Hebrews · Chapter 10

V. 1. From all that has been said it appears, that the law, the Mosaic dispensation, being a bare, unsubstantial shadow of good things to come, of the gospel blessings, and not the substantial, solid image of them, can never with the same kind of sacrifices, though continually repeated, make the comers thereunto perfect, either as to justification or sanctification. How is it possible, that any who consider this should suppose the attainments of David, or any who were under that dispensation, to be the proper measure of gospel holiness; and that Christian experience is to rise no higher than Jewish?

Verse 1. The law, having a shadow of good things to come] A shadow, skia, signifies, 1. Literally, the shade cast from a body of any kind, interposed between the place on which the shadow is projected, and the sun or light; the rays of the light not shining on that place, because intercepted by the opacity of the body, through which they cannot pass. 2. It signifies, technically, a sketch, rude plan, or imperfect draught of a building, landscape, man, beast, &c. 3. It signifies, metaphorically, any faint adumbration, symbolical expression, imperfect or obscure image of a thing; and is opposed to swma, body, or the thing intended to be thereby defined. 4. It is used catachrestically among the Greek writers, as umbra is among the Latins, to signify any thing vain, empty, light, not solid; thus Philostratus, Vit. Soph., lib. i. cap. 20: oJti skia kai oneirata ai hdonai pasai. All pleasures are but SHADOWS and dreams. And Cicero, in Pison., cap. 24: Omnes umbras falsæ gloriæ consectari. “All pursue the SHADOWS of FALSE GLORY.” And again, Deuteronomy Offic., lib. iii. cap. 17: Nos veri juris germanæque justitiæ solidam et expressam effigiem nullam tenemus; umbra et itnaginibus utimur. “We have no solid and express effigy of true law and genuine justice, but we employ shadows and images to represent them.”

And not the very image] eikwn, image, signifies, 1. A simple representation, from eikw, I am like. 2. The form or particular fashion of a thing. 3. The model according to which any thing is formed. 4. The perfect image of a thing as opposed to a faint representation. 5. Metaphorically, a similitude, agreement, or conformity.

The law, with all its ceremonies and sacrifices, was only a shadow of spiritual and eternal good. The Gospel is the image or thing itself, as including every spiritual and eternal good.

We may note three things here: 1. The shadow or general outline, limiting the size and proportions of the thing to be represented. 2. The image or likeness completed from this shadow or general outline, whether represented on paper, canvass, or in statuary, 3. The person or thing thus represented in its actual, natural state of existence; or what is called here the very image of the things, authn thn eikona twn pragmatwn. Such is the Gospel, when compared with the law; such is Christ, when compared with Aaron; such is his sacrifice, when compared with the Levitical offerings; such is the Gospel remission of sins and purification, when compared with those afforded by the law; such is the Holy Ghost, ministered by the Gospel, when compared with its types and shadows in the Levitical service; such the heavenly rest, when compared with the earthly Canaan. Well, therefore, might the apostle say, The law was only the shadow of good things to come.

Can never-make the comers thereunto perfect.] Cannot remove guilt from the conscience, or impurity from the heart. I leave preachers to improve these points.

Verse 1. The apostle, in order to display Christ’s dignity as a High-Priest, having illustrated what he affirmed, (Hebrews 8:7,) namely, that the Levitical priests worshipped God in the tabernacle with the representations of the services to be performed by Christ in heaven; also having contrasted the ineffectual services performed by these priests in the tabernacle on earth, with the effectual services performed by Christ in heaven; and the covenant of which they were the mediators, with the covenant of which Christ is the Mediator; and the blessings procured by the services of the Levitical priests in the earthly tabernacle, with the blessings procured by the services performed by Christ in heaven; he, in the beginning of this chapter, as the necessary consequence of these things, infers, that since the law contained nothing but a shadow, or emblematical representation, of the blessings to come, through the services of the greater and more perfect heavenly tabernacle, and not these blessings themselves, it never could, with the same emblematical sacrifices which were offered annually by the high-priest on the day of atonement, make those who came to these sacrifices perfect in respect of pardon. Thus, For, &c. — As if he had said, From all that has been advanced, it appears that the law — The Mosaic dispensation; being a bare unsubstantial shadow of good things to come — Of gospel blessings and gospel worship; and not the very image — The substantial, solid representation, or complete delineation; of the things, can never, with the same kind of sacrifices — Though continually repeated; make the comers thereunto perfect. In the terms shadow and image, there seems to be an allusion, as Doddridge observes, “to the different state of a painting, when the first sketch only is drawn, and when the picture is finished; or to the first sketch of a painting, when compared with what is yet more expressive than even the completest picture, and exact image:” or between the shadow of a man, made by his body’s intercepting the sun’s rays, and a good portrait or statue of him, or the reflection of his person in a mirror. The good things of which the law contained only a shadow, were, 1st, The cleansing of the mind of believers from evil dispositions, by the doctrines of the gospel, and by the influences of the Spirit of God. Of this the washings and purifications of the bodies of the Israelites, enjoined in the law, were a shadow. 2d, That real atonement for sin, which was made by the offering of the body of Christ once for all, verse 10. Of this the Levitical atonements, made by the offering of beasts, were a shadow. 3d, The eternal pardon of sin, procured for believers by the atonements which Christ made. Of this the political pardon, obtained for the Israelites by the sacrifice of beasts which the priests offered, was a shadow. 4th, Access to worship God on earth through the blood of Christ with the hope of acceptance. Of this the drawing nigh of the Israelites to worship in the court of the tabernacle, through the blood of the Levitical sacrifices, was a shadow. 5th, The eternal possession of heaven, through believing and obeying the gospel. Of this the continued possession of Canaan, secured to the Israelites by their obedience to the law, was a shadow. Now since the good things which Christ hath obtained for believers through his ministrations in the heavenly tabernacle, were not procured, but only typified, by the ministrations of the high-priests in the tabernacle on earth, it was fit that those shadows should be done away after the things of which they were shadows were accomplished.

Verse 1. The law having a shadow of good things to come. St. Paul, ere his epistles were engrossed, weighed his words, adjusted his thoughts, collated them with the prophets, and knew the support he had from rabbinical theology. The law was a shadow indeed, but a very imperfect shadow of the Messiah, and the glory of his kingdom. Some call it a rough draught of better things. By the law we understand the whole of the ancient economy, which was a shadow of future realities; and therefore believers are called heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ Jesus.

1. For—Referring to the repeated declarations reigning through Hebrews 9:24-28, that Christ has made a decisive, perfecting atonement, once for all. Shadow—A dim representation. Good things to come—That is, to come in this our Messianic dispensation. See notes on Hebrews 2:5; 6:5; 9:11. Image of the things—That is, image, consisting of the things; the form filled with the substance. For though the good things of the present dispensation look forward to a higher completion hereafter, yet in Christ and his atonement it possesses the shape and substance of that future glory. Year by year—The yearly offering on the great day of atonement. Continually—Without interruption of the annual rite. Perfect—Pure from the guilt and power of sin; right before God; fit for heaven.

V. 2. They who had been once perfectly purged, would have been no longer conscious either of the guilt or power of their sins.

Verse 2. Would they not have ceased to be offered?] Had they made an effectual reconciliation for the sins of the world, and contained in their once offering a plenitude of permanent merit, they would have ceased to be offered, at least in reference to any individual who had once offered them; because, in such a case, his conscience would be satisfied that its guilt had been taken away. But no Jew pretended to believe that even the annual atonement cancelled his sin before God; yet he continued to make his offerings, the law of God having so enjoined, because these sacrifices pointed out that which was to come. They were offered, therefore, not in consideration of their own efficacy, but as referring to Christ; See on “Hebrews 9:9”.

Verses 2, 3. For then would they not have ceased, &c. — There would not have been need to have offered them more than once: that is, if these sacrifices had made the worshippers perfect, in respect of pardon, they would have ceased to be offered; because the worshippers once purged — Or fully discharged from the guilt of their transgressions; should have had no more conscience of sin — There would have remained no more sense of guilt upon their consciences to have troubled them, and no more fear of future punishment in consequence thereof. But it was not so with them, as appears by the yearly repetition of these sacrifices, wherein there was a continual remembrance made of sin — A consciousness of their sins, as unpardoned, still remained even after those sacrifices were offered, as is evident from this, that in the annual repetition of their sacrifices, the people’s sins, for which atonement had formerly been made, were remembered; that is, confessed as needing a yet further expiation. And, though it is true we are daily to remember and confess our sins, yet that respects only the application of the virtue and efficacy of the atonement already made to our consciences, without the least desire or expectation of a new propitiation.

2. Ceased to be offered—Had the law been able by a finished act, once for all, as Christ has performed, to finish men for glory, the continuity of the sacrifices would have been unnecessary. Their very continuous repetition, therefore, is the very demonstration of their inferiority.

V. 3. There is a public commemoration of the sins both of the last and of all the preceding years; a clear proof that the guilt thereof is not perfectly purged away.

Verses 2, 3. For then would they not have ceased, &c. — There would not have been need to have offered them more than once: that is, if these sacrifices had made the worshippers perfect, in respect of pardon, they would have ceased to be offered; because the worshippers once purged — Or fully discharged from the guilt of their transgressions; should have had no more conscience of sin — There would have remained no more sense of guilt upon their consciences to have troubled them, and no more fear of future punishment in consequence thereof. But it was not so with them, as appears by the yearly repetition of these sacrifices, wherein there was a continual remembrance made of sin — A consciousness of their sins, as unpardoned, still remained even after those sacrifices were offered, as is evident from this, that in the annual repetition of their sacrifices, the people’s sins, for which atonement had formerly been made, were remembered; that is, confessed as needing a yet further expiation. And, though it is true we are daily to remember and confess our sins, yet that respects only the application of the virtue and efficacy of the atonement already made to our consciences, without the least desire or expectation of a new propitiation.

3. But these sacrifices, so far from being an abolition of sins, are a reminder and remembrance of sins, every year; namely, on the day of atonement.

V. 4. It is impossible the blood of goats should take away sins-Either the guilt or the power of them.

Verse 4. For it is not possible] Common sense must have taught them that shedding the blood of bulls and goats could never satisfy Divine justice, nor take away guilt from the conscience; and God intended that they should understand the matter so: and this the following quotation from the Psalmist sufficiently proves.

Verse 4. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats — Or of any brute animals; should take away sins — Should make full satisfaction and atonement for them, so as to procure the pardon of them on its own account. To understand the apostle, we must remember, that though remission of sins be originally from mere grace and mercy, yet it is not to be accomplished by sovereign grace alone, which would be inconsistent with God’s truth, holiness, and righteous government of the world. Hence shedding of blood has been the appointed means of obtaining it in all ages; and the psalmist, Psalms 50:5Psalm 50:5, represents all God’s true people as making a covenant with him by sacrifice. And for this appointment much may be said on the principles of reason. For as the most ancient way of teaching was by symbols, emblems, or hieroglyphics, God, by requiring sacrifices of mankind in order to the pardon of their sins, intended hereby to teach them, 1st, Their guilt, and desert of death and destruction: 2d, The great evil of sin, its odious nature, and destructive consequences, in that it could not be expiated without blood: 3d, The necessity of mortifying it, and the carnal principle whence it proceeds: 4th, Hereby to lay a foundation for the confidence and hope of the sinner, with respect to pardon, as the substitution, by divine appointment, of the life of the animal in the stead of the life of the sinner, manifested grace and promised forgiveness: 5th, Hereby also provision was made both for condemning and pardoning sin, both which things, in order to the glory of God and the salvation of mankind, were absolutely necessary to be done. Now, though these ends might be answered, in some faint degree, or, to speak more properly, though a shadow of them might be exhibited in the sacrifices of brute animals, yet they could not be accomplished in an adequate manner, nor the very images of the things be exhibited thereby. For, 1st, These sacrifices could not fully manifest the great evil of sin, and its destructive nature. For what great evil was there in it, if only the death of an inferior creature, or of a number of inferior creatures, was required in order to the expiation of it? Nor, 2d, For the same reason could the sacrifice of these animals adequately manifest the great guilt of mankind in committing sin, and the punishment they thereby deserved: nor, 3d, God’s infinite hatred to it, and the infinite rectitude of his nature, and dignity of his government. Add to this, as the sacrificed animals were not of the same nature with man, who had sinned, their death could not dissolve the debt of death and destruction which the human nature had contracted. Nay, being irrational, they were of an inferior nature, and the lives of ten thousands of them were not worth the life of one man, even if man were no more immortal than they. “In satisfaction to justice, by way of compensation for injuries, there must be a proportion between the injury and the reparation, that justice may be as much exalted and glorified in the one, as it is depressed and debased in the other. But there could be no such proportion between the affront put on the righteousness of God by sin, and the reparation by the blood of bulls, &c.” If a nobleman forfeit his head by high treason, his giving up his flocks and herds would not expiate his offence, and satisfy the law. And if the blood of thousands of them would not be an adequate ransom for the life of one man, much less for the lives of all men. They are in their own nature mortal; man is immortal; and surely the sacrifice of their temporal, yea, short lives, could be no adequate price for men’s everlasting lives. The appointment of these sacrifices, however, was not made in vain. Though they could not take away sin, they had their use. 1st, They purified the flesh from ceremonial defilement, and gave, or restored, to those that offered them, a right to the benefits of the Mosaic dispensation, namely, access to God in his worship, and life and prosperity in the land of Canaan; although they did not purify their conscience so as to procure them admission into the heavenly Canaan. 2d, They continually represented to sinners the curse and sentence of the law, or that death was the wages of sin. For although there was allowed in them a commutation, namely, that the sinner himself should not die, but the beast sacrificed in his stead; yet they all bore testimony to the sacred truth, that, in the judgment of God, they who commit sin are worthy of death. 3d, They were intended, as we have repeatedly seen, to be typical of the sacrifice of Christ; and the temporal benefits obtained for the Israelites by them were emblematical of the everlasting blessings procured for believers by his sacrifice.

Ver. 4, 5. It is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins — but a body hast thou prepared me. So David in the Spirit utters the words of Christ to the Father: “Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me.” Coccejus remarks here, “that Jerome in his Latin version, made from the LXX, reads, aures autem perfecisti mihi, thou hast perfected my ears.” Hence we gather, that the Greek was wtia ears, and not swma, body. Such also is the reading of Cyril, and of Arnobius. Many of the comments on the fortieth psalm are to the same effect, corresponding with what the mystical sense seems to indicate. The ears of Christ were not opened, but his body was crucified, as a testimony of his obedience unto death. But as sacrifices were not accepted as perfect, the word “body” has obtained, that he might offer it up once for all on the cross.

4. For—Reason why they do not abolish sin. The death of an animal is no real atonement for the sins of a man. There is no rational adequacy in the case. A sacrifice of a higher nature is demanded.

b. So the decisive atonement is made by Christ’s submission to the demands for Hebrews 2:5-18.

V. 5. When he cometh into the world-In the fortieth psalm the Messiah's coming into the world is represented. It is said, into the world, not into the tabernacle, Hebrews 9:1; because all the world is interested in his sacrifice.

A body hast thou prepared for me-That I may offer up myself. Psalms 40:6Psalm 40:6,&c.

Verse 5. When he (the Messiah) cometh into the world] Was about to be incarnated, He saith to God the Father, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not-it was never thy will and design that the sacrifices under thy own law should be considered as making atonement for sin, they were only designed to point out my incarnation and consequent sacrificial death, and therefore a body hast thou prepared me, by a miraculous conception in the womb of a virgin, according to thy word, The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent.

A body hast thou prepared me] The quotation in this and the two following verses is taken from Psalm xl., 6th, 7th, and 8th verses, as they stand now in the Septuagint, with scarcely any variety of reading; but, although the general meaning is the same, they are widely different in verbal expression in the Hebrew. David’s words are, yl tyrk אזנים oznayim caritha li, which we translate, My ears hast thou opened; but they might be more properly rendered, My ears hast thou bored, that is, thou hast made me thy servant for ever, to dwell in thine own house; for the allusion is evidently to the custom mentioned, Exodus 21:2, &c.: “If thou buy a Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve, and in the seventh he shall go out free; but if the servant shall positively say, I love my master, &c., I will not go out free, then his master shall bring him to the door post, and shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him for ever.” But how is it possible that the Septuagint and the apostle should take a meaning so totally different from the sense of the Hebrew? Dr. Kennicott has a very ingenious conjecture here: he supposes that the Septuagint and apostle express the meaning of the words as they stood in the copy from which the Greek translation was made; and that the present Hebrew text is corrupted in the word אזנים oznayim, ears, which has been written through carelessness for hwg za az gevah, THEN A BODY. The first syllable za, THEN, is the same in both; and the latter נים, which joined to za, makes אזנים oznayim, might have been easily mistaken for hwg gevah, BODY; n nun, being very like g gimel; y yod, like w vau; and h he, like final µ mem; especially if the line on which the letters were written in the MS. happened to be blacker than ordinary, which has often been a cause of mistake, it might have been easily taken for the under stroke of the mem, and thus give rise to a corrupt reading: add to this the root hrk carah, signifies as well to prepare as to open, bore, &c. On this supposition the ancient copy, translated by the Septuagint, and followed by the apostle, must have read the text thus: yl tyrk hwg za az gevah caritha li, swma de kathrtisw moi, then a body thou hast prepared me: thus the Hebrew text, the version of the Septuagint, and the apostle, will agree in what is known to be an indisputable fact in Christianity, namely, that Christ was incarnated for the sin of the world.

The Æthiopic has nearly the same reading; the Arabic has both, A body hast thou prepared me, and mine ears thou hast opened. But the Syriac, the Chaldee, and the Vulgate, agree with the present Hebrew text; and none of the MSS. collated by Kennicott and Deuteronomy Rossi have any various reading on the disputed words.

It is remarkable that all the offerings and sacrifices which were considered to be of an atoning or cleansing nature, offered under the law, are here enumerated by the psalmist and the apostle, to show that none of them nor all of them could take away sin, and that the grand sacrifice of Christ was that alone which could do it.

Four kinds are here specified, both by the psalmist and the apostle, viz.: SACRIFICE, jbz zebach, qusia. OFFERING, hjnm minchah, prosfora. BURNT-OFFERING, hlw[ olah, olokautwma. SIN-OFFERING, hacj chataah, peri amartiav. Of all these we may say, with the apostle, it was impossible that the blood of bulls and goats, &c., should take away sin.

