Hebrews 9

 

 1 Then (1) the first Testament had also ordinances of religion, and a (a) worldly Sanctuary.

 

(1) A division of the first Tabernacle which he calleth worldly, that is to say, transitory and earthly into two parts, to wit, into the holy places and the Holiest of all.
(a) An earthy and a fleeting.

 

 2 For the first (*) Tabernacle was made, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread, which Tabernacle is called the Holy places.

 

(*) Exodus 26:1; Exodus 36:1 .

 

 3 And after the (b) second veil was the Tabernacle, which is called the (c) Holiest of all,

 

(b) He calleth it the second veil, not because there were two veils, but because it was behind the Sanctuary or the first Tabernacle.
(c) The holiest Sanctuary.

 

 4 Which had the golden censer, and the Ark of the Testament overlaid round about with gold, wherein the golden pot, which had Manna, was, and (*) Aaron’s rod that had budded, and the (♣) tables of the Testament.

 

(*) Numbers 7:10 .

(♣) 1 Kings 8:9; 2 Chronicles 5:10 .

 

 5  (*) And over the Ark were the glorious Cherubims, shadowing the (d) mercyseat; of which things we will not now speak particularly.

 

(*) Exodus 21:22 .

(d) The Hebrews call the cover of the Ark of the covenant the mercyseat, which both the Grecian and we follow.

 

 6  (2) Now when these things were thus ordained, the Priests went always into the first Tabernacle, and accomplished the service.

 

(2) Now he cometh to the sacrifices which he divideth into those daily sacrifices, and that yearly and solemn sacrifice with the which the high Priest only, but once every year entering into the Holiest of all with blood, offered for himself and the people.

 

 7 But into the second went the (*) high Priest alone, once every year, not without blood which he offered for himself, and for the (e) ignorances of the people.

 

(*) Exodus 30:10; Leviticus 16:2 .

(e) For the sins, look at Hebrews 5:2 .

 

 8  (3) Whereby the holy Ghost this signified, that the way into the Holiest of all was not yet opened, while as yet the first tabernacle was standing,

 

(3) Of that yearly rite and ceremony he gathereth that the way was not by such sacrifices opened into heaven, which was shadowed by the Holiest of all. For why did the high Priest enter in thither, shutting out all others, and that to offer sacrifices there both for himself and for others, and after did shut the Holiest of all again?

 

 9  (4) Which was a figure (f) for that present time, wherein were offered gifts and sacrifices that could not make holy, concerning the conscience, him that did the service,

 

(4) An objection: If the way were not opened into heaven by those sacrifices (that is to say, If the worshippers were not purged by them) why then were those ceremonies used? To wit, that men might be called back to that spiritual example, that is to say, to Christ, who should correct all those things at his coming.
(f) For that time that that figure had to last.

 

 10  (5) Which only stood in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal rites, (g) which were enjoined, until the time of reformation.

 

(5) Another reason why they could not make clean the conscience of the worshipper, to wit, because they were outward and carnal or corporal things.
(g) For they were as you would say, a burden, from which Christ delivered us.

 

 11  (6) But Christ being come an high Priest of good things to come, (7) by a (h) greater and a more perfect Tabernacle, not made with hands, that is, not of this building,

 

(6) Now he entereth into the declaration of the figures, and first of all comparing the Levitical high Priest with Christ, (that is to say, the figure with the thing itself) he attributeth to Christ the administration of good things to come, that is, everlasting, which those carnal things had respect to.
(7) Another comparison of the first corruptible Tabernacle with the latter, (that is to say, with the human nature of Christ) which is the true incorruptible Temple of God, whereinto the Son of God entered, as the Levitical high Priests into the other which was frail and transitory.
(h) By a more excellent and better.

 

 12  (8) Neither by the blood of (i) goats and calves, but by his own blood entered he in once unto the holy place, and obtained eternal redemption for us.

 

(8) Another comparison of the blood of the sacrifices with Christ. The Levitical high Priests entering by those their holy places into their Sanctuary, offered corruptible blood for one year only; but Christ entering into that holy body of his, entered by it into heaven itself, offering his own most pure blood for an everlasting redemption; For one selfsame Christ answereth both to the High Priest, and the Tabernacle, and the sacrifices, and the offerings themselves, as the truth to the figures, so that Christ is both the High Priest, and Tabernacle, and Sacrifice, yea, all these both truly, and forever.
(i) For in this yearly sacrifice of reconciliation, there were two kinds of sacrifices, the one a goat, the other a heifer, or calf.

 

 13  (*) (9) For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer, sprinkling them that are unclean, sanctifieth as touching the (k) purifying of the flesh,

 

(*) Leviticus 16:14; Numbers 19:4 .

(9) If the outward sprinkling of blood and ashes of beasts was a true and effectual sign of purifying and cleansing, how much more shall the thing itself and the truth being present, which in times past was shadowed by those external Sacraments, that is to say, his blood, which is in such sort man's blood, that it is also the blood of the Son of God, and therefore hath an everlasting virtue of purifying and cleansing, do it?
(k) He considereth the signs apart, being separate from the thing itself.

 

 14 How much more shall the (*) blood of Christ which through the eternal Spirit offered himself without fault to God, (♣) purge your conscience from (l) dead works, to serve the living God?

 

(*) 1 Peter 1:19; 1 John 1:9; Revelation 1:5 .

(♣) Luke 1:74 .

(l) From sins which proceed from death, and bring forth nothing but death.

