב, i.e. if these things are adequate to restore a man to ceremonial cleanness which was a type of moral purity. So much efficacy they had; they did make the worshipper ceremonially pure before God: their further and deeper efficacy depended on the faith and sincerity with which they were offered, and was derived from the one offering of which they were a type. Verse 14 14. נ�ףῳ לᾶככןם. Again we have the characteristic word— the keynote as it were— of the Epistle. פὸ בἷלב פןῦ ׳סיףפןῦ. Which is typified by “ the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness” (Zechariah 13:1). היὰ נםו‎לבפןע בἰשם�ןץ. If “through the Eternal Spirit” be the right rendering the reference must be to the fact that Christ was “ quickened by the Spirit” (1 Peter 3:18); that “ God gave not the Spirit by measure unto Him” (John 3:34); that “ the Spirit of the Lord was upon Him” (Luke 4:18); that He “ by the Spirit of God” cast out devils (Matthew 12:28). For this view of the meaning see Pearson on the Creed, Art. III., and it is represented by the reading “ Holy” for Eternal in some cursive MSS. and some versions. It may however be rendered “ by an Eternal Spirit,” namely by His own Spirit— by that burning love which proceeded from His own Spirit— and not by a mere “ ordinance of the flesh” (Hebrews 9:10). In the Levitic sacrifices involuntary victims bled; but Christ’ s sacrifice was offered by the will of His own Eternal Spirit. ἄלשלןם. Christ had that sinless perfection which was dimly foreshadowed by the unblemished victims which could alone be offered under the Levitic law. ἀנὸ םוךסῶם ἔסדשם. See Hebrews 6:1. If sinful works are meant, they are represented as affixing a stain to the conscience; they pollute as the touching of a dead thing polluted ceremonially under the Old Law (Numbers 19:11-16). But all works are “ dead” which are done without love. This seems to be the meaning, for the Writer speaks of the conscience as cleansed. It is the conscience which impels a man to work, but all works done in slavish obedience even to conscience uncleansed are dead.

It is to be observed that the writer— true to the Alexandrian training which instilled an awful reverence respecting Divine things … attempts even less than St Paul to explain the modus operandi. He tells us that the Blood of Christ redeems and purifies us as the old sacrifices could not do. Sacrifices removed ceremonial defilement— they thus “ purified the flesh” : but the Blood of Christ perfects and purifies the conscience (Hebrews 10:22) and so admits us into the Presence of God, because the Blood of Christ means the Life of Christ which vivifies the soul. The “how can this be?” belongs to the secret things which God has not revealed; we only know and believe that so it is. וἰע פὸ כבפסו‎וים טוῷ זῶםפי. Not to serve “ dead works” or a mere material tabernacle, or fleshly ordinances, but to serve the Living God who can only be truly served by those who are “alive from the dead” (Romans 6:13). Verse 15 15. היὰ פןῦפן, i.e. on account of the grandeur of His offering. היבט�ךחע ךביםῆע לוף�פחע. “A mediator of a NEW Covenant.” Moses had been called by Philo “ the Mediator” of the Old Covenant, i.e. he who came between God and Israel as the messenger of it. But Christ’ s intervention— His coming as One who revealed God to man— was accompanied with a sacrifice so infinitely more efficacious that it involved a NEW Covenant altogether. טבם�פןץ דוםןל�םןץ. The rendering of the A.V. makes the passage entirely unintelligible. The true rendering and explanation of this highly condensed and elliptical clause seem to be as follows: “ And on this account He is a Mediator of a New Covenant, that— since death” [namely the death of sacrificial victims] “ occurred for the redemption of the transgressions which took place under the first covenant— those who have been called [whether Christians, or faithful believers under the Old Dispensation] may [by virtue of Christ’ s death, which the death of those victims typified] receive [i.e. actually enjoy the fruition of, Hebrews 6:12; Hebrews 6:17, Hebrews 10:36, Hebrews 11:13] the promise of the Eternal Inheritance.” Volumes of various explanations have been written on this verse, but the explanation given above is very simple. The verse is a sort of reason why Christ’ s death was necessary. The ultimate, a priori, reason he does not attempt to explain, because it transcends all understanding; but he merely says that since under the Old Covenant death was necessary, and victims had to be slain in order that by their blood men might be purified, and the High Priest might enter the Holiest Place, so, under the New Covenant, a better and more efficacious death was necessary, both to give to those old sacrifices the only real validity which they possessed, and to secure for all of God’ s elect an eternal heritage. פῶם … נבסבג�ףושם. The gen. of the object, sin-redemption, i.e. redemption from sins. Winer, p. 231. Verses 15-28 15– 28. THE AND OF THE DEATH OF CHRIST Verse 16 16. ὅנןץ דὰס היבט�ךח. In these two verses (16, 17), and these only, היבט�ךח is used in its Greek and Roman sense of “ a will,” and not in its Hebrew sense of “ a covenant.” The sudden and momentary change in the significance of the word explains itself, for he has just spoken of an inheritance, and of the necessity for a death. It was therefore quite natural that he should be reminded of the fact that just as the Old Covenant (היבט�ךח) required the constant infliction of death upon the sacrificed victims, and therefore (by analogy) necessitated the death of Christ under the New, so the word היבט�ךח in its other sense of “Will” or “ Testament” (which was by this epoch familiar also to the Jews) involved the necessity of death, because a will assigns the inheritance of a man who is dead. This may be called “ a mere play on words” ; but such a play on words is perfectly admissible in itself; just as we might speak of the “ New Testament” (meaning the Book) as “ a testament” sealed by a Redeemer’ s blood. An illustration of this kind was peculiarly consonant with the deep mystic significance attached by the Alexandrian thinkers to the sounds and the significance of words. Philo also avails himself of both meanings of היבט�ךח (De Nom.

Mutat. § 6; De Sacr. Abel, Opp. I. 586, 172). The passing illustration which thus occurs to the writer does not indeed explain or attempt to explain the eternal necessity why Christ must die; he leaves that in all its awful mystery, and merely gives prominence to the fact that the death was necessary, by saying that since under the Old Covenant death was required, so the New Covenant was inaugurated by a better death; and since a “ Will” supposes that some one has died, so this “ Will,” by which we inherit, involves the necessity that Christ must die. The Old Covenant could not be called “ a Will” in any ordinary sense; but the New Covenant was, by no remote analogy, the Will and Bequest of Christ. צ�סוףטבי. Wherever there is a will the supposition that the maker of the will has died is implied, or legally involved (צ�סוףטבי, constare). Verse 17 17. ἐנὶ םוךסןῖע. Lit., “over the dead.” The A.V. rendering expresses the meaning rightly— a will is only valid “ in cases of death,” “ in the case of men who are dead.” Ex vi termini, “ a testament” is the disposition which a man makes of his affairs with a view to his death. The attempt to confine the word היבט�ךח to the sense of “covenant,” which it holds throughout the rest of the Epistle, has led to the most strained and impossible distortion of these words ἐנὶ םוךסןῖע in a way which is but too familiar in Scripture commentaries. They have been explained to mean “ over dead victims,” &c.; but all such explanations fall to the ground when the special meaning of היבט�ךח in these two verses is recognised. The author thinks it worth while to notice, in passing, that death is the condition of inheritance by testament, just as death is necessary to ratify a covenant (Genesis 15:7-10; Jeremiah 34:18). To his readers, in all probability, the momentary change of sense would have been at once intelligible; and especially if they were readers of Philo.

The unusual expression ἐנὶ םוךסןῖע, where ἐנὶ פןῖע ἀנןטבםןῦףים might have been more intelligible, is due to the silent parallel between the “ testament” and the “ covenant” which is passing through the author’ s mind. Ἐנὶ often implies supposition or condition; ἐנὶ ם. over dead persons, i.e. not until there are dead persons, when death has taken place. Winer, p. 491. ἐנוὶ … ל�נןפו ἰףק‎וי …; The words are perhaps better taken as a question—“ Since is there any validity in it at all while the testator is alive?” This is an appeal to the reader’ s own judgement. The לὴ is thus accounted for, which we must otherwise explain by the fact that he is not thinking of any particular testament, Winer, p. 602. As a matter of fact, however, though we should here have expected the absolute denial of ןὔנןפו, later writers constantly use לὴ after ἐנו�. Verse 18 18. ὅטום. “Wherefore” ; because both “ a covenant” and “ a testament” involve the idea of death. ןὐהʼ. “Not even.” ἐםךוךב�םיףפבי. Lit., “has been handselled” or “ inaugurated.” The word is from the same root as “ Encaenia,” the name given to the re-dedication of the Temple by the Maccabees (John 10:22. Comp. Deuteronomy 20:5; 1 Kings 8:63; LXX.). The perfect is used by the author, as in so many other instances where we should have expected an aorist. Verse 19 19. ךבὶ פῶם פס�דשם. This is not specially mentioned, but it may be supposed that “ goats” were among the burnt-offerings mentioned in Exodus 24:5. ὕהבפןע ךבὶἐס�ןץ ךןךך�םןץ ךבὶὑףף‏נןץ. These again are not mentioned in Exodus 24:6, but are perhaps added from tradition on the analogy of Exo 12:22; Numbers 19:6; and Leviticus 14:4-6. ὑףף‏נןץ. The dry stalks of a plant resembling marjoram. בὐפ� פו פὸ גיגכ�ןם. See Exodus 24:6-8, where however it is not specially mentioned that the Book was sprinkled. The Jewish tradition was that it lay upon the altar (see Exodus 24:7). The “ book” seems to have been the written record of what was uttered to Moses in Exodus 20:22 to Exodus 23:33. This is one of several instances in which the writer shews himself learned in the Jewish legends (Haggadoth). Verse 20 20. װןῦפן. In the Hebrew “ Behold!” Some have supposed that the writer adopted the variation from a reminiscence of our Lord’ s words—“ This is my blood of the new covenant which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matthew 26:28). But if such a reference or comparison had been at all present to his mind, he would hardly have been likely to pass it over in complete silence. ἧע ἐםופו�כבפן נסὸע ὑלᾶע ὁ טו�ע. “Which God commanded with regard to you,” i.e. which (covenant) Jehovah commanded me to deliver to you. Verse 21 21. ךבὶ פὴם ףךחםὴם ה�. This again is not mentioned in the scene to which the writer seems to be referring (Exodus 24:6-8), which indeed preceded the building of the Tabernacle. It is nowhere recorded in Scripture that the Tabernacle was sprinkled, although it is perhaps implied that on a later occasion this may have been done (Exodus 40:9-10); and Josephus, closely following the same Haggadah as the writer, says that such was the case (Jos. Antt. III. 8, § 6). נ�םפב פὰ ףךו‎ח. This again is not mentioned, though we are told that Aaron and his sons, and the altar, were consecrated by such a sprinkling (Leviticus 8:30), and that the “ propitiatory” was so sprinkled on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:14). By these references to unrecorded traditions the writer shews that he had been trained in Rabbinic Schools. Verse 22 22. ףקוהὸם … נ�םפב. There were a few exceptions (Exodus 19:10; Leviticus 5:11-13; Leviticus 15:5; Leviticus 16:26. &c.). The word ףקוהὸם, “ almost,” is only found in two other passages of the N. T. (Acts 13:44; Acts 19:26). קשסὶע בἱלבפוךקץף�בע. “ Without shedding of blood.” This, and not “pouring out of blood” at the foot of the altar (Exodus 29:16, &c.), is undoubtedly the true rendering. Comp. Leviticus 17:11; Luke 22:20. The Rabbis have a proverb, “ no expiation except by blood.” (Yoma, f. 5. 1; Menachoth, f. 93. 2.) The writer merely mentions this as a revealed fact: he does not attempt to construct any theory to account for the necessity. Verse 23 23. ὑנןהו�דלבפב. “Copies,” or outlines—Abbilden (not Urbilden) Hebrews 4:11, Hebrews 8:5. בὐפὰ הὲ פὰἐנןץס�םיב. Not “ the New Covenant,” or “ the Church,” or “ ourselves as heirs of heaven,” but apparently the Ideal Tabernacle in the Heavens, which was itself impure before Him to whom “the very heavens are not clean.” If this conception seem remote we must suppose that by the figure called Zeugma the verb “ purified” passes into the sense of “ handselled,” “ dedicated.” ךסו�פפןףים טץף�ביע. The plural is here only used generically to express a class. He is alluding to the one transcendent sacrifice. Verse 24 24. ןὐ דὰס וἰע קויסןנן�חפב ך.פ.כ. “For not into any Material Sanctuary did Christ enter— a (mere) imitation of the Ideal,— but into Heaven itself, now to be visibly presented before the face of God for us.” The Ideal or genuine Tabernacle is the eternal uncreated Archetype as contrasted with its antitype made with hands. The Ideal in the Alexandrian philosophy, so far from being an antithesis of the real, meant that which alone is absolutely and eternally real; it is the antithesis of the material which is but a perishing imitation of the Archetype. ἐלצבםיףטῆםבי. The inf. of purpose. The aor. is used to call attention to the special moment of the God-man’ s manifestation before the Presence of God. The word “ to be visibly presented” (ἐלצבםיףטῆםבי) is not the same as that used in Hebrews 9:26 , nor with that used in Hebrews 9:28, though all these are rendered in English by the verb “ appear.” Verse 25 25. ךבפʼ ἐםיבץפ�ם. In this entrance of the High Priest once a year, on the Day of Atonement, into the Holiest Place culminated all that was gorgeous and awe inspiring in the Jewish ritual. The writer therefore purposely chose it as his point of comparison between the ministrations of the Two Covenants. For if he could shew that even the ceremonies of this day— called by the Jews “the Day”— were a nullity compared with the significance of the Gospel, he was well aware that no other rite would be likely to make a converted Hebrew waver in his faith. The Day of Atonement was called “ the Sabbath of Sabbatism” or “ perfect Sabbath.” It was the one fast-day of the Jewish Calendar. The 70 bullocks offered during the Atonement-week were regarded as a propitiation for all the 70 nations of the world.

On that day the very Angels were supposed to tremble. It was the only day on which perfect pardon could be assured to sins which had been repented of. On that day alone Satan had no power to accuse, which is inferred by “Gematria” from the fact that “the Accuser” in Hebrew was numerically equivalent to 364, so that on the 365th day of the year he was forced to be silent. On the seven days before the Day of Atonement the High Priest was scrupulously secluded, and was kept awake all the preceding night to avoid the chance of ceremonial defilement. Till the last 40 years before the Fall of Jerusalem it was asserted that the tongue of scarlet cloth tied round the neck of the goat “ for Azazel” used to turn white in token of the Remission of Sins. The function of the High Priest was believed to be attended with much peril, and the people awaited his reappearance with deep anxiety.

The awful impression made by the services of the day is shewn by the legends which grew up respecting them, and by such passages as Sir 50:5-16; Sir 45:6-22. See an Excursus on this subject in my Early Days of Christianity, II. 549– 552. ἐם בἵלבפי ἀככןפס�ῳ. “With blood not his own,” namely that of the goat and bullock. See Hebrews 9:22. The ἐם expresses that with which any one is furnished. Comp. 1 Corinthians 4:21. A Rabbinic book says “ Abraham was circumcised on the Day of Atonement; and on that Day God annually looks on the blood of the Covenant of the Circumcision as atoning for all our iniquities.” Verse 26 26. ἔהוי. Sub. ἂם. “It would have been necessary for Him.” The omission of ἂם only calls more forcible attention to the necessity in the case supposed. See Winer, p. 356. נןככ�ךיע. Since He could not have entered the Sanctuary of God’ s Holiest in the Heavens without some offering of atoning blood. ἅנבמ. “ Once for all.” This is emphasized several times in the Epistle. ἐנὶ ףץםפוכו�ᾳ פῶם בἰ‏םשם. The phrase of the A. V. “ in the end of the world” hardly conveys the meaning of the Greek, which is “ at the consummation of the ages” (Matthew 13:39; Matthew 13:49; Matthew 24:3; Matthew 28:20), in other words “ when God’ s full time was come for the revelation of the Gospel” (comp. Hebrews 1:1; 1 Corinthians 10:11). וἰע ἀט�פחףים ἁלבספ�בע. “ For the annulment of sin.” Into this one word is concentrated the infinite superiority of the work of Christ. The High Priest even on the Day of Atonement could offer no sacrifice which could even put away (ἀצביסוῖם) sin (Hebrews 10:4), but Christ’ s sacrifice was able to annul (ἀטופוῖם) sin altogether. היὰ פῆע טץף�ףע בὐפןῦ. “By His sacrifice.” If the A. V. rendering “ by the sacrifice of Himself” had been correct we should have had ἑבץפןῦ. The object of the sacrifice was, as St Peter tells us, “ to bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). נוצבם�סשפבי. Lit., “He has been manifested”— namely, “ in the flesh” at the Incarnation (1 Timothy 3:16; 1 Peter 1:20, &c.). Verse 27 27. ךבטʼ ὅףןם. “Inasmuch as.” ἀנ�ךויפבי. “It is reserved” ; lit., “ it is laid up for.” ךס�ףיע. “A judgement.” By this apparently is not meant “ a day in the which He will judge the world in righteousness” (Acts 17:31), but a judgement which follows immediately after death. Verse 28 28. ὁ ׳סיףפ�ע. “ The Christ” ; the Anointed High Priest. ἅנבמ נסןףוםוקטו�ע. “Having been once offered.” Christ may also be said as in Hebrews 9:14 “to offer Himself” ; just as He is said “ to be delivered for us” (Romans 4:25) and “ to deliver up Himself” (Ephesians 5:2). נןככῶם. “ Many” is only used as an antithesis to “ few.” Of course the writer does not mean to contradict the lesson which runs throughout the N. T. that Christ died for all. Once for all One died for all who were “ many” (see my Life of St Paul, II. 216). ἀםוםודךוῖם. “ To carry them with Him on to the Cross,” as in 1 Peter 2:24 : or as probably in Isaiah 53:12 “ to take them away.” קשס�ע. Not merely “ without (ἄפוס)” but “apart from (קשסὶע) sin,” i.e. apart from all connexion with it, because He shall have utterly triumphed over, and annulled it (Hebrews 9:26; Daniel 9:24-25; Isaiah 25:7-8). The words do not go with “ the second time,” for at Christ’ s first coming He appeared without sin indeed, but not “ apart from sin,” seeing that “ He was numbered with the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12) and was “ made sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21). וἰע ףשפחס�בם. “ It shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; … we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation” (Isaiah 25:9). It is remarkable that the Sacred writers— unlike the Mediaeval painters and moralists— almost invariably avoid the more terrible aspects of the Second Advent. “ How shall He appear?” asks St Chrysostom on this passage, “ As a Punisher? He did not say this, but the bright side.” The parallelism of these verses is: Man dies once, and is judged; Christ died once, and shall return— he might have said “ to be man’ s judge” (Acts 17:31)— but he does say “ He shall return … for salvation.” We may sum up some of the contrasts of this previous chapter as follows. The descendants of Aaron were but priests; Christ, like Melchisedek, was both Priest and King. They were for a time; He is a Priest for ever. They were but links in a long succession, inheriting from forefathers, transmitting to descendants; He stands alone, without lineage, without successor. They were established by a transitory ordinance, He by an eternal oath. They were sinful, He is sinless.

