The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 246

Christ's offering of himself is once for all the n.postolic age, of the end of all thingo needin/:( no repetition, follows from the vie~ being close at hand; and this expectation of it ulready given, viz. that it is a pcr- further RCoounts for the reference to the pet~~l preee1;1tatiou of himself, after fully pa.et rather than the future in the expression, ava1hng se.cri.fice of himself, before the very "since the foundation of the world." For, fe.ce of nod. The.t this is of necessity once with regard to 1he future, the second coming for nil is now further shown hy the con- of Christ WI\S the one gren.t ideA. present to siderati_on 1he.t repeated offeringe of himself the minds of Christians, the intervening would mvolve the impossible condition of time being reg1nde,i. by them a.e but the repeated deaths. Observe that "offer him- dawn of coming day (see, on this head, 1ielf" in 'l"er. 25 does not refer to the dee.th whe.t was l!llid under eh. i. 2). The strong llpon the cross, but to the intercession before expression, ,/s dllfr.,aw a.µap-rlas (for the the eternal mercy-seRt after RCcomplished sense of d6/.n,,11s, cf. oh. vii. 18, where it atonement, answering to the high priest's means "abrogation"), used as it here is with entrance, with the blood of previous sacrifice, reference to e.11 the transgressions of the within the veil. The death itself is denoted ages pa.et, though not to be pressed so as in 'l"er. 2G by wa6,iv ("suffered"). The to inv"lidate what is elsewhere ea.id of the argument rests on the principle, nlreRdy future penal consequences of e.11 wilful and established as being signified by the whole unrepented sin, may still be cited among of the ancient ritual, t-hat, for aoceptable the texts supporting the view of those '!l"ho intercession in behalr of me.n, previous death "trust tile larger hope." or blood-shedding is in every case required. Vere. 27, 28.-And ina.smuoh e.s it is But whv add •· since the foundation of the appointed m,,to men onoe to die, a.nd after world"? We must supply the thought of this judgment : so the Christ also, onoe the retrospective efficacy of Christ's atone- offered to bear the sins of many, shall appear ment. Ever since sin entered, man needed e. second time, without Bin, to them the.1. atonement, signified, but not effected, by look for him, m,,to salvation. The Divine the ancient sRCrifices. Christ's one offering ordinance concerning me.nkind in general of himself has supplied this primeval need, he.a its analogy in the truth concerning availing, not only for the present and future, Christ, who was made like unto us in a.II but also for all past ages. This view was things, and who represents humanity. Aa definitely expressed, with reference to human life, with a.11 its works, comes to an "transgressioDB which were nnder the first end in de!Lth, and only judgment follows, covenant," in ver. 15, and, though not so Christ's death once for all completed his repealed here, is prominent in the writer's ministerie.l work, e.nd nothing remains for mind (cf. Rom. iii. 25, where God's righteous- him to do but to return as Judge in glory- ne&l is said to have been shown iu Christ he judicaturus, men judicandi. •• To bear with regard to " the passing over of sins the sins of many " is ta.ken from Isa.. liii. 12. done e.furetime, in the forbearance of God," For simile.r use of the word ava<P•P•"'• cf. as well as to j UBtifico.tion of believers now ; Numb. xiv. 33, LXX.; and especially 1 Pet. e.leo Rom. v., where the effect of Christ's ii. 24, Ta.s a.µap-rliu .;,µwv au-rbs C1.11f,11,-y1<<V 9 obedience is declared to be coextensive with -r,p u~µa-r, au-roii brl -rb fuAov, which expresses that of Adam'& tre.DBgression). TLis view the idea. of Christ"s ta.king our sins upo11 accounts for "since the foundation of the himself Rnd bee.ring them up to the cross, world," the idea. being that, the tre.ns- and so removing them. The ideas of bearing ~0BBilns requiring atonement having been and of taking away may thus be both since then, repeated dee.the since then would implied. In contrast with this is the xwpls have been needed had not Christ's one a.µap-r(as (" without, or ape.rt from, sin") when offering of himself e.ve.iled for a.II time, just he shall appear a.gain. For then he will as repeated so.orifices were needed for the have been, as he is now, removed from it high priest's eywbolice.l yearly interces- altogether-from its burden e.nd its sur- sions. The question is not asked, nor is roundinga; it is in glory only that he will any reason given, why this one ell-sufficient then e.ppe11.r. And so also "to them that offering was deferred till BO long after the look for him" his appearing will be "unto need began. It is enough to know that salvation" ouly. They, too, will have done such h.e.s been, in fa.et, the Divine will, viz. with sin. The insertion of the words, "to that not till the fulnees of time was come- them that look for him," precludes the con- not till the end ( or coDBumme.tion) of the clusion that it will be so to e.11. The many long preceding sinful age-hould tlie pa.see.gee the.t express the doom of those Redeemer once for e.ll be manifested for who shall be set on the left bond, whatever lltonement. The ph.re.ae, Ell'l uvn•>--•t'f ,,.;;,., they imply, retain their awful meaning al.:iv..,,, seems certainly to imply the idea, ( cf. especie.lly infra, eh. x, 27), otht:rwise known to have been prevalent in OH, IX. 1-28.] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 237