 

 15  (10) And for this cause is he the Mediator of the New Testament, that through (*) death which was for the redemption of the transgressions that were in the former Testament, they which were called, might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

 

(10) The conclusion of the former argument: therefore seeing the blood of beasts did not purge sins, the New Testament which was before time promised, whereunto those outward things had respect, is now indeed established, by the virtue whereof all transgressions might be taken away, and heaven indeed opened to us; whereof it followeth that Christ shed his blood also for the Fathers, for he was shadowed by those old ceremonies, otherwise, unless they had served to represent him, they had been nothing at all profitable. Therefore this Testament is called the latter, not concerning the virtue of it, (that is to say, remission of sins) but in respect of that time, wherein the thing itself was finished, that is to say, wherein Christ was indeed exhibited to the world, and fulfilled all things which were necessary to our salvation.

(*) Romans 5:6; 2 Peter 3:18 .

 

 16  (11) For where a Testament is, there must be the death of him that made the Testament.

 

(11) A reason why the Testament must be established by the death of the Mediator, because this Testament hath the condition of a Testament or gift, which is made effectual by death, and therefore that it might be effectual, it must needs be that he that made the Testament, should die.

 

 17  (*) For the Testament is confirmed when men are dead, for it is yet of no force as long as he that made it, is alive.

 

(*) Galatians 3:15 .

 

 18  (12) Wherefore neither was the first ordained without blood.

 

(12) There must be a proportion between those things which purify, and those which are purified; Under the law all those figures were earthly, the Tabernacle, the book, the vessels, the sacrifices, although they were the signs of heavenly things. Therefore it was requisite that all those should be purified with some matter and ceremony of the same nature, to wit, with the blood of beasts, with water, wool, hyssop. But under Christ all things are heavenly, a heavenly tabernacle, heavenly sacrifice, heavenly people, heavenly doctrine, and heaven itself is set open before us for an everlasting habitation. Therefore all these things are sanctified in like sort, to wit, with that everlasting offering of the quickening blood of Christ.

 

 19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to the people, (m) according to the Law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water and purple wool and hyssop, and (n) sprinkled both the book, and all the people,

 

(m) As the Lord had commanded.
(n) He useth to sprinkle.

 

 20  (*) Saying, This is the blood of the Testament, which God hath appointed unto you.

 

(*) Exodus 24:8 .

 

 21 Moreover, he sprinkled likewise the Tabernacle with blood also, and all the ministering vessels.

 

 22 And almost all things are by the Law purged with blood, and without shedding of blood is no remission.

 

 23 It was then necessary, that the (o) similitudes of heavenly things should be purified with such things, but the heavenly things themselves are purified with better (*) sacrifices than are these.

 

(o) The similitudes of heavenly things were earthly, and therefore they were to be set forth with earthly things, as with the blood of beasts, and wool, and hyssop. But under Christ all things are heavenly, and therefore they could not but be sanctified with the offering of his lively blood.

(*) Albeit there is but one sacrifice, which is Christ himself once offered, yet because this true and eternal sacrifice is compared with all those which were figurative, and is more sufficient than all they, therefore he calleth it in the plural number, sacrifices.

 

 24  (13) For Christ is not entered into the holy places that are made with hands, which are similitudes of the true Sanctuary, but is entered into very heaven, to appear now in the sight of God for us;

 

(13) Another double comparison: The Levitical high Priest entered into the Sanctuary, which was made indeed by the commandment of God, but yet with men's hands, that it might be a pattern of another more excellent, to wit, of the heavenly place. But Christ entered even into heaven itself. Again, he appeared before the Ark, but Christ before God the Father himself.

 

 25  (14) Not that he should offer himself often, as the high Priest entered into the Holy place every year with others blood,

 

(14) Another double comparison: The Levitical high Priest offered others blood, but Christ offered his own; he every year once iterated his offering; Christ offering himself but once, abolished sin altogether, both of the former ages and of the ages to come.

 

 26  (15) (For then must he have often suffered since the foundation of the world) but now in the (p) end of the world hath he been made manifest, once to put away (q) sin by the sacrifice of himself.

 

(15) An argument to prove that Christ's offering ought not to be repeated; Seeing that sins were to be purged from the beginning of the world, and it is proved that sins cannot be purged, but by the blood of Christ; he must needs have died often times since the beginning of the world. But a man can die only once; therefore Christ's oblation which was once done in the latter days, neither could nor can be repeated. Seeing then it is so, surely the virtue of it extendeth both to sins that were before, and to sins that are after his coming.
(p) In the latter days.
(q) That whole root of sin.

 

 27 And as it is appointed unto men that they shall (r) once die, and after that cometh the judgment;

 

(r) He speaketh of the natural state and condition of man; For as for Lazarus and certain others that died twice, that was no usual thing, but extraordinary; and as for them that shall be changed, their changing is a kind of death. 1 Corinthians 15:51 .

 

 28 So (*) Christ was once offered to take away the sins of (s) many, (16) and unto them that look for him, shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

 

(*) Romans 5:8; 1 Peter 3:18 .

(s) Thus the general promise is restrained to the elect only; and we have to seek the testimony of our election, not in the secret counsel of God, but in the effects that our faith worketh, and so we must climb up from the lowest step to the highest, there to find such comfort as is most certain, and shall never be moved.
(16) Shortly by the way he setteth out Christ as Judge, partly to terrify them, which do not rest themselves in the only oblation of Christ once made, and partly to keep the faithful in their duty, that they go not back.

 

 

Steve

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