A blessed and divine context this is, summarily representing unto us the love, grace, /and wisdom of the Father; the love, obedience,
1 Bxposition.—Five views have been taken in regard to the difference between the Hebrew original and the L.XX. rendering, as given in verse 5, 1, Even before the days of Kennicott some resolved the difficulty on the hypothesis of a corruption of the Hebrew text. Kennicott conjectured that 7°72 NS was a corruption for 7D? 74 '8,—“ Then a body thou hast given.” Since "8, however, is an adyerb of time, it cannot be taken in the sense of “ therefore.” Pierce adopts the emendation so far, but leaves the verb as it stands. Pye Smith inclines to this view, and holds that "72 signifies “to prepare.” 2. Bleek sup- poses a corruption in the LXX.,—ca, instead of dr or arse originally. 3. Rosenmiiller, with Owen, a synecdoche, “'Thou hast opened mine ears ;”—‘ given a capacity to hear, and therefore to obey thy commands.’ 4. Michaelis, Storr, Kuinoel, Hengstenberg, and Stuart, paraphrase it somewhat thus, “Thou hast opened, 7. ¢., spoken closely and effectually into mine ears ;”‘TI have ears to hear, and I understand the secret meaning of the laws concerning sacrifices. I know that that requires not oxen and goats, but a BETTER SACRIFICE; and for that purpose I present myself.” 5. Olshausen and Ebrard adhere to the ex- planation derived from the boring of the servant’s ear, Exod. xxi. 6, All agree that the meaning is substantially conyeyed by the LX X.—Ep.
Bee: 3c ee
448 AN EXPOSITION OF THE S[OHAP. x.
and suffering of the Son; the federal agreement between the Father and the Son as unto the work of the redemption and salvation of the church; with the blessed harmony between the Old and New Testament in the declaration of these things. The divine authority and wisdom that evidence themselves herein are ineffable, and do cast contempt on all those by whom this epistle hath been called in question; as sundry other passages in it do in a peculiar manner. And it is our duty to inquire with diligence into the mind of the Holy Spirit herein.
As unto the general nature of the arguing of the apostle, it con- sists in two parts: First, The introduction of a pregnant testimony out of the Old Testament unto his purpose, verses 5—8, and part of the 9th. Secondly, Jnferences from that testimony, asserting and confirming all that he had pleaded for.
In the testimony he produceth we may consider, 1. The manner —
of its introduction, respecting the reason of what is asserted ; ‘“ Where- fore.’ 2. Who it was by whom the words insisted on were spoken; “ He saith.” 3, When he spake them; “ When he came into the world,” 4, The things spoken by him in general; which consist in a double antithesis: (1.) Between the legal sacrifices and the obe- dience of Christ in his body, verse 5; (2.) Between G'od’s acceptance of the one and the other, with their efficacy unto the end treated of, which must be particularly spoken unto.
First, The introduction of this testimony is by the word “where- fore,”—“ for which cause,” “for which end.” It doth not give an account why the words following were spoken, but why the things themselves were so ordered and dis- posed, And we are directed in this word unto the due consideration of what is designed to be proved: and this is, that there was such an insufficiency in all legal sacrifices, as unto the expiation of sin, that God would remove them and take them out of the way, to in- troduce that which was better, to do that which the law could not do. ‘ Wherefore,’ saith the apostle, ‘ because it was so with the law, things are thus disposed of in the wisdom and counsel of God as is declared in this testimony.’
Srconpiy, Who spake the words contained in the testimony: “ He saith.” The words may have a three- fold respect :—
1. As they were given out by inspiration, and are recorded in the Scripture. So they were the words of the Holy Ghost, as the apostle expressly affirms of the like words, verses 15, 16, of this chapter.
2. As they were used by the penman of the psalm, who speaks by inspiration. So they were the words of David, by whom the psalm was composed. But although David spoke or wrote these words, yet is not he himself the person spoken of, nor can any
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VER. 5-10.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 449
passage in the whole context be applied unto him, as we shall see in particular afterwards. Or if they may be said to be spoken of him, it was only as he bare the person of another, or was a type of Christ. For although God himself doth frequently prefer moral obedience before the sacrifices of the law, when they were hypo- critically performed, and trusted unto as a righteousness, unto the neglect of diligence in moral duties; yet David did not, would not, ought not, in his own name and person, to reject the worship of God, and present himself with his obedience in the room thereof, espe- cially as unto the end of sacrifices in the expiation of sin. Where- fore,—