20 Saying, This is the blood" of the testament. which God hath enjoined unto you. Mat. 26. 28. he should sprinkle water over them | When this was done, the covenant from the place where he stood, might between God and the people was conbe said to sprinkle it on the people, firmed as a covenant between man though in fact but few might have and man is when it is scaled. been touched by it. The act would Which God hath enjoined unto you. be equally significant whether the In Ex. xxiv. 8, "which God hath emblem fell on few or many. made with you." The language used by Paul, which God hath enjoined' See-vereiλaro-commanded-shows that he did not regard this as strictly of the nature of a covenant, or compact. When a compact is made between parties, one does not enjoin or command the other, but it is a mutual 20. Saying, This is the blood of the testament. Of the covenant. Notes on vs. 16, 17. That is, this is the blood by which the covenant is ratified. It was the means used to confirm it; the sacred and solemn form by which it was made sure. a 21 Moreover he sprinkled likewise with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. a Ex. 29. 12, 36. 22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. b Le. 17. 11. mission or forgiveness of sins. That is, though some things were purified by fire and water, yet when the matter pertained to the forgiveness of sins, it was universally true that no sins were pardoned except by the shedding of blood. Some impurities might be removed by water and fire, but the stain of sin could be removed only by blood. This declaration referred in its primary meaning, to the Jewish rites, and the sense is, that under that dispensation it was uni agreement. In the transactions between God and man, though called -Berith, or diaýкn, diatheke, the idea of a covenant or compact is so far excluded that God never loses his right to command or enjoin. It is not a transaction between equals, or an agreement; it is a solemn arrangement on the part of God which he proposes to men, and which he enjoins them to embrace; which they are not indeed at liberty to disregard, but which when embraced is appropriately rati-versally true that in order to the forfied by some solemn act on their part. Comp. Notes on ch. viii. 6. giveness of sin blood must be shed. But it contains a truth of higher order and importance still. It is universally true that sin never has been, and never will be forgiven, except in connexion with, and in virtue of the shedding of blood. It is on this principle that the plan of salvation by the atonement is based, and on this that God in fact bestows pardon on men. There is not the slightest evidence that any man has ever been pardoned except through the blood shed for the remission of sins. The infidel who rejects the atonement has no evidence that his sins are pardoned; the man who Tlives in the neglect of the gospel, though he has abundant evidence that he is a sinner, furnishes none that his sins are forgiven; and the 21. He sprinkled-both the tabernacle. This circumstance is not stated by Moses. On the probability that this was done, see Notes on ver. 19. The account of setting up the tabernacle occurs in Ex. xl. In that account it is said that Moses anointed the tabernacle with the holy anointing oil. Vs. 9-11. Josephus (Ant. B. III. ch. viii. § 6), says that he consecrated it and the vessels thereto belonging with the blood of bulls and of rams. This was undoubtedly the tradition in the time of Paul, and no one can prove that it is not correct. And all the vessels of the ministry. Employed in the service of God. The altar, the laver,- (Ex. xl. 10, 11), the censers, dishes, bowls, &c., which | Mussulman and the heathen can point were used in the tabernacle. 22. And almost all things. It is a general custom to purify everything by blood. This rule was not universal, for some things were purified by fire and water, (Num. xxxi. 22, 23), and some by water only. Num. xxxi. 24; Lev. xvi. 26. 28. But the exceptions to the general rule were few. Almost everything in the tabernacle and temple service, was consecrated or purified by blood. And without shedding of blood is no remission. Re to no proof that their sins are blotted 23 It was therefore neces- 24 For Christ is not entered sary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. no sinner can hope for forgiveness except through the blood of Christ; (2) that if men are ever saved they must be willing to rely on the merits of that blood; (3) that all men are on a level in regard to salvation, since all are to be saved in the same way; and (4) that there will be one and the same song in heaven-the song of redeeming love. into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: a Ro. 8. 