Hebrews 9 — Verse 13

There are two things in this Verse, which are the ground from where the Apostle argueth and maketh his Inference in that which follows. (1) A Proposition of the Sacrifices and Services of the Law which he had respect to. (2) An Assignation of a certain efficacy to them.

The Sacrifices of the Law he refers to two Heads. (1) The Blood of Bulls and Goats. (2) The Ashes of an Heifer. And the distinction is, (1) from the matter of them, (2) the manner of their performance. For the manner of their performance, the Blood of Bulls and Goats were offered, which is supposed and included; the Ashes of the Heifer was sprinkled, as it is expressed.

The matter of the first is the Blood of Bulls and Goats. The same, say some, with the Goats and Calves mentioned in the Verse foregoing. So generally do the Expositors of the Roman Church; and that because their Translation reads Hircorum & Vitulorum, contrary to the Original Text. And some instances they give of the same signification of [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] and [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉].

But the Apostle had just reason for the alteration of his expression. For in the foregoing Verse, he had respect only to the Anniversary Sacrifice of the High Priest, but here he enlargeth the Subject to the consideration of all other expiatory Sacrifices under the Law. For he joins to the Blood of Bulls and Goats, the Ashes of an Heifer, which was of no use in the Anniversary Sacrifice. Therefore he designed in these words summarily to express all Sacrifices of Expiation, and all Ordinances of Purification that were appointed under the Law. And therefore the words in the close of the Verse, expressing the end and effects of these Ordinances, purified the unclean as to the flesh, are not to be restrained to them immediately foregoing, the Ashes of an Heifer sprinkled; but an equal respect is to be had to the other sort, or the Blood of Bulls and Goats.

The Socinian Expositor, in his entrance into that wresting of this Text wherein he labors in a peculiar manner, denies that the water of sprinkling is here to be considered as Typical of Christ, and that because it is the Anniversary Sacrifice alone which is intended, wherein it was of no use. Yet he adds immediately that in it self, it was a Type of Christ; so wresting the Truth against his own Convictions, to force his design. But the Conclusion is strong on the other hand; because it was a Type of Christ, and is so here considered, whereas it was not used in the great Anniversary Sacrifice, it is not that Sacrifice alone which the Apostle has respect to.

Therefore by Bulls and Goats, by an usual Synecdoche, all the several kinds of clean Beasts, whose blood was given to the People to make Atonement withal, are intended. So is the matter of all Sacrifices expressed (Psalm 50:13), Will I eat the flesh of Bulls, or drink the blood of Goats? Sheep are contained under Goats, being all Beasts of the Flock.

And it is the Blood of these Bulls and Goats which is proposed as the first way or means of the Expiation of Sin, and Purification under the Law. For it was by their Blood, and that as offered at the Altar, that Atonement was made (Leviticus 17:11). Purification was also made thereby, even by the sprinkling of it.

The second thing mentioned to the same end, is the Ashes of an Heifer; and the use of it, which was by sprinkling. The Institution, use and end of this Ordinance, is described at large (Numbers 19). And an eminent Type of Christ there was therein, both as to his suffering, and the continual efficacy of the cleansing virtue of his Blood in the Church. It would too much divert us from the present Argument, to consider all the particulars wherein there was a Representation of the Sacrifice of Christ, and the purging virtue of it in this Ordinance; yet the mention of some of them is of use to the Explication of the Apostle's general design. As,

(1) It was to be a Red Heifer, and that without spot or blemish, whereon no yoke had come (ver. 2). Red is the color of guilt (Isaiah 1:18), yet was there no spot or blemish in the Heifer; so was the guilt of Sin upon Christ, who in himself was absolutely pure and holy. No yoke had been on her; nor was there any constraint on Christ, but he offered himself willingly through the eternal Spirit.

(2) She was to be had forth without the Camp (ver. 3), which the Apostle alludes to (Chapter 13:11), representing Christ going out of the City to his Suffering and Oblation.

(3) One did slay her before the face of the Priest, and not the Priest himself. So the hands of others, Jews and Gentiles were used in the slaying of our Sacrifice.