They weak, He all-powerful. Their sacrifices were ineffectual, His was perfect. Their sacrifices were offered daily. His once for all. Theirs did but cleanse from ceremonial defilement, His purged the conscience. Their tabernacle was but a copy, and their service a shadow; His tabernacle was the Archetype, and His service the substance.

They died and passed away; He sits to intercede for us for ever at God’ s right hand. Their Covenant is doomed to abrogation; His, founded on better promises, is to endure unto the end. Their High Priest could but enter once and that with awful precautions, with the blood of bulls and goats, into a material shrine; He, entering once for all with the blood of His one perfect sacrifice into the Heaven of Heavens, has thrown open to all the right of continual and fearless access to God. What a sin then was it, and what a folly, to look back with apostatising glances at the shadows of a petty Levitism while Christ the Mediator of a New, of a better, of a final Dispensation— Christ whose blood had a real and no mere symbolic efficacy, had died once for all, and Alone for all, as the sinless Son of God to obtain for us an eternal redemption, and to return for our salvation as the Everlasting Victor over sin and death!

Hebrews 9:1-10

“THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS”

The Earthly Sanctuary (Hebrews 9:1-10)

1. The main points in the “The Epistle To The Hebrews” are rather simple… a. The superiority of Christ - Hebrews 1:1 to Hebrews 7:28b. The superiority of the New Covenant - Hebrews 8:7 to Hebrews 10:18

2. In the “transition passage” of Hebrews 8:1-6, we find… a. The first point summarized - Hebrews 8:1b. The second point introduced - Hebrews 8:2-6

3. In demonstrating the superiority of the New Covenant, three points are made… a. The New Covenant is based upon “better promises"b. The New Covenant pertains to a “better sanctuary"c. The New Covenant provides a “better sacrifice”

4. In Hebrews 8:7-13 we read of the “better promises”… a. Foretold through the prophet Jeremiah - cf. Jeremiah 31:31-34b. In which God promised a closer relationship with His people, made possible by the forgiveness of sin

5. In chapter nine, our attention is now drawn to the matter of the “better sanctuary” provided by the New Covenant… a. To appreciate the author’s argument, we must be acquainted with the sanctuary of the first covenant b. Therefore we find a brief discussion concerning “The Earthly Sanctuary” - Hebrews 9:1-10 [We could turn back to the books of Exodus and Leviticus to read about the earthly sanctuary, but in our text we find a helpful and concise summary. Beginning with…]

I. THE EARTHLY : ITS (Hebrews 9:1-5) A. THE HOLY PLACE (Hebrews 9:2)1. This was the first part of the tabernacle, in which the priests entered daily 2. Inside of it were… a. The lampstand - cf. Exodus 25:31-40; Exodus 26:351) Placed next to the south wall of the tabernacle 2) Made of gold and had seven lamps for burning olive oil 3) It was never allowed to go out b. The table and the showbread - Exodus 25:23-30; Exodus 26:35; Leviticus 24:5-91) A table overlaid with gold 2) On which were kept twelve loaves of bread, in two rows of six 3) Fresh loaves were brought in each Sabbath, and the old were eaten by the priests - cf. 1 Samuel 21:3-6; Matthew 12:3-4 B. THE HOLIEST OF ALL (Hebrews 9:3-5)1. This was the part of the tabernacle behind the veil, also called “The Most Holy” - Exodus 26:31-332. This innermost room of the tabernacle, the holiest place in the worship of Israel, had… a. The golden altar of incense (golden censor, KJV)

1. The golden altar of incense was actually in the Holy Place, just on the other side of the veil separating the two rooms - Exodus 30:1-10a) On this altar sweet spices were continually burned with fire taken from the brazen altar (which was outside the tabernacle) b) The morning and evening services were begun by the high priest offering incense on this altar c) Once a year, the High Priest would take a censer of burning coals from this altar along with incense into the The Most Holy Place - Leviticus 16:122) It is appropriate to say the The Most Holy Place “had” the golden altar… a) For the smoke of the daily incense would permeate through the veil, and as such be “a perpetual incense before the LORD” - Exodus 30:8b) The annual ceremony on the Day of Atonement connected in a tangible way the altar of incense with The Most Holy Place - Leviticus 16:12b. The ark of the covenant1) A chest made of acacia wood, about four feet long by two and half feet high and wide - Exodus 25:10-162) Covered with gold, it was the most sacred thing in the tabernacle
2. In it contained… a) The golden pot that had the manna - Exodus 16:32-34b) Aaron’s rod that budded - Numbers 17:1-11c) The tablets of the covenant - Deuteronomy 10:1-54) Covering the ark was the mercy seat - Exodus 25:17-22a) This lid, covered with gold, was topped with two cherubim (with wings stretched upward, and their faces “toward each other and toward the mercy seat.”) b) The Lord was said to appear in a cloud above the mercy seat - Leviticus 16:2; Numbers 7:89; 2 Kings 19:5 [As stated by the author himself, “of these things we cannot now Speak in detail”. But a little more is now said regarding the ritual of the earthly sanctuary…]

II. THE EARTHLY : ITS RITUAL (Hebrews 9:6-7) A. THE RITUAL OF THE HOLY PLACE (Hebrews 9:6)1. Every morning and evening, the priests would go into The Holy Place “performing the services”… a. They would trim the lamps on the lampstand - Exodus 27:20-21b. They would offer incense on the altar of incense - Exodus 30:7-82. On the Sabbath, the priests would replace the Showbread

• Leviticus 25:4-9– But none went into The Most Holy Place during these daily services

B. THE RITUAL OF THE MOST HOLY PLACE (Hebrews 9:7)1. Once a year, only the high priest entered The Most Holy Place

• Leviticus 16:2a. On the Day of Atonement b. The tenth day of the seventh month - Leviticus 16:292. The high priest would do three things: a. Offer the incense to cloud the mercy seat - Leviticus 16:12-13b. Sprinkle the mercy seat with the blood of a bull, as a sin offering for himself and his family - Leviticus 16:11; Leviticus 16:14c. Sprinkle the mercy seat with the blood of a goat, as a sin offering for the people - Leviticus 16:153. In this way he offered blood for his own sins and those of the people committed in ignorance - Hebrews 9:7 [With this summary of the ritual of the earthly sanctuary, we are reminded of the sort of services rendered under the first covenant. But what was the true purpose of such service? And did the sacrifices provide complete redemption? These questions are addressed in the next three verses…]

III. THE EARTHLY : ITS AND (Hebrews 9:8-10) A. IT WAS …1. As already stated, the tabernacle and its service was “a copy and shadow of the heavenly things” - Hebrews 8:4-5; cf. Hebrews 10:1 a; Colossians 2:16-172. Thus it was “symbolic for the present time” - Hebrews 9:9a. Symbolizing what eventually would occur when Christ came b. Symbolizing what Christ has now done in reality when He entered heaven - cf. Hebrews 9:11-12; Hebrews 9:24-263. The Holy Spirit was thus indicating that “the way into heaven itself was not yet made manifest” - Hebrews 9:8 B. THERE WERE …1. The gifts and sacrifices could not make one perfect in regard to the conscience - Hebrews 9:9; cf. Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 10:1-42. The ceremonies involved “fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation” - Hebrews 9:10a. Just as the sanctuary was “earthly”, the ordinances were “fleshly"1) In contrast to that which is heavenly, spiritual 2) Indeed, all of the ritual was designed to impact the physical side of man a) I.e., his senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch) b) E.g., the burning of incense, the blowing of trumpets, the vestments b. Such ordinances were designed to be temporary

1. Until “the time of reformation”, when changes in worship would be made
2. Indeed, now God expects “spiritual” worship

• cf. John 4:21-24a) Worship that is more in keeping with God’s true nature (Spirit) b) Worship that focuses on the inner man 1/ E.g., singing, where the emphasis is on melody made in the heart - Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:162/ Even in the Lord’s Supper, which has physical elements, the emphasis is on the communion we share in the body of and blood of Jesus as we commemorate His death - 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; 1 Corinthians 10:16-17– Therefore we should not be surprised to learn that the early church did not simply institute the fleshly ordinances of the first covenant into their worship

1. The earthly sanctuary and its fleshly ordinances served God’s purpose well… a. It revealed the terrible nature and high price of sin b. It revealed the need for the shedding of blood to provide the remission of sin c. It prepared people for the coming of the ultimate sacrifice and complete redemption

2. But as useful as it was, it was temporary and symbolic… a. A copy and shadow of what was to come b. Designed to vanish away when what it represented came to pass

3. As we shall see more fully in our next study… a. Christ has come and entered into “the greater and more perfect tabernacle"b. He has “obtained eternal redemption"c. He has made it possible to “purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God” Why would one ever wish to go back to the earthly sanctuary and its fleshly ordinances? Why do some people wish to introduce Old Testament practices into the worship of the Lord’s church?

It can only be a failure to appreciate what we now have in Christ, and the kind of worshippers God now desires. As Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well…

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24)

Hebrews 9:2

Hebrews 9:2 Hebrews 9:2 ————————– σκηνηG4633 γαρG1063 FOR A κατεσκευασθηG2680 [G5681] WAS , ηG3588 THE πρωτηG4413 FIRST, ενG1722 IN ηG3739 WHICH “WERE” ηG3588 τεG5037 BOTH THE λυχνιαG3087 καιG2532 AND ηG3588 THE τραπεζαG5132 TABLE καιG2532 AND ηG3588 THE προθεσιςG4286 τωνG3588 OF THE αρτωνG740 LOAVES, ητιςG3748 WHICH λεγεταιG3004 [G5743] IS CALLED αγιαG39 HOLY; a tabernacle: Exodus 26:1-30, Exodus 29:1, Exodus 29:35, Exodus 36:8-38, Exodus 39:32-34, Exodus 40:2, Exodus 40:18-20 the first: Exodus 25:23-40, Exodus 26:35, Exodus 37:10-24, Exodus 39:36-38, Exodus 40:4, Exodus 40:22-24 the table: Exodus 40:4, Leviticus 24:5, Leviticus 24:6 the showbread: Exodus 25:23, Exodus 25:30 the sanctuary: or, holy, Exodus 26:33 Exodus 25:8 - a sanctuary Exodus 25:31 - a candlestick Exodus 37:17 - the candlestick of Exo 38:21 - tabernacle of testimony Exodus 40:23 - General Leviticus 24:4 - the pure 1 Chronicles 23:29 - for the showbread 1 Chronicles 28:11 - the houses 2 Chronicles 29:16 - the inner part Romans 3:24 - through Galatians 3:3 - having Revelation 13:6 - and his Hebrews 9:2. ———————- This verse names what was in the first part of the tabernacle, the part called “worldly sanctuary” in the preceding verse. This room is called the sanctuary because the word means “holy,” a type of the church which is said to be holy (Ephesians 5:27). The placing of the articles named is recorded in Exodus 40:4. Hebrews 9:2——————————————————————————– <> Was made (κατεσκευάσθη) See <> on Hebrews 3:3. ——————————————————————————– <> The first The first tabernacle, that is, the first division of the tabernacle. He speaks of the two divisions as two tabernacles. ——————————————————————————– <> Candlestick (λυχνία) Rend. lampstand. See <> on Matthew 5:15 <>; see <> on Revelation 1:12 <>. Description in Exodus 25:31-37 <>. Comp. Zechariah 4 <>. ——————————————————————————– <> The table and the shewbread (ἡτράπεξακαὶἡπρόθεσιςτῶνἀρτῶν) See Exodus 25:23-30; Exodus 35:13 <>; 2 Chronicles 2:4; 2 Chronicles 13:11 <>.

The table and the loaves are treated as one item. Lit. the table and the setting forth of the loaves, that is, the table with its loaves set forth.

See <> on Mark 2:26 <>; see <> on Acts 11:23 <>. ——————————————————————————– <> Which is called the sanctuary (ἥτις—ἅγια) Since it was thus furnished. See <> on Hebrews 8:2. Hebrews 9:2 ——————————————————————————– A tabernacle the first (skηnη hη prτtη). See Hebrews 8:2 for skηnη. Large tents usually had two divisions (the outer and the inner or the first and the second). Note prτtη for the first of two as with the first covenant (Hebrews 8:7; Hebrews 8:13; Hebrews 9:1).

The large outer tent was entered first and was called Hagia (Holy), the first division of the tabernacle. The two divisions are here termed two tabernacles. ——————————————————————————– Was prepared (kateskeuasthη).

First aorist passive of kataskeuazτ. See Hebrews 3:3. For the furniture see Exodus 25; Exodus 26. Three items are named here: the candlestick (hη luchnia, late word for luchnion) or lampstand, necessary since there were no windows (Exodus 25:31-39); the table (hη trapeza, old word, Matthew 15:27) for the bread (Exodus 25:23-30; Leviticus 24:6 of pure gold); the shewbread (hη prothesis tτn artτn) as in Exodus 25:30; Exodus 40:23; Leviticus 24:5-9. Probably a hendiadys for the table with the loaves of God’s Presence.

Hebrews 9:3

Hebrews 9:3 Hebrews 9:3 ————————– μεταG3326 AFTER δεG1161 BUT τοG3588 THE δευτερονG1208 SECOND καταπετασμαG2665 VEIL σκηνηG4633 A ηG3588 WHICH λεγομενηG3004 [G5746] “IS” CALLED αγιαG39 HOLY αγιωνG39 OF HOLIES, the second: Hebrews 6:19, Hebrews 10:20, Exodus 26:31-33, Exodus 36:35-38, Exodus 40:3, Exodus 40:21, 2 Chronicles 3:14, Isaiah 25:7, Matthew 27:51 the Holiest: Hebrews 9:8, Hebrews 10:19, 1 Kings 8:6 Exodus 26:33 - the holy place Exodus 26:36 - hanging Exodus 30:6 - veil Exodus 38:21 - tabernacle of testimony Leviticus 16:2 - he come not Leviticus 16:15 - bring Numbers 4:5 - they shall Numbers 18:7 - within Numbers 29:17 - General 1 Kings 6:16 - built them 1 Kings 6:19 - to set 2 Chronicles 3:8 - the most holy Ezekiel 41:4 - This Mark 15:38 - General Luke 23:45 - and the veil Romans 9:4 - the service Hebrews 9:3. ———————- After the second vail. The entrance to the tabernacle was enclosed with a vail (Exodus 26:36). That makes the next one the second as it is called here, and it is described in Exodus 26:31-33. The room of the tabernacle enclosed by this vail is called Holiest of all. It is so called because it contained the ark and was a type of Heaven, into which our High Priest (Christ) has gone (chapter 6:19, 20). This service of Christ will be considered further when we come to verse 24 of this chapter. Hebrews 9:3 ——————————————————————————– After the second veil (μετὰτὸδεύτερονκαταπέτασμα) According to Exodus 26:31-37 there were two veils, the one before the door of the tent and the other before the sanctuary. After passing the first veil and entering the tent, the worshipper would see before him the second veil behind which was the holy of holies. The writer calls this also a tabernacle, Hebrews 9:2. Hebrews 9:3 ——————————————————————————– After the second veil (meta to deuteron katapetasma). The first veil opened from outside into the Holy Place, the second veil opened from the Holy Place into the Holy of Holies (Hagia Hagiτn). The word katapetasma is from numi, to spread down, and we have already had it in Hebrews 6:1katapetan. Cf. also Matthew 27:51.

Hebrews 9:4

Hebrews 9:4 Hebrews 9:4 ————————– χρυσουνG5552 A GOLDEN εχουσαG2192 [G5723] HAVING θυμιατηριονG2369 CENSER, καιG2532 AND τηνG3588 THE κιβωτονG2787 ARK τηςG3588 OF THE διαθηκηςG1242 , περικεκαλυμμενηνG4028 [G5772] HAVING BEEN COVERED ROUND παντοθενG3840 IN EVERY PART χρυσιωG5553 WITH GOLD, ενG1722 IN ηG3739 WHICH σταμνοςG4713 " WAS THE " POT χρυσηG5552 GOLDEN εχουσαG2192 [G5723] HAVING τοG3588 THE μανναG3131 MANNA, καιG2532 AND ηG3588 THE ραβδοςG4464 ROD ααρωνG2 OF AARON ηG3588 THAT βλαστησασαG985 [G5660] , καιG2532 AND αιG3588 THE πλακεςG4109 TABLETS τηςG3588 OF THE διαθηκηςG1242 ; the golden: Leviticus 16:12, 1 Kings 7:50, Revelation 8:3 the ark: Exodus 25:10-16, Exodus 26:33, Exodus 37:1-5, Exodus 39:35, Exodus 40:3, Exodus 40:21 was: Exodus 16:33, Exodus 16:34 and Aaron’s: Numbers 17:5, Numbers 17:8, Numbers 17:10, Psalms 110:2, Psalms 110:3 and the: Exodus 25:16, Exodus 25:21, Exodus 26:33, Exodus 34:29, Exodus 40:3, Exodus 40:20, Exodus 40:21, Deuteronomy 10:2-5, 1 Kings 8:9, 1 Kings 8:21, 2 Chronicles 5:10 Exodus 16:15 - It is manna Exodus 24:12 - tables Exodus 30:6 - veil Leviticus 10:1 - censer Deuteronomy 4:13 - he wrote Deuteronomy 9:11 - the tables of the covenant Deuteronomy 10:1 - make thee Joshua 3:14 - bearing the ark 1 Samuel 4:3 - the ark 1 Kings 6:19 - to set 1 Chronicles 15:29 - as the ark 2 Chronicles 5:7 - to the oracle 2 Chronicles 6:11 - I put the ark 2 Corinthians 3:7 - written Revelation 11:19 - the ark Hebrews 9:4. ———————- Golden censer. According to Leviticus 16:12 the high priest burned incense in the most holy place on the day of atonement. A censer is a vessel to be carried in the hand and used in the manner of fumigating. This instrument was necessary because the golden altar of incense was in the first room or holy place of the tabernacle. As proof of this we read in Exodus 40:24 that the candlestick was placed in the “tent” of the congregation. Then in verse 26 it says the golden altar also was in the “tent” or the same place where the candlestick was.

Hence, the golden altar of incense was in the holy place or first room of the tabernacle, making it necessary to have this censer in the most holy place. Ark of the covenant is so called because it contained the tables of the covenant (Deuteronomy 10:1-2). For the history of the pot of manna and Aaron’s rod, see Exodus 16:32-34 and Numbers 17:1-11. Hebrews 9:4 ——————————————————————————– The golden censer (χρυσοῦνθυμιατήριον) The noun N.T.o. It may mean either censer or altar of incense. In lxx the altar of incense is called θυσιαστήριονθυμιάματος Exodus 30:1; Exodus 30:27; Leviticus 4:7 : comp. Luke 1:11. Θυμιατήριον is used of a censer, 2 Chronicles 26:19; Ezekiel 8:11; 4Ma 7:11. These are the only instances of the word in lxx: accordingly, never in lxx of the altar of incense. Josephus uses it for both.

