4. From this place those blessings are communicated that make us holy.
II. THE WAY OF ACCESS.
1. A new way.
2. A living way.
3. A consecrated way.
III. THE MANNER OF APPROACH.
1. With boldness.
2. With a true heart.
3. In full assurance of faith.
4. With hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience.
5. With bodies washed with pure water.
Application. Learn:
1. The gospel method of salvation. The blood of Jesus. Its expensiveness and its preciousness.
2. There must be personal application before we can enjoy its benefits.
3. All who thus personally approach shall obtain mercy.
4. How shall they escape who neglect so great salvation? (J. Burns, D. D.)
The house of God and the way to it
I. THE HOUSE OF GOD. What a Divine house is the physical universe, if we had but minds capable of realising its unity and looking upon it as a whole! What a great house even this earth of ours is, full of things innumerable both great and small I And yet this is but the uttermost court to this house. But the physical universe, whatever be its glory, can never be the true house and home of intelligence, thought and will. Only men build up the home of man. And He whose image man wears, and whoso child he is, says, “My people are My portion; Israel is My inheritance.” What a sphere, then, of intelligence, love, and perfected will there must be as the aim and end of a physical universe which is so glorious! And if man’s nature rests in nothing less than man, and demands a human home in which to dwell, what a sphere of voluntary thought and reflection there must be for God, the Maker of heaven and of earth, and the Father of us all! But just as within the sphere of the physical, we require the intelligent, so within the sphere of intelligence there must be that of friendship, for the house of God. The universe of His friends, of His innocent, as well as of His redeemed and happy creatures--these form the house of God; this is Mount Zion, “the mountain of the house of the Lord,” the dwelling-place of the Most High--to which we are invited to draw near, “to an innumerable company ofangels, to the General Assembly and Church of the firstborn, to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to God, the Judge of all.” The Father’s dwelling-place is in the house of His children. But this, the house of His friends is a “house of many mansions”; it has its outer courts, its vestibule, its holy chambers, and its holiest; and between the outer courts, occupied by the children of earth, and that holiest of holies, what intervening abodes there are of angels, of elders, of principalities, of thrones, of dominions, of powers, and of the redeemed of all ages and experiences--throughout which, and in whom, God is all and in all! But within the holiest is enthroned, in meekest majesty, One who is “set over the House of God,” and who, in bodily presence, is the House of God, in the express image of His person and the brightness of His glory, in whom it pleases all the Father’s fulness to dwell, and who is the home of His eternal rest.
II. THE WAY TO IT. We must not forget, in considering the way to this house, that the house itself is spiritual, that it is the home for the thoughts, for the affections, for the will of God; a sphere in which His Spirit finds fellowship, satisfaction and rest; in which He is all and in all--the spring, the source of all power and life, and of all the forms of life answering to the power. Then, clearly, it must be a house only accessible on certain definitely determined conditions; conditions, not arbitrary, but imposed by the very nature of things, given in the very nature of God and His relations to His creatures. Everything has its own way by which it may be entered. Things must be related to have access to each other. Spiritual things have spiritual ways of access, and require spiritual discernment. No wonder then that the text speaks of the way to the House of God as a “new way.” It is not the original way of man’s primitive nature, but a way newly opened up in view of the necessities of the state and circumstances into which man’s sin and sinfulness had brought him, a way for sinners into the holiest of holies, the presence of God. The way of His descent to us may become the way of our ascent to Him. But, it is further called a “living way,” not merely because it leads to life, nor because it gives life, nor because it vitally renews itself, nor because its use is restricted to the living--though in all these senses there is much truth; but because it is a way set up in Him who is the Life. Christ is the way to Christ, as the light is the way to the sun, and the seed-life of the flower the way to the flower. He is the life-fountain and also the stream which conducts to it. But, in addition to its being “a new and living way;” it is also said to be a way which Christ has “consecrated for us through the veil of His flesh.” By this expression, “the veil of His flesh,” the apostle gathers up in unity of significance the whole incarnate relations of the Son of Man, in His representative character, on our behalf, and represents them as a veil of separation between Him and the house of His glory which He had with the Father before the world was, and says, “Only through that can there be a way for man to God.” And this was true for Christ Himself as well as for us. Only by the rending of the veil of His flesh could He, who “came out from God,” return to Him.
