 |  |
tends to hinder it. After speaking of the sprinkling of the tabernacle and all the vessels of
the ministry, the apostle adds:--
"And almost all things are by the law cleansed by blood; and apart from the shedding
of blood is no forgiveness" (Heb. 9: 22).
Having come so far we shall now be able to appreciate the general structure of the
chapter, which will be found to be chiefly concerned with
The old and the new covenants.
Heb. 9: 1-22.
A | 1-. The First Covenant.
B | -1-10. | a | -1-7. The Tabernacle. Worldly.
b | 8-10. Its significance. No way in. Conscience untouched.
B | 11-14. | a | 11. Greater and more perfect tabernacle. Not of this creation.
b | 12-14. Its significance. He entered in. Conscience purged.
A | 15-20. The New Covenant.
We shall have to extend this structure to include 9: 21 - 10: 18, but this is a member
too large and too important for rapid treatment. Here therefore we pause in our survey,
and may the Lord Who is magnified in this epistle to the Hebrews be magnified also in
the daily life and spiritual conception of those who are blessed under other terms than
those of this new covenant, which forms so important a feature of our present study.
#43.
One sacrifice for sins for ever (9: 23 - 10: 18).
pp. 49 - 63
The section of this epistle that lies before us is the last of the series that, step by step,
sets aside the old covenant with its types and shadows, and leads on unto perfection. The
next section opens with the words:--
"Having, therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus
. . . . . and having a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near" (Heb. 10: 19-22).
This reverses the order in which the subject has been dealt with. We have:--
1.
The perfect priest (5:-8:)
2.
The heavenly sanctuary (9: 1-24).
3.
The once offered sacrifice (9: 25 - 10: 18).
We are, in this article, to review the teaching of the apostle on the last and
perhaps most critical element of both old and new covenants, viz., the sacrifice. The
section 9: 23 - 10: 18 bases its teaching upon the contrast that exists between the