(4) The Blood of the Heifer being slain, was sprinkled by the Priest seven times directly before the Tabernacle of the Congregation (ver. 4). So is the whole Church purified by the sprinkling of the Blood of Christ.

(5) The whole Heifer was to be burned in the sight of the Priest (ver. 5). So was whole Christ, Soul and Body, offered up to God in the fire of love, kindled in him by the eternal Spirit.

(6) Cedar wood, Hyssop and Scarlet were to be cast into the midst of the burning of the Heifer (ver. 6), which were all used by God's Institution in the purification of the unclean, or the sanctification and dedication of any thing to sacred use; to teach us that all spiritual virtue to these ends, really and eternally, was contained in the one offering of Christ.

(7) Both the Priest who sprinkled the Blood, the men that slew the Heifer, and he that burned her, and he that gathered her ashes, were all unclean, until they were washed (ver. 7, 8, 9, 10). So when Christ was made a Sin-offering, all the legal uncleannesses, that is, the Guilt of the Church, were on him, and he took them away.

But it is the use of this Ordinance which is principally intended. The ashes of this Heifer being burned, was preserved, that being mixed with pure water, it might be sprinkled on persons, who on any occasion were legally unclean. Whoever was so, was excluded from all the solemn worship of the Church. Therefore without this Ordinance, the worship of God, and the holy state of the Church could not have been continued. For the means, causes, and ways of legal defilements among them were very many, and some of them unavoidable. In particular every tent and house, and all persons in them were defiled, if any one died among them, which could not but continually fall out in their families. Hereon they were excluded from the Tabernacle and congregation, and all duties of the solemn worship of God, until they were purified. Had not therefore these ashes, which were to be mingled with living water, been always preserved and in a readiness, the whole worship of God must quickly have ceased among them.

It is so in the Church of Christ. The spiritual defilements which befall believers are many, and some of them unavoidable to them while they are in this world; yes, their duties, the best of them, have defilements adhering to them. Were it not but that the blood of Christ, in its purifying virtue, is in a continual readiness to faith, that God therein had opened a fountain for sin and uncleanness, the worship of the Church would not be acceptable to him. In a constant application thereunto, does the exercise of faith much consist.

The nature and use of this Ordinance is farther described by its object, the unclean, [in non-Latin alphabet], that is, those that were made common. All those who had a liberty of approach to God in his solemn worship, were so far sanctified, that is, separated, and dedicated. And such as were deprived of this privilege were made common, and so unclean.

The unclean especially intended in the institution, were those who were defiled by the dead. Every one that by any means touched a dead body, whether dying naturally or slain, whether in the house or field, or did bear it, or assist in the bearing of it, or were in the tent or house where it was, were all defiled; no such person was to come into the congregation, or near the Tabernacle. But it is certain that many offices about the dead, are works of humanity and mercy, which morally defile not. Therefore there was a peculiar reason of the constitution of this defilement, and this severe interdiction of them that were so defiled from divine worship. And this was to represent to the people the curse of the law, whereof death was the great visible effect. The present Jews have this notion, that defilement by the dead, arose from the poison that is dropped into them that die by the Angel of death, whereof see our Exposition on Chap. 2. 14. The meaning of it is, that death came in by sin, from the poisonous temptation of the old Serpent, and befell men by the curse which took hold of them thereon. But they have lost the understanding of their own tradition. This belonged to the bondage under which it was the will of God to keep that people, that they should dread death as an effect of the curse of the law, and the fruit of sin, which is taken away in Christ (Hebrews 2:14; 1 Corinthians 15:47). And these works which were to them so full of defilement, are now to us accepted duties of piety and mercy.

These and many others were excluded from an interest in the solemn worship of God, upon ceremonial defilements. And some vehemently contend that none were so excluded for moral defilements; and it may be it is true, for the matter is dubious. But that it should from there follow, that none under the Gospel should be so excluded, for moral and spiritual evils, is a fond imagination. Yes, the argument is firm, that if God did so severely shut out from a participation in his solemn worship, all those who were legally or ceremonially defiled, much more is it his will, that those who live in spiritual or moral defilements, should not approach to him by the holy ordinances of the Gospel.

