Commentaries:
Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown
Which--"The which," namely, anterior tabernacle: "as being that which was" [ALFORD].
figure--Greek, "parable": a parabolic setting forth of the character of the Old Testament.
for--"in reference to the existing time." The time of the temple-worship really belonged to the Old Testament, but continued still in Paul's time and that of his Hebrew readers. "The time of reformation" (Hebrews 9:10) stands in contrast to this, "the existing time"; though, in reality, "the time of reformation," the New Testament time, was now present and existing. So "the age to come," is the phrase applied to the Gospel, because it was present only to believers, and its fulness even to them is still to come. Compare Hebrews 9:11, "good things to come."
in which--tabernacle, not time, according to the reading of the oldest manuscripts. Or translate, "according to which" parabolic representation, or figure.
were--Greek, "are."
gifts--unbloody oblations.
could not--Greek, "cannot": are not able.
him that did the service--any worshipper. The Greek is "latreuein," serve God, which is all men's duty; not "leitourgein," to serve in a ministerial office.
make . . . perfect--perfectly remove the sense of guilt, and sanctify inwardly through love.
as pertaining to the conscience--"in respect to the (moral-religious) consciousness." They can only reach as far as the outward flesh (compare "carnal ordinances," Hebrews 9:10, Hebrews 9:13-14).
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Hebrews 2:10
Hebrews 9:10
Hebrews 9:11
Hebrews 10:1
Hebrews 10:2
Hebrews 10:14
Hebrews 10:22
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