Mavov.
254 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. Ix.
it, whose very nature and use declared their insufficiency unto the end inquired after ;—“ [And other laws] only concerning meats and drinks, and divers washings ;” which in general he calls “ carnal rites.” Hereby is the argument in hand carried on and completed.
There are four things in the words: 1. An account of the legal institutions, under several heads. 2. Their nature in general, with that of others of the same kind; they were “ carnal ordinances,” or fleshly rites. 3. The way of the relation of the people unto them ; they were “imposed” on them. 4 The tume for which they were imposed, or the measure of their duration; which was, “until the time of reformation.”
First, For the nature of them, they consisted, 1. In “meats and
drinks.” Take the words in their full extent, and they Bo may be comprehensive of four sorts of institutions:—
(1.) Of all those which concerned meats, or things to be eaten or not eaten, as being clean or unclean; an account whereof is given, Lev. xi. throughout. With reference thereunto doth the apostle reflect on the Levitical institutions in these words, “Touch not, taste not, handle not; which all are to perish with the using,” Col. i. 21, 22,—are all carnal things. (2.) The portion of the priests out of the sacrifices; especially what they were to eat in the holy place, as the portion of the sin-offering, Exod. xxix. 31-33; Lev. x. 12, 18, 17; and what they were to eat of the peace- offerings in any clean place, verses 14, 15. And the prohibition of drinking wine or strong drink in the holy place, verses 8, 9, may be here respected in “drinks,” about which these institutions were. And these were such, as without which the service of the sacrifices could not be acceptably performed, verses 17, 18. And therefore are they intended in this place in an especial manner, if it be the design of the apostle to prove the insufficiency of the sacrifices from the nature of their inseparable adjuncts, which were carnal and perishing things. (3.) The eating of the remainder of the peace-offering, whether of a vow or of thanksgiving; the law whereof is given as a holy ordi- nance, Lev. vii. 14-17. (4.) The laws concerning the feasts of the whole people, with their eating and drinking before the Lord, Lev. xxiii, All these divine ordinances were éa? Bpdjwacr nal rémoo1,— “ concerning meats and drinks,” that were necessary to be observed — with their offering of ‘“‘ gifts and sacrifices,” declaring of what nature they were. And the observation of them all was at the same time imposed on them.
2. They consisted in, or were concerning “ divers washings.” Boa-
. riouég is any kind of washing, whether by dipping or
herssen Sprinkling,—putting the thing to be washed into the AATICLOIS « i - :
water, or applying the water unto the thing itself to be
washed, Of these washings there were various sorts or kinds under
ay toatl
| VER. 9, 10.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 255
the law: for the priests were washed, Exod. xxix. 4; and the Levites, Num. viii. 7; and the people, after they had contracted any impu- rity, Lev. xv. 8, 16. But the apostle seems to have particular re- spect unto the washings of the priests and of the offerings in the court of the tabernacle, before the altar; for these were such, as without which the, gifts and sacrifices could not be rightly offered unto God.
Secondly, It is added in the description of these things, nal dicai- apwaor cuprés,— institutis carnalibus,” “ritibus,” “ cere- moniis,” “justitiis, justificationibus carnis.”” “Carnal Bites gs ordinances,” say we. The signification of dimaswuo in this place hath been spoken unto before. Rites of worship arbitrarily imposed, whose “jus” or “right” depended on the will or pleasure of God. And they are said to be of the flesh for the reason given, verse 13,—“they sanctified unto the purifying of the flesh,” and no more.
The words may be an expression of the nature in general of the law about meats, drinks, and washings; they were “ car- nal ordinances.” But the distinctive copulative, ‘xa, “and,” will not admit of that sense. It seems, therefore, to contain an addition of all those other legal ordinances which any way be- longed unto the purifications of the law.
The force of the reasonings in these words is evident, For the design of the apostle is to prove, that, in the perfect church-state which God would bring in under the new covenant, the worshippers were to enjoy peace of conscience, with joy and boldness in the pre- sence of God, from a perfect atonement and purification of sin, How this is effected by the one sacrifice of Christ, he afterwards declares. But the ordinances of the law, and the Levitical sacrifices, were weak and imperfect as unto this end; for in them and by them men were conversant wholly in carnal things, in meats, drinks, washings, and such like carnal observances, which could reach no farther than the sanctification of the flesh, as he evidenceth in the application of all these things unto his present argument, verse 13. And the faith of believers is rather weakened than confirmed by all things of the like nature, that divert their minds from an immediate respect unto and total dependence on the one sacrifice of Christ.