food (literally or figuratively) · noun — dative plural neuter
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
drinks
πόμασινpomasin
G4188
a beverage · noun — dative plural neuter
and
καὶkai
G2532
and · conjunction
divers
διαφόροιςdiaphorois
G1313
varying · adjective — dative plural masculine
washings
βαπτισμοῖς,baptismois
G909
ablution (ceremonial or Christian) · noun — dative plural masculine
and
καίkaí
G2532
and
carnal
σαρκὸςsarkos
G4561
flesh (as stripped of the skin) · noun — genitive singular feminine
ordinances
δικαιώματαdikaiōmata
G1345
an equitable deed · noun — nominative plural neuter
imposed
ἐπικείμενα.¶epikeimena
G1945
to rest upon (literally or figuratively) · verb — present middle or passive deponent participle, nominative plural neuter
until
μέχριmechri
G3360
as far as · preposition
time
καιροῦkairou
G2540
an occasion · noun — genitive singular masculine
reformation
διορθώσεωςdiorthōseōs
G1357
rectification · noun — genitive singular feminine
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Ephesians 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man,…
Colossians 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:
Leviticus 11:2-47 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, These are the beasts which ye shall eat among all the beasts that are on the earth.
Hebrews 7:16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.
Exodus 30:19-21 For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:
Exodus 40:12 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water.
Leviticus 16:4 He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with…
Leviticus 16:24 And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the bur…
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Hebrews 9:8-14
In these verses the apostle undertakes to deliver to us the mind and meaning of the Holy Ghost in all the ordinances of the tabernacle and legal economy, comprehending both place and worship. The scriptures of the Old Testament were given by inspiration of God; holy men of old spoke and wrote as the Holy Ghost directed them. And these Old Testament records are of great use and significancy, not only to those who first received them, but even to Christians, who ought not to satisfy themselves with reading the institutes of the Levitical law, but should learn what the Holy Ghost signifies and suggests to them thereby. Now here are several things mentioned as the things that the Holy Ghost sign…
Which--sacrifices.
stood--consisted in [ALFORD]; or, "have attached to them" only things which appertain to the use of foods, &c. The rites of meats, &c., go side by side with the sacrifices [THOLUCK and WAHL]; compare Col 2:16.
drinks-- (Lev 10:9; Lev 11:4). Usage subsequently to the law added many observances as to meats and drinks.
washings-- (Exo 29:4).
and carnal ordinances--One oldest manuscript, Syriac and Coptic, omit "and." "Carnal ordinances" stand in apposition to "sacrifices" (Heb 9:9). Carnal (outward, affecting only the flesh) is opposed to spiritual. Contrast "flesh" with "conscience" (Heb 9:13-14).
imposed--as a burden (Act 15:10, Act 15:28) continually pressing hea…
In meats and drinks, and divers washings - He had already mentioned eucharistic and sacrificial offerings, and nothing properly remained but the different kinds of clean and unclean animals which were used, or forbidden to be used, as articles of food; together with the different kinds or drinks, washings, βαπτισμοις, baptisms, immersions, sprinklings and washings of the body and the clothes, and carnal ordinances, or things which had respect merely to the body, and could have no moral influence upon the soul, unless considered in reference to that of which they were the similitudes, or figures.
Carnal ordinances - Δικαιωματα σαρκος· Rites and ceremonies pertaining merely to the body. The wo…
The Church Fathers
"only." By hyperbaton [ὑπερβατὸν], the word imposed is to be joined: "in foods and drinks." The sacrifices and worship offered, he says, could not render anyone perfect concerning the soul, but only had power regarding the flesh and carnal matters: and in this, they satisfied the offerers so that they would eat this and not eat that, and that they would be washed with water those who had communicated, or were made common and unclean; which are the justifications of the flesh, that is, purifying the flesh, and not at all the soul; not at all the inner man, but were exercised concerning the outer. But how did he say, "and drinks," although the law did not make a distinction concerning drinks? This, then, he says, concerns the priest not drinking wine when he was about to enter the sanctuary; or also concerning vows, that is, promises, concerning abstaining from wine; simply belittling such ordinances and ridiculing them, this is what he said. "and various baptisms." There were various baptisms. For if someone touched a dead body, or a leper, or someone became afflicted with gonorrhea, they were baptized, and in this way it was thought they were being purified. But these were just ordinances of the flesh, fleshly things cleansing the flesh, and nowhere the soul, nowhere the mind, nor concerning the inner man, but they were concerned with the outer. However, they were not meant to last forever, but only until the time ofrestructuring. And what is this time of restructuring? Clearly, it is the coming of the Savior, who would correct these things and introduce true and spiritual worship. "Imposed." It is well said, "imposed"; for the burden was only those things in the law, as the apostles say; "Which neither we, he says, nor our fathers were able to bear." (Acts 15:10)
The Church Fathers: public-domain translations (Ante-Nicene and Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers), verse-indexed by SermonIndex (CC BY 4.0).
