1The service and sacrifices of the first tabernacle were far less perfect and efficacious to purge the conscience than the blood of Christ. 15The necessity of Christ's death for the confirmation of the new covenant: 23and of better sacrifices than those legal ones to purify the heavenly things. 25Christ was offered once for all.
1THEN verily 1the first covenant had also 2ordinances of divine service, and a 3worldly 4sanctuary.
1 Many Greek copies have the first tabernacle; but from the last verse of the previous chapter, as also by the following verse of this chapter, it appears that it is better to read here the first covenant.
2 Or, justifications, or, institutions, that is, manners of doing, according to which the worship of God was to be regulated, in which the ceremonial justification consisted of.
3 Or, that worldly sanctuary, that is, that is earthly, and made of corruptible matter, as all things are in the world; whereof see Exodus 25; 26; 36; 37; and is here opposed to the heavenly and incorruptible, which was signified hereby, as the apostle will declare hereafter.
4 As such the building is called, which by God’s ordinance was consecrated to God’s worship in the Old Testament, in whose place afterward came the temple of Solomon. But Paul here describes not the temple, but the tabernacle, because that was first built by Moses, according to the pattern showed him by God on the mount, and that Solomon afterward made the temple according to this tabernacle, yet so as that he added some other things thereunto.
2Fora there was a tabernacle made; 5the first, wherein was 6the candlestick, and the table, and 7theb shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.
a Exod. 26:1; 36:1.
5 That is, the first part of the tabernacle. For, the court of the people and of the priests, wherein the assemblies and sacrifices were performed, the apostle here passes by, and declares only the things which were in the covered tabernacle or tent, and the rites which were used therein; whereof the first part was called the holy place, the other part the Holy of Holies.
6 This candlestick, table and showbread were in the first part of the tabernacle, Exod. 25:23, etc.
7 Gr. the setting forth of bread.
b Lev. 24:5.
3And 8after the second veil, 9the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
8 This was the veil that separated the holy place from the Holy of Holies, and is called the second in respect of the first veil, which covered the entrance into the holy place in the tabernacle. See Exod. 26:36, for, in the temple this was separated with walls from the courts, in which therefore there was but one veil, which rent when Christ died on the cross, Luke 23:45.
9 That is, the part of the tabernacle; for, both these parts were under one roof.
4Which had the golden 10censer, and thec ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, 11wherein was thed golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rode that budded, and thef tables of the covenant;
10 Gr. thymiaterion; whereby some understand the altar of the incense itself, which stood in the Holy place, into which the priests went every day to burn incense thereon, as is also shown in verse 6, and may be seen in Exod. 30:6, which, as it stood close by the Holy of Holies, therefore they think that it is here said that the Holy of Holies had it. But this manner of speaking would be very improper, seeing it stands here expressly that the Holy of Holies, which was behind the second veil, had this thymiaterion, as also the ark of the covenant. Therefore it is more suitably taken for the censer, wherewith the High Priest went once a year into the Holy of Holies to burn incense, which therefore also was kept in the Holy of Holies, as Josephus witnesses, lib. 2 contra Appion. And although Moses makes no mention thereof expressly, yet the same may be gathered also from Lev. 16:12.
c Exod. 25:10.
11 Some suppose that this word wherein refers to the tabernacle, of which is spoken in the third verse, because in 1 Kings 8:9 and 2 Chron. 5:10 it is expressly said that in the ark of the covenant nothing was contained but the two tables of the law. But others understand it of the ark itself, in or about which the golden pot with manna and Aaron’s rod were at the time of the tabernacle, as may be seen in Exod. 16:33, 34 and Num. 17:10, although in the times when the temple of Solomon was built, there were no more in or about it, either because they had perished, or because they were brought somewhere into another part of the temple, as also the authentic book of the law, whereof mention is made in Deut. 31:26; 2 Chron. 34:14.
d Exod. 16:33.
e Num. 17:10.
f Exod. 34:29; 1 Kings 8:9; 2 Chron. 5:10.
5Andg over it 12the cherubims of glory shadowing 13the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
g Exod. 25:22.
12 These were two shapes of angels, with their heads bowed one towards the other, and touching one another with their wings, as may be seen, Exod. 25:18, from between which God gave answer unto Moses from the most upper part of the mercyseat, as is testified, Num. 7:89.
13 Or, the seat of grace, which was the covering of the ark, wherewith the two tables of stone of the law were covered, and was a type of Christ Who covered the law, because He subjected Himself to the law for us, and delivered us from the curse of the law, even as Christ is therefore called also by the name of Mercyseat or Propitiation, Rom. 3:25, and the angels are said to be desirous to behold these mysteries, 1 Peter 1:12.
