Lectionary Calendar
Friday, October 11th, 2024
the Week of Proper 22 / Ordinary 27
Attention!
For 10¢ a day you can enjoy StudyLight.org ads
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

King James Version

Hebrews 9:14

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ablution;   Atonement;   Blood;   Conscience;   God;   Gospel;   Holy Spirit;   Jesus, the Christ;   Jesus Continued;   Law;   Offerings;   Purification;   Purity;   Sanctification;   Trinity;   Types;   Works;   Thompson Chain Reference - Blood;   Christ;   Cleansing;   Conscience;   Defilement-Cleansing;   Holy Spirit;   Names;   Perfection;   Perfection-Imperfection;   Promises, Divine;   Purification of Heart;   Sinlessness of Christ;   Titles and Names;   The Topic Concordance - Jesus Christ;   Sacrifice;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Christ, the High Priest;   Conscience;   Covenant, the;   Death, Spiritual;   Holy Spirit, the, Is God;   Law of Moses, the;   Paschal Lamb, Typical Nature of;   Red Heifer, the;   Sin;   Titles and Names of the Holy Spirit;   Trinity, the;   Types of Christ;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Heifer;   Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost;   Law;   Priest;   Sacrifice;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Conscience;   Day of atonement;   Forgiveness;   Holy spirit;   Interpretation;   Jesus christ;   Mediator;   Priest;   Sacrifice;   Tabernacle;   Trinity;   Type, typology;   Uncleanness;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Blameless;   Body;   Clean, Unclean;   Death of Christ;   Offerings and Sacrifices;   Priest, Priesthood;   Promise;   Sanctification;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Altar;   Baptism ;   Covenant;   Holy Ghost;   Intercession of Christ;   Knowledge of God (1);   Mediator;   Pardon;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Clean;   Eternal Death;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Atonement;   Atonement, Day of;   Hebrews, the Epistle to the;   High Priest;   New Testament;   Sacrifice;   Sin Offering;   Sprinkle;   Suretiship;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Acceptance;   Atonement;   Blemish;   Blood;   Day of Atonement;   Forgiveness;   Hebrews;   Messiah;   Purity-Purification;   Red Heifer;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Atonement;   Faith;   Hebrews, Epistle to;   Holy Spirit;   Law;   Priest;   Psychology;   Text of the New Testament;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Aaron;   Aaron (2);   Access ;   Announcements of Death;   Atonement (2);   Blood;   Brotherly Love;   Conscience ;   Cross, Cross-Bearing;   Day of Atonement ;   Death of Christ;   Dereliction;   Devotion;   Eternal Everlasting;   Guilt (2);   Hebrews Epistle to the;   Holiness Purity;   Justification;   Living;   Lord's Supper (Ii);   Mediator;   Obedience (2);   Presence (2);   Priest;   Priest (2);   Propitiation;   Propitiation (2);   Redemption;   Regeneration;   Righteous, Righteousness;   Sacrifice;   Sacrifice (2);   Type;   Water ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Eternal;   Offering, Offering up;   Purification;   Sprinkling;   Various Readings;   Works;   13 To Worship, Serve;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Atonement;   Clean and unclean;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Atonement, the Day of;   New Testament;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Dead;   Purge;   Spot;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Baptism;   Holy Ghost;   Priest;   Sacrifice;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Jesus of Nazareth;   Kingdom or Church of Christ, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Blemish;   Christ, Offices of;   Covenant, the New;   Eschatology of the New Testament;   Hebrews, Epistle to the;   Hope;   Intercession of Christ;   Obedience of Christ;   Papyrus;   Person of Christ;   Priesthood;   Priesthood in the New Testament;   Purge;   Spot;   Sprinkle;   Text and Manuscripts of the New Testament;   Work;  

Devotionals:

- Daily Light on the Daily Path - Devotion for December 2;  