Dictionary and topics
Altar — (Heb. mizbe’ah, from a word meaning “to slay”), any structure of earth (Ex. 20:24) or unwrought stone (20:25) on which sacrifices were offered. Altars were generally erected in conspicuous places…
Atonement, The Day Of — I. The great day of national humiliation, and the only one commanded in the Mosaic law. [Fasts] The mode of its observance is described in Levi 16, and the conduct of the people is emphatically…
Baptism, Christian — An ordinance immediately instituted by Christ (Matt. 28:19, 20), and designed to be observed in the church, like that of the Supper, “till he come.” The words “baptize” and “baptism” are simply Greek…
Carnal — Unconverted men are so called (1 Cor. 3:3). They are represented as of a “carnal mind, which is enmity against God” (Rom. 8:6, 7). Enjoyments that minister to the wants and desires of man’s animal…
Clean — The various forms of uncleanness according to the Mosaic law are enumerated in Lev. 11-15; Num. 19. The division of animals into clean and unclean was probably founded on the practice of sacrifice.…
High priest — Aaron was the first who was solemnly set apart to this office (Ex. 29:7; 30:23; Lev. 8:12). He wore a peculiar dress, which on his death passed to his successor in office (Ex. 29:29, 30). Besides…
Tabernacle — (1.) A house or dwelling-place (Job 5:24; 18:6, etc.). (2.) A portable shrine (comp. Acts 19:24) containing the image of Moloch (Amos 5:26; marg. and R.V., “Siccuth”). (3.) The human body (2 Cor.…
Ablution · General scriptures concerning — General scriptures concerning
Church Of Israel · Had: Appointed ordinances — Had: Appointed ordinances
Jews, The · Religion of, typical — Religion of, typical
Which stood only in meats and drinks,.... That is, along with the gifts and sacrifices offered, there only were meat offerings and drink offerings; things which only respect the body, and cannot therefore make perfect, as to the conscience; to which may be added, that while the tabernacle was standing, and typical service was in being, there was a prohibition of certain meats, as unclean, and an allowance of others, as clean, Leviticus 11:2 and there were certain drinks which were unlawful to certain persons, at certain times, as to the priests and Nazarites, Leviticus 10:9 and which, for the above reason, could make no man perfect:
and divers washings or "baptisms": the doctrine of which,…
Hebrews 9:6-12
6. Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God
6. His vero sic compositis, in prius tabernaculum semper ingrediuntur sacerdotes qui sacra peragunt:
7. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
7. At in secundum semel quotannis solus pontifex, non sine sanguine quem offert pro suis et populi ignorantiis:
8. The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
8. Hoc declarante Spiritu Sancto, nondum…
The old system dealt only with physical regulations, and it could not deal with the condition of the heart (8:10; 10:21-24). Consequently, it was provisional, only intended to last until Christ could come and establish a better system (9:11–10:18).
Purifications · Illustrative of: Purification by the blood of Christ — Illustrative of: Purification by the blood of Christ
Symbols And Similitudes · The whole system of Mosaic rites — The whole system of Mosaic rites
Tabernacle · Illustrative: (The vail,) of the obscurity of the Mosaic age — Illustrative: (The vail,) of the obscurity of the Mosaic age
Time · Particular periods of, mentioned: The time of reformation — Particular periods of, mentioned: The time of reformation
Types · .The sanctuary a type of the heavenly sanctuary — .The sanctuary a type of the heavenly sanctuary
Water · Was used by Jews: For legal purification — Was used by Jews: For legal purification
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