6Now when these things were thus ordained, theh priests went 14always 15into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
h Num. 28:3.
14 That is, everyone in his daily course, as may be seen, Luke 1:8, 9.
15 That is, into the first part of the tabernacle called the holy place, as verse 2.
7Buti16into the second went the high priest alone 17once every year, 18not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the 19errors of the people:
i verse 25; Exod. 30:10; Lev. 16:2, 34.
16 That is, into the second part, namely, the Holy of Holies, as before.
17 Namely, on the tenth day of the seventh month Tisri, on the solemn day of fasting and of the atonement of all the people, see Lev. 16:29, etc.
18 Namely, of the sacrifice of atonement, which was slain and offered outside the tabernacle on the great altar in the court; the blood whereof, after the kindling of the incense in the aforesaid censer, was brought by the priest into the Holy of Holies before the ark and mercyseat, and the mercyseat was sprinkled therewith seven times, after that it was covered over with the incense as with a cloud, as may be seen, Lev. 16:11, etc., which shadow and type the apostle goes to declare from point to point in what follows.
19 Gr. ignorances, or, inconsideratenesses; whereby are understood not only the sins which are really done out of ignorance, but also all kinds of sins, as sufficiently appears by the place, Lev. 16:16, whereunto Paul here has respect, and heretofore in Heb. 7:27, and more elsewhere. The sins are so called also, because all sins (except the sin against the Holy Spirit) are always joined with some error of the understanding by the deceit of Satan.
820The Holy Ghost this signifying, thatj21the way into the holiest of all was 22not yet made manifest, 23while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
20 Namely, Who was the Institutor of all these worships, and therefore one true eternal God, with the Father and the Son, and yet a distinct Person.
j John 14:6.
21 That is, of the Holy of Holies, or of heaven, as hereafter, verses 12 and 24, is declared.
22 That is, was not yet so clearly and perfectly made known, as was afterwards done, when Christ in His first coming accomplished the things signified hereby, even as in 1 John 3:2 it is said that it doth not yet appear what we shall be, or, made manifest what we shall be; namely, after Christ’s second coming, although notwithstanding even we also were in some sort informed thereof, but not so clearly and perfectly as it shall be known to us, when the thing itself shall be fulfilled in us.
23 That is, as long as the congregation under the Old Testament was instructed by these ceremonies and rites of the first tabernacle, and consequently also of the first temple, without the Gospel being propounded to them in its plainness and full clarity, as was done after the fulfillment. For, whereas some thus interpret this as if the faithful in the Old Testament had no access unto heaven before Christ was ascended up to heaven, this is contrary to the example of Elijah, 2 Kings 2:11 and of Lazarus, Luke 16:22; compared with Mat. 8:11 and of the murderer on the cross, Luke 23:43, compared with 2 Cor. 12:2, 3, 4 and with the hope of the believing fathers, Heb. 11:16, and is also contrary to Christ’s promises, Mat. 5:10, 11, 12, which were made long before His resurrection.
9Which was 24a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make 25him that did the service 26perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
24 Gr. parabole, that is, a similitude which signifies something else.
25 Or, him that served, that is, who was exercising the service.
26 Or, could not perfect; namely, considered in themselves or by their own power; otherwise they could serve, in their right use, to direct the faithful fathers unto Christ, by Whose sacrifice the consciences would be purged, as hereafter in verse 14 is declared.
10Which stood only ink meats and drinks, andl divers 27washings, and carnal 28ordinances, 29imposed on them until the time of 30reformation.
k Lev. 11:2.
l Num. 19:7, etc.
27 Gr. baptisms.
28 That is, outward institutions, which justified or sanctified a man only, according to the outward or bodily state. See verse 13.
29 Namely, as a yoke, which the fathers themselves were not able to bear, and is taken away by Christ, Acts 15:10, 11.
30 Gr. rectifying; that is, in which it shall be brought to right, namely, until the times of the New Testament, whereof Jeremiah had spoken, in which the thing signified would be fulfilled, these ceremonies taken away, and other shorter worships instituted, whereby the Holy Spirit would work more powerfully, 2 Corinthians 3.
11But Christ 31being come anm high priest 32of good things to come, by a 33greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not 34of this building;
31 Namely, in the flesh, or into the world.
m Heb. 3:1; 4:14; 6:20; 8:1.
