Heb 8:10, 9:13-14 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 10. This is the covenant ] This is the nature of that glorious system of religion which I shall publish among them after those days , i.e., in the times of the Gospel. I will put my laws into their mind ] I will influence them with the principles of law, truth, holiness, &c.; and their understandings shall he fully enlightened to comprehend them. And write them in their hearts ] All their affections, passions, and appetites, shall be purified and filled with holiness and love to God and man; so that they shall willingly obey, and feel that love is the fulfilling of the law : instead of being written on tables of stone , they shall be written on the fleshly tables of their hearts . I will be to them a God ] These are the two grand conditions by which the parties in this covenant or agreement are bound: 1. I will be your God . 2. Ye shall be my people . As the object of religious adoration to any man is that Being from whom he expects light, direction, defence, support, and happiness: so God, promising to be their God, promises in effect to give them all these great and good things. To be God's people implies that they should give God their whole hearts, serve him with all their light and strength, and have no other object of worship or dependence but himself. Any of these conditions broken, the covenant is rendered null and void, and the other party absolved from his engagement.

‏ Hebrews 8:10

Verse 10. This is the covenant] This is the nature of that glorious system of religion which I shall publish among them after those days, i.e., in the times of the Gospel.

I will put my laws into their mind] I will influence them with the principles of law, truth, holiness, &c.; and their understandings shall he fully enlightened to comprehend them.

And write them in their hearts] All their affections, passions, and appetites, shall be purified and filled with holiness and love to God and man; so that they shall willingly obey, and feel that love is the fulfilling of the law: instead of being written on tables of stone, they shall be written on the fleshly tables of their hearts.

I will be to them a God] These are the two grand conditions by which the parties in this covenant or agreement are bound: 1. I will be your God. 2. Ye shall be my people. As the object of religious adoration to any man is that Being from whom he expects light, direction, defence, support, and happiness: so God, promising to be their God, promises in effect to give them all these great and good things. To be God's people implies that they should give God their whole hearts, serve him with all their light and strength, and have no other object of worship or dependence but himself. Any of these conditions broken, the covenant is rendered null and void, and the other party absolved from his engagement.

‏ Hebrews 9:13-14

Verse 13. Sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh] Answers the end proposed by the law; namely, to remove legal disabilities and punishments, having the body and its interests particularly in view, though adumbrating or typifying the soul and its concerns.

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, 1Pe 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] καθαριειτηνσυνειδησιν. 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, "Heb 6:1".