Chapter 9

Theophylact of Ohrid, Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews — Chapter Nine

¹ The first, then, indeed had ordinances of divine service. He showed from the priest, from the priesthood, from the covenant, that it was about to have its end there; now he shows it also from the very fashion of the tabernacle. For there were three places. The one outside, set apart for all, both Jews and Greeks; then there was a veil, within which the priests entered, performing the services every day. This place was called “the Holies”; which things were a type of the Old, inasmuch as the sacrifices through blood were there accomplished. But the Holy of Holies were a type of the mystery that is among us. The first, then, he says—that is, the Old Covenant—had ordinances—that is, symbols, or statutes and legislations; but then it had them, and now it has them not, for it has ceased.

² And the worldly sanctuary. He called it “worldly,” because it was permitted to all to set foot in it, and it was a manifest place, since in the same house where the Jews were, were also the Nazarenes, the proselytes, the Greeks. Since, then, it was accessible to Greeks also, he calls it “worldly.”

³ For a tabernacle was prepared, the first, in which were both the candlestick and the table, and the setting forth of the loaves, which is called Holy. He calls this the “first,” as compared with the Holy of Holies, since indeed this was the middle one. And before it was the brazen altar, that of the whole burnt offerings, standing in the open air; then, a veil being stretched—or rather a curtain—this was the middle tabernacle, in which were both the candlestick, and the table, and the setting forth of the loaves.

⁴ And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called Holy of Holies. Do you see that there was a first veil, which the Scripture calls a “curtain,” as being drawn and pulled, which divided off the court into which all entered in common, in which they also sacrificed at the brazen altar, the tabernacle receiving on each occasion the priests who performed the services? And after you had passed through this, there was again another veil, and within this a tabernacle, the one called Holy of Holies, into which no other entered save the high priest alone, and he once in the year. And he everywhere calls it “tabernacle,” because of God’s dwelling there.

⁵ Having a golden censer, and the ark of the Covenant overlaid round about on every side with gold. He calls this the ark of the Covenant, as having the tablets, which contained the law.

⁶ In which was a golden pot having the manna, and the rod of Aaron that budded, and the tablets of the Covenant. All these were memorials of the Jewish ingratitude. The pot having the manna, because they murmured while being fed with it in a new manner, that to their descendants also might be handed down the memory both of God’s kindness and of their own bitterness. The rod of Aaron, because of the gainsaying that came to pass against him. The tablets of the Covenant, because they broke the first ones through the idolatry. And you will inquire: How is it that in the Books of Kingdoms it is written that there was nothing else in the ark save the tablets, but now the Apostle says that both the pot and the rod of Aaron had been laid up in it? Perhaps, then, as one excellently instructed in the Hebrew things by Gamaliel, he had this from tradition; since even now those of the Hebrews who play the Pharisee agree that it is so. Only, not from the beginning, but when the ark was about to be hidden under Jeremiah, perhaps these things too were then laid up in it, they say.

⁷ And above it. That is, the ark.

⁸ Cherubim of glory. Either the glorious ones, or the ministering ones of God, and existing for his glory. And these he purposely exalts, that he may show the things that concern us to be the greater.

⁹ Overshadowing the mercy-seat. The cover of the ark was called the mercy-seat, as you will learn more exactly from the Scripture itself, and, not being deceived by the words of some, suppose this to be something else. Eat, however, Christ, who became the propitiation of our sins. And he set his seal upon all the things in the Old, and ratified them.

¹⁰ Concerning which it is not now possible to speak in detail. He intimates here that these were not the only things seen, but there were certain riddles, which to contemplate and expound needs a longer time.

¹¹ Now these things being thus prepared, into the first tabernacle the priests enter continually, accomplishing the services. These things were, he says; but the Jews were driven away from them, inasmuch as the veil shut them off. For these things were being kept for us, to whom they were prophesied.

