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Commentary
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 Hebrews Chapter 9 The old covenant also then had its prefiguring of the ministry of Christ that is now come into being. (v1) For as there is a people of God made as a tabernacle for God to dwell within, there was also the old representation of this, with its various components, (v2-v5) (Of which specifics here are not revealed.) (v5) Now, when the old testament ordinances were in effect, the outermost area of the temple was ministered to by the priests, (v6) but the innermost sanctuary was entered into but once a year by the high priest offering for himself and for the sins of the people. (v7) This he did always with blood. We have a slight point to mention here, that we should not be thinking of the priest going in, but the grace of God in forgiving the errors of Israel outward to His people. For the Holy Spirit is signified by this, (v8) in that the body of Christ is without spot, being ministered to by God to His people, rather than the priest ministering of the people. For the old testament priests offered gifts and sacrifices that can not minister to the conscience and behaviour of them. (v9) (Whereas the Holy Spirit does indeed do this for the elected of grace.) The ministration of the old testament law stood upon numerous ordinances representative of the conscience being renewed, by washings and other carnal practices, (v10) But Christ, (prefigured as a high priest) has been obedient and offered up Himself by His own blood, for the perfect ministry of that Holy Spirit to come upon His spiritual flock, which is without spot. In this fashion the newest sanctuary is not made a physical place; (v11) and is not purified by the blood of animals, but by the obedience of Christ to death. (v12) The prefiguring of the washing of sins by blood of sacrifices (v13) is far exceeded by the ministry of the Holy Spirit through the new covenant that is in effect from Christ's offering, that is, Himself - that can wash clean the behaviour and the conscience from the guilt of sins. (v14) So that every member of that outer tabernacle, the people of spiritual Israel should be obedient to God under grace. For this purpose Christ mediated this new covenant of grace; that His spiritually elected people might be in continual receipt of the Holy Spirit from God, (beginning from the offering He made of His own life in obedience, not to be guilty for the sins of the people, but showing that the old covenant was imperfect now that which is perfect is come to the people.) for the sin of the people, which is known to God by the laws of the old testament, is done away by the work of the Holy Spirit which is ministering to the people from the offering of Christ's obedience. (v15) Now, in order for there to be a covenant shown of obedience, there must be required the example of obedience by Christ, even to the point of death. (v16) For an example of obedience is not complete unless the example has been completed (to death.) (v17) If Christ is entered into the heavenly sanctuary, he must have died first. For that offering of blood must have been given if the pattern of the old truly prefigured the new, even if imperfectly so. (v18) For everything that pertained to the binding of that covenant as it first arrived to the people was done through the sprinkling of blood, not every year, but once at inception. (v19-v21) Showing that the testament is binding when the blood is shed (v22) - that the washing of the conscience by Christ should be once and for all, by His blood; His death on the cross that completed His testament, the mediation of God's new covenant. Then as the true order of things in the heavens are after the death of Christ, (the sealing of the new covenant complete with the offering up in obedience of His own life to God), it was necessary that the old testament things that are patterned on these should also be sealed with blood, in order to pattern the new covenant correctly. (v23) But yet, imperfectly - not as the perfect obedience of Christ . Christ is entered into the very presence of God blameless and not into a pattern of things not yet come; (v24) And not to do so repeatedly, every year as the old ordained. (v25) Because if that were so He would have to offer Himself continually from the beginning of the world until the end. But having offered himself once and for all, he has sealed the new covenant. (v26) By offering up Himself, which was prefigured by sacrifice, (not to be patterned after sacrifice itself) He has opened the ministration of the Holy Spirit to purge the sins of His Holy people, the body of Christ. Since Christ is blameless having fulfilled the law, under the law Christ is free and lives forever (v27) So as speaking on the figure of the old covenant practice, Christ has borne the sins of many and that many is the body of Christ. Christ will return from that tabernacle to bring salvation to the people who expectantly await Him, in hope for their acceptance as a people before God. (v28) (The High priest would have only been known by the people to have given an accepted offering if he came out from the sanctuary alive.) |
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