Hebrews 10:20

10:20 By his death: Jesus’ death has opened a new and life-giving way for us through the curtain, an allusion to the curtain separating the first and second rooms of the Tabernacle (see 9:1-5). Believers now enter the Most Holy Place of God’s presence through Jesus’ sacrificial death.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Heb 10:20. Ἣν) namely, εἴσοδον, for there follows ὁδὸν, which is as it were synonymous. They are not, however, simply synonymous, but in as far as ἡ ὁδὸς, the way, extends to (reaches) the goal, THROUGH the veil.—ἐνεκαίνισεν, hath consecrated) The same verb occurs, ch. Heb 9:18. It is intimated by this verb, that it is our duty to follow in that way by which Christ has gone.—πρόσφατον) The LXX, often use this word. Πρόσφατον is properly applied to an animal recently killed as a victim.—πρόσφατον καὶ ζῶσαν, new and living) The way, as being secured by the shed blood and death of Christ, is a new, and it is a living way. It is opposed to a thing old and lifeless. Life is ascribed to the way by personification, from the very life of Christ, who is the way. It denotes the vigour of the New Testament as a living hope. It stands in opposition to dead works. It is as it were an Oxymoron, because πρόσφατος (recently killed) and living are conjoined. As soon as Christ had passed the point of death, unmixed power and life were at hand.—τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ, His flesh) which was likewise rent like the veil.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Heb_10:20. Ἥν] sc. εἴσοδον. Not as yet with ὁδόν (Carpzov, Stuart, and others) is ἥν to be combined as indication of object, in such wise that merely πρόφατον καὶ ζῶσαν would form the predicate; but still less is παῤῥησίαν (Seb. Schmidt, Hammond, al.) to be supplemented to ἥν. For against the former decides the order of the words, against the latter the manifest correspondence in which εἴσοδον, Heb_10:19, and ὁδόν, Heb_10:20, stand to each other. The ὁδός, namely, characterized Heb_10:19 as to its goal (as εἴσοδος τῶν ἁγίων), is, Heb_10:20, further described with regard to its nature and constitution (as ὁδὸς πρόσφατος and ζῶσα).

ἣν ἐνεκαίνισεν ἡμῖν ὁδὸν πρόσφατον καὶ ζῶσαν] which He for us (in order that we may walk in it) has consecrated (inaugurated, in that He Himself first passed through it) as a new (newly-opened, hitherto inaccessible, comp. Heb_9:8; Theodoret: ὡς τότε πρῶτον φανεῖσαν) and living way. πρόσφατος, originally: fresh slain; then in general: fresh, new, recens. See Lobeck, ad Phryn. p. 374 f.

ζῶσα, however, that way or entrance is called, not because it ever remains, and needs not, like that into the earthly sanctuary, to be consecrated every year by fresh blood (Bleek, after the precedent of Ernesti, Schulz, and others; comp. also Chrysostom, Oecumenius, and Theophylact), but because it is living in its efficacy (comp. ὁ ἄρτος ὁ ζῶν, Joh_6:51), in such wise that it leads to the goal of everlasting life. The contrast is found in the inefficaciousness of the entrance into the earthly holy of holies.

διὰ τοῦ καταπετάσματος, τουτέστιν τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ,] through the veil, that is to say, His flesh. As the high priest must pass through the concealing veil, in order to come within the earthly Holy of Holies, thus also the flesh of Christ formed a veil, which must first be withdrawn or removed (comp. Mat_27:51; Mar_15:38; Luk_23:45) ere the entrance into the heavenly Holy of Holies could be rendered possible.

διά] is to be taken locally,wrongly is it understood by Stein as instrumental,and is not to be combined with ἐνεκαίνισεν (Böhme, Delitzsch, Hofmann, Schriftbew. II. 1, 2 Aufl. p. 253; Alford, Kluge), but is to be attached to ὁδόν, as a nearer definition, standing upon a parallel with πρόσφατον καὶ ζῶσαν, seeing that an οὖσαν or ἄγουσαν naturally suggests itself by way of supplement.

τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ] depends immediately upon the preceding διά, not first, as Peirce and Carpzov maintain, upon a τοῦ καταπετάσματος to be supplied.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

So Christ’s flesh showeth us the Godhead as it were under a veil, for otherwise we were not able to abide the brightness of it.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

which, &c.--The antecedent in the Greek is "the entering"; not as English Version, "way." Translate, "which (entering) He has consecrated (not as though it were already existing, but has been the first to open, INAUGURATED as a new thing; see on Heb 9:18, where the Greek is the same) for us (as) a new (Greek, 'recent'; recently opened, Rom 16:25-26) and living way" (not like the lifeless way through the law offering of the blood of dead victims, but real, vital, and of perpetual efficacy, because the living and life-giving Saviour is that way. It is a living hope that we have, producing not dead, but living, works). Christ, the first-fruits of our nature, has ascended, and the rest is sanctified thereby. "Christ's ascension is our promotion; and whither the glory of the Head hath preceded, thither the hope of the body, too, is called" [LEO].

the veil--As the veil had to be passed through in order to enter the holiest place, so the weak, human suffering flesh (Heb 5:7) of Christ's humanity (which veiled His God head) had to be passed through by Him in entering the heavenly holiest place for us; in putting off His rent flesh, the temple veil, its type, was simultaneously rent from top to bottom (Mat 27:51). Not His body, but His weak suffering flesh, was the veil; His body was the temple (Joh 2:19).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 20. By a new and living way] It is a new way; no human being had ever before entered into the heaven of heavens; Jesus in human nature was the first, and thus he has opened the way to heaven to mankind, his own resurrection and ascension to glory being the proof and pledge of ours.

The way is called ὁδον προσφατον και ζωσαν, new or fresh, and living. This is evidently an allusion to the blood of the victim newly shed, uncoagulated, and consequently proper to be used for sprinkling. The blood of the Jewish victims was fit for sacrificial purposes only so long as it was warm and fluid, and might be considered as yet possessing its vitality; but when it grew cold, it coagulated, lost its vitality, and was no longer proper to be used sacrificially. Christ is here, in the allusion, represented as newly slain, and yet living; the blood ever considered as flowing and giving life to the world. The way by the old covenant neither gave life, nor removed the liability to death. The way to peace and reconciliation, under the old covenant, was through the dead bodies of the animals slain; but Christ is living, and ever liveth, to make intercession for us; therefore he is a new and living way.

In the Choephorae of AEschylus, ver. 801, there is an expression like this of the apostle: -

Αγετε, των παλαι πεπραγμενων

Αυσασθ' ἁιμα προσφατοις δικαις.

Agite, olim venditorum

Solvite sanguinem recenti vindicta.

This way, says Dr. Owen, is new,

1. Because it was but newly made and prepared.

2. Because it belongs unto the new covenant.

3. Because it admits of no decays, but is always new, as to its efficacy and use, as in the day of its first preparation.

4. The way of the tabernacle waxed old, and so was prepared for a removal; but the Gospel way of salvation shall never be altered, nor changed, nor decay; it is always new, and remains for ever.

It is also called ζωσαν, living,

1. In opposition to the way into the holiest under the tabernacle, which was by death; nothing could be done in it without the blood of a victim.

2. It was the cause of death to any who might use it, except the high priest himself; and he could have access to it only one day in the year.

3. It is called living, because it has a spiritual vital efficacy in our access to God.

4. It is living as to its effects; it leads to life, and infallibly brings those who walk in it unto life eternal.

Through the veil] As the high priest lifted up or drew aside the veil that separated the holy from the most holy place, in order that he might have access to the Divine Majesty; and as the veil of the temple was rent from the top to the bottom at the crucifixion of Christ, to show that the way to the holiest was then laid open; so we must approach the throne through the mediation of Christ, and through his sacrificial death. His pierced side is the way to the holiest. Here the veil-his humanity, is rent, and the kingdom of heaven opened to all believers.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