¹² But into the second the high priest alone, once in the year. Do you see the types already prepared beforehand? For that they might not say, The sacrifice according to Christ came to pass once, and how did it sanctify all? he shows it to be a thing from of old, seeing that the sacrifice offered once, even in the Old by the high priest, was the holier and the more awful.

¹³ Not without blood. Since he called the cross a sacrifice, which had neither fire nor wood, nor was offered many times, he shows that the old sacrifice also was such; for it was offered once in blood. But some inquired how it is that in the Exodus it is written: That Aaron shall burn incense upon it, the golden altar—which, namely, was in the Holy of Holies—incense of fine composition every morning; in the morning when he trims the lamps, he shall burn incense upon it; and when Aaron lights the lamps at evening, he shall burn perpetual incense; so that, they say, every day twice the high priest entered into the Holy of Holies to burn incense, where the golden altar was. How, then, does the Apostle here say that this one enters once in the year? And they resolve it, that with blood he entered once in the year, but with incense twice in the day. But know that they were at a loss wrongly, and unscientifically; for it was not upon the golden censer that Aaron burned incense twice in the day, but upon the golden altar; and this was not in the Holy of Holies, but in the middle tabernacle, in which were both the candlestick and the table. Since, with the golden censer, he entered once in the year into the Holy of Holies. For the censer is one thing, and the altar another. And I have set down the difficulty also, that the reader of these things, hearing it from others, may not be led astray, supposing it to be sound.

¹⁴ Which he offers for himself and for the errors of the people. And again the “for himself.” For the high priest of the law, he says, offered for himself; but Christ, not for himself. For how, since he is separated from sinners? So that very great is the difference of this one from that one. And he said “errors,” not “sins,” casting greater fear both upon the Jews of old, and upon all, and abating their high-mindedness. For even if not willingly, but unwillingly and in ignorance, yet one is not clean. But some have said that, showing whence comes the difference of the sacrifice according to Christ from those of the law, he spoke thus. For the sacrifices of the law pardoned the trespasses committed in ignorance; but that of Christ remits even the sins committed knowingly.

¹⁵ The Holy Spirit signifying this, that the way of the holy places had not yet been made manifest, while the first tabernacle was yet standing. He begins thereafter to contemplate the things concerning the tabernacles, and shows that the Holy of Holies was inaccessible to the other priests, which things are a type of heaven; but the first tabernacle—that is, the one which, after the outer brazen altar, was immediately first—was accessible to them continually, being a symbol of the service according to the law; and it was shown symbolically that, so long as this tabernacle stands—that is, so long as the law prevails, and the services according to it are accomplished—the way of the holy places is not accessible—that is, the entrance into heaven—to those who perform such services; but to these it is unseen, and shut off, while to the one High Priest, Christ, alone was this way set apart.

¹⁶ Which is a parable for the time then present, according to which both gifts and sacrifices are offered, that cannot, as touching the conscience, make perfect him who does the service; only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and ordinances of the flesh, imposed until a time of reformation. That which I said before, this he now says, that that tabernacle, into which the priests entered continually, was a parable—that is, an image and outline-sketch of the time present according to the law, before the coming of Christ; according to which sacrifices are offered, and are so weak that they cannot, as touching the conscience—that is, according to the inner man—make perfect those who offer. For it was only a bodily defilement that they cleansed, not the filth of sin. For they could not remit adultery, or murder, or sacrilege. “Only,” he says, “imposed” upon the men of that time, and ordained concerning meats and drinks. For this, he says, eat, and this do not eat. And how did he say “drinks”? and yet the law made no distinction concerning difference of drinks. Either, then, he speaks concerning the priest’s not drinking wine when he was to enter into the Holy place; or also concerning the vows—that is, of those who made promises concerning abstinence from wine, like the Nazarenes; or simply, making light of and ridiculing such ordinances. And there were divers washings. For indeed, whether one touched a corpse, or whether one had an issue, he was washed, and thus seemed to be cleansed. And the ordinances were of the flesh—that is, fleshly commandments, cleansing flesh, and fleshly justifying those who according to the flesh seemed unclean. They were not, however, to be imposed until the end, but until a time of reformation—that is, until the coming of Christ, who was about to reform these things, and to bring in the true and spiritual service. And since the law was a heavy yoke, fittingly he said “imposed.” As also in the Acts it is written: Why tempt ye to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers were able to bear?