32 That is, of all the spiritual benefits which have been procured by the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, and by His entrance into heaven; such as are: forgiveness of sins, regeneration, the Spirit of adoption, and eternal salvation, which, being figured in the Old Testament, have been procured by Christ in the New.
33 Hereby is understood the human nature of Christ, in which the fullness of the Godhead dwells as in a temple or tabernacle, John 1:14; 2:19, as is also shown in Heb. 8:2. And Christ is said by this tabernacle of His flesh to have entered into heaven, because by the spiritual power and worthiness of His sacrifice accomplished for us, the access into heaven was opened for Him, and a Name was given Him above all names, Philip. 2:8, 9, with which exposition agrees with which he says hereafter, Heb. 10:20 of the new way which is opened unto us to go into the holy place, through this veil, that is, the flesh of Christ. For, Christ is gone before us to prepare a place for us, John 14:2. He wants to say therefore that even, as Christ by Himself and by His own blood is entered into the sanctuary, we also must come there into it by the same way.
34 Gr. of this creation, or, of this creature.
12Neither by the blood 35of goats and calves, butn by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained 36eternal 37redemption for us.
35 For, both of these kinds of beasts were sacrificed, when the High Priest was to enter into the Holy of Holies, Lev. 16:11, 15, with the blood of both which he also went in the Holy of Holies, verse 18.
n Acts 20:28; Eph. 1:17; Col. 1:14; Heb. 10:10; 1 Peter 1:19; Rev. 1:5; 5:9.
36 That is, always enduring, and of eternal virtue, as Heb. 10:14.
37 Gr. having found a ransoming; that is, deliverance which is procured by ransom.
13Foro if the blood of bulls and of goats, and 38the ashes of an heifer sprinkling 39the unclean, sanctifieth 40to the purifying of the flesh:
o Lev. 16:14; Num. 19:4; Heb. 10:4.
38 This was yet another ceremony, whereby the unclean, according to the law in the Old Testament, were purified, which also had respect unto Christ and the sprinkling of His blood, whereof see Num. 19:2, etc.
39 Namely, according to the law, by touching of any dead, or bones or graves, Num. 19:16. Gr. who were made common.
40 That is, to be clean outwardly according to the law, and that they might have access to the assemblies, and other outward worships of the Old Testament.
14How much more shall thep blood of Christ, whoq41through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, 42purge your conscience from 43dead works tor serve the living God?
p 1 John 1:7; Rev. 1:5.
q Gal. 1:4; Eph. 5:2; Titus 2:14.
41 That is, by His eternal Godhead from which the virtue and dignity of the sacrifice of Christ proceeded, as is also shown in Acts 20:28, and as the eternal Godhead of Christ is also called a Spirit, Rom. 1:4; 1 Tim. 3:16; 1 Peter 3:18.
42 That is, your souls, understanding, will and affections, of which the consciences have the feeling also, to know that which is freely given us of God, 1 Cor. 2:12. Others read our consciences.
43 That is, sins. See Heb. 6:1.
r Luke 1:74; Rom. 6:13; Gal. 2:20; 1 Peter 4:2.
15And for this cause he is the mediator of the new 44testament, thats by means of death, for the 45redemption of the transgressions that were 46under the first testament, they 47which are called might receive 48the promise of eternal inheritance.
44 The Hebrew word berith, which Jeremiah uses, Jer. 31:31, signifies in general any kind of covenant or contract, whether the same be made between two parties, or by one party only, as testaments use to be; whereof examples may be read in Gen. 6:18; 9:9; Job 31:1. Now that this covenant is a testament, the apostle sets down as certain, because it comes from God’s side alone, even as the place Jeremiah 31, related in the previous chapter, sufficiently shows; and because all types thereof showed this, which were sprinkled and sealed with the blood of the slain sacrifices.
s Rom. 5:6; 1 Peter 3:18.
45 Gr. ransoming.
46 That is, which were committed, and remained unreconciled in the time of the Old Testament, but were passed by and forgiven by God for the sacrifice and satisfaction of Christ, which was to be performed afterwards. See Acts 15:11; Rom. 3:25, 26.
47 Namely, with an effectual calling unto faith, as were Abraham and his spiritual seed, Rom. 4:16.
48 That is, the promised eternal inheritance. See Heb. 11:8, 9, 10.
16For where a testament is, there must also of necessity 49be the death of the testator.
49 Gr. be brought, namely, before it is firm; as the following verse declares.
17Fort a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.
t Gal. 3:15.
18Whereupon neither 50the first testament was 51dedicated 52without blood.
