ACC ~ Hebrews 9 v12 - 14

FOR ALL NATIONS. EPHREM THE SYRIAN: Our Lord did not enter yearly like their high priest. After his coming he entered only once, not into the shrine which ceases, like their priesthood, but “into the Holy” of Holies of eternity, and he made a propitiation through his blood for all nations. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS.

THE REPRESENTATIVE OF HUMANITY. OECUMENIUS: Since he deemed it worthy to be the head of humanity, the apostle says that the things accomplished by us were accomplished by him. FRAGMENTS ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 9.12.

MOUNT ABOVE EARTHLY SENSES. ORIGEN: This is what the letter of the law explains to us, so that, collecting seeds of mysteries from them, we may use them as steps to climb from the lowly to a lofty place, from earthly to heavenly things. Therefore, my hearer, climb up now, if you can, and mount above earthly senses by the contemplation of your mind and by the discernment of your heart. Forget for a while earthly concerns; climb above the clouds and above heaven itself by the tread of your mind. Seek there the tabernacle of God where “Jesus has entered.” HOMILIES ON NUMBERS 3.3.

BLOOD OF BULLS, BLOOD OF CHRIST. CHRYSOSTOM: For, he says, if “the blood of bulls” is able to purify the flesh, much more shall the blood of Christ wipe away the defilement of the soul. Because you may not suppose when you hear the word sanctifies that it is some great thing, he marks out and shows the difference between each of these purifications and how the one of them is high and the other low. And he says it is so with good reason, since that is “the blood of bulls” and this “the blood of Christ.” ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 15.5.

SELF-CONTROL MEANS INDIFFERENCE TO WORKS OF DEATH. CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: We ought to examine not merely one single form of self-control in sexual matters but the other objects which our soul self-indulgently desires, not content with bare necessities but making a fuss about luxury. Self-control means indifference to money, comfort and property, a mind above spectacles, control of the tongue, mastery of evil thoughts. It actually happened that some angels suffered a failure of self-control, were overpowered by sexual desire and fell from heaven to earth. Valentinus in his letter to Agathopus says, “Jesus showed his self-control in all that he endured. He lived in the practice of Godhead. He ate and drank in a way individual to himself without excreting his food. Such was his power of self-control that the food was not corrupted within him, since he was not subject to corruption.” So we embrace self-control out of the love we bear the Lord and out of its honorable status, consecrating the temple of the Spirit. It is honorable “to emasculate oneself” of all desire “for the sake of the kingdom of heaven” and “to purify the conscience from dead works to serve the living God.” STROMATEIS 3.7.59.

DEAD WORKS DEFILE THE CONSCIENCE. CHRYSOSTOM: “Shall purify your conscience,” the apostle says, “from dead works.” And well said he “from dead works”; if any man touched a dead body, he was polluted. And here also, if any touch a “dead work,” those ones are defiled through their conscience. … Here the apostle declares that it is not possible while one has “dead works to serve the living God,” for they are both dead and false. ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS 15.5.

Heb