Bibelkommentare

Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

Then verily the first covenant — Here the apostle proveth what he had propounded,Hebrews 8:5; Hebrews 8:5 , that this assertion might be sound, such as cannot be condemned, Titus 2:8 .

Ordinances — Gr. δικαιωματαρα justifications, viz. ceremonial, ritual, typical.

A worldly sanctuary — i.e. earthly and shadowy, opposed to true and heavenly.

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For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.

The first wherein was, … — He speaks nothing of the outer court, as not pertinent to his present purpose. But there was both in the tabernacle and temple, the holy of holies, the sanctuary, and the court of the people: answerable whereunto are in man, "The spirit, soul, and body,"1 Thessalonians 5:23; 1 Thessalonians 5:23 . And as the cloud, 1 Kings 8:10-11 , filled first the most holy place, and then the holy, and then the outer court, so doth the Holy Ghost renew the spirit of our minds, and then our wills and affections, and then the outward man.

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And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;

And after the second veil — This was not of any hard debarring matter, but easily penetrable then, and now also rent by Christ, to show our easy access to God with confidence "by the faith of him," Ephesians 3:12 .

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Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

The golden censer — Or the altar of incense, which though it belonged to the most holy place, yet was placed without the veil,Exodus 30:6; Exodus 30:6 , …, that it might be of daily use, the sweet incense offered thereon easily piercing through the veil, and filling the most holy with its savour.

Wherein was the golden pot, … — In or near to the ark of the covenant was this golden pot of manna, and Aaron’s rod, and the tables of the Testament, and the propitiatory or covering, and a crown of gold around it. To insinuate thus much, saith one, that we must be like the ark of the covenant, being builded and reared up still toward the mark; not only when the Lord feedeth us with the sweet manna of his mercy, but also when he afflicteth us with the sharp rod of his correction, and always keep the tables of the Testament, which are the commandments, that by faith in Christ, who is the propitiation for our sins, we may obtain the golden crown of eternal life.

And the table of the covenant — It may here be objected, that,1 Kings 8:9; 1 Kings 8:9 ; 2 Chronicles 5:10 , it is said there was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone. For answer, εν η , "in which," relates not to ark, but tabernacle; so Junius observeth and reconeileth. Calvin and Pareus give other answers. Videsis, their conceit is not to be misliked, that say the ark is the Church, the tables the word, the manna the sacraments, and the rod the discipline.

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And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

And over it the cherubims — The ark covering the law within it, the mercy seat upon it, and over them two cherubims covering one another; all these set forth Christ covering the curses of the law, in whom is the ground of all mercy, which things the angels desire to pry into, as into the pattern of God’s unsearchable wisdom and goodness.

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Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God .

Were thus ordained — Gr. κατεσκευασμενα , prepared, fitted, finished by the hand of the artificer, and therefore called worldly in a good sense, Hebrews 9:1 .

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But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

For the errors — Gr. αγνοηματα , The not knowings of the people; those errors that they could not help, and yet must else have answered for. Ignorat sane improbus omnis, saith Aristotle. Ignorance is the source of all sin, the very well spring from which all wickedness doth ooze and issue. What will not an ignorant man do, who knows not but he may do anything? "The dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty," Psalms 74:20 . Christ therefore expiated the ignorances of his people.

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The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

The way into the holiest — That is, into heaven, typified thereby.

Was not yet made manifest — In regard of performance, and that evidence of faith and doctrine that is held forth under the gospel. The mystery of Christ was manifested piece meal and parcel wise, Hebrews 1:1 .

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