Aid pesiGovos nol rersiorépas oxnvng. Vulg. Lat., “ per amplius et perfectius tabernaculum;” barbarously for “majus et prastantius.” Syr., 82° rrpwind by s2>¥21, “ and he entered into that great and perfect tabernacle.” ca
Ov ravens ris xrlsews. Vulg. Lat., “non hujus creationis.” Syr., 727 79 SO™2> “of” or “from among these creatures.” Most, “ hujus structure,” “ of
bik weet |
this building.”
Ver, 11.—But Christ being come, an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect taber- nacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building.
The introduction of the comparison in the redditive conjunction dé, “ but,” answers unto éy in the first verse of the chapter; which are the common notes of comparison and opposition. E/ye wév...... Xprords 0¢,—“ That had truly ...... but Christ,” etc. In this and the
next verse the apostle lays down in general what he proves and con- firms by instances in this, and unto the 20th verse of the following
chapter. And there are two things which he declares in this and the verse °
* Various Reapine.—Instead of werrovrav, Lachmann reads syevopcevov. The latter has the support of BB*, the Italic, and the Peschito. Ebrard de- cides in its favour, understanding the word in reference to the good things of grace as already secured and existing, in contrast with the old testament high priest, who had to deal with the types of good things still future.
Exrosinion.—Tijs weil. xal reacior. oxnvigs. Zuingle, Bucer, Tholuck, Bleek, and Turner, understand by the phrase the literal canopy of heaven; Calov and Vriemont, the new testament church; Calvin, Beza, Grotius, Bengel, and others, the body of Christ. Ebyard thus explains it: “ Through that time in which the old coyenant with its ordinances still subsisted Christ has passed, inasmuch as he
_ was made under the law; his act of passing through this state, his ac¢ of living
in a state of humiliation, i.e. therefore, his perfect inward fulfilment of the law in his holy life, was the redesorépa oxnvy through which he passed into his state of exaltation. The réal fact of holiness (in the life of Jesus upon earth) stands op- en to the symbolical representation of holiness in the Mosaic xparn oxnyq.” —LD.
260 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. IX.
ensuing: 1. Who is the high priest of the new covenant, and what is the tabernacle wherein he administered his office, ver. 11. 2. What are the especial services he performed, in answer unto those of the legal high priest, and their preference above them, ver. 12.
In this verse he expresseth the subject whereof he treats, or the person of the high priest concerning whom he treats. And he de- scribes him, 1. By his name; it is “ Christ.” 2. By his entrance on his office; “being come.” 3. His office itself; “an high priest.” 4, The effects of his office, or the especial object of it; “ good: things to come.” 5. The tabernacle wherein he administereth or dischargeth his office; which is described by a comparison with the old taber- nacle, and that two ways: (1.) Positively; that it was “greater” and “more perfect” or “ more excellent” than it. (2.) By a double nega- tion, the latter exegetical of the former; “not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building” or “creation.” All these particulars must be distinctly opened, to give a right understanding of the sense of the place and meaning of the words :—
First, The person spoken of is “Christ.” I have observed before the variety of appellations or names whereby the apostle on various occasions expresseth him in this epistle, otherwise than he is wont to do in any other of his epistles. Sometimes he calls him Jesus only, sometimes Christ, sometimes Jesus Christ, sometimes the Son, and sometimes the Son of God. And he had respect herem unto the various notions which the church of the Jews had concerning his person from the prophecies and promises of the Old Testament. And he useth none of them peculiarly but when there is a peculiar rea- son for it, as we have already observed on sundry occasions. And so there isin this place. He doth not say Jesus is come, or the Son, or the Son of God, but “Christ being come;” that is, “the Messiah being come.” Under that name and notion was he promised from ' the beginning, and the fundamental article of the faith of the church was, that the Messiah was to come;—all their desires and expecta- tions were fixed on the coming of the Messiah. Hence 6 épyédmevoc, “he that was to come,” was the name whereby they expressed their faith in him. 3d ¢ 6 épyduevog; Matt. xi. 3,—‘‘ Art thou he who is to come?” And the coming of Christ, or the Messiah, was the time and the cause wherein and whereby they expected the last revela- tion of the will of God, and the utmost perfection of the church. Wherefore the apostle on this occasion mentions him by his name, ‘He who was promised of old that he should come, upon whose com- ing the faith of the church was built, by whom and at whose coming they expected the last revelation of the will of God, and conse-— quently a change in their present administrations, the promised Messiah being come.’ The church was founded of old on the name — Jehovah, as denoting the unchangeableness and faithfulness of God in the accomplishment of his Promises, Exod. vi, 2,3, And this name