Verses 5-10. Wherefore — As if he had said, Because the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sins, therefore Christ offered himself as a sacrifice to do it. When he cometh into the world — That is, when the Messiah is described by David as making his entrance into the world; he saith — He is represented by that inspired writer as saying, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not — Accept for a sufficient expiation and full satisfaction for sin; but thou hast provided something of another nature for this purpose; thou hast given me a body — Miraculously formed, and qualified to be an expiatory sacrifice for sin. The words, a body hast thou prepared me, are the translation of the LXX.; but in the Hebrew it is, Mine ears hast thou opened, or bored; an expression which signifies, I have devoted myself to thy perpetual service, and thou hast accepted of me as thy servant, and signified so much by the boring of mine ears. So that, though the words of the translation of the LXX., here used by the apostle, are not the same with those signified by the original Hebrew, the sense is the same; for the ears suppose a body to which they belong, and the preparing of a body implies the preparing of the ears, and the obligation of the person for whom a body was prepared, to serve him who prepared it; which the boring of the ear signified. How far the rest of the psalm is applicable to Christ, see the notes there. Then, &c. — That is, when the way appointed for the expiation of sin was not perfectly available for that purpose; I said, Lo, I come — To make expiation; in the volume of the book — That is, according to what is foretold of me in Scripture, even in this very psalm; to do thy will, O God — To suffer whatsoever thy justice shall require of me in order to the making of a complete atonement. Above when he said — That is, when the psalmist pronounced those words in his name; Sacrifice, &c., thou wouldest not — Or thou hast not chosen; then said he — In that very instant he subjoined; Lo, I come to do thy will — By offering myself a sacrifice for sin. He taketh away the first, &c. — That is, by this very act he taketh away the legal, that he may establish the evangelical, dispensation. By which will — Namely, that he should become a sacrifice; we — Believers under the gospel; are sanctified — Are both delivered from the guilt of sin, and dedicated to God in heart and life; yea, are conformed to his image, and made truly holy; through the offering of the body of Christ — Which, while it expiates our sins, procures for us the sanctifying Spirit of God, and lays us under an indispensable obligation to die to those sins, the guilt of which required such an expiation, and to live to him who made it. “Here we learn it was by the express will of God that the sacrifice of Christ was appointed a propitiation for the sins of mankind; and it must ever be remembered, that the will of God is the true foundation on which any atonement of sin can be established. Wherefore, since the death of Christ is by God made the propitiation for men’s sins, it rests on the foundation of his will, secure from all the objections raised against it, either by erring Christians or by obstinate infidels, on account of our not being able to explain the reasons which determined God to save sinners in that method, rather than in any other.”

Ver. 4, 5. It is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins — but a body hast thou prepared me. So David in the Spirit utters the words of Christ to the Father: “Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me.” Coccejus remarks here, “that Jerome in his Latin version, made from the LXX, reads, aures autem perfecisti mihi, thou hast perfected my ears.” Hence we gather, that the Greek was wtia ears, and not swma, body. Such also is the reading of Cyril, and of Arnobius. Many of the comments on the fortieth psalm are to the same effect, corresponding with what the mystical sense seems to indicate. The ears of Christ were not opened, but his body was crucified, as a testimony of his obedience unto death. But as sacrifices were not accepted as perfect, the word “body” has obtained, that he might offer it up once for all on the cross.

5. Wherefore—In consequence of this demand for an adequate sacrifice. He—The great unnamed, yet well-known. Cometh into the world—The words of Psalms 40:6Psalm 40:6-8 are adduced as illustrating the spirit and pure purpose of the Messiah’s entrance into our sublunary world. The psalm was probably written by David at the period when the troubles with Saul had terminated, and he was about to assume the open royalty. By experience he had learned that richest offerings were less acceptable to Jehovah than profound obedience to the divine commands. Submissively, therefore, he had waited the divine will; submissively he is now ready to come to the throne, there to perform the divine purposes. Our author sees in him a permanent type, and here, at least, a parallel, of the Son of God entering on his mediatorial office in our world. Perowne elegantly thus versifies the passage of the psalm:—

“In sacrifice and offering thou hast no delight,—

Mine ears hast thou opened,—

Burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not required.

Then said I, ‘Lo, I come,—

In the roll of the book it is prescribed to me:—

To do thy pleasure, O my God, I delight;

Yea, thy law is in my inmost heart.’”

Sacrifice… not—It was by an obedient heart and penitent soul that even under the Old Testament the sacrifice was made available. The offering was not the substitute of devout feeling, but the outward symbol and expression of it. When David wrote this, he doubtless knew that Samuel had lately said to Saul, “Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?” A body hast thou prepared me—The Hebrew, as given by Perowne, is, “Mine ears hast thou opened.” More literally, Ears hast thou dug out for me. That is, thou hast framed me with a hearing ear-passage; so that I am a creature able to listen and obey. This the Septuagint version translated, or rather paraphrased, as quoted here by our author, a body hast thou fitted (or constructed) for me; namely, to be an obedient creature to thee. The ultimate thought is precisely the same: thou hast organized me for responsible obedience. The Hebrew makes God frame an ear-passage in order to the creature’s obedience; the Septuagint makes him frame the whole body for such obedience. The Hebrew puts a part for the whole; the Septuagint puts the whole. Such a whole, namely, a whole body, was truly framed for David at birth, and still more eminently for Christ at the incarnation. The Seventy thought that the mention of ears alone was too little intelligible, and so they explained, boldly but correctly, by substituting body.

It is often assumed that our author quotes the words as proof—or at least illustration—of the incarnation. That is not quite clearly the case. If, however, David’s obedient approach into the kingdom is type of Messiah’s coming into the world, then his being divinely framed with a physique for an obedient free-agent is a very fair illustration of Messiah’s incarnation. Some critics hold that the words came into the Septuagint by a copyist’s mistake. They suppose that in the word for ears, WTIA, the letters TI were miswritten M; and that the last letter of the preceding word, which was a C=C, was repeated so as to make CWMA, body. This is, to say the least, ingenious. Supposing it to be a mis-writing, still, if found in the current Septuagint of the apostles’ day, our writer would properly quote as his text stood. But the above explanation of the translation by the Seventy makes the supposition as unnecessary as it is unprovable.

Verse 6. Thou hast had no pleasure.] Thou couldst never be pleased with the victims under the law; thou couldst never consider them as atonements for sin; as they could never satisfy thy justice, nor make thy law honourable.

Verses 5-10. Wherefore — As if he had said, Because the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sins, therefore Christ offered himself as a sacrifice to do it. When he cometh into the world — That is, when the Messiah is described by David as making his entrance into the world; he saith — He is represented by that inspired writer as saying, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not — Accept for a sufficient expiation and full satisfaction for sin; but thou hast provided something of another nature for this purpose; thou hast given me a body — Miraculously formed, and qualified to be an expiatory sacrifice for sin. The words, a body hast thou prepared me, are the translation of the LXX.; but in the Hebrew it is, Mine ears hast thou opened, or bored; an expression which signifies, I have devoted myself to thy perpetual service, and thou hast accepted of me as thy servant, and signified so much by the boring of mine ears. So that, though the words of the translation of the LXX., here used by the apostle, are not the same with those signified by the original Hebrew, the sense is the same; for the ears suppose a body to which they belong, and the preparing of a body implies the preparing of the ears, and the obligation of the person for whom a body was prepared, to serve him who prepared it; which the boring of the ear signified. How far the rest of the psalm is applicable to Christ, see the notes there. Then, &c. — That is, when the way appointed for the expiation of sin was not perfectly available for that purpose; I said, Lo, I come — To make expiation; in the volume of the book — That is, according to what is foretold of me in Scripture, even in this very psalm; to do thy will, O God — To suffer whatsoever thy justice shall require of me in order to the making of a complete atonement. Above when he said — That is, when the psalmist pronounced those words in his name; Sacrifice, &c., thou wouldest not — Or thou hast not chosen; then said he — In that very instant he subjoined; Lo, I come to do thy will — By offering myself a sacrifice for sin. He taketh away the first, &c. — That is, by this very act he taketh away the legal, that he may establish the evangelical, dispensation. By which will — Namely, that he should become a sacrifice; we — Believers under the gospel; are sanctified — Are both delivered from the guilt of sin, and dedicated to God in heart and life; yea, are conformed to his image, and made truly holy; through the offering of the body of Christ — Which, while it expiates our sins, procures for us the sanctifying Spirit of God, and lays us under an indispensable obligation to die to those sins, the guilt of which required such an expiation, and to live to him who made it. “Here we learn it was by the express will of God that the sacrifice of Christ was appointed a propitiation for the sins of mankind; and it must ever be remembered, that the will of God is the true foundation on which any atonement of sin can be established. Wherefore, since the death of Christ is by God made the propitiation for men’s sins, it rests on the foundation of his will, secure from all the objections raised against it, either by erring Christians or by obstinate infidels, on account of our not being able to explain the reasons which determined God to save sinners in that method, rather than in any other.”

V. 7. In the volume of the book-In this very psalm it is written of me. Accordingly

I come to do thy will-By the sacrifice of myself.

Verse 7. In the volume of the book] rps tlgmb bimgillath sepher, “in the roll of the book.” Anciently, books were written on skins and rolled up. Among the Romans these were called volumina, from volvo, I roll; and the Pentateuch, in the Jewish synagogues, is still written in this way. There are two wooden rollers; on one they roll on, on the other they roll off, as they proceed in reading. The book mentioned here must be the Pentateuch, or five books of Moses; for in David’s time no other part of Divine revelation had been committed to writing. This whole book speaks about Christ, and his accomplishing the will of God; not only in, The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent, and, In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, but in all the sacrifices and sacrificial rites mentioned in the law.

To do thy will] God willed not the sacrifices under the law, but he willed that a human victim of infinite merit should be offered for the redemption of mankind. That there might be such a victim, a body was prepared for the eternal Logos; and in that body he came to do the will of God, that is, to suffer and die for the sins of the world.

Verses 5-10. Wherefore — As if he had said, Because the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sins, therefore Christ offered himself as a sacrifice to do it. When he cometh into the world — That is, when the Messiah is described by David as making his entrance into the world; he saith — He is represented by that inspired writer as saying, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not — Accept for a sufficient expiation and full satisfaction for sin; but thou hast provided something of another nature for this purpose; thou hast given me a body — Miraculously formed, and qualified to be an expiatory sacrifice for sin. The words, a body hast thou prepared me, are the translation of the LXX.; but in the Hebrew it is, Mine ears hast thou opened, or bored; an expression which signifies, I have devoted myself to thy perpetual service, and thou hast accepted of me as thy servant, and signified so much by the boring of mine ears. So that, though the words of the translation of the LXX., here used by the apostle, are not the same with those signified by the original Hebrew, the sense is the same; for the ears suppose a body to which they belong, and the preparing of a body implies the preparing of the ears, and the obligation of the person for whom a body was prepared, to serve him who prepared it; which the boring of the ear signified. How far the rest of the psalm is applicable to Christ, see the notes there. Then, &c. — That is, when the way appointed for the expiation of sin was not perfectly available for that purpose; I said, Lo, I come — To make expiation; in the volume of the book — That is, according to what is foretold of me in Scripture, even in this very psalm; to do thy will, O God — To suffer whatsoever thy justice shall require of me in order to the making of a complete atonement. Above when he said — That is, when the psalmist pronounced those words in his name; Sacrifice, &c., thou wouldest not — Or thou hast not chosen; then said he — In that very instant he subjoined; Lo, I come to do thy will — By offering myself a sacrifice for sin. He taketh away the first, &c. — That is, by this very act he taketh away the legal, that he may establish the evangelical, dispensation. By which will — Namely, that he should become a sacrifice; we — Believers under the gospel; are sanctified — Are both delivered from the guilt of sin, and dedicated to God in heart and life; yea, are conformed to his image, and made truly holy; through the offering of the body of Christ — Which, while it expiates our sins, procures for us the sanctifying Spirit of God, and lays us under an indispensable obligation to die to those sins, the guilt of which required such an expiation, and to live to him who made it. “Here we learn it was by the express will of God that the sacrifice of Christ was appointed a propitiation for the sins of mankind; and it must ever be remembered, that the will of God is the true foundation on which any atonement of sin can be established. Wherefore, since the death of Christ is by God made the propitiation for men’s sins, it rests on the foundation of his will, secure from all the objections raised against it, either by erring Christians or by obstinate infidels, on account of our not being able to explain the reasons which determined God to save sinners in that method, rather than in any other.”

Ver. 7. In the volume of the book it is written of me. The Hebrew signifies the roll of a book, the engrossed parchments being often rolled on a staff. The Greek reads, “in the head of the book;” for the Messiah was the end of the law, and the theme of the prophets.

7. In the volume of the book—Note, Matthew 1:1. The book may be the Pentateuch. David had been already anointed king by Samuel; and he doubtless understood that Jacob’s dying prophecy predicting that the royalty should be in Judah’s line, was now being fulfilled in him. In obedience to the prediction of the book, he has now come to do Jehovah’s will upon the throne, as Saul did not.

V. 8. Above when he said, Sacrifice thou hast not chosen-That is, when the Psalmist pronounced those words in his name.

Verses 5-10. Wherefore — As if he had said, Because the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sins, therefore Christ offered himself as a sacrifice to do it. When he cometh into the world — That is, when the Messiah is described by David as making his entrance into the world; he saith — He is represented by that inspired writer as saying, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not — Accept for a sufficient expiation and full satisfaction for sin; but thou hast provided something of another nature for this purpose; thou hast given me a body — Miraculously formed, and qualified to be an expiatory sacrifice for sin. The words, a body hast thou prepared me, are the translation of the LXX.; but in the Hebrew it is, Mine ears hast thou opened, or bored; an expression which signifies, I have devoted myself to thy perpetual service, and thou hast accepted of me as thy servant, and signified so much by the boring of mine ears. So that, though the words of the translation of the LXX., here used by the apostle, are not the same with those signified by the original Hebrew, the sense is the same; for the ears suppose a body to which they belong, and the preparing of a body implies the preparing of the ears, and the obligation of the person for whom a body was prepared, to serve him who prepared it; which the boring of the ear signified. How far the rest of the psalm is applicable to Christ, see the notes there. Then, &c. — That is, when the way appointed for the expiation of sin was not perfectly available for that purpose; I said, Lo, I come — To make expiation; in the volume of the book — That is, according to what is foretold of me in Scripture, even in this very psalm; to do thy will, O God — To suffer whatsoever thy justice shall require of me in order to the making of a complete atonement. Above when he said — That is, when the psalmist pronounced those words in his name; Sacrifice, &c., thou wouldest not — Or thou hast not chosen; then said he — In that very instant he subjoined; Lo, I come to do thy will — By offering myself a sacrifice for sin. He taketh away the first, &c. — That is, by this very act he taketh away the legal, that he may establish the evangelical, dispensation. By which will — Namely, that he should become a sacrifice; we — Believers under the gospel; are sanctified — Are both delivered from the guilt of sin, and dedicated to God in heart and life; yea, are conformed to his image, and made truly holy; through the offering of the body of Christ — Which, while it expiates our sins, procures for us the sanctifying Spirit of God, and lays us under an indispensable obligation to die to those sins, the guilt of which required such an expiation, and to live to him who made it. “Here we learn it was by the express will of God that the sacrifice of Christ was appointed a propitiation for the sins of mankind; and it must ever be remembered, that the will of God is the true foundation on which any atonement of sin can be established. Wherefore, since the death of Christ is by God made the propitiation for men’s sins, it rests on the foundation of his will, secure from all the objections raised against it, either by erring Christians or by obstinate infidels, on account of our not being able to explain the reasons which determined God to save sinners in that method, rather than in any other.”

8, 9. Now for our author’s application of the passage quoted. He argues that the psalmist, first, (verse 9,) depreciates sacrifices and offerings; and, second, exalts willing obedience; and then (verse 10) infers that by that obedient will our atonement was wrought.

V. 9. Then said he-in that very instant he subjoined. Lo, I come to do Thy will-To offer a more acceptable sacrifice; and by this very act he taketh away the legal, that he may establish the evangelical, dispensation.

Verse 9. He taketh away the first] The offerings, sacrifices, burnt-offerings, and sacrifices for sin, which were prescribed by the law. That he may establish the second.] The offering of the body of Jesus once for all. It will make little odds in the meaning if we say, he taketh away the first covenant, that he may establish the second covenant; he takes away the first dispensation, that he may establish the second; he takes away the law, that he may establish the Gospel. In all these cases the sense is nearly the same: I prefer the first.

Verses 5-10. Wherefore — As if he had said, Because the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sins, therefore Christ offered himself as a sacrifice to do it. When he cometh into the world — That is, when the Messiah is described by David as making his entrance into the world; he saith — He is represented by that inspired writer as saying, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not — Accept for a sufficient expiation and full satisfaction for sin; but thou hast provided something of another nature for this purpose; thou hast given me a body — Miraculously formed, and qualified to be an expiatory sacrifice for sin. The words, a body hast thou prepared me, are the translation of the LXX.; but in the Hebrew it is, Mine ears hast thou opened, or bored; an expression which signifies, I have devoted myself to thy perpetual service, and thou hast accepted of me as thy servant, and signified so much by the boring of mine ears. So that, though the words of the translation of the LXX., here used by the apostle, are not the same with those signified by the original Hebrew, the sense is the same; for the ears suppose a body to which they belong, and the preparing of a body implies the preparing of the ears, and the obligation of the person for whom a body was prepared, to serve him who prepared it; which the boring of the ear signified. How far the rest of the psalm is applicable to Christ, see the notes there. Then, &c. — That is, when the way appointed for the expiation of sin was not perfectly available for that purpose; I said, Lo, I come — To make expiation; in the volume of the book — That is, according to what is foretold of me in Scripture, even in this very psalm; to do thy will, O God — To suffer whatsoever thy justice shall require of me in order to the making of a complete atonement. Above when he said — That is, when the psalmist pronounced those words in his name; Sacrifice, &c., thou wouldest not — Or thou hast not chosen; then said he — In that very instant he subjoined; Lo, I come to do thy will — By offering myself a sacrifice for sin. He taketh away the first, &c. — That is, by this very act he taketh away the legal, that he may establish the evangelical, dispensation. By which will — Namely, that he should become a sacrifice; we — Believers under the gospel; are sanctified — Are both delivered from the guilt of sin, and dedicated to God in heart and life; yea, are conformed to his image, and made truly holy; through the offering of the body of Christ — Which, while it expiates our sins, procures for us the sanctifying Spirit of God, and lays us under an indispensable obligation to die to those sins, the guilt of which required such an expiation, and to live to him who made it. “Here we learn it was by the express will of God that the sacrifice of Christ was appointed a propitiation for the sins of mankind; and it must ever be remembered, that the will of God is the true foundation on which any atonement of sin can be established. Wherefore, since the death of Christ is by God made the propitiation for men’s sins, it rests on the foundation of his will, secure from all the objections raised against it, either by erring Christians or by obstinate infidels, on account of our not being able to explain the reasons which determined God to save sinners in that method, rather than in any other.”

Ver. 9, 10. Lo, I come to do thy will, oh God — by the which will we are sanctified. Moses sanctified the altar, the vessels of the tabernacle, and all the people, by the sprinkling of the blood of atonement. Erasmus asks here, “But what is the will of God, who thus lothed the legal sacrifices of the old testament, and greatly desired the new kind of sacrifice? In truth it was, because of his unmerited goodness towards us, that his blessed Son, the Lord Jesus, should assume our body; and dying for the sins of the whole world, should purify all men by one sacrifice truly offered up for their sins; and in such conformity to the Father’s pleasure, as to need in future no other atoning sacrifice.”

8, 9. Now for our author’s application of the passage quoted. He argues that the psalmist, first, (verse 9,) depreciates sacrifices and offerings; and, second, exalts willing obedience; and then (verse 10) infers that by that obedient will our atonement was wrought.

V. 10. By which will-Of God, done and suffered by Christ. We are sanctified-Cleansed from guilt, and consecrated to God.

Verse 10. By the which will we are sanctified] Closing in with this so solemnly declared WILL of God, that there is no name given under heaven among men, by which we can be saved, but Jesus the Christ, we believe in him, find redemption in his blood, and are sanctified unto God through the sacrificial offering of his body.

1. Hence we see that the sovereign WILL of God is, that Jesus should be incarnated; that he should suffer and die, or, in the apostle’s words, taste death for every man; that all should believe on him, and be saved from their sins: for this is the WILL of God, our sanctification.

