Hebrews 9:21-28 - The One Sacrifice That Puts Away Sin
Here are the three appearances of Christ: (1) He appeared once, at the ridge or meeting-place of the ages-where the first Covenant and the second met-to put away the sin of the race; and He has done this for each of us. We are called on to believe this and to enter upon our inheritance without questioning or trying to feel it. Men are told clearly that God will not impute their transgressions unto them, unless they place themselves out of the at-one-ment by the deliberate repudiation of Christ. The one question for us all is not sin, but our attitude toward Christ, the Sin-Bearer. See 2 Corinthians 5:19.
(2.) He appears in heaven for us, as our Intercessor and Mediator, presenting our prayers mingled with the rich incense of His merit, and acting as the ground of our beseechings, Revelation 8:3. (3) He will appear the second time. There will be no sin-bearing then. His appearance will be "apart from sin." But then, salvation will be perfected, because creation itself will share in the liberty and glory of the sons of God, Romans 8:21. [source]
Chapter Summary: Hebrews 9
1The description of the rites and sacrifices of the law; 11which are far inferior to the dignity and perfection of the sacrifice of Christ
Greek Commentary for Hebrews 9:21
In like manner with the blood [τωι αιματι ομοιως] Instrumental case of αιμα haima (blood). But the use of the article does not necessarily refer to the blood mentioned in Hebrews 9:19. In Exodus 40:9 Moses sprinkled the tabernacle with oil. It had not been erected at the time of Exodus 24:5. Josephus (Ant. III. 8, 6) gives a tradition that blood was used also at this dedication. Blood was used annually in the cleansing rites on the day of atonement. [source]
Acts 13:2Ministered [λειτουργούντων] See on the kindred noun ministration, Luke 1:23. This noun has passed through the following meanings: 1. A civil service, especially in the technical language of Athenian law. 2. A function or office of any kind, as of the bodily organs. 3. Sacerdotal ministration, both among the Jews and the heathen (see Hebrews 8:6; Hebrews 9:21). 4. The eucharistic services. 5.Set forms of divine worship (Lightfoot, “On Philippians,” ii., 17). Here, of the performance of Christian worship. Our word liturgy is derived from it. [source]
1 Thessalonians 4:4That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel, etc. [εἰδέναι ἕκαστον ὑμῶν τὸ ἑαυτοῦ σκεῦος κτᾶσθαι] The interpretation of 1 Thessalonians 4:3-6usually varies between two explanations: 1. making the whole passage refer to fornication and adultery: 2. limiting this reference to 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, and making 1 Thessalonians 4:6refer to honesty in business. Both are wrong. The entire passage exhibits two groups of parallel clauses; the one concerning sexual, and the other business relations. Thus: 1. Abstain from fornication: deal honorably with your wives. 2. Pursue your business as holy men, not with covetous greed as the heathen: do not overreach or defraud. A comma should be placed after σκεῦος vesseland κτᾶσθαι procureor acquire, instead of being made dependent on εἰδέναι knowshould begin a new clause. Render, that every one of you treat his own wife honorably. Εἰδέναι isused Hebraistically in the sense of have a care for, regard, as 1 Thessalonians 5:12, “Know them that labor,” etc.: recognize their claim to respect, and hold them in due regard. Comp. Genesis 39:6: Potiphar οὐκ ᾔδει τῶν καθ ' αὑτὸν οὐδὲν “gave himself no concern about anything that he had.” 1 Samuel 2:12: the sons of Eli οὐκ εἰδότες τὸν κύριον “paying no respect to the Lord.” Exodus 1:8: Another King arose ὃς οὐκ ᾔδει τὸν Ἱωσήφ “who did not recognize or regard Joseph”: did not remember his services and the respect in which he had been held. Σκεῦος is sometimes explained as body, for which there is no evidence in N.T. In 2 Corinthians 4:7the sense is metaphorical. Neither in lxx nor Class. does it mean body. In lxx very often of the sacred vessels of worship: sometimes, as in