Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Hebrews 9:25
Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
25. entereth into the holy place every year ] In this entrance of the High Priest once a year, on the Day of Atonement, into the Holiest Place culminated all that was gorgeous and awe-inspiring in the Jewish ritual. The writer therefore purposely chose it as his point of comparison between the ministrations of the Two Covenants. For if he could shew that even the ceremonies of this day called by the Jews “ the Day” were a nullity compared with the significance of the Gospel, he was well aware that no other rite would be likely to make a converted Hebrew waver in his faith. The Day of Atonement was called “the Sabbath of Sabbatism” or “perfect Sabbath.” It was the one fast-day of the Jewish Calendar. The 70 bullocks offered during the Atonement-week were regarded as a propitiation for all the 70 nations of the world. On that day the very Angels were supposed to tremble. It was the only day on which perfect pardon could be assured to sins which had been repented of. On that day alone Satan had no power to accuse, which is inferred by “ Gematria ” from the fact that “ the Accuser ” in Hebrew was numerically equivalent to 364, so that on the 365th day of the year he was forced to be silent. On the seven days before the day of Atonement the High Priest was scrupulously secluded, and was kept awake all the preceding night to avoid the chance of ceremonial defilement. Till the last 40 years before the Fall of Jerusalem it was asserted that the tongue of scarlet cloth tied round the neck of the goat “for Azazel” (“the Scape Goat”) used to turn white in token of the Remission of Sins. The function of the High Priest was believed to be attended with much peril, and the people awaited his reappearance with deep anxiety. The awful impression made by the services of the day is shewn by the legends which grew up respecting them, and by such passages as Sir 50:5-16 ; Sir 45:6-22 . See an Excursus on this subject in my Early Days of Christianity, ii. 549 552.
with blood of others ] Namely of the goat and the bullock. See Heb 9:22. A Rabbinic book says “Abraham was Circumcised on the Day of Atonement; and on that Day God annually looks on the blood of the Covenant of the Circumcision as atoning for all our iniquities.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Nor yet that he should offer himself often – The Jewish high priest entered the most holy place with blood once every year. In this respect the offering made by Christ, and the work which he performed, differed from that of the Jewish high priest. It was not needful that he should enter the holy place but once. Having entered there, he permanently remains there.
With the blood of others – That is, with the blood of calves, and goats. This is a second point in which the work of Christ differs from that of the Jewish high priest. Christ entered there with his own blood; notes on Heb 9:12.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 25. Nor yet that he should offer himself often] The sacrifice of Christ is not like that of the Jewish high priest; his must be offered every year, Christ has offered himself once for all: and this sacrificial act has ever the same efficacy, his crucified body being still a powerful and infinitely meritorious sacrifice before the throne.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The excellency of Christs sacrifice beyond the Aaronical is argued here from its singularity; it needs no repetition, as their multiplied sacrifices did.
Nor; oude, introducing it, is but inferring this excellency of Christs sacrifice, by denying in it that weakness which was annexed to the legal ones; there was no need that he should die yearly, to fulfil the type of the often yearly sacrifices of the legal high priest, who entered with the blood of bulls and goats, strange blood to him, and not his own, into the holy of holiest in the tabernacle, and entered so every year once, to show the virtue of his sacrifice to be only signal, typical, and passing, to make room for a better, that single, individual one of Christ, in respect of sacrifice and oblation.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
25. As in Heb9:24, Paul said, it was not into the typical, but the truesanctuary, that Christ is entered; so now he says, that His sacrificeneeds not, as the Levitical sacrifices did, to be repeated. Construe,”Nor yet did He enter for this purpose that He mayoffer Himself often,” that is, “present Himself inthe presence of God, as the high priest does (Paul uses thepresent tense, as the legal service was then existing), yearby year, on the day of atonement, entering the Holy of Holies.
withliterally, “in.”
blood of othersnothis own, as Christ did.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Nor yet that he should offer himself often,…. Or at all again; which shows the perfection of his sacrifice, for justice was satisfied, the law fulfilled, sin done away, and complete salvation obtained at once; which lies against the errors of the Socinians, who say he offers himself now in heaven; and of the Papists, who pretend to offer the body of Christ daily in their mass:
as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; not his own, nor other men’s, but the blood of goats and calves; but Christ entered into heaven with his own blood, he having been altar, priest, and sacrifice: the high priest went into the most holy place every year, but Christ has entered into heaven once for all, where he sits down and continues, having done his work effectually.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
That he should offer himself often ( ). Purpose clause with and present active subjunctive of (keep on offering himself, like Heb 5:1; Heb 5:3).
With blood not his own ( ). So-called instrumental use of (accompaniment). means “belonging to another,” “not one’s own” (Lu 16:12).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Nor yet that [ ] . Supply did he enter. “Nor yet did he enter that he might offer,” etc.
He should offer himself often [ ] . His offering did not need repetition like the Levitical sacrifices. Offer himself refers rather to Christ ‘s entrance into the heavenly sanctuary and presentation of himself before God, than to his offering on the cross. See on ver. 14. The sacrifice on the cross is described by paqein suffer, ver. 26, and is introduced as a distinct thought. The point is that, being once in the heavenly sanctuary, Christ was not compelled to renew often his presentation of himself there, since, in that case, it would be necessary for him to suffer often. Each separate offering would necessitate a corresponding suffering.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Nor yet that he should offer himself often,” (oud hina poleakis prosphere heauton) “Nor even in order that he might offer himself repeatedly,” dying and shedding his blood again and again; 1Pe 3:18; Heb 10:10; Tit 2:14. It was not necessary first, because his blood was perfect, needed not replacing, second, his sacrifice was not limited in time benefits to those who received it by faith, Rom 3:25; 1Ti 2:5-6.