20. Through the veil, etc. As the veil covered the recesses of the sanctuary and yet afforded entrance there, so the divinity, though hid in the flesh of Christ, yet leads us even into heaven; nor can any one find God except he to whom the man Christ becomes the door and the way. Thus we are reminded, that Christ’s glory is not to be estimated according to the external appearance of his flesh; nor is his flesh to be despised, because it conceals as a veil the majesty of God, while it is also that which conducts us to the enjoyment of all the good things of God.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

20. by a new and living way] The word rendered “new” is not kainos as elsewhere in this Epistle, but prosphatos, which means originally “newly-slain.” It may be doubted however whether the writer intended the oxymoron “newly-slain yet living.” That the road was “new” has already been shewn in Heb_9:8-12. It is called “living” not as “life-giving” or “enduring,” but because “the Lord of life” is Himself the way (Joh_14:6; comp. Eph_3:12).

which he hath consecrated] The verb is the same as in Heb_9:18, “which He inaugurated for us.”

through the vail, that is to say, his flesh] There is here a passing comparison of Christ’s human body to the Parocheth or Veil (Heb_6:19, Heb_9:3) through which the High Priest passed into the Holiest, and which was rent at the crucifixion (Mat_27:51). It was through His Suffering Humanity that He passed to His glory.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And having an high priest over the house of God. The church of God, over which Christ is as prophet, priest, and King, and as the Son and owner of it; See Gill on Heb 3:6; See Gill on Heb 4:14. In the Greek text it is, "a great priest"; so the Messiah is called by the Targum on Zac 6:12 , "a great priest", as he is; even a great high priest, as in Heb 4:14, and greater than Aaron, and any of his sons.

, and greater than Aaron, and any of his sons.

Hebrews 10:22

heb 10:22

heb 10:22

heb 10:22Let us draw near with a true heart,.... Either to the holiest of all, into which the saints have boldness to enter; or to Christ the high priest, who is entered there; or to the house of God, over which he is an high priest; or rather to God himself, as on a throne of grace, on the mercy seat in heaven, the most holy place: to "draw near" to him is a sacerdotal act, common to all the saints, who are made priests to God; and includes the whole of divine worship, but more especially designs prayer; to which believers are encouraged from the liberty and boldness they may have and use, of entering into the holiest by the blood of Jesus; from Christ's being the new and living way into it, and from his being an high priest over the house of God: the manner of drawing near is, "with a true heart"; not with the body only, but with the heart principally; with a renewed one, one that is right with God, and is single and sincere, is hearty in its desires, and upright in its ends.

In full assurance of faith; in God, Father, Son, and Spirit; without faith, drawing near to God can neither be acceptable to him, nor of service to men; and a full assurance of faith, with respect to the object drawn nigh unto, and of the way unto him, and of acceptance with him through Christ, and of having the petitions put up to him granted, is very comfortable to believers, greatly becomes them, and is well pleasing to God:

having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience; which is blind, inactive, partial, stupid, or guilty; and it is the blood of Christ, which being sprinkled on it by the Spirit of God, purges it from dead works, cleanses it from all sin, and speaks peace and pardon to it; and such may draw near with freedom and boldness, with readiness and cheerfulness, and with reverence and godly fear:

and our bodies washed with pure water; not baptismal water, but the grace of the Spirit, which is often compared to water, in Scripture: the body, as well as soul, needs washing, and renewing; internal grace influences outward, actions, which adorn religion, and without which bodies cannot be presented holy to God. The allusion is to a custom of the Jews, who were obliged to wash their bodies, and make them clean, when they prayed. So Aben Ezra observes on Gen 35:2

"that every Israelite, when he went to pray at a fixed place, was obliged to have , "his body pure", and his garments pure.''

So a priest might not enter into the court for service, though clean, until he had washed himself all over (z); and it is to sacerdotal acts that the reference is here.

(z) Misn. Yoma, c. 3. sect. 3. Vid. Philo de Victimas Offerent. p. 848.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

Ver. 20. By a new] Fresh, and as effectual at all times as if Christ were but newly sacrificed for us. Tam recens mihi nunc Christus est, ac si hac hora fudisset sanguinem, saith Luther. Christ is even now as fresh to me as if this very hour he had shed his precious blood. προσφατον, Recens mactatus.