¹⁷ But Christ being come, a High Priest of the good things to come. The Old service, he says, did not bring into heaven; but Christ, being come, entered once for all into the Holies; for there the thought is rendered. And he did not say “having become a high priest,” but “being come a High Priest”—that is, having come unto this very thing. He did not first come, and then, it so falling out, become a High Priest; but the aim of his having come unto the earth was the high priesthood. And he did not say “a High Priest of the things sacrificed,” but “of the good things to come,” since the word was not able to set forth the whole exactly; simply and indefinitely he called “good things” the things that came to pass for us. And these he called “to come,” as relative to the time of the law. For just as he called that one “present,” so he names the things according to Christ “to come”; as relative to the comparison with that one, or also relative to the mysteries that shall be uncovered to us in the age to come.

¹⁸ Through the greater and more perfect tabernacle. He speaks here of the flesh, which is greater, inasmuch as both God the Word, and all the energy of the Spirit, dwells in it. For not by measure did God give the Spirit. And more perfect, as accomplishing more perfect things.

¹⁹ Not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Here the heretics leap in, saying that the body is heavenly and ethereal. And yet, even if the Apostle held it to be heavenly and ethereal, how did he say that it is not of this creation? For heaven is not outside the things created. What, then, is it that he says? That the old tabernacle the hands of the craftsmen about Bezaleel made; but the tabernacle of God the Word, the Spirit framed. Wherefore he said that it is not of this creation—that is, not of these created things, but spiritual and divine. For of the created things none has in itself God the Word according to hypostasis; but that one was united to him according to hypostasis. According to the matter, then, the body of the Lord was according to us, and of one substance with us, as compacted of the undefiled blood of the holy Virgin; but according to the manner of its constitution, above us, and because it was united according to hypostasis to God the Word. Or, since the matter of the old tabernacle was wood and skins, and gold, and silver, and brass, and certain woven stuffs, the Apostle, looking to those things, said that it is “not of this creation,” of which the old tabernacle had need. For he brings the whole discourse forth comparatively, and shows the pre-eminence that is according to Christ. And he calls the body of the Lord both a “tabernacle” here, because the Only-begotten tabernacled in it, and a “veil,” as hiding the Godhead. He calls also heaven by these same names: a “tabernacle,” as the high priest being there; a “veil,” the holy things being walled off through it.

²⁰ Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood. Behold, all things changed, and a pre-eminence. How great is that of divine blood over against that of the irrational beasts, with which the high priest of the law entered.

²¹ He entered once for all into the Holies. That is, into heaven.

²² Having found eternal redemption. Not a temporary cleansing did those have, but an eternal freedom from the sins of the soul. Or, because, having entered once, through a single entrance he laid up for us an everlasting benefit. And observe also the “having found,” as of a thing that came to pass beyond expectation; thus he used this word. For the matter of our freedom was past finding; but he himself found it.

²³ For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who are defiled, sanctifies unto the purity of the flesh. Since he said that through a single entrance, through a single blood, he furnished eternal redemption, he establishes this, and shows it to be persuasive to Jews. For if you, he says, believed that you were cleansed when sprinkled with the blood of the heifer, and again with the ash kneaded with water (for the ash was kept for the cleansing of those who were defiled—that is, of the polluted), how shall the blood of Christ not cleanse the souls? And observe his prudence. He did not say that the blood of the goats cleansed, but sanctified; not as glorifying the things of the law, but that he might accomplish what he wishes. For if the blood of a goat furnished sanctification, as you believe, much more be ye persuaded that the blood of Christ furnishes sanctification. For that it was not in order to exalt the Jewish things that he said this, observe how he added: “Unto the purity of the flesh.” For it was holy, he says, not unto the cleansing of the souls, but of the flesh.