2) “As the high priest entereth into the holy place,” (hosper ho archiereus eisrchetai eis ta hagia) “Just as the high priest enters (of his own accord) into the holy place,” the Holy of Holies, Heb 9:7.
3) “Every year,” (kat’ eniauton) “Year by (after) year,” making the entrance, again and again, as required or prescribed by the Law, Exo 30:10; It was to be made according to these orders throughout Israel’s generations.
4) “With blood of others,” (en haimati allotrio) “With blood belonging to others,” on behalf of others, having first offered a sacrifice for himself, Lev 16:18-19; Lev 16:29-30.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
25. Nor yet that he should offer himself often, etc. How, then, is he a priest, one may say, if he offers no sacrifices? To this I reply that it is not requited of a priest that he should be continually sacrificing; for even under the Law there were days appointed for the chief sacrifices every year; they had also their hours daily morning and evening. But as that only true sacrifice which Christ offered once for all is ever efficacious, and thus perpetual in its effects, it is no wonder that on its virtue, which never fails, Christ’s eternal priesthood should be sustained. And here again he shows how and in what things Christ differs from the Levitical priest. Of the sanctuary he had spoken before; but he notices one difference as to the kind of sacrifice, for Christ offered himself and not an animal; and he adds another; that he repeated not his sacrifice, as under the Law, for the repetition there was frequent and even incessant.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(25) Nor yet that he shouldi.e., Nor yet (did He enter into heaven) that He may offer Himself often. The connection has been pointed out already in the last Note. The offering which is here in thought does not correspond to the actual sacrifice of the sin-offerings on the Day of Atonement, but to the presentation of the blood in the Holiest Place. In this really consisted the presentation of that sacrifice to God. That this is the meaning here is shown by the contrast in the latter part of the verse, where we read of the high priests entering the Holy Place (i.e., the Holy of Holies; see Note on Heb. 9:2) with blood not his own, and by the argument of Heb. 9:26.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
25. The true sacrifice was once for all, as the typical were repeated and often.
Offer himself This offer is parallel to the entereth of the high priest; it, therefore, does not here mean to sacrifice himself, but to present himself in heaven, as the high priest presented himself in the holy place. Yet in both cases a previous sacrifice takes place.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy place year by year with blood not his own, otherwise must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world. But now once at the end of the ages has he been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.’
Nor was His entry into Heaven one of many such entries which had to be made by Him, as though He had no permanent right there, for His one offering of Himself was sufficient for all sin for all time. Therefore could He be permanently before the face of God. He was not like the High Priests who had to enter to make atonement year by year, offering blood which was not their own, and then had to leave again, for had the effect of His sacrifice been of such a temporary nature He would have had to undergo regular periodic suffering, beginning from the very foundation of the world, when sin first began. (Note the implication that His own blood was the only offering that He could make in view of the kind of priest that He was). But it was not so. For now, once at the end of the ages, He had been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, and He had been wholly successful.
The implication in these words is enormous. Firstly that He has entered into the presence of God and has put away sin once-for-all for all time, reaching right back to the beginning and right on to the end. His sacrifice is sufficient to cover all sin of all ages, and once made does not have to be repeated. For those who are His, sin has been ‘put away’. And secondly that this is ‘the end of the ages’. It is now the last age, the promised ‘coming age’ of the prophets, the age of the everlasting kingdom, already here and bound up in Christians, and to be consummated in the eternal Kingdom. There remain no further earthly ages to come.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Heb 9:25. Nor yet Not, indeed. See Heb 9:12. There is an ellipsis in this place, to be supplied from Heb 9:23 thus: “Nor indeed was it necessary that he should often offer himself.” With blood of others means, the blood of bulls and of goats; and is rendered much more agreeably to the original by Dr. Heylin, with other blood than his own: .
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Heb 9:25 . ] nor yet, sc. .
] denotes not the presentation of Himself with His blood before God in the heavenly Holy of Holies (Bhme, Bleek, Delitzsch, Alford, Kurtz, and others; comp. also Riehm, Lehrbegr. des Hebrerbr . p. 474), but the offering of Himself as a sacrifice upon earth. The sense is: Christ entered into the heavenly Holy of Holies, not that He might presently leave it again, in order afresh to offer Himself as a sacrifice upon earth.
] the Levitical high priest .
] the earthly Holy of Holies .
] with blood not his own .
