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Monday: 5 May 2008 Monday Bible study. Heb 10:1-3,
The old plan was only a hint of the good things in the new plan.
Since that old "law plan" wasn't
complete in itself, it couldn't complete those who followed it.
No matter how many sacrifices
were offered year after year, they never added up to a complete solution.
2 If
they had, the worshipers would have gone merrily on their way, no longer
dragged down by their sins. (from Hebrews 10: 1.
For, since the Law exhibits only an outline of the blessings to
come and not a perfect representation of the things themselves, the
priests can never, by repeating the same sacrifices which they
continually offer year after year, give complete freedom from sin to
those who draw near. 2. For
then would not the sacrifices have ceased to be offered, because the
consciences of the worshippers - who in that case would now have been
cleansed once for all - would no longer be burdened with sins? ( Let us look at some of John Gill’s comments which should give us some clearer insights into these verses and this chapter. For the law having a shadow of good
things to come,… By which is
meant not the moral law, for that is not a shadow of future blessings,
but a system of precepts; the things it commands are not figuratively,
but really good and honest; and are not obscure, but plain and easy to
be understood; nor are they fleeting and passing away, as a shadow, but
lasting and durable: but the ceremonial law is intended;
this was a "shadow", a figure, a
representation of something true, real, and substantial; was dark and
obscure, yet had in it, and gave, some glimmering light; and was like a
shadow, fleeting and transitory: and it was a shadow of good things; of
Christ himself, who is the body, the sum and substance of it, and of the
good things to come by him; as the expiation of sin, peace and
reconciliation, a justifying righteousness, pardon of sin, and eternal
life; these are said to be "to come", as they were under the former
dispensation, while the ceremonial law was in force, and that shadow was
in being, and the substance not as yet. And not the very image of the
things; as it had not neither
the things themselves, nor Christ, the substance of them, so it
did not give a clear revelation of them, as is made in the Gospel, nor
exhibit a distinct delineation of them, such as an image expresses; it
only gave some short and dark hints of future good things, but did not
exactly describe them: and therefore can never with those
sacrifices which they offered year by year continually: namely, the
sacrifices of bullocks and goats, which were offered on the day of
atonement, year after year, in successive generations, from the first
appointment of that day, to the writing of this epistle: sacrifices of
such a kind, and so often repeated, could never make the comers
thereunto perfect; either the people that came to the temple, and
brought them to the priests to offer them for them, or the priests that
offered them; so the Syriac and Ethiopic versions render it, "perfect
them that offer"; and if not one, then not the other: legal sacrifices
could not make perfect expiation of sin; there is no proportion between
them and sin: nor did they extend to all sin, and at most only typically
expiated; nor could they justify and cleanse from sin. (John Gill
commentary)
Copyright ©
2008 Rev
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