²⁴ How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God. Not some high priest offered Christ, but he himself offered himself; and not through fire, as Aaron, but through the eternal Spirit, so that both the grace and the redemption are made everlasting. And “without blemish”—that is, sinless. For indeed even in the Old the heifer was required to be without blemish.

²⁵ Shall cleanse our conscience from dead works. There he said “sanctifies”; but he added also, “unto the purity of the flesh”; here, however, having said “shall cleanse,” he immediately showed the pre-eminence. For he adds, that it cleanses the conscience—that is, the inner man—which there was not. And there indeed he who touched a corpse was cleansed; but here the cleansing is from dead works, which are truly able to defile, and to lead away from God.

²⁶ To serve the living and true God? So that he who touches dead works does not serve the living and true God, but makes gods of those works which he chooses. Thus the glutton makes a god of his belly; thus the covetous man is an idolater. Dead, then, are such things, not only as being alien from eternal life, but because even in the very doing they are abominable, and false too, as enticing us, and seeming pleasant, but not being so.

²⁷ And on this account he is the mediator of a New Covenant. That which troubled many of the weaker sort—the death, namely, of Christ: For if he died, they say, how shall he give the things he has promised? this Paul now heals, showing that for this very thing his covenant is sure, namely because he died; for over the living a covenant is not spoken of. On this account, he says, in order to cleanse us, he died, and in a covenant he left to us the remission, and the enjoyment of all manner of good things, having become a mediator of the Father and of us. For the Father did not wish to leave us an inheritance, but was angry as with sons who had set him at nought and become estranged. Christ, then, became a mediator, and reconciled him. And how? That which we ought to have suffered, for we owed it to die, this he himself underwent for us, and made us worthy of the covenant, and thereafter the covenant became sure through the death of the Son, as not having transmitted the inheritance to unworthy persons. For indeed the covenant has both its heirs—hear, then, of the covenant according to Christ: I will that where I am, they also may be; and its disinherited: I pray not concerning all, but concerning those who believe on me through their word. The covenant has witnesses: He who sent me bears witness concerning me; and, The Comforter shall bear witness concerning me; and, And ye also bear witness.

²⁸ That, a death having come to pass for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first covenant. Do you see that the death of Christ came to pass for our redemption? How, then, do you think him to be of weakness who was so strong, as even to heal the transgressions under the law? How, then, do you run to the law, which is so powerless, as not even to be able to set right the transgressions committed against itself? Not that it was evil, but that it was weak.

²⁹ They who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. Of eternal life and inheritance. For if the death of Christ had not freed us from the sins, on account of which we made the Father our enemy, how should we have received the heavenly inheritance? And the “called” shows this, that in the beginning God was disposed toward us as toward sons, and we were called unto the inheritance; but afterward we ourselves made ourselves, through our sins, unworthy of it.

³⁰ For where a covenant is, there must of necessity be brought in the death of the one who covenanted. For a covenant is sure over the dead. Let not, then, the death of Christ trouble you; for unless he had died, he would not have made a covenant, so that we should inherit. For it is beyond doubt that the covenant prevails after death; nor should we at all be worthy of the inheritance, the enmity not being loosed.

³¹ Since it has no force at all while the one who covenanted lives? Read and understand this interrogatively.

³² Whence neither the first was inaugurated without blood. Not only from common custom did he confirm what he said, but also from the things that came to pass in the Old, which the more drew over the Hebrews. Whence, he says, this—because it is necessary that death precede the covenant—on this account the first covenant also was not inaugurated without blood. And blood is a symbol of death. But there indeed it was a compounded blood, for it was a type; here, however, the truth having shone forth, the Son of God died in the flesh for us. What is the “was inaugurated”? This is it, that it received the beginning of its constitution and confirmation. For it received no otherwise the beginning of its working, save when an outpouring of blood went before.