The golden censer is not mentioned in O.T. as a part of the furniture of the holy of holies. The facts of the case then are as follows: (a) according to Exodus 31 the incense-altar was in the holy place, not in the holy of holies; (b) Philo and Josephus use θυμιατήριον for the altar of incense; (c) there is no mention in O.T. of a censer set apart for the day of atonement; (d) the high priest was to enter with incense, so that the ark might be veiled by the smoke (Leviticus 16:12).

Hence the censer could not have been kept in the holy of holies; (e) the writer clearly speaks of an abiding-place of the θυμιατήριονin a particular division of the tabernacle. There is evidently a discrepancy, probably owing to the fact that the writer drew his information from the O.T. by which he might have been led into error. Thus Exodus 26:35, there are mentioned in the holy place without the veil only the candlestick and the table, and not the incense-altar. Again, when the standing-place of the incense altar was mentioned, the expressions were open to misconstruction: see Exodus 30:6; Exodus 40:5. On the day of atonement, the incense-altar, like the most holy place, was sprinkled with blood. This might have given rise to the impression that it was in the holy of holies. ——————————————————————————– With gold (χρυσίῳ) Properly, wrought gold. ——————————————————————————– Wherein (ἐνᾑ) But according to Exodus 16:34; Numbers 17:10, neither the pot of manna nor Aaron’s rod was in the ark, but “before the testimony”; while in Exodus 25:16, Moses was commanded to put only the tables of the law into the ark; and in 1 Kings 8:9 it is said of the ark in the temple, “there was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone.” The writer follows the rabbinical tradition that the pot of manna and the rod were inside of the ark. ——————————————————————————– Golden pot (στάμοςχρυσῆ) Σταμος, N.T.o, a few times in lxx, rare in Class.

Golden is an addition of the lxx. Comp.

Exodus 16:33. Hebrews 9:4 ——————————————————————————– Having a golden censer (chrusoun echousa thumiatηrion). The present active participle echousa (feminine singular) agrees with skηnη (the Holy of Holies). It is not certain whether thumiatηrion here means censer or altar of incense. In the LXX (2 Chronicles 26:19; Exodus 8:11; 4Ma 7:11) it means censer and apparently so in the inscriptions and papyri. But in Philo and Josephus it means altar of incense for which the LXX has thusiastηrion tou thumiatos (Exodus 30:1-10). Apparently the altar of incense was in the Holy Place, though in Exodus 30:1-10 it is left quite vague. B puts it in Hebrews 9:2.

So we leave the discrepancy unsettled. At any rate the altar of incense was used for the Holy of Holies (“its ritual associations,” Dods). ——————————————————————————– The ark of the covenant (tηn kibτton tηs diathηkηs). A box or chest four feet long, two and a half broad and high (Exodus 25:10-11). The Scotch have a “meal-ark.” ——————————————————————————– Wherein (en hηi). In the ark. There were three treasures in the ark of the covenant (a pot of manna, Aaron’s rod, the tables of the covenant). For the pot of manna (golden added in the LXX) see Exodus 16:32-34. For Aaron’s rod that budded (hη blastηsasa, first aorist active participle of blastanτ) see Numbers 17:1-11.

For the tables of the covenant see Exodus 25:16-17; Exodus 31:18; Deuteronomy 9:9; Deuteronomy 10:5. Not definitely clear about these items in the ark, but on front, except that 1 Kings 8:9 states that it did contain the tables of the covenant. For plakes (tables) see 2 Corinthians 3:3 (only other N.T. example).

Hebrews 9:5

Hebrews 9:5 Hebrews 9:5 ————————– ץנוסבםשG5231 הוG1161 AND ABOVE בץפחעG846 IT “THE” קוסןץגילG5502 הןמחעG1391 OF GLORY ךבפבףךיבזןםפבG2683 [G5723] פןG3588 THE יכבףפחסיןםG2435 MERCY SEAT; נוסיG4012 שםG3739 WHICH ןץךG3756 NOT " THE TIME " וףפיםG2076 [G5748] IT IS םץםG3568 NOW כודויםG3004 [G5721] TO SPEAK ךבפבG2596 לוסןעG3313 IN DETAIL. over: Exodus 25:17-22, Exodus 37:6-9, Leviticus 16:2, Numbers 7:89, 1 Samuel 4:4, 1 Kings 8:6, 1 Kings 8:7, 2 Kings 19:15, Psalms 80:1, Psalms 99:1, Ephesians 3:10, 1 Peter 1:12 the mercyseat: Hebrews 4:16, Leviticus 16:2, Leviticus 16:13, 1 Chronicles 28:11 Exodus 25:18 - two cherubims of gold Exodus 26:34 - put the mercy seat Exodus 30:6 - before the mercy seat that is over the testimony Exodus 39:35 - the mercy seat 1 Kings 7:29 - cherubims 1 Chronicles 28:18 - the chariot 2 Chronicles 5:7 - to the oracle Romans 3:25 - to be Hebrews 9:5. ———————- The mercy seat was made of solid gold and served as a covering for the ark as well as a resting place for the cherubims. (See Exodus 25:17-21.) Cannot speak particularly means he was not ready to enter into detail about the separate services of these parts. Hebrews 9:5 ——————————————————————————– Cherubim of glory (קוסןץגוὶם הόמחע) Setting forth or exhibiting the divine glory. The word signifies living creatures, and they are described as זῶב. Hence usually with the neuter article פὰ. See Isaiah 6:2-3; Ezekiel 1:5-10; Ezekiel 10:5-20, and comp. Revelation 4:6-8. Nothing could be more infelicitous than the A.V. rendering of זῶב beasts. ——————————————————————————– Shadowing the mercy-seat (ךבפבףךיάזןםפב פὸἱכבףפήסיןם) �בפבףךיάזוים, N.T.o, olxx, occasionally in Class. Throwing their shadow down upon the mercy-seat. For, ἱכבףסήסיןם, see on Romans 3:25.

Used in lxx to translate ‏כַּפֹרֶט‎, the place of covering sin, the throne of mercy above the ark. ——————————————————————————– Particularly (ךבפὰ לέסןע) In detail; his main point being the twofold division of the tabernacle. The phrase N.T.o. Note the completeness of the list of articles of furniture in the tabernacle, even to the inclusion of things which had no connection with worship; also the emphasis on the costliness of the articles— gold. The writer will say all that can be said for this transitory, shadowy tabernacle; but all that he can say about the costliness of the apparatus only emphasizes the inferior and unspiritual character of the worship. The vessels are superior to the service. Hebrews 9:5 <> ——————————————————————————– Above it (huperanפ autחs).

Up above, in local sense as in Ephesians 4:10 <>, with ablative case autחs (it, the ark). ——————————————————————————– Cherubim of glory (Cheroubein doxחs). Hebrew word (dual form), two in number, made of gold (Exodus 25:18-22 <>).

They are called zפa (living creatures) in the LXX (Isaiah 6:2-3 <>; Ezekiel 1:5-10 <>; Ezekiel 10:5-20 <>). ——————————————————————————– Overshadowing (kataskiazonta). Present active participle of kataskiazפ, old verb to shadow down on, cover with shade, only here in the N.T. ——————————————————————————– The mercy seat (to hilastחrion). The pinions of the Cherubim spread over the rectangular gold slab on top of the ark termed the mercy seat. Here the adjective hilastחrios has to mean mercy seat, the place, not the propitiatory gift or propitiation, as in Romans 3:25 <> (Deissmann, Bible Studies, pp. 124-35). ——————————————————————————– Severally (kata meros). In detail, distributive use of kata with meros (part).

Hebrews 9:6

Hebrews 9:6 Hebrews 9:6 ————————– τουτωνG5130 δεG1161 NOW THESE THINGS ουτωςG3779 THUS κατεσκευασμενωνG2680 [G5772] HAVING BEEN , ειςG1519 μενG3303 INTO τηνG3588 THE πρωτηνG4413 FIRST σκηνηνG4633 διαπαντοςG1275 AT ALL TIMES εισιασινG1524 [G5748] ENTER οιG3588 THE ιερειςG2409 PRIESTS, ταςG3588 THE λατρειαςG2999 επιτελουντεςG2005 [G5723] ; the priests: Exodus 27:21, Exodus 30:7, Exodus 30:8, Numbers 28:3, 2 Chronicles 26:16-19, Daniel 8:11, Luke 1:8-11 Exodus 40:33 - up the court Luke 1:9 - his Hebrews 9:6. ———————- Ordained signifies to be prepared or made ready, and refers to the articles in the two rooms of the tabernacle. The priests went always is said in the sense of going daily or frequently, in contrast with “once a year” as in the next verse. First tabernacle refers to the first room or the tabernacle, and the common priests might enter this place any time it was necessary, and they were the ones who did most of the service of that room. Hebrews 9:6 ——————————————————————————– The inferiority of the ancient system was proved by the old tabernacle itself: by its division into two parts, both of which were inaccessible to the people. ——————————————————————————– Always (διὰπαντὸς) Rend. continually. The phrase is usually found in connection with matters involving relations to God— worship, sacrifice, etc. See Matthew 18:10; Luke 24:53; Acts 2:25; Acts 10:2; 2 Thessalonians 3:16; Hebrews 13:5. ——————————————————————————– Accomplishing (ἐπιτελοῦντες) See on Hebrews 8:5, and see on Galatians 3:3. The verb is used of performing religious services by Herodotus. See i. 167; ii. 63, 122; iv. 186. Hebrews 9:6 ——————————————————————————– These things having been thus prepared (toutτn houtτs kateskeuasmenτn).

Genitive absolute with the perfect passive participle of kataskeuazτ for which verb see Hebrews 9:2. A mere summary has been made of the furniture. ——————————————————————————– Go in (eisiasin). Present active indicative of eiseimi, to go in, old verb, in N.T. only here, Acts 3:3; Acts 21:18; Acts 21:26. ——————————————————————————– Accomplishing (epitelountes). Present active participle of epiteleτ for which see Hebrews 8:5.

Hebrews 9:7

Hebrews 9:7 Hebrews 9:7 ————————– ειςG1519 δεG1161 BUT INTO τηνG3588 THE δευτερανG1208 SECOND απαξG530 ONCE τουG3588 ενιαυτουG1763 IN THE YEAR μονοςG3441 ALONE οG3588 THE αρχιερευςG749 HIGH PRIEST, ουG3756 NOT χωριςG5565 APART FROM αιματοςG129 BLOOD, οG3739 WHICH προσφερειG4374 [G5719] HE OFFERS υπερG5228 FOR εαυτουG1438 HIMSELF καιG2532 AND τωνG3588 THE τουG3588 OF THE λαουG2992 PEOPLE αγνοηματωνG51 SINS OF : into: Hebrews 9:24, Hebrews 9:25, Exodus 30:10, Leviticus 16:2-20, Leviticus 16:34 not: Hebrews 5:3, Hebrews 7:27, Hebrews 10:19, Hebrews 10:20 errors: Leviticus 5:18, 2 Samuel 6:7, 2 Chronicles 33:9, Psalms 19:12, Psalms 95:10, Isaiah 3:12, Isaiah 9:16, Isaiah 28:7, Isaiah 29:14, Hosea 4:12, Amos 2:14 Exodus 40:33 - up the court Leviticus 4:2 - through Leviticus 9:7 - offer thy Leviticus 16:6 - which Leviticus 16:14 - General Leviticus 16:15 - Then shall Leviticus 16:17 - no man Romans 10:4 - Christ Hebrews 6:19 - entereth Hebrews 9:12 - he entered Hebrews 9:14 - offered Hebrews 10:3 - a remembrance 1 John 5:6 - blood Hebrews 9:7. ———————- The second means the most holy place which was “within the vail” (Hebrews 6:19-20), and no one but the high priest was permitted to enter this room while it was in service. Once every year means on the one day only, for he made more than one entrance into the most holy place on that day. (See Leviticus 16.) Not without blood. The passage just cited explains where and how he got the blood. Offered for himself. That was necessary because those priests were all erring creatures (contrary to our High Priest). The people signifies that the service performed in the most holy place by the high priest was for the sake of the nation as a whole. If any individual was personally indebted to the Lord because of his sin, he was required to attend to that as his own personal duty. (See Leviticus 4:27-35.) Hebrews 9:7 ——————————————————————————– Errors (ἀγνοημάτων) Lit. ignorances. See on Hebrews 5:2. Hebrews 9:7 ——————————————————————————– Alone (monos). Predicate adjective with ho archiereus. ——————————————————————————– Once in the year (hapax tou eniautou). Once for each year (not pote, at any time) with genitive of time. ——————————————————————————– Not without blood (ou chτris haimatos). According to Leviticus 16:14-15.

Not even he could enter the second tent (Holy of Holies) without blood. ——————————————————————————– The errors of the people (tτn tou laou agnoηmatτn). Late word from agnoeτ, not to know (Hebrews 5:2), only here in the N.T., but in LXX, papyri, and inscriptions where a distinction is drawn between errors (agnoηmata) and crimes (harmartηmata). In Genesis 43:12 agnoηma is “an oversight.” But these sins of ignorance (agnoηmata) were sins and called for atonement. See Hebrews 10:26 for wilful sinning.

Hebrews 9:8

Hebrews 9:8 Hebrews 9:8 ————————– τουτοG5124 THIS δηλουντοςG1213 [G5723] τουG3588 THE πνευματοςG4151 SPIRIT τουG3588 THE αγιουG40 HOLY, μηπωG3380 “THAT” NOT YET πεφανερωσθαιG5319 [G5771] HAS BEEN MADE τηνG3588 THE τωνG3588 OF THE αγιωνG39 HOLIES οδονG3598 WAY, ετιG2089 STILL τηςG3588 THE πρωτηςG4413 FIRST σκηνηςG4633 εχουσηςG2192 [G5723] HAVING στασινG4714 A ; Holy Ghost: Hebrews 3:7, Hebrews 10:15, Isaiah 63:11, Acts 7:51, Acts 7:52, Acts 28:25, Galatians 3:8, 2 Peter 1:21 the way: Hebrews 9:3, Hebrews 4:15, Hebrews 4:16, Hebrews 10:19-22, John 10:7, John 10:9, John 14:6, Ephesians 2:18 Exodus 26:35 - the table Exodus 39:35 - the mercy seat Leviticus 10:19 - this day Leviticus 16:2 - he come not Son 2:9 - he standeth Isaiah 25:7 - he will Luke 24:44 - in the law John 14:2 - I go John 14:26 - Holy Ghost Galatians 3:24 - the law Galatians 5:1 - entangled Hebrews 3:5 - for Hebrews 8:2 - minister Hebrews 11:40 - they without Hebrews 9:8. ———————- The Holy Ghost (or Spirit) inspired the writers of the Bible, and in the present case it signified something by the “setting” of things in the tabernacle. The thing signified was the idea that the way into the holiest–the way by which man could reach the holiest place, or Heaven–was still unrevealed. The vail is what kept the most holy place out of sight, for the high priest only was ever permitted to enter that room, and that on one day of the year only. As long as that tabernacle was standing the vail also was standing between. But the death of Christ and his resurrection, after which He entered Heaven, was equivalent to removing the vail to the extent at least of giving others a glimpse (by the eye of faith) into Heaven. That is why the vail was rent from top to bottom at the death of Christ (Matthew 27:51). This vail is connected with the flesh of Christ in chapter 10:19, 20. Hebrews 9:8 The Holy Ghost Speaking through the appliances and forms of worship. The intimation is that God intended to emphasize, in the old economy itself, the fact of his inaccessibility, in order to create the desire for full access and to prepare the way for this. ——————————————————————————– The way into the holiest of all (τὴντῶνἁγίωνὁδὸν) Lit. the way of the holies. For the construction comp. ὸδὸνἐθνῶν way of the Gentiles, Mark 10:5. The phrase N.T.o. Τῶνἀγίων as in Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 9:24-25; Hebrews 10:19. ——————————————————————————– While as the first tabernacle was yet standing (ἔτιτῆςπρώτηςσκηνῆςἐχούσηςστάσιν) By the first tabernacle is meant the first division. The point is that the division of the tabernacle showed the limitations of the Levitical system, and kept the people from coming directly to God. Of this limitation the holy place, just outside the second veil, was specially significant; for the holy place barred priests and people alike from the holy of holies.

The priests could not pass out of it into the holy of holies; the people could not pass through it to that sanctuary, since they were not allowed in the holy place. The priests in the holy place stood between the people and God as revealed in the shrine. Εξούσηςστάσιν, lit. had standing.

The phrase N.T.o. Στάσις everywhere in N.T. except here, is used in its secondary sense of faction, sedition, insurrection. Here in its original sense. Note that the sense is not physical and local as the A.V. implies, but remained a recognized institution. Hebrews 9:8 ——————————————————————————– The Holy Ghost this signifying (touto dηlountos tou pneumatos tou hagiou). Genitive absolute with present active participle of dηloτ, to make plain. Used as in Hebrews 12:27. ——————————————————————————– The way into the Holy place (tηn tτn hagiτn hodon).

Here as in Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 9:25 tτn hagiτn is used for the very Presence of God as in Hebrews 8:2 and is in the objective genitive. Hodon is the accusative of general reference with the infinitive. ——————————————————————————– Hath not yet been made manifest (mηpτ pephanerτsthai).

Perfect passive infinitive of phaneroτ, to make plain (phaneros) in indirect discourse after dηlountos with negative mηpτ. ——————————————————————————– While as the first tabernacle is yet standing (eti tηs prτtηs skηnηs echousηs stasin). Another genitive absolute with present active participle of echτ (having standing stasin), “the first tabernacle still having a place.” The veil at the entrance kept the people out of the first tent as the second veil (Hebrews 9:3) kept the priests out of the Holy of Holies (the very Presence of God).