Parallel Translations

New American Standard Bible (1995)
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Legacy Standard Bible
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Simplified Cowboy Version
But the blood of Christ washes us all clean, inside and out. By the power of the Holy Ghost, Jesus offered himself up as the final sacrifice and cleansed our consciences from the sorry deeds we've done. Now that we are free and pure, we can ride for the living God.
Bible in Basic English
How much more will the blood of Christ, who, being without sin, made an offering of himself to God through the Holy Spirit, make your hearts clean from dead works to be servants of the living God?
Darby Translation
how much rather shall the blood of the Christ, who by the eternal Spirit offered himself spotless to God, purify your conscience from dead works to worship [the] living God?
World English Bible
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Wesley's New Testament (1755)
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge our conscience from dead works, to serve the living God?
Weymouth's New Testament
how much more certainly shall the blood of Christ, who strengthened by the eternal Spirit offered Himself to God, free from blemish, purify your consciences from lifeless works for you to serve the ever-living God?
King James Version (1611)
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, offered himselfe without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead workes, to serue the liuing God?
Literal Translation
by how much more the blood of Christ (who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God), will purify your conscience from dead works, to serve the living God!
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
How moch more shal the bloude of Christ (which thorow the eternall sprete offred him selfe without spot vnto God) pourge oure conscience from deed workes, for to serue the lyuynge God?
Mace New Testament (1729)
how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the holy spirit offered himself a spotless victim to God, purify our souls from deadly sins, to serve the living God?
Amplified Bible
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal [Holy] Spirit willingly offered Himself unblemished [that is, without moral or spiritual imperfection as a sacrifice] to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works and lifeless observances to serve the ever living God?
American Standard Version
how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Revised Standard Version
how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
Tyndale New Testament (1525)
How moche more shall the bloud of Christ (which thorow the eternall sprete offered him silfe with out spot to God) pourdge youre consciences from deed workes for to serve the livynge god?
Update Bible Version
how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Webster's Bible Translation
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Young's Literal Translation
how much more shall the blood of the Christ (who through the age-during Spirit did offer himself unblemished to God) purify your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
New Century Version
How much more is done by the blood of Christ. He offered himself through the eternal Spirit as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will make our consciences pure from useless acts so we may serve the living God.
New English Translation
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our consciences from dead works to worship the living God.
Berean Standard Bible
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!
Contemporary English Version
But Christ was sinless, and he offered himself as an eternal and spiritual sacrifice to God. That's why his blood is much more powerful and makes our consciences clear. Now we can serve the living God and no longer do things that lead to death.
Complete Jewish Bible
then how much more the blood of the Messiah, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself to God as a sacrifice without blemish, will purify our conscience from works that lead to death, so that we can serve the living God!
English Standard Version
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.
Geneva Bible (1587)
How much more shal the blood of Christ which through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without fault to God, purge your conscience from dead workes, to serue the liuing God?
George Lamsa Translation
How much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works so that we may serve the living God?
Christian Standard Bible®
how much more will the blood of the Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to serve the living God?
Hebrew Names Version
how much more will the blood of Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
International Standard Version
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spiritthrough the Holy Spirit">[fn] offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse ouryour">[fn] consciences from dead works so that we may serve the living God!Luke 1:74; Romans 1:4; Ephesians 2:5; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 1:3; 6:1; 7:27; 10:22; 1 Peter 1:19; 3:18; 4:2; 1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5;">[xr]
Etheridge Translation
how much more then shall the blood of the Meshiha, who, by the Eternal Spirit, himself hath offered without spot unto Aloha, purify our conscience from dead works, to serve the Aloha the Living?
Murdock Translation
then how much more will the blood of the Messiah, who by the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purge our conscience from dead works, so that we may serve the living God?
New King James Version
how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
New Living Translation
Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins.
New Life Bible
How much more the blood of Christ will do! He gave Himself as a perfect gift to God through the Spirit that lives forever. Now your heart can be free from the guilty feeling of doing work that is worth nothing. Now you can work for the living God.
English Revised Version
how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
New Revised Standard
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God!
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
How much rather shall the blood of the Christ, who through an age-abiding spirit offered himself unspotted unto God, purify our conscience from dead works, to the rendering of divine-service, unto a Living God?
Douay-Rheims Bible
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who by the Holy Ghost offered himself unspotted unto God, cleanse our conscience from dead works, to serve the living God?
Lexham English Bible
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to serve the living God?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Howe much more the blood of Christe, which through the eternall spirite offered hym selfe without spot to God, shall purge your conscience fro dead workes, to serue the lyuyng God?
Easy-to-Read Version
So surely the blood sacrifice of Christ can do much more. Christ offered himself through the eternal Spirit as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will make us completely clean from the evil we have done. It will give us clear consciences so that we can worship the living God.
New American Standard Bible
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Good News Translation
Since this is true, how much more is accomplished by the blood of Christ! Through the eternal Spirit he offered himself as a perfect sacrifice to God. His blood will purify our consciences from useless rituals, so that we may serve the living God.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
hou myche more the blood of Crist, which bi the Hooli Goost offride hym silf vnwemmyd to God, schal clense oure conscience fro deed werkis, to serue God that lyueth?