2. And as the apostle grounds this on the words of the psalm, we see that it is the WILL of God that that system shall end; for as the essence of it is contained in its sacrifices, and God says he will not have these, and has prepared the Messiah to do his will, i.e. to die for men, hence it necessarily follows, from the psalmist himself, that the introduction of the Messiah into the world is the abolition of the law, and that his sacrifice is that which shall last for ever.

Verses 5-10. Wherefore — As if he had said, Because the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sins, therefore Christ offered himself as a sacrifice to do it. When he cometh into the world — That is, when the Messiah is described by David as making his entrance into the world; he saith — He is represented by that inspired writer as saying, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not — Accept for a sufficient expiation and full satisfaction for sin; but thou hast provided something of another nature for this purpose; thou hast given me a body — Miraculously formed, and qualified to be an expiatory sacrifice for sin. The words, a body hast thou prepared me, are the translation of the LXX.; but in the Hebrew it is, Mine ears hast thou opened, or bored; an expression which signifies, I have devoted myself to thy perpetual service, and thou hast accepted of me as thy servant, and signified so much by the boring of mine ears. So that, though the words of the translation of the LXX., here used by the apostle, are not the same with those signified by the original Hebrew, the sense is the same; for the ears suppose a body to which they belong, and the preparing of a body implies the preparing of the ears, and the obligation of the person for whom a body was prepared, to serve him who prepared it; which the boring of the ear signified. How far the rest of the psalm is applicable to Christ, see the notes there. Then, &c. — That is, when the way appointed for the expiation of sin was not perfectly available for that purpose; I said, Lo, I come — To make expiation; in the volume of the book — That is, according to what is foretold of me in Scripture, even in this very psalm; to do thy will, O God — To suffer whatsoever thy justice shall require of me in order to the making of a complete atonement. Above when he said — That is, when the psalmist pronounced those words in his name; Sacrifice, &c., thou wouldest not — Or thou hast not chosen; then said he — In that very instant he subjoined; Lo, I come to do thy will — By offering myself a sacrifice for sin. He taketh away the first, &c. — That is, by this very act he taketh away the legal, that he may establish the evangelical, dispensation. By which will — Namely, that he should become a sacrifice; we — Believers under the gospel; are sanctified — Are both delivered from the guilt of sin, and dedicated to God in heart and life; yea, are conformed to his image, and made truly holy; through the offering of the body of Christ — Which, while it expiates our sins, procures for us the sanctifying Spirit of God, and lays us under an indispensable obligation to die to those sins, the guilt of which required such an expiation, and to live to him who made it. “Here we learn it was by the express will of God that the sacrifice of Christ was appointed a propitiation for the sins of mankind; and it must ever be remembered, that the will of God is the true foundation on which any atonement of sin can be established. Wherefore, since the death of Christ is by God made the propitiation for men’s sins, it rests on the foundation of his will, secure from all the objections raised against it, either by erring Christians or by obstinate infidels, on account of our not being able to explain the reasons which determined God to save sinners in that method, rather than in any other.”

Ver. 9, 10. Lo, I come to do thy will, oh God — by the which will we are sanctified. Moses sanctified the altar, the vessels of the tabernacle, and all the people, by the sprinkling of the blood of atonement. Erasmus asks here, “But what is the will of God, who thus lothed the legal sacrifices of the old testament, and greatly desired the new kind of sacrifice? In truth it was, because of his unmerited goodness towards us, that his blessed Son, the Lord Jesus, should assume our body; and dying for the sins of the whole world, should purify all men by one sacrifice truly offered up for their sins; and in such conformity to the Father’s pleasure, as to need in future no other atoning sacrifice.”

10. By the which will—The will, namely, of verse 9, the will of the Father, with which the will of the Son identifies itself. Body—This may be a reference to the body of verse 5, and then the incarnation is illustratively read by our author into that clause. We prefer to refer both this term and the phrase cometh into the world, to the incarnation.

Our apostle now completes his argumentative section with two reiterations, yet with variation, of his conclusion, to impress the sum total on the minds of his readers. Verses 11-13 and 14-18. The former of the two, comparing our High Priest with the Levitical, concludes with his triumphant and divine enthronement on high. The latter gives a description of his sanctifying work in the Church below, completing our full remission, and rendering further offering for sin forever unnecessary. The former leaves the Redeemer enthroned in heaven until the final consummation; the latter traces the events of his heavenly sway on earth, preparing that consummation.

V. 11. Every priest standeth-As a servant in an humble posture.

Verse 11. Every priest standeth] The office of the Jewish priest is here compared with the office of our High Priest. The Jewish priest stands daily at the altar, like a servant ministering, repeating the same sacrifices; our High Priest offered himself once for all, and sat down at the right hand of God, as the only-begotten Son and Heir of all things, Hebrews 10:12. This continual offering argued the imperfection of the sacrifices. Our Lord’s once offering, proves his was complete.

Verses 11-18. And every priest standeth, &c. — In token of humble service and subjection; daily — Morning and evening; ministering and offering often the same sacrifices, which shows that these sacrifices can never take away sins — Can never fully expiate them, so as to make it consistent with the justice of God to forgive them to the penitent and believing. But this man — Autov de, but He, the virtue of whose one sacrifice remains for ever, so that it need not be any more repeated; sat down on the right hand of God — As a Son in majesty and honour, and in token of the continuance of his priesthood, and of his dignity there as Lord; from henceforth, (to loipon, what remains,) expecting — Waiting; till his enemies be made his footstool — Till his ministry as High-Priest, and government as King, shall issue according to God’s promise, (<19B001>Psalm 110:1,) in the utter destruction of his enemies. For by one offering — Of himself; (and it appears that he did not need to offer himself more than once;) he hath perfected for ever — Hath fully reconciled to God; them that are sanctified — Those who in true repentance, living faith, and new obedience, give themselves up to the love and service of God. Whereof — Of the perfection of whose sacrifice; the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us — Namely, in the form of the new covenant recorded by him Jeremiah 31:31. This is the covenant, &c. — See on chap. 8:10. In these three verses, the apostle winds up his argument concerning the excellence and perfection of the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ. He had proved this before by a quotation from Jeremiah, which he here repeats, describing the new covenant as now completely ratified, and all the blessings of it secured to us by the one offering of Christ, which renders all other expiatory sacrifices, and any repetition of his own, utterly needless.

11. Every priest—A balance of authorities reads here, Every high priest. Alford prefers this reading on the ground that it involves a difficulty, and so would not be introduced by a copyist. The difficulty is, that the high priest did not sacrifice daily, but only annually, on the day of atonement. This difficulty Alford evades by maintaining that the priests were really all agents, through whom the high priest performed all the sacrifices. Delitzsch rejects Alford’s evasion, and decides that the reading, high priest, is a mere copyist’s correction of this text drawn from Hebrews 5:1; 8:3; and 9:25.

V. 12. But he-The virtue of whose one sacrifice remains for ever. Sat down-As a son, in majesty and honour.

Verses 11-18. And every priest standeth, &c. — In token of humble service and subjection; daily — Morning and evening; ministering and offering often the same sacrifices, which shows that these sacrifices can never take away sins — Can never fully expiate them, so as to make it consistent with the justice of God to forgive them to the penitent and believing. But this man — Autov de, but He, the virtue of whose one sacrifice remains for ever, so that it need not be any more repeated; sat down on the right hand of God — As a Son in majesty and honour, and in token of the continuance of his priesthood, and of his dignity there as Lord; from henceforth, (to loipon, what remains,) expecting — Waiting; till his enemies be made his footstool — Till his ministry as High-Priest, and government as King, shall issue according to God’s promise, (<19B001>Psalm 110:1,) in the utter destruction of his enemies. For by one offering — Of himself; (and it appears that he did not need to offer himself more than once;) he hath perfected for ever — Hath fully reconciled to God; them that are sanctified — Those who in true repentance, living faith, and new obedience, give themselves up to the love and service of God. Whereof — Of the perfection of whose sacrifice; the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us — Namely, in the form of the new covenant recorded by him Jeremiah 31:31. This is the covenant, &c. — See on chap. 8:10. In these three verses, the apostle winds up his argument concerning the excellence and perfection of the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ. He had proved this before by a quotation from Jeremiah, which he here repeats, describing the new covenant as now completely ratified, and all the blessings of it secured to us by the one offering of Christ, which renders all other expiatory sacrifices, and any repetition of his own, utterly needless.

V. 13. <19B001>Psalm 110:1.

Verse 13. Till his enemies be made his footstool.] Till all that oppose his high priesthood and sacrificial offering shall be defeated, routed, and confounded; and acknowledge, in their punishment, the supremacy of his power as universal and eternal King, who refused to receive him as their atoning and sanctifying Priest. There is also an oblique reference here to the destruction of the Jews, which was then at hand; for Christ was about to take away the second with an overwhelming flood of desolations.

Verses 11-18. And every priest standeth, &c. — In token of humble service and subjection; daily — Morning and evening; ministering and offering often the same sacrifices, which shows that these sacrifices can never take away sins — Can never fully expiate them, so as to make it consistent with the justice of God to forgive them to the penitent and believing. But this man — Autov de, but He, the virtue of whose one sacrifice remains for ever, so that it need not be any more repeated; sat down on the right hand of God — As a Son in majesty and honour, and in token of the continuance of his priesthood, and of his dignity there as Lord; from henceforth, (to loipon, what remains,) expecting — Waiting; till his enemies be made his footstool — Till his ministry as High-Priest, and government as King, shall issue according to God’s promise, (<19B001>Psalm 110:1,) in the utter destruction of his enemies. For by one offering — Of himself; (and it appears that he did not need to offer himself more than once;) he hath perfected for ever — Hath fully reconciled to God; them that are sanctified — Those who in true repentance, living faith, and new obedience, give themselves up to the love and service of God. Whereof — Of the perfection of whose sacrifice; the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us — Namely, in the form of the new covenant recorded by him Jeremiah 31:31. This is the covenant, &c. — See on chap. 8:10. In these three verses, the apostle winds up his argument concerning the excellence and perfection of the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ. He had proved this before by a quotation from Jeremiah, which he here repeats, describing the new covenant as now completely ratified, and all the blessings of it secured to us by the one offering of Christ, which renders all other expiatory sacrifices, and any repetition of his own, utterly needless.

13. Expecting—Awaiting the promised time, according to <19B001> Psalm

110:1. This process of bringing all in subjection to Christ is, we hold, now in historical progress, and will be completed by the work of the judgment-day at the second advent, according to 1 Corinthians 15:24-28, where see notes.

V. 14. He hath perfected them for ever-That is, has done all that was needful in order to their full reconciliation with God.

Verse 14. For by one offering] His death upon the cross. He hath perfected for ever.] He has procured remission of sins and holiness; fur it is well observed here, and in several parts of this epistle, that teleiow, to make perfect, is the same as afesin amartiwn poiew, to procure remission of sins.

Them that are sanctified.] touv agiazomenouv. Them that have received the sprinkling of the blood of this offering. These, therefore, receiving redemption through that blood, have no need of any other offering; as this was a complete atonement, purification, and title to eternal glory.

Verses 11-18. And every priest standeth, &c. — In token of humble service and subjection; daily — Morning and evening; ministering and offering often the same sacrifices, which shows that these sacrifices can never take away sins — Can never fully expiate them, so as to make it consistent with the justice of God to forgive them to the penitent and believing. But this man — Autov de, but He, the virtue of whose one sacrifice remains for ever, so that it need not be any more repeated; sat down on the right hand of God — As a Son in majesty and honour, and in token of the continuance of his priesthood, and of his dignity there as Lord; from henceforth, (to loipon, what remains,) expecting — Waiting; till his enemies be made his footstool — Till his ministry as High-Priest, and government as King, shall issue according to God’s promise, (<19B001>Psalm 110:1,) in the utter destruction of his enemies. For by one offering — Of himself; (and it appears that he did not need to offer himself more than once;) he hath perfected for ever — Hath fully reconciled to God; them that are sanctified — Those who in true repentance, living faith, and new obedience, give themselves up to the love and service of God. Whereof — Of the perfection of whose sacrifice; the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us — Namely, in the form of the new covenant recorded by him Jeremiah 31:31. This is the covenant, &c. — See on chap. 8:10. In these three verses, the apostle winds up his argument concerning the excellence and perfection of the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ. He had proved this before by a quotation from Jeremiah, which he here repeats, describing the new covenant as now completely ratified, and all the blessings of it secured to us by the one offering of Christ, which renders all other expiatory sacrifices, and any repetition of his own, utterly needless.

Ver. 14. By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Thus the Mediator has finished his work on earth; he has removed the curse, and procured the favour of God in all its characters of goodwill to men. There is a recurrence of these ideas in a dozen places of Paul’s epistles; for the glory of the atonement by a crucified Redeemer is the grand theme of all our preaching. Where there is remission of sins, there is no more offering required by the law.

14. Perfected for ever… sanctified—He has once, fully and forever, potentially and conditionally, perfected all; but the full reality takes effect only in those who are sanctified through faith in him.

V. 15. In this and the three following verses, the apostle winds up his argument concerning the excellency and perfection of the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ. He had proved this before by a quotation from Jeremiah; which he here repeats, describing the new covenant as now completely ratified, and all the blessings of it secured to us by the one offering of Christ, which renders all other expiatory sacrifices, and any repetition of his own, utterly needless.

Verse 15. The Holy Ghost-is a witness to us] The words are quoted from Jeremiah 31:33, 34, and here we are assured that Jeremiah spoke by the inspiration of the Spirit of God.

Had said before] See Hebrews 8:10, 12, and the notes there.

Verses 11-18. And every priest standeth, &c. — In token of humble service and subjection; daily — Morning and evening; ministering and offering often the same sacrifices, which shows that these sacrifices can never take away sins — Can never fully expiate them, so as to make it consistent with the justice of God to forgive them to the penitent and believing. But this man — Autov de, but He, the virtue of whose one sacrifice remains for ever, so that it need not be any more repeated; sat down on the right hand of God — As a Son in majesty and honour, and in token of the continuance of his priesthood, and of his dignity there as Lord; from henceforth, (to loipon, what remains,) expecting — Waiting; till his enemies be made his footstool — Till his ministry as High-Priest, and government as King, shall issue according to God’s promise, (<19B001>Psalm 110:1,) in the utter destruction of his enemies. For by one offering — Of himself; (and it appears that he did not need to offer himself more than once;) he hath perfected for ever — Hath fully reconciled to God; them that are sanctified — Those who in true repentance, living faith, and new obedience, give themselves up to the love and service of God. Whereof — Of the perfection of whose sacrifice; the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us — Namely, in the form of the new covenant recorded by him Jeremiah 31:31. This is the covenant, &c. — See on chap. 8:10. In these three verses, the apostle winds up his argument concerning the excellence and perfection of the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ. He had proved this before by a quotation from Jeremiah, which he here repeats, describing the new covenant as now completely ratified, and all the blessings of it secured to us by the one offering of Christ, which renders all other expiatory sacrifices, and any repetition of his own, utterly needless.

15. And now our writer clenches his argument by recalling the picture of the new dispensation quoted in Hebrews 8:8-13. The Holy Ghost— The inspirer of the psalm. After… had said before—This quotation from the Old Testament is so obscured both by the translation and the division into verses that we translate it thus: For after having (by way of announcement) said, “This is the covenant which I will covenant with them after those days,” the Lord saith, (superadds,) “I will put my laws into their hearts,” etc.

V. 16. Jeremiah 31:33, &c

Verses 11-18. And every priest standeth, &c. — In token of humble service and subjection; daily — Morning and evening; ministering and offering often the same sacrifices, which shows that these sacrifices can never take away sins — Can never fully expiate them, so as to make it consistent with the justice of God to forgive them to the penitent and believing. But this man — Autov de, but He, the virtue of whose one sacrifice remains for ever, so that it need not be any more repeated; sat down on the right hand of God — As a Son in majesty and honour, and in token of the continuance of his priesthood, and of his dignity there as Lord; from henceforth, (to loipon, what remains,) expecting — Waiting; till his enemies be made his footstool — Till his ministry as High-Priest, and government as King, shall issue according to God’s promise, (<19B001>Psalm 110:1,) in the utter destruction of his enemies. For by one offering — Of himself; (and it appears that he did not need to offer himself more than once;) he hath perfected for ever — Hath fully reconciled to God; them that are sanctified — Those who in true repentance, living faith, and new obedience, give themselves up to the love and service of God. Whereof — Of the perfection of whose sacrifice; the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us — Namely, in the form of the new covenant recorded by him Jeremiah 31:31. This is the covenant, &c. — See on chap. 8:10. In these three verses, the apostle winds up his argument concerning the excellence and perfection of the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ. He had proved this before by a quotation from Jeremiah, which he here repeats, describing the new covenant as now completely ratified, and all the blessings of it secured to us by the one offering of Christ, which renders all other expiatory sacrifices, and any repetition of his own, utterly needless.

16. This—A comparison will show that our author requotes with verbal variations but essential sameness.

Verses 11-18. And every priest standeth, &c. — In token of humble service and subjection; daily — Morning and evening; ministering and offering often the same sacrifices, which shows that these sacrifices can never take away sins — Can never fully expiate them, so as to make it consistent with the justice of God to forgive them to the penitent and believing. But this man — Autov de, but He, the virtue of whose one sacrifice remains for ever, so that it need not be any more repeated; sat down on the right hand of God — As a Son in majesty and honour, and in token of the continuance of his priesthood, and of his dignity there as Lord; from henceforth, (to loipon, what remains,) expecting — Waiting; till his enemies be made his footstool — Till his ministry as High-Priest, and government as King, shall issue according to God’s promise, (<19B001>Psalm 110:1,) in the utter destruction of his enemies. For by one offering — Of himself; (and it appears that he did not need to offer himself more than once;) he hath perfected for ever — Hath fully reconciled to God; them that are sanctified — Those who in true repentance, living faith, and new obedience, give themselves up to the love and service of God. Whereof — Of the perfection of whose sacrifice; the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us — Namely, in the form of the new covenant recorded by him Jeremiah 31:31. This is the covenant, &c. — See on chap. 8:10. In these three verses, the apostle winds up his argument concerning the excellence and perfection of the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ. He had proved this before by a quotation from Jeremiah, which he here repeats, describing the new covenant as now completely ratified, and all the blessings of it secured to us by the one offering of Christ, which renders all other expiatory sacrifices, and any repetition of his own, utterly needless.

17. Will I remember no more—Implying that an atonement is made never needing to be repeated; that a potential, perfect salvation is conditionally wrought out for every man; and that the justification is complete, needing no new sacrifice to give it perfection. There is, as said next verse, no more offering for sin, because the efficacy of the one offering made is perpetual and ever availing.

The argument is now closed. By Christ’s atonement the old ritual is superseded. A new and more glorious dispensation is inaugurated. Nothing now remains but an unfolding of the awful consequences of apostatizing from that dispensation, and the glory of an adhering faith. This unfolding occupies the remainder of the epistle.

PART SECOND.

ADMONITORY, INSPIRATIONAL, AND PERSONAL, CONCLUSIONS.

1. ADMONITORY—Having such a High Priest, beware of unbelief tending to apostasy and death, 19-39.

Verse 18. Now where remission of these is] In any case, where sin is once pardoned, there is no farther need of a sin-offering; but every believer on Christ has his sin blotted out, and therefore needs no other offering for that sin.