] opposition to .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
Heb 9:25-28 . Renewed (comp. Heb 7:27-28 , Heb 9:12 ) emphasizing of the manifestation once for all (and thus the full sufficiency) of the sacrifice of Christ.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
Ver. 25. Not that he would offer ] As Popish mass-mongers will have it. Eamus ad communem errorem (said Domitius Calderinus to his friends, when they persuaded him to go to mass, A.D. 1442), Let us go to the common error.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
25 28 .] In Heb 9:24 , His having entered into a mere typical sanctuary was denied: now it is denied, that His sacrifice needs, as those others did, to be repeated continually.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
25 .] nor yet (c. adds, , ) that He may (i. e. with this intent, to) oftentimes offer Himself (before God in the holiest place: continue, as those high priests, year by year coming in before the face of God in His sanctuary. This is not to be understood of Christ’s death , nor confounded, as Owen, Thol., De Wette, Ebrard, Lnem., and many others have done, with below: see there), just as (in a manner corresponding to, that which follows. , as , , and other words lengthened by ( ), implies a thorough similitude as far as the thing compared goes: Hartung (i. 340) illustrates such words by the obsolete German adverbs allda, allhier, allwo : cf. Jdg 9:53 , “and allto brake his skull”) the (Jewish) high priest enters into the holy (holiest) place year by year with ( , not instrumental, but elemental: he enters, furnished with, as it were clad with, that which follows. We use our ‘in’ of even the lesser articles of personal wear in a similar sense: ‘a man in spectacles’) blood of others (i. e. “not his own,” as Syr., which is an important point of contrast with Christ: see this brought in in the argumentation below):
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Heb 9:25 . “Nor yet [did He enter in] in order to offer Himself repeatedly,” that is, He did not enter in for a brief stay from which He was to return to renew His sacrifice. Westcott holds that the “offering” corresponds with the offering of the victim upon the altar, not with the bringing of the blood into the Holy of Holies. He refers to Heb 9:14 , to Heb 9:28 , and also to Heb 10:10 . Similarly Weiss and others. But in Heb 9:7 distinctly refers to the bringing in and application of the blood in the Holy of Holies, and the context of the present passage seems decidedly to make for the same interpretation. The sequence of the clause after ; the analogy presented in the clause under ; and the consequence stated under (Heb 9:26 ) all combine in favouring this meaning. The High Priest enters the Holiest annually, but Christ’s entering in was of another kind, not requiring repetition. The reason for the reiterated entering in of the High Priest, as well as the possibility of it, is given in the words . : “The High Priest was, as it were, surrounded, enveloped, in the life sacrificed and symbolically communicated” (Westcott). It is safer to take in its common instrumental sense: the blood was the instrument which enabled the High Priest to enter. The reason why the entrance had to be annually renewed is given in Heb 10:4 . The same contrast between and is found in Heb 9:12 . A sacrifice of blood not one’s own is necessarily imperfect, Christ’s entrance to God being and had eternal efficacy.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Nor yet. Greek. oude.
that = in order that. Greek. hina.
every year. Greek. kat’ (App-104.) eniauton. On the Day of Atonement.
of others. App-124.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
25-28.] In Heb 9:24, His having entered into a mere typical sanctuary was denied: now it is denied, that His sacrifice needs, as those others did, to be repeated continually.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Heb 9:25. ) He did not enter for this purpose, viz. that.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Heb 9:25-28
FURTHER ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE
GREAT IMPORTANT DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN THE LEVITICAL SERVICES
AND THOSE THAT ARE PERFORMED BY
CHRIST AS THE HIGH PRIEST OF OUR
CONFESSION
Heb 9:25-28
Heb 9:25 —Nor yet that he should offer himself often,-In the preceding paragraph our author has forcibly proved and illustrated the necessity of Christs death as the only ground of redemption from sin. In doing this he reasons mainly from the analogies of the Old and New Covenant. Under the Old Covenant there was no remission of sins without blood; and so he argues there can be none under the New Covenant. But between these two institutions there are also many important points of contrast as well as of similarity, one of which the Apostle has already stated in the twenty- fourth verse; viz.: that Christ has not entered into the sanctuary made with hands like that into which Aaron and his successors entered ; on the contrary, he has gone into heaven itself, henceforth to appear in the presence of God for us. In the twenty-fifth verse he goes on to state another point of difference between the work of Christ and that of the Levitical high priests. These had to offer the same sacrifices year by year, but not so with Christ.
Heb 9:26 —For then must he often have suffered, etc.-Every offering of himself in heaven would of course imply an antecedent sacrificial death on earth. If, then, an annual offering were necessary, an annual sacrificial death would also be necessary. But in that event he must have often suffered since the foundation of the world (apo kataboles kosmou) ; that is, since the epoch of the Adamic renovation. But this he has not done. He has suffered but one death, and has, therefore, made but one offering.
Heb 9:26 —But now once in the end of the world, etc.-Or more literally: But now once in the end of the ages (epi suntcleia ton aio- non), he has been manifested for the putting away of sin by the sacrifice of himself: thus demonstrating that the one offering of himself is sufficient to meet all the requirements of the case; and that it is not, therefore, necessary to repeat the offering as the high priests were required to do under the Old Economy. The one offering of Christ, therefore, reaches back in its meritorious effects to the fall of man and forward to the end of time.
Another point of contrast made here by the Apostle consists in this, that the high priest under the Law went into the Holy of Holies with alien blood (en haimati allotrioi) ; that is, invested, as it were, with the blood of a young bullock and a goat; but Christ went into heaven invested with his own blood, by means of which he has paid the immense debt that was due to Divine Justice, and so obtained eternal redemption for all who love and obey him.
Heb 9:27 —And as it is appointed unto men once to die,-The Apostle still keeps up the contrast between Christ and the Jewish high priest. The latter, as we have seen, went once a year with the blood of an innocent victim into the Holy of Holies, and there having made an offering for himself and for the sins of the people, he came out of the sanctuary still defiled by sin; and he had, therefore, to repeat the same offerings year by year continually. But not so with Christ. His case, on the contrary, rather resembles, in some respects, the lot of all men. They are all by the Divine sentence (Gen 3:19) appointed to die once.
Heb 9:27 —But after this the judgment: or, rather, But after this, judgment (krisis without the article). The Apostle seems to refer here more particularly to the judgment which is virtually pronounced on every man immediately after death than to the general judgment which will take place at the close of Christs mediatorial reign, though both of these may be included in his remark. But as every one goes to his own proper place after death (Dan 12:13; Luk 16:22-23; Act 1:25; 2Co 5:1 2Co 5:8, etc.), it follows, of course, that the true character of every individual is determined on his exit from this world; and that his destiny is then also virtually determined. And just so it was in the case of Christ, as our author now proceeds to show.