Which he hath consecrated, or new made for us] Paradise had a way out, but none that ever we could find in again. Heaven hath now a way in (sc. this new and living, or life giving, way, a milky way to us, a bloody way to Christ), but no way out again.

Through the veil, that is; his flesh] Whereby we come to God, dwelling bodily therein. Like as where I see the body of a man, there I know his soul is also, because they are not severed; so is it here. The veil or curtain in the sanctuary did hide the glory of the holy of holies; and withal ministered an entrance into it for the high priest.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

By a new and living way - By a new method or manner. It was a mode of access that was till then unknown. No doubt many were saved before the Redeemer came, but the method by which they approached God was imperfect and difficult. The word which is rendered here “new” - πρόσφατον prosphaton - occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It properly means “slain, or killed thereto;” that is, “newly killed, just dead; and then fresh, recent.” Passow. It does not so much convey the idea that it is new in the sense that it had never existed before, as new in the sense that it is recent, or fresh. It was a way which was recently disclosed, and which had all the freshness of novelty. It is called a “living way,” because it is a method that imparts life, or because it leads to life and happiness. Doddridge renders it “ever-living way,” and supposes, in accordance with the opinion of Dr. Owen, that the allusion is to the fact that under the old dispensation the blood was to be offered as soon as it was shed, and that it could not be offered when it was cold and coagulated. The way by Christ was, however, always open. His blood was, as it were, always warm, and as if it had been recently shed. This interpretation seems to derive some support from the word which is rendered “new.” See above. The word “living,” also, has often the sense of perennial, or perpetual, as when applied to a fountain always running, in opposition to a pool that dries up (see the notes on Joh 4:10), and the new way to heaven may be called living - in all these respects. It is away that conducts to life. It is ever-living as if the blood which was shed always retained the freshness of what is flowing from the vein. And it is “perpetual” and “constant” like a fountain that always flows - for it is by a sacrifice whose power is perpetual and unchanging.

Which he hath consecrated for us - Margin, “or new made.” The word here used means properly to renew, and then to initiate, to consecrate, to sanction. The idea is, that he has dedicated this way for our use; as if a temple or house were set apart for our service. It is a part consecrated by him for the service and salvation of man; a way of access to the eternal sanctuary for the sinner which has been set apart by the Redeemer for this service alone.

Through the veil, that is to say, his flesh - The Jewish high priest entered into the most holy place through the veil that divided the holy from the most holy place. That entrance was made by his drawing the veil aside, and thus the interior sanctuary was laid open. But there has been much difficulty felt in regard to the sense of the expression used here. The plain meaning of the expression is, that the way to heaven was opened by means, or through the medium of the flesh of Jesus; that is, of his body sacrificed for sin, as the most holy place in the temple was entered by means or through the medium of the veil. We are not to suppose, however, that the apostle meant to say that there was in all respects a resemblance between the veil and the flesh of Jesus, nor that the veil was in any manner typical of his body, but there was a resemblance in the respect under consideration - to wit, in the fact that the holy place was rendered accessible by withdrawing the veil, and that heaven was rendered accessible through the slain body of Jesus. The idea is, that there is by means both of the veil of the temple, and of the body of Jesus, a medium of access to God. God dwelt in the most holy place in the temple behind the veil by visible symbols, and was to be approached by removing the veil; and God dwells in heaven, in the most holy place there, and is to be approached only through the offering of the body of Christ. Prof. Stuart supposes that the point of the comparison may be, that the veil of the temple operated as a screen to hide the visible symbol of the presence of God from human view, and that in like manner the body of Jesus might be regarded as a “kind of temporary tabernacle, or veil of the divine nature which dwelt within him.” and that “as the veil of the tabernacle concealed the glory of Yahweh in the holy of holies, from the view of people, so Christ’s flesh or body screened or concealed the higher nature from our view, which dwelt within this veil, as God did of old within the veil of the temple.”

