He was thus offered for those “many,” to “bear their sins,” as we render the words. It is variously translated, as we have seen be- fore, and various senses are sought after by expositors. Grotius wholly follows the Socinians in their endeavours to pervert the sense of this word. It is not from any difficulty in the word, but from men’s hatred unto the truth, that they put themselves on such en- deavours. And this whole attempt lies in finding out one or two places where dvagépw signifies “ to take away;’ for the various signi- fication of a word used absolutely in any other place is sufficient for these men to confute its necessary signification in any context. But the matter is plain in itself; Christ did bear sin, or take it away, as he was offered, as he was a sacrifice for it. This is here expressly affirmed: “ He was offered to bear the sins of many.” This he did as the sacrifices did of old, as unto their typical use and efficacy. A supposition hereof is the sole foundation of the whole discourse of the apostle. But they bare sin, or took away sin (not to contend about the mere signification of the word) no otherwise but by the imputation of the sin unto the beast that was sacrificed, whereon it was slain, that atonement might be made with its blood. This I
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VER. 27, 28.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 413
have before sufficiently proved. So “Christ bare the sins of many.” And go the signification of this word is determined and limited by the apostle Peter, by whom alone it is used on the same occasion 1 Hpist. ii, 24,"0¢ rag auapriag nud adros duqveyney év rq comars adred én} +d EvAov,—“ Who himself bare our sins in his own body on the tree.” That place, compared with this, doth utterly evert the Soci- nian fiction of the oblation of Christ in heaven. He was offered dveveyxeiv, “to bear the sins of many.” When did he do it? how did he do it? "Avjveyxev, “ He bare our sins in his own body on the tree.” Wherefore then he offered himself for them; and this he did in his suffering. . Moreover, wherever in the Old Testament N2 is translated by avapepw in the LXX., as Num, xiv, 33, Isa. li. 12, or by gw, with reference unto sin, it constantly signifies to “bear the punishment
of it,” Yea, it doth so when, with respect unto the event, it is ren-
dered by apaupei, as it is Lev.x.17. And the proper signification of the word is to be taken from the declaration of the thing signified by it. “He shall bear their iniquities,” Isa. li. 11 jab), “bear them as a burden upon him.” He was “once offered,” so as that he suffered therein. As he suffered, he bare our iniquities; and as he was offered, he made atonement for them. And this is not opposed unto the appearance of men before God at the last day, but unto their death, which they were once to undergo. Wherefore,—
Obs. V. The ground of the expiation of sin by the offering of Christ is this, that therein he bare the guilt and punishment due unto it.
Fourthly, Upon this offering of Christ the apostle supposeth what he had before declared, namely, that “he entered into heaven, to appear in the presence of God for us;” and hereon he declares what is the end of all this dispensation of God’s grace: “ Unto them that look for him he shall appear the second time, without sin, unto salvation.” And he shows, 1. What “de facto” Christ shall yet do: ‘“ He shall appear.” 2. To whom he shall so appear: “ Unto them that look for him.” 3. In what manner: “Without sin.” 4, Unto what end: “Unto salvation.” 5. In what order; “The second time.”
1. The last thing mentioned is first expressed, and must first be explained: ‘The second time.’ The Scripture is ex- press unto a double appearing or coming of Christ. The first was his coming in the flesh, coming into the world, coming unto his own,—namely, to discharge the work of his mediation, espe- cially to make atonement for sin in the sacrifice of himself, unto the accomplishment of all promises made concerning it, and all types instituted for its representation; the second is in glory, unto the judgment of all, when he shall finish and complete the eternal sal- vation of the church. Any other personal appearance or coming of Christ the Scripture knows not, and in this place expressly excludes
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414 AN EXPOSITION OF THE ; [CHAP. IX.
any imagination of it. His first appearance is past; and appear the second time he will not until that judgment comes which fol- lows death, and the salvation of the church shall be completed. Afterward aks will be no further appearance of Christ in the dis- charge of his office; for “God shall be all in all.”
2. That which he affirms of him is, “He shall appear,’ “he shall be seen.” There shall be a public vision and sight of him. He was seen on the earth in the days of his flesh: he is now in heaven, where no mortal eye can see him, within the veil of that glory which we cannot look into, “The heaven must receive him until the times of restitution of all things.” He can, indeed, appear unto whom he pleaseth, by an extraordinary _ dispensation. So he was seen of Stephen standmg at the right hand of God, Acts vil. 56. So he appeared unto Paul, 1 Cor. xy. 8 But as unto the state of the church in general, and in the discharge | of his mediatory office, he is not seen of any. So the high priest was not seen of the people, after his entrance into the holy place, until he came forth again. Even concerning the person of Christ we live by faith, and not by sight, And,—