Heb 9:28 —So Christ [also] was once offered to bear the sins of many;-That is, he died once under the fearful load of human guilt, for Jehovah laid on him the iniquities of us all. (Isa 53:4-6.) But no sooner did he die than he was justified. The unrighteous decision of Pilate and the Jewish Sanhedrin was immediately reversed in the Supreme Court of the universe. God himself then acknowledged him as his Son, raised his body from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly realms, angels, and authorities, and powers being made subject to him. (Eph 1:20-22; 1Pe 3:22, etc.)
Heb 9:28 —And unto them that look for him, etc.-This refers to the second personal advent of Christ, when he shall come out of the Holy of Holies, as did the High Priest under the Law, to bless those who are anxiously waiting for his appearing. But he will not then come like the High Priest still laden with sin. Once, indeed, he bore the iniquity of us all; and so very great was the burden of our guilt as we have seen (notes Heb 5:7), that it even crushed the blood from his veins, and finally ruptured his heart. But the blood which then flowed from his heart, under the tremendous pressure of human guilt, has washed away from him, as well as from us, all our iniquities, so that when he comes the second time there will not be a trace of sin about his person. But robed in the habiliments of righteousness, he will come in power and glory to redeem his saints, and to take vengeance on them who know not God, and who obey not the Gospel. Then we too will be made the righteousness of God in him. (2Co 5:21.)
Commentary on Heb 9:25-28 by Donald E. Boatman
Heb 9:25 –nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place year by year with blood not of his own
Christs one sacrifice is contrasted with old covenant often. Christ entered once with His own blood. That one time is sufficient.
Heb 9:26 –else must He often have suffered
The sacrifice of Jesus is necessary for atonement, but it comes in the midst of the generations of man. A constant sacrifice of Jesus is not needful when one brings absolute forgiveness
Heb 9:26 –since the foundation of the world.
He was the Lamb. Rev 13:8. His blood is still considered as in the act of being continually poured out.
Heb 9:26 –but now once at the end of the ages
The conclusion of the Jewish dispensation is referred to. At the end of an age is sufficient, as much so as if it had taken place before or during the age. Some understand this to be future.
Heb 9:26 –hath He been manifested to put away sin
Clarke says he was manifested to abolish sin offerings. This ended the Mosaic laws. The sin offering ceased, as foretold by Dan 9:24. Others opinion:
a. It refers to the putting away of the guilt, power, and being of sins from the souls of believers.
b. Of course, sin offerings are ended, but to put away sin was the real purpose.
Heb 9:26 –by the sacrifice of Himself
No blood of animals is involved here. God gave, but Christ came to offer Himself. Compare Heb 2:14 for the importance of this verse.
Heb 9:27 –it is appointed unto man once to die
All are under the decree, Dust thou are and unto dust shalt thou return. Gen 3:19. Death and judgment are the appointments which the ungodly ought to dread.
a. There are exceptions to the sentence of death: Enoch, Elijah, those persons who are alive at His coming. See 1Th 4:13-18.
Man makes the second-death appointment by his choice to live in sin.
Heb 9:27 –and after this Cometh judgment
It is death once and judgment once, no second chance and no transmigration of the soul. No purgatory is alluded to here.
a. A persons true character has been revealed while on this earth, and nothing can be done to change it after death.
b. The rich man found out that nothing could be done, for a gulf is fixed.
Judgment discussed: Joh 5:28-29; Rev 20:11-15.
Heb 9:28 –so Christ also, having been once offered to bear the sins of many
Isa 53:4-6 : Jehovah hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
Our sin is borne by the Christ.
a. This gives us peace.
b. This gives us remission of sins.
Heb 9:28 –shall appear a second time
He shall come out of the Holy of Holies
a. 1Th 4:16.
b. Act 1:11.
Christs appearance this time will be that of a victor, and not a slain lamb.
Heb 9:28 –apart from sin
He will not come then bearing the sins of the people. He will come as Saviour and Judge. All men shall then see. He is the Way, Truth, and Life.
Heb 9:28 –to them that wait for Him
This is one difference between the godly and the unsaved.
a. 1Th 1:9 : How ye turned unto God from idols to serve a living and true God.
b. 1Th 1:10 : And to wait for His Son from heaven, Whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus, Who delivereth us from the wrath to come.
Them that wait-For what do we wait?
a. 2Pe 3:13 : We look for new heavens and a new earth.
Heb 9:28 –unto salvation
a. 2Ti 4:8 : Unto all them that love His appearing.
b. 2Pe 3:17.
This will be the final experience of the Christian, We talked about being saved now, but at His coming, salvation will be ours, The experience of the reward is referred to here.
Special Study On Heb 9:27
Judgment: Krisis
Often in the New Testament the word judgment ethically means:
(1) To decide, give a verdict, declare an opinion: Krino. Luk 11:42; Act 15:19.
(2) To investigate, scrutinize, Anakrino: 1Co 2:15; 1Co 4:3.
(3) To discriminate, distinguish: Diakrino. 1Co 11:31; 1Co 14:29.
Since Gods judgments are declarations of His divine justice with His own condemnations, justice, condemnation, and judgment sometimes are all the same, Cf. Rom 5:16.
In Joh 5:29 we read of the resurrection of judgment, which is also translated damnation. The last judgment may be thought of as an act when God interposes into human history directly to bring this present course of the world to an end, and determines the eternal fate of human beings and places them in surroundings which fit their spiritual condition.