See this and other views explained at length in the larger commentaries. It does not seem to me to be necessary to attempt to carry out the point of the comparison in all respects. The simple idea which seems to have been in the mind of the apostle was, that the veil of the temple and the body of Jesus were alike in this respect, that they were the medium of access to God. It is by the offering of the body of Jesus; by the fact that he was clothed with flesh, and that in his body he made an atonement for sin, and that with his body raised up from the dead he has ascended to heaven, that we have access now to the throne of mercy.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

A new and living way; that is, having a new way, which he hath traced out and opened us, by entering himself first into heaven, through the veil, i.e. through his flesh, or by taking upon him, our flesh or human nature. He speaks with an allusion and comparison with the high priest of the former law, who to enter into the sanctuary, was to pass through the veil of separation. He compares Christ’s flesh or body to this veil, inasmuch as Christ entered into the sanctuary of heaven by his sufferings in the flesh, and by the death of his body on the cross; or, inasmuch as the divinity of Christ was hidden from us by the veil of his human nature, as the sanctuary was hidden from the people by its veils. (Witham)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

By a new and living way; which way is figuratively setting out the means of entering into the holiest in heaven by the blood of Christ. By way is understood that by which approach to God in heaven is made, and wherein we must have our access to him, even Christ himself, Joh 14:6; προσφατον, a way newly made manifest by Christ’s sacrifice newly slain and offered, rending the veal that hid heaven from them, so as they could not so clearly discern the throne of grace then, as now; and the way is not only new, but ζωσαν, a quickening way, giving life and ability for motion and refreshment to those who walk in it, Joh 14:6, such as is everlasting, and is opened, not as the legal way, only to the high priest, but to all true Israelites to enter into it, and that not once a year, but continually. This is the way of life permanent and safe, Isa 35:8-10.

Which he hath consecrated for us; this way Christ himself hath newly made, finished and opened unto them that they might walk therein, and reach home to God; nothing could obstruct or hinder them in it, he having perfected it unto this end.

Through the veil, that is to say, his flesh: the inner veil, that separated the holiest of all from the holy place, was a type of the flesh of Christ, veiling his Deity; through the breaking and rending of which by death, he opens the way to the throne of grace in the holy of holiest in heaven, and so made God accessible to believers there, Heb 9:12; compare Mat 27:51.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

20. New and living way—The route by which the Jewish high priest entered the holiest was through two veils; ours is through the living, yet dying, way, the flesh, the crucified body of Jesus. Christ affirms, (Joh_14:6,) “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” The crucifixion of that flesh was the lifting of that veil, as the shedding of his blood was the attendant sacrifice. This living way was also new. The Greek word for new, is applied to any thing fresh and novel. The new access was a fresh institution, arising after the old had faded and truly vanished.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

By a living way - The way of faith, whereby we live indeed. Which he hath consecrated - Prepared, dedicated, and established for us. Through the veil, that is, his flesh - As by rending the veil in the temple, the holy of holies became visible and accessible; so by wounding the body of Christ, the God of heaven was manifested, and the way to heaven opened.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

20. By a new and living way. Christ is the way. The way for us is not only pointed out but opened through his flesh. His rent body poured out the redeeming blood, and thus the veil before the holiest of all was rent open that we might enter in. For us the rent veil is the body of Christ.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

20. πρόσφατον. The word rendered “new” both in A. V. and R. V. is substituted for καινὸς (recens) which is used throughout the Epistle, probably because ἐνεκαίνισεν (“He dedicated” or inaugurated, comp. Heb 9:18) immediately precedes. Πρόσφατος by its derivation means “newly-slain.” It may be doubted however whether the writer intended the oxymoron “newly-slain yet living.” That the road was “new” has already been shewn in Heb 9:8-12. It is called “living” not as “life-giving” or “enduring,” but because “the Lord of life” is Himself the way (Joh 14:6; comp. Eph 3:12).

