Exposition of Hebrews 6-10, Exegesis of chapter 9 · Exegesis of verses 27, 28
VER. XXVII, XXVIII.
And (in like manner) as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this (afterwards) the judgment: So also Christ was once offered to bear (in himself) the sin of many, and unto them that look for him, shall he appear the second time, without Sin unto Salvation.
These verses put a close unto the Heavenly Discourse of the Apostle, concerning the Causes, Nature, Ends and Efficacy of the Sacrifice of Christ, wherewith the new Covenant was dedicated and confirmed. And in the words there is a treble Confirmation of that Singularity and Efficacy of the Sacrifice of Christ, which he had pleaded before.
1. In an Elegant instructive Similitude; And as it is appointed, ver. 27.
2. In a declaration of the use and end of the Offering of Christ; he was once offered to bear the Sins of many.
3. In the consequent of it; his second Appearance, unto the Salvation of Believers; ver. 28.
In the comparison, we must first consider the force of it in general, and explain the words.
That (as we have observed) which the Apostle designeth to confirm and illustrate, is what he had pleaded in the foregoing verses, concerning the Singularity and efficacy of the offering of Christ, whereon also he takes occasion to declare the blessed consequents of it. Hereof he gives an illustration by comparing it unto what is of absolute and unavoidable necessity, so as that it cannot otherwise be, namely, the death of all the individuals of mankind by the decretory sentence of God. As they must dye every one, and every one but once; so Christ was to dye, to suffer, to offer himself, and that but once. The instances of those who died not after the manner of other men, as Enoch and Elias, or those who having died once were raised from the dead and died again as Lazarus, give no difficulty herein. They are instances of exemption from the common Rule by meer acts of Divine Sovereignty. But the Apostle argues from the general Rule and Constitutions, and thereon alone the force of his comparisons doth depend, and they are not weakned by such exemptions. As this is the certain unalterable law of Humane condition, that every man must dye once, and but once as unto this mortal life, so Christ was once and but once offered.
But there is more in the words and design of the Apostle than a bare Similitude and illustration of what he treats of, though Expositors own it not. He doth not only illustrate his former Assertion by a fit comparison, but gives the Reason of the one offering of Christ from what it was necessary for and designed unto. For that he introduceth a Reason of his former Assertion, the Causal connexion foreign doth demonstrate: foreign.Especially as it is joyned with foreign, that is, in quantum, inasmuch as; in which sense he constantly useth that expression; chap. 3. 3. chap. 7. 20. chap. 8. 6. And in as much as it was so with mankind, it was necessary that Christ should suffer once for the expiation of Sin, and the Salvation of Sinners. How was it with mankind in this matter? On the account of sin they were all subject unto the Law and the curse thereof. Hereof there were two parts; (1) Temporal Death to be undergone penally on the sentence of God. (2) Eternal judgment wherein they were to perish for evermore. In these things consist the effects of sin, and the curse of the Law. And they were due unto all men unavoidably to be inficted on them by the judgment and sentence of God. It is appointed, decreed, determined of God, that men, sinful men shall once die, and after that come to judgment for their Sins. This is the sense, the sentence, the substance of the Law. Under this Sentence they must all perish eternally, if not Divinely relieved. But inasmuch as it was thus with them, the one offering of Christ, once offered is prepared for their Relief and deliverance. And the relief is in the infinite Wisdom of God eminently proportionate unto the evil, the remedy unto the disease. For
1. As man was to dye once legally and penally for sin by the sentence of the Law, and no more; So Christ died, suffered, and offered once and no more, to bear Sin, to expiate it, and thereby to take away death so far as it was penal.
2. As after death men must appear again the second time unto judgement, to undergo condemnation thereon; so after his once offering to take away Sin and Death, Christ shall appear the second time to free us from judgement, and to bestow on us eternal Salvation.
In this interpretation of the words I do not exclude the use of the comparison, nor the design of the Apostle to illustrate the one offering of Christ once offered by the certainty of the death of men once onelyonly; for these things do illustrate one another as so compared. But withal I judge there is more in them than a meer comparison between things no way related one to another, but onelyonly have some mutual resemblance in that they fall out but once. Yea, there seems not to be much light, nor any thing of Argument in a comparison so arbitrarily framed. But consider these things in their mutual Relation and opposition one unto the other, which are the same with that of the Law and the Gospel, and there is much of light and argument in the comparing of them together. For whereas the end of the Death, Suffering and Offering of Christ was to take away and remove the punishment due unto Sin which consisted in this, that men should once die, and but once, and afterwards come to judgment and condemnation according to the sentence of the Law; And it was convenient unto Divine Wisdom, that Christ for that end should Dye, Suffer, Offer once only, and afterwards bring them for whom he died unto Salvation.
And this is the proper sense of foreign in quantum, which Interpreters know not what to make of in this place, but endeavour variously to change and alter. Some pretend that some Copies read foreign; and one, foreign; which they suppose came from foreign. But the onelyonly Reason why the word is not liked, is because the sense is not understood. Take the mind of the Apostle aright, and his expression is proper unto his purpose. Wherefore there is in these verses an entire opposition and comparison between the Law and the Gospel; the Curse due to Sin, and the Redemption that is by Christ Jesus. And we may observe; That
God hath eminently suited our Relief, the means and causes of our spiritual Deliverance, unto our Misery, the means and causes of it, as that his own Wisdom and Grace may be exalted and our faith established. That which is here summarily represented by our Apostle in this Elegant Antithesis, he declares at large, Rom. 5. from ver. 12. to the end of the Chapter.
But we proceed with the interpretation of the words. In the first part of the Antithesis and comparison, ver. 27. there are three things asserted. (1) The Death of men, (2) The judgment that ensues, and (3.) The cause of them both. The last is first to be explained.
