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The apostle, having declared the Old-Testament dispensation antiquated and vanishing away, proceeds to let the Hebrews see the correspondence there was between the Old Testament and the New; and that whatever was excellent in the Old was typical and representative of the New, which therefore must as far excel the Old as the substance does the shadow. The Old Testament was never intended to be rested in, but to prepare for the institutions of the gospel. And here he treats, I. Of the tabernacle, the place of worship, Heb 9:1-5. II. Of the worship and services performed in the tabernacle, Heb 9:6,7. III. He delivers the spiritual sense and the main design of all, Heb 9:8-28.

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." He proceeds now to show that this was also true in reference to the efficacy of the sacrifice which he made; and in order to this, he gives an account of the ancient Jewish sacrifices, and compares them with that made by the Redeemer. The essential point is, that the former dispensation was mere shadow, type, or figure, and that the latter was real and efficacious. The chapter comprises, in illustration of this general idea, the following points:

(1) A description of the ancient tabernacle, and of the utensils that were in it; Hebrews 9:1-5.

(2) a description of the services in it, particularly of that performed by the high priest once a year; Hebrews 9:6-7.

(3) all this was typical and symbolical, and was a standing demonstration that the way into the most holy place in heaven was not yet fully revealed; Hebrews 9:8-10.

(4) Christ was now come - the substance of which that was the shadow; the real sacrifice of which that was the emblem; Hebrews 9:11-14. He pertained as a priest to a more perfect tabernacle Hebrews 9:11; he offered not the blood of bulls and goats, but his own blood Hebrews 9:12; with that blood he entered into the most holy place in heaven Hebrews 9:12; and if the blood of bulls and goats was admitted to be efficacious in putting away external uncleanness, it must be admitted that the blood of Christ had an efficacy in cleansing the conscience; Hebrews 9:13-14.

(5) his blood is efficacious not only in remitting present sins, but it extends in its efficacy even to past ages, and removes the sins of those who had worshipped God under the former covenant; Hebrews 9:15.

(6) the apostle then proceeds to show that it was necessary that the mediator of the new covenant should shed his own blood, and that the blood thus shed should be applied to purify those for whom the sacrifice was made; Hebrews 9:16-23. This he shows by the following considerations, namely:

(a) He argues it from the nature of a covenant or compact, showing that it was ratified only over dead sacrifices, and that of necessity the victim that was set apart to confirm or ratify it must be slain; see notes on Hebrews 9:16-17.

(b) The first covenant was confirmed or ratified by blood, and hence, it was necessary that, since the "patterns" of the heavenly things were sprinkled with blood, the heavenly things themselves should be purified with better sacrifices; Hebrews 9:18-23.

(7) the offering made by the Redeemer was to be made but once. This arose from the necessity of the case, since it could not be supposed that the mediator would suffer often, as the high priest went once every year into the most holy place. He had come and died once in the last dispensation of things on earth, and then had entered into heaven and could suffer no more; Hebrews 9:24-26.

(8) in the close of the chapter the apostle adverts to the fact that there was a remarkable resemblance, in one respect, between the death of Christ and the death of all people. It was appointed to them to die once, and but once, and so Christ died but once. As a man, it was in accordance with the universal condition of things that he should die once; and in accordance with the same condition of things it was proper that he should die but once. In like manner there was a resemblance or fitness in regard to what would occur after death. Man was to appear at the judgment. He was not to cease to be, but would stand hereafter at the bar of God. In like manner, Christ would again appear. He did not cease to exist when he expired, but would appear again that he might save his people; Hebrews 9:27-28.

Of the first covenant, and its ordinances, Hebrews 9:1. The tabernacle, candlestick, table, show-bread, veil, holy of holies, censer, ark, pot of manna, Aaron's rod, tables of the covenant, cherubim of glory, and mercy seat, Hebrews 9:2-5. How the priests served, Hebrews 9:6, Hebrews 9:7. What was signified by the service, Hebrews 9:8-10. The superior excellency of Christ's ministry and sacrifice, and the efficacy of his blood, vv. 11-26. As men must once die and be judged, so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many, and shall come without a sin-offering, a second time, to them that expect him, Hebrews 9:27, Hebrews 9:28.

