_The law having a shadow [1] of the good things to come. The apostle continues till the 19th verse to shew the insufficiency of the former law, as to the redemption and salvation of mankind. By the good things to come, some understand heaven itself, and the happiness of the elect there, of which the... [ Continue Reading ]
Then they would have [2] ceased to be offered. That is, if they could have made the worshippers perfect; to wit, in such a manner as the one sacrifice of Christ, who was the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the world, by making a full reparation to the divine justice for the sin of Adam, and o... [ Continue Reading ]
_But in them a remembrance of sins is made every year. For it is impossible that with the blood of oxen and goats sins should be taken way. The sacrifices of the former law, even that great sacrifice on the day of expiation, when victims were offered for the ignorances or sins of the priests, and of... [ Continue Reading ]
[BIBLIOGRAPHY] Corpus autem aptasti mihi; _Greek: soma de katartiso moi; i.e. according to the Septuagint but in the Hebrew aures perfodisti, or as in the Latin, (Psalm xxxix. 7.) perfecisti mihi. How these different expressions agree, see Estius, Cornelius a Lapide, &c._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Therefore, Christ as it were, coming into the world, he saith, by the psalmist, (Psalm xxxix. 7. 8.) Sacrifice and oblation thou didst not desire, &c. That is, such sacrifices as were offered in the former law, they could not please thee, appease thy anger, nor make a sufficient reparation for sin.... [ Continue Reading ]
[BIBLIOGRAPHY] In capite libri, _Greek: en kephalidi bibliou. The Greek and Latin seems to signify no more than in the volume, or book itself; Greek: kephalis, says Suidas, Greek: oper tinos eilema, alicujus involucrum, ab Greek: eileo. No need of translating, in the front of the book._... [ Continue Reading ]
The source and primary cause of our sanctification is the will of God, _who so loved the world as to give us his only Son; the meritorious cause of our sanctification is the voluntary oblation of Jesus Christ, sacrificed for us upon the cross. Methodists shamefully misrepresent the tenets of Catholi... [ Continue Reading ]
_By one oblation [5] he hath perfected or consummated for ever them that are sanctified, or justified, because this one oblation was sufficient to sanctify all men. He repeats this, to shew them the excellency of Christ's sacrifice above those of the former law. (Witham)_ [BIBLIOGRAPHY] Una oblati... [ Continue Reading ]
The Holy Ghost also doth testify to us, and assures us of this, by the prophet Jeremias, (Chap. xxxi. 33.) in the words above cited, (Chap. viii. ver. 8.) when he promises to give a new testament, and that he will remember no more their sins. --- Now where there is remission of these, there is no mo... [ Continue Reading ]
_Having therefore, brethren, a confidence. Here begins as it were the second part of his epistle, in which the apostle exhorts the Hebrews to the practice of Christian virtues, to a firm hope, and confidence of entering with Christ into the holy of holies; i.e. into heaven. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_A new and living way; that is, having a new way, which he hath traced out and opened us, by entering himself first into heaven, through the veil, i.e. through his flesh, or by taking upon him, our flesh or human nature. He speaks with an allusion and comparison with the high priest of the former la... [ Continue Reading ]
_And a high priest; i.e. and having a great priest, to wit, Christ, over the house of God, that is, over the Church, or over all the faithful, both in the Church militant on earth and in the Church triumphant in heaven. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Let us draw near with a full and firm faith, our hearts being cleansed and sprinkled from sin. He again alludes to that ceremony, by which the high priest of the Jews on the feast, called of expiation, sprinkled the people with the blood of the victim offered. (Witham) --- Greek: En plerophoria pis... [ Continue Reading ]
Not forsaking our assembly. [6] St. John Chrysostom understands the assemblies of Christians, where they met to celebrate the divine mysteries. Others expound it of not leaving the faith and communion of the Catholic Church by turning apostates: this is confirmed by the following words: for if we si... [ Continue Reading ]
_If we sin wilfully. He speaks of the sin of wilful apostacy from the known truth; after which, as we cannot be baptized again, we cannot expect to have that abundant remission of sins, which Christ purchased by his death, applied to our souls in that ample manner as it is in baptism; but we have ra... [ Continue Reading ]
[BIBLIOGRAPHY] Ignis æmulatio, _Greek: puros zelos, thus attibuting zeal and rage to an inanimate thing._... [ Continue Reading ]
_A man making void, &c. He brings this comparison from the manner that transgressors were dealt with under the law of Moses, to shew how much greater punishments Christians deserve when they are ungrateful to Christ after much greater benefits, when they may be said to have trodden under foot the So... [ Continue Reading ]
Man is mortal, and therefore cannot extend his vengeance beyond death; God is immortal, and, as he lives eternally, can punish eternally; and he who during life despises a God who died for him, will at death experience the rigour of a God always living to punish him.... [ Continue Reading ]
_But call to mind the former days, &c. After having laid before them the severity of God's judgments, he comforts them with the hopes they may have of their eternal salvation, from what they had already suffered soon after they received the light of the gospel, and were illuminated by baptism. (With... [ Continue Reading ]
He encourages them to _patience in the short time of this mortal life. (Witham)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Yet a very little while, and the judge that is to come, and who is to judge every one, will come. (Witham) --- Greek: O erchomenos, he who is coming. It is observed by commentators, that this is the appellation given by the Jews to the Messias. See Matthew xi. 3. and xxi. 9._... [ Continue Reading ]
But my [8] just man, he that liveth according to the doctrine I have taught, liveth by faith, which is the groundwork and foundation of a good life. --- But if he withdraw himself, and fall from this faith of Christ, he shall not please my soul. It is a Hebrew way of speaking, and as it were in the... [ Continue Reading ]
_But we are not the children of withdrawing; [9] i.e. we are not such as withdraw ourselves in this manner from the true faith to perdition, but remain constant in the faith and law of Christ. (Witham)_ [BIBLIOGRAPHY] Non sumus substractionis filii, _Greek: ouk esmen upostoles, subaudi Greek: uioi... [ Continue Reading ]