illustrate and to seal a hope; but otherwise, and far more deeply, the
conditions symbolized separation and a Divine reserve. But "the good
things to come"[I] were in the Divine view all along. The "time of
reformation" (ver. 10), of the rectification of the failures suffered
under the first covenant, drew near. Behold Messiah steps upon the
scene, the true High Priest (ver. 11). Victim and Sacrificer at once, He
sheds His own sacrificial blood (ver. 12) on the altar of Golgotha, to
be His means ([Greek: dia] _c. gen._) of acceptable approach. And then
He passes, through the avenue of a sanctuary "not made with hands" (ver.
11), even the heavenly world itself (cp. [Greek: dielelythota tous
ouranous], iv. 14), into the Holiest Place of the eternal Presence on
the throne. He goes in thither, there to be, and there to do, all that
we know of from the long context previous to this chapter, even to sit
down accepted at the right hand of the majesty on high, King of
Righteousness and Peace. And this action and entrance is, in its very
nature, a thing done once and for ever. The true High Priest, being what
He is, doing what He has done, has indeed "found _eternal_ redemption
for us" (ver. 12). It is infinitely unnecessary now to imagine a
_repetition_ of sacrifice, entrance, offering, acceptance, for Him, and
for us in Him. Such an Oblation, the self-offering of the Incarnate Son
in the power of the Eternal Spirit (ver. 14), what can it not do for the
believing worshipper's welcome in, and his perfect peace in the
assurance of the covenanted love of God? Is it not adequate to "purge
the conscience from dead works," to lift from it, that is to say, the
death-load of unforgiven transgressions, and to lead the Christian in,
as one with his atoning Lord, "to serve a living God," with the happy
service of a worshipper ([Greek: latreuein]) who need "go no more out"
from the Holy Place of peace?

[H] I think the Revisers are right in giving "_now_ present" instead of
"_then_ present" as the rendering for [Greek: ton enestekota] (ver. 9).
The Epistle alludes, so I should conjecture, to the period of its
writing as a time when the sacrifices were still going on, albeit on the
eve of cessation.--It seems best to read [Greek: kath' hen], not [Greek:
kath' hon], in ver. 9; "in accordance with which _parable_."

[I] Possibly we should read [Greek: ton genomenon agathon], "the good
things that are come" (R.V. marg.). But the practical dif