Analysis Of The Chapter The general design of this chapter Hebrews 9 is the same as the two preceding, to show that Christ as high priest is superior to the Jewish high priest. This the apostle had already shown to be true in regard to his rank, and to the dispensation of which he was the “mediator... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN VERILY - Or, moreover. The object is to describe the tabernacle in which the service of God was celebrated under the former dispensation, and to show that it had a reference to what was future, and was only an imperfect representation of the reality. It was important to show this, as the Jews r... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THERE WAS A TABERNACLE MADE - The word “tabernacle” properly means a tent, a booth, or a hut, and was then given by way of eminence to the tent for public worship made by Moses in the wilderness. For a description of this, see Exodus 26. In this place the word means the “outer sanctuary” or “roo... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AFTER THE SECOND VEIL - There were two “veils” to the tabernacle. The one which is described in Exodus 26:36, was called “the hanging for the door of the tent,” and was made of “blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen,” and was suspended on five pillars of shittim-wood, overlaid wit... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH HAD THE GOLDEN CENSER - The censer was a “fire-pan,” made for the purpose of carrying fire, in order to burn incense on it in the place of worship. The forms of the censer were various. Some difficulty has been felt respecting the statement of Paul here that the “golden censer” was in the most... [ Continue Reading ]
AND OVER IT - That is, over the ark. THE CHERUBIM OF GLORY - A Hebrew mode of expression, meaning “the glorious cherubim.” The word “cherubim” is the Hebrew form of the plural, of which cherub is the singular. The word “glory” used here in connection with “cherubim,” refers to the splendor, or magni... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN THESE THINGS WERE THUS ORDAINED - Thus arranged or appointed. Having shown what the tabernacle was, the apostle proceeds to show what was done in it. “The priests went always into the first tabernacle.” The outer tabernacle called the holy place. They were not permitted to enter the Holy of Hol... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT INTO THE SECOND - The second apartment or room, called the most holy place; Hebrews 9:3. WENT THE HIGH PRIEST ALONE ONCE EVERY YEAR - On the great day of atonement; Exodus 30:10. On that day he probably entered the Holy of Holies three or four times, first to burn incense, Leviticus 16:12; then... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HOLY GHOST - Who appointed all this. The whole arrangement in the service of the tabernacle is represented as having been under the direction of the Holy Spirit, or this was one of his methods of teaching the great truths of religion, and of keeping them before the minds of people. Sometimes tha... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH WAS A FIGURE FOR THE TIME THEN PRESENT - That is, as long as the tabernacle stood. The word rendered “figure” - παραβολὴ parabolē - is not the same as type - τύπος tupos - (Romans 5:14; Acts 7:13, Acts 7:44; John 20:25; 1Co 10:6, 1 Corinthians 10:11; Philippians 3:17, et al.) - but is the [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH STOOD ONLY IN MEATS AND DRINKS - The idea is, that the ordinances of the Jews, in connection with the services of religion, consisted much of laws pertaining to what was lawful to eat and drink, etc. A considerable part of those laws related to the distinction between clean and unclean beasts,... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT CHRIST BEING COME - Now that the Messiah has come, a more perfect system is introduced by which the conscience may be made free from guilt. AN HIGH PRIEST OF GOOD THINGS TO COME - see Hebrews 10:1. The apostle having described the tabernacle, and shown wherein it was defective in regard to the r... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER BY THE BLOOD OF GOATS AND CALVES - The Jewish sacrifice consisted of the shedding of the blood of animals. On the great day of the atonement the high priest took with him into the most holy place: (1)The blood of a young bullock Leviticus 16:3, Leviticus 16:11, which is here called the bloo... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IF THE BLOOD OF BULLS AND OF GOATS - Referring still to the great day of atonement, when the offering made was the sacrifice of a bullock and a goat. AND THE ASHES OF AN HEIFER - For an account of this, see Numbers 19:2. In ver. 9, it is said that the ashes of the heifer, after it was burnt, sho... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW MUCH MORE SHALL THE BLOOD OF CHRIST - As being infinitely more precious than the blood of an animal could possibly be. If the blood of an animal had any efficacy at all, even in removing ceremonial pollutions, how much more is it reasonable to suppose may be effected by the blood of the Son of G... [ Continue Reading ]
