Nae Christ. And two things are to be inquired hereon:
/ 7 @""" “1, What is meant by “the blood of Christ.” 2. How this effect was wrought by it.
First, It is not only that material blood which he shed, absolutely considered, that is here and elsewhere called “ the blood of Christ,” when the work of our redemption is ascribed unto it, that is in- tended; but there is a double consideration of it, with respect unto ° its efficacy unto this end: 1. That it was the pledge and the sign of all the internal obedience and sufferings of the soul of Christ, of his person. “He became obedient unto death, the death of the cross,’ whereon his blood was shed. This was the great instance of his obedience and of his sufferings, whereby he made reconciliation and atonement for sin. Hence the effects of all his sufferings, and of all obedience in his stifferings, are ascribed unto his blood. 2. Respect is had unto the sacrifice and offering of blood under the law. The reason why God gave the people the blood to make atonement on the altar, was because “ the life of the flesh was in it,” Lev. xvii. 11, 14. So was the life of Christ in his blood, by the shedding whereof he laid it dowa. And by his death it is, as he was the Son of God, that we are redeemed. Herein he made his soul an offering for sin, Isa. liii. 10. Wherefore this expression, “the blood of Christ,” in order unto our redemption, or the expiation of sin, is comprehensive of all that he did and suffered for those ends, inas- much as the shedding of it was the way and means whereby he offered it, or himself (in and by it), unto God.
Secondly, The second inquiry is, how the effect nere mentioned was wrought by the blood of Christ. And this we cannot determine
VER. 13, 14.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 297
without a general consideration of the effect itself ; and this is, the “purging of our conscience from dead works.” Kadapie%z—“ shall purge.” That is, say some, shall purify and sanctify, by internal, inherent sanctification. But neither the sense of the word, nor the context, nor the exposition given by the apostle of this very expression, Heb. x. 1, 2, will admit of this restrained sense. I grant it is included herein, but there is some- what else principally intended, namely, the expiation of sin, with our justification and peace with God thereon.
1. For the proper sense of the word here used, see our expo- sition on chap. i. 3. Expiation, lustration, carrying away punish- ment by making atonement, are expressed by it in all good authors.
2. The context requires this sense in the first place; for,—
(1.) The argument here used is immediately applied to prove that Christ hath “obtained for us eternal redemption;” but redemp- tion consists not in internal sanctification only, although that be a necessary consequent of it, but it is the pardon of sin through the atonement made, or a price paid: “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,” Eph. i. 7.
(2.) In the comparison insisted on there is distinct mention made of “the blood of bulls and goats,” as well as of “the ashes of an heifer sprinkled ;” but the first and principal use of blood in sacrifice was to make atonement for sin, Lev. xvii. 11. |
(3.) The end of this purging is to give boldness in the service of
Kabepiei rhy cuyeiongy.
_ God, and peace with him therein,—that we may “serve the living
God;” but this is done by the expiation and pardon of sin, with jus- tification thereon.
(4.) It is “conscience” that is said to be purged. Now conscience is the proper seat of the guilt of sin; it is that which chargeth it on the soul, aud which hinders all approach unto God in his service with liberty and boldness, unless it be removed: which,—
(5.) Gives us the best consideration of the apostle’s exposition of this expression, Heb. x. 1, 2; for he there declares, that to have the conscience purged, is to have its condemning power for sin taken
away and cease.
There is therefore, under the same name, a twofold effect here ascribed unto the blood of Christ; the one in answer and opposition
unto the effect of the blood of bulls and goats being offered; the other in answer unto the effect of the ashes of an heifer being sprinkled: the first consisting in making atonement for our sins; the other in the sanctification of our persons. And there are two ways whereby these things are procured by the blood of Christ: 1. By its offering, whereby sin is expiated. 2. By its sprinkling, whereby our persons are sanctified. The first ariseth from the satisfaction he made unto the justice of God, by undergoing in his
298 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [ CHAP. IX.
death the punishment due to us, being made therein a curse for us, that the blessing might come upon us; therein, as his death was a sacrifice, as he offered himself unto God in the shedding of his blood, he made atonement: the other from the virtue of his sacrifice applied unto us by the Holy Spirit, which is the sprinkling of it; so doth the blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, cleanse us from all our sins.