“If,” says Dr. Macknight, “after remission is granted to the sinner, there is no need of any more sacrifice for sin; and if Christ, by offering himself once, has perfected for ever the sanctified, Hebrews 10:14, the sacrifice of the mass, as it is called, about which the Romish clergy employ themselves so incessantly, and to which the papists trust for the pardon of their sins, has no foundation in Scripture. Nay, it is an evident impiety, as it proceeds upon the supposition that the offering of the body of Christ once is not sufficient to procure the pardon of sin, but must be frequently repeated. If they reply that their mass is only the representation and commemoration of the sacrifice of Christ, they give up the cause, and renounce an article of their faith, established by the council of Trent, which, in session xxii. can. 1, 3, declared the sacrifice of the mass to be a true and propitiatory sacrifice for sin. I say, give up the cause; for the representation and commemoration of a sacrifice is not a sacrifice. Farther, it cannot be affirmed that the body of Christ is offered in the mass, unless it can be said that, as often as it is offered, Christ has suffered death; for the apostle says expressly, Hebrews 9:25, 26, that if Christ offered himself often, he must often have suffered since the foundation of the world.” Let him disprove this who can.

Verses 11-18. And every priest standeth, &c. — In token of humble service and subjection; daily — Morning and evening; ministering and offering often the same sacrifices, which shows that these sacrifices can never take away sins — Can never fully expiate them, so as to make it consistent with the justice of God to forgive them to the penitent and believing. But this man — Autov de, but He, the virtue of whose one sacrifice remains for ever, so that it need not be any more repeated; sat down on the right hand of God — As a Son in majesty and honour, and in token of the continuance of his priesthood, and of his dignity there as Lord; from henceforth, (to loipon, what remains,) expecting — Waiting; till his enemies be made his footstool — Till his ministry as High-Priest, and government as King, shall issue according to God’s promise, (<19B001>Psalm 110:1,) in the utter destruction of his enemies. For by one offering — Of himself; (and it appears that he did not need to offer himself more than once;) he hath perfected for ever — Hath fully reconciled to God; them that are sanctified — Those who in true repentance, living faith, and new obedience, give themselves up to the love and service of God. Whereof — Of the perfection of whose sacrifice; the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us — Namely, in the form of the new covenant recorded by him Jeremiah 31:31. This is the covenant, &c. — See on chap. 8:10. In these three verses, the apostle winds up his argument concerning the excellence and perfection of the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ. He had proved this before by a quotation from Jeremiah, which he here repeats, describing the new covenant as now completely ratified, and all the blessings of it secured to us by the one offering of Christ, which renders all other expiatory sacrifices, and any repetition of his own, utterly needless.

V. 19. Having finished the doctrinal part of his epistle, the apostle now proceeds to exhortation deduced from what has been treated of Hebrews 5:4, which he begins by a brief recapitulation. Having therefore liberty to enter,-

Verse 19. Having therefore, brethren, boldness] The apostle, having now finished the doctrinal part of his epistle, and fully shown the superiority of Christ to all men and angels, and the superiority of his priesthood to that of Aaron and his successors, the absolute inefficacy of the Jewish sacrifices to make atonement for sin, and the absolute efficacy of that of Christ to make reconciliation of man to God, proceeds now to show what influence these doctrines should have on the hearts and lives of those who believe in his merits and death.

Boldness to enter] parrhsian eiv thn eisodon. Liberty, full access to the entrance of the holy place, twn agiwn. This is an allusion to the case of the high priest going into the holy of holies. He went with fear and trembling, because, if he had neglected the smallest item prescribed by the law, he could expect nothing but death. Genuine believers can come even to the throne of God with confidence, as they carry into the Divine presence the infinitely meritorious blood of the great atonement; and, being justified through that blood, they have a right to all the blessings of the eternal kingdom.

Verses 19-22. Having therefore — The apostle, having finished the doctrinal part of his epistle, now proceeds to exhortation, deduced from what has been treated of from Hebrews 5:4. For though there are some occasional intermixtures of doctrines, consonant to those before insisted on, yet his professed design henceforward is to propose to, and press on, the believing Hebrews, such duties as the truths he had insisted on laid a foundation for, and showed to be necessary to be practised. Having therefore boldness — The word parrhsia, thus rendered, properly means liberty of speech; and by an easy figure, boldness, or confidence, as it is rendered chap. 3:6. Here it signifies that boldness which arises from a firm persuasion of our title to appear before God as pardoned persons, through the blood of Christ. To enter into the holiest — That is, the true sanctuary, the holy place not made with hands, the immediate gracious presence of God himself in Christ Jesus. Whatever was typically represented in the most holy place of old, we have access to, especially into the favour and friendship of God, and a state of fellowship with him. Of this privilege the blood of Christ, or his sacrifice, is the procuring cause. By this, all causes of distance between God and believers are removed. For on the one hand, it made atonement for our sins, and procured our free justification; and on the other gives peace to our consciences, and removes every discouraging fear of approaching him, whether in his ordinances here, or in his kingdom and glory hereafter. By a new and living way — He calls it a new way, because it was but newly made and prepared; belongs to the new covenant, and admits of no decays, but is always new, as to its efficacy and use, as in the day of its first preparation; whereas that of the tabernacle waxed old, and so was prepared for a removal. And he terms it a living way, because all that use it are alive to God, and in the way to life everlasting. And this is no other than the way of faith, or confidence in the mercy and promises of God, through the sacrifice of Christ, according to the revelation made thereof in the gospel; which he hath consecrated — Prepared, dedicated, and established; through the veil, that is, his flesh — He refers to the veil that was interposed between the holy and the most holy place of the Jewish tabernacle and temple: see Hebrews 9:3. This veil, on our Lord’s death, was rent from the top to the bottom, by which the most holy place became visible and accessible to all that were in the outward tabernacle; by which fact was signified, that by virtue of Christ’s sacrifice, whereby his flesh was torn and rent, the God of heaven was manifested, and the way to heaven laid open to all true believers. And having a High-Priest over the house — Or family; of God — Who continually appears in the presence of God, and ever lives to make intercession for us; let us draw near — To God; with a true heart — In godly sincerity, and with fervent desire after such blessings of the gospel as we have not yet received; in full assurance of faith — That we shall find acceptance with God through the mediation of our High-Priest, and the answer of our petitions; having our hearts sprinkled — That is, cleansed, by the application of Christ’s blood; from an evil conscience — Namely, a conscience defiled with the guilt of past sin. See on Hebrews 9:14. When the Israelites were ceremonially polluted, they were to be cleansed by sprinkling them with the water of separation, described Numbers 19:2-10; but the sprinkling or cleansing here recommended is not of the body from ceremonial pollution, but of the soul from the guilt and distress of an accusing conscience. This cleansing is effected neither by water nor by the blood of beasts, but by faith in Christ’s blood, shed as a sin-offering, whereby the repenting sinner hath a full assurance of pardon. And our bodies washed with pure water — All our conversation unblameable and holy, through the influence of God’s sanctifying Spirit. This seems to be spoken with an allusion to the high-priest’s washing his body with water before he entered the inward tabernacle, Leviticus 16:4. In that manner also the Levites were purified, (Numbers 8:7,) to prepare them for the service of the sanctuary.

Ver. 19, 20. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus; confident that we shall not die, like Uzzah, who touched the ark. 2 Samuel 6:6, 7. Numbers 4:15. Because also we are sprinkled with the blood of Christ, by which we are brought nigh to God. Our great Highpriest has given us the glory of adoption, and has made us kings and priests unto God and his Father. We therefore are safe in following him in the new and living way which he has opened to the throne of grace, and to eternal glory; the way never trod before, the way through the valley of the shadow of death to life everlasting.

19. Having—In 19-22 we have a somewhat varied typical structure. Since the true atonement, Christians are a new Israel, and their divine privileges are sketched as parallel, yet superior, to those of the old Israel. The parallel in detail may be tabulated as follows:—

Us, the new Israel — the old Israel.

Our immediate access to God — Israel’s temple access.

The gracious Presence — The holiest.

By blood of Jesus — By animal sacrifices.

Through his flesh — Through the temple veil.

Our High Priest — The Jewish high priest.

In this our new temple, the house of God, we have a high priest, Jesus; under him an entrance even to the holiest, or gracious divine Presence; by sacrifice, namely, his shed blood; through the veil, his crucified flesh. Therefore—As a deduction from the entire previous argument. This full hortatory and personal deduction occupies the remainder of the epistle. Boldness—Both of heart and utterance. This boldness of heart is founded on our confidence in our mighty and royal High Priest. It pours itself forth in great freedom of utterance, namely, of prayer, of thanksgiving, and of profession and testimony to the world. To enter—Literally, of entrance; like Israel’s entrance before God into the sanctuary. But the new Israel enters with its high priest, even to the holiest. The holiest into which Christ entered is, indeed, the highest heaven, (Hebrews 8:1; 9:24;) but in the present parallelism the divine Presence to which the Christian, through the atonement, has access, is, though locally different, yet spiritually identical with that. Blood—The most real antitype to the blood of the animal victims offered when, on the great day of atonement, the Jewish high priest entered the holiest.

V. 20. By a living way-The way of faith, whereby we live indeed. Which he hath consecrated-Prepared, dedicated, and established for us. Through the veil, that is, his flesh-As by rending the veil in the temple, the holy of holies became visible and accessible; so by wounding the body of Christ, the God of heaven was manifested, and the way to heaven opened.

Verse 20. By a new and living way] It is a new way; no human being had ever before entered into the heaven of heavens; Jesus in human nature was the first, and thus he has opened the way to heaven to mankind, his own resurrection and ascension to glory being the proof and pledge of ours. The way is called odon prosfaton kai zwsan, new or fresh, and living. This is evidently an allusion to the blood of the victim newly shed, uncoagulated, and consequently proper to be used for sprinkling. The blood of the Jewish victims was fit for sacrificial purposes only so long as it was warm and fluid, and might be considered as yet possessing its vitality; but when it grew cold, it coagulated, lost its vitality, and was no longer proper to be used sacrificially. Christ is here, in the allusion, represented as newly slain, and yet living; the blood ever considered as flowing and giving life to the world. The way by the old covenant neither gave life, nor removed the liability to death. The way to peace and reconciliation, under the old covenant, was through the dead bodies of the animals slain; but Christ is living, and ever liveth, to make intercession for us; therefore he is a new and living way.

In the Chœphoræ of Æschylus, ver. 801, there is an expression like this of the apostle:—

agete, twn palai pepragmenwn

lusasqaiJma prosfatoiv dikaiv.

Agite, olim venditorum

Solvite sanguinem recenti vindicta.

This way, says Dr. Owen, is new, 1. Because it was but newly made and prepared. 2. Because it belongs unto the new covenant. 3. Because it admits of no decays, but is always new, as to its efficacy and use, as in the day of its first preparation. 4. The way of the tabernacle waxed old, and so was prepared for a removal; but the Gospel way of salvation shall never be altered, nor changed, nor decay; it is always new, and remains for ever. It is also called zwsan, living, 1. In opposition to the way into the holiest under the tabernacle, which was by death; nothing could be done in it without the blood of a victim. 2. It was the cause of death to any who might use it, except the high priest himself; and he could have access to it only one day in the year. 3. It is called living, because it has a spiritual vital efficacy in our access to God. 4. It is living as to its effects; it leads to life, and infallibly brings those who walk in it unto life eternal. Through the veil] As the high priest lifted up or drew aside the veil that separated the holy from the most holy place, in order that he might have access to the Divine Majesty; and as the veil of the temple was rent from the top to the bottom at the crucifixion of Christ, to show that the way to the holiest was then laid open; so we must approach the throne through the mediation of Christ, and through his sacrificial death. His pierced side is the way to the holiest. Here the veil-his humanity, is rent, and the kingdom of heaven opened to all believers.

Verses 19-22. Having therefore — The apostle, having finished the doctrinal part of his epistle, now proceeds to exhortation, deduced from what has been treated of from Hebrews 5:4. For though there are some occasional intermixtures of doctrines, consonant to those before insisted on, yet his professed design henceforward is to propose to, and press on, the believing Hebrews, such duties as the truths he had insisted on laid a foundation for, and showed to be necessary to be practised. Having therefore boldness — The word parrhsia, thus rendered, properly means liberty of speech; and by an easy figure, boldness, or confidence, as it is rendered chap. 3:6. Here it signifies that boldness which arises from a firm persuasion of our title to appear before God as pardoned persons, through the blood of Christ. To enter into the holiest — That is, the true sanctuary, the holy place not made with hands, the immediate gracious presence of God himself in Christ Jesus. Whatever was typically represented in the most holy place of old, we have access to, especially into the favour and friendship of God, and a state of fellowship with him. Of this privilege the blood of Christ, or his sacrifice, is the procuring cause. By this, all causes of distance between God and believers are removed. For on the one hand, it made atonement for our sins, and procured our free justification; and on the other gives peace to our consciences, and removes every discouraging fear of approaching him, whether in his ordinances here, or in his kingdom and glory hereafter. By a new and living way — He calls it a new way, because it was but newly made and prepared; belongs to the new covenant, and admits of no decays, but is always new, as to its efficacy and use, as in the day of its first preparation; whereas that of the tabernacle waxed old, and so was prepared for a removal. And he terms it a living way, because all that use it are alive to God, and in the way to life everlasting. And this is no other than the way of faith, or confidence in the mercy and promises of God, through the sacrifice of Christ, according to the revelation made thereof in the gospel; which he hath consecrated — Prepared, dedicated, and established; through the veil, that is, his flesh — He refers to the veil that was interposed between the holy and the most holy place of the Jewish tabernacle and temple: see Hebrews 9:3. This veil, on our Lord’s death, was rent from the top to the bottom, by which the most holy place became visible and accessible to all that were in the outward tabernacle; by which fact was signified, that by virtue of Christ’s sacrifice, whereby his flesh was torn and rent, the God of heaven was manifested, and the way to heaven laid open to all true believers. And having a High-Priest over the house — Or family; of God — Who continually appears in the presence of God, and ever lives to make intercession for us; let us draw near — To God; with a true heart — In godly sincerity, and with fervent desire after such blessings of the gospel as we have not yet received; in full assurance of faith — That we shall find acceptance with God through the mediation of our High-Priest, and the answer of our petitions; having our hearts sprinkled — That is, cleansed, by the application of Christ’s blood; from an evil conscience — Namely, a conscience defiled with the guilt of past sin. See on Hebrews 9:14. When the Israelites were ceremonially polluted, they were to be cleansed by sprinkling them with the water of separation, described Numbers 19:2-10; but the sprinkling or cleansing here recommended is not of the body from ceremonial pollution, but of the soul from the guilt and distress of an accusing conscience. This cleansing is effected neither by water nor by the blood of beasts, but by faith in Christ’s blood, shed as a sin-offering, whereby the repenting sinner hath a full assurance of pardon. And our bodies washed with pure water — All our conversation unblameable and holy, through the influence of God’s sanctifying Spirit. This seems to be spoken with an allusion to the high-priest’s washing his body with water before he entered the inward tabernacle, Leviticus 16:4. In that manner also the Levites were purified, (Numbers 8:7,) to prepare them for the service of the sanctuary.

Ver. 19, 20. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus; confident that we shall not die, like Uzzah, who touched the ark. 2 Samuel 6:6, 7. Numbers 4:15. Because also we are sprinkled with the blood of Christ, by which we are brought nigh to God. Our great Highpriest has given us the glory of adoption, and has made us kings and priests unto God and his Father. We therefore are safe in following him in the new and living way which he has opened to the throne of grace, and to eternal glory; the way never trod before, the way through the valley of the shadow of death to life everlasting.

20. New and living way—The route by which the Jewish high priest entered the holiest was through two veils; ours is through the living, yet dying, way, the flesh, the crucified body of Jesus. Christ affirms, (John 14:6,) “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” The crucifixion of that flesh was the lifting of that veil, as the shedding of his blood was the attendant sacrifice. This living way was also new. The Greek word for new, is applied to any thing fresh and novel. The new access was a fresh institution, arising after the old had faded and truly vanished.

Verse 21. A high priest over the house of God] The house or family of God is the Christian Church, or all true believers in the Lord Jesus. Over this Church, house, or family, Christ is the High Priest-in their behalf he offers his own blood, and their prayers and praises; and as the high priest had the ordering of all things that appertained to the house and worship of God, so has Christ in the government of his Church. This government he never gave into other hands. As none can govern and preserve the world but God, so none can govern and save the Church but the Lord Jesus: He is over the house; He is its President; he instructs, protects, guides, feeds, defends, and saves the flock. Those who have such a President may well have confidence; for with him is the fountain of life, and he has all power in the heavens and in the earth.

Verses 19-22. Having therefore — The apostle, having finished the doctrinal part of his epistle, now proceeds to exhortation, deduced from what has been treated of from Hebrews 5:4. For though there are some occasional intermixtures of doctrines, consonant to those before insisted on, yet his professed design henceforward is to propose to, and press on, the believing Hebrews, such duties as the truths he had insisted on laid a foundation for, and showed to be necessary to be practised. Having therefore boldness — The word parrhsia, thus rendered, properly means liberty of speech; and by an easy figure, boldness, or confidence, as it is rendered chap. 3:6. Here it signifies that boldness which arises from a firm persuasion of our title to appear before God as pardoned persons, through the blood of Christ. To enter into the holiest — That is, the true sanctuary, the holy place not made with hands, the immediate gracious presence of God himself in Christ Jesus. Whatever was typically represented in the most holy place of old, we have access to, especially into the favour and friendship of God, and a state of fellowship with him. Of this privilege the blood of Christ, or his sacrifice, is the procuring cause. By this, all causes of distance between God and believers are removed. For on the one hand, it made atonement for our sins, and procured our free justification; and on the other gives peace to our consciences, and removes every discouraging fear of approaching him, whether in his ordinances here, or in his kingdom and glory hereafter. By a new and living way — He calls it a new way, because it was but newly made and prepared; belongs to the new covenant, and admits of no decays, but is always new, as to its efficacy and use, as in the day of its first preparation; whereas that of the tabernacle waxed old, and so was prepared for a removal. And he terms it a living way, because all that use it are alive to God, and in the way to life everlasting. And this is no other than the way of faith, or confidence in the mercy and promises of God, through the sacrifice of Christ, according to the revelation made thereof in the gospel; which he hath consecrated — Prepared, dedicated, and established; through the veil, that is, his flesh — He refers to the veil that was interposed between the holy and the most holy place of the Jewish tabernacle and temple: see Hebrews 9:3. This veil, on our Lord’s death, was rent from the top to the bottom, by which the most holy place became visible and accessible to all that were in the outward tabernacle; by which fact was signified, that by virtue of Christ’s sacrifice, whereby his flesh was torn and rent, the God of heaven was manifested, and the way to heaven laid open to all true believers. And having a High-Priest over the house — Or family; of God — Who continually appears in the presence of God, and ever lives to make intercession for us; let us draw near — To God; with a true heart — In godly sincerity, and with fervent desire after such blessings of the gospel as we have not yet received; in full assurance of faith — That we shall find acceptance with God through the mediation of our High-Priest, and the answer of our petitions; having our hearts sprinkled — That is, cleansed, by the application of Christ’s blood; from an evil conscience — Namely, a conscience defiled with the guilt of past sin. See on Hebrews 9:14. When the Israelites were ceremonially polluted, they were to be cleansed by sprinkling them with the water of separation, described Numbers 19:2-10; but the sprinkling or cleansing here recommended is not of the body from ceremonial pollution, but of the soul from the guilt and distress of an accusing conscience. This cleansing is effected neither by water nor by the blood of beasts, but by faith in Christ’s blood, shed as a sin-offering, whereby the repenting sinner hath a full assurance of pardon. And our bodies washed with pure water — All our conversation unblameable and holy, through the influence of God’s sanctifying Spirit. This seems to be spoken with an allusion to the high-priest’s washing his body with water before he entered the inward tabernacle, Leviticus 16:4. In that manner also the Levites were purified, (Numbers 8:7,) to prepare them for the service of the sanctuary.