AND FOR THIS CAUSE - With this view; that is, to make an effectual atonement for sin, and to provide a way by which the troubled conscience may have peace. HE IS THE MEDIATOR - see notes on Galatians 3:19. He is the Mediator between God and man in respect to that new covenant which he has made, or... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHERE A TESTAMENT IS - This is the same word - διαθήκη diathēkē - which in Hebrews 8:6, is rendered “covenant.” For the general signification of the word, see note on that verse. There is so much depending, however, on the meaning of the word, not only in the interpretation of this passage, b... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR A TESTAMENT - Such an arrangement as God enters into with man; see the remarks on Hebrews 9:16. IS OF FORCE - Is ratified, or confirmed - in the same way as a deed or compact is confirmed by affixing a seal. AFTER MEN ARE DEAD - ἐπὶ νεκροῖς epi nekrois. “Over the dead.” That is, in accordanc... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREUPON - Ὅθεν Hothen - “Whence.” Or since this is a settled principle, or an indisputable fact, it occurred in accordance with this, that the first covenant was confirmed by the shedding of blood. The admitted principle which the apostle had stated, that the death of the victim was necessary to... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHEN MOSES HAD SPOKEN EVERY PRECEPT TO ALL THE PEOPLE - When he had recited all the Law, and had given all the commandments entrusted him to deliver; Exodus 24:3. HE TOOK THE BLOOD OF CALVES AND OF GOATS - This passage has given great perplexity to commentators from the fact that Moses in his ac... [ Continue Reading ]
SAYING, THIS IS THE BLOOD OF THE TESTAMENT - Of the covenant; see notes on Hebrews 9:16. That is, this is the blood by which the covenant is ratified. It was the means used to confirm it; the sacred and solemn form by which it was made sure. When this was done, the covenant between God and the peopl... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SPRINKLED ...BOTH THE TABERNACLE - This circumstance is not stated by Moses. On the probability that this was done, see notes on Hebrews 9:19. The account of setting up the tabernacle occurs in Exodus 11:1. In that account it is said that Moses “anointed” the tabernacle with the holy anointing oi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ALMOST ALL THINGS - It is a general custom to purify everything by blood. This rule was not universal, for some things were purified by fire and water, Numbers 31:22, and some by water only; Numbers 31:24; Leviticus 16:26, Leviticus 16:28. But the exceptions to the general rule were few. Almost... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PATTERNS OF THINGS IN THE HEAVENS - The tabernacle and its various utensils; see the notes on Hebrews 8:5. BE PURIFIED WITH THESE - With water and blood, and by these ceremonies. BUT THE HEAVENLY THINGS THEMSELVES - The heavenly tabernacle or sanctuary into which Christ has entered, and where h... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR CHRIST IS NOT ENTERED INTO THE HOLY PLACES MADE WITH HANDS - Into the temple or tabernacle. The Jewish high priest alone entered into the most holy place; and the other priests into the holy place. Jesus, being of the tribe of Judah, and not of Levi, never entered the temple proper. He had acces... [ Continue Reading ]
NOR YET THAT HE SHOULD OFFER HIMSELF OFTEN - The Jewish high priest entered the most holy place with blood once every year. In this respect the offering made by Christ, and the work which he performed, differed from that of the Jewish high priest. It was not needful that he should enter the holy pla... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THEN MUST HE OFTEN HAVE SUFFERED - That is, if his blood had no more efficacy than what the Jewish high priest offered, and which was so often repeated, it would have been necessary that Christ should have often died. BUT NOW ONCE - Once for all; once in the sense that it is not to be repeated... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AS IT IS APPOINTED UNTO MEN ONCE TO DIE - Or, “since it is appointed unto men to die once only.” The object of this is to illustrate the fact that Christ died but once for sin, and that is done by showing that the most important events pertaining to man occur but once. Thus, it is with “death.”... [ Continue Reading ]
SO CHRIST WAS ONCE OFFERED - Since people are to die but once; and as all beyond the grave is fixed by the judgment, so that his death there would make no change in the destiny, there was a propriety that he should die but once for sin. The argument is, there is one probation only, and therefore the... [ Continue Reading ]