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Selected Verse: Hebrews 9:1 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Heb 9:1 |
Strong Concordance |
Then [3767] verily [3303] the first [4413] covenant had [2192] also [2532] ordinances [1345] of divine service [2999], and [5037] a worldly [2886] sanctuary [39]. |
| |
King James |
Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
INFERIORITY OF THE OLD TO THE NEW COVENANT IN THE MEANS OF ACCESS TO GOD: THE BLOOD OF BULLS AND GOATS OF NO REAL AVAIL: THE BLOOD OF CHRIST ALL-SUFFICIENT TO PURGE AWAY SIN, WHENCE FLOWS OUR HOPE OF HIS APPEARING AGAIN FOR OUR PERFECT SALVATION. (Heb. 9:1-28)
Then verily--Greek, "Accordingly then." Resuming the subject from Heb 8:5. In accordance with the command given to Moses, "the first covenant had," &c.
had--not "has," for as a covenant it no longer existed, though its rites were observed till the destruction of Jerusalem.
ordinances--of divine right and institution.
service--worship.
a worldly sanctuary--Greek, "its (literally, 'the') sanctuary worldly," mundane; consisting of the elements of the visible world. Contrasted with the heavenly sanctuary. Compare Heb 9:11-12, "not of this building," Heb 9:24. Material, outward, perishing (however precious its materials were), and also defective religiously. In Heb 9:2-5, "the worldly sanctuary" is discussed; in Heb 9:6, &c., the "ordinances of worship." The outer tabernacle the Jews believed, signified this world; the Holy of Holies, heaven. JOSEPHUS calls the outer, divided into two parts, "a secular and common place," answering to "the earth and sea"; and the inner holiest place, the third part, appropriated to God and not accessible to men. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Then verily - Or, moreover. The object is to describe the tabernacle in which the service of God was celebrated under the former dispensation, and to show that it had a reference to what was future, and was only an imperfect representation of the reality. It was important to show this, as the Jews regarded the ordinances of the tabernacle and of the whole Levitical service as of divine appointment, and of perpetual obligation. The object of Paul is to prove that they were to give place to a more perfect system, and hence, it was necessary to discuss their real nature.
The first covenant - The word "covenant" is not in the Greek, but is not improperly supplied. The meaning is, that the former arrangement or dispensation had religious rites and services connected with it.
Had also ordinances - Margin, "Ceremonies." The Greek word means "laws, precepts, ordinances;" and the idea is, that there were laws regulating the worship of God. The Jewish institutions abounded with such laws.
And a worldly sanctuary - The word "sanctuary" means a holy place, and is applied to a house of worship, or a temple. Here it may refer either to the temple or to the tabernacle. As the temple was constructed after the same form as the tabernacle, and had the same furniture, the description of the apostle may be regarded as applicable to either of them, and it is difficult to determine which he had in his eye. The term "worldly," applied to "sanctuary," here means that it pertained to this world; it was contradistinguished from the heavenly sanctuary not made with hands where Christ was now gone; compare Heb 9:11-24. It does not mean that it was "worldly" in the sense in which that word is now used as denoting the opposite of spiritual, serious, religious; but worldly in the sense that it belonged to the earth rather than to heaven; it was made by human hands, not directly by the hands of God. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
Ordinances of divine service (δικαιώματα λατρείας)
For δικαίωμα ordinance, see on Rom 5:16. For λατρεία service, see on Luk 1:74; see on Rev 22:3; see on Phi 3:3; see on Ti2 1:3. The meaning is ordinances directed to or adapted for divine service.
A worldly sanctuary (τὸ ἅγιον κοσμικόν)
The A.V. misses the force of the article. Rend. and its sanctuary a sanctuary of this world. Τὸ ἅγιον in the sense of sanctuary only here. Elsewhere the plural τὰ ἅγια. of this world in contrast with the heavenly sanctuary to be mentioned later. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| The first covenant had ordinances of outward worship, and a worldly - a visible, material sanctuary, or tabernacle. Of this sanctuary he treats, Heb 9:2-5. Of those ordinances, Heb 9:6-10. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
The first covenant had also ordinances - Our translators have introduced the word covenant, as if διαθηκη had been, if not originally in the text, yet in the apostle's mind. Several MSS., but not of good note, as well as printed editions, with the Coptic version, have σκηνη tabernacle; but this is omitted by ABDE, several others, both the Syriac, Ethiopic, Armenian, Vulgate, some copies of the Itala, and several of the Greek fathers; it is in all probability a spurious reading, the whole context showing that covenant is that to which the apostle refers, as that was the subject in the preceding chapter, and this is a continuation of the same discourse.
