11. But Christ being come an high priest of good things
to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands,
that is to say, not of this building;
11. Christus autem superveniens pontifex futurorum bonorum per majus
et perfectius tabernaculum non manufactum, hoc est, non hujus creationis;
12. Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood
he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption
[for us].
12. Neque per sanguinem hircorum et vitulorum, sed per proprium
sanguinem intravit semel in sancta, aeterna redemptione inventa.
11. But Christ being come, etc. He now sets before us the reality
of the things under the Law, that it may turn our eyes from them to itself;
for he who believes that the things then shadowed forth under the Law have
been really found in Christ, will no longer cleave to the shadows, but
will embrace the substance and the genuine reality.
But the particulars of the comparison between Christ and the ancient
high priest, ought to be carefully noticed. He had said that the high priest
alone entered the sanctuary once a year with blood to expiate sins. Christ
is in this life the ancient high priests for he alone possesses the dignity
and the office of a high priest; but he differs from him in this respect,
that he brings with him eternal blessings which secure a perpetuity to
his priesthood. Secondly, there is this likeness between the ancient high
priest and ours, that both entered the holy of holies through the sanctuary;
but they differ in this, that Christ alone entered into heaven through
the temple of his own body. That the holy of holies was once every year
opened to the high priest to make the appointed expiation — this obscurely
prefigured the one true sacrifice of Christ. To enter once then was common
to both, but to the earthly it was every year, while it was to the heavenly
forever, even to the end of the world. The offering of blood was common
to both; but there was a great difference as to the blood; for Christ offered,
not the blood of beasts, but his own blood. Expiation was common to both;
but that according to the Law, as it was inefficacious, was repeated every
year; but the expiation made by Christ is always effectual and is the cause
of eternal salvation to us. Thus, there is great importance almost in every
word. Some render the words, “But Christ standing by,” or asking; but the
meaning of the Apostle is not thus expressed; for he intimates that when
the Levitical priests had for the prefixed time performed their office,
Christ came in their place, according to what we found in the seventh chapter.
Of good things to come, etc. Take these for eternal things; for
as me>llwn kairo<v, time to come, is set in opposition to the present
tw~| ejnesthko>ti; so future blessings are to the present. The meaning
is, that we are led by Christ’s priesthood into the celestial kingdom of
God, and that we are made partakers of spiritual righteousness and of eternal
life, so that it is not right to desire anything better. Christ alone,
then, has that by which he can retain and satisfy us in himself.
By a greater and more perfect tabernacle, etc. Though this passage
is variously explained, yet I have no doubt but that he means the body
of Christ; for as there was formerly an access for the Levitical high priest
to the holy of holies through the sanctuary, so Christ through his own
body entered into the glory of heaven; for as he had put on our flesh and
in it suffered, he obtained for himself this privilege, that he should
appear before God as a Mediator for us. In the first place, the word sanctuary
is fitly and suitably applied to the body of Christ, for it is the temple
in which the whole majesty of God dwells. He is further said to have made
a way for us by his body to ascend into heaven, because in that body he
consecrated himself to God, he became in it sanctified to be our true righteousness,
he prepared himself in it to offer a sacrifice; in a word, he made himself
in it of no reputation, and suffered the death of the cross; therefore,
the Father highly exalted him and gave him a name above every name, that
every knee should bow to him. (Philippians 2:8-10.) He then entered into
heaven through his own body, because on this account it is that he now
sits at the Father’s right hand; he for this reason intercedes for us in
heaven, because he had put on our flesh, and consecrated it as a temple
to God the Father, and in it sanctified himself to obtain for us an eternal
righteousness, having made an expiation for our sins.
It may however seem strange, that he denies the body of Christ to be
of this building; for doubtless he proceeded from the seed of Abraham,
and was liable to sufferings and to death. To this I reply, that he speaks
not here of his material body, or of what belongs to the body as such,
but of the spiritual efficacy which emanates from it to us. For as far
as Christ’s flesh is quickening, and is a heavenly food to nourish souls,
as far as his blood is a spiritual drink and has a cleansing power, we
are not to imagine anything earthly or material as being in them. And then
we must remember that this is said in allusion to the ancient tabernacle,
which was made of wood, brass, skins, silver, and gold, which were all
dead things; but the power of God made the flesh of Christ to be a living
and spiritual temple.
12. Neither by the blood of goats, etc. All these things tend
to show that the things of Christ so far excel the shadows of the Law,
that they justly reduce them all to nothing. For what is the value of Christ’s
blood, if it be deemed no better than the blood of beasts? What sort of
expiation was made by his death, if the purgations according to the Law
be still retained? As soon then as Christ came forth with the efficacious
influence of his death, all the typical observances must necessarily have
ceased.
Hebrews Chapter 9:13-15
13. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes
of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the
flesh:
13. Si enim sanguis taurorum et hircorum, et cinis vitulae aspersus
eos qui communicant, sanctificat ad carnis puritatem,
14. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal
Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from
dead works to serve the living God?
14. Quanto magis sanguis Christi, qui per Spiritum aueternum sepsum
obtulit irreprehensibilem Deo, mundabit conscientiam vestram a mortuis
operibus ad serviendum Deo viventi?
15. And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament,
that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions [that
were] under the first testament, they which are called might receive the
promise of eternal inheritance.
15. Ac propterea testamenti novi mediator est, ut morte intercedente
in redemptionem transgressionum quae sub priore testamento erant, qui vocati
sunt promissionem accipiant aeternae haeriditatis.