Hebrews 9:9

Hebrews 9:9 Hebrews 9:9 ————————– ητιςG3748 WHICH “IS” παραβοληG3850 A SMILE ειςG1519 FOR τονG3588 THE καιρονG2540 τονG3588 TIME ενεστηκοταG1764 [G5761] PRESENT, καθG2596 IN ονG3739 WHICH δωραG1435 τεG5037 BOTH GIFTS καιG2532 AND θυσιαιG2378 προσφερονταιG4374 [G5743] ARE OFFERED, μηG3361 NOT δυναμεναιG1410 [G5740] BEING ABLE καταG2596 AS TO συνειδησινG4893 τελειωσαιG5048 [G5658] TO PERFECT τονG3588 HIM WHO λατρευονταG3000 [G5723] SERVES, " " a figure: Hebrews 9:24, Hebrews 11:19, Romans 5:14, 1 Peter 3:21 the time: Hebrews 7:11, Hebrews 11:39, Hebrews 11:40, 1 Peter 1:11, 1 Peter 1:12 gifts: Hebrews 5:1 that could: Hebrews 9:13, Hebrews 9:14, Hebrews 7:18, Hebrews 7:19, Hebrews 10:1-4, Hebrews 10:11, Psalms 40:6, Psalms 40:7, Galatians 3:21 as pertaining: Psalms 51:16-19 Exodus 25:9 - the pattern of the tabernacle Exodus 26:1 - the tabernacle with ten curtains Exodus 26:35 - the table Leviticus 6:28 - General Deuteronomy 23:11 - wash himself 2 Chronicles 3:8 - the most holy Son 2:9 - he standeth Jeremiah 3:16 - The ark John 3:31 - he that is Acts 6:14 - change Acts 10:15 - What Acts 13:38 - that Acts 13:39 - from which Acts 15:10 - which Galatians 3:3 - having Ephesians 2:15 - the law Colossians 2:14 - the handwriting Colossians 2:17 - a shadow 1 Timothy 4:8 - little Hebrews 7:16 - the law Hebrews 8:5 - the example Hebrews 8:13 - he hath Hebrews 9:23 - the patterns Hebrews 10:4 - not Hebrews 13:9 - not with Hebrews 9:9. ———————- Which was a figure means these things were types of the institutions of Christ. Gifts and sacrifices is explained at Hebrews 8:3. Not make him . . . perfect. A popular notion is that sins were not forgiven under the Mosaic law. This subject will be dealt with fully when we come to Hebrews 10:4. Hebrews 9:9 ——————————————————————————– Which (ἥτις) The first division of the tabernacle. The double relative directs attention to the emphasis which belongs to the first tabernacle. The way into the holiest was not yet manifest while the first tabernacle continued to be a recognized institution, seeing that the first tabernacle was a parable, etc. ——————————————————————————– A figure (παραβολὴ) Outside of the Synoptic Gospels, only here and Hebrews 11:19. Here of a visible symbol or type. See on Matthew 13:3. ——————————————————————————– For the time then present (εικςτὸνκαιρὸντὸνἐνεστηκότα) Rend. now present, as contrasted with the “time of reformation,” Hebrews 9:10. See on these last days, Hebrews 1:2. Ἐις for; with reference to; applying to. Καιρὸς season is used instead of αἰὼν age, because “the time” is conceived by the writer as a critical point,— a turning-point, at which the old system is to take its departure.

For ἐνεστηκότα present, see on Galatians 1:4, and comp. Romans 8:38; 1 Corinthians 3:22. ——————————————————————————– In which (καθ’ ἥν) The A.V. wrongly assumes a reference to the tabernacle; whereas the reference is to the parable.

Rend. according to which. ——————————————————————————– Were offered— could not (προσφέρονταιμὴδυνάμεναι) Rend. “are offered” or “are being offered”; and for “could not,” “cannot.” ——————————————————————————– Make him that did the service perfect (τελειῶσαιτὸνλατρεύοντα) Rend. as Rev. “make the worshipper perfect.” See Hebrews 7:11. ——————————————————————————– As pertaining to the conscience (κατὰσυνείδησιν) Having shown that the division of the tabernacle proved the imperfection of the worship, the writer will now show that the Levitical ritual did not accomplish the true end of religion. The radical defect of the Levitical system was its inability to deal with the conscience, and thus bring about the “perfection” which is the ideal of true religion. That ideal contemplated the cleansing and renewal of the inner man; not merely the removal of ceremonial uncleanness, or the formal expiation of sins. Comp. Matthew 23:25-26. For συνείδησις conscience, see on 1 Peter 3:16.

Hebrews 9:9 ——————————————————————————– Which (hηtis). “Which very thing,” the first tent (tηs prτtηs skηnηs, division of the tabernacle), a parenthesis and explanation. ——————————————————————————– A parable (parabolη). Only in the Synoptic Gospels in the N.T. and Hebrews 9:9; Hebrews 11:19.

See note on §Matthew 13:3 for the word (from paraballτ, to place alongside). Here like tupos (type or shadow of “the heavenly reality,” Moffatt). ——————————————————————————– For the time now present (eis ton kairon ton enestηkota). “For the present crisis " (kairon, not aiτna, age, not chronon, time). Perfect active articular (repeated article) participle of enistηmi (intransitive), the age in which they lived, not the past, not the future. See 1 Corinthians 3:22; Romans 8:38 for contrast between enestτta and mellonta. This age of crisis, foreshadowed by the old tabernacle, pointed on to the richer fulfilment still to come. ——————————————————————————– According to which (kath’ hηn). Here the relative refers to parabolη just mentioned, not to skηnηs.

See Hebrews 5:1; Hebrews 8:3. ——————————————————————————– As touching the conscience (kata suneidηsin). For suneidηsis see 1 Corinthians 8:10; 1 Corinthians 10:17; Romans 2:15.

This was the real failure of animal sacrifice (Hebrews 10:1-4). ——————————————————————————– Make the worshipper perfect (teleiτsai ton latreuonta). First aorist active infinitive (Hebrews 2:10). At best it was only ritual or ceremonial purification (Hebrews 7:11), that called for endless repetition (Hebrews 10:1-4).

Hebrews 9:10

Hebrews 9:10 Hebrews 9:10 ——————————- μονονG3440 ONLY επιG1909 IN βρωμασινG1033 MEATS καιG2532 AND πομασινG4188 DRINKS καιG2532 AND διαφοροιςG1313 DIVERS βαπτισμοιςG909 , καιG2532 AND δικαιωμασινG1345 σαρκοςG4561 OF FLESH, μεχριG3360 UNTIL καιρουG2540 “THE” TIME διορθωσεωςG1357 OF SETTING THINGS RIGHT επικειμεναG1945 [G5740] IMPOSED. in meats: Hebrews 13:9, Leviticus 11:2-47, Deuteronomy 14:3-21, Ezekiel 4:14, Acts 10:13-15, Colossians 2:16 divers: Hebrews 6:2,*Gr: Hebrews 10:22, Exodus 29:4, Exodus 30:19-21, Exodus 40:12, Leviticus 14:8, Leviticus 14:9, Leviticus 16:4, Leviticus 16:24, Leviticus 17:15, Leviticus 17:16, Leviticus 22:6, Numbers 19:7-21, Deuteronomy 21:6, Deuteronomy 23:11 carnal: Hebrews 9:1, Hebrews 7:16, Galatians 4:3, Galatians 4:9, Ephesians 2:15, Colossians 2:20-22 ordinances: or, rites, or, ceremonies until: Hebrews 2:5, Hebrews 6:5, Galatians 4:4, Ephesians 1:10 Exodus 38:8 - the laver Leviticus 6:28 - General Leviticus 8:6 - washed Leviticus 11:8 - they are unclean Leviticus 11:25 - and be unclean Leviticus 13:6 - wash Leviticus 13:58 - be washed Numbers 8:7 - Sprinkle Numbers 19:2 - the ordinance Numbers 19:21 - General 1 Kings 7:38 - ten lavers Psalms 50:5 - made Ezekiel 16:9 - washed Zechariah 9:11 - by the blood of thy covenant Matthew 3:6 - were Mark 7:4 - except Mark 7:15 - nothing John 2:6 - after John 3:25 - about John 3:31 - he that is John 13:10 - He Acts 10:15 - What Acts 13:39 - from which Acts 21:24 - and purify Romans 8:34 - It is Christ Romans 9:4 - the service Romans 14:2 - that 2 Corinthians 1:20 - all Galatians 2:14 - the truth Galatians 3:3 - having Colossians 2:14 - the handwriting 1 Timothy 4:8 - little Hebrews 7:18 - the weakness Hebrews 8:13 - he hath Hebrews 9:23 - the patterns Hebrews 10:14 - he Hebrews 9:10. ———————- Meats and drinks has reference to the regulations under the law of Moses concerning what they were to eat and drink. Washings is explained at chapter 6:2 on the word “baptisms.” Carnal ordinances refers to the outward ceremonies such as animal sacrifices and burning of incense, not that they were “carnal” in the sense of being sinful. Imposed is not used in the sense of forcing something unjustly upon them in the sense that we usually understand the word. Its meaning is that the ordinances were put in force over the people of that dispensation. Time of reformation means the institution of Christ. It is so called because Christ remodeled (reformed) the scheme of human redemption, by bringing into the world the last or final religious plan, of which those in force under the Mosiac system were types or figures, which were to be used until the Lord was ready to set up the completed form. Hebrews 9:10 ——————————————————————————– The impotence of the gifts and sacrifices lay in the fact that they were only symbolic ordinances. ——————————————————————————– Which stood in (ἐπὶ) The passage should be read thus: “according to which are offered gifts and sacrifices which cannot perfect the worshipper as touching the conscience, being mere ordinances of the flesh on the ground of (ἐπὶ resting upon) meats,” etc. ——————————————————————————– Meats and drinks and divers washings (βρώμασινκαὶπόμασινκαὶδιαφόροιςβαπτισμοῖς) Βρώμασιν, clean and unclean meats. πόμασιν drinks, concerning which the Levitical law laid down no prescriptions except as to abstinence in the case of a Nazarite vow, and of the priests when they were about to officiate. See Numbers 6:3; Leviticus 10:9. For βαπτισμοῖς washings see on Hebrews 6:2. ——————————————————————————– And carnal ordinances (δικαιώματασαρκὸς) Omit and. The phrase is a general description of meats, etc. Lit. ordinances of the flesh. ——————————————————————————– Imposed (ἐπικείμενα) Some interpreters find in this the suggestion of a burden, which these ceremonial observances assuredly were. Comp.

Acts 15:10. This, however, is not probable. ——————————————————————————– Until the time of reformation (μέχρικαιροῦδιορθώσεως) Διόρθωσις N.T.o , olxx, occasionally in Class. Διόρθωμα correction, amendment, Acts 24:2. Διόρθωσις lit. making straight: used by medical writers of straightening a distorted limb.

The verb διορθοῦν (not in N.T.) in lxx of mending one’s ways, Jeremiah 7:3; Jeremiah 7:5; Wisd. 9:18. Of setting up or establishing, Isaiah 16:5; Isaiah 42:7. “The time of reformation” is the Christian age, when God made with his people a better covenant. It was inaugurated by the death of Christ. See on Hebrews 1:2. The gifts and offerings were only provisional, to tide the people over to the better time. Hebrews 9:10 ——————————————————————————– Only with meats and drinks and divers washings (monon epi brτmasin kai pomasin kai diaphorois baptismois). The parenthesis of the Revised Version here is unnecessary. The use of epi here with the locative case is regular, “in the matter of” (Luke 12:52; John 12:16; Acts 21:24).

What ritual value these Levitical sacrifices had was confined to minute regulations about diet and ceremonial cleansing (clean and unclean). For “divers” (diaphorois, late adjective, in N.T. only in Hebrews 1:4; Hebrews 8:6; Hebrews 9:10; Romans 12:6) say “different” or “various.” Baptismois is, of course, the Jewish ceremonial immersions (cf. Mark 7:4; Exodus 29:4; Leviticus 11:25; Leviticus 11:28-29; Numbers 8:7; Revelation 6:2). ——————————————————————————– Carnal ordinances (dikaiτmasin sarkos). But the correct text is undoubtedly simply dikaiτmata sarkos (nominative case), in apposition with dτra te kai thusiai (gifts and sacrifices). See Hebrews 9:1 for dikaiτmata. ——————————————————————————– Imposed (epikeimena). Present middle or passive participle of epikeimai, old verb to lie upon (be laid upon).

Cf. 1 Corinthians 9:16. ——————————————————————————– Until a time of reformation (mechri kairou diorthτseτs). Definite statement of the temporary nature of the Levitical system already stated in Hebrews 7:10-17; Hebrews 8:13 and argued clearly by Paul in Galatians 3:15-22.

Diorthτsis is a late word, here alone in N.T. (from diorthoτ, to set right or straight), used by Hippocrates for making straight misshapen limbs like anorthoτ in Hebrews 12:12. Here for reformation like diorthτma (reform) in Acts 24:2-3. Christianity itself is the great Reformation of the current Judaism (Pharisaism) and the spiritual Judaism foreshadowed by the old Abrahamic promise (see Galatians 3; Romans 9).

Hebrews 9:11-28

“THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS”

The Superior Sanctuary (Hebrews 9:11-28)

1. In the current section of “The Epistle To The Hebrews”, the focus is on the superiority of the New Covenant which provides… a. Better promises - Hebrews 8:7-13b. A better sanctuary - Hebrews 9:1-28c. A better sacrifice - Hebrews 10:1-18
2. Our previous study considered “The Earthly Sanctuary” of the Old Covenant, that tabernacle which… a. Served as copy and shadow of the heavenly things - Hebrews 9:9; Hebrews 8:5b. Involved fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation

• Hebrews 9:10…and was therefore limited in its ability to provide what man truly needed! - Hebrews 9:9 b

3. In the second half of the ninth chapter, we are now introduced to “The Heavenly Sanctuary” of the New Covenant… a. The true tabernacle in which Christ is a minister - Hebrews 8:2b. The true tabernacle “which the Lord erected, and not man” - Hebrews 8:2 [As such it is “The Superior Sanctuary”, which becomes apparent as we make our way through the rest of the ninth chapter…]

I. IT IS (Hebrews 9:11; Hebrews 9:24) A. A GREATER AND MORE PERFECT …1. A tabernacle “not made with hands"2. A tabernacle “not of this creation”– Where then is this tabernacle? Look ahead to Hebrews 9:24…

B. IN HEAVEN ITSELF…1. Christ has not entered the earthly tabernacle “made with hands” 2. It is “into heaven itself” that Christ has entered! 3. He now appears “in the presence of God”– Therefore “The Superior Sanctuary” is none other than heaven, where God dwells!

[In this heavenly sanctuary Christ serves as “High Priest of the good things to come”. The “good things” likely includes the promises of Jer 31:31-34, especially the one pertaining to forgiveness of sin, for the author explains how with “The Superior Sanctuary”…]

II. ITS DEALS WITH SIN (Hebrews 9:12-15) A. ETERNAL IS (Hebrews 9:12)1. Christ entered the “Most Holy Place” (heaven) a. Just as the high priest entered the Most Holy Place in the earthly sanctuary b. With these two major differences:

1. Jesus took not the blood of goats and calves, but His own blood
2. Jesus entered “once for all”, not once a year

2. With His blood, He “obtained eternal redemption” a. This is why He does not need to offer His blood every year

• cf. Hebrews 10:10-12b. But His redemption is “eternal” in another sense, as seen later in Hebrews 9:15 B. THE IS PURGED OF SIN (Hebrews 9:13-14)1. The blood of animals was able to purify the flesh of an unclean person

2. But the blood of Christ is able to purge the conscience from dead works (i.e., sin) to serve the living God a. The animal sacrifices could not do this - Hebrews 9:9-10; Hebrews 10:1-2b. For the daily and annual sacrifices constantly reminded them of sin - Hebrews 10:3c. Therefore Christ not only removes the “legal” guilt of sin, but also the “inward” (or emotional) guilt of sin!

C. THERE IS FOR SINS UNDER THE FIRST (Hebrews 9:15)1. His role as Mediator of the New Covenant is not limited to those who lived after it became of force 2. His death covers not only sinners since His death, but also those who lived under the first covenant, who were called to receive the promise of eternal inheritance! – In providing atonement for those before and after His death, Jesus has truly “obtained eternal redemption” [The service rendered by its High Priest certainly makes the “heavenly sanctuary” a superior one!

As one contemplates the meaning of Christ’s death in its relation to the heavenly sanctuary, there is much to consider, and the author proceeds to explain further why…]

III. ITS A COSTLY (Hebrews 9:16-22) A. TO A NEW (Hebrews 9:16-17)1. A testament, or will, requires the death of the one who makes it 2. It does not become of force until the testator dies – The New Covenant with its heavenly sanctuary is like a testament, requiring Jesus’ death for it to become of force

B. TO A NEW (Hebrews 9:18-23)1. Consider what was done with the first covenant… a. It was dedicated with the blood of calves and goats b. Its tabernacle and furniture were purified with the sprinkling of such blood 2. Should the new covenant require any less? a. The first covenant contained only “copies of the things in the heavens” b. Therefore the heavenly things required purification by “better sacrifices” (i.e., Jesus’ own blood) c. Exactly what is meant by “heavenly things” is unclear

1. Some point to passages like Colossians 1:20, where even “things in heaven” are reconciled to God by Jesus’ blood
2. Some believe it has reference to the church, of which the Holy Place in the earthly tabernacle was typical
3. B. W. Johnson comments: “By the heavenly things are meant all of which the tabernacle was typical. The holy place was a type of the church, which is cleansed with the blood of Christ. Perhaps, too, there is a reference to the redeemed church above, in the heavens, which eternally praises him who cleansed it with his blood."(The People’s New Testament)

[It was the “better sacrifices” (i.e., Jesus’ blood) that initiated the new covenant and made the heavenly sanctuary superior to the earthly one. More will be said about Christ’s sacrifice in chapter ten, but we finally note concerning “The Superior Sanctuary” that…]

IV. ITS IS FINAL AND (Hebrews 9:24-28) A. CHRIST IS NOW IN THE OF GOD FOR US…1. No longer is a high priest serving in a tabernacle “made with hands” 2. No longer is one serving in what was only a “copy” – In God’s presence, Jesus is ministering as High Priest in that which is the “true” holy place!

B. HE ONLY NEEDED TO OFFER HIMSELF ONCE…1. The all-sufficiency of His sacrifice is seen that He only needed to offer Himself once a. Otherwise, He would have needed to “suffer often from the foundation of the world” b. Like the high priests of old, who entered the Most Holy Place each year 2. Therefore, at the “end of the ages”, He came to put away sin once for all! a. The phrase “end of the ages” is equivalent to the “last days” - Hebrews 1:2b. I.e., the final period of the world’s history - 1 Corinthians 10:11; 1 Peter 1:203. Just as man dies only once, so Jesus needed to be offered for sin only once

C. WHEN HE COMES AGAIN, IT WILL BE FOR , NOT SIN…1. With His first coming, He was primarily the “sin-bearer” a. He came “to bear the sins of many"b. Which He did by dying on the cross for our sins - 1 Peter 2:242. His second coming will be “apart from sin"a. To bring salvation (from the wrath of God to come - Romans 5:9) b. To those who eagerly await for Him - cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

1. How is the sanctuary of the New Covenant superior? a. By virtue of its nature: heavenly, not physical b. By virtue of its ministry:

1. Dealing effectively with sin
2. Providing complete and final deliverance

2. Why should we be interested in the ministry of “The Superior Sanctuary”? a. Because death is our appointed lot (unless Christ comes first)

• Hebrews 9:27b. And then comes the judgment - cf. 2 Corinthians 5:10– The ministry of Christ prepares us for that coming judgment!