The manner of the application of this purifying water, was by sprinkling. Being sprinkled; or rather transitively, sprinkling the unclean. Not only the act, but the efficacy of it is intended. The manner of it is declared (Numbers 19:17, 18). The ashes was kept by itself. Where use was to be made of it, it was to be mingled with clean living water, water from the spring. The virtue was from the ashes; as it was the ashes of the Heifer, slain and burnt as a sin-offering. The water was used as the means of its application. Being so mingled, any clean person might dip a bunch of Hyssop (see Psalm 51:7) into it, and sprinkle any thing or person that was defiled. For it was not confined to the office of the Priest, but was left to every private person, as is the continual application of the blood of Christ. And this rite of sprinkling was that alone in all sacrifices whereby their continued efficacy to sanctification and purification was expressed. From there is the blood of Christ called the blood of sprinkling, because of its efficacy to our sanctification, as applied by faith to our souls and consciences.

The effect of the things mentioned is, that they sanctified to the purifying of the flesh; namely, that those to whom they were applied, might be made Levitically clean, be so freed from the carnal defilements, as to have an admission to the solemn worship of God, and society of the Church.

Sanctifieth, [in non-Latin alphabet] in the New Testament does signify for the most part, to purify and sanctify internally and spiritually. Sometimes it is used in the sense of [in non-Latin alphabet] in the Old Testament, to separate, dedicate, consecrate. So is it by our Savior (John 17:19), [in non-Latin alphabet]. And for them, I sanctify myself; that is, separate and dedicate myself to be a sacrifice. So is it here used. Every defiled person was made common, excluded from the privilege of a right to draw nigh to God in his solemn worship: but in his purification he was again separated to him, and restored to his sacred right.

The word is of the singular number, and seems only to respect the next Antecedent, [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩], the Ashes of an Heifer. But if so, the Apostle mentions the Blood of Bulls and Goats, without the ascription of any effect or efficacy thereunto. This therefore is not likely, as being the more Solemn Ordinance. Therefore the word is distinctly to be referred by a Zeugma to the one and the other. The whole effect of all the sacrifices and institutions of the Law is comprised in this word. All the sacrifices of expiation, and ordinances of purification had this effect, and no more.

They sanctified to the purifying of the flesh. That is, those who were legally defiled, and were therefore excluded from an interest in the worship of God, and were made obnoxious to the curse of the Law thereon, were so legally purified, justified, and cleansed by them, as that they had free admission into the society of the Church, and the solemn worship thereof. This they did, this they were able to effect, by virtue of divine institution.

This was the state of things under the Law, when there was a church-purity, holiness and sanctification, to be obtained by the due observance of external rites and ordinances, without internal purity or holiness. Therefore these things were in themselves of no worth nor value. And as God himself does often in the Prophets declare, that merely on their own account he had no regard to them; so by the Apostle they are called worldly, carnal, and beggarly rudiments. Why then, it will be said, did God appoint and ordain them? Why did he oblige the people to their observance? I answer, It was not at all on the account of their outward use and efficacy, as to the purifying of the flesh, which as it was alone God always despised; but it was because of the representation of good things to come, which the wisdom of God had inlaid them withal. With respect hereunto they were glorious, and of exceeding advantage to the faith and obedience of the Church.

This state of things is changed under the New Testament. For now neither Circumcision availeth any thing, nor Uncircumcision, but a new Creature. The thing signified, namely, internal purity and holiness, is no less necessary to a right to the privileges of the Gospel, than the observance of these external rites was to the privileges of the Law.

Yet is there no countenance given hereby to the impious opinion of some, that God by the Law required only external obedience, without respect to the inward spiritual part of it. For although the rites and sacrifices of the Law, by their own virtue, purified externally, and delivered only from temporary punishments, yet the precepts and the promises of the Law, required the same holiness and obedience to God, as does the Gospel.