We have a different idea in Rom 14:10 and 2Co 5:10, where we are told that we must appear before the judgment seat (bema) of Christ. In Heb 10:30 we read that God will judge His people-the word is Krino-meaning to give a verdict. He will do the same for the adulterers, according to Heb 13:4.
The word krisis, translated judgment, is often used in the Word of God.
Matthew uses the word often in speaking of judgment, such as, the men of Ninevah will rise up in the day of judgment; the queen of the south rising up in judgment. Mat 12:41-42. The same word is used in Heb 9:27, . . . once to die, and after this cometh judgment. Also Heb 10:27. 1Jn 4:17 speaks of having boldness in the day of judgment.
In 1Pe 4:17, we read that judgment must begin at the house of God. The word is Krima. It is the same word as in Mat 7:2, With what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged. In 1Co 4:4, Paul says, He that judgeth me is the Lord.-Anakrino.
This verse, Heb 9:27, does not leave room for transmigration of the soul, purgatory, or repentance.
When the body returns to dust and man has his appointment, his death sentence or his commendation is fixed.
Study Questions
1672. What is meant by blood not of His own?
1673. Why did other priests have to offer blood often?
1674. Why does Jesus not need other blood?
1675. What is meant by Since the foundation of the world? Cf. Mat 13:35; Mat 25:34; Rev 13:8.
1676. Compare Rev 13:8 in various translations.
1677. Can it be true that Jesus was slain from the foundation of the world?
1678. What is meant by end of the ages?
1679. Discuss the word manifested.
1680. What is meant by put away sin?
1681. How did Jesus put sin away?
1682. What appointment is referred to?
1683. Does this mean that a date is set for us?
1684. Name some who escaped that appointment.
1685. Will others escape it? Cf. 1Th 4:13-18.
1686. How soon comes judgment after death?
1687. Is there room for purgatory?
1688. Can anything be done according to the story of the rich man and Lazarus?
1689. What is meant by judgment?
1690. Compare Joh 5:28-29 and Rev 20:11-15.
1691. Is the Christian judged? Cf. Rom 14:10; 2Co 5:10; Heb 10:30.
1692. Does the next verse read as though we are judged?
1693. Discuss the expression, bear the sins.
1694. Discuss this subject in comparison to Isa 53:4-6.
1695. What is meant by appear a second time?
1696. How will He appear in relationship to sin next time?
1697. To whom will He appear?
1698. What is meant by wait for Him?
1699. Is waiting the kind of thing some have done by selling everything, then watching for Him to come at a given time?
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
, .
. Syr., , and not also; neque, neither; nor yet.
. Syr., , his soul; he made his soul an offering for sin. . Syr., , many times. ,. Syr., , in or with blood that was not his own, properly, Heb., , with other blood, or the blood of another.
Heb 9:25. Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with the blood of others.
In the foregoing verse there is an opposition in the comparison between the Lord Christ and the high priest of the law; yet is it such as hath its foundation in a similitude that is between them, and therefore respects not so much the things themselves opposed as, the manner of them. For as the Lord Christ entered not into the holy place made with hands, but into heaven itself; so the high priest had an entrance also, yet not into heaven, but into that other holy place. But in this verse there is an opposition in the comparison that hath no foundation in any similitude between them, and that is absolutely denied of Christ which belonged essentially unto the discharge of the office of the high priest of old. Many things ensued on the weakness and imperfection of the types which would not allow that there should be a perfect, complete resemblance in them of the substance itself, that all things between them should exactly answer unto one another. Hence they did at best but obscurely represent the good things to come, and in some things it was not possible but there should be a great discrepancy between them.
The assertion in these words proceeds on a supposition of the duty of the high priest, which had that reason for it, as that it was absolutely necessary that our high priest should not do after the same manner. The high priest ended not his work of offering sacrifice by his entrance into the holy place with the blood of it, but he was to repeat the same sacrifice again every year. This, therefore, in correspondence with this type, might be expected from Christ also, namely, that whereas he offered himself unto God through the eternal Spirit, and afterwards entered into the holy place, or heaven itself, he should offer himself again, and so have another entrance into the presence of God. This the apostle denies him to have done; and in the next verse gives a demonstration, proving it was impossible he should so do. And hereof he gives the reason both in the remaining verses of this chapter and the beginning of the next. The repetition of the annual sacrifices under the law was mainly from hence, because they were not able perfectly to effect that which they did signify; but the one sacrifice of Christ did at once perfectly accomplish what they did represent. Herein, therefore, of necessity there was to be a difference, a dissimilitude, an opposition between what those high priests did as unto the repetition of sacrifices, and what was done by our high priest, which is expressed in this verse.
The introduction of the apostles assertion is by the disjunctive negative, , nor yet. It answers the negative in the first part of the preceding verse: He entered not into the holy place made with hands, as the high priest; nor yet did what the high priest did afterwards.
In the words themselves, there are two things:
1. What is denied of the Lord Christ.
2. The limitation of that denial unto the other part of the comparison, as unto what the high priest did:
First, It is denied of him that he did thus enter into heaven that he should offer himself often. It doth not follow,saith the apostle, that because as a high priest he entered into heaven, as the high priest of the law entered into the holy place made with hands, he should therefore offer himself often, as that high priest offered every year.It was not required of him; there was no need of it, for the reasons mentioned; it was impossible he should. For this offering of himself was not his appearance in the presence of God; but the one sacrifice of himself by death, as the apostle declares in the next verse. That he should so offer himself often, more than once, was needless, from the perfection of that one offering, By one offering he hath for ever perfected them that were sanctified; and impossible, from the condition of his person, he could not die often. What remains for the exposition of these words will be declared in the removal of those false glosses and wrestings of them whereby some endeavor to pervert them. The Socinians plead from hence that the sacrifice of Christ, or his offering of himself, is the same with his appearance in heaven and the presentation of himself in the presence of God; and they do it out of hatred unto the atonement made by his blood. For, say they, it is here compared unto the entrance of the high priest into the holy place every year; which was only an appearance in the presence of God.