Class., of the accoutrements of war. In N.T. occasionally, both in singular and plural, in the general sense of appliances, furniture, tackling. See Matthew 12:29; Luke 17:31; Acts 27:17; Hebrews 9:21. For the meaning vessel, see Luke 8:16; John 19:20; 2 Corinthians 4:7; Revelation 2:27. Here, metaphorically, for wife; comp. 1 Peter 3:7. It was used for wife in the coarse and literal sense by Rabbinical writers. The admonition aptly follows the charge to abstain from fornication. On the contrary, let each one treat honorably his own wife. The common interpretation is, “as a safeguard against fornication let every one know how to procure his own wife.” It is quite safe to say that such a sentence could never have proceeded from Paul. He never would have offset a charge to abstain from fornication with a counsel to be well informed in the way of obtaining a wife. When he does touch this subject, as he does in 1 Corinthians 7:2, he says, very simply, “to avoid fornication let every man have ( ἐχέτω ) his own wife”; not, know how to get one. Εἰδέναι knowas usually interpreted, is both superfluous and absurd. Besides, the question was not of procuring a wife, but of living honorably and decently with her, paying her the respect which was her right, and therefore avoiding illicit connections. [source]
Hebrews 1:14Ministering spirits [λειτουργικα πνευματα] Thayer says that λειτουργικος leitourgikos was not found in profane authors, but it occurs in the papyri for “work tax” (money in place of service) and for religious service also. The word is made from λειτουργια leitourgia (Luke 1:23; Hebrews 8:6; Hebrews 9:21). Sent forth Present passive participle of αποστελλω apostellō sent forth repeatedly, from time to time as occasion requires. For the sake of With the accusative, the usual causal meaning of δια dia That shall inherit “That are going to inherit,” common idiom of μελλω mellō (present active participle) with the infinitive (present active here), “destined to inherit” (Matthew 11:14). Salvation Here used of the final salvation in its consummation. Only here in the N.T. do we have “inherent salvation,” but see Hebrews 6:12; Hebrews 12:17. We do not have here the doctrine of special guardian angels for each of us, but simply the fact that angels are used for our good. “And if so, may we not be aided, inspired, guided by a cloud of witnesses - not witnesses only, but helpers, agents like ourselves of the immanent God?” (Sir Oliver Lodge, The Hibbert Journal, Jan., 1903, p. 223). [source]
What do the individual words in Hebrews 9:21 mean?
Greek Commentary for Hebrews 9:21
Instrumental case of αιμα haima (blood). But the use of the article does not necessarily refer to the blood mentioned in Hebrews 9:19. In Exodus 40:9 Moses sprinkled the tabernacle with oil. It had not been erected at the time of Exodus 24:5. Josephus (Ant. III. 8, 6) gives a tradition that blood was used also at this dedication. Blood was used annually in the cleansing rites on the day of atonement. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Hebrews 9:21
Our word liturgy. A common word in ancient Greek for public service, work for the people It is common in the papyri for the service of the Egyptian priesthood as we see it in the lxx of Hebrew priests (see also Hebrews 8:6; Hebrews 9:21; 2 Corinthians 9:12; Philemon 2:17, Philemon 2:30). [source]
See on the kindred noun ministration, Luke 1:23. This noun has passed through the following meanings: 1. A civil service, especially in the technical language of Athenian law. 2. A function or office of any kind, as of the bodily organs. 3. Sacerdotal ministration, both among the Jews and the heathen (see Hebrews 8:6; Hebrews 9:21). 4. The eucharistic services. 5.Set forms of divine worship (Lightfoot, “On Philippians,” ii., 17). Here, of the performance of Christian worship. Our word liturgy is derived from it. [source]
Also rendered ministry or ministration (A.V. and Rev.), as Luke 1:23; Hebrews 8:6; Hebrews 9:21. See on Luke 1:23. The word is used of this same contribution, Romans 15:7. [source]