III. THE SEVERAL CHARACTERISTIC QUALIFICATIONS WITH WHICH WE ARE EXHORTED TO DRAW NEAR TO GOD WITHIN THE VEIL. “Let us draw near in the full assurance of faith”; that is, being fully assured that this way of “ access to God” for sinful men has been opened up; thai God has solved His own problem; and that in Christ, His representative and ours, the Son of God and Son of Man, it stands a completed work, with its gate on this side the veil, for us as for Him--the cross, and, through the veil, its goal--the cross crowned in glory. Assured of this, let us draw Hear, none daring to make us afraid; for should any arrest our course, and demand our right; to enter within “ the holiest,” we can point them to the way, and to our hearts, sprinkled with the blood of Him who in our nature and in our name is set over the house of God. Having this assurance of faith, “let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering.” An assured faith in the fact that we have the new and living way of access to God cannot fail to beget a stedfast hope. Faith not only warrants but demands hope, is in fact the substance of our hope. And He who is its Author has made abundant provision for its growth and expansion in the great exceeding precious promises He has given us, through which we “become partakers of the Divine nature,” and “receive the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls.” (W. Pulsford, D. D.)
Entering into the holiest
I. THE WARRANT “TO ENTER INTO THE HOLIEST.”
1. “The blood of Jesus.” This blood is the most precious thing that we can conceive of. It is set before us in Scripture in different views.
(1) It is compared to the blood of the passover lamb. It may therefore be said to be the blood of protection and of deliverance.
(2) It is compared with “the blood and water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop,” used by Moses at Sinai. It may therefore be said to be the blood that ratifies the covenant.
(3) It is compared with “ the blood used on the day of atonement.” It may therefore be said to be the blood by which we draw nigh unto God.
(4) As under the Old Testament, “almost all things were purged with blood,” so it is said to be “ the blood which cleanseth us from all sin.”
(5) To show its unspeakable value, it is said to be “the blood of God” Act_20:28).
2. Another warrant is, that we have “a new and living way”--that is, a way quite different from that which the high priest had of old to enter into the “holy of holies.”
3. This way is said to be “consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, His flesh.” Now, every obstacle is removed; and every true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is warranted to enter for himself into the immediate presence of God, and there transact all the concerns of his own soul.
4. Another powerful and suitable warrant is expressed in these words--“and having an High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near.” When we consider this High Priest, what He is, what He has done, and what He is continuing to do, we have encouragement inexpressible. He is God and man. He is our Brother--our Righteousness--our Sanctification--our Redemption. How glorious is our great High Priest! How happy to be under His guidance--His management--His care!
II. YOUR WELCOME.
1. “Draw near with a true heart.” This implies that you have nothing in view but the supply of grace which you find you need. Let this lead you to inquire of what graces you stand in the utmost need; and let this alone employ all your present desires and petitions to your heavenly Father.
2. Another evidence of your welcome is “full assurance of faith.” This you can have by the study of Christ, in His person, and offices and intercession. In all He is, in all He does, and in all He has done, He is perfect. He can save every soul, be the condition of that soul what it may. But farther, He can give the Holy Spirit, to unite unto Himself--to conform to the Divine image. In one word, He can give “full assurance of faith.” Did you ever ask this “ assurance “ from Him? Did He ever deny it to you? This “ assurance” is your welcome.
3. A farther evidence of your welcome is to draw near with “hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience.” This is done by the Holy Spirit, for Christ’s sake. When the Spirit enables you to believe, lie at the same time applies to your heart the virtue of the precious blood of Christ. This removes all opposition to faith--to love--to every other grace in the mediatorial person of Christ. This “purges the conscience from dead works” (Heb_9:13-14). With such attainments you may, with full welcome, draw near to the mercy seat; for these constitute your welcome there.
4. The last evidence of welcome mentioned in our text is, “our bodies being washed with pure water.” This language is also figurative, and is taken from the act of consecrating Aaron and his sons to the priest’s office.
This is obtained by the promise (Eze_36:25-27). (James Kidd, D. D.)
The true worshipper
1. I would first lead you to consider for a moment the term “brethren”: “Having, therefore, brethren.” There was a strong feeling of brotherhood amongst the Jews, not only on account of their original stock, but on account of their separation from the rest of the world; but the term here denotes the spiritual brotherhood of believers in Jesus Christ. It is not merely that believers are united by natural affections, without any intervening medium; but they are united to each other in Jesus--and that is the closest tie which the soul of man can ever know. What a difference it would make in our treatment of each other, if we could recognise with a loving heart our brotherhood in Christ Jesus! How many jealousies it would remove; and how many of those heart-burnings, which eat as a canker into our spiritual life!
