Which stood in (é7?). The passage should be read thus: “according to which are offered gifts and sacrifices which
480 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cz. IX.
cannot perfect the worshipper as touching the conscience, being mere ordinances of the flesh on the ground of (enh resting wpon) meats,” etc.
Meats and drinks and divers washings (Spamacw «ai mopacw Kab dvaddpos Bamricmois). Bpwpaciv, clean and un- clean meats. IIéuacw drinks, concerning which the Levitical law laid down no prescriptions except as to abstinence in the case of a Nazarite vow, and of the priests when they were about to officiate. See Num. vi. 8; Lev. x. 9. For Bar- tig pois washings see on ch. vi. 2.
And carnal ordinances (dcatdpata capkos). Omit and. The phrase is a general description of meats, etc. Lit. ord- inances of the flesh.
Imposed (émxeiueva). Some interpreters find in this the suggestion of a burden, which these ceremonial observances assuredly were. Comp. Acts xv. 10. This, however, is not probable.
Until the time of reformation (uéyps xarpod diophacews ). AidpOwors N. T.°, °LXX, occasionally in Class. Accp@opa correction, amendment, Acts xxiv. 2. ArdpOaais lit. making straight: used by medical writers of straightening a distorted limb. The verb dsopAodv (not in N. T.) in LXX of mending one’s ways, Jer. vil. 8, 5; Wisd. ix. 18. Of setting up or establishing, Isa. xvi. 5; lxii. 7. ‘The time of reformation” is the Christian age, when God made with his people a better covenant. It was inaugurated by the death of Christ. See on ch. i. 2. The gifts and offerings were only provisional, to tide the people over to the better time.
11. The time of reformation introduces a higher sanctuary, a better offering, a more radical salvation.
Having come (aapayevouevos). Having appeared in the world. Only here in Hebrews, and only once in Paul, 1 Cor. xvi. 8. Most frequent in Luke and Acts.
Cu. IX.] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 481
Of good things to come (Trav yevoudvor ayabov). Accord- ing to this reading the A. V.is wrong. It should be “of the good things realised,” or that have come to pass. The A. V. follows the reading meAAcvrav about to be. So Tischendorf and Rev. T. Weiss with Westcott and Hort read yevouevwr. Blessings not merely prophetic or objects of hope, but actually attained ; free approach to God, the better covenant, personal communion with God, the purging of the conscience.
Through a greater and more perfect tabernacle (da). The preposition is instrumental. Comp. ver. 12. Const. with apxlepers high priest, and as qualifying it. “A high priest with a greater and more perfect tabernacle.” It has been shown that the new high priest must have a sanctuary and an offering (ch. viii. 2-6). Accordingly, as the Levitical priests were attached to (were priests with) an inferior taber- nacle, so Christ appears with a greater and more perfect tabernacle. For this use of é@ see Rom. ii. 27; xiv. 20; 2 Cor. ii. 4; iii. 11. Note the article with tabernacle, his greater, etc.*
* By some interpreters 6.4 is explained as local, passing through, and rjs pelfovos —oxnvis is construed with elo#\Gev, ver. 12. Thus: ‘ Christ having appeared as a high priest of the good things accomplished, entered into the holiest, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle.’? That is, as the Levitical high priest had to pass through the holy place in order to reach the holy of holies, so Christ passed through a holy place greater and more perfect than that of the ancient tabernacle, in order to reach the heavenly sanctuary. All kinds of explanations are given of this intermediate holy place; as, the lower spaces of the heavens: Christ’s human nature: his holy life: the church on earth: the world, etc. It is to be said that this local sense of 6.4 emphasises a subordinate point, of which nothing is made in the epistle ; which is not even stated. In other words, nothing in the epistle is made to turn on the fact of the high priest’s passing through one place in order to reach another. The emphatic point is Christ’s entering the heavenly sanctuary. His passing through the heavens (ch. iv. 14) or through anything else, is a mere incident having no typical significance. The construction advocated by Rendall, Epistle to the Hebrews, should be noticed: ‘‘ High priest of good things which came through the greater and more perfect taber- nacle.’? But not the greater tabernacle, but Christ is everywhere represented as the agent of the good things of the new dispensation. The new sanctuary which Christ must have as high priest is an accompaniment of his position and ministry.