Ordinances - Δικαιωματα· Rites and ceremonies.
A worldly sanctuary - Ἁγιον κοσμικον. It is supposed that the term worldly, here, is opposed to the term heavenly, Heb 8:5; and that the whole should be referred to the carnality or secular nature of the tabernacle service. But I think there is nothing plainer than that the apostle is speaking here in praise of this sublimely emblematic service, and hence he proceeds to enumerate the various things contained in the first tabernacle, which added vastly to its splendor and importance; such as the table of the show-bread, the golden candlestick, the golden censer, the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, in which was the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the two tables which God had written with his own finger: hence I am led to believe that κοσμικος is here taken in its proper, natural meaning, and signifies adorned, embellished, splendid; and hence κοσμος, the world: Tota hujus universi machina, coelum et terram complectens et quicquid utroque contineter, κοσμος dicitur, quod nihil ea est mundius, pulchrius, et ornatius. "The whole machine of this universe, comprehending the heavens and the earth, and whatsoever is contained in both, is called κοσμος, because nothing is more beautiful, more fair, and more elegant." So Pliny, Hist. Nat., l. ii. c. 5: Nam quem κοσμον Graeci nomine ornamenti appellaverunt, eum nos a perfecta absolutaque elegantia, Mundum. "That which the Greeks call κοσμος, ornament, we, (the Latins), from its perfect and absolute elegance call mundum, world." See on Gen 2:1 (note).
The Jews believe that the tabernacle was an epitome of the world; and it is remarkable, when speaking of their city, that they express this sentiment by the same Greek word, in Hebrew letters, which the apostle uses here: so in Bereshith Rabba, s. 19, fol. 19: כל קוזמיקון שלו שם הוא col kozmikon (κοσμικον) shelo sham hu. "All his world is placed there." Philo says much to the same purpose.
If my exposition be not admitted, the next most likely is, that God has a worldly tabernacle as well as a heavenly one; that he as truly dwelt in the Jewish tabernacle as he did in the heaven of heavens; the one being his worldly house, the other his heavenly house. |
6 Now [1161] when these things [5130] were [2680] thus [3779] ordained [2680], the priests [2409] went [1524] always [1275] into [1519] [3303] the first [4413] tabernacle [4633], accomplishing [2005] the service [2999] of God.
2 For [1063] there was [2680] a tabernacle [4633] made [2680]; the first [4413], wherein [1722] [3739] [5037] was the candlestick [3087], and [2532] the table [5132], and [2532] the shewbread [4286] [740]; which [3748] is called [3004] the sanctuary [39].
3 And [1161] after [3326] the second [1208] veil [2665], the tabernacle [4633] which [3588] is called [3004] the Holiest of all [39] [39];
4 Which had [2192] the golden [5552] censer [2369], and [2532] the ark [2787] of the covenant [1242] overlaid [4028] round about [3840] with gold [5553], wherein [1722] [3739] was the golden [5552] pot [4713] that had [2192] manna [3131], and [2532] Aaron's [2] rod [4464] that budded [985], and [2532] the tables [4109] of the covenant [1242];
5 And [1161] over [5231] it [846] the cherubims [5502] of glory [1391] shadowing [2683] the mercyseat [2435]; of [4012] which [3739] we cannot [3756] [2076] now [3568] speak [3004] particularly [2596] [3313].
24 For [1063] Christ [5547] is [1525] not [3756] entered [1525] into [1519] the holy places [39] made with hands [5499], which are the figures [499] of the true [228]; but [235] into [1519] heaven [3772] itself [846], now [3568] to appear [1718] in the presence [4383] of God [2316] for [5228] us [2257]:
11 But [1161] Christ [5547] being come [3854] an high priest [749] of good things [18] to come [3195], by [1223] a greater [3187] and [2532] more perfect [5046] tabernacle [4633], not [3756] made with hands [5499], that is to say [5123], not [3756] of this [5026] building [2937];
12 Neither [3761] by [1223] the blood [129] of goats [5131] and [2532] calves [3448], but [1161] by [1223] his own [2398] blood [129] he entered in [1525] once [2178] into [1519] the holy place [39], having obtained [2147] eternal [166] redemption [3085] for us.