διὰ τοῦ καταπετάσματος κ.τ.λ. There is here a passing comparison of Christ’s human body to the Parocheth or Veil (Heb 6:19, Heb 9:3) through which the Priest passed into the Holiest, and which was rent at the crucifixion (Mat 27:51). It was through His Suffering Humanity that He passed to His glory.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20.] which (entrance: so Œc. (below), Thl. (below), and most Commentators. Some, as Est., Erasm., Calv., Beza, refer the relative to αἵματι, making it attracted into the fem. by ὁδόν. Some again, as Seb. Schmidt, Hammond, al., and D-lat., refer it to παῤῥησίαν. The vulg., “quam initiavit nobis viam novam,” will bear either) He initiated (first opened: better than E. V., “consecrated,” which seems as if it existed before: so Œc., ἢν εἴσοδον τῶν ἁγίων νῦν νεωστὶ ἔτεμε: and Thl., ἥντινα εἴσοδον τῶν ἁγίων αὐτὸς ἡμῖν ὁδὸν ἐνεκαίνισε, τουτέστι νέαν ὁδὸν ἐποίησεν, αὐτὸς ταύτης ἀρξάμενος, καὶ αὐτὸς ταύτην βαδίσας πρῶτος. On the word, see note, ch. 9:18) for us (as) a way (ὁδόν is predicative, ‘to be a way’) recent (ὡς τότε πρῶτον φανεῖσαν, Thdrt.: cf. Rom 16:25, Rom 16:26, μυστηρίου χρόνοις αἰωνίοις σεσιγημένου, φανερωθέντος δὲ νῦν κ.τ.λ., and ch. 9:26. “On the use of πρόσφατος, see esp. Wetst. h.l. and Lobeck on Phryn. p. 374 f. The original meaning is ‘slain before,’ from πρό and σφάζω or σφάττω; and thus, just before, recently, slain or killed: so Il. ω. 757. According to usage, it means ‘fresh,’ recens, in contrast to παλαιός, old or antiquated: and is used not only of recently slain meat (Hippocr.), or a fresh corpse, νεκρὸς πρόσφατος (Herod. ii. 89, 121), but also ἰχθύς, αἷμα, πόμα, σταφυλή (Dioscorid. v. 12: Num 6:3), ἄλφιτον, φῦκος, ἄνθος, ἔλαιον, ἕλκος, χιών (Polyb. iii. 55. 1), μάρτυρες (Aristot. Rhet. i. 15), νίκη (Plutarch), ἀτύχημα (Polyb. i. 21. 9), εὐεργεσίαι (id. ii. 46. 1), δίκαι (Æschyl. Choeph. 800), ὀργή (Lys. p. 151. 5: Jos. Antt. i. 18. 3), φθόνος (Plut. Themistocl. p. 124 a), Demosth. p. 551. 15, ἕκαστος, ἄν τι συμβῇ, πρόσφατος κρίνεται (see also reff.): and Ecc 1:9, οὐκ ἔστι πᾶν πρόσφατον ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον.” Bleek. Others, as Passow, derive the word from πρό, and φένω. But πρόσφατος has not, as Ebrard would make it, the meaning of “ever fresh:” only that of new, ‘of late origin.’ “None before Him trod this way: no believer under the O. T. dared or could, though under a dispensation of preparatory grace, approach God so freely and openly, so fearlessly and joyfully, so closely and intimately, as we now, who come to the Father by the blood of Jesus, His Son.” Stier) and living (as contrasted with the mere dead ceremony of entrance into the earthly holy place. This entrance is a real, living and working entrance; the animated substance of what is imported, not the dead shadow. And so Lünemann and Delitzsch: and very nearly, Ebrard and Stier. Most Commentators make ζῶσαν = ζωοποιοῦσαν, producing, or leading to life: so Faber Stap., Schlichting, Grot., Peirce, Wetst., Böhme, Kuinoel, De Wette, Olshausen. Others, as Bl., interpret it, “everlasting:” and so Chrys., οὐκ εἶπε ζωῆς, ἀλλὰ ζῶσαν αὐτὴν ἐκάλεσε, τὴν μένουσαν οὕτω δηλῶν: Œc., εἰς ζωὴν ὄντως φέρει, ὅτι καὶ αὐτὴ ζῇ καὶ διαιωνίζει. πρόσφατον εἰπών, ἵνα μή τις εἴπῃ· οὐκοῦν εἰ πρόσφατος, καὶ παυθήσεται· γηράσκουσα γὰρ καὶ παλαιουμένη καὶ αὐτή, ὥσπερ καὶ ἡ τῆς παλαιᾶς διαθήκης καταλυθήσεται· οὐ μὲν οὖν, φησίν, ἀλλὰ πρόσφατος οὖσα ἀεὶ νεάζονσα καὶ ζῶσα ἔσται, οὐδέποτε ἐπιδεχομένη θάνατον καὶ κατάλυσιν) through (διὰ here in its primary local meaning, ‘through,’ not in its derived instrumental one. But no οὖσαν or ἄγουσαν need be supplied, as Bleek: διὰ follows directly upon ἐνεκαίνισεν) the veil, that is, his flesh (on καταπέτασμα, see note, ch. 6:19. The Flesh of Christ is here spoken of as the veil hung before the holiest place; that weak human mortal flesh was the state through which He had to pass before He could enter the holiest in heaven for us, and when He put off that flesh, the actual veil in the temple was rent from top to bottom, Mat 27:51. And so in the main, the great body of interpreters: the Greek Commentators however, not quite accurately: e. g. Chrys., ἡ γὰρ σὰρξ αὕτη ἔτεμε πρώτη τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτῷ ἐκείνην, ἣν καὶ ἐγκαινίσαι λέγει, τῷ καὶ αὐτὸς ἀξιῶσαι διὰ ταύτης βαδίσαι· καταπέτασμα δὲ εἰκότως ἐκάλεσε τὴν σάρκα· ὅτε γὰρ ᾐρέθη εἰς ὕψος, τότε ἐφάνη τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. And similarly Thl. and Œc., the latter however giving an alternative, καὶ ὅτι ἔκρυπτεν ἐν ἑαυτῇ τὴν θεότητα· καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ ἴδιον καταπετάσματος. Thdrt. understands it of the body of the Lord partaken in the Holy Communion: no less strangely than erroneously: for it is not the Body, but the Flesh of Christ which is the veil: and what our Writer means by that expression is evident from ch. 5:7, where ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ points to the time of His suffering Humanity),—