INTRODUCTION TO Hebrews 9

The apostle having, in the former chapter, taken notice of the first covenant, in this proceeds to show what belonged to it, that it had service performed under it, and a place in which it was performed, Hebrews 9:1 and he begins with the latter, which he distinguishes into two parts, and shows what was in each of them; in the first, which was the holy place, were a candlestick, table, and shewbread; in the second, which was the holiest of all, were a golden censer, the ark of the covenant, the golden pot of manna, Aaron's rod, the tables of the covenant, and the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat, Hebrews 9:2. And next he speaks of the service performed in these places; in the first, the holy place, the common priests entered every day, doing service, as offering sacrifice, &c. Hebrews 9:6 and in the second, the holy of holies, only the high priest entered into, and that but once a year, with blood of slain beasts, which he offered for his own sins, and the sins of the people, Hebrews 9:7 and this being shut up, and entered into but once a year, was an indication from the Holy Ghost, that the way into the holiest of all, which this was then a figure of, was not yet made manifest, while the tabernacle or temple was standing, in which sacrifices were offered, which could not perfect the offerer of them, or remove guilt from his conscience, Hebrews 9:8 which shows the imperfection of that priesthood, it consisting of meats, drinks, baptisms, and carnal ordinances imposed on the Jewish nation until the times of the Messiah, Hebrews 9:10 which are now come, and in which there is an accomplishment of all those types and figures; Christ was typified by the high priest; and he is come as such, and the good things, the law was a shadow of, are come by him; who came into the world by the assumption of human nature, a more perfect tabernacle than the type of it was; and now having obtained eternal redemption for his people, he is gone into heaven, the most holy place, not as the high priest, with the blood of slain beasts, but with his own blood, Hebrews 9:11 the efficacy of which blood is argued from the lesser to the greater, that if the blood of beasts, and water of separation, sanctified and purified externally, then much more must the blood of Christ purge the conscience from sin, that it may serve God, since Christ offered himself to God without spot, through the eternal Spirit, Hebrews 9:13. The necessity of Christ's shedding his blood, or of his death, is proved from his being the Mediator of the new covenant, which required the redemption of transgressions under the first testament, that called ones might have the promise of the eternal inheritance, Hebrews 9:15. And this is reasoned from the nature of testaments or wills among men, which make the death of the testator necessary, they being of no force while he lives, only after his death, Hebrews 9:16. And this is further illustrated by the first testament being dedicated by blood, and everything belonging to it purged by it, the book, the people, the tabernacle, and all the vessels of it; nor is there any remission of sin, whether typical or real, without shedding of blood, Hebrews 9:18 wherefore, as it was necessary that the patterns and types of heavenly things should be purified in this manner; it must be more so, that the antitypes should be purified with better sacrifices, even with the sacrifice of Christ, Hebrews 9:23 and accordingly Christ is entered into heaven itself, of which the holy places in the tabernacle were figures, there to present and plead his sacrifice on account of his people, Hebrews 9:24 not that it was necessary that he should offer up himself again, or often, as the high priest, his type, went every year into the holy place with the blood of others; for then he must have often suffered since the world began, of which there was no need, since his appearing once in the end of the world, to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, is sufficient, Hebrews 9:25 for as it is the appointment of God, that men should die but once, and then come to judgment, so it was only necessary that Christ should be offered once to bear the sins of all his people, and then appear a second time without any sin at all upon him, to the salvation of those that look for him, Hebrews 9:27.

Ch. 9. After thus tracing the contrast between the Two Covenants, the writer proceeds to shew the difference between their ordinances of ministration (Hebrews 9:1 to Hebrews 10:18). He contrasts the sanctuary (1–5), the offering, and the access (6, 7) of the Levitical Priests, in their shadowy and inefficacious ritual (9, 10), with the sanctuary (11), the offering, and the access of Christ (12), stating how far superior was the efficacy of Christ’s work (13, 14). In the remainder of the chapter (15–28) he explains the perfection and indispensableness of Christ’s one sacrifice for sin. His object in this great section of the Epistle is to prove to the Hebrews that Christ is “the end of the Law;” that by His sacrifice all other sacrifices have been rendered needless; and that unlike the brief, intermittent, and partial access of the High Priest to the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement, we have through Christ a perfect, universal, and continuous access to God.

CHAPTER 9

Hebrews 9:1. ἡ πρώτη] Elz.: ἡ πρώτη σκηνή. But the addition σκηνή is condemned as a gloss by the fact of its being wanting in all the uncial MSS., in many cursives, in Syr. utr. Basm. Aeth. Arm. It. Vulg., with Gregory Thaumaturgus, Cyril, Chrys. Damasc. Theoph. Photius, al. On the ground, too, of internal evidence it is to be rejected, since, on the one hand, the coherence with Hebrews 8:13, and through that with Hebrews 8:7 ff., leads to διαθήκη as the main idea to be supplemented; and, on the other hand, the expression ἡ πρώτη σκηνή, Hebrews 9:1, would be made to denote something quite different from that which the same expression denotes in Hebrews 9:2. For, while in Hebrews 9:2 the outer division of the tabernacle is indicated thereby, in Hebrews 9:1 only the first or Old Testament, earthly tabernacle, in opposition to the New Testament, heavenly one, thus something entirely dissimilar, could be intended by this expression.

