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sin is brought home in various aspects by the whole system of sacrifice year by year.

10:4. ajduvnaton ... ajfairei'n ] Vulg. impossibile est...sanguine...auferri V.;
O.L.
difficile...est ... The spiritual inefficacy of the Levitical sacrifices, which was indicated by their repetition, is patent also from their very nature. The physical suffering and death of an irrational creature—unwilling and unconscious—can make no atonement for man's sin. Man can have no true fellowship with such beings. Such a sacrifice cannot be more than a symbol, a sign. tauvrwn kai; travgwn ] Heb. 9:12 f.; 19. The sacrifices of the Day of Atonement still suggest the general language. Comp. Ps. 50:13.

ajfairei'n aJm. ] Is. 1:16 ajfevlete ta;" ponhriva" ajpo; tw'n yucw'n ( Wrysöih; ).

Ex. 34:7, 9 ajfelei'" su; ta;" aJmartiva" hJmw'n ( jl's; , H6142). Lev. 10:17 i{na

ajfevlhte th;n aJmartivan . Num. 14:18 ajfairw'n ajnomiva" kai; ajdikiva" kai; aJmartiva" . Ecclus. 47:11 kuvr. ajfei'le ta;" aJm. aujtou' .

The phrase does not occur elsewhere in the N. T. except in a quotation: Rom. 11:27 o{tan ajfevlwmai aJmartiva" (Is. 27:9 LXX.). It is not unfrequent in the LXX. The image appears to be that of the removal of a load bound upon the sinner. Compare Jer. 11:15; Zech. 3:4.

Contrast Heb. 10:11 perielei'n , both in form and tense. The limited yet real power of the Levitical sacrifices has been recognised in Heb. 9:13.

(2) Heb. 5-10. The one valid sacrifice of the perfect fulfilment of the Will of God offered by Christ.

In the last paragraph the inefficacy of the Levitical sacrifices has been brought out. In this paragraph Christ's efficacious sacrifice of Himself is placed in contrast with them.

The argument is expressed in the language of a Davidic Psalm. The Christ coming into the world gives utterance to the conviction of man that the only sacrifice which he can offer to God is perfect obedience (vv. 5-7). In doing this He contrasts the fulfilment of the will of God with the Levitical sacrifices so as to abolish the latter by the former (vv. 8, 9). He obeys perfectly; and of the fruits of His obedience men are made partakers
(v. 10). Psalm 40 is regarded with probability as an expression of David's feeling towards the close of his persecution by Saul, when the promised kingdom was now in near view. The present text of the Psalm consists of two parts which differ widely in general tone. The second part (vv. 13-18) cannot be applied to the Messiah (v. 13); and most of it (vv. 14-18) occurs again in the Psalter, with slight variations, as Ps. 70.

The first part (vv. 1-12) stands out from the writings of the Old Testament as giving not only a view of the essential inadequacy of external sacrifices but also a clear indication of that which they represent and of that which fulfils the idea to which they bear witness. In the contemplation of God's mercies, and in the declaration of God's righteousness, the Psalmist feels that no offering of that which is without the worshipper can rightly convey the return of gratitude or make atonement ( sin-offering ). Nothing but perfect self-devotion answers to the claims of God and man's desire.

Such a confession, which embodies the aspiration of man, and rises


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