Chapter 9: An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews

The general design of the Apostle in these discourses, is to manifest and prove that the Old Covenant made with the Church at Sinai, with all the ordinances of worship and privileges thereunto belonging, was taken away, or ceased to be of any force in the Church. Hereon did a total alteration of the whole present Church state of the Hebrews depend; which, it is easy to think how difficult it was with them, to forego. For they both looked on it to be of God's own appointment, as it was, and expected all their happiness by a strict adherence to it. Therefore that they might with the more readiness embrace the Truth, he not only declares that de facto that Covenant was ceased, but evinceth by all sorts of reasons that it was necessary that so it should do; and that unspeakable advantages did accrue to the Church thereby.

In the pursuit of this design, he unfolds to them the greatest mysteries of the wisdom and counsel of God, that ever were revealed to the Church before he spake to us by the Son. For

1. On this occasion he takes off the vail from the face of Moses, declaring the nature and end of the Old Covenant, the use, signification and efficacy of all the institutions and ordinances of worship thereunto belonging. They were all prescribed to the diligent observation of the Church of the Old Testament; and their adherence to them, was the great trial of their obedience to God, while that Church state continued (Malachi 4:4, 5). Howbeit the best among them were much in the dark, as to their proper use and signification. For the vail was so on the face of Moses, that the Children of Israel could not look stedfastly to the end of that which was to be abolished (2 Corinthians 3:13). This he now doctrinally removes; and the sole reason why the Hebrews did not hereon behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, nor yet do to this day, is because there was and is a vail of blindness on their minds, as well as there was a vail of darkness on the face of Moses; and it is only converting grace that can remove it. When they shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away (ver. 16).

2. He takes occasion from hence to declare the great mystery of the redemption of the Church by Christ; of the office that he bare, and the work that he performed therein. This was that which he principally designed, as being indeed the sole foundation of Christian religion. Therefore we have in this Epistle, as a clear exposition of the first Promise, with all those which were given in the explication or confirmation of it; so also of the Law and its worship which were afterwards introduced; that is in general of the whole Old Testament; or God's instruction of the Church under it. Hence that blessed light which now shines forth in the promises and legal institutions of the Old Testament, is derived to us through the exposition of them given to us by the Holy Ghost in this Epistle. We are therefore to remember, that in our enquiries into these things, we are conversant in the deepest mysteries of the wisdom and counsel of God; those which animated the faith and obedience of both Churches; which calls not only for our utmost diligence, but for continual reverence and godly fear.

To the general end mentioned, the Apostle makes use of all sorts of arguments, taken from the constitution, nature, use, efficacy, officers and ordinances of the one Covenant and the other; comparing them together. And in all his arguings he openly designs the demonstration of these two things; (1.) That the Old Covenant with all its administrations was to cease. (2.) That it was not only to the advantage of the Church that they should so do, but absolutely necessary, that it might be brought to that perfect state which it was designed to.

In order to the first of these, he has done two things in the preceding chapters. (1.) He has declared that there were prefigurations and predictions of the cessation of the first Covenant and all its administrations. As also that God had so ordered all things in and under that Covenant, as that they must necessarily expire and cease at a certain appointed time. (2.) He has evinced the necessity hereof, because that Covenant could not consummate the state of the Church, nor give assured rest and peace to the consciences of them that approached to God in and by its services. And both these he confirms by the consideration of the typical nature of all its ordinances and institutions. For whereas there was in and by them a representation made of heavenly things, those heavenly things themselves could not be introduced without their removal.

It is the second thing mentioned, or the advantage of the Church by the taking away of the first Covenant, and all its sacred administrations, that he principally insists upon. For herein he designed (as was before observed) to declare the glorious mystery of the counsel of God, concerning the redemption and salvation of the Church by Jesus Christ. But whereas this in general is the substance of the Gospel, and the subject of all his other Epistles, he does not here consider and declare it absolutely, but as it was prefigured and typed out by those institutions of worship, whereby God both instructed the Church and exercised their faith and obedience, under the Old Testament.

Three things there were, which were the glory of those administrations, and which the Hebrews so rested in, as that they refused the Gospel out of an adherence to them. (1.) The priestly office. (2.) The Tabernacle with all its furniture, wherein that office was exercised. (3.) The duties and worship of the priests in that Tabernacle by sacrifices; especially those wherein there was a solemn expiation of the sins of the whole congregation.

In reference to these, the Apostle proves three things.

1. That neither any, nor all of them could consummate or make perfect the state of the Church; nor yet really effect assured peace and confidence between God and the worshippers.

2. That they were all typical and figurative, ordained to represent things that were far more sublime, glorious and excellent than themselves.

3. That indeed the Lord Christ in his Person and Mediation was all those things really and substantially, which they did but obumbrate and prefigure; that he was and did what they could only direct to an expectation of.

1. These things he declares and evinceth fully with respect to the priestly office, in the Seventh Chapter, in our exposition whereof we have endeavoured to declare the sense and force of his arguings to that purpose.

2. He does the same as to the Tabernacle in general in the Eighth Chapter, confirming his discourse with that great collateral argument taken from the nature and excellency of that Covenant whereof the Lord Christ was the Surety and Mediator.

There remains only the consideration of the services and sacrifices which belonged to the priestly office in that tabernacle. Herein the Hebrews placed their greatest confidence for reconciliation with God, and with respect to them, boasted of the excellency of their church-state and worship. This the Apostle knew to be the great point in difference between him and them, and that whereon the whole doctrine of the justification of sinners before God did depend. This therefore was exactly to be discussed, from the nature of the things themselves, and the testimonies of the Holy Ghost in the Scripture, on which principles alone he deals with these Hebrews. This is that which he now in particular engages into, handling it at large in this and the next Chapter to ver. 23. where he returns to his first exhortation, in an use of the truth which he had evinced.

Two things to this purpose he designs in general. (1.) To declare the nature, use and efficacy of the rites, services and sacrifices of the law. (2.) To manifest the nature, glory and efficacy of the sacrifice of Christ, whereby those other had an end put to them, and so were to be taken away. And in comparing these things together, he wonderfully sets out the wisdom and grace of God in dealing with the Church, so as to manifest that all his counsels, from the beginning, did aim at, and center in the person and mediation of Christ. And those things are duly to be considered by all who desire to understand the mind of the Holy Ghost in this Epistle.

This Chapter has two general parts.

1. A proposition and declaration of the fabrick of the tabernacle, its furniture, and the services performed therein; from the beginning to ver. 11.

2. A declaration of the nature of the tabernacle and sacrifice of the Lord Christ, with the end and efficacy thereof; from ver. 11. to the end.

Of the first general there are four parts.

1. A proposition of the constitution of the tabernacle of old, with all its utensils and furniture, as it was prepared for the service of the priests. V. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

2. The use of that tabernacle and the things in it, in and to the sacred duties and services of the priests. Ver. 6. 7.

3. The judgment of the Apostle upon the whole both of the fabrick and its use, ver. 8.

4. The reasons of that judgment; ver. 9. 10.

In the first part there is; (1.) A general proposition of the whole, ver. 1. (2.) A particular explanation of it; ver. 2, 3, 4, 5.