Hebrews 9:2. After ἄρτων, B, Basmur. add καὶ τὸ χρυσοῦν θυμιατήριον, and in return omit the words χρυσοῦν θυμιατήριον καί, Hebrews 9:4. Violent intentional transposition, with a view to the removal of the archaeological difficulty.

Instead of ἅγια, Lachm. writes ἅγια. ἁγίων, after A (αγια· αγιων) D* E, It. But ἅγια ἁγίων is a mere slip on the part of the copyist, occasioned by Hebrews 9:3, and is to be rejected as devoid of sense.

Hebrews 9:5. Χερουβίμ] A: Χερουβείμ, B D*** (and so Lachm. Tisch. 7 and 8): Χερουβείν, D* א: Χερουβίν. In the case of the LXX., too, the MSS. are wont equally to vary as regards the final syllable of the word.

Instead of the Recepta δόξης, Griesb. and Scholz have erroneously placed in the text κῆς δόξης. The article has against it all the uncial MSS. and other witnesses.

Hebrews 9:9. In place of the Recepta καθʼ ὅν (D*** E K L, min. It. Copt. Sah. Basm. Syr. utr. Chrys. Theodoret, Theoph.), Lachm. Scholz, Bleek, Tisch. 1, 7, and 8, Delitzsch, Alford have, rightly preferred the reading καθʼ ἢν, in accordance with A B D* א, 17, 23* 27, al., Vulg. Slav. codd. Damasc. Oecum. (comment.). Already approved by Mill, Prolegg. p. 1046, and placed by Griesb. upon the inner margin. The καθʼ ὅν, as affording an easier mode of appending to that which precedes, is a later correction of the more difficult and ill-understood καθʼ ἥν.

Hebrews 9:10. The Recepta reads: καἰ δικαιώμασι σαρκός. But καί is wanting in A D* א* 6, 17, 27, 31, al., with Cyr. (twice) in Syr. Copt. Sahid. Arm. al.; and in place of δικαιώμασι, A B א, ten cursives, Cyril., and many versions have δικαιώματα, while in D* It. Sahid. there is found δικαίωμα. Lachm. Scholz, Bleek, Tisch. 1, 7, and 8, Alford have therefore adopted δικαιώματα σαρκός, which was already approved by Grotius, Mill, Prolegg. p. 1355, and Bengel, and recommended by Griesb. Delitzsch and Reiche likewise give it the preference. This reading is in reality to be regarded as the original one. For it is more easily explicable that δικαιώματα should, on account of the foregoing datives, be changed into δικαιώμασι, and joined on to them by means of καί, than that the καί δικαιώμασι, if it already existed, should, on account of the closing word ἐπικείμενα, be converted into δικαιώματα.

Hebrews 9:11. In place of the Recepta τῶν μελλόντων, Lachm. and Tisch. 1 read, after B D* It. Syr. utr. (yet the Syr. Philonex. has the Recepta in the margin) Arab. petropol. and some codd. of Chrys.: τῶν γενομένων. Defended by Ebrard. But the reading is not in keeping with the carefully chosen diction of our author, and its sense: “High Priest of the good things which have arisen,” does not commend itself. It is manifestly a transcriber’s error, occasioned by the presence of the foregoing παραγενόμενος.

Hebrews 9:12. εὐράμενος] D* (E?), 27, 44, 80, al., and some Fathers: εὑρόμενος.

Hebrews 9:13. Elz.: ταύρων καὶ τράγων. With Lachm. Bleek, Tisch. Alford, to be transposed into τράγων καὶ ταὑρων, in accordance with the decisive authority of A B D E א, Cyr. Theodoret, Bede, Syr. Copt. Basm. It. Vulg. al.

Hebrews 9:14. πνεύματος αἰωνίου] D* א*** many cursives, Copt. Basm. Slav. It. Vulg. al., Chrys. Cyr. Didym. (?) Damasc. al.: πνεύματος ἁγίου. Interpretative gloss.

In place of the Recepta συνείδησιν ὑμῶν, Bengel, Knapp, Lachm. Tisch. 1 and 2, Alford read more suitably, in accordance with A D* K, 44, 47, 67, al., Syr. Copt. Arm. Vulg. ms. al. Athan. Cyr. Chrys. (comment.) Theodoret, Theoph.: συνείδησιν ἡμῶν. Recommended likewise by Griesb., and already placed in the text in the Edd. Complut. Genev. Plant.

To the mere θεῷ ζῶντι in the Recepta, Lachm., with A, 21* 31, 66 (in the margin), Copt. Slav. Chrys. (comment.) Macar. Theoph., has added the words καὶ ἀληθινῷ. These words are, however, to be deleted. They are a gloss from 1 Thessalonians 1:9.

