Hebrews 9:9 - meaning, Hebrew and Greek word study, commentary
Hebrews 9:9
Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
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
1 Peter 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good consc…
Hebrews 5:1 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for…
Psalms 51:16-19 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
Romans 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the f…
Hebrews 10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
Galatians 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness…
Hebrews 7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that anoth…
Hebrews 7:18-19 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
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--"The which," namely, anterior tabernacle: "as being that which was" [ALFORD].
figure--Greek, "parable": a parabolic setting forth of the character of the Old Testament.
for--"in reference to the existing time." The time of the temple-worship really belonged to the Old Testament, but continued still in Paul's time and that of his Hebrew readers. "The time of reformation" (Heb 9:10) stands in contrast to this, "the existing time"; though, in reality, "the time of reformation," the New Testament time, was now present and existing. So "the age to come," is the phrase applied to the Gospel, because it was present only to believers, and its fulness even to them is still to come. Compare…
Which - Tabernacle and its services, was a figure, παραβολη, a dark enigmatical representation, for the time then present - for that age and dispensation, and for all those who lived under it.
In which, καθ' ὁν, during which, time or dispensation were offered both gifts and sacrifices - eucharistic offerings and victims for sin, that could not make him that did the service, whether the priest who made the offering, or the person who brought it in the behalf of his soul, perfect as pertaining to the conscience - could not take away guilt from the mind, nor purify the conscience from dead works. The whole was a figure, or dark representation, of a spiritual and more glorious system: and altho…
The Church Fathers
"which was a symbol." He says, a type of those in the tabernacle, for the time then present, from which they are fulfilled, he says, and have an end. And justly. For if those were a type of Christ, it is fitting that with the revelation of Christ, the types are fulfilled, and they have an end. "according to which gifts and sacrifices were offered." In which a symbol and according to which type the offerings of both giftsand sacrifices were offered, "which could not perfect the worshiper in regard to conscience." As if he said, In which type, that is, in the priestly service according to the law, the sacrifices were offered, but they were not able to cleanse the soul and conscience. For being bodily, they cleansed the body. "in regard to conscience;" or according to the soul. "which could not perfect the worshiper." Not even those who offered the sacrifices could be purified.
"Which" (he says) "was established as a figure for the time then present." What does he mean by "the time present"? That before the coming of Christ: For after the coming of Christ, it is no longer a time present: For how could it be, having arrived, and being ended? There is too something else which he indicates, when he says this, "which was a figure for the time then present," that is, became the Type. "In which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience." Thou seest now what is the meaning of "The Law made nothing perfect," and "If that first covenant had been faultless." How? "As pertaining to the conscience." For the sacrifices did not put away the defilement from the soul, but still were concerned with the body: "after the law of a carnal commandment." For certainly they could not put away adultery, nor murder, nor sacrilege. Seest thou? Thou hast eaten this, Thou hast not eaten that, which are matters of indifference. "Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings." "Thou hast drunk this," he says: and yet nothing has been ordained concerning drink, but he said this, treating them as trifles. "And in divers washings, and carnal ordinances imposed on them until the time of reformation." For this is the righteousness of the flesh. Here he depreciates the sacrifices, showing that they had no efficacy, and that they existed "till the time of reformation," that is, they waited for the time that reformeth all things.
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…
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…
Parable — (Gr. parabole), a placing beside; a comparison; equivalent to the Heb. mashal, a similitude. In the Old Testament this is used to denote (1) a proverb (1 Sam. 10:12; 24:13; 2 Chr. 7:20), (2) a…
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.…
Ascension Of Christ, The · Typified — Typified
Jews, The · Religion of, typical — Religion of, typical
Offerings · Required to be: Brought to the place appointed of God — Required to be: Brought to the place appointed of God
Ordinance · INSUFFICIENCY OF, FOR SALVATION — INSUFFICIENCY OF, FOR SALVATION
Purifications · Illustrative of: Purification by the blood of Christ
Which was a figure for the time then present,.... The tabernacle in general was a figure of Christ's human nature, Hebrews 8:2 and the most holy part of it was a figure of heaven itself, Hebrews 9:24 the whole service of it was typical and shadowy; but it was but a temporary figure; it was for that present time only; the things of it were suited to that dispensation, and are now abolished, and ought not to be revived, the ordinances of the Gospel being greatly preferable to them; and while it did continue, it was only a parable, as the word here used signifies; it was like a dark saying; it had much obscurity and darkness in it; or as the Vulgate Latin version renders it, it was a "figure of…
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…
This is an illustration: The problem with the gifts and sacrifices of the old covenant is that they were not able to cleanse the consciences of the people—they could not remove people’s guilt before a holy God (cp. 9:14; 10:2, 22; 13:18).
— Illustrative of: Purification by the blood of Christ
Sacrifices · Could not take away sin — Could not take away sin
Symbols And Similitudes · The whole system of Mosaic rites — The whole system of Mosaic rites
Tabernacle · Illustrative: Of Christ — Illustrative: Of Christ
Types · .The sanctuary a type of the heavenly sanctuary — .The sanctuary a type of the heavenly sanctuary
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).