Ans. 1. There is no such comparison intended in the words. The apostle mentioning the entrance of the high priest with blood into the holy place, intends only to evince the imperfection of that service, in that after he had done so he was again to offer renewed sacrifices every year; a sufficient evidence that those sacrifices could never make them perfect who came unto God by them. With Christ it was not so, as the apostle declares. So that there is not herein a comparison between the things themselves, but an opposition between their effects.
2. It is granted that the entrance of the high priest into the holy place belonged unto the complement or perfection of his service in the expiatory sacrifice. But the sacrifice itself did not consist therein. So likewise did the entrance of Christ into heaven belong unto the perfection of the effects and efficacy of his sacrifice, as unto the way of its application unto the church. So far there is a comparison in the words, and no farther.
3. That the sacrifice of Christ, or his offering himself once for all, once, and not often, is the same with his continual presentation of himself in the presence of God, is both false in itself and contrary to the express design of the apostle. For,
(1.) It is , a slain or bloody sacrifice, whereof he treats, as he expressly calls it, verse 26; but there is no shedding of blood in the appearance of Christ in heaven; nor, according to these men, any such thing appertaining unto his nature.
(2.) These things are distinguished in the Scripture, from their different natures and effects, 1Jn 2:1-2.
(3.) His sacrifice, or the offering of himself, is so affirmed to be one, as to consist in one individual act. It is not only said that it was one offering, but that. it was once only offered, verses 26, 28. This is no way reconcilable unto his continual appearance in the presence of God.
(4.) His offering is mentioned by the apostle as that which was then past, and no more to be repeated: He hath by one offering perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
(5.) His oblation was accompanied with, and inseparable from suffering; so he declares in the next verse, proving that he could not often offer himself, because he could not often suffer. But his presentation of himself in heaven is not only inconsistent with actual suffering, but also with any obnoxiousness thereunto. It belongs unto his state of exaltation and glory.
(6.) The time of the offering of himself is limited unto the end of the world, Now once in the end of the world, in opposition unto the season that passed before; denoting a certain determinate season in the dispensation of times; of which afterwards.
(7.) This imagination is destructive of the principal design and argument of the apostle. For he proves the imperfection of the sacrifices of the law, and their insufficiency to consummate the church, from their annual repetition; affirming, that if they could have perfected the worshippers they would have ceased to have been offered: yet was that sacrifice which he respects repeated only once a-year. But on this supposition, the sacrifice of Christ must be offered always, and never cease to be actually offered; which reflects a greater imperfection on it than was on those which were repeated only once a year. But the apostle expressly affirms that the sacrifice which could effect its end must cease to be offered, Heb 10:2. Whereas, therefore, by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified, he doth not continue to offer himself; though he doth continue to appear in the presence of God to make application of the virtue of that one offering unto the church.
The expositors of the Roman church do raise an objection on this place, for no other end but that they may return an answer unto it perniciously opposite unto and destructive of the truth here taught by the apostle; though some of them do acknowledge that it is capable of another answer. But this is that which they principally insist upon as needful unto their present cause. They say, therefore, That if Christ cease to offer himself, then it seems that his sacerdotal office ceaseth also; for it belongs unto that office to offer sacrifices continually. But there is no force in this objection; for it belonged to no priest to offer any other or any more sacrifices but what were sufficient and effectual unto the end of them and their office. And such was the one sacrifice of Christ. Besides, though it be not actually repeated, yet it is virtually applied always; and this belongs unto the present discharge of his sacerdotal office. So doth also his appearance in heaven for us, with his intercession; where he still continues in the actual exercise of his priesthood, so far as is needful or possible. But they have an answer of their own unto their own objection. They say, therefore, that Christ continueth to offer himself every day in the sacrifice of the mass, by the hands of the priests of their church. And, This sacrifice of him, though it be unbloody, yet is a true, real sacrifice of Christ; the same with that which he offered on the cross.
It is better never to raise objections than thus to answer them. For this is not to expound the words, but to dispute against the doctrine of the apostle, as I shall briefly evince:
1. That the Lord Christ hath by the one offering of himself for ever perfected them that are sanctified, is a fundamental article of faith. Where this is denied or overthrown, either directly or by just consequence, the church is overthrown also. But this is expressly denied in the doctrine of the frequent repetition of his sacrifice, or of the offering of himself. And there is no instance wherein the Romanists do more expressly oppose the fundamental articles of religion.
2. The repetition of sacrifices arose solely from their imperfection, as the apostle declares, Heb 10:1-2. And if it undeniably proved an imperfection in the sacrifices of the law that they were repeated once every year, in one place only, how great must the imperfection of the sacrifice of Christ be esteemed, if it be not effectual to take away sin and perfect them that are sanctified unless it be repeated every day, and that, it may be, in a thousand places!
3. To say that Christ offereth himself often, is expressly and in terms contradictory to the assertion of the apostle. Whatever, therefore, they may apprehend of the offering of him by their priests, yet most certain it is that he doth not every day offer himself. But as the faith of the church is concerned in no offering of Christ but that which he offered himself, of himself, by the eternal Spirit, once for all, so the pretense to offer him often by the priests is highly sacrilegious.