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

By a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us [ην ενεκαινισεν ημιν οδον προσφατον και ζωσαν] . The A. V. is wrong. Hn which is to be construed with eisodon entrance. Thus : "having boldness for the entrance which he has inaugurated (or opened) for us - a way new and living." For ejnekainisen see on ch. Heb 9:18. The way must be opened, for every other way is closed. jEnkainizein in LXX of the inauguration of a house, kingdom, temple, altar. See Deu 20:5; 1Sa 11:14; 1Ki 8:63; 2Ch 14:8. Prosfaton new, N. T. o. In LXX, see Num 6:3; Deu 32:17; Psa 80:9; Ecc 1:9. The derivation appears to be prov near to, and fatov slain (from pemfamai, the perfect of fenein to kill). According to this the original sense would be newly - slain; and the word was used of one so recently dead as to retain the appearance of life : also, generally, of things which have not lost their character or appearance by the lapse of time; of fishes, fruits, oil, etc., which are fresh; of anger which has not had time to cool. Later the meaning was weakened into new. 220 Note that the contrast is not between a new and an old way, but between a new way and no way. So long as the old division of the tabernacle existed, the way into the holiest was not opened, ch. 9 8. Zwsan living. A living way seems a strange expression, but comp. Peter's living stones, 1Pe 2:5. Christ styles himself both way and life. The bold figure answers to the fact. The new way is through a life to life.

Through the veil [δια του καταπετασματος] . The veil of the holy of holies is rent. Christ 's work does not stop short of the believer 's complete access to God himself.

That is to say his flesh [τουτ εστιν της σαρκος αυτου] . Const. with veil : the veil which consisted in his flesh. His flesh was the state through which he had to pass before he entered heaven for us. See ch. Heb 2:9 - 18; Heb 5:7 - 9; Heb 10:5. When he put off that state, the veil of the temple was rent. He passed through humanity to glory as the forerunner of his people, ch. 6 20.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.