2. Notice, in the next place, the term “ boldness.” This is put in contrast with the fear under the law, which deprived the worshipper of all confidence; and it marks the holy liberty of the child of God, compared with the bondage in which he was held under the law. One of the great snares of Satan is to endeavour to beat men off from this point, as if it were presumption, But read the Word, and see for yourselves what is said upon the subject. “He suffered, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.”
3. But still observe--it is by the blood of Jesus, because “without shedding of blood there is no remission.” It is the blood of Christ alone that annihilates the distance between the believing sinner and God; there is no approach but through that blood, and “those who are afar off are made nigh” by it.
4. This is called “ a new and living way,” because it is peculiar to the new covenant of grace, and because it is always new and efficacious; it does not wax old, as did the first covenant; that was for a time only, till “the times of reformation,” we are told, but this is for ever. And it may be called living, because it is the only way of entering into life.
5. But the apostle goes on to say, that our Lord has consecrated for us this way “through the veil, that is to say, His flesh.” The meaning of this expression appears to be, that as when the veil was rent at the death of our Lord there was no longer any hindrance to entering into the holiest, so Christ’s flesh being rent by His death, a way was opened to all believers, by the sacrifice which He offered, into the very kingdom of heaven. There is very much instruction for us here. Every other priesthood but the priesthood of Christ has the effect of keeping the worshipper at a distance from God; but His priesthood is put before us as a motive to draw near.
6. Another expression is made use of, which is full of point. “In full assurance of faith.” Faith is needed in God’s service, because “without faith it is impossible to please Him.” “Full assurance” is to be understood of faith in the priesthood of Christ. It is the superiority of that priesthood which the apostle aims to establish throughout this Epistle. And the “ assurance of faith” does not respect the assurance which a man has of his own salvation, but of the efficacy of Christ’s priesthood, and the sufficiency of His atonement and intercession, as opposed to all other ways of access.
7. But the apostle goes on to say--“having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience.” This is a consequence of our having a “full assurance” of the efficacy of Christ’s priesthood, that we get delivered from the burden of an evil conscience. The conscience of every man has been defiled by sin, nor could the offerings under the law perfect a man with respect to it; but the blood of Jesus can, and when applied to the conscience takes away the condemning power of sin, as respects the guilt of it.
8. Another effect is, that the man desires to “perfect holiness in the fear of God”; which is just what we are taught in the last phrase of the text--“our bodies washed with pure water.” This denotes purity of life and conversation. Thus must we be careful to cultivate holiness of life, if we would approach Him with acceptance; as the former clause, “having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience,” had reference to our justification, so this latter clause has reference to our sanctification, or to our growth in grace and conformity to the image of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (J. W. Reeve, M. A.)
The rent veil
I. WHAT HAS BEEN DONE.
1. In actual historical fact the glorious veil of the temple has been rent in twain from the top to the bottom: as a matter of spiritual fact, which is far more important to us, the separating legal ordinance is abolished. Jesus has made thee nigh, as nigh to God as even He Himself is.
2. This rending of the veil signified, also, the removal of the separating sin. Pardon, which removes sin, and justification, which brings righteousness, make up a deed of clearance so complete that nothing now divides the sinner from his reconciled God. The Judge is now the Father: He, who once must necessarily have condemned, is found justly absolving and accepting. In this double sense the veil is rent; the separating ordinance is abrogated, and the separating sin is forgiven.
3. Next, be it remembered that the separating sinfulness is also taken away through our Lord Jesus. It is not only what we have done, but what we are that keeps us apart from God. Through the death of our Lord Jesus the covenant of grace is established with us, and its gracious provisions are on this wise: “This is the covenant, &c., I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts.” When this is the ease, when the will of God is inscribed on the heart, and the nature is entirely changed, then is the dividing veil which hides us from God taken away: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”
II. WHAT WE HAVE.
1. We have “boldness to enter in.”
2. Let us follow the example of the high priest, and having entered, let us perform the functions of one who enters in, “Boldness to enter in “ suggests that we act as men who are in their proper places.
3. If you will look at the text, you will notice that this boldness is well grounded. “Having therefore boldness.” Paul is often a true poet, but he is always a correct logician.
4. Why is it that we have boldness? Is it not because of our relationship to Christ which makes us “brethren”
5. We may have this boldness of entering in at all times, because the veil is always rent, and is never restored to its old place.
