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goat, the sin-offering for the people, and dealt with its blood as with the blood of the bullock (v. 15). As in the ordinary sacrifices the blood was applied in some cases to the altar of burnt-offering and in other cases to the altar of incense, so now it was brought to the mercy seat. Afterwards the High-priest ‘made atonement’ for the Holy place, being there alone (Ex. 30:10), and for the altar of burnt-offering (vv. 16 ff.).

Atonement having been thus made for priests and people and the whole place of service (the sanctuary in its three parts), the High-priest ‘laid both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confessed over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel [with which the Law dealt]...putting them upon the head of the goat, and sent it away...into the wilderness’ (vv. 20 ff.).

Thus the special service was ended. The High-priest put off his linen garments in the Holy place, washed himself, put on his robes and offered the burnt-offerings for himself and the people, ‘and made an atonement for himself and the people’ (vv. 23 ff.).

Last of all the bodies of the sin-offerings were carried without the camp and wholly consumed (v. 27).

Thus in a figure year by year the people had access to the Presence of God in the person of the High-priest. The fellowship between God and the people, established by the Covenant but marred by sins against its conditions, was restored. By the virtue of an offered life communion became possible.

To this end there was a double sacrifice for the High-priest and for the people, and a double representation of the people by the High-priest and by the sin-offering; and till the atonement was made for the High-priest he could only enter the Holy of Holies under the cloud of incense. It is needless to point out the general fulfilment of the type by Christ. One point only, which appears to have been left unnoticed, may be suggested for consideration. The High-priest entered ‘the unseen’ twice, once for himself, once for the people. May we not see in this a foreshadowing of the two entrances of Christ into ‘the unseen’? Once He entered, and came back victorious over death, ready in His glorified humanity to fulfil His work for His people. Again He entered the unseen ‘to appear ( ejmfanisqh'nai ) before the face of God for us,’ and hereafter returning thence ‘He shall appear ( ojfqhvsetai ) a second time to them that wait for Him.’

Additional Note on Hebrews 9:9. The prae-Christian idea of Sacrifice.

There is no reason to think that Sacrifice was instituted in obedience Sacrifice to a direct revelation.

It is mentioned in Scripture at first as natural and known. It was practically universal in prae-Christian times [Kalisch's reference to Strabo 11.11, 8 is in error ( oujde;n qh'lu quvousi )]. Compare Hes. Op. 134 ff.; Porph. de abst. 2.8 [Theophrastus].

In due time the popular practice of Sacrifice was regulated by revelation as disciplinary, and also used as a vehicle for typical teaching.

Sacrifice, in fact, in the most general form, belongs to the life of man, and, in the truest sense, expresses the life of man. It is essentially the response of love to love, of the son to the Father, the rendering to GOD in grateful use of that which has been received from Him. Language cannot


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