The divine services of the first covenant: the rites and bloody sacrifices, 1–10; are far inferior to the dignity and perfection of the blood and sacrifice of Christ, 11–28. (83)
“The essential point is, that the former dispensation was mere shadow, type, 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; vers. 1–5. (2.) A description of the services performed by the high priest once a year; vers. 6, 7. (3.) All this was… a standing demonstration that the way into the most holy place in heaven was not yet fully revealed; vers. 8–10. (4.) Christ was now come- the real sacrifice of which that was the emblem; vers. 11–14. He as a priest to a more perfect tabernacle (ver. 11); he offered not the blood of bulls and goats, but his own blood (ver. 12); with that blood he entered into the most holy place in heaven (ver. 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; vers. 13, 14. (5.) His blood is efficacious not only in remitting present sins, but its efficacy even to past ages, and removes the sins of those who had worshipped God under the former covenant; ver. 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; vers. 16–23. This he shows by the following considerations, viz: (a) It is the nature of a covenant, to be ratified only over dead sacrifices, and that of necessity the victim that was set apart to confirm or ratify it must be slain. (b) The first covenant was 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; vers. 18–23. (7.) The offering made by the Redeemer was to be made but once. 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 heaven and could suffer no more; vers. 24–26. (8.) There was a remarkable resemblance, in one respect, between the death of Christ and the death of all men. It was appointed to them to die once, and but once, and so Christ died but once… In like manner there was a resemblance regarding what would occur after death. Man was not to cease to be but to appear at the judgment. In like manner, Christ has been judged on behalf of man. He would appear again that he might save his people; vers. 27, 28. Without attempting to explain the typical import of every pin and pillar of the tabernacle, one may be excused for thinking, that such prominent parts of its furniture, as the ark, the candlestick, and the cherubim, were designed as types… It is of no use to allege, that the apostle himself has given no explanation of these matters, since this would have kept him back too long from his main object… The apostle terms them, “the example and shadow of heavenly things,” Heb. 8:5; “the patterns of things in the heavens, 9:23… There are also other passages which seem to allude to, and even to explain, some of these articles, such as the golden candlestick, with its seven lamps, Rev. 1:12, 13, 20; the golden censer, 8:3, 4; the vail, Heb. 10:20; the mercy-seat, Rom. 3:25; Heb. 4:16; and, perhaps, the angelic cherubim, 1Pet. 1:12.” It must, however, be acknowledged that too great care and caution cannot be used in investigating such subjects.]” Pink Arthur W. We continue from chap. 9:3.