It is Appointed, Determined, Enacted, statutum est. It is so by him who hath a foreignSovereign Power and Authority in and over these things, and hath the force of an unalterable Law, which none can transgress. God himself hath thus appointed it; none else can determine and dispose of these things. And the word equally respects both parts of the Assertion, Death and Judgment. They are both equally from the constitution of God, which is the cause of them both.
The Socinians do so divide these things, that one of them, namely Death, they would have to be natural; and the other or judgment, from the constitution of God; which is not to interpret, but to contradict the words. Yea, death is that which in the first place and directly is affirmed to be the effect of this Divine Constitution, being spoken of as it is Penal, by the curse of the Law for sin; and judgment falls under the same constitution, as consequential thereunto. But if death as they plead, be meerly and only natural, they cannot refer it unto the same Divine Constitution with the future judgment, which is natural in no sense at all.
Death was so far natural from the beginning, as that the frame and constitution of our nature were in themselves liable and subject thereunto. But that it should actually have invaded our nature unto its dissolution, without the intervention of its meritorious Cause in Sin, is contrary unto the Original state of our Relation unto God, the nature of the Covenant whereby we were obliged unto Obedience, the Reward promised therein, with the threatning of Death in case of disobedience. Wherefore the Law, Statute, or Constitution here related unto, is no other but that of, Gen. 2. 17. In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely dye; with that addition, dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return, Chap. 3. 19. God enacted it as an everlasting Law concerning Adam and all his Posterity, that they should dye; and that once, as they were once taken out of the Dust. But in the words of God before mentioned, there are two things, (1.) A penal Law enacted, Gen. 3. 17. (2.) A judicial sentence denounced, Chap. 2. 19. not onelyonly Death but future judgment also was appointed thereby.
Thus it is appointed to men; that is, to all men, or men indefinitely without exception; foreign.it is their lot and portion. It is appointed unto men, not meerly as men, but as sinners, as sinful men. For it is of sin and the effects of it, with their removal by Christ, that the Apostle discourseth.
It is appointed unto them to dye; that is, penally for sin, as Death was threatned foreign.in that Penal statute, mentioned in the curse of the Law; And death under that consideration alone, is taken away by the death of Christ. The sentence of dying naturally is continued towards all; but the moral nature of dying with the consequents of it are removed from some by Christ; The Law is not absolutely reversed; but what was formally penal in it is taken away. Observe,
1. Death in the first constitution of it was penal. And the entrance of it as a penalty keeps the fear of it in all living. Yea, it was by the Law Eternally Penal. Nothing was to come after death but Hell. And
2. It is still penal, Eternally penal, unto all unbelievers. But there are false notions of it amongst men as there are of all other things. Some are afraid of it when the penalty is separated from it. Some on the other hand, look on it as a Relief and so either seek it or desire it; unto whom it will prove only an entrance unto judgment. It is the interest of all living to enquire diligently what death will be unto them.
3. The death of all is equally determined and certain in Gods constitution. It hath various wayes of approach unto all individuals. Hence is it generally looked on as an accident befalling this or that man. But the Law concerning it is general and equal.
The Second part of the Assertion is; that after this is the judgment. This by the same Divine unalterable constitution is appointed unto all. God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in Righteousness. Death makes an not end of men as some think, others hope, and many would desire it should: Ipsa mors nihil & post mortem nihil: But there is something yet remaining which death is subservient unto. Hence it is said to be after this. As surely as men dye, it is sure that somewhat foreign.else follows after death. This is the force of the particle foreign, but; but after it.
Now this after doth not denote the immediate succession of one thing unto another; if one go before, and the other certainly follow after, what ever length of time be interposed between them, the Assertion is true and proper. Many have been long dead, probably the most that shall dye, and yet judgment is not come after. But it shall come in its appointed season; and so as that nothing shall interpose between death and judgment to make any alteration in the state or condition of the persons concerned in them. The souls of them that are dead are yet alive, but are utterly incapable of any change in their condition between death and judgment. As death leaves men, so shall judgment find them.
The second part of this penal constitution is judgment, after death judgment. It foreign.is not a particular judgment on every individual person immediately on his death, although such a judgment there be, For in and by death there is a declaration made concerning the eternal condition of the deceased; But judgment here is opposed unto the second appearance of Christ unto the Salvation of believers, which is the great or general judgment of all at the last day. foreign used with respect unto this day, or taken absolutely, do signifie a condemnatory sentence only; foreign the resurrection of or unto judgment, is opposed unto foreign the resurrection of or unto life, Joh. 5. 29. See ver. 22, 23, 24. So is it here used; Judgment, that is, condemnation for sin follows after death in the righteous constitution of God, by the sentence of the Law. And as Christ by his death doth not take away death absolutely, but only as it was penal; so on his Second appearance, he doth not take away judgment absolutely, but only as it is a condemnatory sentence, with respect unto Believers. For as we must all dye, so we must all appear before his judgment seat, Rom. 14. 10. But as he hath promised that those that believe in him, shall not see death, for they are passed from death unto life; they shall not undergo it as it is penal; so also he hath, that they shall not come foreign (the word here used) into judgment, Joh. 5. 24. They shall be freed from the condemnatory sentence of the Law. For the nature and manner of this judgment, see the Exposition on Chap. 6. 5. This then is the sense of the words. Whereas therefore, or in as much as this is the constitution of God, that man, sinful man shall once dye, and afterwards be judged or condemned for sin; Which would have been the event with all, had not a Relief been provided, which in opposition hereunto is declared in the next verse. And no man that dyes in sin, shall ever escape judgment.