³³ For when every commandment according to the law had been spoken by Moses to all the people. “According to the law”—that is, as God legislated, that it might be spoken in the ears of all the people; or, “of every commandment that is according to the law”—that is, of that which was legislated.

³⁴ He took the blood of the calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people. For what cause were the book and the people sprinkled? Either with the precious blood being figured beforehand from above, by which we were sprinkled, and our hearts; for these are books, as he also said above: “Putting my laws upon their heart.” And the water is a symbol of baptism. And here the blood and the water are taken, perhaps both because of that which flowed from the side of the Lord—blood and water; and perhaps also because baptism, of which the water is a symbol, proclaims the death of the Lord, of which the blood is indicative. And the hyssop was taken as being apt to hold together, because of its density; and the wool likewise; or because Christ is a sheep, on this account also scarlet, that even by its color it might bear a type of the blood.

³⁵ Saying: This is the blood of the covenant which God has enjoined toward you. But Christ: This is the blood of the New Covenant. That which is unto remission of sins. But there, neither “new,” nor remission of sins. Do you see, then, how he named the blood “covenant”? So that of necessity a death must be conceived, where a covenant is spoken of.

³⁶ And the tabernacle also, and all the vessels of the service, he sprinkled in like manner with the blood. These too were a type; for we are the tabernacle, according to this: I will dwell in them, and walk in them. And we are the vessels of the great house of God, some golden, some silver. We were sprinkled, then, with the true blood of Christ, and were sanctified, being baptized into his death.

³⁷ And almost all things are by the law purged with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. Why did he add the “almost”? Because those things were not a perfect cleansing, nor a perfect remission. For how could they be, the sins not being remitted?

³⁸ It was necessary, then, that the patterns of the things in the heavens should be purified with these. He calls the things that concern us “heavenly,” the things of the Church. And it has been said above, how the Church is heaven. Of these, then, the Jewish things were patterns and types; on this account they also were purified with the blood of calves, and the ashes of a heifer, and the other things so cheap.

³⁹ But the heavenly things themselves. That is, the things of the Church, our things.

⁴⁰ With better sacrifices than these. Since they are both better than the Jewish, and by so much as heaven is than earth—seeing that to those the good things were earthly, but to us the lot is heaven—fittingly they were counted worthy of a greater and more magnificent sacrifice, that of the blood of the Son of God, who cleansed us more perfectly. So then the death of Christ came to pass not only for the confirming of the covenant, but also for the working of the true cleansing, that of the soul. And on this account he makes mention of the benefits of the death, because to the many it seemed most dishonorable, and especially that through the cross.

⁴¹ For Christ entered not into holy places made with hands, antitypes of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us. The Jews were highly minded about the temple; for there was nowhere on earth such a temple, neither for beauty nor for costliness. For since the Jews were drawn by bodily things, God commanded it to be constructed most magnificently. Wherefore also from the ends of the earth they came to it. What, then, does Paul do? Just as in the case of the sacrifices he did and overthrew them, setting against them the death of Christ, so also here, setting heaven against the temple, he shows the difference. For the other high priests entered into the holy places made with hands, which were antitypes of the true—that is, were a type of heaven. For this one is the true holy places. But Christ entered into heaven itself, although he fills all things, and is present everywhere; but because of the human he says these things. And not only through this does he show the difference, but also through showing that our High Priest has come nearer to God. For the high priests of old saw God through symbols, but Christ sees God himself, having appeared before his face. And this too is said condescendingly, because of the human. What is the “for us”? With a sacrifice, he says, he entered, one able to propitiate the Father; but also to reconcile us to the angels. For these too were at enmity with us as with enemies of their own Master. Now, then, he appears on our behalf; for this is the “now,” that he entered as High Priest; for it was for the sake of our reconciliation that he entered.