3. Are you prepared to stand before the judgment seat of Christ? a. Preparation involves obedience, for Jesus is “the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” - Hebrews 5:9b. Preparation involves allowing the blood of Christ to “purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God” - Hebrews 9:14 Through obedience to the precious gospel of Christ, we can “eagerly wait for Him”, knowing that for us He is coming to bring salvation and not condemnation! - cf. 1 Thessalonians 1:10

Hebrews 9:12

Hebrews 9:12 Hebrews 9:12 ————————– ουδεG3761 NOR διG1223 BY αιματοςG129 BLOOD τραγωνG5131 OF GOATS καιG2532 AND μοσχωνG3448 CALVES, διαG1223 δεG1161 BUT BY τουG3588 ιδιουG2398 αιματοςG129 HIS OWN BLOOD, εισηλθενG1525 [G5627] ENTERED εφαπαξG2178 ONCE FOR ALL ειςG1519 INTO ταG3588 THE αγιαG39 HOLIES, αιωνιανG166 ETERNAL λυτρωσινG3085 ευραμενοςG2147 [G5642] HAVING FOUND. by the: Hebrews 9:13, Hebrews 10:4, Leviticus 8:2, Leviticus 9:15, Leviticus 16:5-10 by his: Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 10:9-14, Acts 20:28, Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 1:14, Titus 2:14, 1 Peter 1:18, 1 Peter 1:19, Revelation 1:5, Revelation 5:9 he entered: Hebrews 9:7, Hebrews 9:24-26, Hebrews 10:12, Hebrews 10:19 once: Hebrews 9:26, Hebrews 9:28, Hebrews 10:10, Zechariah 3:9 having: Hebrews 9:15, Hebrews 5:9, Daniel 9:24, Mark 3:29, Galatians 3:13, Galatians 3:14, 1 Thessalonians 1:10 Exodus 28:30 - upon his heart Exodus 28:35 - goeth in Exodus 39:1 - holy place Exodus 40:29 - the altar Leviticus 4:16 - General Leviticus 4:31 - a sweet Leviticus 6:30 - General Leviticus 12:7 - make Leviticus 16:3 - Aaron Leviticus 16:15 - bring Leviticus 23:28 - General Numbers 3:50 - General Numbers 35:25 - abide in it Numbers 35:28 - after the death Deuteronomy 9:26 - which thou hast brought forth 1 Kings 8:13 - a settled 2 Chronicles 6:2 - I have built Psalms 111:9 - sent Isaiah 51:6 - my salvation Isaiah 53:5 - But he was Luke 21:23 - woe 1 Corinthians 1:30 - redemption 1 Corinthians 6:20 - ye Galatians 4:5 - redeem 1 Timothy 2:6 - gave Hebrews 4:14 - that is Hebrews 6:20 - for Hebrews 7:27 - this Hebrews 9:14 - the blood Hebrews 9:19 - the blood Hebrews 9:23 - the heavenly Hebrews 9:25 - as Revelation 13:6 - and his Hebrews 9:12. ———————- This verse states another of the contrasts between the two dispensations. The first used the blood of dumb animals, while the second used that of the High Priest himself. Eternal redemption contains the special idea of spiritual benefits, and not those that pertain to bodily or fleshly ones. Since this redemption is eternal and hence is endless, it. was necessary for Christ to provide it only once. Hebrews 9:12 ——————————————————————————– By the blood of goats and calves (δι’ αἵματοςτράγωνκαὶμόσχων) Διὰ with, as Hebrews 9:11. Μόσχος originally a tender shoot or sprout: then offspring generally. Everywhere in the Bible calf or bullock, and always masculine. ——————————————————————————– His own blood The distinction is not between the different bloods, but between the victims. The difference of blood is unimportant. Regarded merely as blood, Christ’s offering is not superior to the Levitical sacrifice. If Christianity gives us only the shedding of blood, even Christ’s blood, it does not give us a real or an efficient atonement. Whatever significance may attach to the blood is derived from something else.

See on Hebrews 9:4. ——————————————————————————– Once (ἐφάπαξ) Rend. once for all. ——————————————————————————– Having obtained eternal redemption (αἰωνίανλύτρωσινεὑράμενος) Having found and won by his act of entrance into the heavenly sanctuary. This is better than to explain “entered the sanctuary after having obtained redemption by his life, death, and resurrection”; for the work of redemption is crowned and completed by Christ’s ascension to glory and his ministry in heaven (see Romans 6).

Even in the old sanctuary the rite of the Day of Atonement was not complete until the blood had been offered in the sanctuary. Eternal, see or Hebrews 6:2. Not mere duration is contemplated, but quality; a redemption answering in its quality to that age when all the conditions of time shall be no more: a redemption not ritual, but profoundly ethical and spiritual. Λύτρωσιν redemption, only here, Luke 1:68; Luke 2:38. See on might redeem, Titus 2:4. Hebrews 9:12 ——————————————————————————– Through his own blood (dia tou idiou haimatos). This is the great distinction between Christ as High Priest and all other high priests. They offer blood (Hebrews 9:7), but he offered his own blood. He is both victim and High Priest.

See the same phrase in Hebrews 13:12; Acts 20:28. ——————————————————————————– Once for all (ephapax). In contrast to the repeated (annual) entrances of the Levitical high priests (Hebrews 9:7). ——————————————————————————– Into the holy place (eis ta hagia). Here, as in Hebrews 9:8; Hebrews 9:24 heaven itself. ——————————————————————————– Having obtained (heuramenos). First aorist middle (indirect) participle of heuriskτ, simultaneous action with eisηlthen, and by or of himself “as the issue of personal labour directed to this end” (Westcott). The value of Christ’s offering consists in the fact that he is the Son of God as well as the Son of man, that he is sinless and so a perfect sacrifice with no need of an offering for himself, and that it is voluntary on his part (John 10:17). Lutrτsis (from lutroτ) is a late word for the act of ransoming (cf. lutron, ransom), in O.T. only here and Luke 1:68; Luke 2:38.

But apolutrτsis elsewhere (as in Luke 21:28; Romans 3:24; Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 11:35). For “eternal” (aiτnian, here feminine form) see Hebrews 6:2.

The author now turns to discuss the better sacrifice (Hebrews 9:13 to Hebrews 10:18) already introduced.

Hebrews 9:13

Hebrews 9:13 Hebrews 9:13 ————————– ειG1487 γαρG1063 FOR IF τοG3588 THE αιμαG129 BLOOD ταυρωνG5022 OF BULLS καιG2532 AND τραγωνG5131 OF GOATS, καιG2532 AND σποδοςG4700 ASHES δαμαλεωςG1151 OF A HEIFER ραντιζουσαG4472 [G5723] τουςG3588 THE κεκοινωμενουςG2840 [G5772] DEFILED, αγιαζειG37 [G5719] προςG4314 FOR τηνG3588 THE τηςG3588 OF THE σαρκοςG4561 FLESH καθαροτηταG2514 PURITY, if: Leviticus 16:14, Leviticus 16:16 and: Numbers 19:2-21 the purifying: Numbers 8:7, Numbers 19:12, 2 Chronicles 30:19, Psalms 51:7, Acts 15:9, 1 Peter 1:22 Exodus 12:5 - be without Exodus 12:7 - General Exodus 29:12 - the blood Leviticus 5:16 - and the priest Leviticus 14:7 - sprinkle Leviticus 16:30 - General Numbers 19:4 - sprinkle Numbers 19:9 - clean Numbers 19:21 - General 2 Chronicles 35:6 - sanctify Psalms 51:2 - Wash Isaiah 6:7 - thine iniquity Isaiah 52:15 - sprinkle Ezekiel 36:25 - will I Ezekiel 37:23 - will cleanse Ezekiel 44:26 - General Zechariah 13:1 - a fountain John 3:25 - about John 11:55 - to purify John 17:19 - I sanctify John 19:34 - came Acts 11:9 - What Hebrews 9:9 - that could Hebrews 9:12 - by the Hebrews 10:2 - once Hebrews 10:4 - not Hebrews 10:22 - sprinkled Hebrews 10:29 - wherewith Hebrews 13:12 - sanctify Hebrews 9:13. ———————- The cleansing of fleshly or bodily impurities (which might be either physical or “ceremonial” or both), is fully described in Numbers 19 which should be carefully read. With that ceremony as a background it will be easier to appreciate the argument of our verse and the next. one. Hebrews 9:13-14 ——————————————————————————– Justifying the preceding words, and answering the question, What has Christ to offer? ——————————————————————————– Hebrews 9:13 ——————————————————————————– Ashes of a heifer (σποδόςδαμάλεως) Σποδός ashes, only here, Matthew 11:21; Luke 10:13, in both instances in the phrase sackcloth and ashes. Often in lxx. Δαμάλις heifer, N.T.o. The two examples selected cover the entire legal provision for removing uncleanness, whether contracted by sin or by contact with death. “The blood of bulls and goats” refers to the sin-offerings, perhaps especially to the annual atonement (Leviticus 16); “the ashes of a heifer” to the occasional sacrifice of the red heifer (Numbers 19) for purification from uncleanness contracted by contact with the dead. The Levitical law required two remedies: the Christian economy furnishes one for all phases of defilement. ——————————————————————————– Sprinkling the unclean (ῥαντίζουσατοὺςκεκοινωμένους) For sprinkling see on 1 Peter 1:2. The verb only in Hebrews, except Mark 7:4. For the unclean rend. them that have been defiled.

The literal rendering of the participle brings out better the incidental or occasional character of the defilement. Hebrews 9:13 ——————————————————————————– Ashes (spodos).

Old word, in N. T. only here, Matthew 11:21; Luke 10:13. Common in LXX. ——————————————————————————– Of a heifer (damaleτs). Old word (damalis), a red heifer whose ashes mingled with water (meta hudatos, Hebrews 9:19) were sprinkled (rantizousa, present active participle of rantizτ, in LXX, though rainτ more common) on the contaminated or defiled ones (Numbers 19) as the blood of bulls and goats was offered for sins (Leviticus 16). ——————————————————————————– Sanctify (hagiazei). First-class condition, assumed as true. This ceremonial ritual does serve “for the cleansing (katharotηta, old word here only in N.T.) of the flesh,” but not for the conscience (Hebrews 9:9). The cow was amτmon, the individual katharos.

Hebrews 9:14

Hebrews 9:14 Hebrews 9:14 ————————– ποσωG4214 HOW MUCH μαλλονG3123 RATHER τοG3588 THE αιμαG129 BLOOD τουG3588 OF THE χριστουG5547 CHRIST οςG3739 WHO διαG1223 THROUGH “THE” πνευματοςG4151 SPIRIT αιωνιουG166 ETERNAL εαυτονG1438 HIMSELF προσηνεγκενG4374 [G5656] OFFERED αμωμονG299 τωG3588 θεωG2316 TO GOD, καθαριειG2511 [G5692] τηνG3588 SHALL PURIFY συνειδησινG4893 υμωνG5216 YOUR αποG575 FROM νεκρωνG3498 DEAD εργωνG2041 WORKS ειςG1519 τοG3588 FOR λατρευεινG3000 [G5721] TO SERVE θεωG2316 GOD “THE” ζωντιG2198 [G5723] LIVING! How: Deuteronomy 31:27, 2 Samuel 4:11, Job 15:16, Matthew 7:11, Luke 12:24, Luke 12:28, Romans 11:12, Romans 11:24 the blood: Hebrews 9:12, 1 Peter 1:19, 1 John 1:7, Revelation 1:5 who: Isaiah 42:1, Isaiah 61:1, Matthew 12:28, Luke 4:18, John 3:34, Acts 1:2, Acts 10:38, Romans 1:4, 1 Peter 3:18 eternal: Deuteronomy 33:27, Isaiah 57:15, Jeremiah 10:10, Romans 1:20, 1 Timothy 1:17 offered: Hebrews 9:7, Hebrews 7:27, Matthew 20:28, Ephesians 2:5, Ephesians 5:2, Titus 2:14, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 3:18 without: Leviticus 22:20, Numbers 19:2-21, Numbers 28:3, Numbers 28:9, Numbers 28:11, Deuteronomy 15:21, Deuteronomy 17:1, Isaiah 53:9, Daniel 9:24-26, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 1:19, 1 Peter 2:22, 1 John 3:5 spot: or, fault purge: Hebrews 9:9, Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 10:2, Hebrews 10:22 dead works: Hebrews 6:1 to serve: Luke 1:74, Romans 6:13, Romans 6:22, Galatians 2:19, 1 Thessalonians 1:9, 1 Peter 4:2 the living: Hebrews 11:21, Deuteronomy 5:26, 1 Samuel 17:26, 2 Kings 19:16, Jeremiah 10:10, Daniel 6:26, Acts 14:15, 2 Corinthians 6:16, 1 Timothy 3:15 Exodus 12:5 - be without Exodus 12:7 - General Exodus 12:22 - a bunch Exodus 29:12 - the blood Exodus 38:1 - the altar Leviticus 1:3 - a male Leviticus 3:7 - offer it Leviticus 4:19 - General Leviticus 4:20 - an atonement Leviticus 4:31 - a sweet Leviticus 4:32 - without blemish Leviticus 4:35 - and the priest shall make Leviticus 5:16 - and the priest Leviticus 8:27 - upon Aaron’s Leviticus 15:5 - General Leviticus 15:27 - General Leviticus 16:12 - from off Leviticus 16:30 - General Leviticus 22:19 - General Numbers 19:4 - sprinkle Numbers 19:9 - a water of separation Numbers 19:11 - toucheth the dead Numbers 19:18 - General Numbers 19:21 - General Deuteronomy 16:1 - the passover 2 Chronicles 4:6 - but the sea 2 Chronicles 35:6 - sanctify Psalms 51:2 - Wash Psalms 51:7 - and Psalms 65:3 - transgressions Isaiah 6:7 - thine iniquity Isaiah 40:28 - the everlasting Isaiah 52:15 - sprinkle Isaiah 53:10 - when thou shalt make his soul Ezekiel 36:25 - will I Ezekiel 37:23 - will cleanse Ezekiel 44:26 - General Ezekiel 45:18 - without blemish Zechariah 13:1 - a fountain Matthew 5:8 - are Matthew 26:28 - my Matthew 27:50 - yielded John 3:25 - about John 6:57 - the living John 11:55 - to purify Acts 11:9 - What Acts 15:9 - purifying Acts 24:16 - General Romans 5:9 - being Romans 16:26 - everlasting 2 Corinthians 3:3 - the living Galatians 1:4 - gave Ephesians 5:26 - he Ephesians 5:27 - not Colossians 2:13 - dead 1 Timothy 1:5 - a good 1 Timothy 6:14 - without Titus 1:15 - their Hebrews 7:26 - holy Hebrews 8:3 - have Hebrews 9:18 - dedicated Hebrews 9:23 - the heavenly Hebrews 9:25 - offer Hebrews 9:26 - the sacrifice Hebrews 10:14 - he Hebrews 12:22 Hebrews 13:12 - sanctify 1 Peter 1:22 - through 1 Peter 3:16 - a good 2 Peter 1:9 - that he 1 John 5:6 - blood Revelation 7:14 - and have Hebrews 9:14. ———————- The Hebrews admitted that the blood of animals could cleanse the bodies of men from outward impurity. That should enable them to believe in the greater sterilizing power of the blood of Christ. The animals used under the old law were required to be without spot. Likewise the sacrifice of Christ was perfect since He had no blemish either in body or mind or spirit. This sacrifice was made possible through the Spirit, which was necessary because the literal blood of Christ was poured out on the ground and never reclaimed.

But the spiritual worth of it was taken into the Most Holy place (Heaven) by Him (verse 12). From dead works means to draw the Christians from the works of the law. (See comments at chapter 6:1.) To serve the living God in this age can be done only by accepting the perfect sacrifice made through the Son. Hebrews 9:14 ——————————————————————————– Through the eternal spirit (διὰπνεύματοςαἰωνίου) For the rend. an. Διὰ through = by virtue of. Not the Holy Spirit, who is never so designated, but Christ’s own human spirit: the higher element of Christ’s being in his human life, which was charged with the eternal principle of the divine life. Comp. Romans 1:4; 1 Corinthians 15:45; 1 Peter 3:18; Hebrews 7:16. This is the key to the doctrine of Christ’s sacrifice. The significance and value of his atonement lie in the personal quality and motive of Christ himself which are back of the sacrificial act.

The offering was the offering of Christ’s deepest self— his inmost personality. Therein consists the attraction of the cross, not to the shedding of blood, but to Christ himself.

This is Christ’s own declaration, John 12:32. “I will draw all men unto me.” Therein consists its potency for men: not in Christ’s satisfaction of justice by suffering a legal penalty, but in that the cross is the supreme expression of a divine spirit of love, truth, mercy, brotherhood, faith, ministry, unselfishness, holiness,— a spirit which goes out to men with divine intensity of purpose and yearning to draw them into its own sphere, and to make them partakers of its own eternal quality. This was a fact before the foundation of the world, is a fact today, and will be a fact so long as any life remains unreconciled to God. Atonement is eternal in virtue of the eternal spirit of Christ through which he offered himself to God. ——————————————————————————– Offered himself without spot (ἑαυτὸνπροσήνεγκενἄμωμον) The two other elements which give superior validity to Christ’s sacrifice. It was voluntary, a self-offering, unlike that of brute beasts who had no volition and no sense of the reason why they were offered. It was spotless. He was a perfectly righteous, sinless being, perfectly and voluntarily obedient to the Father’s will, even unto the suffering of death.

The legal victims were only physically unblemished according to ceremonial standards. Ἄμωμος in lxx, technically, of victims, Exodus 29:1; Leviticus 1:3; Leviticus 1:10, etc. ——————————————————————————– Purge your conscience (καθαριεῖτὴνσυνείδησινἡμῶν) For your rend. our. The superior nature of Christ’s sacrifice appears in its deeper effect.

While the Levitical sacrifice accomplished only formal, ritual expiation, leaving the inner man unaffected, while it wrought externally and dealt with specific sins the effect of Christ’s sacrifice goes to the center of the moral and spiritual life, and cleanses the very fountainhead of being, thus doing its work where only an eternal spirit can do it. Καθαρίζειν to purge is not a classical word. In Class. καθαιρεῖν (also in lxx): but καθαρίζειν appears in inscriptions in a ritual sense, and with ἀπὸ from, as here, thus showing that the word was not confined to biblical and ecclesiastical Greek. ——————————————————————————– From dead works (ἀπὸνεκρῶνἔργων) The effect of Christ’s sacrifice upon the conscience transmits itself to the works, and fills them with the living energy of the eternal spirit. It changes the character of works by purging them of the element of death. This element belongs not only to works which are acknowledged as sinful and are committed by sinful men, but to works which go under the name of religious, yet are performed in a merely legal spirit. None the less, because it is preeminently the religion of faith, does Christianity apply the severest and most radical of tests to works. Professor Bruce truthfully says that “the severest test of Christ’s power to redeem is his ability to loose the bonds springing out of a legal religion, by which many are bound who have escaped the dominion of gross, sinful habits.” Hebrews 9:14 ——————————————————————————– How much more (posτi mallon).