34. holy place; and the other priests into the holy place. Jesus, being of the tribe of Judah, and not of Levi, never entered the temple proper. He had access only to the courts of the temple, in the same way as any other Jew had. See Notes on Matt. xxi. 12. He has entered into the true temple-heaven of which the earthly tabernacle was the type. Which are the figures of the true. Literally, the antitypesȧvriruña. The word properly means that which is formed after a model pattern, or type; and then that which corresponds to something or answers to it. The idea here is, that the type or fashion-the true figure or formwas shown to Moses in the Mount, and then the tabernacle was made after that model, or corresponded to it. The true original figure is heaven itself; the tabernacle was an antitype of that-or was so formed as in some sense to correspond to it. That is, it 23. The patterns of things in the heavens. The tabernacle and its various utensils. See Notes on ch. viii. 5. ¶ Be purified with these. With water and blood, and by these ceremonies. T But the heavenly things themselves. The heavenly tabernacle or sanctuary into which Christ has entered, and where he performs the functions of his ministry. The use of the word purified here applied to heaven, does not imply that heaven was before unholy, but it denotes that it is now made accessible to sinners; or that they may come and worship there in an accept-corresponded in regard to the matters able manner. The ancient tabernacle was purified or consecrated by the blood of the victims slain, so that men might approach with acceptance and worship; the heavens by purer blood are rendered accessible to the guilty The necessity for 'better sacrifices' in regard to the latter was, that it was designed to make the conscience pure, and because the service in heaven is more holy than any rendered on earth. With better sacrifices than these. To wit, the sacrifice made by the offering of the Lord Jesus on the cross. This infinitely surpassed in value all that had been offered under the Jewish dispensation. 24. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands. Into the temple or tabernacle. The Jewish high priest alone entered into the most under consideration-the most holy place denoted heaven; the mercy-seat and the shekinah were symbols of the presence of God, and of the fart that he shows mercy in heaven; the entrance of the high priest was emblematical of the entrance of the Redeemer into heaven; the sprinkling of the blood there was a type of what the Redeemer would do in heaven. Now to appear in the presence of God for us. As the Jewish high priest appeared before the shekinah, the symbol of the divine presence in the tabernacle, so Christ appears before God himself in our behalf in heaven. He has gone to plead for our salvation; to present the merits of his blood as a permanent reason why we should be saved. Notes Rom. viii. 34; Heb. vii. 25. 25 Nor yet that he should | tion of the world : but now once offer himself often, as the high in the end of the world hath he priest entereth into the holy appeared, to put away sin by place every year with blood of the sacrifice of himself. others; 26 For then must he often have suffered since the founda a Ge. 3. 19. 25. Nor yet that he should offer himself often. The Jewish high priest entered the most holy place with blood once every year. In this respect the offering made by Christ, and the work which he performed, differed from that of the Jewish high priest. It was not needful that he should enter the holy place but once. Having entered there, he permanently remains there. With the blood of others. That is, with the blood of calves, and goats. This is a second point in which the work of Christ differs from that of the Jewish high priest. Christ entered there with his own blood. Notes on ver. 12. 27 And as it is appointed" unto men once to die, but after this the judgment; b Ec. 12. 14. that Christ died but once for sin, and that is done by showing that the most important events pertaining to man occur but once. Thus it is with death. That does not, and cannot occur many times. It is the great law of ir being that men die but once, and hence the same thing was to be expected to occur in regard to him who made the atonement. It could not be supposed that this great law pertaining to man would be departed from in the case of him who died to make the atonement, and that he would repeatedly undergo the pains of death. The same thing was true in regard to the judgment. Man is to be judged 26. For then must he often have once, and but once. The decision is suffered. That is, if his blood had to be final, and is not to be repeated. no more efficacy than that which the In like manner there was a fitness Jewish high priest offered, and which that the great Redeemer should die was so often repeated, it would have but once, and that his death should, been necessary that Christ should without being repeated, determine the have often died. But now once. | destiny of man. There was a remarkOnce for all; once in the sense that able oneness in the great events which it is not to be repeated again ara. | most affected men; and neither death, ¶ In the end of the world. In the last dispensation or economy; that under which the affairs of the world will be wound up. See