Contextual Overview

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: 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; 10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. 11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

How: Deuteronomy 31:27, 2 Samuel 4:11, Job 15:16, Matthew 7:11, Luke 12:24, Luke 12:28, Romans 11:12, Romans 11:24

the blood: Hebrews 9:12, 1 Peter 1:19, 1 John 1:7, Revelation 1:5

who: Isaiah 42:1, Isaiah 61:1, Matthew 12:28, Luke 4:18, John 3:34, Acts 1:2, Acts 10:38, Romans 1:4, 1 Peter 3:18

eternal: Deuteronomy 33:27, Isaiah 57:15, Jeremiah 10:10, Romans 1:20, 1 Timothy 1:17

offered: Hebrews 9:7, Hebrews 7:27, Matthew 20:28, Ephesians 2:5, Ephesians 5:2, Titus 2:14, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 3:18

without: Leviticus 22:20, Numbers 19:2-21, Numbers 28:3, Numbers 28:9, Numbers 28:11, Deuteronomy 15:21, Deuteronomy 17:1, Isaiah 53:9, Daniel 9:24-26, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 Peter 1:19, 1 Peter 2:22, 1 John 3:5

spot: or, fault

purge: Hebrews 9:9, Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 10:2, Hebrews 10:22

dead works: Hebrews 6:1

to serve: Luke 1:74, Romans 6:13, Romans 6:22, Galatians 2:19, 1 Thessalonians 1:9, 1 Peter 4:2

the living: Hebrews 11:21, Deuteronomy 5:26, 1 Samuel 17:26, 2 Kings 19:16, Jeremiah 10:10, Daniel 6:26, Acts 14:15, 2 Corinthians 6:16, 1 Timothy 3:15