Instrumental case, “by how much more,” by the measure of the superiority of Christ’s blood to that of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer. ——————————————————————————– Through the eternal Spirit (dia pneumatos aiτniou). Not the Holy Spirit, but Christ’s own spirit which is eternal as he is.

There is thus a moral quality in the blood of Christ not in that of other sacrifices. ——————————————————————————– Offered himself (heauton prosηnegken). Second aorist active indicative of prospherτ (used so often as in Hebrews 5:1; Hebrews 5:3; Hebrews 8:3). The voluntary character of Christ’s death is again emphasized. ——————————————————————————– Without blemish (amτmon). Old compound adjective (Colossians 1:22; 1 Peter 1:19) as the sacrifice had to be (Exodus 29:1; Leviticus 1:3; Leviticus 1:10). ——————————————————————————– Shall cleanse from conscience (kathariei tηn suneidηsin humτn). Future active indicative of katharizτ. Some MSS. have hηmτn (our).

The old Greek used kathairτ, not katharizτ (in inscriptions for ceremonial cleansing, Deissmann, Bible Studies, pp. 216f.), for cleansing. ——————————————————————————– From dead works (apo nekrτn ergτn). As in Hebrews 6:1. “A pause might be made before ergτn, from dead— (not bodies but) works.”

Hebrews 9:15

Hebrews 9:15 Hebrews 9:15 ————————– καιG2532 AND διαG1223 τουτοG5124 FOR THIS REASON διαθηκηςG1242 OF A καινηςG2537 NEW μεσιτηςG3316 εστινG2076 [G5748] HE IS, οπωςG3704 SO THAT, θανατουG2288 DEATH γενομενουG1096 [G5637] HAVING TAKEN PLACE ειςG1519 FOR απολυτρωσινG629 τωνG3588 OF THE επιG1909 UNDER τηG3588 THE πρωτηG4413 FIRST διαθηκηG1242 παραβασεωνG3847 , τηνG3588 THE επαγγελιανG1860 PROMISE λαβωσινG2983 [G5632] MIGHT RECEIVE οιG3588 THEY WHO κεκλημενοιG2564 [G5772] HAVE BEEN CALLED τηςG3588 OF THE αιωνιουG166 ETERNAL κληρονομιαςG2817 . the mediator: Hebrews 7:22, Hebrews 8:6, Hebrews 12:24, 1 Timothy 2:5 the new: Hebrews 8:8, 2 Corinthians 3:6 means: Hebrews 9:16, Hebrews 9:28, Hebrews 2:14, Hebrews 13:20, Isaiah 53:10-12, Daniel 9:26 for: Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 11:40, Romans 3:24-26, Romans 5:6, Romans 5:8, Romans 5:10, Ephesians 1:7, 1 Peter 3:18, Revelation 5:9, Revelation 14:3, Revelation 14:4 the first: Hebrews 9:1, Hebrews 8:7, Hebrews 8:13 they which: Hebrews 3:1, Romans 8:28, Romans 8:30, Romans 9:24, 2 Thessalonians 2:14 promise: Hebrews 6:13, Hebrews 11:13, Hebrews 11:39, Hebrews 11:40, James 1:12, 1 John 2:25 eternal: Psalms 37:18, Matthew 19:29, Matthew 25:34, Matthew 25:36, Mark 10:17, Luke 18:18, John 10:28, Romans 6:23, 2 Timothy 2:10, Titus 1:2, Titus 3:7, 1 Peter 1:3, 1 Peter 1:4, 1 Peter 5:10 Genesis 17:8 - everlasting Leviticus 4:31 - a sweet Numbers 35:28 - after the death Psalms 119:111 - Thy testimonies Isaiah 42:6 - and give Isaiah 51:6 - my salvation Jeremiah 30:21 - and I Jeremiah 31:31 - I Daniel 9:27 - confirm Mark 14:24 - This Acts 2:39 - as many Acts 20:32 - and to give Acts 26:18 - inheritance Romans 3:25 - remission 1 Corinthians 11:25 - the new Galatians 3:13 - redeemed Galatians 3:22 - that Galatians 4:5 - redeem Galatians 4:24 - the two Colossians 3:24 - ye shall 2 Timothy 1:1 - the promise Hebrews 5:9 - eternal Hebrews 10:36 - ye might 2 Peter 1:4 - are given Hebrews 9:15. ———————- The argument of this verse will receive further attention when we come to Hebrews 10:4. For the present it is well to state that whenever a man was forgiven under the Mosiac exercises, the sins were charged up against the blood of Christ (not “rolled forward”). Hence when Jesus came into the world in the form of flesh, it was necessary for Him to make all of those instances good by His own blood. Thus Christ was not required merely to give “a pint of blood” but He was made to give it all, and thus assure the whole world of the possibility for eternal inheritance. Hebrews 9:15 ——————————————————————————– The efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice is bound up with a covenant. His priesthood involves a new and a better covenant. See Hebrews 8:6-13. That covenant involves his death. ——————————————————————————– For this cause (διὰτοῦτο) Indicating the close relation between the cleansing power of Christ’s blood and the new covenant. ——————————————————————————– Mediator of the new testament (διαθήκηςκαινῆςμεσίτης) For the new testament rend. a new covenant. See on next verse. For μεσίτης mediator, see on Galatians 3:19-20. ——————————————————————————– By means of death (θανάτουγενομένου) Rend. a death having taken place. ——————————————————————————– For the redemption of the transgressions (εἰςἀπολύτρωσιντῶνπαραβάσεων) The phrase redemption of transgressions (that is, from transgressions) only here. Ἀπολύτρωσις in N.T. mostly absolutely: the redemption, or your redemption, or simply redemption.

Twice with genitive of that which is redeemed, Romans 8:23; Ephesians 1:14. Only once in lxx, Daniel 4:32.

For παράβασις transgression, see on Romans 2:23. ——————————————————————————– Under the first testament (ἐπὶ) On the basis of: estimated according to the standard of the provisions of the first covenant, and to be atoned for in the way which it prescribed. By this expression he emphasizes the insufficiency of every other atoning provision, selecting the system which represented the most elaborate and complete atonement for sin prior to Christ. The intimation is in the same direction with that of the phrase through an eternal spirit—that the ideal redemption must be eternal. ——————————————————————————– They which are called (οἱκεκλημένοι) Without regard to nationality. The scope of the new covenant was wider than that of the old. Comp. Acts 2:39.

In Hebrews 3:1, the readers are addressed as “partakers of a heavenly calling,” which corresponds with “eternal inheritance” here. Those who obtain this inheritance are designated as “called.” See Ephesians 1:18; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:24; 1 Peter 3:9. ——————————————————————————– Of eternal inheritance (τῆςαἰωνίουκληρονομίας) Rend. “the eternal inheritance”: something recognized as a fact.

For κληρονομία inheritance, see on 1 Peter 1:4, and comp. Ephesians 1:14. The whole statement implies that the provisions of the Levitical system were inadequate to procure and insure full salvation. Hebrews 9:15 ——————————————————————————– Mediator of a new covenant (diathηkηs kainηs mesitηs). See Hebrews 8:6 for this phrase with kreittonos instead of kainηs. ——————————————————————————– A death having taken place (thanatou genomenou). Genitive absolute, referring to Christ’s death. ——————————————————————————– For the redemption (eis apolutrτsin). ——————————————————————————– Of the transgressions (tτn parabaseτn).

Really ablative case, “from the transgressions.” See Hebrews 9:12, lutrτsin. ——————————————————————————– Under the first covenant (epi tηi prτtηi diathηkηi). Here there is a definite statement that the real value in the typical sacrifices under the Old Testament system was in the realization in the death of Christ.

It is Christ’s death that gives worth to the types that pointed to him. So then the atoning sacrifice of Christ is the basis of the salvation of all who are saved before the Cross and since. ——————————————————————————– That they may receive (hopτs labτsin). Purpose clause (God’s purpose in the rites and symbols) with hopτs and the second aorist active subjunctive of lambanτ.

Hebrews 9:16

Hebrews 9:16 Hebrews 9:16 ————————– οπουG3699 γαρG1063 FOR WHERE διαθηκηG1242 " THERE IS " A , θανατονG2288 " FOR THE " DEATH αναγκηG318 “IT IS” φερεσθαιG5342 [G5745] TO COME IN τουG3588 OF THE διαθεμενουG1303 [G5642] . be: or, be brought in, Hebrews 9:16 Hebrews 1:3 - by himself Hebrews 9:15 - means Hebrews 9:20 - testament Hebrews 13:20 - covenant Hebrews 9:16-17. ———————- This paragraph may-he regarded as a companion passage of Heb 8:4, in that the New Testament which is the covenant or will of Christ was not in force until after His death. This is a rule that is generally recognized concerning testaments (or wills) that men make, in that such wills are not in force during the lifetime of the men who make them. Hebrews 9:16 For where a testament is (ὅπουγὰρδιαθήκη) “The English Version has involved this passage in hopeless obscurity by introducing the idea of a testament and a testator.” This statement of Rendall (Epistle to the Hebrews, p. 159) is none too strong. That interpretation, however, is maintained by a very strong array of modern expositors. It is based upon κληρονομία inheritance; it being claimed that this word changes the whole current of thought. Hence it is said that the new covenant established by Christ is here represented as a testamentary disposition on his part, which could become operative in putting the heirs in possession of the inheritance only through the death of Christ. See Additional Notes at the end of this chapter. ——————————————————————————– There must also of necessity be the death of the testator (θάνατουἀνάγκηφέρεσθαιτοῦδιαθεμένου) Rend. it is necessary that the death of the institutor (of the covenant) should be borne. With the rendering testament, φέρεσθαι is well-nigh inexplicable.

If covenant the meaning is not difficult. If he had meant to say it is necessary that the institutor die, he might better have used γένεσθαι: “it is necessary that the death of the institutor take place”; but he meant to say that it was necessary that the institutor die representatively; that death should be borne for him by an animal victim.

If we render testament, it follows that the death of the testator himself is referred to, for which θάνατουφέρεσθαι is a very unusual and awkward expression. Hebrews 9:16 ——————————————————————————– A testament (diathηkη). The same word occurs for covenant (Hebrews 9:15) and will (Hebrews 9:16). This double sense of the word is played upon also by Paul in Galatians 3:15-16. We say today “The New Testament” (Novum Testamentum) rather than " The New Covenant.” Both terms are pertinent. ——————————————————————————– That made it (tou diathemenou). Genitive of the articular second aorist middle participle of diatithηmi from which diathηkη comes.

The notion of will here falls in with klηronomia (inheritance, 1 Peter 1:4) as well as with thanatos (death). ——————————————————————————– Of force (bebaia). Stable, firm as in Hebrews 3:6; Hebrews 3:14. ——————————————————————————– Where there hath been death (epi nekrois). “In the case of dead people.” A will is only operative then. ——————————————————————————– For doth it ever avail while he that made it liveth? (epei mη pote ischuei hote zηi ho diathemenos;).

This is a possible punctuation with mη pote in a question (John 7:26). Without the question mark, it is a positive statement of fact. Aleph and D read tote (then) instead of pote. The use of mη in a causal sentence is allowable (John 3:18, hoti mη).

Hebrews 9:17

Hebrews 9:17 Hebrews 9:17 ————————– διαθηκηG1242 γαρG1063 FOR A επιG1909 νεκροιςG3498 IN THE CASE OF “THE” DEAD βεβαιαG949 , επειG1893 SINCE μηποτεG3379 IN NO WAY ισχυειG2480 [G5719] IT IS OF FORCE οτεG3753 WHEN ζηG2198 [G5719] IS LIVING οG3588 THE διαθεμενοςG1303 [G5642] . Genesis 48:21, John 14:27,*Gr: Galatians 3:15 Luke 22:20 - This Hebrews 9:20 - testament Hebrews 13:20 - covenant Hebrews 9:16-17. ———————- This paragraph may-he regarded as a companion passage of Heb 8:4, in that the New Testament which is the covenant or will of Christ was not in force until after His death. This is a rule that is generally recognized concerning testaments (or wills) that men make, in that such wills are not in force during the lifetime of the men who make them. Hebrews 9:17 ——————————————————————————– For a testament is of force after men are dead (διαθήκηγὰρἐπὶνεκροῖςβεβαία) Rend. “for a covenant is of force (or sure) over (or upon) dead (victims).” Comp. Soph. Elect. 237; Eurip. Ion. 228; Aesch. Eumen. 316; Hdt. iv. 162. See also Leviticus 21:5. ——————————————————————————– Otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth (ἐπεὶμὴτότεἰσχύειὅτεζῃὁδιαθέμενος) Rend. “since it hath not then force when the institutor is alive”: until he has been representatively slain.

Hebrews 9:18

Hebrews 9:18 Hebrews 9:18 ————————– οθενG3606 WHENCE ουδG3761 NEITHER ηG3588 THE πρωτηG4413 FIRST χωριςG5565 APART FROM αιματοςG129 BLOOD εγκεκαινισταιG1457 [G5769] HAS BEEN . the first: Hebrews 8:7-9, Exodus 12:22, Exodus 24:3-8 dedicated: or, purified, Hebrews 9:14, Hebrews 9:22 Exodus 24:6 - the blood he Exodus 24:7 - the book Exodus 24:8 - sprinkled Leviticus 8:15 - Moses Jeremiah 31:32 - Not John 17:19 - I sanctify Ephesians 2:13 - are Hebrews 8:9 - the covenant Hebrews 13:12 - sanctify Hebrews 9:18. ———————- Death is the central idea in this part of Paul’s argument, hence he states that the first testament was dedicated. (consecrated) with blood. Since the shedding of blood requires the death of the creature furnishing it, the circumstance makes the type and antitype complete. The animals died in order to dedicate (or put into force) the Old Testament or covenant, and Christ died and gave his blond to dedicate and render forceful His New Testament. (See Matthew 26:28). Therefore the animals slain In sacrifice under the law constituted the testator of that system. Hebrews 9:18 ——————————————————————————– Whereupon (ὅθεν) Rend. wherefore, or for which reason: on the general principle that a covenant must be ratified by death. ——————————————————————————– Neither the first testament was dedicated without blood (οὐδὲἡπρώτηχωρὶςαἵματοςἐνκεκαίνισται) Rend. “neither hath the first (covenant) been inaugurated without blood.” There is surely no excuse for inserting testament here, as A.V., since the allusion is clearly to the ratification of a covenant with blood. But further, as this and the verses immediately following are intended to furnish a historical illustration of the statements in Hebrews 9:16-17, we seem forced either to render covenant in those verses, or to assume that the transaction here related was the ratification of a will and testament, or to find our writer guilty of using an illustration which turns on a point entirely different from the matter which he is illustrating. Thus: a testament is of force after men are dead. It has no force so long as the testator is alive. Wherefore, the first covenant was ratified by slaying victims and sprinkling their blood. For the incident see Exodus 24:8. Ἐνκαινίζειν only here and Hebrews 10:20. lxx, to renew, 1 Samuel 11:14; 2 Chronicles 15:8; Psalms 51:10 : to dedicate, 1 Kings 8:63; 1Ma 4:36.

Comp. τὰἐνκαίνια the feast of dedication, John 10:22. Rend. οὐδὲ neither, as A.V., and not not even, in which case the meaning would be, “not even the first covenant, although its ministries did not perfect the worshipper as touching the conscience,” a thought which would be foreign to the point, which is merely the analogy in the matter of death.

Hebrews 9:18 ——————————————————————————– The first covenant (hη prτtη). Supply diathηkη as in Hebrews 9:1. ——————————————————————————– Has been dedicated (enkekainistai). Stands dedicated. Perfect passive indicative of enkainizo, a late verb in LXX, one papyrus, and in N.T. only here and Hebrews 10:20. It means to renew, to inaugurate (1 Samuel 11:14; 2 Chronicles 15:8) and in 1 Kings 8:63 to dedicate. Note ta enkainia (John 10:22) for the feast of dedication.

Hebrews 9:19

Hebrews 9:19 Hebrews 9:19 ————————– λαληθεισηςG2980 [G5685] HAVING BEEN SPOKEN γαρG1063 FOR πασηςG3956 EVERY εντοληςG1785 καταG2596 TO νομονG3551 LAW υποG5259 BY μωυσεωςG3475 MOSES παντιG3956 TO ALL τωG3588 THE λαωG2992 PEOPLE, λαβωνG2983 [G5631] HAVING TAKEN τοG3588 THE αιμαG129 τωνG3588 BLOOD μοσχωνG3448 OF CALVES καιG2532 AND τραγωνG5131 OF GOATS, μεταG3326 WITH υδατοςG5204 WATER καιG2532 AND εριουG2053 WOOL κοκκινουG2847 SCARLET καιG2532 AND υσσωπουG5301 HYSSOP, αυτοG846 τεG5037 BOTH ITSELF τοG3588 THE βιβλιονG975 BOOK καιG2532 AND πανταG3956 ALL τονG3588 THE λαονG2992 PEOPLE ερραντισενG4472 [G5656] HE , the blood: Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 10:4, Exodus 24:5, Exodus 24:6, Exodus 24:8-11, Leviticus 1:2, Leviticus 1:3, Leviticus 1:10, Leviticus 3:6, Leviticus 16:14-18 scarlet: or, purple, Leviticus 14:4-6, Leviticus 14:49-52, Numbers 19:6, Matthew 27:28, Mark 15:17, Mark 15:20, John 19:2, John 19:5 hyssop: Exodus 12:22, Numbers 19:18, Psalms 51:7 sprinkled: Hebrews 12:24, Exodus 24:8, Isaiah 52:15, Ezekiel 36:25, 1 Peter 1:2 Exodus 29:20 - sprinkle Leviticus 7:2 - and the Leviticus 14:7 - sprinkle Deuteronomy 4:13 - And he Deuteronomy 5:2 - General Joshua 2:18 - scarlet thread 1 Kings 4:33 - the hyssop Son 4:3 - scarlet John 2:6 - after Hebrews 10:22 - sprinkled Hebrews 11:28 - the sprinkling Hebrews 13:12 - sanctify Hebrews 9:19. ———————- In keeping with the truth just referred to, Moses used blood to put into force the words of the law after he had spoken them. Regardless of the excellence of the words of that law, it required the blood of the testator (the animals) to render them valid. Likewise the words of Christ spoken in his personal ministry and to be spoken by the apostle afterwards, required the blood of Him who was to be the testator of the new law or new covenant. Hebrews 9:19 ——————————————————————————– The statement of Heb 9:18 historically confirmed by the story of the establishment of the law-covenant, Exodus 24. ——————————————————————————– Of calves and goats (τῶνμόσχωνκαὶτῶντράγων) Not mentioned in the O.T. account. The goat was always for a sin-offering, and the sacrifices on this occasion were oxen, and are described as burnt offerings and sacrifices of peace, Exodus 24:5. In the original covenant with Abraham a she-goat and a heifer are specially mentioned, Genesis 15:9. ——————————————————————————– Water, scarlet wool, hyssop— sprinkled the book (ὕδατος, ἐρίουκοκκίνου, ὑσσώπουαὐτότετὸβιβλίονἐράντισεν) None of these are mentioned in the O.T. account, which the writer appears to have filled up from the details of subsequent usage. Comp. the additions in Hebrews 9:5; Hebrews 9:10. It will also be observed that the sacrifices on the occasion of establishing the law covenant were not made according to the Mosaic ritual. They were offered, not by the priests, but by the young men, Exodus 24:5.

