Kpiois.
Christ unto the salvation of believers, which is the great or general —
judgment of all at the last day. Kp/oig and xpi, used with re- spect unto this day, or taken absolutely, do signify a condemnatory sentence only. "Avdéoracig xpicewc, “the resurrection of” or “unto judgment,” is opposed unto dvdéoracrs Cas, “ the resurrection of” or “unto life,’ John v. 29. See verses 22, 24. So is it here used; “judgment,” that is, condemnation for sin, follows after death, in the righteous constitution of God, by the sentence of the law. And as Christ by his death doth not take away death absolutely, but only as it is penal; so on his second appearance, he doth not take away judgment absolutely, but only as itis a condemnatory sentence, with respect unto believers. For as we must all die, so “we must all
appear before his judgment-seat,” Rom. xiv. 10. But as he hath —
promised that those that believe in him “shall not see death,” for “they are passed from death unto life,’—they shall not undergo it
SS ee ae
VER. 27, 28.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. . 411
‘as it is penal; so also he hath, that they “shall not come «¢ xp/ow,”
(the word here used) “into judgment,” John v. 24,—they shall be freed from the condemnatory sentence of the law. Tor the nature and manner of this judgment, see the exposition on chap. vi.1,2. This, then, is the sense of the words: ‘ Whereas, therefore, or inasmuch as this is the constitution of God, that man, sinful man, shall once die, and afterwards be judged, or condemned for sin :—which would have
been the event with all, had not a relief been provided, which in
opposition hereunto is declared in the next verse. And no man that dies in sin shall ever escape judgment. Ver, 28.—This verse gives us the relief provided in the wisdom
and grace of God for and from this condition. And there is in the
words, 1. The redditive note of comparison and opposition, “ so.” 2. The subject spoken of; “ the offering of Christ.” 3. The end of it; “to bear the sins of many.” 4. The consequent of zt, which must be spoken to distinctly.
First, The redditive note is ofrw, “so,” “in like manner,” in answer unto that state of things, and for the remedy against it, in a blessed condecency unto divine wisdom, goodness, and grace.
Secondly, The subject spoken of is the offering of Christ. But it is here mentioned passively; “he was offered.” Most fre- quently it is expressed by his offering of himself, the sacri- fice he offered of himself. For as the virtue of his offering depends principally on the dignity of his person, so his human soul, his mind, will, and affections, with the fulness of the graces of the Spirit resi-
lj Ourw.
Tpooeve nc dels.
- dent and acting in them, did concur unto the efficacy of his offering,
and were necessary to render it an act of obedience, “a sacrifice
unto God of a sweet-smelling savour,” Eph. v. 2; yea, herein -princi-
pally depended his own glory, which arose not merely from his suffer- ing, but from his obedience therein, Phil. i, 7-11. Wherefore he is most frequently said to offer himself, 1. Because of the virtue com-
municated unto his offering by the dignity of his person. 2. Be-
cause he was the only priest that did offer. 3. Because his obedience therein was so acceptable wnto God. 4. Because this expresseth
is love unto the church: “He loved it, and gave himself for it.”
But as himself offered, so his offering was himself. His whole entire human nature was that which was offered. Hence it is thus pas- sively expressed, “Christ was offered;” that is, he was not only the priest who offered, but the sacrifice that was offered. Both were
necessary,—that Christ should offer, and that Christ should be
offered. And the reason why it is here so expressed, is because his _ offering is spoken of as it was by death and suffering. For having _ affirmed that if he must often offer he must often suften, and com-
7 ared his offering unto the once dying of men penally, it is plain
412 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. IX.
that the offering intended is in and by suffering and death. “Christ was offered,” is the same with “Christ suffered,” “Christ died.” And this expression is utterly irreconcilable unto the Socinian notion of the oblation of Christ. For they would have it to consist in the presentation of himself in heaven, eternally free from and above all sufferings; which cannot be the sense of this expression, “ Christ was offered.”
The circumstance of his being thus offered is, that it was “once”
only. This, joined as it is here with a word in the preterit tense, can signify nothing. but an action or passion then past and determined. It is not any present continued action, such as is the presentation of himself in heaven, that can be signified hereby.
Thirdly, The end of Christ’s being thus once offered, and which his
Ei cd goa. One offering did perfectly effect, was “to bear the sins Adv dwepriag Of many.” There is an antithesis between worrav, “ of BVANA SED many,” and dvdpdrors, “unto men,” in the verse forego- ing. “ Men,” expressed indefinitely in that necessary proposition, intends all men universally; nor, as we have showed, is there any exception against the rule by a few in- stances of exemption by the interposition of divine sovereignty. But the relief which is granted by Christ, though it be unto men indefinitely, yet it extends not to all universally, but to “many” of them only. That it doth not so extend unto all eventually, is con- fessed. And this expression is declarative of the intention of God, or of Christ himself in his offering. See Eph. v. 25, 26.