Hebrews 9:17. μήποτε] D* א* and Isidor. Pelus. iv. 113 (… οὕτω γὰρ εὗρον καὶ ἐν παλαιοῖς ἀντιγράφοις): μὴ τότε.

Hebrews 9:18. Instead of οὐδʼ in the Recepta, we have, with Lachm. Bleek, Tisch. 1, 2, and 7, Delitzsch, Alford, to write οὐδέ, in accordance with A C D E L, 4, 44, 52, Chrys. Theodoret, Oecum.

ἡ πρώτη] D* E* It.: ἠ πρώτη διαθήκη. Exegetical gloss.

Hebrews 9:19. Elz.: κατὰ νόμον. But the better attestation by A C D* L א*** 21, 47, 71, al., Copt. Basm. Chrys. ms. Theodoret, Theoph. requires the reading preferred by Lachm. Bleek, Tiseh. 1, and Alford: κατὰ τὸν νόμον.

In like manner is the article τῶν wanting in the Recepta before τράγων to be added, with Lachm. Tisch. and Alford, in accordance with the weighty authority of A C D E (D E, Aeth.: τῶν τράγων καὶ τῶν μόσχων) א* 80, al. mult. It. Vulg. Theodoret, ms.

So, in place of the Recepta ἐῤῥάντισε here and Hebrews 9:21, we have, with Lachm. Tisch. and Alford, in accordance with all the uncials, to write ἐράντισεν.

Hebrews 9:24. The order of the words followed by Lachm. in the stereotype edition, as well as recently by Tisch. in the ed. 7 and Hebrews 8 : εἰσῆλθεν ἅγια, rests only upon the testimony of A א, 37, 118. In the larger edition of Lachm., therefore, this has rightly given place to the Recepta ἅγια εἰσῆλθεν.

Better attested than the Recepta ὁ Χριστός is the mere Χριστός (A C* D* א, al. [Cod. B in its original form extends only to συνείδησιν, Hebrews 9:14]), preferred by Lachm. Bleek, Tisch. 1 and 8, and Alford.

Hebrews 9:26. Elz. Griesb. Matthaei, Scholz, Bleek, de Wette, Bloomfield, Delitzsch: νῦν δέ. Better Lachm. Tisch. and Alford, in accordance with A C L (?) א, 37, 39, 40, Orig. Chrys.: νυνὶ δέ.

ἁμαρτίας] A א, 17, 73. Lachm.: τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Against C D*** E K L, almost all the min. Orig. (once) al. mult.

Hebrews 9:28. οὔτως καί] Elz. has only αὕτως. Against decisive witnesses (all the uncial mss., most min., many translations and Fathers).

After εἰς σωτηρίαν, Lachm. in the stereotype edition had added, with A, 31, 47, al., Syr. Philonex. Slav. codd. Damasc., the words διὰ πίστεως. Rightly, however, has he deleted them in the larger edition. The addition is a complementary gloss, which has against it the testimony of C D E K L א, many min. versions, and Fathers, and betrays its character as a gloss by its changing position (Arm. 27, 31, 57, 61, al., have it before εἰς σωτηρίαν).

Heb 9:1-28. INFERIORITY OF THE OLD TO THE NEW COVENANT IN THE MEANS OF ACCESS TO GOD: THE BLOOD OF BULLS AND GOATS OF NO REAL AVAIL: THE BLOOD OF CHRIST ALL-SUFFICIENT TO PURGE AWAY SIN, WHENCE FLOWS OUR HOPE OF HIS APPEARING AGAIN FOR OUR PERFECT SALVATION.

1. Then verily--Greek, "Accordingly then." Resuming the subject from

Heb 8:5.

In accordance with the command given to Moses, "the first covenant had," &c.

had--not "has," for as a covenant it no longer existed, though its rites were observed till the destruction of Jerusalem.

ordinances--of divine right and institution.

service--worship.

a worldly sanctuary--Greek, "its (literally, 'the') sanctuary worldly," mundane; consisting of the elements of the visible world. Contrasted with the heavenly sanctuary. Compare

Heb 9:11, 12,

"not of this building,"

Heb 9:24.

Material, outward, perishing (however precious its materials were), and also defective religiously. In

Heb 9:2-5,

"the worldly sanctuary" is discussed; in

Heb 9:6,

&c., the "ordinances of worship." The outer tabernacle the Jews believed, signified this world; the Holy of Holies, heaven. JOSEPHUS calls the outer, divided into two parts, "a secular and common place," answering to "the earth and sea"; and the inner holiest place, the third part, appropriated to God and not accessible to men.