III. How WE EXERCISE THIS GRACE.
1. We come by the way of atonement.
2. An unfailing way.
3. A living way.
4. A dedicated way.
5. A Christly way. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Objective religion necessary:
To be ever lifting ourselves by our will, to be hanging round our own works, canvassing our defects, studying the pathology of our own evils, were enough, of itself, to drive one mad. The mind becomes wearied and lost in its own mazes, discouraged and crushed by its frequent defeats, and virtue itself, being only a conscious tug of exertion, takes a look as unbeautiful as the life is unhappy. Therefore we need, all alike, some objective religion; to come and hang ourselves upon the altar of sacrifice sprinkled by the blood of Jesus, to enter into the holiest set open by His death, to quiet our soul in His peace, clothe it in His righteousness and trust Him as the Lamb of God that taketh away our sin. In these simple, unselfish, unreflective exercises, we shall make our closest approach to God. (H. Bushnell, D. D.)
A new and living way
The new and living way opened by Jesus
1. The way is new, not the old road of outward sacrifice, but the devotion of willing hearts.
2. Jesus dedicated it to the use of the redeemed host by first travelling along it Himself (for the essence of the dedication ceremony consisted in a solemn opening for the first time to public use).
3. It is also a living way, the path of a living spirit, not a routine of mechanical obedience; by quickening in us His own spiritual life Christ brings us near to God, and unless His spirit live in us we cannot follow in His way.
4. This way leads through the veil of flesh. The flesh is a real veil, shutting men out from the sight and knowledge of God, just as the typical veil shut out all but the high priest from the holy chamber of God’s presence. It forms an obstacle not only against the unclean and sinful, who desire to hide themselves from God’s holy eye and wilfully build up a wall between themselves and Him, but -even against God’s own people who, in spite of an earnest desire to come to Him, are hindered by the necessary imperfection of their mortal nature. Even Jesus Himself had to make His way through this veil of flesh; for He was made subject to the infirmity of the flesh, and liable to temptation. Sinless as He was, He had the understanding and the will of the flesh, its thoughts and desires, its natural appetites and affections. He had therefore to crucify the flesh in will and to be crucified in deed, to put off His mortal garment, and pass through death unto life, before He could altogether pierce the veil of flesh. By passing through this Himself He opened a way for His brethren also to pass through. As the typical veil was rent asunder at His death, so a wide road was opened through the veil of flesh, that all those whom He hath consecrated in His blood may enter in the strength of His spirit into the presence of God. (F. Rendall, M. A.)
The new and living way:
This way may be thus called in opposition to the typical way into the holiest of all, which was a dead way to all but the high priest; none but he might enter into it, nor he himself but once a year, and then not without blood; and that is a dead way through which no man passeth. Again, it is a living way, in opposition not only unto this which led into the most holy place, but unto that into Paradise: for this is a living safeway, and one may pass through it and live; both the other were dangerous and mortal. That in the tabernacle and temple was so: it was mortal to any but the high priest, and to him too at all times but once in the year; and then, too, if he presumed to enter without blood. The other passage into Paradise was obstructed with a flaming sword, and no man could have access to the Tree of Life, but must be slain and burnt to ashes. So that this is a way of life, permanent and safe. (G. Lawson.)
A new and living way
The apostle says it is “a new way.” The literal translation of the word is, “a newly slain way”; it is evidently an allusion to the sacrifice of Christ. If the word be taken in its strict sense it is not new, for it is as old as Adam in Paradise, it is as old as Abraham journeying from Ur of the Chaldees; but in another sense it is new. It is old in years, but it retains its new and beautiful attraction. It is as if a person were to live a thousand years in the same condition as at thirty-six--he would be always young--he would be old in years, but he would retain the appearance of perfect manhood. So this way is old, in the sense that it has been long revealed; but it is new in this sense, that it retains and expresses on the heart of him who walks in it all the joy that results from the novelty of a possession received for the first time, it is therefore, “a new way.” We read in the Apocalypse of “the new song,” that is, a song whose music never palls upon the ear, ever new, ever beautiful. So we say of the gospel, it is a new religion because it never parts with its attractions, it never becomes obsolete because the heart of him who receives it loves it the more he knows it, and the more he loves it the more he studies it; and every fresh view he has of that gospel only deepens the impressions of its excellence which he received when he first heard it. It is called also “ a living way.” If you walk upon a dead road your foot becomes weary as you walk; but this is a living way, it gives life to the walker. The more he walks upon it, the more vigorous, the more delighted, the more able he becomes. It is as if you could conceive a person walking upon a road, and having transferred from the road into his physical economy constant supplies of vigour that would make him walk and not faint, run and not be weary. So the longer you know this blessed gospel, the more you enjoy it; the more you draw from God, and the more you receive: you find real religion is not a dead dogma deposited in the intellect, but a living spring and fountain of life and power ever welling up into everlasting life. (J. C. Cumming, D. D.)