4. The infinite actings of the divine nature in supporting and influencing of the human, the inexpressible operation of the Holy Ghost in him unto such a peculiar acting of all grace, especially of zeal unto the glory of God and compassion for the souls of men, as are inimitable unto the whole creation, were required unto the offering of himself a sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savor unto God. And how can a poor sinful mortal man, such as are the best of their priests, pretend to offer the same sacrifice unto God?
5. An unbloody sacrifice is,
(1.) A contradiction in itself. , which is the only sacrifice which the apostle treats of, is victimae mactatio, as well as victimae mactatae oblatio. It is a sacrifice by death, and that by blood-shedding; other there never was any.
(2.) If it might be supposed, yet is it a thing altogether useless; for without shedding of blood there is no remission. The rule, I acknowledge, is firstly expressed with respect unto legal sacrifices and oblations: yet is it used by the apostle, by an argument drawn from the nature and end of those institutions, to prove the necessity of blood- shedding in the sacrifice of Christ himself for the remission of sin. An unbloody sacrifice for the re-minion of sin overthrows both the law and the gospel
(3.) It is directly contrary unto the argument of the apostle in the next verse; wherein he proves that Christ could not offer himself often. For he doth it by affirming, that if he did so then must he often suffer; that is, by the effusion of his blood, which was absolutely necessary in and unto his sacrifice. Wherefore an unbloody sacrifice, which is without suffering, whatever it be, is not the sacrifice of Christ; for if he be often offered, he must often suffer, as the apostle affirms. Nor is it unto any purpose to say, that this unbloody sacrifice of the mass receiveth its virtue and efficacy from the one sacrifice of Christ on the cross, as is pleaded by the defenders of it; for the question is not what value it hath, nor whence it hath it, but whether it be the sacrifice of Christ himself or no.
To sum up the substance of this whole controversy: The sacrifice or offering of Christ was,
1. By himself alone, through the eternal Spirit.
2. Was of his whole human nature, as to the matter of it. He made his soul an offering for sin.
3. Was by death and blood-shedding; whereon its entire efficacy as unto atonement, reconciliation, and the sanctification of the church, do depend.
4. Was once only offered, and could be so no more, from the glory of his person and the nature of the sacrifice itself.
5. Was offered with such glorious internal actings of grace as no mortal creature can comprehend.
6. Was accompanied with his bearing the curse of the law and the punishment due unto our sins; which were taken away thereby. And in all this the human nature was supported, sustained, and acted by the divine in the same person; which gave the whole duty its efficacy and merit.
That pretended in the mass is,
1. Offered by priests, without him, or those which call themselves so; who therefore rather represent them by whom he was crucified than himself who offered himself alone.
2. Is only of bread and wine, which have nothing in them of the soul of Christ, allowing their transubstantiation.
3. Can have no influence into the remission of sins, being confessedly unbloody, whereas without the shedding of blood there is no remission.
4. Is often offered, that is, every day; declaring a greater imperfection in it than was in the great expiatory sacrifice of the law, which was offered only once a year.
5. Requires unto it no grace in the offerer, but only an intention to do his office.
6. Doth in nothing answer the curse of the law, and therefore makes no atonement. Wherefore these things are so far from being the same sacrifice, as that they are opposite, inconsistent, and the admission of the one is the destruction of the other.
Some observations we may take from the text.
Obs. 1. Such is the absolute perfection of the one offering of Christ, that it stands in need of, that it will admit of no repetition in any kind. Hence the apostle affirms that if it be despised or neglected, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin. There is none of any other kind, nor any repetition to be made of itself, as there was of the most solemn legal sacrifices. Neither of them is consistent with its perfection. And this absolute perfection of the one offering of Christ ariseth,
1. From the dignity of his person, Act 20:28. There needs no newoffering after that, wherein he who offered and who was offered was God and man in one person. The repetition of this offering is inconsistent with the glory of the wisdom, righteousness, holiness, and grace of God, and would be utterly derogatory to the dignity of his person.
2. From the nature of the sacrifice itself:
(1.) In the internal gracious actings of his soul; He offered himself unto God through the eternal Spirit. Grace and obedience could never be more glorified.
(2.) In the punishment he underwent, answering and taking away the whole curse of the law; any further offering for atonement is highly blasphemous.
(3.) From the love of the Father unto him, and delight in him. As in his person, so in his one offering, the soul of God resteth and is well pleased.
(4.) From its efficacy unto all the ends of a sacrifice. Nothing was ever designed therein but was at once accomplished by this one offering of Christ. Wherefore,
Obs. 2. This one offering of Christ is always effectual unto all the ends of it, even no less than it was in the day and hour when it was actually offered. Therefore it needs no repetition like those of old, which could affect the conscience of a sinner only for a season, and until the incursion of some new sin. This is always fresh in the virtue of it, and needs nothing but renewed application by faith for the communication of its effects and fruits unto us. Wherefore,
Obs. 3. The great call and direction of the gospel is to guide faith, and keep it up unto this one offering of Christ, as the spring of all grace and mercy. This is the immediate end of all its ordinances of worship. In the preaching of the word, the Lord Christ is set forth as evidently crucified before our eyes; and in the ordinance of the supper especially is it represented unto the peculiar exercise of faith.
Secondly. But we must proceed to a brief exposition of the remainder of this verse. The one offering of Christ is not here proposed absolutely, but in opposition unto the high priest of the law, whose entrance into the holy place did not put an end unto his offering of sacrifices, but his whole service about them was to be annually repeated. This sacrifice of the high priest we have treated of before, and shall therefore now only open these words wherein it is expressed:
1. The person spoken of is the high priest; that is, any one, every one that is so, or that was so in any age of the church from the institution of that priesthood unto the expiration of it. As the high priest; in like manner as he did.