Reciprocal: Exodus 12:5 - be without Exodus 12:7 - General Exodus 12:22 - a bunch Exodus 29:12 - the blood Exodus 38:1 - the altar Leviticus 1:3 - a male Leviticus 3:7 - offer it Leviticus 4:19 - General Leviticus 4:20 - an atonement Leviticus 4:31 - a sweet Leviticus 4:32 - without blemish Leviticus 4:35 - and the priest shall make Leviticus 5:16 - and the priest Leviticus 8:27 - upon Aaron's Leviticus 15:5 - General Leviticus 15:27 - General Leviticus 16:12 - from off Leviticus 16:30 - General Leviticus 22:19 - General Numbers 19:4 - sprinkle Numbers 19:9 - a water of separation Numbers 19:11 - toucheth the dead Numbers 19:18 - General Numbers 19:21 - General Deuteronomy 16:1 - the passover 2 Chronicles 4:6 - but the sea 2 Chronicles 35:6 - sanctify Psalms 51:2 - Wash Psalms 51:7 - and Psalms 65:3 - transgressions Isaiah 6:7 - thine iniquity Isaiah 40:28 - the everlasting Isaiah 52:15 - sprinkle Isaiah 53:10 - when thou shalt make his soul Ezekiel 36:25 - will I Ezekiel 37:23 - will cleanse Ezekiel 44:26 - General Ezekiel 45:18 - without blemish Zechariah 13:1 - a fountain Matthew 5:8 - are Matthew 26:28 - my Matthew 27:50 - yielded John 3:25 - about John 6:57 - the living John 11:55 - to purify Acts 11:9 - What Acts 15:9 - purifying Acts 24:16 - General Romans 5:9 - being Romans 16:26 - everlasting 2 Corinthians 3:3 - the living Galatians 1:4 - gave Ephesians 5:26 - he Ephesians 5:27 - not Colossians 2:13 - dead 1 Timothy 1:5 - a good 1 Timothy 6:14 - without Titus 1:15 - their Hebrews 7:26 - holy Hebrews 8:3 - have Hebrews 9:18 - dedicated Hebrews 9:23 - the heavenly Hebrews 9:25 - offer Hebrews 9:26 - the sacrifice Hebrews 10:14 - he Hebrews 12:22 - of the Hebrews 13:12 - sanctify 1 Peter 1:22 - through 1 Peter 3:16 - a good 2 Peter 1:9 - that he 1 John 5:6 - blood Revelation 7:14 - and have

Gill's Notes on the Bible

How much more shall the blood of Christ,.... Which is not the blood of a mere man, but the blood of the Son of God; and the argument is from the lesser to the greater; that if the ashes of the burnt heifer, which was a type of Christ in his sufferings, mixed with water, typically sanctified to the purifying of men externally, in a ceremonial way, then much more virtue must there be in the blood of Christ, to cleanse the soul inwardly:

who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God; Christ is a priest, and the sacrifice he has offend up is "himself"; not his divine nature, but his human nature, soul and body, as in union with his divine person; which gives his sacrifice the preference to all others; and is the reason of its virtue and efficacy, and is expressive of his great love to man: and this sacrifice was offered up "to God", against whom his people had sinned, and whose justice must be satisfied, and which is of a sweet smelling savour to him; besides, he called him to this work, and engaged him in it, and is well pleased with this offering, as he must needs be, since it is offered up "without spot"; which expresses the purity of Christ's nature and sacrifice, and the perfection of it, which is such, that no fault can be found in it by the justice of God; and hence, the saints, for whom it is offered, are unblamable and irreprovable, There is an allusion in the clause, both to the priests and to their sacrifices, which were neither of them to have any spot or blemish on them; and this unblemished sacrifice was offered unto God by Christ,

through the eternal Spirit; not the human soul of Christ; for though that is a spirit, yet not eternal, and besides, was a part of the sacrifice; but rather the divine nature of Christ, which is a spirit, and may be so called in distinction from the flesh, or human nature, as it sometimes is, and this is eternal; it was from everlasting, as well as is to everlasting; and this supported him under all his sufferings, and carried him through them, and put virtue unto them; and Christ was a priest, in the divine, as well as human nature: though by it may be better understood "the Holy Ghost"; and so the Vulgate Latin version reads, and also several copies; since the divine nature rather acts by the human nature, than the human nature by the divine; and Christ is often said to do such and such things by the Holy Spirit; and as the Holy Ghost formed and filled the human nature of Christ, so he assisted and supported it under sufferings. This whole clause is inserted by way of parenthesis, showing the efficacy of Christ's blood, and from whence it is:

to purge your conscience from dead works; that is, "from the works of sin", as the Ethiopic version renders it; which are performed by dead men, separate and alienated from the life of God, are the cause of the death of the soul, and expose to eternal death, and are like dead carcasses, nauseous and infectious; and even duties themselves, performed without faith and love, are dead works; nor can they procure life, and being depended on, issue in death; and even the works of believers themselves are sometimes performed in a very lifeless manner, and are attended with sin and pollution, and need purging: the allusion is to the pollution by the touch of dead bodies; and there may be some respect to the sacrifices of slain beasts, after the sacrifice and death of Christ, by believing Jews, who were sticklers for the ceremonies of the law, and thereby contracted guilt; but immoralities are chiefly designed, and with these the conscience of man is defiled; and nothing short of the blood of Christ can remove the pollution of sin; as that being shed procures atonement, and so purges away the guilt of sin, or makes reconciliation for it, so being sprinkled on the conscience by the Spirit of God, it speaks peace and pardon, and pacifies and purges it, and removes every incumbrance from it: the Alexandrian copy, the Vulgate Latin, and Syriac versions, read, "our conscience". The end and use of such purgation is, "to serve the living God"; so called to distinguish him from the idols of the Gentiles, and in opposition to dead works; and because he has life in himself, essentially and independently, and is the author and giver of life to others; and it is but the reasonable service of his people, to present their souls and bodies as a living sacrifice to him; and who ought to serve him in a lively manner, in faith, and with fervency, and not with a slavish, but a godly filial fear; and one that has his conscience purged by the blood of Christ, and is sensibly impressed with a discovery of pardoning grace, is in the best capacity for such service. The Alexandrian copy reads, "the living and true God".

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

How much more shall the blood of Christ - As being infinitely more precious than the blood of an animal could possibly be. If the blood of an animal had any efficacy at all, even in removing ceremonial pollutions, how much more is it reasonable to suppose may be effected by the blood of the Son of God!

Who through the eternal Spirit - This expression is very difficult, and has given rise to a great variety of interpretation. - Some mss. instead of “eternal” here, read “holy,” making it refer directly to the Holy Spirit; see “Wetstein.” These various readings, however, are not regarded as of sufficient authority to lead to a change in the text, and are of importance only as showing that it was an early opinion that the Holy Spirit is here referred to. The principal opinions which have been entertained of the meaning of this phrase, are the following.

(1) That which regards it as referring to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. This was the opinion of Owen, Doddridge, and archbishop Tillotson.

(2) That which refers it to the “divine nature” of Christ. Among those who have maintained this opinion, are Beza, Ernesti, Wolf, Vitringa, Storr, and the late Dr. John P. Wilson. mss. Notes.

(3) Others, as Grotius, Rosenmuller, Koppe, understand it as meaning “endless” or “immortal life,” in contradistinction from the Jewish sacrifices which were of a perishable nature, and which needed so often to be repeated.

(4) Others regard it as referring to the glorified person of the Saviour, meaning that in his exalted, or spiritual station in heaven, he presents the efficacy of his blood.

(5) Others suppose that it means “divine influence,” and that the idea is, that Christ was actuated and filled with a divine influence when he offered up himself as a sacrifice; an influence which was not of a temporal and fleeting nature, but which was eternal in its efficacy. This is the interpretation preferred by Prof. Stuart.

For an examination of these various opinions, see his “Excursus, xviii.” on this Epistle. It is difficult, if not impossible, to decide what is the true meaning of the passage amidst this diversity of opinion; but there are some reasons which seem to me to make it probable that the Holy Spirit is intended, and that the idea is, that Christ made his great sacrifice under “the extraordinary influences of that Eternal Spirit.” The reasons which lead me to this opinion, are the following:

  1. It is what would occur to the great mass of the readers of the New Testament. It is presumed that the great body of sober, plain, and intelligent readers of the Bible, on perusing the passage, suppose that it refers to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. There are few better and safer rules for the interpretation of a volume designed like the Bible for the mass of mankind, than to abide by the sense in which they understand it.

(2)This interpretation is one which is most naturally conveyed by the language of the original. The phrase “the spirit” - τὸ πνέυμα to pneuma - has so far a technical and established meaning in the New Testament as to denote the Holy Spirit, unless there is something in the connection which renders such an application improper. In this case there is nothing certainly which “necessarily” forbids such an application. The high names and Classical authority of those who have held this opinion, are a sufficient guarantee of this.

