Tay ayiwr.
,
16 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. VIII.
holy things. And ours place “holy things” in the margin. And the sense is true, if the signification of the word be extended unto all holy things ; for the ministration of them all is committed unto Jesus Christ. But the word hath yet a more peculiar signification.
[2.] The inmost part of the tabernacle our apostle calls éyia wyiwv, Heb. ix. 8; that is, 0’1P7 YIP,—the “holy of holies,” “the most holy place.” And absolutely he calls it dy, “the holies,” chap. ix. 8, 12, 24, 25, xiii. 11. And in answer thereunto, he calleth our spiritual presence before God, whereunto we have an access by the blood of Christ, by the same name, chap. x. 19. And hence the word is rendered by most interpreters, “the sanctuary ;” as by the Syriac, “the house of the sanctuary ;”—particularly that part of the tabernacle whereinto the high priest entered alone, and that but once a year. Take this sanctuary properly and literally, and - Christ was not the minister of it. He never entered into it, nor could, nor had any right so to do; because it belonged and was ap- propriated unto others, as our apostle declares, verse 4.
Wherefore we must take our direction herein from the words fol- lowing. For mentioning the whole tabernacle, as he doth here one part of it, namely, the sanctuary, he gives it a note of distinction from the old tabernacle of Moses,“ the true tabernacle.” So must “the sanctuary” be distinguished from that of old. It is that which answers thereunto. And this is nothing but heaven itself. Heaven, not as considered absolutely, but as the place of God’s glorious pre- sence, the temple of the living God, where the worship of the church is presented, and all its affairs transacted. This is called God’s sanctuary, Ps. cil. 19: “He looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the Lorp behold the earth.” And so the apostle himself plainly interprets this place, Heb. ix. 24: “Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself.”
And this is called “the sanctuary,’ because there doth really dwell and abide all that was typically represented in the sanctuary below. And therein doth the Lord Christ discharge his priestly office for the good of the church. It was a joyful time with the church of old, when the high priest entered into the holy place; for he carried with him the blood wherewith atonement was made for all their sins. Yet he was quickly again to leave that place, and his ministration therein, But our high priest abides in the sanctuary, in the holy place, for ever, always representing the efficacy of the blood whereby atonement was made for all our sins. As no inter- position between heaven and us should discourage us, while Christ is there ministering for us; so his being there will draw our hearts and minds thither continually, if so be we are really interested in his holy ministrations. These things are to some in darkness and
VER, 2. | EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 17
‘obscurity; if not wholly out of their sight, yet out of their practice.
In their faith, worship, and obedience, they find no concernment in the heavenly ministrations of this high priest. Things within the veil are hid from them. Yet would such persons be esteemed Christians. But the relief, the direction, the consolation, which true believers do or may, in the due exercise of faith, receive by the consideration hereof, are gracious and pleasant, yea, full of glory.
(2.) The second part of the limitation of the minis... tration of our high priest is in these words, xa! rijg oxnvijg vis wits ban rho a&AndwHs,—“ and of that true tabernacle;’ which is %s- further described by its efficient cause, expressed both positively and negatively, “which the Lord pitched, and not man.”
Expositors generally agree that by “true” in this place, that which is substantial, solid, and abiding, is intended; for it is opposed unto that which is umbratile, transitory, and figurative. The old tabernacle could in no sense be said to be false, or deceiving; for it was an ordinance of God, set up and used by his appointment, and gave true directions unto its proper end. | But it was figurative and typical, denoting somewhat that was to be the true and substantial tabernacle of God. So is the expression interpreted, John vi. 32, “Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven;’—that is, spiritually sub- stantial and abiding, nourishing the soul unto eternal life.
But what is the “tabernacle” here intended, deserves our dili- gent inquiry. And I find a fourfold sense to be given of these words, “the true tabernacle :”—
_ [1.] Some (as Grotius).-take it for “this whole universe, the fabric of heaven and earth.” This some, even among the heathen, have called “the tabernacle and temple of God.” This he hath made as it were to dwell in, as a certain fixed place for the mani- festation of his glory, And whereas the ministry of Christ, at least as unto the effects of it, is not confined unto any certain place, above or below, to no material tabernacle or temple, the whole uni- verse is called his tabernacle, as being that which is true, substan- tial, and abiding. And thus it may answer what is affirmed of “all power being given unto him in heaven and in earth,” and his being “given to be the head over all things unto the church.” I see nothing absurd in this opinion, nor contradictory unto the analogy of faith. But the design of the apostle in using these words and expressions, will not allow this to be his especial meaning; for some- what he doth intend that the old tabernacle did typify and repre-