Thematic Bible: Insufficiency of


Thematic Bible



For if that first testament had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For in rebuking them he saith, "Behold the days will come, saith the Lord, and I will finish upon the house of Israel, and upon the house of Judah, a new testament; not like the testament that I made with their fathers at that time, when I took them by the hands, to lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they continued not in my testament, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. read more.
For this is the testament that I will make with the house of Israel: After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws in their minds, and in their hearts, I will write them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 'know the Lord': For they shall know me, from the least to the most of them. For I will be merciful over their unrighteousness, and on their sins and on their iniquities." In that he saith a new testament, he hath abrogated the old. Now that which is disannulled and waxed old, is ready to vanish away.

That first tabernacle verily had ordinances and servings of God, and worldly holiness. For there was a fore tabernacle made, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the show bread, which is called holy. But within the second veil was there a tabernacle, which is called holiest of all, read more.
which had the golden censer, and the ark of the testament overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot with manna, and Aaron's rod that sprung, and the tables of the testament. Over the ark were the cherubims of glory shadowing the seat of grace. Of which things, we will not now speak particularly. When these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle and executed the service of God: But into the second went the high priest alone, once every year: and not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the ignorance of the people. Wherewith the holy ghost this signifying, that the way of holy things was not yet opened, while as yet the first tabernacle was standing, which was a similitude for the time then present, and in which were offered gifts and sacrifices that could not make them that minister perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; with meats only and drinks, and divers washings, and justifyings of the flesh, which were ordained until the time of reformation. But Christ being a high priest of good things to come, came by a greater, and a more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands: that is to say, not of this manner building, neither by the blood of goats, and calves: but by his own blood, we entered once for all into the holy place, and found eternal redemption. For if the blood of oxen, and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer, when it was sprinkled, purified the unclean, as touching the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ - which through the eternal spirit, offered himself without spot to God - purge your consciences from dead works, for to serve the living God? And for this cause is he the mediator of the new testament, that through death which chanced for the redemption of those transgressions that were in the first testament, they which were called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

For the law - which hath but the shadow of good things to come, and not the things in their own fashion - can never with the sacrifices which they offer year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For would not then those sacrifices have ceased to have been offered? Because that the offerers, once purged, should have had no more consciences of sins. Nevertheless, in those sacrifices is there mention made of sins every year. read more.
For it is impossible that the blood of oxen, and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, "Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not have: but a body hast thou ordained me. In sacrifices and sin offerings thou hast no lust. Then I said, 'Lo I come.' In the chiefest of the book it is written of me, that I should do thy will, o God." Above when he had said, "sacrifice, and offering, and burnt sacrifices, and sin offerings thou wouldest not have, neither hast allowed" - which yet are offered by the law - And then he said, "Lo I am come to do thy will o God." He taketh away the first to establish the latter. By the which will we are sanctified, by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest is ready daily ministering, and often times offereth one manner of offering, which can never take away sins: but this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, sat him down for ever on the righthand of God,

And where remission of these things is, there is no more offering for sin. Seeing, brethren, that by the means of the blood of Jesus, we may be bold to enter into that holy place, by the new and living way, which he hath prepared for us, through the veil, that is to say by his flesh.