⁴² Nor that he should offer himself often. Neither did he now enter into heaven, that at another time also he should enter, offering himself.

⁴³ As the high priest enters into the Holies yearly. Behold the pre-eminence. That one yearly, Christ once.

⁴⁴ With blood of another. And this too belongs to the pre-eminence. For the one with blood of another, of bulls and goats; but the other with his own.

⁴⁵ For then he must often have suffered since the foundation of the world. Since, if he was about to offer often, he says, he must also have died often, because he must offer his own blood.

⁴⁶ But now once, at the consummation of the ages, unto the putting away of sin, he has been manifested through his sacrifice. Here he also reveals a certain mystery: why at the consummation of the ages, after many sins. For if his death had come to pass at the beginning, when sin was not yet so poured out, and then no one believed, and he must not die a second time, all would have been to no profit. But now, since later the sins were many, fittingly God was manifested at the consummation of the ages, that he might put away—that is, cast down, and make void of boldness—sin through his sacrifice, that is, through the death of his flesh. Such a thing he said also elsewhere: Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. And how did sin become void of boldness? In that those who work it were let go unpunished. For the boldness of sin is the bringing on of punishment. And the man of Nyssa too was at a loss, both in the Catechetical Oration, and in the discourse on the Nativity of Christ, concerning this very thing: Why at the consummation of the ages was the Son made flesh? And he resolves it, that, just as the best physicians, when the fever smolders the body within, and is kindled through the disease-producing causes, bring no help to the sick man from food, awaiting the malady to come to its height, so also in our case, the Physician of souls awaited the disease of all wickedness to be wholly uncovered, that nothing of the hidden things might remain unhealed, the physician healing only that which has appeared. And you will learn this more amply, O divine man, if it be your wish to meet with the very words of that man.

⁴⁷ And inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this judgment. Now he also gives the cause why Christ died once: because, he says, he became a ransom for one death. For it was appointed unto men once to die. This, then, the “once,” he died for all. What then? Do we not now die? Yes; but we are not held fast as before, but, through the hope of the resurrection, of which he became the leader who died for us, Christ, neither is death any longer death, but a sleep. Since, then, death was about to hold all fast, on this account he died, that he might set us free. Or rather, the Apostle does not now wish to show this, that he paid the death owed by us unto punishment, but that, since Christ was truly a man, together with being also God, just as men die once, and then is the judgment, so also he himself died once. Hear, then, the things that follow.

⁴⁸ So also Christ, once offered. By whom? Himself by himself. For even if he is a high priest, yet he is also a victim, and a sacrifice.

⁴⁹ To bear the sins of many. Just as in the holy liturgy we bring up our sins, and say, Whether unwillingly or willingly we have sinned, pardon; that is, making mention of them first, and then asking the pardon; so also he himself said to the Father: For their sakes I sanctify myself. Or, he bore up the sins, taking them upon himself from men, and offered them, that he might remit them. And for what cause did he say “of many,” and not “of all”? Because not all believed. For his death indeed was a counterpoise to the perdition of all, and as far as lay in him, he died for all; but he did not bear the sins of all, because of their not willing. So that they made the death of the Son of God useless to themselves, which is also worthy of shuddering. So speaks the blessed John. But I found in the Gospel, upon the And to give his life a ransom for many, a marginal note taking the “many” in the sense of “all”; for “many” also are “all.”

⁵⁰ A second time without sin shall he appear unto those who look for him unto salvation. He died indeed, he says, bearing our sins, and offering them to the Father, that he might blot them out, for whom also he died. For “him who knew no sin,” he says, “the Father made sin,” as appropriating our things. But he shall be seen a second time no longer bearing sin, nor needing a second death because of them, but as a judge, unto salvation to those who look for him—that is, to those who believe in him, and hope for his coming; and it is plain that they also live worthily of it. And yet, not only unto salvation will he come, but also unto the punishment of the unbelieving and of sinners; but nevertheless he spoke the gladsome thing.