2. It is affirmed of him, that he entereth, in the present tense. Some think that respect is had unto the continuance of the temple-service at that time. He entereth; that is, he continueth so to do. And this the apostle sometimes admits of, as Heb 8:4. But in this place he intends no more but the constitution of the law. According unto the law, he entereth. This is that which the law requires.And hereby, as in other instances, the apostle lays before their consideration a scheme of their ancient worship, as it was at first established, that it might be the better compared with the dispensation of the new covenant and the ministry of Christ.
3. This entrance is limited unto the holy place; the most holy place in the tabernacle or temple, the holy place made with hands.
4. There is the season of his entrance; yearly: once in an annual revolution, on the day fixed by the law, the tenth day of the month Tizri, or our September.
5. The manner of his entrance was, with the blood of others; blood that was not his own, as the Syriac expresseth it. The blood of the sacrifice of Christ was his own. He redeemed the church ,
Act 20:28. Hereunto is opposed, , other blood, the blood of others; that is, the blood of bulls and goats offered in sacrifice: in for cum, say most expositors; which is not unusual. See 1Jn 5:6; Gen 32:10; Hos 4:3. The meaning is, by virtue of the blood of others, which he carried with him into the holy place. That which is denied of Christ, the antitype, is the repetition of this service, and that because of the perfection of his sacrifice; the other being repeated because of their imperfection. And we may observe, that
Obs. 4. Whatever had the greatest glory in the old legal institutions, carried along with it the evidence of its own imperfection, compared with the thing signified in Christ and his office. The entrance of the high priest into the holy place was the most glorious solemnity of the law; howbeit the annual repetition of it was a sufficient evidence of its imperfection, as the apostle disputes in the beginning of the next chapter.
Fuente: An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews
offer: Heb 9:7, Heb 9:14, Heb 9:26, Heb 10:10
as: Heb 9:12, Exo 30:10, Lev 16:2-34
Reciprocal: Exo 39:1 – holy place Lev 16:3 – Aaron Lev 16:14 – General Lev 16:15 – Then shall Lev 16:34 – once a year Num 16:46 – from off Num 29:11 – beside Isa 53:10 – when thou shalt make his soul Zec 3:9 – remove Rom 3:25 – remission Heb 7:8 – he liveth Heb 7:27 – this Heb 9:28 – was
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Heb 9:25. Another contrast is in the frequency with which the two priests performed their services in the most holy place. The high priests of the Levitical order had to repeat theirs often (every year). Blood of others means that the high priest of that law used the blood of a victim and not his own blood.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Heb 9:25. And as Christ has not entered into the holy place made with hands, neither has he entered into heaven that he should offer himself often (the reference is not to His dying, but to His presenting Himself and His blood. The dying is named later, Heb 9:26), just as the high priest entereth into the holy place year by year with blood of others (i.e not his own, as the Syr. renders it); else must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world. As His blood was His own, and as His death was essential to the offering of Himself, and necessary in order that He might have something to offer (Heb 8:3), He must in that case have often suffered. The contrary, however, is the fact.
But now, the case is that once for all at the end (the completion) of the ages which have elapsed since sin entered, antediluvian, patriarchal, Mosaic, hath he been manifested, i.e in our flesh (1Ti 3:16; 1Pe 1:20), for the putting away of sin in its guilt and power by the sacrifice of himself.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Our apostle, in these words, sets forth the excellency of Christ’s sacrifice from its singularity; it needeth no repetition, as their sacrifices of old did: Their sacrifices were repeated often, and their repetition was an evidence of their imperfecton; but Christ’s once offering himself a sacrifice was sufficient, in regard of the infinite worth and dignity of his person: Once in the end of the world, in the gospel-age, the last age of the world, hath he appeared to take away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Here note, That the virtue of Christ’s sacrifice once offered, did extend itself to all times, and purchased pardon for sins committed in all ages, even long before it was offered: For the death of Christ must be considered, not as a natural, but as a moral cause: Not as a medicine that heals, but as a ransom that frees a captive. A captive may be released upon assurance given that a ransom shall be paid, though it be not actually paid.
Thus the death of Christ was available to purchase pardon for believers before his coming, because he interposed as their Surety; and is therefore called the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, not only in respect of God’s decree, but Christ’s efficacy: The salvation we derive form him, was ever in him; Christ’s once offering was sufficient; his sacrifice may be often commemorated, but only once offered. Such indeed is the absolute perfection of the once offering of Christ, that it stands in need of, and will admit of no repetition in any kind.
Note farther, That this once offering of Christ is always effectual unto all the ends of it, now and hereafter, even no less than it was in the day and hour when it was actually offered. This sacrifice needs no repetition like those of old, but is always fresh in the virtue of it, and needs nothing but revewed application by faith for the communication of its effects and fruits unto us; for by one offering he hath forever perfected them that are sanctified. Though the sufferings of Christ were necessary to the expiation of sin, yet he suffered neither more nor oftener than was necessary; to have suffered often was altogether needless, and would have been useless.
Note lastly, The great end for which Christ once became a sacrifice, namely, to put away sin; plainly implying, that sin had erected a dominion, a tyranny over all men, as by a law; that no power of any mere creature was able to disannul or abolish this law of sin; that the destruction and dissolution of this law of sin, was the great end of Chirst’s coming, to discharge his priestly office in the sacrifice of himself: Now in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away, to abolish and destroy sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
9:25 {14} Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
(14) Another double comparison: the Levitical high priest offered other blood, but Christ offered his own: he every year once repeated his offering: Christ offering himself but once, abolished sin altogether, both of the former ages and of the ages to come.