(3)This interpretation accords with the fact that the Lord Jesus is represented as having been eminently endowed with the influences of the Holy Spirit; compare notes on John 3:34. Though he was divine, yet he was also a man, and as such was under influences similar to those of other pious people. The Holy Spirit is the source and sustainer of all piety in the soul, and it is not improper to suppose that the man Christ Jesus was in a remarkable manner influenced by the Holy Spirit in his readiness to obey God and to suffer according to his will.

(4)If there was ever any occasion on which we may suppose he was influenced by the Holy Spirit, that of his sufferings and death here referred to may be supposed eminently to have been such an one. It was expressive of the highest state of piety - of the purest love to God and man - which has ever existed in the human bosom; it was the most trying time of his own life; it was the period when there would be the most strong temptation to abandon his work; and as the redemption of the whole world was dependent on that act, it is reasonable to suppose that the richest heavenly grace would be there imparted to him, and that he would then be eminently under the influence of that Spirit which was granted not “by measure unto him.” notes, John 3:34.

(5)This representation is not inconsistent with the belief that the sufferings and death of the Redeemer were “voluntary,” and had all the merit which belongs to a voluntary transaction. Piety in the heart of a Christian now is not less voluntary because it is produced and cherished by the Holy Spirit, nor is there less excellence in it because the Holy Spirit imparts strong faith in the time of temptation and trial. It seems to me, therefore, that the meaning of this expression is, that the Lord Jesus was led by the strong influences of the Spirit of God to devote himself as a sacrifice for sin. It was not by any temporary influence; not by mere excitement; it was by the influence of the “Eternal” Spirit of God, and the sacrifice thus offered could, therefore, accomplish effects which would be eternal in their character. It was not like the offering made by the Jewish high priest which was necessarily renewed every year, but it was under the influence of one who was “eternal,” and the effects of whose influence might be everlasting. It may be added, that if this is a correct exposition, it follows that the Holy Spirit is eternal, and must, therefore, be divine.

Offered himself - That is, as a sacrifice. He did not offer a bullock or a goat, but he offered “himself.” The sacrifice of oneself is the highest offering which he can make; in this case it was the highest which the universe had to make.

Without spot - Margin, “Or fault.” The animal that was offered in the Jewish sacrifices was to be without blemish; see Leviticus 1:10; Leviticus 22:17-22. It was not to be lame, or blind, or diseased. The word which is used here and rendered “without spot” ἄμωμος amōmos - refers to this fact - that there was no defect or blemish. The idea is, that the Lord Jesus, the great sacrifice, was “perfect;” see Hebrews 7:26.

Purge your conscience - That is, cleanse, purify, or sanctify your conscience. The idea is, that this offering would take away whatever rendered the conscience defiled or sinful. The offerings of the Jews related in the main to external purification, and were not adapted to give peace to a troubled conscience. They could render the worshipper externally pure so that he might draw near to God and not be excluded by any ceremonial pollution or defilement; but the mind, the heart, the conscience, they could not make pure. They could not remove what troubles a man when he recollects that he has violated a holy law and has offended God, and when he looks forward to an awful judgment-bar. The word “conscience” here is not to be understood as a distinct and independent faculty of the soul, but as the soul or mind itself reflecting and pronouncing on its own acts. The whole expression refers to a mind alarmed by the recollection of guilt - for it is guilt only that disturbs a man’s conscience.

Guilt originates in the soul remorse and despair; guilt makes a man troubled when he thinks of death and the judgment; it is guilt only which alarms a man when he thinks of a holy God; and it is nothing but guilt that makes the entrance into another world terrible and awful. If a man had no guilt he would never dread his Maker, nor would the presence of his God be ever painful to him (compare Genesis 3:6-10); if a man had no guilt he would not fear to die - for what have the innocent to fear anywhere? The universe is under the government of a God of goodness and truth, and, under such a government, how can those who have done no wrong have anything to dread? The fear of death, the apprehension of the judgment to come, and “the dread of God,” are strong and irrefragable proofs that every man is a sinner. The only thing, therefore, which ever disturbs the conscience, and makes death dreadful, and God an object of aversion, and eternity awful, is guilt. If that is removed, man is calm and peaceful; if not, he is the victim of wretchedness and despair.

