John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 5. Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things , etc..] Things respecting the person, office, and grace of Christ; the priests themselves were types of him; the places they ministered in were an exemplar of the heavenly places, as the word may be rendered, where Christ is; and the things they ministered were shadows of the good things which are by Christ; and the shadows were mere representations; dark, obscure, glimmering ones, and were fleeting and transitory: as Moses was admonished of God ; by an oracle; he was a peculiar favourite of God, and was the mediator between God and the people of Israel, and what he received was oracle wise; what he delivered to the people was what he received from God; and what was thus delivered ought to be received as from God: and this admonition or oracle was given him when he was about to make the tabernacle ; the Levitical one, with everything appertaining to the worship of God in it: this is ascribed to Moses, though it was made by others, because it was by his direction, and under his care and oversight; and he had this admonition at the beginning of it; and at the finishing of it he looked upon it, and saw that it was all done as the Lord had commanded; ( Exodus 25:40 39:43), for see, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the Mount ; Moses was taken up into a mountain with God, even Mount Sinai; and while he was there, a pattern was given him of the tabernacle and all its utensils; this was not a device of his own, but was shown him by God; and this pattern reached to every particular thing; and great care and circumspection were used that the most minute thing answered to it. The Jews think this pattern was given him by the ministry of angels; Gabriel, they say f126 , girt himself with a girdle, and showed to Moses the work of the candlestick; and they further say, that an ark of fire, and a table of fire; and a candlestick of fire, descended from heaven, and Moses saw them, and made according to them: from whence it may be observed that the tabernacle, and tabernacle worship, were of divine institution; the ceremonious rites of the Jews were not, as some have affirmed, borrowed from the Egyptians; nor were they given as diversions to that people, nor only to preserve them from idolatry, and keep them separate from others, but were designed to lead them to Christ, whom they were typical of; wherefore the abuse, and not the use of them, were condemned under the former dispensation; though they were to continue no longer than till Christ came, and suffered and died; and now they are abolished: moreover, it may be gathered from hence, that whatever is done in a way of religious worship, should be according to a divine rule; a church of Christ ought to be formed according to the primitive pattern, and should consist, not of all that are born in a nation, province, or parish; nor should all that are born of believing parents be admitted into it; no unholy, unbelieving, and unconverted persons, only such as are true believers in Christ, and who are baptized according as the word of God directs; the officers of a church should be only of two sorts, bishops, elders, pastors or overseers, and deacons; the ordinances are baptism, which should only be administered to believers, and by immersion, and the Lord's supper, of which none should partake, but those who have tasted that the Lord is gracious; and this should be performed as Christ performed it, and as the Apostle Paul received it from him; the discipline of Christ's house should be regarded, and all the laws of it carefully and punctually in execution; and a conversation becoming the Gospel should be attended to.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - The substance, or summary, of what had been declared was, tha Christians had such a High Priest as they needed. He took upon himsel human nature, appeared on earth, and there gave himself as a sacrific to God for the sins of his people. We must not dare to approach God, or to present any thing to him, but in and through Christ, depending upo his merits and mediation; for we are accepted only in the Beloved. I all obedience and worship, we should keep close to God's word, which is the only and perfect standard. Christ is the substance and end of the law of righteousness. But the covenant here referred to, was that mad with Israel as a nation, securing temporal benefits to them. The promises of all spiritual blessings, and of eternal life, revealed in the gospel, and made sure through Christ, are of infinitely greate value. Let us bless God that we have a High Priest that suits ou helpless condition.
Greek Textus Receptus
οιτινες 3748 R-NPM υποδειγματι 5262 N-DSN και 2532 CONJ σκια 4639 N-DSF λατρευουσιν 3000 5719 V-PAI-3P των 3588 T-GPN επουρανιων 2032 A-GPN καθως 2531 ADV κεχρηματισται 5537 5769 V-RPI-3S μωσης 3475 N-NSM μελλων 3195 5723 V-PAP-NSM επιτελειν 2005 5721 V-PAN την 3588 T-ASF σκηνην 4633 N-ASF ορα 3708 5720 V-PAM-2S γαρ 1063 CONJ φησιν 5346 5748 V-PXI-3S ποιησης 4160 5661 V-AAS-2S παντα 3956 A-APN κατα 2596 PREP τον 3588 T-ASM τυπον 5179 N-ASM τον 3588 T-ASM δειχθεντα 1166 5685 V-APP-ASM σοι 4671 P-2DS εν 1722 PREP τω 3588 T-DSN ορει 3735 N-DSN
Vincent's NT Word Studies
5. Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things (oitinev upodeigmati kai skia latreuousin twn epouraniwn). The connection is, "there are those who offer the gifts according to the law, such as (oitinev) serve," etc. For latreuousin serve, see on 2 Timothy i. 3. Omit unto. Rend. serve the copy and shadow, etc., or, as Rev., that which is a copy and shadow. For uJpodeigma copy, see on 1 Peter v. 3; 2 Pet. ii. 6. Comp. Heb. ix. 23. Twn ejpouraniwn "of heavenly things." Ta ejpourania in N.T. usually "heavenly places." See Eph. i. 3; ii. 6; iii. 10; vi. 12: "heavenly things," John iii. 12; Philippians ii. 10; Heb. ix. 23. 203 As Moses was admonished (kaqwv kecrhmatistai Mwushv). By God. This, and the remainder of the verse, explain the words copy and shadow. For crhmatizein see on Matt. ii. 12; Luke ii. 26; Acts xi. 26. Comp. crhmatismov answer (of God), Rom. xi. 4. In Exod. xl. 1, where Moses is commanded to make the tabernacle, God is expressly named.To make (epitelein). The margin of Rev. complete may easily convey a wrong idea. The sense is to carry out or execute the plan given to him. For, See (ora gar). Gar for is not a part of the quotation, but is argumentative. Moses was admonished, for God said "See," etc.
That thou make (poihseiv). A direct command. "See, thou shalt make." Pattern (tupon). See on 1 Pet. v. 3. The meaning is that, in all essential features, the Levitical system of worship was a copy of a heavenly reality. This was pressed into an absurd literalism by the Rabbins, who held that there were in heaven original models of the tabernacle and of all its appurtenances, and that these were shown to Moses in the Mount. The writer draws out of this vulgar conception the thought that the material tabernacle was an emblem of a spiritual, heavenly sanctuary. The Levitical priests, therefore, serve only a copy and shadow.