13. For if the blood of bulls, etc. This passable has given to
many all occasion to go astray, because they did not consider that sacraments
are spoken of, which had a spiritual import. The cleansing of the flesh
they leave explained of what avails among men, as the heathens had their
expiations to blot out the infamy of crimes. But this explanation is indeed
very heathenish; for wrong is done to God’s promises, if we restrict the
effect to civil matters only. Often does this declaration occur in the
writings of Moses, that iniquity was expiated when a sacrifice was duly
offered. This is no doubt the spiritual teaching of faith. Besides, all
the sacrifices where destined for this end, that they might lead men to
Christ; as the eternal salvation of the soul is through Christ, so these
were true witnesses of this salvation.
What then does the Apostle mean when he speaks of the purgations of
the flesh? He means what is symbolical or sacramental, as follows, — If
the blood of beasts was a true symbol of purgation, so that it cleansed
in a sacramental manner, how much more shall Christ who is himself the
truth, not only bear witness to a purgation by an external rite, but also
really perform this for consciences? The argument then is from the signs
to the thing signified; for the effect by a long time preceded the reality
of the signs.
14. Who through the eternal Spirit, etc. He now clearly shows
how Christ’s death is to be estimated, not by the external act, but by
the power of the Spirit. For Christ suffered as man; but that death becomes
saving to us through the efficacious power of the Spirit; for a sacrifice,
which was to the an eternal expiation, was a work more than human. And
he calls the Spirit eternal for this reason, that we may know that the
reconciliation, of which he is the worker or effecter, is eternal. By saying,
without spot, or unblamable, though he alludes to the victims under the
Law, which were not to have a blemish or defect, he yet means, that Christ
alone was the lawful victim and capable of appeasing God; for there was
always in others something that might be justly deemed wanting; and hence
he said before that the covenant of the Law was not ajmempton, blameless.
From dead works, etc. Understand by these either such works as
produce death, or such as are the fruits or effects of death; for as the
life of the soul is our union with God, so they who are alienated from
him through sin may be justly deemed to be dead.
To serve the living God. This, we must observe, is the end of
our purgation; for we are not washed by Christ, that we may plunge ourselves
again into new filth, but that our purity may serve to glorify God. Besides,
he teaches us, that nothing can proceed from us that can be pleasing to
God until we are purified by the blood of Christ; for as we are all enemies
to God before our reconciliation, so he regards as abominable all our worlds;
hence the beginning of acceptable service is reconciliation. And then,
as no work is so pure and so free from stains, that it can of itself please
God, it is necessary that the purgation through the blood of Christ should
intervene, which alone can efface all stains. And there is a striking contrast
between the living God and dead works.
15. And for this cause he is Mediator of the New Testament, etc.
He concludes that there is no more need of another priest, for Christ fulfills
the office under the New Testament; for he claims not for Christ the honor
of a Mediator, so that others may at the same time remain as such with
him; but he maintains that all others were repudiated when Christ undertook
the office. But that he might more fully confirm this fact, he mentions
how he commenced to discharge his office of a Mediator; even through death
intervening. Since this is found alone in Christ, being wanting in all
others, it follows that he alone can be justly deemed a Mediator.
He further records the virtue and efficacy of his death by saying that
he paid the price for sins under the first covenant or testament, which
could not be blotted out by the blood of beasts; by which words he was
seeking draw away the Jews from the Law to Christ. For, if the Law was
so weak that all the remedies it applied for expiating sins did by no means
accomplish what they represented, who could rest in it as in a safe harbor?
This one thing, then, ought to have been enough to stimulate them to seek
for something better than the law; for they could not but be in perpetual
anxiety. On the other hand, when we come to Christ, as we obtain in him
a full redemption, there is nothing which can any more distress us. Then,
in these words he shows that the Law is weak, that the Jews might no longer
recumb on it; and he teaches them to rely on Christ, for in him is found
whatever can be desired for pacifying consciences.
Now, if any one asks, whether sins under the Law where remitted to the
fathers, we must bear in mind the solution already stated, — that they
were remitted, but remitted through Christ. Then notwithstanding their
external expiations, they were always held guilty. For this reason Paul
says, that the Law was a handwriting against us. (Colossians 2:14.) For
when the sinner came forward and openly confessed that he was guilty before
God, and acknowledged by sacrificing an innocent animal that he was worthy
of eternal death, what did he obtain by his victim, except that he sealed
his own death as it were by this handwriting? In short, even then they
only reposed in the remission of sins, when they looked to Christ. But
if only a regard to Christ took away sins, they could never have been freed
from them, had they continued to rest in the Law. David indeed declares,
that blessed is the man to whom sins are not imputed, (Psalm 32:2;) but
that he might be a partaker of this blessedness, it was necessary for him
to leave the Law, and to have his eyes fixed on Christ; for if he rested
in the Law, he could never have been freed from guilt.
They who are called, etc. The object of the divine covenant is,
that having been adopted as children, we may at length be made heirs of
eternal life. The Apostle teaches us that we obtain this by Christ. It
is hence evident, that in him is the fulfillment of the covenant. But the
promise of the inheritance is to be taken for the promised inheritance,
as though he had said, “The promise of eternal life is not otherwise made
to us to be enjoined, than through the death of Christ.” Life, indeed,
was formerly promised to the fathers, and the same has been the inheritance
of God’s children from the beginning, but we do not otherwise enter into
the possession of it, than through the blood of Christ previously shed.
But he speaks of the called, that he might the more influence the Jews
who were made partakers of this calling; for it is a singular favor, when
we have the gift of the knowledge of Christ bestowed on us. We ought then
to take the more heed, lest we neglect so valuable a treasure, and our
thoughts should wander elsewhere. Some regard the called to be the elect,
but incorrectly in my judgment; for the Apostle teaches here the same thing
as we find in Romans 3:25, that righteousness and salvation have been procured
by the blood of Christ, but that we become partakers of them by faith.
