Hebrews 9 — Verse 23

It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

An entrance is made in these words into the comparison intended. For as to both sorts of sacrifices compared, it is here granted in general, that they purged the things whereunto they were applied. But there is a difference also laid down in this verse, namely, as to the things that were purified by them, and consequently in the nature of their respective purifications.

There is in the words, (1) A note of inference, or dependance on the former discourse; Therefore. (2) A double proposition of things of divers natures compared together. (3) The modification of both those propositions, It was necessary. (4) In the first proposition there is (1) The subject matter spoken of; The patterns of things in the heavens. (2) What is affirmed of them as necessary to them; that they should be purified. (3) The means whereby; with these. (5) The same things are proposed in the second, namely, (1) The things spoken of, or the heavenly things themselves. (2) What is affirmed of them is traduced from the other proposition; they also were purified. (3) The means whereby they were so; with better sacrifices than these.

1. That which first occurs is the note of inference, or dependance on the former discourse; Therefore. And it has an equal respect to both parts of the assertion. And it is not the being of the things but their manifestation that is intended. From what has been said concerning the legal purification of all things, and the spiritual purification that is by the sacrifice of Christ, these things are evident and manifest.

2. Of both the things affirmed it is said that it was necessary they should be so; that is, it was so from God's institution and appointment. There was no necessity in the nature of the things themselves, that the patterns of heavenly things should be purged with these sacrifices; but on supposition that God would in and by them represent the purification of the heavenly things, it was necessary that they should be thus purged with blood. And on the supposition of the same divine ordination that the heavenly things themselves should be purified, it was necessary that they should be purified with better sacrifices than these, which were altogether insufficient to that end.

3. The subject of the first proposition is the patterns of things in the heavens. The [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] are the [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] in the next words. Things in the heavens are heavenly things. And they are the same with [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩], in the next verse; figures of the true things. The things intended are those which the Apostle has discoursed of; the covenant, the book, the people, the tabernacle, with all the vessels of its ministry. These he calls [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩], which we well render patterns. And patterns are of two sorts, (1) Such as are [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩], Exemplaria; those from and according to which any other thing is framed. That is the pattern of any thing, according to which it is contrived, made and fashioned. So a scheme or frame drawn and delineated is the pattern of an edifice. (2) Such as are exemplata, [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩]; that are framed according to other things, which they do resemble and represent. These also are [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩].

The things mentioned were not patterns of the heavenly things in the first sense. The heavenly things were not framed by them, to answer, resemble and represent them. But they were so in the latter only. And therefore in the first constitution of them, those which were durable and to abide, as the tabernacle with all its utensils and vessels, with the positure and disposal of them, were made and erected according to an original pattern showed in the mount. Or they were framed according to the idea of the heavenly things themselves, whereof he made a representation to Moses and communicated a resemblance of them to him according to his own good pleasure.

This is the order of these things. The heavenly things themselves were designed, framed and disposed in the mind of God, in all their order, causes, beauty, efficacy and tendency to his own eternal glory. This was the whole mystery of the wisdom of God for the redemption and salvation of the Church by Jesus Christ. This is that which is declared in the Gospel, being before hid in God from the foundation of the world (Ephesians 3:8, 9, 10). Of these things did God grant a typical resemblance, similitude, and pattern in the tabernacle and its services. That he would make such a kind of resemblance of those heavenly things as to their kind, nature and use, that he would instruct the Church by them, was an act of his mere sovereign will and pleasure. And this is that effect of his wisdom, which was manifest under the Old Testament; whereon the faith and obedience of the Church was wholly to acquiesce in his sovereignty. And this their resemblance of heavenly things, which they had not from their own nature, but merely from the pleasure of God, gave them all their glory and worth, which the saints under the Old Testament did in some measure understand. The present Jews do, as their forefathers did under the degeneracy of their Church, conceive their glory to consist in the materials and curious structure of them, things that the wealth and art of men might exceed. But in themselves they were all earthly, carnal, perishing, and liable to all sorts of corruption. Much inferior they were in nature and glory, to the souls of men, which were conversant in their highest and most noble acts about them. But herein alone consisted their honor, worth and use; they were patterns of heavenly things. And we may observe, that

The glory and efficacy of all ordinances of divine worship, which consist in outward observance (as it is with the sacraments of the Gospel) consist in this, that they represent and exhibit heavenly things to us. And this power of representation they have from divine institution alone.

2. What they were patterns of is expressed; namely, of heavenly things. What these were in particular, must be spoken to in the exposition of the next proposition, whereof they are the subject; the heavenly things themselves.