For κόκκινος scarlet, see on Matthew 27:6. Ὕσσωπος hyssop appears in Exodus 12:22; Leviticus 14:4; Leviticus 14:6; Leviticus 14:49; Numbers 19:6; Numbers 19:18; Psalms 51:9; John 19:29. Mostly in connection with lustral ceremonies.

The vexed question of the precise botanical character of the plant has never been decisively settled. Hebrews 9:19 ——————————————————————————– When every commandment had been spoken (lalηtheisηs). Genitive absolute with first aorist passive participle feminine singular of laleτ. The author uses the account in Exodus 24:3-4 “with characteristic freedom” (Moffatt). There is nothing there about the water, the scarlet wool (erion, diminutive of eros, eiros, old word, here and in Revelation 1:14; for kokkinos see notes on §Matthew 27:6; §Matthew 27:28), and hyssop (hussτpou, a plant mentioned in John 19:29). It had become the custom to mingle water with the blood and to use a wisp of wool or a stem of hyssop for sprinkling (Numbers 10:2-10). ——————————————————————————– Both the book itself (auto te to biblion).

There is nothing in Exodus about sprinkling the book of the covenant, though it may very well have been done. He omits the use of oil in Exodus 40:9-10; Leviticus 8:10-11 and applies blood to all the details. ——————————————————————————– Sprinkled (erantisen).

First aorist active indicative from rantizτ (from rantos and this from rainτ), like baptizτ from baptτ. Cf. Mark 7:4; Hebrews 10:22; Revelation 19:13.

Hebrews 9:20

Hebrews 9:20 Hebrews 9:20 ————————– λεγωνG3004 [G5723] SAYING, τουτοG5124 THIS “IS” τοG3588 THE αιμαG129 BLOOD τηςG3588 OF THE διαθηκηςG1242 ηςG3739 WHICH ενετειλατοG1781 [G5662] προςG4314 TO υμαςG5209 οG3588 YOU θεοςG2316 GOD. This: Hebrews 13:20, Zechariah 9:11, Matthew 26:28 testament: Rather, covenant. Hebrews 9:16, and Hebrews 9:17, may be better rendered, For where a covenant is, there must necessarily be the death of that by which it is confirmed; for a covenant is confirmed over dead victims, and does not avail while that by which it is confirmed liveth. Deuteronomy 29:12, Joshua 9:6 Exodus 24:8 - Behold Deuteronomy 4:13 - And he Hebrews 10:29 - the blood Hebrews 9:20. ———————- This language is similar to that spoken by Jesus when he was instituting the ceremony that was to symbolize the dedicating virtue of the New Testament. (See Matthew 26:28 and 1 Corinthians 11:25.) Hebrews 9:20 ——————————————————————————– This is (touto). Instead of idou of the LXX (Exodus 24:8), just like our Lord’s words in Mark 14:24, a possible reminiscence of the Master’s words (Dods). The author also has eneteilato (he commanded) for dietheto of the LXX.

Hebrews 9:21

Hebrews 9:21 Hebrews 9:21 ————————– καιG2532 AND τηνG3588 THE σκηνηνG4633 δεG1161 TOO καιG2532 AND πανταG3956 ALL ταG3588 THE σκευηG4632 VESSELS τηςG3588 OF THE λειτουργιαςG3009 τωG3588 WITH αιματιG129 BLOOD ομοιωςG3668 IN LIKE MANNER ερραντισενG4472 [G5656] HE ; Exodus 29:12, Exodus 29:20, Exodus 29:36, Leviticus 8:15, Leviticus 8:19, Leviticus 9:8, Leviticus 9:9, Leviticus 9:18, Leviticus 16:14-19, 2 Chronicles 29:19-22, Ezekiel 43:18-26 Leviticus 4:7 - the horns Leviticus 14:7 - sprinkle 2 Chronicles 29:22 - sprinkled 2 Chronicles 35:11 - the priests Ezekiel 43:20 - thus shalt Hebrews 12:24 - to the blood Hebrews 9:21. ———————- The passages in Exodus and Leviticus that record this use of the blood of animals are too numerous even to cite at this place. Hebrews 9:21 ——————————————————————————– In like manner with the blood (tτi haimati homoiτs). Instrumental case of haima (blood). But the use of the article does not necessarily refer to the blood mentioned in Hebrews 9:19. In Exodus 40:9 Moses sprinkled the tabernacle with oil. It had not been erected at the time of Exo 24:5-6. Josephus (Ant. III. 8, 6) gives a tradition that blood was used also at this dedication. Blood was used annually in the cleansing rites on the day of atonement.

Hebrews 9:22

Hebrews 9:22 Hebrews 9:22 ————————– καιG2532 AND σχεδονG4975 ALMOST ενG1722 WITH αιματιG129 BLOOD πανταG3956 ALL THINGS καθαριζεταιG2511 [G5743] ARE καταG2596 TO τονG3588 THE νομονG3551 LAW, καιG2532 AND χωριςG5565 APART FROM αιματεκχυσιαςG130 BLOOD ουG3756 γινεταιG1096 [G5736] THERE IS NO αφεσιςG859 . almost: Leviticus 14:6, Leviticus 14:14, Leviticus 14:25, Leviticus 14:51, Leviticus 14:52 and without: Leviticus 4:20, Leviticus 4:26, Leviticus 4:35, Leviticus 5:10, Leviticus 5:12, Leviticus 5:18, Leviticus 6:7, Leviticus 17:11 Genesis 4:4 - the firstlings Exodus 12:7 - General Exodus 29:12 - the blood Exodus 29:21 - shall be Exodus 29:36 - cleanse Exodus 30:10 - Aaron Leviticus 4:25 - put Leviticus 8:24 - Moses sprinkled Leviticus 9:9 - General Leviticus 16:16 - an atonement Leviticus 16:18 - General Numbers 8:12 - atonement 2 Samuel 21:3 - wherewith 2 Chronicles 29:22 - sprinkled 2 Chronicles 35:11 - the priests Isaiah 6:6 - which Ezekiel 45:15 - to make Ezekiel 45:18 - and cleanse Matthew 26:28 - shed Luke 24:26 - General John 1:17 - grace John 13:8 - If John 19:30 - It is John 19:34 - came Acts 13:38 - that Romans 5:9 - being 1 Corinthians 15:17 - ye are Ephesians 1:7 - whom Colossians 1:14 - whom Hebrews 9:18 - dedicated Hebrews 11:4 - a more Hebrews 9:22. ———————- Paul confirms the remark made in the preceding paragraph, by the general statement that almost all things are by the law purged with blood. He was therefore considering only the blood of animals when he said without the shedding of blood there is no remission. He had no reference to the blood of Christ in this statement. His blood is not even referred to until the latter part of the next verse, and then indirectly only. The statement is frequently quoted by brethren when presiding at the Lord’s table and applied to the blood of Christ. Such a use of the passage is not only a perversion of it, but it destroys the interesting argument the apostle is making. Hebrews 9:22 ——————————————————————————– The historical facts are summed up, emphasizing one point— cleansing by blood. ——————————————————————————– Almost all things (σχεδον—πάντα) The A.V. is wrong. Σξεδὸν almost or nearly is prefixed to the entire clause, and applies to both its members. Rend. “and I may almost say, it is in blood,” etc. Almost provides for such exceptions as Exodus 19:10; Exodus 32:30-32; Exodus 5:11-13; Leviticus 15:5; Leviticus 16:26-28; Leviticus 22:6; Numbers 16:46-48; Numbers 31:23-24; Psalms 51:1-17; Psalms 32:1-2. ——————————————————————————– And without shedding of blood is no remission (καὶχωρὶςαἱματεκχυσίαςοὐγίνεταιἄφεσις) This sentence also is covered by “I may almost say.” It does not state that without shedding of blood there is no remission of sins, which “would be in conflict with the history and literature of the Old Testament.” See exceptions above. Ἁιματεκχυσία shedding of blood, N.T.o , olxx, oClass. Οὐγίνεταιἄφεσις, lit. remission does not take place or ensue. For ἄφεσις see on James 5:15; most frequent in Luke and Acts. In Hebrews only here and Hebrews 10:18. Commonly with a genitive, in the phrase remission of sins: but sometimes absolutely as here, Mark 3:29; Luke 4:18.

Hebrews 9:22 ——————————————————————————– I may almost say (schedon). Old adverb, only three times in the N.T., here, Acts 13:44; Acts 19:26.

Here it qualifies the entire clause, not just panta. ——————————————————————————– With blood (en haimati). In blood. There were exceptions (Exodus 19:10; Exodus 32:30-31; Leviticus 5:11-12; Leviticus 15:5; Numbers 16:46-47; Numbers 31:23-24, etc.). Apart from shedding of blood (chτris haimatekchusias). A double compound first found here (coined by the writer) and later in ecclesiastical writers (haima, blood, ek, out, cheτ, to pour, like ekchusis haimatos 1 Kings 18:28). “Pouring out of blood.” The author seems to have in mind Christ’s words in Matthew 26:28 : “This is my blood of the covenant which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.” The blood is the vital principle and is efficacious as an atonement. The blood of Christ sets aside all other plans for pardon.

Hebrews 9:23

Hebrews 9:23 Hebrews 9:23 ————————– αναγκηG318 “IT IS” ουνG3767 THEN “FOR” ταG3588 μενG3303 THE υποδειγματαG5262 τωνG3588 OF THE THINGS ενG1722 IN τοιςG3588 THE ουρανοιςG3772 HEAVENS τουτοιςG5125 WITH THESE καθαριζεσθαιG2511 [G5745] TO BE , αυταG846 δεG1161 BUT ταG3588 THE επουρανιαG2032 κρειττοσινG2909 WITH BETTER θυσιαιςG2378 παραG3844 THAN ταυταςG3778 THESE. the patterns: Hebrews 9:9, Hebrews 9:10, Hebrews 9:24, Hebrews 8:5, Hebrews 10:1, Colossians 2:17 the heavenly: Hebrews 9:11, Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 9:14, Hebrews 9:24, Hebrews 10:4, Hebrews 10:10-17, Luke 24:26, Luke 24:46, John 14:3, 1 Peter 1:19-21, Revelation 5:9 Exodus 26:1 - the tabernacle with ten curtains Exodus 26:30 - according to the fashion Exodus 29:36 - cleanse Exodus 30:10 - Aaron Leviticus 8:35 - the tabernacle Leviticus 9:9 - General Leviticus 16:10 - to make Leviticus 16:16 - an atonement Leviticus 16:18 - General Numbers 8:4 - the pattern 2 Chronicles 4:6 - but the sea 2 Chronicles 29:16 - the inner part Psalms 84:1 - How Psalms 102:19 - the height Ezekiel 45:15 - to make John 3:25 - about John 13:8 - If John 14:2 - I go Ephesians 1:3 - heavenly Ephesians 2:15 - the law Ephesians 4:10 - ascended Ephesians 5:2 - a sacrifice Hebrews 7:26 - such Hebrews 8:2 - the true Hebrews 10:19 - to enter Hebrews 11:40 - better Hebrews 9:23. ———————- It was therefore necessary, etc. Paul is still speaking about the patterns or types in the Old Testament, that even they had to be purified or dedicated by these, meaning the blood of animal sacrifies. The blood of Christ has not been considered as yet. Then the apostle introduces by inference only the necessity of the blood of Christ. If the patterns or types of heavenly things required such blood (without the shedding of which there was no remission for the Hebrews), then the heavenly things themselves–the things pertaining to the New Testament called for better sacrifices. This is Paul’s introduction for the blood and sacrifice of Christ, which has not been the subject for several verses. Hebrews 9:23 The heavenly sanctuary required a better purification than the Levitical. ——————————————————————————– The patterns of things in the heavens The earthly tabernacle and its furniture. See on Hebrews 8:5. ——————————————————————————– With these (τούτοις) Things specified in Hebrews 9:19. ——————————————————————————– With better sacrifices (κρείττοσιθυσίαις) How can it be said that the heavenly things needed cleansing? It is not easy to answer. Various explanations have been proposed, which the student will find collected in Alford’s note on this passage. The expression is rhetorical and figurative, and appears to be founded on that feature of the Levitical ritual according to which the high priest was required, on the Great Day of Atonement, to make an atonement for the sanctuary, “because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel.” He was to do this also for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the great altar. See Leviticus 16:16 ff.

The rite implied that even the holy of holies had contracted defilement from the people’s sin. Similarly, the atoning blood of Christ is conceived as purifying the things of the heavenly sanctuary which had been defiled by the sins of men. “If the heavenly city of God, with its Holy Place, is, conformably with the promise, destined for the covenant-people, that they may there attain to perfect fellowship with God, then their guilt has defiled these holy things as well as the earthly, and they must be purified in the same way as the typical law appointed for the latter, only not by the blood of an imperfect, but of a perfect sacrifice” (Delitzsch).

Hebrews 9:23 ——————————————————————————– The copies (ta hupodeigmata). See Hebrews 8:5 for this word, the earthly (Hebrews 8:4; Hebrews 9:1) tabernacle. ——————————————————————————– With these (toutois). Instrumental case of houtos, like the rites above described (Hebrews 9:19), perhaps with some disparagement. ——————————————————————————– Themselves (auta). The heavenly realities (Hebrews 8:2; Hebrews 8:5; Hebrews 9:11-12). ——————————————————————————– With better sacrifices (kreittosin thusiais). Instrumental case again. Point of this section (Hebrews 9:13 to Hebrews 10:18). ——————————————————————————– Than these (para tautas).

Use of para and the accusative case after a comparative as in Hebrews 1:4; Hebrews 1:9. To us it seems a bit strained to speak of the ritual cleansing or dedication of heaven itself by the appearance of Christ as Priest-Victim.

But the whole picture is highly mystical.

Hebrews 9:24

Hebrews 9:24 Hebrews 9:24 ————————– ουG3756 γαρG1063 ειςG1519 FOR NOT INTO χειροποιηταG5499 MADE BY HANDS αγιαG39 HOLIES εισηλθενG1525 [G5627] ENTERED οG3588 THE χριστοςG5547 CHRIST, αντιτυπαG499 FIGURES τωνG3588 OF THE αληθινωνG228 TRUE “ONES” αλλG235 BUT ειςG1519 INTO αυτονG846 τονG3588 ITSELF ουρανονG3772 HEAVEN, νυνG3568 NOW εμφανισθηναιG1718 [G5683] TO APPEAR τωG3588 προσωπωG4383 τουG3588 BEFORE THE FACE θεουG2316 OF GOD υπερG5228 FOR ημωνG2257 US : the holy: Hebrews 9:11, Mark 14:58, John 2:19-21 the figures: Hebrews 9:9, Hebrews 9:23, Hebrews 8:2 but: Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 6:20, Hebrews 7:26, Hebrews 8:2, Hebrews 8:5, Hebrews 12:2, Psalms 68:18, Mark 16:19, Luke 24:51, John 6:62, John 16:28, Acts 1:9-11, Acts 3:21, Ephesians 1:20-22, Ephesians 4:8-11, Colossians 3:2, 1 Peter 3:22 appear: Hebrews 7:25, Exodus 28:12, Exodus 28:29, Zechariah 3:1, Romans 8:33, 1 John 2:1, 1 John 2:2, Revelation 8:3 Exodus 24:2 - General Exodus 26:1 - the tabernacle with ten curtains Exodus 28:30 - upon his heart Exodus 30:8 - a perpetual Exodus 40:5 - the altar Leviticus 8:35 - the tabernacle Leviticus 9:23 - came out Leviticus 16:3 - Aaron Leviticus 16:10 - to make Leviticus 16:13 - the cloud Deuteronomy 5:5 - General Deuteronomy 33:10 - they shall put incense 1 Kings 8:13 - a settled 2 Chronicles 29:16 - the inner part Psalms 61:7 - abide Psalms 84:1 - How Psalms 102:19 - the height Isaiah 25:7 - he will Isaiah 53:12 - made Jeremiah 15:1 - stood Jeremiah 30:21 - engaged Daniel 2:34 - was cut Daniel 7:13 - and they Luke 1:10 - General John 17:9 - pray for John 17:11 - I am Acts 1:2 - the day Romans 8:34 - who also 1 Corinthians 10:6 - examples 2 Corinthians 5:1 - an 2 Corinthians 12:2 - caught Ephesians 4:10 - ascended Colossians 2:11 - without Hebrews 3:5 - for Hebrews 4:14 - that is Hebrews 7:8 - he liveth Hebrews 9:7 - into Hebrews 9:12 - he entered Hebrews 11:19 - from the 1 Peter 3:21 - like Revelation 9:13 - a voice Revelation 13:6 - and his Hebrews 9:24. ———————- Christ never did any official or priestly services in the temple at Jerusalem while on earth, for the priests of the law were still in that service (Hebrews 8:4). Hence He entered that place of which the one made with hands was a figure or type. He is there to be in the presence of God for us or on our behalf as our High Priest. This is another item in Paul’s reasoning with the Hebrew Christians. He is showing them that in clinging to the service of the Levitical priesthood, the Judaizers are repudiating the One who has actually entered into the presence of God. Hebrews 9:24 ——————————————————————————– Under the old covenant, the bloodshedding was symbolical: the death of the institutor was by proxy. In the ratification of the new covenant, Christ himself was the covenant-victim, and a real cleansing power attaches to his blood as the offering of his eternal spirit. ——————————————————————————– The holy places made with hands (χειροποίηταἅγια) For holy places rend. a holy place, the plural being used of the sanctuary. Christ is not entered into a hand-made sanctuary. ——————————————————————————– Figures (ἀντίτυπα) Or. figure. Only here and 1 Peter 3:21, see note. Answering to the patterns in the heavens, Hebrews 8:5. Rev. like in pattern. ——————————————————————————– Now to appear (νῦνἐμφανισθῆναι) Now, not only in contrast with the time of the old, typical economy, but also implying a continually-present manifestation, for us, now, as at his first entrance into the heavenly sanctuary. Ἐμφανισθῆναι, rend. to be manifested.