The interpretation of 1 Thessalonians 4:3-6usually varies between two explanations: 1. making the whole passage refer to fornication and adultery: 2. limiting this reference to 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, and making 1 Thessalonians 4:6refer to honesty in business. Both are wrong. The entire passage exhibits two groups of parallel clauses; the one concerning sexual, and the other business relations. Thus: 1. Abstain from fornication: deal honorably with your wives. 2. Pursue your business as holy men, not with covetous greed as the heathen: do not overreach or defraud. A comma should be placed after σκεῦος vesseland κτᾶσθαι procureor acquire, instead of being made dependent on εἰδέναι knowshould begin a new clause. Render, that every one of you treat his own wife honorably. Εἰδέναι isused Hebraistically in the sense of have a care for, regard, as 1 Thessalonians 5:12, “Know them that labor,” etc.: recognize their claim to respect, and hold them in due regard. Comp. Genesis 39:6: Potiphar οὐκ ᾔδει τῶν καθ ' αὑτὸν οὐδὲν “gave himself no concern about anything that he had.” 1 Samuel 2:12: the sons of Eli οὐκ εἰδότες τὸν κύριον “paying no respect to the Lord.” Exodus 1:8: Another King arose ὃς οὐκ ᾔδει τὸν Ἱωσήφ “who did not recognize or regard Joseph”: did not remember his services and the respect in which he had been held. Σκεῦος is sometimes explained as body, for which there is no evidence in N.T. In 2 Corinthians 4:7the sense is metaphorical. Neither in lxx nor Class. does it mean body. In lxx very often of the sacred vessels of worship: sometimes, as in Class., of the accoutrements of war. In N.T. occasionally, both in singular and plural, in the general sense of appliances, furniture, tackling. See Matthew 12:29; Luke 17:31; Acts 27:17; Hebrews 9:21. For the meaning vessel, see Luke 8:16; John 19:20; 2 Corinthians 4:7; Revelation 2:27. Here, metaphorically, for wife; comp. 1 Peter 3:7. It was used for wife in the coarse and literal sense by Rabbinical writers. The admonition aptly follows the charge to abstain from fornication. On the contrary, let each one treat honorably his own wife. The common interpretation is, “as a safeguard against fornication let every one know how to procure his own wife.” It is quite safe to say that such a sentence could never have proceeded from Paul. He never would have offset a charge to abstain from fornication with a counsel to be well informed in the way of obtaining a wife. When he does touch this subject, as he does in 1 Corinthians 7:2, he says, very simply, “to avoid fornication let every man have ( ἐχέτω ) his own wife”; not, know how to get one. Εἰδέναι knowas usually interpreted, is both superfluous and absurd. Besides, the question was not of procuring a wife, but of living honorably and decently with her, paying her the respect which was her right, and therefore avoiding illicit connections. [source]
Thayer says that λειτουργικος leitourgikos was not found in profane authors, but it occurs in the papyri for “work tax” (money in place of service) and for religious service also. The word is made from λειτουργια leitourgia (Luke 1:23; Hebrews 8:6; Hebrews 9:21). Sent forth Present passive participle of αποστελλω apostellō sent forth repeatedly, from time to time as occasion requires. For the sake of With the accusative, the usual causal meaning of δια dia That shall inherit “That are going to inherit,” common idiom of μελλω mellō (present active participle) with the infinitive (present active here), “destined to inherit” (Matthew 11:14). Salvation Here used of the final salvation in its consummation. Only here in the N.T. do we have “inherent salvation,” but see Hebrews 6:12; Hebrews 12:17. We do not have here the doctrine of special guardian angels for each of us, but simply the fact that angels are used for our good. “And if so, may we not be aided, inspired, guided by a cloud of witnesses - not witnesses only, but helpers, agents like ourselves of the immanent God?” (Sir Oliver Lodge, The Hibbert Journal, Jan., 1903, p. 223). [source]