Fourthly, The consequent hereof on the part of Christ is twofold : 1. What immediately ensued on this offering of his body, verse 12; 2. What continueth to be his state with respect thereunto, verse 13: both of them evidencing God’s high approbation and acceptance of his person, and what he had done; as also the glory and efficacy of his office and sacrifice above those of the law, wherein no such pri- vilege nor testimony was given unto them upon the discharge of their office.
1, The immediate consequent of his offering was, éxdésoey ey dei rod} @zo¥,—that “he sat down on the right hand of God.” This glorious exaltation of Christ hath been spoken unto and opened before, on chap. i. 8, viii 1. Here it includes a double opposition unto and preference above the state of the legal priests upon their oblations. For although the high priest, in his anniversary sacrifice for the expiation of sin, did enter into the most holy place, where were the visible pledges of the pre-
"Exadioey iy Okie vod Osod,
VER, 11-14,] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 487
sence of God, yet he stood in a posture of humble ministration; he sat not down with any appearance of dignity or honour. Again, his abode in the typical holy place was for a short season only; but Christ sat down at the right hand of God “for ever,”—«is rd Oimvexés, “in perpetuum;”’ in an unalterable state and condition. He sat down, never to offer sacrifice any more. And this is the highest pledge, the highest assurance of these two things, which are the pillars and principal foundations of the faith of the church: (1.) That God was absolutely pleased, satisfied, and highly glorified, in and by the offering of Christ; for had it not been so, the human nature of Christ had not been immediately exalted into the highest glory that it was capable of. See Eph. v. 1,2; Phil. ii, 7-9. (2.) That he had by his offering perfectly expiated the sin of the world, so as that there is no need for ever of any other offering or sacri- fice unto this end.
Obs. II. Faith in Christ doth jointly respect both his oblation of himself by death and the glorious exaltation that ensued thereon,.— He so ofiered one sacrifice for sin, as that thereon he sat down on the right hand of God for ever. Neither of these separately is a full object for faith to find rest in; both in conjunction are a rock to fix iton. And,—
Obs. III. Christ in this order of things is the great exemplar of the church. He suffered, and then entered into glory. “If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him.”
Ver. 13.—“ From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.”
2. The state and condition of Christ after his sitting down at the right hand of God, not absolutely, but with respect unto his ene- mies, is declared /in these words. The whole testimony is taken from Ps. ex. 1, and here explained in these verses. It is produced in the confirmation of what the apostle asserts concerning the im- possibility as well as the needlessness of the repetition of his sacri- fice. For as it is no way necessary, as in the verses following he declares, so it is impossible in his present state and condition, which was ordained for him from the beginning: this was, that he should sit at the right hand of God, expecting his enemies to be made his footstool; that is, in a state of majesty and glory. But offer himself he could not, without suffering and dying, whereof in this state he is no way capable. And besides, as was before observed, it is an evidence both of the dignity and eternal efficacy of his one sacrifice, whereon at once his exaltation did ensue.
I acknowledge my thoughts are inclined unto a peculiar inter- pretation of this place, though I will not oppose absolutely that _ which is commonly received; though in my judgment I prefer this
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488 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. X.
other before it. The assertion is introduced by rt Aomév: “ hence- forth,” say we: “as unto what remains;” that is, of the dispensation of the personal ministry of Christ. He was here below, he came unto his own, he dwelt amongst them; that is, in the church of the Hebrews. Some very few believed on him, but the generality of the people, the rulers, priests, guides of the church, engaged against him, persecuted him, falsely accused him, killed him, hanged him on a tree. Under the veil of their rage and cruelty he carried on his work of “making his soul an offering for sin,” or “taking away sin by the sacrifice of himself” Having fulfilled this work, and thereby wrought out the eternal salvation of the church, he sits down on the right hand of God. In the meantime those stubborn enemies of his, who hated, rejected, and slew him, continued raging in the fierceness of their implacable tumults against him and them that believed in him. They hated his person, his office, his work, his gospel; many of them expressly sinning against the Holy Ghost. Yet did they triumph that they had prevailed against him, and destroyed him; as some of their accursed posterity do to this day. It was the judgment of God, that those his obstinate enemies should by his power be utterly destroyed in this world, as a pledge of the eternal destruction of those who will not believe the gospel. That this was the end whereunto they were designed himself declares, Matt. xxi. 7; Luke xix. 27, “Those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.”