5 Who [3748] serve [3000] unto the example [5262] and [2532] shadow [4639] of heavenly things [2032], as [2531] Moses [3475] was admonished of God [5537] when he was about [3195] to make [2005] the tabernacle [4633]: for [1063], See [3708], saith he [5346], that thou make [4160] all things [3956] according to [2596] the pattern [5179] shewed [1166] to thee [4671] in [1722] the mount [3735].
11 But [1161] Christ [5547] being come [3854] an high priest [749] of good things [18] to come [3195], by [1223] a greater [3187] and [2532] more perfect [5046] tabernacle [4633], not [3756] made with hands [5499], that is to say [5123], not [3756] of this [5026] building [2937];
12 Neither [3761] by [1223] the blood [129] of goats [5131] and [2532] calves [3448], but [1161] by [1223] his own [2398] blood [129] he entered in [1525] once [2178] into [1519] the holy place [39], having obtained [2147] eternal [166] redemption [3085] for us.
13 For [1063] if [1487] the blood [129] of bulls [5022] and [2532] of goats [5131], and [2532] the ashes [4700] of an heifer [1151] sprinkling [4472] the unclean [2840], sanctifieth [37] to [4314] the purifying [2514] of the flesh [4561]:
14 How much [4214] more [3123] shall [2511] the blood [129] of Christ [5547], who [3739] through [1223] the eternal [166] Spirit [4151] offered [4374] himself [1438] without spot [299] to God [2316], purge [2511] your [5216] conscience [4893] from [575] dead [3498] works [2041] to [1519] serve [3000] the living [2198] God [2316]?
15 And [2532] for this [5124] cause [1223] he is [2076] the mediator [3316] of the new [2537] testament [1242], that [3704] by means [1096] of death [2288], for [1519] the redemption [629] of the transgressions [3847] that were under [1909] the first [4413] testament [1242], they which are called [2564] might receive [2983] the promise [1860] of eternal [166] inheritance [2817].
16 For [1063] where [3699] a testament [1242] is, there must also of necessity [318] be [5342] the death [2288] of the testator [1303].
17 For [1063] a testament [1242] is of force [949] after [1909] men are dead [3498]: otherwise [1893] it is of [2480] no [3379] strength [2480] at all [3379] while [3753] the testator [1303] liveth [2198].
18 Whereupon [3606] neither [3761] the first [4413] testament was dedicated [1457] without [5565] blood [129].
19 For [1063] when [5259] Moses [3475] had spoken [2980] every [3956] precept [1785] to all [3956] the people [2992] according [2596] to the law [3551], he took [2983] the blood [129] of calves [3448] and [2532] of goats [5131], with [3326] water [5204], and [2532] scarlet [2847] wool [2053], and [2532] hyssop [5301], and sprinkled [4472] both [5037] the book [975] [846], and [2532] all [3956] the people [2992],
20 Saying [3004], This [5124] is the blood [129] of the testament [1242] which [3739] God [2316] hath enjoined [1781] unto [4314] you [5209].
21 Moreover [1161] [3668] he sprinkled [4472] with blood [129] both [2532] the tabernacle [4633], and [2532] all [3956] the vessels [4632] of the ministry [3009].
22 And [2532] almost [4975] all things [3956] are [2511] by [2596] the law [3551] purged [2511] with [1722] blood [129]; and [2532] without [5565] shedding of blood [130] is [1096] no [3756] remission [859].
23 It was therefore [3767] necessary [318] that the patterns [5262] of things [3303] in [1722] the heavens [3772] should be purified [2511] with these [5125]; but [1161] the heavenly things [2032] themselves [846] with better [2909] sacrifices [2378] than [3844] these [5025].
