draws attention to the fact that prosphatos, the word translated `new'

literally means `newly slain', and the reader may be forgiven if he should

consequently stress the reference to `sacrifice'.  The word does not occur

elsewhere in the New Testament except in the form of an adverb, where it

reads of Aquila that he had `lately' come from Italy (Acts 18:2).  Prosphatos

occurs in the LXX four times: Numbers 6:3 `fresh grapes', Deuteronomy 32:17,

`new and fresh gods', Psalm 81:9 (in LXX Psa. 80), `new god', Ecclesiastes

1:9, `no new thing'.  The adverb occurs twice.  Deuteronomy 24:5 (LXX verse

7), `recently taken a wife', Ezekiel 11:3, `houses newly built'.  It will be

seen that the idea of a sacrifice `newly slain' finds no support.  This idea

of something new is contained also in the word `consecrate' which is found in

Hebrews 10:20.  The Greek word so translated is engkainizo, composed of en

`in' and kainos `new'.  This word gives us engkainia, the name of a feast

`the feast of dedication', a feast that commemorated the dedication of the

temple at Jerusalem at its renovation and purification, after being polluted

by Antiochus Epiphanes, who had offered in sacrifice a swine upon the altar

(Josephus, Ant. Book 12: Chap: v. 4).

`Then said Judas and his brethren, Behold our enemies are discomfited:

Let us go up and cleanse and dedicate (engkainizo) the sanctuary ...

then they took whole stones according to the law, and built a new

(kainon) altar ... and new (kainos) holy vessels ... Now on the five

and twentieth day of the ninth month, which is called the month of

Casleu, in the hundred and forty and eighth year ... they offered

sacrifice according to the law upon the new (kainon) ... the gates and

the chambers they renewed (engkainizo) and hanged doors upon them' (1

Maccabees 4:36 -57).

Parkhurst says of engkainizo `to handsel, in a religious sense'.  This

term `to handsel' is still in use in Scotland but may not be readily

understood by many today, as it has dropped out of common use.  The word

means an earnest, the first act of a sale.

`The apostles term it the pledge of our inheritance, and the handsel or

earnest of that which is to come' (Hooker, Eccles. Polity).

To handsel any house is to open it for the first time for use (Deut.

20:5); so to handsel any road is to open it for access (see Bloomfield).  We

are now placed a little nearer to the position which any intelligent Hebrew

would have occupied, and read Hebrews 10:20 as it would have appeared in the

eyes of those who knew the Maccabean history, kept the feast of dedication,

and understood the ceremony of handsel.  The old covenant waxed old and was

vanishing away.  The offerings of the law never touched the conscience.  The

priests never sat down in the course of their ministry, even the high priest

needed to offer for his own sins before he offered for the people.  Christ

was a high Priest of good things to come.  Just as He fulfilled the Passover,

the Firstfruits and the day of Atonement, so He fulfilled the feast of

Dedication.  The new tabernacle has been entered, and dedicated, the old

things give place to the new.

In direct antithesis to the old covenant, a covenant which waxed old

(Heb. 8:13), is the heavenly reality of the Priesthood, Sacrifice and True

Tabernacle of the Mediation of the Son of God, Who has by virtue of His one

offering fulfilled and made more glorious than did the exploits of Judas

Maccabaeus, for His dedication opens not a temple on earth but heaven itself.