Ans. To remove this difficulty, we must consider both what house it is that the apostle intends, and also what manner of building of it, in the application of his metaphor.
First, For the house of God in this place, the apostle doth not intend by it the house of this or that particular age, under this or that form or administration of worship, but the house of God in all ages and places, from the foundation of the world unto the end thereof: for as this is evident from what he insists on in the next verse in confirmation hereof, namely, that “he that built all things is God, so it was not sufficient unto the purpose of the apostle to declare that Christ was a builder, and Moses the part of a house, unless he manifested he was so; that is, a part of the house that Christ built. Now, of this house Moses unquestionably was not the builder, but only a part of it, and employed in the ministry of it in one age or season alone.
Secondly, The building of the house, as to the manner of it, is either ministerial or autocratorical. In the first way, every one who labours by God’s appointment, in the dispensation of the word or otherwise, for the edification of the church, is a builder, a minis- terial builder; and those who are employed in that work in an especial and eminent manner, as the apostles were, may be said to be master-builders. And so was Moses inthe house of God. But
542 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. IIL.
it is a building in the other way and manner that is mtended by the apostle, a building with supreme power, and for the builder’s own use.
Having cleared and isi ios the argument of the apostle in this third verse, our next work is to explain. and confirm the severals of his assertion, partly expressed, and partly included therein. And they are these:—1. That Christ built the church, or the house of God. 2. That he was worthy of glory and honour on that account, and had them accordingly. 3. That this his glory and honour was incomparably greater than that of Moses.
1. Unto the building of the house of God, three things are re- quired:—First, The giving out the design, platform, and pattern of it, in its laws, ordinances, and institutions, that it may answer the end whereunto it is designed. This is the M328, the riaog or éxriawa, the “effigiation” or “delineation” of the house. Secondly, The preparing and fitting of the materials of it, and the compacting of them together, that they may grow up unto a house, a holy temple, a habitation for God; and this is properly (35, or oixo- dou4, the “building of the house.” Thirdly, The solemn entrance of the presence of God into it, for its appropriation, dedication, and sanctification unto God, 7237. These three things concurred in both the old typical houses, the tabernacle of Moses and the temple of Solomon.
The first thing was, that the pattern was prepared and showed unto Moses in the mount: Exod. xxv. 8, 9, “Make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.” And verse 40, “ Look that thou make them after the pattern, which thou wast caused to see in the mount.” God had caused Moses to see 1225, “a similitude,” a “representation” of the house which he would have built, and also the things that belonged thereunto. This our apostle calls rbsog, Heb. viii. 5, “an express image” of it; which contained not only the material fabric, but also the laws, ordinances, and institutions of the worship of God belonging thereunto, for all these did God show and declare unto Moses in the mount, as is expressed in the story, Secondly, Upon this Moses prepared all the materials fit for that fabric by the free-will offerings of the people; and, by the skill of Bezaleel and Aholiab, compacted, fitted, and reared up a house, a tabernacle, or a sanctuary. See Exod. xxxv—xl. Thirdly, The — glorious presence of the Lord entered into the tabernacle so erected, and God dwelt there: Exod. x]. 34, “Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the Lorp filled the tabernacle.” God came, and in a wonderful manner took possession of this his house,
VER, 8-6.) EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 543
So it was also in the preparation and building of the temple:— First, The pattern of it, of the whole fabric, and all the orders, ordi- nances, and worship of it, was given and showed unto David, who delivered it unto Solomon, his son. So he concludes the account that he gave of all the particular concernments of these things: 1 Chron. xxviii. 19, “ All this, said David, the LonD made me un- derstand in writing by his hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern.” Secondly, Solomon prepared materials in abundance, and by the skill of Hiram framed them into a house, and all the holy utensils of it, as is at large expressed in the story. Thirdly, The temple being erected, the glorious presence of God entered there- into, to appropriate, dedicate, and sanctify it unto God: 1 Kings viii. 10, 11, “ And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LorD, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the LorpD had filled the house of the Lorn.”