24 For [1063] Christ [5547] is [1525] not [3756] entered [1525] into [1519] the holy places [39] made with hands [5499], which are the figures [499] of the true [228]; but [235] into [1519] heaven [3772] itself [846], now [3568] to appear [1718] in the presence [4383] of God [2316] for [5228] us [2257]:
3 I thank [2192] [5485] God [2316], whom [3739] I serve [3000] from [575] my forefathers [4269] with [1722] pure [2513] conscience [4893], that [5613] without ceasing [88] I have [2192] remembrance [3417] of [4012] thee [4675] in [1722] my [3450] prayers [1162] night [3571] and [2532] day [2250];
3 For [1063] we [2249] are [2070] the circumcision [4061], which [3588] worship [3000] God [2316] in the spirit [4151], and [2532] rejoice [2744] in [1722] Christ [5547] Jesus [2424], and [2532] have [3982] no [3756] confidence [3982] in [1722] the flesh [4561].
3 And [2532] there shall be [2071] no [3756] more [2089] [3956] curse [2652]: but [2532] the throne [2362] of God [2316] and [2532] of the Lamb [721] shall be [2071] in [1722] it [846]; and [2532] his [846] servants [1401] shall serve [3000] him [846]:
74 That he would grant [1325] unto us [2254], that we being delivered [4506] out of [1537] the hand [5495] of our [2257] enemies [2190] might serve [3000] him [846] without fear [870],
16 And [2532] not [3756] as [5613] it was by [1223] one [1520] that sinned [264], so is the gift [1434]: for [1063] [3303] the judgment [2917] was by [1537] one [1520] to [1519] condemnation [2631], but [1161] the free gift [5486] is of [1537] many [4183] offences [3900] unto [1519] justification [1345].
6 Now [1161] when these things [5130] were [2680] thus [3779] ordained [2680], the priests [2409] went [1524] always [1275] into [1519] [3303] the first [4413] tabernacle [4633], accomplishing [2005] the service [2999] of God.
7 But [1161] into [1519] the second [1208] went the high priest [749] alone [3441] once [530] every year [1763], not [3756] without [5565] blood [129], which [3739] he offered [4374] for [5228] himself [1438], and [2532] for the errors [51] of the people [2992]:
8 The Holy [40] Ghost [4151] this [5124] signifying [1213], that the way [3598] into the holiest of all [39] was [5319] not yet [3380] made manifest [5319], while as the first [4413] tabernacle [4633] was [2192] yet [2089] standing [4714]:
9 Which [3748] was a figure [3850] for [1519] the time [2540] then present [1764], in [2596] which [3739] were offered [4374] both [5037] gifts [1435] and [2532] sacrifices [2378], that could [1410] not [3361] make [5048] him that did the service [3000] perfect [5048], as pertaining to [2596] the conscience [4893];
10 Which stood only [3440] in [1909] meats [1033] and [2532] drinks [4188], and [2532] divers [1313] washings [909], and [2532] carnal [4561] ordinances [1345], imposed [1945] on them until [3360] the time [2540] of reformation [1357].
2 For [1063] there was [2680] a tabernacle [4633] made [2680]; the first [4413], wherein [1722] [3739] [5037] was the candlestick [3087], and [2532] the table [5132], and [2532] the shewbread [4286] [740]; which [3748] is called [3004] the sanctuary [39].
3 And [1161] after [3326] the second [1208] veil [2665], the tabernacle [4633] which [3588] is called [3004] the Holiest of all [39] [39];
4 Which had [2192] the golden [5552] censer [2369], and [2532] the ark [2787] of the covenant [1242] overlaid [4028] round about [3840] with gold [5553], wherein [1722] [3739] was the golden [5552] pot [4713] that had [2192] manna [3131], and [2532] Aaron's [2] rod [4464] that budded [985], and [2532] the tables [4109] of the covenant [1242];
5 And [1161] over [5231] it [846] the cherubims [5502] of glory [1391] shadowing [2683] the mercyseat [2435]; of [4012] which [3739] we cannot [3756] [2076] now [3568] speak [3004] particularly [2596] [3313].
1 Thus the heavens [08064] and the earth [0776] were finished [03615], and all the host of them [06635].
5 Who [3748] serve [3000] unto the example [5262] and [2532] shadow [4639] of heavenly things [2032], as [2531] Moses [3475] was admonished of God [5537] when he was about [3195] to make [2005] the tabernacle [4633]: for [1063], See [3708], saith he [5346], that thou make [4160] all things [3956] according to [2596] the pattern [5179] shewed [1166] to thee [4671] in [1722] the mount [3735].