50 Namely, the covenant made by Moses.
51 That is, publicly instituted, solemnized and declared to be firm and valid.
52 Namely, of animals which were slaughtered or killed, which had their aim at the death of the Mediator of the New Testament. For, seeing the transgression of the law deserves death, and God by His grace, according to the tenor of the New Testament, would absolve the transgressor from it, in order that His justice would also be satisfied, therefore Christ, the Mediator, interposed, and as a Surety, Heb. 7:22, took upon Him the making of satisfaction, and afterward by His death paid the debt of our transgression, and also procured for them the eternal inheritance, which belonged unto Him as the Son of God.
1953For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took 54the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled 55both the book, and 56all the people,
53 This account of Paul is taken from Exod. 24:3, etc., only that the apostle adds hereto water, purple, wool and hyssop out of Lev. 14:6 and Num. 19:6, where these things were used in suchlike sprinklings.
54 Whereof mention is made often in other places.
55 This is not indeed expressly said in Exodus 24, but nevertheless may sufficiently be concluded there from the account of Moses.
56 That is, the twelve pillars which Moses erected there, to represent the twelve tribes of Israel, and in the presence of all the people. See the annotation on Exod. 24:8.
20Saying, Thisuis the blood 57of the testament which God hath 58enjoined unto you.
u Exod. 24:8; Mat. 26:28.
57 That is, a sign and seal of the covenant or testament. For, it was the blood of calves and goats, which was used for the sanction or confirmation of this covenant. A sacramental phrase, as Luke 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:24, 25.
58 That is, has made with you, according to or concerning all these words or commandments, as is expressed, Exod. 24:8.
2159Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
59 This is taken out of different other places of the law, especially out of Exod. 29:12; Lev. 16:14, etc.
22And 60almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
60 This is added because some purifications of the law were made only with water, which also aimed at the sacrifice of Christ, seeing in His death there flowed out blood and water. See John 19:34 and 1 John 5:6.
23It was 61therefore necessary that 62the patterns of things in the heavens should be 63purified with these; 64but the heavenly things themselves 65with better sacrifices than these.
61 Namely, according to God’s unchangeable command and ordinance. See afterward in Heb. 10:9, 10.
62 Or, representations, figures.
63 That is, separated from common use, and made capable to have religious communion therewith.
64 That is, the entrance into heaven itself, and the spiritual gifts which are needed for us to come there into, and which were signified by these outward purifications. See Eph. 1:3; Col. 3:1, 2.
65 That is, by the sacrifice of Christ, which is better and of greater dignity. And it is here put in the plural number, although it is but one, and once offered, because it contains in itself the virtue of all the typical sacrifices, and the things signified thereby.
24For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures 66of the true; but into heaven itself, now 67to appear in the presence of God for us:
66 Namely, of the sanctuary, that is, of heaven, which was figured by this other, as follows.
67 Namely, with His victorious sacrifice, which here upon earth, He had offered up without blemish to His Father, for a satisfaction for all the sins of His faithful ones; and with an everlasting desire that it might always be applied to us for our salvation. See Rom. 8:34; 1 Tim. 2:5 and 1 John 2:1, 2.
25Nor yet that he should offer himself often, asv the high priest entereth into the holy place every year 68with blood of others;
v verse 7; Exod. 30:10; Lev. 16:2, 34.
68 Or, of another, that is, with blood of slain animals, which are of another nature than himself.
2669For then must he often have suffered 70since the foundation of the world: but now once 71in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
69 Namely, as He must often have offered up Himself, considering that His sacrifice was performed by suffering and with suffering, and could not be accomplished without suffering.
70 That is, since men have sinned from the beginning. From which it appears that God never forgave sins, but on account of this sacrifice of Christ.
71 That is, in the fullness of time which God had appointed to that end. See Gal. 4:4.
27And 72as it is appointed unto men 73once to die, but 74after this the judgment:
72 Gr. for as much as.
73 Namely, by God’s ordinance, after that man has sinned, Rom. 5:12. For, that some men died not, as Enoch and Elijah, and that some died twice, as they did who were miraculously raised up into this life, was a special privilege and exception from this general rule.
74 Namely, of each one in particular immediately after death, and of all in general hereafter at the last day.
28Sow Christ was once offered to bear 75the sins of many; and unto them 76that look for him shall he appear the second time 77without sin unto salvation.
w Rom. 5:6, 8; 1 Peter 3:18.
75 Namely, of all His elect and believers. Or, to take upon him; or, to take away.
76 Namely, by faith and hope. See 2 Tim. 4:8.
77 That is, without bearing any more the imputation and punishment of our sins, but in glory to judge all things.