Hebrews 13:15

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise,.... For temporal and spiritual mercies; particularly for sanctification, or expiation of sin, by the blood of Christ; and for heaven, the continuing city, that is to come: this sacrifice is not a proper, nor a propitiatory one, but spiritual and evangelical; it is enjoined by God, is well pleasing to him, and glorifies him; and is our reasonable service, that believe in Christ; for being made priests by him to God, and having faith in him, such are capable of offering it aright; to do which, they are under the greatest obligations: and it is to be offered up by Christ, who is the same yesterday, today, and for ever; and who has suffered without the gate, that he might sanctify the people by his blood; it is to be done in imitation of him, and by his assistance; and for him, and blessings in him; and on him, as the altar, which sanctifies the gift; and through him, as the high priest and Mediator; for, as there is no coming to God but by Christ, and all our mercies come to us through him, and our thanksgivings are only acceptable to God on his account, it must be right to offer them up by him: and that,

to God continually: as the Creator and Preserver of us, in our beings; as the Father of mercies; as the Father of Christ; and as our covenant God and Father in him; since he is always bestowing mercies on us, of one kind or another; and, therefore, should be continually praised, even in times of adversity, affliction, and temptation; in the midst of reproach and persecution; even when unsettled in mind, body, and estate; since there is a continuing city to come; nor can a believer be in any state of life but he has something to be thankful for:

that is, the fruit of our lips; the sacrifice of praise is so called, in allusion to the offering of the firstfruits under the law; and to distinguish it from legal sacrifices; and to show in what way and manner we are to praise God, namely, with our lips: in

Hosea 14:2 which is thought to be referred to here, it is, "the calves of our lips"; sacrifices of praise being instead of calves: and the apostle interprets it in great agreement with the Jewish writers; the Chaldee paraphrase explains it by מלי ספותנא, "the words of their lips": and so Jarchi, דברי שפתינו, "the words of our lips"; and Kimchi, וידוי שפתינו, "the confession of our lips": and it may be observed, that there is a great nearness in פרים, "calves", and פרי, "fruit"; though perhaps rather the phrase is borrowed from Isaiah 57:19 where it is expressly had; the Septuagint indeed have it in Hosea 14:2 the apostle adds, for further explanation,

giving thanks to his name to the name of God; to the glory of his name; to the honour of his divine perfections; for mercies of every kind: the word signifies "a speaking together"; and may design not only the conjunction of the heart and tongue together in praise, but a social giving thanks to God by the saints, as a body together: the phrase θυσια αινεσεως, "the sacrifice of praise", is used by the Septuagint in 2 Chronicles 29:31. The apostle having shown that legal sacrifices were all superseded and abolished by the sacrifice of Christ, which is the design of this epistle, points out what sacrifice believers should offer up to God, under the Gospel dispensation; and the Jews themselves say, that

"in future time (i.e. in the days of the Messiah) all sacrifices shall cease, but קרבן תודה, "the sacrifice of praise" shall not cease b.''

b Vajikra Rabba, sect. 9. fol. 153. 1. sect 27. fol. 168. 4.