Vers. 10. We have an Altar, whereof they have no right to eat, which serve the Tabernacle.
Reas. 6. They that serve the Jewish Tabernacle after Christ’s coming, or they that pertinaciously cleave to Levitical Ceremonies, cannot be partakers of Christ, which is the thing signified to us by the Altar, and Sacrifices, and other Levitical shadows, and is the true body of them all: Therefore the Doctrine of Faith is to be preserved from the leaven of the Jewish Doctors, who thought that the observation of these Ceremonies was to be joined with the Gospel.
To which purpose the same Apostle saith, Gal. 5.2. If you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing, The reason whereof is this, The observers of Legal Ceremonies, or they that receive shadows now abolished, do in the prescribed distinction of meats, observation of Altars, Feasts, Jubilees, Holy water, Priests garments, and the like Ceremonies, really shew forth that the Sun of Righteousness is not yet risen, that Christ is nor yet come, that the Ceremonial Pedagogy is not yet abolished; but that still the time of shadows and signs, which were instituted only to prefigure Christ, until the time of Reformation.
Vers. 11. For the bodies of these beasts, whose blood is brought into the Sanctuary by the High Priest for sin, are burnt without the Camp.
12. Wherefore Jesus also that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
He proves that they are to be excluded from Christ, who seek righteousness, or part of righteousness, in the shadows or works of the Law; because God hath prefigured this in the type of the Expiatory Sacrifice; from Levit. 23.27. The blood of the Expiatory Sacrifice was brought by the High-Priest into the Sanctuary, but the flesh was wholly burnt with fire, neither did any thing thereof come to the Priests, as was given to them from the other Sacrifices. The Apostle affirms that this signified, that none of those who adhere to the Covenant of Works, could eat Christ, but were to be excluded from communion with them, as many as do not firmly adhere to Christ, but seek even the least part of righteousness in the Levitical shadows, or works.
Without the Camp] God signified by this; First, That Christ was to suffer without the gates of Jerusalem, and that is plainly come to pass; for Christ was crucified without the gate. Secondly, That true expiation was to be sought in the blood of the Messias, that suffered without Jerusalem, (or the place consecrated for the Levitical worship) And the Apostle also doth teach, that Christ himself intended this, (having by his providence so disposed of every thing, that he should suffer without the City) viz. that Christ going without the gates to offer up himself, would by that very thing signify, that there was no virtue of Justification or Sanctification to bee sought in any legal Rites, but only in his own blood, all those legal Rites being excluded.
David Dickson, An exposition of all St. Paul’s epistles together with an explanation of those other epistles of the apostles St. James, Peter, John & Jude: wherein the sense of every chapter and verse is analytically unfolded and the text enlightened (London: Francis Eglesfield, 1659), pp 212-13.
