to offer up sacrifice, first for his | tabernacle: for, "See," said own sins, and then for those of God, "that thou make all the people for this he did things according to the pattern once for all, when he offered up which was shown thee on the himself.* 28 For the law ap-mount.") 6 But now, our Highpointeth men high-priests who priest obtained a more excelhave infirmity; but the word of lent ministry, in as much as he the oath, which was after the is the mediator of a better covelaw, appointeth the Son, who is nant, which is established on made perfect to the age. better promises.

CH. VIII. 1 NOW the sum of what has been said is this: We have such a high-priest, as sitteth on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; 2 a minister of the most Holy Place, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, [and] not man. 3 For every high-priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is necessary that this High-priest have also something to offer.

4 For if he were on earth he would not be a priest; since there are [priests] who offer gifts according to the law: 5 (who serve as to the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was instructed of God, when he was about to make the

7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for the second. 8 For, finding fault with them,† It is said, "Behold, the days are coming, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 9 not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers, in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out from the land of Egypt: when they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord: 10 for this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord: I will put my laws into their mind, and will write them on

* This he did, i. e. offered up sacrifice, first, for his own sins. "But Christ in a moral sense was sinless. See ver. 26, and ch. iv. 15. His sins therefore were merely ceremonial, that is, being a descendant of the house of Judah, ver. 14, he was, as to the priesthood, in an unconsecrated state. And as Aaron was consecrated to his priestly office by the blood of animal sacrifices, so Christ was consecrated to his nobler office by the sacrifice of himself. This way of representing the death of Christ was adapted to conciliate the prejudices of the Hebrew Christians. Moreover, as the posterity of Aaron were successively removed by death, ver. 23, successive priests were consecrated by successive sacrifices; but Christ lives continually, and has no succes sor. Also, priests under the law were subject to infirmity, and might desecrate themselves by ceremonial pollution, ver. 28; it was necessary, therefore, that they should be re-consecrated by the daily sacrifice. But Christ being incapable of ceremonial pollution, his one sacrifice was sufficient. He now is perfect for ever. But in the same sense in which Christ offered up a sacrifice for his own sins, in that very sense did he offer himself a saerifice for the sins of the people. That is, not to appease the wrath of God for moral offences, which is an idea quite remote from the author's mind, and foreign to his argument; but to consecrate believers, and to bring them out of an unholy into a holy state, by a figurative application of the blood of Christ, as the Israelites were formerly purified and made ceremonially holy by the real sprinkling of the blood of animal victims. See ch. ix. 11-28. These observations must be car red in mind by the reader of this epistle, in order to understand the writer's language and doctrine in the ninth and tenth chapters concerning the priesthood of Christ. See Grotius and Crellius in loco, and in chap. v. ver. 3." Im. Ver. note. ti. e. the Jews.

always enter into the first tabernacle, performing the services of God: 7 but into the second the high-priest alone entereth once every year, not without blood, which he offereth for himself, and for the sins of ignorance of the people: 8 the holy spirit signifying by this, that the way into the most Holy Place is not yet laid open, while the first tabernacle yet standeth: 9 which tabernacle is a figure for the present time, in which gifts and sacrifices are offered, which cannot make him

their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. 11 And they shall not teach every one his fellow-citizen, and every one his brother, saying, Know the Lord:' for all shall know me, from the least [of them] to the greatest of them. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness; and their sins, and their iniquities I will remember no more." 13 In that God said, "A new covenant," he hath declared the former void. Now that which is declared void and groweth old, is about to disap-who worshippeth perfect, as con

pear.

cerning his conscience; 10 consisting only in meats and drinks, and different washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed till the time of reformation.

CH. IX. NOW the first covenant had also ordinances of worship, and a worldly sanctuary. 2 For the first tabernacle was prepared, which is called Holy; 11 But Christ, a high-priest in which was the candlestick, of the future good things, being and the table, and the shew-come, entered once for all into bread. 3 And, behind the se- the most Holy Place, through cond veil, the tabernacle which the greater and more perfect is called the Holy of Holies: 4 tabernacle, not made by hands; having the golden censer, and (that is, not of this present buildthe ark of the covenant covered ing;) 12 nor by the blood of all over with gold, in which was goats and calves, but by his the golden pot that had the own blood; having obtained an manna, and Aaron's rod, that aionian redemption. budded, and the tables of the covenant: 5 and above which were the cherubim of glory, shadowing the mercy-seat: of which things we cannot at present speak particularly.

6 Now these things having been thus prepared, the priests

13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctify to the cleansing of the flesh; 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the aionian spirit* offered himself spotless to God, cleanse

who offered himself with a spotless mind unto God, Wakefield, who, with the Ethiopic, leaves out alwviou, "aionian." The Clermont and some other copies read you," the holy spirit;" which is supported by the Coptic and the Vulgate versions. The phrase " aionian spirit," is very unusual: but if admitted as genuine, it must signify that Christ offered himself by divine appointment. See Im. Ver. note.

your conscience from dead works, that ye may serve the living God? 15 And for this cause Christ is the mediator of the new covenant; that, death having taken place for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called might receive the promise of the aionian inheritance.

by these things; but the heavenly things themselves, with better sacrifices than these.

24 For Christ hath not entered into the Holy Place made with hands, which answereth to the true one; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25 nor was it necessary that he should offer himself often, as the highpriest entereth into the most Holy Place every year with the blood of others; 26 (for then he must have suffered often

world;) but now he hath been manifested once, at the end of the ages, to put away sin through the sacrifice of himself.