Of these things it is affirmed that they were purified. The Apostle had treated before of a double purification. (1) Of that which consisted in a cleansing from defilements of its own; sprinkling the unclean, and sanctifying to the purifying of the flesh (ver. 13, 22). (2) That which consisted in a dedication to sacred use. But this also had some respect to uncleanness. Not to any that the things so dedicated had in themselves; but because of the uncleanness of them that were to make use of them. This was such as that God would have the intervention of the sprinkling of blood between him and them in all their services; as he declares (Leviticus 16:15-17). And this he would do, that he might teach them the absolute and universal necessity of the purifying efficacy of the blood of Christ, in all things between him and sinners. Of this purification he gives us in this discourse two instances. (1) That which was initial, at the first solemnization of the covenant (ver. 18, 19, 20). (2) That which was annual in the sprinkling of the Tabernacle and its vessels, because of the uncleannesses of the people (ver. 22). This latter purification is that which is intended.

The means whereby they were thus to be purified, is, with these. In the next proposition, the heavenly things themselves are said to be purified [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], with sacrifices. But the purification of these patterns was not absolutely confined to sacrifices. Water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and the ashes of a heifer in some cases were required thereunto. With these, that is, with all those things which were appointed by the law to be used in their purification or dedication to sacred use.

If enquiry be made, why these patterns were thus purified, the Apostle affirms that it was necessary it should be so. This as it respects both propositions in this verse equally, was spoken to in general before. The grounds of this necessity with respect to these patterns, were these,

1. The will and command of God. This is that which originally or in the first place makes any thing necessary in divine worship. This is the only spring of rational obedience in instituted worship; whatever is without it, whatever is beyond it, is no part of sacred service. God would have them thus purified. Yet also was there herein this manifest reason of his will, namely, that thereby he might represent the purification of heavenly things. On this supposition that God would so represent heavenly things by them, it was necessary that they should be purified. (2) Seeing he would have them purified there was a meetness that they should be so with these things. For being themselves carnal and earthly, as were the Tabernacle and all the vessels of it, it was meet they should be purified with things carnal also; such as were the blood of beasts, water, hyssop, and scarlet wool. (3) In particular it was necessary that they should be purified with the blood of sacrifices; because they were types of those things which were to be purified with the only proper expiatory sacrifice. These were the foundations of the whole system of Mosaical rites and ordinances; and on them they stood, until they were removed by God himself.

And that which we should learn from hence, is, a due consideration of that respect which we ought to have to the holiness of God in his worship and service. He did manifest it to us, to beget in us a due reverence of it; he would never admit of any thing therein, but was purified according to his own institution. All other things he always rejected as unclean and profane. Without a due apprehension hereof, and endeavouring to have both our persons and our services purified by the sprinkling of the blood of Christ, neither they nor we can be accepted before him.

The other proposition in the text, is, that the heavenly things themselves were to be purified with better sacrifices.

The first thing in the words is the subject of the proposition. The heavenly things themselves; that is, the things whereof the other were the patterns, by which God represented them to the Church. But what these things are, is not easy to determine.

Some say that heaven itself is intended, the superetherial heavens; the place of the present residence of Christ, and of the souls of them that are saved by him. But taking the heavens absolutely, especially for that which is called the Heaven of Heavens, with respect to their fabric, and as the place of God's glorious residence, and it is not easy to conceive how they stood in need to be purified by sacrifice.

Some say it is spiritual things, that is, the souls and consciences of men, that are intended. And they are called heavenly in opposition to the things of the law, which were all carnal and earthly. And it is certain, they are not to be excluded out of this expression. For to their purification, is the virtue of the sacrifice of Christ directly applied (ver. 14). Yet the whole context, and the antithesis in it, between the types and the things typified, make it evident, that they alone are not intended.

To clear the mind of the Apostle in this expression, sundry things must be observed out of the context.

1. The Apostle treats of a double purification, as was immediately before declared. In this application of his discourse he intends them both. But whereas some things stood in need of the one only, namely, of that of dedication to God, and some of the other, namely, purging from defilements, as the souls and consciences of men; they are distinctly to be applied to the things spoken of according to their capacity. Some were purified by dedication; some by actual cleansing from real defilements; both which are included in the notion of sacred purification, or sanctification.

2. These heavenly things must be all those and only those whereof the other were patterns or resemblances. This is plain in the context and antithesis. Therefore,

3. By heavenly things, I understand all the effects of the counsel of God in Christ, in the redemption, worship, salvation, and eternal glory of the Church; that is, Christ himself in all his offices, with all the spiritual and eternal effects of them on the souls and consciences of men, with all the worship of God by him according to the Gospel. For of all these things those of the law were the patterns. He did in and by them give a representation of all these things, as we may see in particular.