21. House of God—The new temple, embracing primarily the entire new structure of salvation through the atonement, of which the temple and its ritual were typical. Hence this new temple, in its full physical significance, embraces earth, the firmament, and the highest heaven; the entire scene and structure of the divine history.

V. 22. Let us draw near-To God.

With a true heart-In godly sincerity.

Having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience-So as to condemn us no longer.

And our bodies washed with pure water-All our conversation spotless and holy, which is far more acceptable to God than all the legal sprinklings and washings.

Verse 22. Let us draw near] Let us come with the blood of our sacrifice to the throne of God: the expression is sacrificial.

With a true heart] Deeply convinced of our need of help, and truly in earnest to obtain it.

In full assurance of faith] Being fully persuaded that God will accept us for the sake of his Son, and that the sacrificial death of Christ gives us full authority to expect every blessing we need.

Having our hearts sprinkled] Not our bodies, as was the case among the Hebrews, when they had contracted any pollution, for they were to be sprinkled with the water of separation, see Numbers 19:2-10; but our hearts, sprinkled by the cleansing efficacy of the blood of Christ, without which we cannot draw nigh to God.

From an evil conscience] Having that deep sense of guilt which our conscience felt taken all away, and the peace and love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given unto us.

Our bodies washed with pure water.] The high priest, before he entered into the inner tabernacle, or put on his holy garments, was to wash his flesh in water, Leviticus 16:4, and the Levites were to be cleansed the same way, Numbers 8:7. The apostle probably alludes to this in what he says here, though it appears that he refers principally to baptisms, the washing by which was an emblem of the purification of the soul by the grace and Spirit of Christ; but it is most likely that it is to the Jewish baptisms, and not the Christian, that the apostle alludes.

Verses 19-22. Having therefore — The apostle, having finished the doctrinal part of his epistle, now proceeds to exhortation, deduced from what has been treated of from Hebrews 5:4. For though there are some occasional intermixtures of doctrines, consonant to those before insisted on, yet his professed design henceforward is to propose to, and press on, the believing Hebrews, such duties as the truths he had insisted on laid a foundation for, and showed to be necessary to be practised. Having therefore boldness — The word parrhsia, thus rendered, properly means liberty of speech; and by an easy figure, boldness, or confidence, as it is rendered chap. 3:6. Here it signifies that boldness which arises from a firm persuasion of our title to appear before God as pardoned persons, through the blood of Christ. To enter into the holiest — That is, the true sanctuary, the holy place not made with hands, the immediate gracious presence of God himself in Christ Jesus. Whatever was typically represented in the most holy place of old, we have access to, especially into the favour and friendship of God, and a state of fellowship with him. Of this privilege the blood of Christ, or his sacrifice, is the procuring cause. By this, all causes of distance between God and believers are removed. For on the one hand, it made atonement for our sins, and procured our free justification; and on the other gives peace to our consciences, and removes every discouraging fear of approaching him, whether in his ordinances here, or in his kingdom and glory hereafter. By a new and living way — He calls it a new way, because it was but newly made and prepared; belongs to the new covenant, and admits of no decays, but is always new, as to its efficacy and use, as in the day of its first preparation; whereas that of the tabernacle waxed old, and so was prepared for a removal. And he terms it a living way, because all that use it are alive to God, and in the way to life everlasting. And this is no other than the way of faith, or confidence in the mercy and promises of God, through the sacrifice of Christ, according to the revelation made thereof in the gospel; which he hath consecrated — Prepared, dedicated, and established; through the veil, that is, his flesh — He refers to the veil that was interposed between the holy and the most holy place of the Jewish tabernacle and temple: see Hebrews 9:3. This veil, on our Lord’s death, was rent from the top to the bottom, by which the most holy place became visible and accessible to all that were in the outward tabernacle; by which fact was signified, that by virtue of Christ’s sacrifice, whereby his flesh was torn and rent, the God of heaven was manifested, and the way to heaven laid open to all true believers. And having a High-Priest over the house — Or family; of God — Who continually appears in the presence of God, and ever lives to make intercession for us; let us draw near — To God; with a true heart — In godly sincerity, and with fervent desire after such blessings of the gospel as we have not yet received; in full assurance of faith — That we shall find acceptance with God through the mediation of our High-Priest, and the answer of our petitions; having our hearts sprinkled — That is, cleansed, by the application of Christ’s blood; from an evil conscience — Namely, a conscience defiled with the guilt of past sin. See on Hebrews 9:14. When the Israelites were ceremonially polluted, they were to be cleansed by sprinkling them with the water of separation, described Numbers 19:2-10; but the sprinkling or cleansing here recommended is not of the body from ceremonial pollution, but of the soul from the guilt and distress of an accusing conscience. This cleansing is effected neither by water nor by the blood of beasts, but by faith in Christ’s blood, shed as a sin-offering, whereby the repenting sinner hath a full assurance of pardon. And our bodies washed with pure water — All our conversation unblameable and holy, through the influence of God’s sanctifying Spirit. This seems to be spoken with an allusion to the high-priest’s washing his body with water before he entered the inward tabernacle, Leviticus 16:4. In that manner also the Levites were purified, (Numbers 8:7,) to prepare them for the service of the sanctuary.

Ver. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart, to our illustrious Highpriest, sincere in faith, and fervent in piety, for he searcheth all hearts. Let us come in the full assurance of faith, as children come to their fathers’ door, and as knowing that he will in nowise cast us out. Let us come with hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and pray without any misgiving of mind, or any impurity in our hands, having our bodies washed with pure water. Though the waters of baptism and legal ablutions may cleanse the body with exterior purity; yet as Theophylact observes, Paul joins baptism with interior purity: “the heart sprinkled from an evil conscience.”

22. Having so magnificent an access as stated in 19-21, our author now, in the following three verses, exhorts us with a let us thrice presented: namely, let us draw near, let us hold fast, and let us consider one another. The first regards our free access to God; the second, our firmness in profession; the third, our use of the communion of saints in maintaining the previous two, namely, our gracious access and our firm profession. The first let us is, let us gladly draw near. God in his holy place may be freely and boldly approached; who will not hasten to draw near? And so in this verse we have a delightful picture of the adorer in this new temple sweetly approaching a loving God. Heart, conscience, and body are all pure. A true heart—True in its freedom from all insincerity or wavering; true in its fidelity and firmness. Full assurance—Not only firmness, but exultant and aggressive assurance. The temple imagery is beautifully preserved throughout. It was by blood sprinkled upon them that the priests entered before God; that sprinkled blood implying their purification by atonement. Exodus 29:21; Leviticus 8:30. And Aaron and his sons washed their hands and feet in the brazen laver. Exodus 30:20, and 40:30-32. On the great day of atonement the high priest washed his whole body with water. Leviticus 16:4. Evil conscience—As we say, “a guilty conscience;” that is, a personal consciousness of being guilty. Bodies washed—It is unexegetical, with Alford and others, to find here a distinct allusion to baptism. The thought is not of a material body, literally washed with water, any more than of a material heart, literally sprinkled with blood; or any more than the house of God (ver. 21) is a material house. The heart is here spiritually sprinkled, as the image of interior purity; the body, spiritually washed, is the image of external rectitude of life. This verse, both in the Greek and the English, is a fine specimen of rhythm. It is a very important fact that our author ascribes this privilege of immediate access to every Christian. Each for himself approaches to, and communes with, God. No human substitute stands in his place before God, or stands in God’s place before him. No one offers a sacrifice for him, and he, offers no literal sacrifice for himself. The one priest is Christ, and the one sacrifice is that of himself, once for all.

The apostles, the ministers of the New Testament, as not performing sacrifice and as not being substitutes, are not priests. Yet all the leading institutions of the Old Testament Church have a modified continuity in the New. The high priesthood has its eternal continuity in Christ. The predictive sacrifices are shadowed in the commemorative Lord’s supper. Circumcision is represented by baptism; the sabbath by “the Lord’s day.” And so the priesthood of the Old Testament has its representative in the ministry, namely, the apostle, the bishop, the elder, and the deacon, of the New. While no form of government is prescribed in the New Testament with Levitical precision, and large freedom is left to the Church to frame its own organization, there are nevertheless forms, sanctioned by “the New Testament and the example of the primitive Church,” which are truly preferable, the absence of which, though not an invalidation, is yet a defect in a church organization.

V. 23. The profession of our hope-The hope which we professed at our baptism.

Verse 23. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith] The word omologia, from omou, together, and logov, a word, implies that general consent that was among Christians on all the important articles of their faith and practice; particularly their acknowledgment of the truth of the Gospel, and of Jesus Christ, as the only victim for sin, and the only Saviour from it. If the word washed above refer to Christian baptism in the case of adults, then the profession is that which the baptized then made of their faith in the Gospel; and of their determination to live and die in that faith. The various readings on this clause are many in the MSS., &c. thv elpidov thn omologian, the confession of our HOPE; D*, two of the Itala, Vulgate, Erpen’s Arabic, and the Æthiopic. oJmologian thv pistewv, the confession of FAITH; one of the Barberini MSS. and two others. This is the reading which our translators have followed; but it is of very little authority. thn epaggelian thv elpidov, the promise of HOPE; St. Chrysostom. thn elpida thv omologiav, the HOPE of our PROFESSION; one of Petavius’s MSS. But among all these, the confession or profession of HOPE is undoubtedly the genuine reading. Now, among the primitive Christians, the hope which they professed was the resurrection of the body, and everlasting life; every thing among these Christians was done and believed in reference to a future state; and for the joy that this set before them, they, like their Master, endured every cross, and despised all shame: they expected to be with God, through Christ; this hope they professed to have; and they confessed boldly and publicly the faith on which this hope was built. The apostle exhorts them to hold fast this confession without wavering-never to doubt the declarations made to them by their Redeemer, but having the full assurance of faith that their hearts were sprinkled from an evil conscience, that they had found redemption in the blood of the lamb, they might expect to be glorified with their living Head in the kingdom of their Father.

He is faithful that promised] The eternal life, which is the object of your hope, is promised to you by him who cannot lie; as he then is faithful who has given you this promise, hold fast the profession of your hope.

Verses 23-25. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith — Or, rather, of our hope, as the most approved MSS., indeed all but one, read the clause. The apostle referred to that profession or confession of their hope of eternal life, which believers made at their baptism. For being God’s children, and heirs through faith in Christ, (John 1:12; Galatians 3:26,) they had an undoubted right to hope for the heavenly inheritance: without wavering — Without giving way to any doubt or fear in a case where we have such certain and indubitable evidence; or unmoved by the threats of our persecutors. For he is faithful that promised — That is, all the promises of God shall be made good to us, if we continue steadfast. And let us consider one another — Let us reflect seriously on one another’s temptations, trials, infirmities, failings, and other circumstances attending us, that we may judge what influence we can have over one another for our mutual advantage: and especially to provoke and excite one another unto love to God, his people, and all mankind; and to good works — Of all kinds, the proper fruits of love. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together — For public or social worship; as the manner of some is — Either through fear of persecution, or from a vain imagination that they are above external ordinances; but exhorting one another — To constancy in the faith, zeal and diligence in all works of piety and virtue; and so much the more as ye see the day approaching — That awful day, in which we must appear before the tribunal of God, preceded by the day of death, which is drawing continually nearer, and will fix our character and condition for ever. As also that day of vengeance coming on the Jewish nation, which Christ hath described as so terrible an emblem of the day of final judgment, and the conflagration of the world. From what Christ had said concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, and the dreadful calamities awaiting the Jews, as events that should happen during the lives of some who had been present with him about thirty years before the date of this epistle, these Hebrews might infer that these judgments were now near, and doubtless might see them approaching, by the appearing of those signs which our Lord had said should precede them.

Ver. 23. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering. The promulgation of the gospel was attended with many difficulties; it found the heathen attached to the grossest superstition, and the jews prepossessed in favour of Mosaic rites and ceremonies. Some of the latter however appeared to embrace the gospel, but their prejudices so strongly inclined them to judaism, that Paul had many fears about their stedfastness in the faith. Though introduced to a more glorious dispensation, which gave a reality to their typical institutions, yet many of them, like their forefathers in the wilderness, were for going back again into Egypt. He therefore implores them to hold fast their profession without wavering. Including ourselves in the exhortation, it is clearly implied that what we profess must be the faith of the gospel, not any human creed, we may happen to have embraced, from education or from habit, but the truth as it is in Jesus, the doctrine of salvation by the cross, exclusive of every other ground of hope. This we are to hold fast as the only hope set before us in the gospel, the only name given under heaven whereby we can be saved; and so to hold it fast as never to let go our hold, though called to part with every thing besides.

Having embraced the truth, it is also incumbent to make a profession of our faith. These went together in the apostle’s time, nor do we read of any who understood and loved the gospel who did not openly avow it, though exposed to persecution and reproach. The promises of Christ may well encourage us to do it, and to join ourselves to his disciples, saying I also am the Lord’s. To induce Israel to follow him out of Egypt and into the wilderness, he promised them the land of Canaan. To those who follow him in the regeneration he has promised thrones, and a kingdom that fadeth not away. Him that honoureth me, I will honour; but he that despiseth me shall be lightly esteemed. Him that confesseth me will I confess before my Father and the holy angels.

23. Let us hold fast—As we have a new and immeasurably superior access to the holiest, let us firmly maintain the confession, (rather, than, as in our translation, profession.) There must be no relapse to the old. For— Encouraging assurance, if we are firm on our part there will be no failure on God’s part. It is God who has promised, and he will be faithful.

Verse 24. And let us consider one another] katanowmen. Let us diligently and attentively consider each other’s trials, difficulties, and weaknesses; feel for each other, and excite each other to an increase of love to God and man; and, as the proof of it, to be fruitful in good works. The words eiv paroxusmon, to the provocation, are often taken in a good sense, and signify excitement, stirring up, to do any thing laudable, useful, honourable, or necessary. Xenophon, Cyrop., lib. vi., page 108, speaking of the conduct of Cyrus towards his officers, says: kai toutouv epainwn te, parwxune, kai carizomenov autoiv o ti dunaito. “He by praises and gifts excited them as much as possible.” See the note on “Ac 15:39”, where the subject is farther considered.

Verses 23-25. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith — Or, rather, of our hope, as the most approved MSS., indeed all but one, read the clause. The apostle referred to that profession or confession of their hope of eternal life, which believers made at their baptism. For being God’s children, and heirs through faith in Christ, (John 1:12; Galatians 3:26,) they had an undoubted right to hope for the heavenly inheritance: without wavering — Without giving way to any doubt or fear in a case where we have such certain and indubitable evidence; or unmoved by the threats of our persecutors. For he is faithful that promised — That is, all the promises of God shall be made good to us, if we continue steadfast. And let us consider one another — Let us reflect seriously on one another’s temptations, trials, infirmities, failings, and other circumstances attending us, that we may judge what influence we can have over one another for our mutual advantage: and especially to provoke and excite one another unto love to God, his people, and all mankind; and to good works — Of all kinds, the proper fruits of love. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together — For public or social worship; as the manner of some is — Either through fear of persecution, or from a vain imagination that they are above external ordinances; but exhorting one another — To constancy in the faith, zeal and diligence in all works of piety and virtue; and so much the more as ye see the day approaching — That awful day, in which we must appear before the tribunal of God, preceded by the day of death, which is drawing continually nearer, and will fix our character and condition for ever. As also that day of vengeance coming on the Jewish nation, which Christ hath described as so terrible an emblem of the day of final judgment, and the conflagration of the world. From what Christ had said concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, and the dreadful calamities awaiting the Jews, as events that should happen during the lives of some who had been present with him about thirty years before the date of this epistle, these Hebrews might infer that these judgments were now near, and doubtless might see them approaching, by the appearing of those signs which our Lord had said should precede them.

Ver. 24, 25. Let us consider one another, or study to excite each other, to love, and to good works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, through the incessant persecutions of the jews. In time of trouble men have the more need of means to support their faith; and especially in Jerusalem, where they saw the nation filling up their measure, and where they saw the dark cloud enveloping Zion in one eternal night. Let us stand fast, let no man fall away, lest we should drink the bitter cup of perdition.

24. The third let us; it embraces our availing ourselves of Christian fellowship in maintaining our Christian fidelity. Consider one another— Realize each other’s value for mutual incitement unto love as a Christian affection, and good works as a Christian conduct. So far our author touches upon the mutual Christian aids between individuals. Every man may in personal intercourse encourage, inspire, and strengthen his fellow. Next verse specifies the collective aids.

V. 25. Not forsaking the assembling ourselves-In public or private worship.

As the manner of some is-Either through fear of persecution, or from a vain imagination that they were above external ordinances. But exhorting one another-To faith, love, and good works. And so much the more, as ye see the day approaching-The great day is ever in your eye.

Verse 25. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves] episunagwghn eautwn. Whether this means public or private worship is hard to say; but as the word is but once more used in the New Testament, (2 Thessalonians 2:1,) and there means the gathering together of the redeemed of the Lord at the day of judgment, it is as likely that it means here private religious meetings, for the purpose of mutual exhortation: and this sense appears the more natural here, because it is evident that the Church was now in a state of persecution, and therefore their meetings were most probably held in private. For fear of persecution, it seems as if some had deserted these meetings, kaqwv eqov tisin, as the custom of certain persons is. They had given up these strengthening and instructive means, and the others were in danger of following their example. The day approaching.] qhn hmeran. That day-the time in which God would come and pour out his judgments on the Jewish nation. We may also apply it to the day of death and the day of judgment. Both of these are approaching to every human being. He who wishes to be found ready will carefully use every means of grace, and particularly the communion of saints, if there be even but two or three in the place where he lives, who statedly meet together in the name of Christ. Those who relinquish Christian communion are in a backsliding state; those who backslide are in danger of apostasy. To prevent this latter, the apostle speaks the awful words following. See at the end of this chapter. {See “Hebrews 10:39”}

Verses 23-25. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith — Or, rather, of our hope, as the most approved MSS., indeed all but one, read the clause. The apostle referred to that profession or confession of their hope of eternal life, which believers made at their baptism. For being God’s children, and heirs through faith in Christ, (John 1:12; Galatians 3:26,) they had an undoubted right to hope for the heavenly inheritance: without wavering — Without giving way to any doubt or fear in a case where we have such certain and indubitable evidence; or unmoved by the threats of our persecutors. For he is faithful that promised — That is, all the promises of God shall be made good to us, if we continue steadfast. And let us consider one another — Let us reflect seriously on one another’s temptations, trials, infirmities, failings, and other circumstances attending us, that we may judge what influence we can have over one another for our mutual advantage: and especially to provoke and excite one another unto love to God, his people, and all mankind; and to good works — Of all kinds, the proper fruits of love. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together — For public or social worship; as the manner of some is — Either through fear of persecution, or from a vain imagination that they are above external ordinances; but exhorting one another — To constancy in the faith, zeal and diligence in all works of piety and virtue; and so much the more as ye see the day approaching — That awful day, in which we must appear before the tribunal of God, preceded by the day of death, which is drawing continually nearer, and will fix our character and condition for ever. As also that day of vengeance coming on the Jewish nation, which Christ hath described as so terrible an emblem of the day of final judgment, and the conflagration of the world. From what Christ had said concerning the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, and the dreadful calamities awaiting the Jews, as events that should happen during the lives of some who had been present with him about thirty years before the date of this epistle, these Hebrews might infer that these judgments were now near, and doubtless might see them approaching, by the appearing of those signs which our Lord had said should precede them.