27 And as it is appointed to men once to die, and after this a judgment; 28 so Christ also was once offered to bear away the sins of the many; and to those who wait for him, he will appear a second time, without a sin-offering to salvation.

16 For where a covenant is, there is a necessity for the death of that which establisheth the covenant.* 17 For a covenant is firm over the dead: whereas since the foundation of the it is of no force while that which establishes the covenant liveth. 18 Wherefore neither was the first covenant confirmed without blood. 19 For when Moses had spoken to all the people every commandment according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and the people, 20 saying, "This is the blood of CH. X. 1 For the law having the covenant which God hath a shadow of future good things, enjoined upon you." 21 More- and not the very image of the over, in like manner he sprink- things, can never make those led with blood the tabernacle who come to the altar perfect also, and all the vessels of the by the same sacrifices which ministry. 22 And, according to are offered year by year conthe law, almost all things are tinually. 2 For then would they cleansed with blood; and with- not have ceased to be offered? out the shedding of blood there because the worshippers once is no remission.† 23 It was cleansed would have had no therefore necessary that the more consciousness of sins. 3 patterns of things which are in But in those sacrifices there is a the heavens should be cleansed i remembrance made of sins every

* That is, of the victim by which the covenant is ratified. See Wakefield and Doddridge. + Observe here, that even inanimate things, the books, the tabernacle, the vessels, etc. are, represented as in a sinful state till they obtain remission by the shedding of blood: i. e. they are ceremonially impure and unholy till they are ceremonially consecrated. See ch. vii. 27, note. Gr. without sin. See ch. vii, 27, note,

year: 4 for it is impossible* | mies be made his footstool. 14 that the blood of bulls and goats For by one offering he hath should take away sins. made perfect perpetually those 5 Wherefore, when Christ | who are sanctified.‡ 15 Of cometh into the world, he saith, which the holy spirit also is a "Sacrifice and offering thou witness to us: for, after having wouldst not; but a body thou said before, 16 "This is the hast prepared me. 6 In burnt- covenant which I will make offerings and sacrifices for sin with them after those days, thou hadst no pleasure. 7 Then saith the Lord, I will put my I said, 'Lo, I come (in the vo- laws into their hearts, and in lume of a book it is written of their minds will I write them;" me) to do thy will, O God.'" 17 it then saith," and their sins 8 Above he saith, sacrifice, and and iniquities I will remember offering, and burnt-offerings, and no more." 18 Now when these sacrifices for sin, thou wouldst are remitted, there is no more not, and hadst no pleasure in any offering for sin.§ them; (namely those which are offered according to the law;) then he saith, "Lo, I come to do thy will." 9 He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. 10 By which will we have been sanctified, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

11 And every priest standeth ministering daily, and offering frequently the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:† 12 but this person, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, is perpetually seated at the right hand of God; 13 thenceforth waiting till his ene

19 HAVING therefore, brethren, assurance of an entrance into the most holy place through the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, (that is, his flesh;) 21 and having a high-priest over the household of God; 22 let us come near, with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our body washed with pure water: 23 let us hold fast the steady profession of our hope; (for he who hath promised is faithful:) 24 and let us consider one another,

* That is, legally impossible; for the law limited the efficacy of these sacrifices to one year. After which, new sacrifices were to be offered upon the annual day of atonement for sins of ignorance only, which however free from moral turpitude, would exclude from the benefit of the Mosaic covenant, if not cancelled by the appointed sacrifices. See ch. ix. 7.

that is, sins of ignorance, ix. 7. The sacrifices of the law could not take away sin, as their efficacy was limited to a year. See ver. 4.

See ver. 10. Believers are so far consecrated by this great sacrifice, that they can never forfeit their privileges by sins of ignorance. The writer labours to reconcile the Hebrews to a suffering Messiah, by these bold figurative representations of the efficacy of his death." Our Lord," says Mr. Lindsey (Sequel. p. 88), "never called himself a high-priest, nor is he so styled by any of the writers of the New Testament, except the author of this epistle; whence we may conclude, that neither Christ nor the evangelists esteemed this to be any real part of his character, or needful to be attended to by his followers." Im. Ver. note.

"The author here finishes the argumentative part of his epistle, in which he illustrates and proves the excellence of the New Covenant when compared with the Old. The practical part lows." Newcome,

fol

that we may provoke each other | 33 partly, while ye were made to love, and to good works: 25 a spectacle by reproaches and not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some; but exhorting to it: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

26 For if we sin wilfully, after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remaineth any sacri- and an enduring substance [in fice for sins: 27 but a certain fearful looking for of judgment remaineth; and of fiery indignation which is about to consume the adversaries.

3 Through faith, we understand that the ages were so ordered by the word of God, that 32 But call to remembrance the present state of things arose the former days, in which, after not from what then appeared. ye were enlightened, ye endur- 4 Through faith, Abel offer. ed a great contest of sufferings; led to God a more excellent sa

These words, Ev Ougavors, in the heavens, are wanting in the Alexandrian and Clermont MSS. and in the Coptic. Ethiopic, and Vulgate versions: and are omitted by Mr. Wakefield. See Im.

+ See Wakefield and Sykes, who oberves that awves properly signifies ages, or periods of time, and that there is no instance in the New Testament where more than this seems to be meant by the word. Sykes' note on Heb. i. 3. In the present instance the author's meaning is, that "it was so contrived that Christ's coming into the world, which we see, was brought about by means which could not be seen." Syke's note in loco and Rosenmuller.