(1.) Christ himself, and the sacrifice of himself were typed out by these things. To prove this is the principal purpose of the Apostle. They were the shadow, he the body or substance, as he speaks elsewhere. He was the Lord from Heaven; who is in Heaven, who speaks from Heaven (1 Corinthians 15:49; John 3:13). (2) All spiritual and eternal grace, mercy, blessings, whereof the souls of men are made partakers by the mediation and sacrifice of Christ, are heavenly things, and are constantly so called (Hebrews 3:1; Ephesians 1:3; John 3:12; Ephesians 2:6). (3) The Church itself and its worship are of the same kind; the things principally to be purified by these sacrifices; it is God's heavenly kingdom (Ephesians 5:25, 26). (4) Heaven itself is comprised herein, not absolutely, but as it is the mansion of Christ, and the redeemed in the presence of God for evermore.

Hereon, the enquiry will be, how these things are said to be purified? For of real purification from uncleanness not one of them is capable, but only the Church, that is, the souls and consciences of men. I answer, that we are to have recourse to that twofold sense of purification before laid down; namely, of external dedication, and internal purging; both which are expressed by the name of sanctification in the Scripture. Most of the things that were purified by the blood of the sacrifices at the giving of the Law, were so in the first sense and no otherwise. The Covenant, the Book of the Law, and the Tabernacle with all its vessels, were purified in their sacred dedication to God and his service. Thus were all the heavenly things themselves purified. Christ himself was sanctified, consecrated, dedicated to God in his own blood. He sanctified himself (John 17:19), and that by the blood of the Covenant (Hebrews 10:29), even when he was consecrated or made perfect through sufferings (chap. 2:10). So was the Church and the whole worship of it dedicated to God; made holy to him (Ephesians 5:25, 26). And Heaven itself was dedicated to be an habitation for ever to the mystical body of Christ, in perfect peace with the angels above, who had never sinned (Ephesians 1:10; Hebrews 12:22, 23, 24).

But yet there was moreover a real purification of the most of these things. The Church, or the souls and consciences of men, were really cleansed, purified and sanctified with an internal spiritual purification (Ephesians 5:25, 26; Titus 2:14). It was washed in the blood of Christ (Revelation 1:5), and is thereby cleansed from sin (1 John 1:7). And Heaven itself was in some sense so purified, as the Tabernacle was because of the sins of the people among whom it was (Leviticus 16:16). Sin had entered into Heaven itself in the apostacy of angels; from where it was not pure in the sight of God (Job 15:15). And upon the sin of man, a state of enmity ensued between the angels above and men below; so that Heaven was no meet place for an habitation to them both, until they were reconciled, which was done only in the sacrifice of Christ (Ephesians 1:10). Hence if the heavenly things were not defiled in themselves, yet in relation to us they were so; which is now taken away.

The sum is; as the Covenant, the Book, the people, the Tabernacle were all purified and dedicated to their especial ends, by the blood of calves and goats, wherein was laid the foundation of all gracious entercourse between God and the Church, under the Old Covenant; so all things whatever, that in the counsel of God belonged to the New Covenant, the whole mediation of Christ with all the spiritual and eternal effects of it, were confirmed, dedicated to God, and made effectual to the ends of the Covenant, by the blood of the sacrifice of Christ, which is the spring from where efficacy is communicated to them all; and moreover, the souls and consciences of the elect are purified and sanctified from all defilements thereby, which work is gradually carried on in them, by renewed applications of the same blood to them, until they are all presented to God, glorious, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. And we are taught, that

The one sacrifice of Christ with what ensued thereon, was the only means to render effectual all the counsels of God, concerning the redemption and salvation of the Church (Ephesians 1:3, 4, 5, 6, 7; Romans 3:24, 25, 26).

Of these heavenly things, it is said, that they were purified with better sacrifices than these; [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] is added to encrease the signification. All sober expositors agree that here is an enallage of number, the plural put for the singular. The one sacrifice of Christ is alone intended. But because it answered all other sacrifices, exceeded them all in dignity, was of more use and efficacy than they all, it is so expressed. That one sacrifice which comprized the vertue, benefit and signification of all other. The gloss of Grotius on these words is intolerable, and justly offensive to all pious souls. [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩], says he, quia non tantum Christi perpessiones intelligit, sed eorum qui ipsum sectantur, unà cum precibus & operibus Misericordiae. Is it possible that any Christian should not tremble to join the sufferings of men and their works, with the sacrifice of Christ, as to the same kind of efficacy in purifying of these heavenly things? Do they make atonement for sin? Are they offered to God for that end? Are they sprinkled on these things for their purification?

