Part 797 (1/2)

9:17. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is as yet of no strength, whilst the testator liveth.

9:18. Whereupon neither was the first indeed dedicated without blood.

9:19. For when every commandment of the law had been read by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people.

9:20. Saying: This is the blood of the testament which G.o.d hath enjoined unto you.

9:21. The tabernacle also and all the vessels of the ministry, in like manner, he sprinkled with blood.

9:22. And almost all things, according to the law, are cleansed with blood: and without shedding of blood there is no remission.

9:23. It is necessary therefore that the patterns of heavenly things should be cleansed with these: but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

9:24. For Jesus is not entered into the Holies made with hands, the patterns of the true: but into Heaven itself, that he may appear now in the presence of G.o.d for us.

9:25. Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the Holies every year with the blood of others:

Offer himself often... Christ shall never more offer himself in sacrifice, in that violent, painful, and b.l.o.o.d.y manner, nor can there be any occasion for it: since by that one sacrifice upon the cross, he has furnished the full ransom, redemption, and remedy for all the sins of the world. But this hinders not that he may offer himself daily in the sacred mysteries in an unb.l.o.o.d.y manner, for the daily application of that one sacrifice of redemption to our souls.

9:26. For then he ought to have suffered often from the beginning of the world. But now once, at the end of ages, he hath appeared for the destruction of sin by the sacrifice of himself.

9:27. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, and after this the judgment:

9:28. So also Christ was offered once to exhaust the sins of many. The second time he shall appear without sin to them that expect him unto salvation.

To exhaust... That is, to empty, or draw out to the very bottom, by a plentiful and perfect redemption.

Hebrews Chapter 10

Because of the insufficiency of the sacrifices of the law, Christ our high priest shed his own blood for us, offering up once for all the sacrifice of our redemption. He exhorts them to perseverance.

10:1. For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things, by the selfsame sacrifices which they offer continually every year, can never make the comers thereunto perfect.

10:2. For then they would have ceased to be offered: because the wors.h.i.+ppers once cleansed should have no conscience of sin any longer.

They would have ceased... If they had been of themselves perfect to all the intents of redemption and remission, as Christ's death is there would have been no occasion of so often repeating them: as there is no occasion for Christ's dying any more for our sins.

10:3. But in them there is made a commemoration of sins every year:

10:4. For it is impossible that with the blood of oxen and goats sin should be taken away.

10:5. Wherefore, when he cometh into the world he saith: Sacrifice and oblation thou wouldest not: but a body thou hast fitted to me.

10:6. Holocausts for sin did not please thee.

10:7. Then said I: Behold I come: in the head of the book it is written of me: that I should do thy will, O G.o.d.

10:8. In saying before, Sacrifices, and oblations, and holocausts for sin thou wouldest not, neither are they pleasing to thee, which are offered according to the law.

10:9. Then said I: Behold, I come to do thy will, O G.o.d: He taketh away the first, that he may establish that which followeth.