Ver. 24, 25. Let us consider one another, or study to excite each other, to love, and to good works; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, through the incessant persecutions of the jews. In time of trouble men have the more need of means to support their faith; and especially in Jerusalem, where they saw the nation filling up their measure, and where they saw the dark cloud enveloping Zion in one eternal night. Let us stand fast, let no man fall away, lest we should drink the bitter cup of perdition.

25. Assembling of yourselves together—This plainly refers to voluntary meetings of Christians for mutual Christian inspiration and encouragement. Assuming, as we here do, that Jerusalem is the city to whose Christian people this epistle was addressed, not long before the destruction by Titus, we catch a brief glimpse of the interior of city and Church. The Greek word here, episunagwgh, episynagogue, can hardly be other than a Christian synagogue, Note, James 2:2. The assemblies remind us of the early meetings of the pentecostal Church (Acts 2:42-47) “from house to house,” for mutual aid in Christian life. The warm, central heart of the Church, now as then, maintains its collective vitality by frequent assembling together. But outside that central living heart is a number of loose hangers-on, whose manner is that of forsaking, through lukewarmness, negligence, or fear of persecution, or dread of popular contempt. They were once converted; were once themselves a part of the central live heart; but they have gradually receded to the outskirts of the Church, and are probable candidates for apostasy. Exhorting—The efficient means in their assemblies for maintaining the Christian life. This expressive word blends the ideas of calling forth, admonishing, arousing, and consoling; and for each of these various strains there would be those in that day of trial whose case made demand. The day—These words are addressed to that Jerusalem whose destruction Jesus so fully predicted in Matthew 24, 25, on which chapters see our notes. The word day is not here to be limited to a literal period of twenty-four hours. Ye see… approaching—Lunemann, who belongs to the class of interpreters who maintain that the apostles held the second advent to be about to occur in their own day, says, that both writer and reader “beheld the advent as approaching in the Jewish war, indicated by disturbances and commotions which had already commenced.” How the indications of the Jewish war should imply the second advent to be approaching, he does not explain. They did indicate, as Christ predicted, the downfall of Jerusalem; but the incorrectness of assuming that our Lord confounded the destruction of Jerusalem with his own second advent we trust we have shown in our notes on his great prediction. Eusebius informs us, that the Christians, rightly interpreting our Lord’s words not as predicting the end of the world but the destruction of the city, fled to Pella, and so escaped. They did flee, not to escape Christ’s second coming, but to escape the Roman armies. See note on Matthew 24:16. Of the various signs by which these Jerusalem Christians could see the day approaching, see an enumeration in our notes upon Mark 13:7-9. But while this passage is properly applied, not to the second advent, but to the destruction of the city to which it is addressed, it is none the less absurd to apply passages addressed to localities far distant from Jerusalem to the same event. We hold it entirely inadmissible to apply 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 to the destruction of Jerusalem. Thessalonica was in Europe, Jerusalem in Asia. That neither Christ nor his apostles taught that the second advent would be in their own day, see supplementary note at close of Matthew 25.

V. 26. For when we-Any of us Christians.

Sin wilfully-By total apostasy from God, termed "drawing back," Hebrews 10:38.

After having received the experimental knowledge of the gospel truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins-None but that which we obstinately reject.

Verse 26. For if we sin wilfully] If we deliberately, for fear of persecution or from any other motive, renounce the profession of the Gospel and the Author of that Gospel, after having received the knowledge of the truth so as to be convinced that Jesus is the promised Messiah, and that he had sprinkled our hearts from an evil conscience; for such there remaineth no sacrifice for sins; for as the Jewish sacrifices are abolished, as appears by the declaration of God himself in the fortieth Psalm, and Jesus being now the only sacrifice which God will accept, those who reject him have none other; therefore their case must be utterly without remedy. This is the meaning of the apostle, and the case is that of a deliberate apostate-one who has utterly rejected Jesus Christ and his atonement, and renounced the whole Gospel system. It has nothing to do with backsliders in our common use of that term. A man may be overtaken in a fault, or he may deliberately go into sin, and yet neither renounce the Gospel, nor deny the Lord that bought him. His case is dreary and dangerous, but it is not hopeless; no case is hopeless but that of the deliberate apostate, who rejects the whole Gospel system, after having been saved by grace, or convinced of the truth of the Gospel. To him there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin; for there was but the ONE, Jesus, and this he has utterly rejected.

Verses 26, 27. For, &c. — As if he had said, It concerns us to use all means to ensure our perseverance, because apostacy is so dangerous; if we — Any of us Christians; sin wilfully — By total apostacy from God; (see on Hebrews 6:4;) after we have received the knowledge of the truth — As it is in Jesus, namely, an experimental and practical knowledge thereof, so as to have been made free thereby from the guilt and power of sin; there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins — None but that which we obstinately reject. “As the apostle, in the former part of the epistle, had proved that the sacrifices of the law were all abolished, and that the only sacrifice for sin remaining was the sacrifice of Christ, it followed that apostates, who wilfully renounced the benefit of that sacrifice, had no sacrifice for sin whatever remaining to them.” But a certain fearful looking for — Fobera de tiv ekdoch, a kind of fearful expectation: intimating something inexpressible, such as no heart could conceive or tongue describe. Thus St. Peter, 1 Epist. 4:17, 18, What shall be the end of them who obey not the gospel? Where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Of judgment and fiery indignation. The apostle refers both to the final judgment of the great day, when apostates from the religion of Jesus, as well as those who obstinately rejected it, shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, &c., 2 Thessalonians 1:9; and also to the dreadful and fiery indignation which God was about to bring on the unbelieving and obstinate Jews, in the total destruction of their city and temple by sword and fire, devouring them, as adversaries to God and his Christ, of all others the most inexcusable. The reader should observe that the apostle lays it down here as certain, that God will not pardon sinners without some sacrifice or satisfaction. For otherwise it would not follow, from there remaining to apostates no more sacrifice for sin, that there must remain to them a dreadful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation. In these last words, the conflagration of the heaven and the earth at the day of judgment seems especially to be referred to.

Ver. 26. If we sin wilfully — there remaineth no more, or as in Whitby, no other sacrifice for sin. If we sin wilfully by a total abjuration of Christ, and such as the jews required, after having received the five seals of regeneration enumerated in the sixth chapter. Moses in the law distinguishes sins of oversight and inadvertency, from presumptuous sins. Leviticus 15:27-30. hmr dyb hv[y rva, who acts with a high hand, and walks contrary to God. And who can carry himself with a higher hand than he who denies the faith? Who can be more ungrateful to Christ; or who can fall lower than those apostates?

The Novatians in Rome would not hold communion with the rich, who in time of persecution had fallen away, till they had undergone a course of penance, which induced some to scruple whether this epistle was really Paul’s, for this passage, as well as that in chap. 6., was quoted against them. But the fall to judaism, connected with the execration of Christ, was much worse than the fall of the richer christians at Rome.

26. If we sin—The word sin here is to be taken as in a continuous or general present tense. The meaning is, If from saints we become sinners; that is, by total apostasy. See note on 1 John 3:10. Wilfully—Against clear light and knowledge, usually preceded by forsaking the assembly. How flagrant and conscious the return to sin is here supposed, is indicated by the fearful language of verse 29. Knowledge—Says Lunemann, “This epignwsiv of the absolute truth embraces, in addition to an acquaintance with it through the understanding, also its internal power through experience and life.” It was not necessarily a one atrocious sin for which the Hebrews are so terribly condemned, for they may have apostatized by slow degrees and continuous small sins; but the special facts are, the clearness of their knowledge and the reality of their Christian experience. Our author here utters no denial that there may be Hebrews in excusable ignorance of Christ, who are perfected and saved in their own dispensation by the very Redeemer they know not. It is the man who renounces and denounces the very Christ whose redeeming love he had experienced, whose damnation is thus irrevocable and final. Remaineth no more sacrifice—Rejecting this one Christ, there is no other Christ for him. There is but one atonement, and no salvation but by that one. If the apostate revert to the Levitical sacrifices, the blood of bulls and of goats avails nothing. All this is not quite saying that the apostate cannot return from his apostasy, and still avail himself of the one sacrifice: but for the persistent apostate there remains no more sacrifice for sins.

Verse 27. A certain fearful looking for of judgment] From this it is evident that God will pardon no man without a sacrifice for sin; for otherwise, as Dr. Macknight argues, it would not follow, from there remaining to apostates no more sacrifice for sin, that there must remain to them a dreadful expectation of judgment.

And fiery indignation] kai purov zhlov. A zeal, or fervour of fire; something similar to the fire that came down from heaven and destroyed Korah and his company; Numbers 16:35.

Probably the apostle here refers to the case of the unbelieving Jews in general, as in chap. vi. to the dreadful judgment that was coming upon them, and the burning up their temple and city with fire. These people had, by the preaching of Christ and his apostles, received the knowledge of the truth. It was impossible that they could have witnessed his miracles and heard his doctrine without being convinced that he was the Messiah, and that their own system was at an end; but they rejected this only sacrifice at a time when God abolished their own: to that nation, therefore, there remained no other sacrifice for sin; therefore the dreadful judgment came, the fiery indignation was poured out, and they, as adversaries, were devoured by it.

Verses 26, 27. For, &c. — As if he had said, It concerns us to use all means to ensure our perseverance, because apostacy is so dangerous; if we — Any of us Christians; sin wilfully — By total apostacy from God; (see on Hebrews 6:4;) after we have received the knowledge of the truth — As it is in Jesus, namely, an experimental and practical knowledge thereof, so as to have been made free thereby from the guilt and power of sin; there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins — None but that which we obstinately reject. “As the apostle, in the former part of the epistle, had proved that the sacrifices of the law were all abolished, and that the only sacrifice for sin remaining was the sacrifice of Christ, it followed that apostates, who wilfully renounced the benefit of that sacrifice, had no sacrifice for sin whatever remaining to them.” But a certain fearful looking for — Fobera de tiv ekdoch, a kind of fearful expectation: intimating something inexpressible, such as no heart could conceive or tongue describe. Thus St. Peter, 1 Epist. 4:17, 18, What shall be the end of them who obey not the gospel? Where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Of judgment and fiery indignation. The apostle refers both to the final judgment of the great day, when apostates from the religion of Jesus, as well as those who obstinately rejected it, shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, &c., 2 Thessalonians 1:9; and also to the dreadful and fiery indignation which God was about to bring on the unbelieving and obstinate Jews, in the total destruction of their city and temple by sword and fire, devouring them, as adversaries to God and his Christ, of all others the most inexcusable. The reader should observe that the apostle lays it down here as certain, that God will not pardon sinners without some sacrifice or satisfaction. For otherwise it would not follow, from there remaining to apostates no more sacrifice for sin, that there must remain to them a dreadful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation. In these last words, the conflagration of the heaven and the earth at the day of judgment seems especially to be referred to.

Ver. 27. Fiery indignation, the devouring fire mentioned in several other places. Isaiah 30:33. 66:6. Mark 9:44, 48. Revelation 14:11. Matthew 25:46.

27. But there remains, persistently and forever, a certain fearful looking for. The word certain implies a peculiar but indescribable awfulness in the looking for. Fearful—Not only terrible to us contemplating it, but including fear in the apostate’s heart. So fully has divine truth once pervaded his conscience that he can never be truly at ease. He may become the greatest, but he will seldom be the tranquillest, infidel in town. Looking for—A term suggested, perhaps, by the expectation of Jerusalem’s doom as predicted by Jesus; an expectation very typical of the presentiment of doom in the conscience of the apostate. Fiery indignation—Literally, a fervor of fire which will devour; where commentators think that fire is personified as having an earnestness and as devouring. It is the living fire of divine retribution that will devour or consume the adversaries, as Jerusalem was consumed.

V. 28. He that, in capital cases, despised (presumptuously transgressed) the law of Moses died without mercy-Without any delay or mitigation of his punishment.

Verse 28. He that despised Moses’ law] aqethsav. He that rejected it, threw it aside, and denied its Divine authority by presumptuous sinning, died without mercy-without any extenuation or mitigation of punishment; Numbers 15:30.

Under two or three witnesses] That is, when convicted by the testimony of two or three respectable witnesses. See Deuteronomy 17:6.

Verses 28, 29. He that — In capital cases, such as by the sins of sabbath- breaking, disobedience to parents, blasphemy, adultery, murder; despised — Presumptuously transgressed; Moses’s law, died — Was put to death; without mercy — Without any delay or mitigation of his punishment, if convicted by two or three witnesses — See the margin. Of how much sorer punishment — Than that of the death of the body; shall he be thought worthy, who — By wilful, total apostacy; (to which only it appears that this passage refers;) hath, as it were, trodden underfoot the Son of God — A lawgiver far more honourable than Moses, and the true Messiah, the only Saviour of the world; him whom God hath exalted above principalities and powers, and whom therefore all mankind ought to exalt and adore in their souls; but who now, by this sort of persons, was esteemed an evil-doer, a seducer; one not in any sense sent of God, but a malefactor, justly condemned and executed for his crimes: herein they trod under foot the Son of God with all contempt and scorn. And hath counted the blood of the covenant — That is, the blood of Christ, whereby the new covenant was confirmed; wherewith he was sanctified — Dedicated to God, and taken into covenant with him, and even inwardly renewed in the spirit of his mind; an unholy — Koinon, a common thing, of no value or virtue; a worthless thing; not even of so much use to the glory of God as the blood of beasts in legal sacrifices. Observe, reader, those by whom the efficacy of Christ’s blood, for the expiation of sin, is denied, may be truly said to make it a common thing; and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace — Enubrisav, having treated with contumely or reproach that Holy Spirit which the grace of God confers upon his people, and which is the author of saving grace to them. Macknight renders it, Hath insulted the Spirit of grace; observing, “the apostle means the Holy Spirit, whose gifts were bestowed in the first age on believers, for the confirmation of the gospel. Wherefore if one apostatized in the first age, after having been a witness to the miraculous gifts, much more, after having possessed them himself, he must, like the scribes and Pharisees, have ascribed them to evil spirits; than which a greater indignity could not be done to the Spirit of God.”

28. An argument from less, Moses, to greater, the Son. Despised— Nullified, reduced it to nothing. The illustration is taken from Deuteronomy 17:2-7, where it is enacted that if an Israelite “hath gone and served other gods,” as “sun or moon,” Israel should “stone them with stones,” as apostates from Jehovah, “at the mouth of two or three witnesses.” Such an apostate has not only sinned, but has wholly rejected Moses’s law. Without mercy—There was no expiating sacrifice, no executive pardon.

V. 29. Of how much sorer punishment is he worthy, who-By wilful, total apostasy. It does not appear that this passage refers to any other sin. Hath, as it were, trodden underfoot the Son of God-A lawgiver far more honourable than Moses.

And counted the blood wherewith the better covenant was established, an unholy, a common, worthless thing.

By which he hath been sanctified-Therefore Christ died for him also, and he was at least justified once.

And done despite to the Spirit of grace-By rejecting all his motions.

Verse 29. Of how much sorer punishment] Such offences were trifling in comparison of this, and in justice the punishment should be proportioned to the offence.

Trodden under foot the Son of God] Treated him with the utmost contempt and blasphemy.

The blood of the covenant-an unholy thing] The blood of the covenant means here the sacrificial death of Christ, by which the new covenant between God and man was ratified, sealed, and confirmed. And counting this unholy, or common, koinon, intimates that they expected nothing from it in a sacrificial or atoning way. How near to those persons, and how near to their destruction, do they come in the present day who reject the atoning blood, and say, “that they expect no more benefit from the blood of Christ than they do from that of a cow or a sheep!” Is not this precisely the crime of which the apostle speaks here, and to which he tells us God would show no mercy?

Despite unto the Spirit of grace?] Hath insulted the Spirit of grace. The apostle means the Holy Spirit, whose gifts were bestowed in the first age on believers for the confirmation of the Gospel. See Hebrews 6:4-6. Wherefore, if one apostatized in the first age, after having been witness to these miraculous gifts, much more after having possessed them himself, he must, like the scribes and Pharisees, have ascribed them to evil spirits; than which a greater indignity could not be done to the Spirit of God. Macknight. This is properly the sin against the Holy Ghost, which has no forgiveness.

Verses 28, 29. He that — In capital cases, such as by the sins of sabbath- breaking, disobedience to parents, blasphemy, adultery, murder; despised — Presumptuously transgressed; Moses’s law, died — Was put to death; without mercy — Without any delay or mitigation of his punishment, if convicted by two or three witnesses — See the margin. Of how much sorer punishment — Than that of the death of the body; shall he be thought worthy, who — By wilful, total apostacy; (to which only it appears that this passage refers;) hath, as it were, trodden underfoot the Son of God — A lawgiver far more honourable than Moses, and the true Messiah, the only Saviour of the world; him whom God hath exalted above principalities and powers, and whom therefore all mankind ought to exalt and adore in their souls; but who now, by this sort of persons, was esteemed an evil-doer, a seducer; one not in any sense sent of God, but a malefactor, justly condemned and executed for his crimes: herein they trod under foot the Son of God with all contempt and scorn. And hath counted the blood of the covenant — That is, the blood of Christ, whereby the new covenant was confirmed; wherewith he was sanctified — Dedicated to God, and taken into covenant with him, and even inwardly renewed in the spirit of his mind; an unholy — Koinon, a common thing, of no value or virtue; a worthless thing; not even of so much use to the glory of God as the blood of beasts in legal sacrifices. Observe, reader, those by whom the efficacy of Christ’s blood, for the expiation of sin, is denied, may be truly said to make it a common thing; and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace — Enubrisav, having treated with contumely or reproach that Holy Spirit which the grace of God confers upon his people, and which is the author of saving grace to them. Macknight renders it, Hath insulted the Spirit of grace; observing, “the apostle means the Holy Spirit, whose gifts were bestowed in the first age on believers, for the confirmation of the gospel. Wherefore if one apostatized in the first age, after having been a witness to the miraculous gifts, much more, after having possessed them himself, he must, like the scribes and Pharisees, have ascribed them to evil spirits; than which a greater indignity could not be done to the Spirit of God.”

29. How much sorer punishment—As much sorer as the revealing Son was superior to the revealing Moses. The same argumentative aggravation as in Hebrews 2:3, derived from the greatness of the Son, then just unfolded. Trodden under foot—By nothing less than most guilty apostasy. The intensity of the language implies the flagrancy of the sin. Blood of the covenant—That blood which inaugurates and consecrates the new covenant, as the blood of calves and goats did the old “testament,” (Hebrews 9:20.) He was sanctified—The expedients adopted to avoid the fact that the apostate was once truly sanctified are worthy of compassion. Lightfoot makes he refer to Christ, who was sanctified by his own blood! “It is worthy of remark,” says Alford, “how Calvin evades the deep truth contained in the words he was sanctified: ‘Very unworthy is it to profane the blood of Christ, which is the source of our sanctification: this do they who depart from the faith:’ thus making he was sanctified into we may be sanctified.” An unholy thing—Literally, a common thing; as if the blood of the Redeemer was no more than ordinary matter. So 1 Corinthians 11:29, “Not discerning the Lord’s body.” Justin Martyr says, in Greek of the Communion, “We receive these elements, not as common bread or common drink.” So Acts 10:14, 15: “Call not thou common,” where see note. Done despite—Insulted. Bloomfield says, that in every known instance this verb has a person for its object; and hence he infers the personality of the Spirit from this passage. Spirit of grace—As either coming to us from God’s grace, or as dispensing his grace upon us.