A new and living way
A way which was new, not only as being a way now opened for the first time, but as being a way which would never become old, worn and obsolete. (R. W. Dale, LL. D.)
The way to God should be inquired about
I was coming here (Lame) from Carrickfergus in a gig. Taking for granted that I knew the road well enough I drove right on, passing many people going to market. After a while I began to doubt whether I was right; and meeting a gentleman on horseback, I said to him, “How far is it to Lame?” “This is not the way,” said he; “ you are two miles past where you should have turned to the left up the hill. Come back with me and I’ll show you the right way.” Then, striking his forehead with his hand, he shouted, “You could fool, why didn’t you inquire in time?” So you go on from day to day, thinking you are going right to heaven: but you’re in the wrong way. The great God has told you the right way in His blessed Bible. The priest says you mustn’t read it; but if you don’t inquire you’ll find you’re wrong, as I did. (Gideon Ouseley.)
An High Priest over the house of God
The priesthood of Christ
I. THE DENIAL OF THE PROPER PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST BREAKS THE INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE OLD AND NEW
TESTAMENTS. Revelation is the glow of an early morning, shining to the perfect day. The foundation of the building was laid in the patriarchal ages; and it rose to the completion when by the ascension of Christ He became the head of the corner, and gave the weight and beauty of His majesty to give stability and ornament to the building. All the Scriptures testify of Him; to Him give all the prophets witness: as our great High Priest, Christ was seen with Moses and Elias, who “spake with Him of His decease” which He was about to “accomplish at Jerusalem.” They had looked forward to His day, not with curiosity merely, but with lively interest, as to the consummation of that sacrifice of which theirs were but the types, and their faith in that alone was imputed to them for righteousness.
II. As the connection between the two Testaments would be broken by the denial of the priesthood of Christ, so THE HARMONY BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT DISPENSATIONS OF REVEALED RELIGION TO MAN WOULD BE DESTROYED. The frame-work of revealed religion has been precisely the same in all ages: that man is a sinner; that on the ground of his own right he cannot be justified; that law, though it admits of atonement and satisfaction, is inexorable in the exaction of its penalty; that the guilty can only be pardoned through the sufferings of the innocent; that God can only be approached through mediation; and that intercession for the guilty is admissible only as it has respect to sacrifice for sin. How impressive, how solemn are these truths, transmitted as they are to us by the testimony of all ages, and marked and signalised by the rites of the Church wherever she has erected her temples! This is sufficient to prove that they are the expression of the counsels of the Divine mind; that they are the axioms on which He governs the guilty race; and that, like Himself, they are unchangeable.
III. If we have not in the gospel a real sacrifice and a real priesthood, then CHRISTIANITY LOSES ITS EXCLUSIVE CHARACTER, and can no longer claim to be the religion of mankind. That the religion of Jesus Christ makes such a claim cannot be doubted; and that it was understood by its first preachers to have this exclusive character is matter of history and not of reasoning.
IV. IF WE HAVE NO SACRIFICE, NO PRIESTHOOD, IN THE GOSPEL, THEN CHRISTIANITY, INSTEAD OF BEING THE CONSUMMATION AND PERFECTION OF ALL OTHER DISPENSATIONS OF RELIGION TO GUILTY MAN, IS IN FACT INFERIOR, IMPERFECT, AND THE LOWEST IN HOPE AND CONSOLATION. Who can lay his hand upon his heart and appeal to God that he has never offended in thought, in word, in temper, or in deed? The same gospel which reveals the righteousness of faith reveals also the wrath of God from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. “Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye cannot enter into the kingdom of God,” No; thanks be to infinite mercy, we are not so left. We have a High Priest over the house of God. If any man sin, there is a sacrifice of infinite value: the death of the incarnate Son of God. Repentance, and a believing application to the blood of atonement, are followed by conscious pardon. The grace of the Holy Spirit is given to the humble and praying believer to realise in his experience and conduct the holiness of the gospel. (R. Watson.)