the phrase fully explained in Notes ch. i. 2, and Acts ii. 17; I. Cor. x. 11, and Isa. ii. 2. ¶ Hath he appeared. He has been manifested in human form. To put away sin. (1.) To remove the punishment due to sin, or to provide a way of pardon; and (2.) to remove the stain of sin from the soul. See Notes on ver. 14. By the sacrifice of himself. See Notes on ch. i. 3; ii. 14; vii. 27. the judgment, nor the atonement could be repeated. In regard to the declaration here that 'it is appointed unto men once to die,' we may observe, (1.) that death is the result of appointment. Gen. iii. 19. It is not the effect of chance, or hap-hazard It is not a debt of nature.' It is not the condition to which man was subject by the laws of his creation. It is not to be accounted for by the mere principles of physiology. God could as well have made the heart to play for ever as for fifty years. Death is no more the regular result of physical laws than the guillotine and the gallows are. It is in all cases the result of intelligent appointment, and for an adequate cause. (2.) That cause, | who shall escape. No exception is or the reason of that appointment, is made in favour of youth, beauty, or sin. Notes Rom. vi. 23. This is the blood; no rank or station is exempt; adequate cause; this explains the no merit, no virtue, no patriotism, no whole of it. Holy beings do not die. talent, can purchase freedom from it. There is not the slightest proof that In every other sentence which goes an angel in heaven has died, or that out against men there may be some any perfectly holy being has ever died hope of reprieve. Here there is none. except the Lord Jesus. In every We cannot meet an individual who is death, then, we have a demonstration not under sentence of death. It is not that the race is guilty; in each case only the poor wretch in the dungeon of mortality we have an affecting me- doomed to the gallows who is to mento that we are individually trans- die, it is the rich man in his palace; gressors. (3.) Death occurs but once the gay trifler in the assembly room; in this world. It cannot be repeated the friend that we embrace and love; if we should desire to have it repeated. and she whom we meet in the crowded Whatever truths or facts then pertain saloon of fashion with all the graces to death; whatever lessons it is cal- of accomplishment and adorning. culated to convey, pertain to it as an Each one of these is just as much event which is not to occur again. under sentence of death as the poor That which is to occur but once in an wretch in the cell, and the execution eternity of existence acquires, from on any one of them may occur be. that very fact, if there were no other fore his. It is too for substantially circumstances, an immense import- the same cause, and is as really deance. What is to be done but once, served. It is for sin that all are doomwe should wish to be done well. We ed to death, and the fact that we must should make all proper preparation die should be a constant remem. for it; we should regard it with sin- brancer of our guilt. (5.) As death gular interest. If preparation is to is to occur to us but once, there is a be made for it, we should make all cheering interest in the reflection that which we expect ever to make. A when it is passed it is passed for ever. man who is to cross the ocean but The dying pang, the chill, the cold once; to go away from his home never sweat, are not to be repeated. Death to return, should make the right kind is not to approach us often-he is to of preparation. He cannot come back be allowed to come to us but once. to take that which he has forgotten; When we have once passed through to arrange that which he has neg- the dark valley, we shall have the aslected; to give counsel which he has surance that we shall never tread its failed to do; to ask forgiveness for gloomy way again. Once, then, let offences for which he has neglected us be willing to die-since we can to seek pardon. And so of death. A die but once; and let us rejoice in man who dies, dies but once. He the assurance which the gospel fur. cannot come back again to make pre-nishes, that they who die in the Lord paration if he has neglected it; to repair the evils which he has caused by wicked life; or to implore pardon for sins for which he had failed to ask forgiveness. Whatever is to be done with reference to death, is to be done once for all before he dies. (4.) Death occurs to all. It is appointed unto men' to the race. It is not an appointment for one, but for all. No one is appointed by name to die; and not an individual is designated as one leave the world to go where death in any form is unknown. ¶ But after this the judgment. The apostle does not say how long after death this will be, nor is it possible for us to know. Acts i. 7; comp. Matt. xxiv. 36. We may suppose, however, that there will be two periods in which there will be an act of judgment passed on those who die. (1.) Immediately after death when they pass into the eternal world, when their destiny will |