V. 30. The Lord will judge his people-Yea, far more rigorously than the heathens, if they rebel against him. Deuteronomy 32:35, &c.

Verse 30. Vengeance belongeth unto me] This is the saying of God, Deuteronomy 32:35, in reference to the idolatrous Gentiles, who were the enemies of his people; and is here with propriety applied to the above apostates, who, being enemies to God’s ordinances, and Christ’s ministry and merits, must also be enemies to Christ’s people; and labour for the destruction of them, and the cause in which they are engaged. The Lord shall judge his people.] That is, he shall execute judgment for them; for this is evidently the sense in which the word is used in the place from which the apostle quotes, Deuteronomy 32:36: For the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone. So God will avenge and vindicate the cause of Christianity by destroying its enemies, as he did in the case of the Jewish people, whom he destroyed from being a nation, and made them a proverb of reproach and monuments of his wrathful indignation to the present day.

Verses 30, 31. For we know him — As if he had said, We may well think that such shall be punished very severely, because God has declared as much, saying, Vengeance belongeth unto me, Deuteronomy 32:35; Psalms 94:1Psalm 94:1, 2. Though this was originally said of the idolatrous nations who oppressed the Israelites, it was very properly applied by the apostle to apostates, being a general maxim of God’s government, according to which he will act in all cases where vengeance or punishment is due. I will recompense — Recompense is the actual exercise of vengeance, and vengeance is the actual execution of judgment on sinners, according to their desert, without mitigation by mercy. He however oftentimes exercises great patience and forbearance even then, when vengeance might justly be expected. And this commonly adds to the security of wicked men, who take occasion from it to despise all the threatenings of the divine judgments which they have deserved; concluding from it, that either vengeance doth not belong to God, or that it shall be executed when and where they are not concerned. And the Lord will judge his people — If they rebel against him; and that far more rigorously than he will judge the heathen. It is a fearful thing — A thing above all others the most to be dreaded; to fall into the hands — To be exposed to the avenging justice; of the living God — Who, living for ever, can for ever punish, in what degree he pleases, the wretched creatures who have made themselves the objects of his final displeasure.

30. How terrible this punishment we can realize when we realize who is its denouncer and author—God. We who have read truly know the speaker. Vengeance… me—An allusion to, but not exact quotation from, Deuteronomy 32:35: “To me belongeth vengeance and recompense.” But the words agree exactly with Romans 12:19, an indication that either our author very minutely quotes Paul or is himself Paul: for the notion that the passage is a proverbial phrase then in use is arbitrary. Again—Deuteronomy 32:36. Judge—Either to avenge or punish his people or Church.

V. 31. To fall into the hands-Of his avenging justice.

Verse 31. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.] To fall into the hands of God is to fall under his displeasure; and he who lives for ever can punish for ever. How dreadful to have the displeasure of an eternal, almighty Being to rest on the soul for ever! Apostates, and all the persecutors and enemies of God’s cause and people, may expect the heaviest judgments of an incensed Deity: and these, not for a time, but through eternity.

Verses 30, 31. For we know him — As if he had said, We may well think that such shall be punished very severely, because God has declared as much, saying, Vengeance belongeth unto me, Deuteronomy 32:35; Psalms 94:1Psalm 94:1, 2. Though this was originally said of the idolatrous nations who oppressed the Israelites, it was very properly applied by the apostle to apostates, being a general maxim of God’s government, according to which he will act in all cases where vengeance or punishment is due. I will recompense — Recompense is the actual exercise of vengeance, and vengeance is the actual execution of judgment on sinners, according to their desert, without mitigation by mercy. He however oftentimes exercises great patience and forbearance even then, when vengeance might justly be expected. And this commonly adds to the security of wicked men, who take occasion from it to despise all the threatenings of the divine judgments which they have deserved; concluding from it, that either vengeance doth not belong to God, or that it shall be executed when and where they are not concerned. And the Lord will judge his people — If they rebel against him; and that far more rigorously than he will judge the heathen. It is a fearful thing — A thing above all others the most to be dreaded; to fall into the hands — To be exposed to the avenging justice; of the living God — Who, living for ever, can for ever punish, in what degree he pleases, the wretched creatures who have made themselves the objects of his final displeasure.

31. Fall into the hands—David, in 2 Samuel 24:14, preferred to fall rather into the hands of God than of man. The divine hands are a place of safety for the righteous; of terrible woe for the apostate and the transgressor.

V. 32. Enlightened-With the knowledge of God and of his truth.

Verse 32. But call to remembrance] It appears from this, and indeed from some parts of the Gospel history, that the first believers in Judea were greatly persecuted; our Lord’s crucifixion, Stephen’s martyrdom, the persecution that arose after the death of Stephen, Acts 8:1, Herod’s persecution, Acts 12:1, in which James was killed, and the various persecutions of St. Paul, sufficiently show that this disposition was predominant among that bad people.

A great fight of afflictions] pollhn aqlhsin paqhmatwn. A great combat or contention of sufferings. Here we have an allusion to the combats at the Grecian games, or to exhibitions of gladiators at the public spectacles; and an intimation how honourable it was to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints, and to overcome through the blood of the Lamb, and their own testimony.

Verses 32-34. But — As if he had said, I trust you will be preserved from so terrible a ruin; and in order that you may, I exhort you to call to remembrance the former days — To look back upon past events, which, if duly considered, may be very instructive, and may prove the means of establishing you in your resolution of adhering to the gospel. In particular, reflect on what you have suffered, and how you have been supported and delivered, that you may not despond upon the approach of similar evils, but may still trust in God and persevere in his service; in which, after you were enlightened — With the knowledge of God and of his truth; ye endured — Courageously sustained, through God’s help; a great fight of afflictions — A grievous persecution from your unbelieving brethren, and great and various troubles and distresses, on account of your faith in, and profession of, the gospel; and therefore you should not fall off now at last, lest you lose the fruit of all these sufferings. There were various persecutions of the Christians in Judea, particularly the great persecution after the death of Stephen, Acts 8:1, and Herod’s persecution, Acts 12:1. But perhaps the apostle here refers to the persecution in Judea, mentioned 1 Thessalonians 2:14, in which the believing Hebrews showed great love to their suffering brethren, Hebrews 6:10. Their enduring this persecution with fortitude and patience, the apostle calls here pollhn aqlhsin, a great combat, in allusion to the combats in the Grecian games. Partly, &c. — Both in respect of your own sufferings and of your sympathy with others in theirs; while ye were made a gazing-stock — Qeatrizomenoi, made a public spectacle, or openly exposed, as in a theatre. See on 1 Corinthians 4:9. By reproaches — Cast on you as atheists, or enemies to the true God, for deserting the institutions of Moses; and afflictions — Which befel you on that and other accounts; and partly while ye became companions of them that were so used — In pitying, owning, visiting, and relieving them who were treated in the same cruel manner. For ye had compassion on me — Ye sympathized with all your suffering brethren, and with me in particular; in my bonds — Both at Jerusalem and at Cesarea; and ye took joyfully — For the sake of him who died for you; the spoiling of your goods — The loss of your property; knowing in yourselves — Or, rather, knowing that you have for yourselves; in heaven — Laid up for you there; a better, than any which you lose, and an enduring substance — Even unspeakable and eternal riches, glory, and felicity, when all the possessions of earth have perished, and all its sorrows have come to a perpetual period.

32. Call to remembrance—Our author now inspires them to well doing by their own past noble example. Illuminated—By the gospel of Christ shining into your hearts. Fight—A palestric term; an athletic combat or series of combats. A struggle with, or consisting of, afflictions.

Verse 33. Ye were made a gazing-stock] qeatrizomenoi. Ye were exhibited as wild beasts and other shows at the theatres. See the note on 1 Corinthians 4:9, where all this is illustrated. Companions of them that were so used.] It appears, from 1 Thessalonians 2:14,15, that the Churches of God in Judea were greatly persecuted, and that they believed with courage and constancy in their persecutions. When any victim of persecuting rage was marked out, the rest were prompt to take his part, and acknowledge themselves believers in the same doctrine for which he suffered. This was a noble spirit; many would have slunk into a corner, and put off the marks of Christ, that they might not be exposed to affliction on this account.

Verses 32-34. But — As if he had said, I trust you will be preserved from so terrible a ruin; and in order that you may, I exhort you to call to remembrance the former days — To look back upon past events, which, if duly considered, may be very instructive, and may prove the means of establishing you in your resolution of adhering to the gospel. In particular, reflect on what you have suffered, and how you have been supported and delivered, that you may not despond upon the approach of similar evils, but may still trust in God and persevere in his service; in which, after you were enlightened — With the knowledge of God and of his truth; ye endured — Courageously sustained, through God’s help; a great fight of afflictions — A grievous persecution from your unbelieving brethren, and great and various troubles and distresses, on account of your faith in, and profession of, the gospel; and therefore you should not fall off now at last, lest you lose the fruit of all these sufferings. There were various persecutions of the Christians in Judea, particularly the great persecution after the death of Stephen, Acts 8:1, and Herod’s persecution, Acts 12:1. But perhaps the apostle here refers to the persecution in Judea, mentioned 1 Thessalonians 2:14, in which the believing Hebrews showed great love to their suffering brethren, Hebrews 6:10. Their enduring this persecution with fortitude and patience, the apostle calls here pollhn aqlhsin, a great combat, in allusion to the combats in the Grecian games. Partly, &c. — Both in respect of your own sufferings and of your sympathy with others in theirs; while ye were made a gazing-stock — Qeatrizomenoi, made a public spectacle, or openly exposed, as in a theatre. See on 1 Corinthians 4:9. By reproaches — Cast on you as atheists, or enemies to the true God, for deserting the institutions of Moses; and afflictions — Which befel you on that and other accounts; and partly while ye became companions of them that were so used — In pitying, owning, visiting, and relieving them who were treated in the same cruel manner. For ye had compassion on me — Ye sympathized with all your suffering brethren, and with me in particular; in my bonds — Both at Jerusalem and at Cesarea; and ye took joyfully — For the sake of him who died for you; the spoiling of your goods — The loss of your property; knowing in yourselves — Or, rather, knowing that you have for yourselves; in heaven — Laid up for you there; a better, than any which you lose, and an enduring substance — Even unspeakable and eternal riches, glory, and felicity, when all the possessions of earth have perished, and all its sorrows have come to a perpetual period.

33. Made a gazing stock—Literally, theatrized; that is, exposed to shame, as if a spectacle in a public theatre. Reproaches—Affecting their reputations. Afflictions—Affecting their persons and goods. Companions—Sympathizers and associates of despised and persecuted Christians.

V. 34. For ye sympathized with all your suffering brethren, and with me in particular; and received joyfully the loss of your own goods.

Verse 34. Ye had compassion of me in my bonds] sunepaqhsate. Ye suffered with me, ye sympathized with me, when bound for the testimony of Jesus. This probably refers to the sympathy they showed towards him, and the help they afforded him, during his long imprisonment in Cæsarea and Jerusalem. But instead of toiv desmoiv mou, my bonds, toiv desmioiv, the prisoners, is the reading of AD, and several others, both the Syriac, the Arabic of Erpen, the Coptic, Armenian, Vulgate, some of the Itala, and several of the Greek fathers. This reading appears to be so well supported, that Griesbach has admitted it into the text. If it be genuine, it shows that there had been, and perhaps were then, several bound for the testimony of Jesus, and that the Church in Judea had shown its attachment to Christ by openly acknowledging these prisoners, and ministering to them.

Took joyfully the spoiling of your goods] They were deprived of their inheritances, turned out of their houses, and plundered of their goods; they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented. To suffer such persecution patiently was great; to endure it without a murmur was greater; to rejoice in it was greatest of all. But how could they do all this? The next clause informs us.

Knowing in yourselves] They had the fullest evidence that they were the children of God, the Spirit itself bearing this witness to their spirits; and if children than heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. They knew that heaven was their portion, and that to it they had a sure right and indefeasible title by Christ Jesus. This accounts, and this alone can account, for their taking joyfully the spoiling of their goods: they had Christ in their hearts; they knew that they were his children, and that they had a kingdom, but that kingdom was not of this world. They had the support they needed, and they had it in the time in which they needed it most.

Verses 32-34. But — As if he had said, I trust you will be preserved from so terrible a ruin; and in order that you may, I exhort you to call to remembrance the former days — To look back upon past events, which, if duly considered, may be very instructive, and may prove the means of establishing you in your resolution of adhering to the gospel. In particular, reflect on what you have suffered, and how you have been supported and delivered, that you may not despond upon the approach of similar evils, but may still trust in God and persevere in his service; in which, after you were enlightened — With the knowledge of God and of his truth; ye endured — Courageously sustained, through God’s help; a great fight of afflictions — A grievous persecution from your unbelieving brethren, and great and various troubles and distresses, on account of your faith in, and profession of, the gospel; and therefore you should not fall off now at last, lest you lose the fruit of all these sufferings. There were various persecutions of the Christians in Judea, particularly the great persecution after the death of Stephen, Acts 8:1, and Herod’s persecution, Acts 12:1. But perhaps the apostle here refers to the persecution in Judea, mentioned 1 Thessalonians 2:14, in which the believing Hebrews showed great love to their suffering brethren, Hebrews 6:10. Their enduring this persecution with fortitude and patience, the apostle calls here pollhn aqlhsin, a great combat, in allusion to the combats in the Grecian games. Partly, &c. — Both in respect of your own sufferings and of your sympathy with others in theirs; while ye were made a gazing-stock — Qeatrizomenoi, made a public spectacle, or openly exposed, as in a theatre. See on 1 Corinthians 4:9. By reproaches — Cast on you as atheists, or enemies to the true God, for deserting the institutions of Moses; and afflictions — Which befel you on that and other accounts; and partly while ye became companions of them that were so used — In pitying, owning, visiting, and relieving them who were treated in the same cruel manner. For ye had compassion on me — Ye sympathized with all your suffering brethren, and with me in particular; in my bonds — Both at Jerusalem and at Cesarea; and ye took joyfully — For the sake of him who died for you; the spoiling of your goods — The loss of your property; knowing in yourselves — Or, rather, knowing that you have for yourselves; in heaven — Laid up for you there; a better, than any which you lose, and an enduring substance — Even unspeakable and eternal riches, glory, and felicity, when all the possessions of earth have perished, and all its sorrows have come to a perpetual period.

Ver. 34. Ye had compassion on me in my bonds. The church in Jerusalem took a great interest in Paul’s case when seized in the temple, to see him valiantly maintain the faith, and during the time, probably little less than two years, that he lay in chains at Cæsarea. It is then in vain for the unitarians to seek for any other author of this most luminous letter than Paul.

34. Me in my bonds—The more authoritative reading is, Ye had compassion on the imprisoned Christians. Spoiling of your goods— Ebrard applies the words to that disinheriting which even now takes place when a Jew becomes a Christian. Ye have—Ye even now have in reversion the better substance. Enduring—Not transient, like the earthly goods and the earthly city.

V. 35. Cast not away therefore this your confidence-Your faith and hope; which none can deprive you of but yourselves.

Verse 35. Cast not away therefore your confidence] thn parrhsian umwn. Your liberty of access to God; your title and right to approach his throne; your birthright as his sons and daughters; and the clear evidence you have of his favour, which, if you be not steady and faithful, you must lose. Do not throw it away, mh apobalhte. neither men nor devils can take it from you, and God will never deprive you of it if you continue faithful. There is a reference here to cowardly soldiers, who throw away their shields, and run away from the battle. This is your shield, your faith in Christ, which gives you the knowledge of salvation; keep it, and it will keep you.

The Lacedemonian women, when they presented the shields to their sons going to battle, were accustomed to say: h tan, h epi tav. “Either bring this back, or be brought back upon it;” alluding to the custom of bringing back a slain soldier on his own shield, a proof that he had preserved it to the last, and had been faithful to his country. They were accustomed also to excite their courage by delivering to them their fathers’ shields with the following short address. taurhn o pathr soi aei eswze. kai su oun tautan swze h mh eso. “This shield thy father always preserved; do thou preserve it also, or perish;” Lacænarum Apophthegmata, PLUT. OPERA, a Wittenbach, vol. i. p. 682. Thus spake the Lacedemonian mothers to their sons; and what say the oracles of God to us? mh apobalhte thn parrhsian umwn. Cast not away your confession of faith. This is your shield; keep it, and it will ever be your sure defence; for by it you will quench every fiery dart of the wicked one. The Church of Christ speaks this to all her sons, and especially to those employed in the work of the ministry. Of this shield, of this glorious system of salvation by Jesus Christ, illustrated and defended in this work, I say to each of my children: tauthn o pathr soi aei eswze. kai su oun tautan swze, h mh eso. This faith, thy father, by the grace of God, hath always kept; keep thou it also, or thou must expect to perish! May this be received both as a warning and encouragement!

Great recompense of reward.] No less than God’s continual approbation; the peace that passeth all understanding ruling the heart here; and the glories of heaven as an eternal portion. Conscientiously keep the shield, and all these shall be thine. This will be thy reward; but remember that it is the mercy of God that gives it.

Verses 35-37. Therefore, having formerly behaved with such fortitude, cast not away your confidence — As cowardly soldiers cast away their shields, and flee in the day of battle; but since God has supported you under, and brought you through all your sufferings hitherto, with much patience and joy maintain and improve your confidence and courage against all difficulties and dangers; which hath — That is, will receive; great recompense of reward — That is, a great reward, (namely, eternal glory,) by way of recompense for your obedience. For ye have need of patience — Or, of perseverance, as upomonhv may be properly rendered; that is, ye have need of the continual exercise thereof in well-doing, and waiting for the accomplishment of the promises; that after ye have done the will of God — Have conducted yourselves as it is God’s will you should, by enduring whatsoever he is pleased to lay upon you; ye might receive the promise — The promised reward of glory. For yet a little while — Mikron oson oson, a little, a very little time. And he that shall come — O ercomenov, he who is coming; the appellation given by the Jews to Messiah, Matthew 11:3, Art thou he, o ercomenov, who should come? will come — As if he had said, Be patient, for it will not be long before he will take you hence by death, and release you from all your trials. Or rather, It will not be long before Christ will come to take vengeance on your persecutors, the unbelieving and obdurate Jews, and deliver you from all the sufferings to which you are exposed from them; and will not tarry — Beyond the appointed time. It must be observed, though the apostle in this verse uses some words of the Prophet Habakkuk, (Habakkuk 2:3,) he doth not introduce them as a quotation from him, containing a prophecy of any coming of Christ. There is therefore no necessity of endeavouring to show that, as they stand in Habakkuk, they may be interpreted of Christ’s coming to destroy Jerusalem. In the passage where they are found, the prophet exhorted the Jews to trust in God for deliverance from the Chaldeans, by putting them in mind of the faithfulness of God in performing his promises. Wherefore, as the faithfulness and power of God are a source of consolation to which good men, at all times, may have recourse in their distresses, the apostle might, with great propriety, apply Habakkuk’s words, by way of accommodation, to Christ’s coming to destroy Jerusalem and the Jewish state. Christ had promised to come for that purpose before the generation then living went off the stage; and as the believing Hebrews could entertain no doubt of his being faithful to his promise, the apostle, to encourage them to bear their afflictions with patience, very fifty put them in mind of that event in the words of this prophet, because it assured them that the power of their persecutors would soon be at an end.