Better than to appear, because it exhibits the manifestation of Christ as something brought about as the result of a new and better economy, and distinctly contemplated in the institution of that economy. Christ is made openly manifest before the face of God.

The Levitical priest was compelled to shroud the ark and the shekinah with incense-smoke, that he might not look upon God face to face. Hebrews 9:24 ——————————————————————————– Made with hands (cheiropoiηta). See Hebrews 9:11 for this word. ——————————————————————————– Like in pattern to the true (antitupa tτn alηthinτn). Late compound word, only twice in N.T. (here, 1 Peter 3:21). Polybius uses antitupos for infantry “opposite” to the cavalry. In modern Greek it means a copy of a book. Here it is the “counterpart of reality” (Moffatt). Moses was shown a tupos (model) of the heavenly realities and he made an antitupon on that model, “answering to the type” (Dods) or model.

In 1 Peter 3:21 antitupos has the converse sense, “the reality of baptism which corresponds to or is the antitype of the deluge” (Dods). ——————————————————————————– Now to appear (nun emphanisthηnai). Purpose clause by the first aorist passive infinitive of emphanizτ (Matthew 27:53; John 14:21-22). For the phrase see Psalms 42:3. For this work of Christ as our High Priest and Paraclete in heaven see Hebrews 7:25; Romans 8:34; 1 John 2:1-2.

Hebrews 9:25

Hebrews 9:25 Hebrews 9:25 ————————– ουδG3761 NOR ιναG2443 THAT πολλακιςG4178 OFTEN προσφερηG4374 [G5725] HE SHOULD OFFER εαυτονG1438 HIMSELF, ωσπερG5618 EVEN AS οG3588 THE αρχιερευςG749 HIGH PRIEST εισερχεταιG1525 [G5736] ENTERS ειςG1519 INTO ταG3588 THE αγιαG39 HOLIES κατG2596 ενιαυτονG1763 YEAR BY YEAR ενG1722 WITH αιματιG129 BLOOD αλλοτριωG245 ANOTHER’S; offer: Hebrews 9:7, Hebrews 9:14, Hebrews 9:26, Hebrews 10:10 as: Hebrews 9:12, Exodus 30:10, Leviticus 16:2-34 Exodus 39:1 - holy place Leviticus 16:3 - Aaron Leviticus 16:14 - General Leviticus 16:15 - Then shall Leviticus 16:34 - once a year Numbers 16:46 - from off Numbers 29:11 - beside Isaiah 53:10 - when thou shalt make his soul Zechariah 3:9 - remove Romans 3:25 - remission Hebrews 7:8 - he liveth Hebrews 7:27 - this Hebrews 9:28 - was Hebrews 9:25. ———————- Another contrast is in the frequency with which the two priests performed their services in the most holy place. The high priests of the Levitical order had to repeat theirs often (every year). Blood of others means that the high priest of that law used the blood of a victim and not his own blood. Hebrews 9:25 ——————————————————————————– Nor yet that (οὐδ’ ἵνα) Supply did he enter. “Nor yet did he enter that he might offer,” etc. ——————————————————————————– He should offer himself often (πολλάκιςπροσφέρῃἑαυτόν) His offering did not need repetition like the Levitical sacrifices. Offer himself refers rather to Christ’s entrance into the heavenly sanctuary and presentation of himself before God, than to his offering on the cross. See on Hebrews 9:14. The sacrifice on the cross is described by παθεῖν suffer, Hebrews 9:26, and is introduced as a distinct thought. The point is that, being once in the heavenly sanctuary, Christ was not compelled to renew often his presentation of himself there, since, in that case, it would be necessary for him to suffer often. Each separate offering would necessitate a corresponding suffering.

Hebrews 9:25 ——————————————————————————– That he should offer himself often (hina pollakis prospherηi heauton). Purpose clause with hina and present active subjunctive of prospherτ (keep on offering himself, like Hebrews 5:1; Hebrews 5:3). ——————————————————————————– With blood not his own (en haimati allotriτi). So-called instrumental use of en (accompaniment). allotrios means “belonging to another,” “not one’s own” (Luke 16:12).

Hebrews 9:26

Hebrews 9:26 Hebrews 9:26 ————————– επειG1893 SINCE εδειG1163 [G5900] IT WAS FOR αυτονG846 HIM πολλακιςG4178 OFTEN παθεινG3958 [G5629] TO HAVE αποG575 FROM “THE” καταβοληςG2602 κοσμουG2889 OF “THE” WORLD. νυνG3568 δεG1161 BUT NOW απαξG530 ONCE επιG1909 IN συντελειαG4930 “THE” τωνG3588 OF THE αιωνωνG165 AGES, ειςG1519 FOR “THE” αθετησινG115 PUTTING AWAY αμαρτιαςG266 OF SIN διαG1223 BY τηςG3588 θυσιαςG2378 αυτουG846 HIS πεφανερωταιG5319 [G5769] HA HAS BEEN . the foundation: Matthew 25:34, John 17:24, 1 Peter 1:20, Revelation 13:8, Revelation 17:8 in: Hebrews 1:2, Isaiah 2:2, Daniel 10:14, Micah 4:1, 1 Corinthians 10:11, Galatians 4:1, Ephesians 1:10, 1 Peter 1:20 he appeared: Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 7:27, Hebrews 10:4, Hebrews 10:10, Leviticus 16:21, Leviticus 16:22, 2 Samuel 12:13, 2 Samuel 24:10, Job 7:21, Daniel 9:24, John 1:29, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 John 3:5 the sacrifice: Hebrews 9:14, Hebrews 10:12, Hebrews 10:26, Ephesians 5:2, Titus 2:14 Leviticus 9:3 - Take ye Leviticus 11:24 - General Leviticus 14:7 - let Leviticus 15:5 - General Leviticus 15:21 - General Leviticus 16:15 - Then shall Leviticus 23:28 - General Numbers 9:3 - at even Numbers 16:46 - from off Deuteronomy 16:6 - at even Joshua 20:6 - until Joshua 24:33 - died Son 8:1 - find thee Isaiah 53:10 - when thou shalt make his soul Isaiah 53:12 - he bare Ezekiel 46:15 - a continual Zechariah 3:9 - remove Matthew 24:3 - the end John 17:19 - I sanctify Romans 3:25 - remission Romans 5:6 - in due time Romans 6:10 - he died unto Galatians 3:13 - redeemed Titus 3:4 - appeared Hebrews 1:3 - by himself Hebrews 4:3 - from Hebrews 9:25 - offer Hebrews 9:26. ———————- If the sacrificial service of Christ was exactly like that of the Levitical priests, then He would have been required not to wait so long before beginning it. He would have needed to begin it at the same time the world (inhabitants of the earth) began to exist. Since one time only was necessary because the sacrifices of the old system were taking care of the sins for the time (to be explained at Hebrews 10:4), He could wait until the end of the world to perform His. World in this place is from AIONION which means age or dispensation. Jesus died in the last weeks of the Jewish Dispensation; fifty days after His death the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles, thus cancelling the Old and ushering in the New Testament Dispensation. Unlike the high priests of the Levitical system, Christ performed his by the sacrifice of himself. Hebrews 9:26 ——————————————————————————– Since the foundation of the world (ἀπὸκαταβολῆςκόσμου) For, from the foundation of the world, sin required atonement by sacrifice; and, therefore, if Christ had been a victim like others, which must be offered repeatedly, he would have had to suffer repeatedly from the foundation of the world. If his sacrifice, like the animal atonements, had availed for a time only, he would have been obliged to repeat his offering whenever that time expired; and, since his atonement was designed to be universal, it would have been necessary for him to appear repeatedly upon earth, and to die repeatedly from the foundation of the world. Comp. 1 Peter 1:20; Revelation 13:8. ——————————————————————————– In the end of the world (ἐπὶσυντελείᾳτῶναἰώνων) In N.T συντέλεια consummation, always with αἰὼν age. With the plural αἰώςων only here. Everywhere else συντέλειααἰῶνος. The A.V. gives a wrong impression as of the end of this visible world.

The true sense is the consummation of the ages: that is to say, Christ appeared when the former ages had reached their moral consummation under the old Levitical economy. Comp.

Hebrews 1:2. ——————————————————————————– To put away sin (εἰςἀθίτησιντῆςἁμαρτίας) Lit. for the putting away of sin. For ἀθέτησις see on Hebrews 7:18. Note the singular number, sin. The sacrifice of Christ dealt with sin as a principle: the Levitical sacrifices with individual transgressions. Hebrews 9:26 ——————————————————————————– Else must he often have suffered (epei edei auton pollakis pathein). A common elliptical use of epei after which one must supply “if that were true” or “in that case,” a protasis of a condition of the second class assumed to be untrue. The conclusion with edei is without an (verbs of necessity, obligation, etc.). See Robertson, Grammar, p. 963.

The conclusion with an occurs in Hebrews 10:2. See also 1 Corinthians 5:10. “Since, if that were true, it would be necessary for him to suffer often.” ——————————————————————————– Since the foundation of the world (apo katabolηs kosmou). See Hebrews 4:3 for this phrase. The one sacrifice of Christ is of absolute and final value (1 Peter 1:19-20; Revelation 13:8). ——————————————————————————– At the end (epi sunteleiβi). Consummation or completion as in Matthew 13:39-40 which see. ——————————————————————————– Hath he been manifested (pephanerτtai). Perfect passive indicative of phaneroτ, permanent state.

See “the primitive hymn or confession of faith” (Moffatt) in 1 Timothy 3:16 and also 1 Peter 1:20. Jesus came once for all (Hebrews 1:2). ——————————————————————————– To put away sin (eis athetηsin tηs hamartias).

See Hebrews 7:18 for the word athetηsis. “The sacrifice of Christ dealt with sin as a principle: the Levitical sacrifices with individual transgressions” (Vincent).

Hebrews 9:27

Hebrews 9:27 Hebrews 9:27 ————————– καιG2532 AND καθG2596 οσονG3745 FOR AS MUCH AS αποκειταιG606 [G5736] τοιςG3588 IT IS ανθρωποιςG444 TO MEN απαξG530 ONCE αποθανεινG599 [G5629] TO DIE, μεταG3326 AFTER δεG1161 AND τουτοG5124 THIS, κρισιςG2920 ; as: Genesis 3:19, 2 Samuel 14:14, Job 14:5, Job 30:23, Psalms 89:48, Ecclesiastes 3:20, Ecclesiastes 9:5, Ecclesiastes 9:10, Ecclesiastes 12:7, Romans 5:12 but: Hebrews 6:2, Job 19:25, Ecclesiastes 11:9, Ecclesiastes 12:14, Matthew 25:31-46, John 5:26-29, Acts 17:31, Romans 2:5, Romans 14:9-12, 1 Corinthians 4:5, 2 Corinthians 5:10, 2 Timothy 4:1, Jude 1:15, Revelation 20:11 Genesis 5:5 - and he died Genesis 47:29 - must die Genesis 50:24 - I die Joshua 23:14 - I am going Joshua 24:33 - died 1 Samuel 26:10 - his day 1 Kings 2:2 - I go 2 Kings 7:4 - we shall but die Job 3:19 - The small Job 21:33 - every man Psalms 49:10 - wise Ecclesiastes 2:16 - how Ecclesiastes 3:18 - concerning Ecclesiastes 6:6 - do Ecclesiastes 7:2 - that Ecclesiastes 8:8 - is no Ecclesiastes 12:5 - because Ezekiel 31:14 - delivered Zechariah 1:5 - General Matthew 22:25 - General Luke 20:32 - died John 12:48 - judge John 16:11 - judgment Acts 24:25 - judgment Romans 2:16 - God Romans 5:14 - death Romans 8:10 - the body 1 Corinthians 15:56 - sting Hebrews 7:8 - men Hebrews 12:23 - God Revelation 11:18 - and the time Hebrews 9:27. ———————- The preceding verse maintains that Christ needed to make his sacrifice only once. However, that is on the ground that man will go through death and the judgment but once. Hence this verse proceeds on that principle to affirm that it is appointed unto man to die once, and the judgment will come afterwards. Hebrews 9:27 ——————————————————————————– That there is no place for a repeated offering of Christ is further shown by reference to the lot of men in general. The very idea is absurd; for men die once, and judgment follows. Christ was man, and Christ died. He will not come to earth to live and die again. Christ died, but judgment did not follow in his case. On the contrary, he became judge of all. ——————————————————————————– It is appointed (ἀπόκειται) Lit. is laid by in store.

Comp. Luke 19:20; Colossians 1:5 (see note); 2 Timothy 4:8. Hebrews 9:27 ——————————————————————————– It is appointed (apokeitai). Present middle (or passive) of apokeimai, “is laid away” for men. Cf. same verb in Luke 19:20; Colossians 1:5; 2 Timothy 4:8 (Paul’s crown). ——————————————————————————– Once to die (hapax apothanein). Once for all to die, as once for all to live here.

No reincarnation here. ——————————————————————————– After this cometh judgement (meta touto krisis). Death is not all. Man has to meet Christ as Judge as Jesus himself graphically pictures (Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:25-29).

Hebrews 9:28

Hebrews 9:28 Hebrews 9:28 ————————– ουτωςG3779 THUS οG3588 THE χριστοςG5547 CHRIST, απαξG530 ONCE προσενεχθειςG4374 [G5685] HAVING BEEN OFFERED ειςG1519 τοG3588 FOR πολλωνG4183 OF MANY ανενεγκεινG399 [G5629] TO BEAR “THE” αμαρτιαςG266 SINS, εκG1537 δευτερουG1208 A SECOND TIME χωριςG5565 APART FROM αμαρτιαςG266 SIN οφθησεταιG3700 [G5701] SHALL APPEAR τοιςG3588 TO THOSE THAT αυτονG846 HIM απεκδεχομενοιςG553 [G5740] AWAIT ειςG1519 FOR σωτηριανG4991 . was: Hebrews 9:25, Romans 6:10, 1 Peter 3:18, 1 John 3:5 to bear: Leviticus 10:17, Numbers 18:1, Numbers 18:23, Isaiah 53:4-6, Isaiah 53:11, Isaiah 53:12, Matthew 26:28, Romans 5:15, 1 Peter 2:24 them: Philippians 3:20, 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 2 Timothy 4:8, Titus 2:13, 2 Peter 3:12 he appear: Zechariah 14:5, John 14:3, Acts 1:11, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-16, 2 Thessalonians 1:5-9, 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 1 John 3:2, Revelation 1:7 without: Romans 6:10, Romans 8:3 unto: Isaiah 25:9, Romans 8:23, 1 Corinthians 15:54, Philippians 3:21, 1 Thessalonians 4:17, 2 Thessalonians 1:10 Genesis 22:9 - bound Exodus 28:38 - bear the iniquity Leviticus 7:18 - bear Leviticus 16:22 - bear upon Leviticus 16:23 - General Leviticus 17:16 - General Numbers 9:13 - bear his sin Isaiah 8:17 - I will look Isaiah 35:4 - behold Isaiah 66:5 - but Ezekiel 4:4 - thou shalt bear Ezekiel 18:20 - bear Daniel 9:27 - confirm Matthew 20:8 - when Matthew 20:28 - and to Luke 19:12 - and John 1:29 - which John 12:48 - judge Acts 3:20 - General Romans 4:25 - Who was 1 Corinthians 1:7 - waiting 1 Corinthians 11:26 - till Galatians 3:13 - redeemed Colossians 3:4 - appear 2 Thessalonians 1:7 - when 2 Thessalonians 3:5 - and into 1 Timothy 6:14 - until 2 Timothy 4:1 - at Hebrews 7:27 - this Hebrews 9:12 - once Hebrews 9:15 - means Hebrews 10:10 - the offering Hebrews 12:2 - Looking 1 Peter 1:5 - unto 1 Peter 1:13 - the grace 1 Peter 2:22 - did 2 Peter 3:14 - seeing 1 John 2:28 - when Revelation 22:20 - Amen Hebrews 9:28. ———————- Having but one sacrifice offer, Christ waited until the typical dispensation was at its end before He did it. Bear the sins of many. The sacrifice of Christ was for the sins of the whole world (John 1:29). That means that by His one great sacrifice Christ made provision for the remission of sins for all men who will avail themselves of it under whatever dispensation they live. The rest of the verse is a beautiful likeness drawn from the procedure of the high priest of the Mosaic system. While he was in the tabernacle (or temple) performing the services for the people, they were on the outside waiting for him.

After the services were completed he would come out and bless the waiting throng. (See Leviticus 9:15-24; Numbers 16:15-17; Luke 1:9-10.) Likewise faithful servants of God who are looking (with pleasure 2 Timothy 4:8) for Christ, will see Him come to earth the second time. Without sin means He will not come to make another sacrifice for sin. (One offering was all that was necessary.) When He comes it will be unto salvation; that is to complete the salvation of those who will be faithfully looking for Him. Hebrews 9:28 ——————————————————————————– Christ Emphasizing him, as the figure to which the old economy pointed. ——————————————————————————– Was once offered (ἅπαξπροσενεχθεὶς) Lit. having been offered once for all. Note the passive in contrast with offer himself, Hebrews 9:25. He was appointed to die as truly as we. Comp. Luke 24:26; Matthew 26:53-54; Psalms 40:7-8. ——————————————————————————– To bear (ἀνενεγκεῖν) Not in the sense of bearing a sin offering up to the cross; for ἁμαρτία never means a sin-offering; nor in the sense of putting away; but signifying to take upon himself and bear as a burden. ——————————————————————————– Unto them that look for him (τοῖςαὐτὸνἀπεκδεχομένοις) Rend. await him. For the verb, see on Philippians 3:20.

This second coming with salvation is only for those who await him in faith. ——————————————————————————– Shall he appear (ὀφθήσεται) The usual verb for the appearance of Christ after his resurrection. ——————————————————————————– The second time (ἐκδευτέρου) A phrase quite common in N.T., but not in Paul. The idea is, beginning from the second: the second in a series taken as the point of departure.

As among men judgment follows as the second thing after death, so, when Christ shall appear for the second time, he will appear as the sinless Savior. ——————————————————————————– Unto salvation (εἰςσωτηρίαν) Not as a sinner to be judged, but as the Savior of mankind. It is not said that he will appear as judge, but only that he will not share the judgment which befalls all men after death. Still the phrase may imply that he will award salvation, as judge, to such as have believed on him. Hebrews 9:28 ——————————————————————————– Once (hapax). “Once for all” (Hebrews 9:26) as already stated. ——————————————————————————– Shall appear a second time (ek deuterou ophthηsetai). Future passive indicative of horaτ. Blessed assurance of the Second Coming of Christ, but this time “apart from sin” (chτris hamartias, no notion of a second chance then). ——————————————————————————– Unto salvation (eis sτtηrian).

Final and complete salvation for “them that wait for him” (tois auton apekdechomenois). Dative plural of the articular participle present middle of apekdechomai, the very verb used by Paul in Philippians 3:20 of waiting for the coming of Christ as Saviour.