5thly. He is the only way and means of our approach unto God in holy worship, as the tabernacle was of old; which we have else- where declared.
That alone which seems to be of any force against this interpre- tation, is, ‘That the human nature of Christ is that whereby he is the minister of this tabernacle; it cannot therefore be the tabernacle itself wherein he doth administer: and therefore the place of his abode must be intended by the tabernacle whereof he is the minister,’
Ans. By the same rule it would follow, that because Christ is the high priest, he is not the sacrifice; for the priest and the sacrifice among men cannot be the same. Howbeit Christ offered himself only. And the reason of these things is, that he was in his own
20 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. VIII.
person, and what he did therein, to answer all those types of priest, sacrifice, altar, tabernacle, and what belonged thereunto. He was the body and substance of them all, Col. ii. 17. No one of them was able to represent the fulness of grace that was to be in Christ; therefore were there many of them ordained, and those of various sorts. And therefore his being eminently intended in one of them, no way hinders his being so in another. He was all in himself,— priest, tabernacle, altar, and sacrifice.
Again; The afisient cause of this true tabernacle is declared, both positively and negatively ; “which the Lord pitched, and not man,’—jv éayZev 6 Kbps. It is in the article 7y confined unto the tabernacle, and extends not unto the sanctuary mentioned before; “of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched.” And hereby this tabernacle is distinguished from both the sanctuaries, the typical here below, and the real above, even heaven itself; for it was not of the same building with either of them, as the apostle declares, chap. ix. 11.
"Erncev, “pitched,” “fixed.” It is a word proper unto the erec- tion and establishment of a tabernacle. The fixing of stakes and pillars, with the fastening of cords thereunto, was the principal means of setting up a tabernacle, Isa. liv. 2, The preparation of the human nature or body of Christ is that which is intended. “A body hast thou prepared me,” Heb. x. 5. And this body was to be taken down, and folded up for a season, and after- — wards to be erected again, without the breaking or loss of any part of it. This of all buildings was peculiar unto a tabernacle, and so was 1t with the body of Christ in his death and resurrection.
‘O Kipws. The author of this work was “the Lord.” This is the word or name whereby the writers of the New Testa- ment do express the name Jehovah. And whereas, in the revelation of that name, God declared that self-subsisting firmi- tude'and unchangeableness of his nature, whereby he would infal- libly give subuisvones unto his word, and accomplishment unto his promises, the apostle hath respect unto it in this great work, wherein all the promises of God became “yea and amen.” How this taber- nacle was prepared and fixed immediately by the Holy Ghost, acting the infinite power of God alone therein, I have at large elsewhere declared.
It is added negatively, “and not man.” Some suppose a pleonasm in the words, and that this expression is redundant; for to say it was pitched by God, sufficiently includes that — it was not done by man. But the expression is em- phatical, and the apostle hath an especial design in it; for,—
1. The old tabernacle itself may in some sense be said to be pitched by God. It was done by his command, order, and direc- tion, as were all other ordinances of his appointment. But it can-
“Hy,
"Exngey.
‘Oo Kupios.
Kai obz dy- Spwsres.
7,
VER. 2.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 21
not be said that God pitched it, and not man; which excludes the whole service and ministry of man: for the ministry of men was used in the preparation, framing, and erection of it. But the pitch- ing of this “true tabernacle” was the work of God alone, without any ministry or service of men: “A body hast thou prepared me.”
2. The apostle hath an especial respect unto the incarnation of Christ, without the concurrence of man in natural generation. This is expressed in answer unto that inquiry of the blessed Virgin, “ How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?” Luke i. 34, 35.
This was “the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched,” and whereof Christ is the “ minister.” And we may observe,—
Obs, II. That all spiritually sacred and holy things are laid up in Christ.—All the utensils of holy worship of old, all means of sacred light and purification, were all placed and laid up in the tabernacle. And these were all “patterns of the heavenly things themselves,” which are all laid up in Christ, “the true tabernacle.” They are
all enclosed in him, and it will be in vain to seek for them else-
where. For,—
Obs. III. He hath the ministration of all these holy things com- mitted unto him.—He is the minister both of the sanctuary and tabernacle, and of all things contained in them. Herein he stands in no need of help or assistance; nor can any take his work out of his hand.