35. Therefore—Inasmuch as these noble antecedents show you to be heirs of a heavenly inheritance, do not cast away your trust and boldness, and so wane into apostasy. This true heroic confidence, based on faith and good works, and basis of glorious hopes, (note Hebrews 11:1,) has a final reward appended to it.

V. 36. The promise-Perfect love; eternal life.

Verse 36. Ye have need of patience] Having so great a fight of sufferings to pass through, and they of so long continuance. God furnishes the grace; you must exercise it. The grace or principle of patience comes from God; the use and exercise of that grace is of yourselves. Here ye must be workers together with God. Patience and perseverance are nearly the same.

Have done the will of God] By keeping the faith, and patiently suffering for it.

Verses 35-37. Therefore, having formerly behaved with such fortitude, cast not away your confidence — As cowardly soldiers cast away their shields, and flee in the day of battle; but since God has supported you under, and brought you through all your sufferings hitherto, with much patience and joy maintain and improve your confidence and courage against all difficulties and dangers; which hath — That is, will receive; great recompense of reward — That is, a great reward, (namely, eternal glory,) by way of recompense for your obedience. For ye have need of patience — Or, of perseverance, as upomonhv may be properly rendered; that is, ye have need of the continual exercise thereof in well-doing, and waiting for the accomplishment of the promises; that after ye have done the will of God — Have conducted yourselves as it is God’s will you should, by enduring whatsoever he is pleased to lay upon you; ye might receive the promise — The promised reward of glory. For yet a little while — Mikron oson oson, a little, a very little time. And he that shall come — O ercomenov, he who is coming; the appellation given by the Jews to Messiah, Matthew 11:3, Art thou he, o ercomenov, who should come? will come — As if he had said, Be patient, for it will not be long before he will take you hence by death, and release you from all your trials. Or rather, It will not be long before Christ will come to take vengeance on your persecutors, the unbelieving and obdurate Jews, and deliver you from all the sufferings to which you are exposed from them; and will not tarry — Beyond the appointed time. It must be observed, though the apostle in this verse uses some words of the Prophet Habakkuk, (Habakkuk 2:3,) he doth not introduce them as a quotation from him, containing a prophecy of any coming of Christ. There is therefore no necessity of endeavouring to show that, as they stand in Habakkuk, they may be interpreted of Christ’s coming to destroy Jerusalem. In the passage where they are found, the prophet exhorted the Jews to trust in God for deliverance from the Chaldeans, by putting them in mind of the faithfulness of God in performing his promises. Wherefore, as the faithfulness and power of God are a source of consolation to which good men, at all times, may have recourse in their distresses, the apostle might, with great propriety, apply Habakkuk’s words, by way of accommodation, to Christ’s coming to destroy Jerusalem and the Jewish state. Christ had promised to come for that purpose before the generation then living went off the stage; and as the believing Hebrews could entertain no doubt of his being faithful to his promise, the apostle, to encourage them to bear their afflictions with patience, very fifty put them in mind of that event in the words of this prophet, because it assured them that the power of their persecutors would soon be at an end.

Ver. 36. Ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, in the first stages of repentance, faith and holiness, ye might receive the promise of life and glory on the Lord’s return. The seaman must persevere in his long voyage, and the husbandman must wait for the harvest.

36. Patience—A retention of a true confidence. Promise—Of the final salvation underlying their rescue from the approaching doom of their city and state.

V. 37. He that cometh-To reward every man according to his works.

Verse 37. For yet a little while] epi gar mikron oson. For yet a very little time. In a very short space of time the Messiah will come, and execute judgment upon your rebellious country. This is determined, because they have filled up the measure of their iniquity, and their destruction slumbereth not. The apostle seems to refer to Habakkuk 2:3, 4, and accommodates the words to his own purpose.

Verses 35-37. Therefore, having formerly behaved with such fortitude, cast not away your confidence — As cowardly soldiers cast away their shields, and flee in the day of battle; but since God has supported you under, and brought you through all your sufferings hitherto, with much patience and joy maintain and improve your confidence and courage against all difficulties and dangers; which hath — That is, will receive; great recompense of reward — That is, a great reward, (namely, eternal glory,) by way of recompense for your obedience. For ye have need of patience — Or, of perseverance, as upomonhv may be properly rendered; that is, ye have need of the continual exercise thereof in well-doing, and waiting for the accomplishment of the promises; that after ye have done the will of God — Have conducted yourselves as it is God’s will you should, by enduring whatsoever he is pleased to lay upon you; ye might receive the promise — The promised reward of glory. For yet a little while — Mikron oson oson, a little, a very little time. And he that shall come — O ercomenov, he who is coming; the appellation given by the Jews to Messiah, Matthew 11:3, Art thou he, o ercomenov, who should come? will come — As if he had said, Be patient, for it will not be long before he will take you hence by death, and release you from all your trials. Or rather, It will not be long before Christ will come to take vengeance on your persecutors, the unbelieving and obdurate Jews, and deliver you from all the sufferings to which you are exposed from them; and will not tarry — Beyond the appointed time. It must be observed, though the apostle in this verse uses some words of the Prophet Habakkuk, (Habakkuk 2:3,) he doth not introduce them as a quotation from him, containing a prophecy of any coming of Christ. There is therefore no necessity of endeavouring to show that, as they stand in Habakkuk, they may be interpreted of Christ’s coming to destroy Jerusalem. In the passage where they are found, the prophet exhorted the Jews to trust in God for deliverance from the Chaldeans, by putting them in mind of the faithfulness of God in performing his promises. Wherefore, as the faithfulness and power of God are a source of consolation to which good men, at all times, may have recourse in their distresses, the apostle might, with great propriety, apply Habakkuk’s words, by way of accommodation, to Christ’s coming to destroy Jerusalem and the Jewish state. Christ had promised to come for that purpose before the generation then living went off the stage; and as the believing Hebrews could entertain no doubt of his being faithful to his promise, the apostle, to encourage them to bear their afflictions with patience, very fifty put them in mind of that event in the words of this prophet, because it assured them that the power of their persecutors would soon be at an end.

Ver. 37. He that shall come will come, and will not tarry. The believing Hebrews were too much like their fathers when Moses ascended the mount; they thought he tarried long, and “wot not what was become of him,” and so they made themselves gods to go back again to Egypt. Those in Paul’s day were for returning to judaism, for they saw not the promises fulfilled which they eagerly expected, forgetting that Jehovah’s plan is wide and large, embracing an infinitude of objects, and requiring a long time for its execution. The promise of Christ’s first coming was delayed four thousand years, during the whole of which period the church had to live by faith. The redemption of Israel out of Egypt required the lapse of four hundred years before it was accomplished, and after that they must wait seventy years for their return from Babylon. The Lord has promised great things respecting the spread of the gospel over all the earth, but we have to wait century after century, and to witness many disappointments and discouragements, before he brings his purposes to pass. Eternal life is promised to every believer, but we must live to see many painful afflictions and bereaving providences, before we ascend the mountain top, and behold the king in his beauty and the land that is very far off. Yet there is a certainty that all these promises will be fulfilled. The vision may seem to tarry, and the time appear long, but all will soon be over. Heaven will be the sweeter for having been waited for, faith and patience will have had their perfect work, and will at last be swallowed up in fruition and full enjoyment. The same may be said of all the promises. “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick, but when the desire cometh it is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12.

37. For—Illustrating his meaning by free quotations of Habakkuk 2:3, 4, mostly according to the Septuagint. The prophet is in vision auspicating the coming of destruction upon the Chaldean, as our author is anticipating the coming of the Roman for the destruction of Jerusalem. Will not tarry—Though now seeming to delay.

V. 38. Now the just-The justified person.

Shall live-In God's favour, a spiritual and holy life. By faith-As long as he retains that gift of God. But if he draw back-If he make shipwreck of his faith My soul hath no pleasure in him-That is, I abhor him; I cast him off. Habakkuk 2:3, &c.

Verse 38. Now the just shall live by faith] oJ de dikaiov ek pistewv zhsetai. But the just by faith, i.e. he who is justified by faith, shall live-shall be preserved when this overflowing scourge shall come. See this meaning of the phrase vindicated, Romans 1:17. And it is evident, both from this text, and Galatians 3:11, that it is in this sense that the apostle uses it.

But if any man draw back] kai ean uposteilhtai. But if he draw back; he, the man who is justified by faith; for it is of him, and none other, that the text speaks. The insertion of the words any man, if done to serve the purpose of a particular creed, is a wicked perversion of the words of God. They were evidently intended to turn away the relative from the antecedent, in order to save the doctrine of final and unconditional perseverance; which doctrine this text destroys.

My soul shall have no pleasure in him.] My very heart shall be opposed to him who makes shipwreck of faith and a good conscience. The word upostellein signifies, not only to draw back, but to slink away and hide through fear. In this sense it is used by the very best Greek writers, as well as by Josephus and Philo. As dastards and cowards are hated by all men, so those that slink away from Christ and his cause, for fear of persecution or secular loss, God must despise; in them he cannot delight; and his Spirit, grieved with their conduct, must desert their hearts, and lead them to darkness and hardness.

Verses 38, 39. Now — That is, in the mean time, as it is there added; the just, dikaiov, the righteous — He that is pardoned and renewed, or justified and regenerated, and who therefore is humble, meek, sincere, resigned to the will of God, and relying on his wisdom, power, goodness, and faithfulness; shall live — Shall be supported and preserved even in the midst of surrounding dangers, trials, and troubles, and shall live in God’s favour a spiritual and holy life; by faith — See on Romans 1:17; namely, as long as he retains that gift of God. In this passage the prophet, as well as the apostle, speaks of the efficacy of faith to support and comfort a man under temptations and afflictions in such a manner, that he neither faints in the combat, nor withdraws from it. But if any man — The words any man are not in the original, and certainly are not necessary to be here supplied. The Greek, kai ean uposteilhtai, are, and, or but, if he (who lived by faith) draw back — If he make shipwreck of his faith, and cease to believe and rely on God’s promises; or if, by reason of sufferings and temptations, he cease to exercise faith in Christ, and in the truths and promises of the gospel, and in consequence thereof renounce his profession of Christ, and withdrew himself from communion with other professors; my soul shall have — Or rather, hath, (the word being in the present tense,) no pleasure in him — That is, I withdraw my favour from him, nay, and cast him off in my displeasure. But we are not — But I am persuaded that the persons to whom I address my letter, together with myself and my fellow-labourers; are not of the number of those that draw back unto perdition — Like him who backslides and apostatizes, as mentioned in the preceding verse; but of them that believe — That continue in the faith grounded and settled; to the saving of the soul — To the attaining of final eternal salvation.

Ver. 38. The just shall live by faith. The words are quoted from Habakkuk. Dr. Campbell of Aberdeen passes a censure on Beza for corrupting this text, by adding [quis] At si quis se subduxerit. The Greek is, kai ean uposteilhtai ouk eudokei. “And if he [the just and righteous, as in Habakkuk] draw back, my soul hath no pleasure in him.” Jerome reads, justus autem meus ex fide vivet, but my just or righteous man shall live by faith; but if he shall draw back he shall not please my soul. So also the Mons version, copying most of the latin versions, Que s’il se retire, &c. Beza therefore stands alone in his attempt to confuse the sense, and enfeeble the force of the text; whereas a translator should, if possible, give his version in the full and happiest sense of the original.

38. Live by faith—The Christian believers shall be the true survivors. Yet underlying this, in both the prophet and our author, is the divine truth that by the same faith the faithful is acceptable to God, and so heir not only of the temporal but the eternal salvation, Note on Hebrews 11:13-15. But—Our author has made the sentence before the but in the prophet, and that after, exchange places. Draw back—Or, draw down; that is, in shrinking back, or apostatizing. The words any man, as the Italics show, are not in the Greek, but are interpolated by our translators very improperly; for the proper subject of draw back is the just who live by faith. The just shall live by faith: but if he draw back my soul, etc.

V. 39. We are not of them who draw back to perdition-Like him mentioned Hebrews 10:38.

But of them that believe-To the end, so as to attain eternal life.

Verse 39. But we are not of them who draw back] ouk esmen upostolhv--, alla pistewv. “We are not the cowards, but the courageous.” I have no doubt of this being the meaning of the apostle, and the form of speech requires such a translation; it occurs more than once in the New Testament. So, Galatians 3:7: oi ek pistewv, they who are of the faith, rather the faithful, the believers; Romans 3:26: o ek pistewv, the believer; Romans 2:8: oi ex epiqeiav, the contentious; in all which places the learned reader will find that the form of speech is the same. We are not cowards who slink away, and notwithstanding meet destruction; but we are faithful, and have our souls saved alive. The words peripoihsiv yuchv signify the preservation of the life. See the note, “Ephesians 1:14”. He intimates that, notwithstanding the persecution was hot, yet they should escape with their lives.

1. IT is very remarkable, and I have more than once called the reader’s attention to it, that not one Christian life was lost in the siege and destruction of Jerusalem. Every Jew perished, or was taken captive; all those who had apostatized, and slunk away from Christianity, perished with them: all the genuine Christians escaped with their lives. This very important information, which casts light on many passages in the New Testament, and manifests the grace and providence of God in a very conspicuous way, is given both by Eusebius and Epiphanius. I shall adduce their words: “When the whole congregation of the Church in Jerusalem, according to an oracle given by revelation to the approved persons among them before the war, kata tina crhsmon toiv autoqi dokimoiv diaJpokaluyewv doqenta pro tou polemou, metanasthnai thv polewv, kai tina thv peraiav polin oikein kekeleusmenou, pellan authn onomazousin, were commanded to depart from the city, and inhabit a certain city which they call Pella, beyond Jordan, to which, when all those who believed in Christ had removed from Jerusalem, and when the saints had totally abandoned the royal city which is the metropolis of the Jews; then the Divine vengeance seized them who had dealt so wickedly with Christ and his apostles, and utterly destroyed that wicked and abominable generation.” EUSEB. Hist. Eccles, l. iii. c. v. vol. i. p. 93. Edit. a Reading.

St. Epiphanius, in Hæres. Nazaren, c. 7, says: “The Christians who dwelt in Jerusalem, being forewarned by Christ of the approaching siege, removed to Pella.”

The same, in his book Deuteronomy Ponderibus et Mensuris, says: “The disciples of Christ being warned by an angel, removed to Pella; and afterwards, when Adrian rebuilt Jerusalem, and called it after his own name, Ælia Colonia, they returned thither.” As those places in Epiphanius are of considerable importance, I shall subjoin the original: ekeiqen gar h arch gegone meta thn apo twn iJerosolumwn metastasin, pantwn twn maqhtwn twn en pellh wkhkotwn, cristou fhsantov

kataleiyai ta iJerosoluma, kai anacwrhsai, epeidh hmelle pascein poliorkian. EPIPH. adver. Hæres., l. i. c. 7, vol. i. p. 123. Edit. Par. 1622. The other place is as follows: hJnika gar emellen h poliv aliskesqai upo twn Jrwmaiwn, proecrhmatisqhsan upo aggelou pantev oi maqhtai metasthnai apo thv polewv, melloushv ardhn apollusqai. oi tinev kai metanastai genomenoi wkhsan en

pellh-peran tou iordanou, h tiv ek dekapolewv legetai einai. Ibid. Deuteronomy Pon. et Mens., vol. ii. p. 171.

These are remarkable testimonies, and should be carefully preserved. Pella, it appears, was a city of Cœlesyria, beyond Jordan, in the district of Decapolis. Thus it is evident that these Christians held fast their faith, preserved their shields, and continued to believe to the saving of their lives as well as to the saving of their souls. As the apostle gives several hints of the approaching destruction of Jerusalem, it is likely that this is the true sense in which the words above are to be understood.

2. I have already said a little, from Hebrews 10:25, on the importance of social worship. PUBLIC worship is not of less consequence. Were it not for public, private worship would soon be at an end. To this, under God, the Church of Christ owes its being and its continuance. Where there is no public worship there is no religion. It is by this that God is acknowledged; and he is the universal Being; and by his bounty and providence all live; consequently, it is the duty of every intelligent creature publicly to acknowledge him, and offer him that worship which himself has prescribed in his word. The ancient Jews have some good maxims on this subject which may be seen in Schoettgen. I shall quote a few.

In Berachoth, fol. 8, it is written: “Rabbi Levi said, He who has a synagogue in his city, and does not go thither to pray, shall be esteemed a bad citizen,” or a bad neighbour. And to this they apply the words of the prophet, Jeremiah 12:14: Thus saith the Lord against all my evil neighbours-behold, I will pluck them out of their land.

In Mechilta, fol. 48: “Rabbi Eliezer, the son of Jacob, said,” speaking as from God, “If thou wilt come to my house, I will go to thy house; but if thou wilt not come to my house, I will not enter thy house. The place that my heart loveth, to that shall my feet go.” We may safely add, that those who do not frequent the house of God can never expect his presence or blessing in their own.

In Taanith, fol. 11, it is said that “to him who separates himself from the congregation shall two angels come, and lay their hands upon his head and say, This man, who separates himself from the congregation, shall not see the comfort which God grants to his afflicted Church.” The wisest and best of men have always felt it their duty and their interest to worship God in public. As there is nothing more necessary, so there is nothing more reasonable; he who acknowledges God in all his ways may expect all his steps to be directed. The public worship of God is one grand line of distinction between the atheist and the believer. He who uses not public worship has either no God, or has no right notion of his being; and such a person, according to the rabbins, is a bad neighbour; it is dangerous to live near him, for neither he nor his can be under the protection of God. No man should be forced to attend a particular place of worship, but every man should be obliged to attend some place; and he who has any fear of God will not find it difficult to get a place to his mind. HEBREWS

Verses 38, 39. Now — That is, in the mean time, as it is there added; the just, dikaiov, the righteous — He that is pardoned and renewed, or justified and regenerated, and who therefore is humble, meek, sincere, resigned to the will of God, and relying on his wisdom, power, goodness, and faithfulness; shall live — Shall be supported and preserved even in the midst of surrounding dangers, trials, and troubles, and shall live in God’s favour a spiritual and holy life; by faith — See on Romans 1:17; namely, as long as he retains that gift of God. In this passage the prophet, as well as the apostle, speaks of the efficacy of faith to support and comfort a man under temptations and afflictions in such a manner, that he neither faints in the combat, nor withdraws from it. But if any man — The words any man are not in the original, and certainly are not necessary to be here supplied. The Greek, kai ean uposteilhtai, are, and, or but, if he (who lived by faith) draw back — If he make shipwreck of his faith, and cease to believe and rely on God’s promises; or if, by reason of sufferings and temptations, he cease to exercise faith in Christ, and in the truths and promises of the gospel, and in consequence thereof renounce his profession of Christ, and withdrew himself from communion with other professors; my soul shall have — Or rather, hath, (the word being in the present tense,) no pleasure in him — That is, I withdraw my favour from him, nay, and cast him off in my displeasure. But we are not — But I am persuaded that the persons to whom I address my letter, together with myself and my fellow-labourers; are not of the number of those that draw back unto perdition — Like him who backslides and apostatizes, as mentioned in the preceding verse; but of them that believe — That continue in the faith grounded and settled; to the saving of the soul — To the attaining of final eternal salvation.

39. But, etc.—See note on 6:9. Saving of the soul—The Greek word may signify either soul or life. It signifies here, truly, soul; yet so as to include the fact, that for these Hebrews the saving of the soul was exemplified and made visible in the rescue of their lives from the doom of the city. For here, as in the entire next chapter, faith and its rewards are exhibited with a doubleness, as implying a heavenly and invisible salvation within the earthly and visible.