4. The modification of the former proposition belongs to this also. It was necessary these things should be thus purified. (1) As that which the holiness of God required, and which therefore in his wisdom and grace he appointed. (2) As that which in itself was meet and becoming the righteousness of God (Hebrews 2:10). Nothing but the sacrifice of Christ, with the everlasting efficacy of his most precious blood, could thus purify the heavenly things, and dedicate the whole new creation to God.

The last thing we shall observe hereon, is, that it was [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] that this dedication and purification is ascribed to. Now [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] is a slain sacrifice, a sacrifice as slain; a sacrifice by mactation, killing or shedding of blood; so is [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] also. Therefore it is the sacrifice of Christ in his death and blood-shedding, that is the cause of these things. Other [⟨in non-Latin alphabet⟩] of him there was none, he offered none. For the vindication hereof we must examine the comment of Schlictingius on this place. His words are,

Licet enim non Sanguinem suum Christus deo obtulerit, sed se ipsum; tamen sine sanguinis effusione offerre se ipsum non potuit neque debuit. Ex eo veró quod diximus sit, ut Autor Divinus Christum cum victimis legalibus conferens, perpetuò fugiat dicere Christi sanguinem fuisse oblatum; et nihilominus ut similitudini serviat, perpetuò Christi sanguinis fusionem insinuet, quae nisi antecessisset, haud quaquam tam plena tamque concinna inter Christum & victimas antiquas comparatio institui potuisset. Ex his ergo manifestum est in illa sancta celestia, ad eorum dedicationem emundationemque peragendam, victimam pretiosissimam, proinde non sanguinem hircorum & vitulorum, imò ne sanguinem quidem ullum, sed ipsum Dei filium, idque omnibus mortalis naturae exuviis depositis, quo nulla pretiosior & sanctior victima cogitari potuit, debuisse inferri. Ans. (1) The distinction between Christ offering his blood, and offering himself to God, (the foundation of this discourse) is coyned on purpose to pervert the truth. For neither did Christ offer his blood to God, but in the offering of himself; nor did he offer himself to God, but in and by the shedding and offering of his blood. There is no distinction between Christ offering of himself and offering of his blood, other then between the being of any thing, and the form and manner of its being what it is. (2) That he could not offer himself without the antecedent effusion of his blood, seems a kind concession, but it has the same design with the preceding distinction. But in the offering of himself he was [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], a slain sacrifice, which was in and by the effusion of his blood; in the very shedding of it, it was offered to God. (3) It is an useless observation, that the Apostle in comparing the sacrifice of Christ with the legal victims, does (as it is said) carefully avoid the saying that he offered his blood. For in those legal sacrifices the beasts themselves were always said to be offered, although it was the blood alone, wherewith attonement was made on the altar (Leviticus 17:11). And this the Apostle expresly ascribes to the blood of Christ, in answer to the blood of bulls and goats (ver. 13, 14). (4) The Apostle does not insinuate the mention of the shedding of the blood of Christ only to make up a full and fit comparison with the legal victims, as is impudently insinuated; but he directly ascribes the whole effect of reconciliation, peace, attonement, remission of sins, and sanctification to the blood of Christ, as shed and offered to God. And this he does not only in this Epistle where he insists on this comparison; but in other places also where he has no regard to it: Romans 3:25; Ephesians 1:7; chap. 5. 2, 25, 26; Titus 2:14; Revelation 1:5. (5) Having advanced thus far, in the close of his exposition he excludes the blood of Christ from any more interest or efficiency in the purification of these heavenly things, then the blood of goats and calves; which is such an open contradiction to the whole design and express words of the Apostle, as that the assertion of it exceeds all the bounds of sobriety and modesty.

From the words thus opened, we may observe to our own use.

1. Neither could heavenly things have been made meet for us, or our use, nor we have been meet for their enjoyment, had they not been dedicated, and we been purged by the sacrifice of Christ. There was no suitableness neither in them to us, nor in us to them, until it was introduced by the blood of Christ. Without the efficiency hereof, heavenly things would not be heavenly to the minds and souls of men; they would neither please them nor satisfie them, nor make them blessed. Unless they themselves are purged, all things, even heavenly things themselves would be unclean and defiled to them (Titus 1:15).

2. Every eternal mercy, every spiritual priviledge is both purchased for us, and sprinkled to us, by the blood of Christ.

3. There is such an uncleanness in our natures, our persons, our duties and worship; that unless they and we are all sprinkled with the blood of Christ, neither we nor they can have any acceptance with God.

4. The sacrifice of Christ is the one, only, everlasting fountain and spring of all sanctification and sacred dedication; whereby the whole new creation is purified and dedicated to God.