From dead works - From works that are deadly in their nature, or that lead to death. Or it may mean from works that have no spirituality and no life. By “works” here the apostle does not refer to their outward religious acts particularly, but to the conduct of the life, to what people do; and the idea is, that their acts are not spiritual and saving but such as lead to death; see note, Hebrews 6:1.

To serve the living God - Not in outward form, but in sincerity and in truth; to be his true friends and worshippers. The phrase “the living God” is commonly used in the Scriptures to describe the true God as distinguished from idols, which are represented as “dead,” or without life; Psalms 115:4-7. The idea in this verse is, that it is only the sacrifice made by Christ which can remove the stain of guilt from the soul. It could not be done by the blood of bulls and of goats - for that did not furnish relief to a guilty conscience, but it could be done by the blood of Christ. The sacrifice which he made for sin was so pure and of such value, that God can consistently pardon the offender and restore him to his favor. That blood too can give peace - for Christ poured it out in behalf of the guilty. It is not that he took part with the sinner against God; it is not that he endeavors to convince him who has a troubled conscience that he is needlessly alarmed, or that sin is not as bad as it is represented to be, or that it does not expose the soul to danger. Christ never took the part of the sinner against God; he never taught that sin was a small matter, or that it did not expose to danger. He admitted all that is said of its evil. But he provides for giving peace to the guilty conscience by shedding his blood that it may be forgiven, and by revealing a God of mercy who is willing to receive the offender into favor, and to treat him as though he had never sinned. Thus, the troubled conscience may find peace; and thus, though guilty, man may be delivered from the dread of the wrath to come.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 14. Who through the eternal Spirit — This expression is understood two ways:

1. Of the Holy Ghost himself. As Christ's miraculous conception was by the Holy Spirit, and he wrought all his miracles by the Spirit of God, so his death or final offering was made through or by the eternal Spirit; and by that Spirit he was raised from the dead, 1 Peter 3:18. Indeed, through the whole of his life be was justified by the Spirit; and we find that in this great work of human redemption, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit were continually employed: therefore the words may be understood of the Holy Spirit properly.

2. Of the eternal Logos or Deity which dwelt in the man Christ Jesus, through the energy of which the offering of his humanity became an infinitely meritorious victim; therefore the Deity of Christ is here intended.

But we cannot well consider one of these distinct from the other; and hence probably arose the various readings in the MSS. and versions on this article. Instead of διαπνευματος αιωνιου, by the ETERNAL Spirit, διαπνευματοςαγιου, by the HOLY Spirit, is the reading of D*, and more than twenty others of good note, besides the Coptic, Slavonic, Vulgate, two copies of the Itala, Cyril, Athanasius sometimes, Damascenus, Chrysostom, and some others. But the common reading is supported by ABD**, and others, besides the Syriac, all the Arabic, Armenian, AEthiopic, Athanasius generally, Theodoret, Theophylact, and Ambrosius. This, therefore, is the reading that should he preferred, as it is probable that the Holy Ghost, not the Logos, is what the apostle had more immediately in view. But still we must say, that the Holy Spirit, with the eternal Logos, and the almighty Father, equally concurred in offering up the sacrifice of the human nature of Christ, in order to make atonement for the sin of the world.

Purge your conscience — καθαριει την συνειδησιν. Purify your conscience. The term purify should be everywhere, both in the translation of the Scriptures, and in preaching the Gospel, preferred to the word purge, which, at present, is scarcely ever used in the sense in which our translators have employed it.

Dead works — Sin in general, or acts to which the penalty of death is annexed by the law. See the phrase explained, "Hebrews 6:1".


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile