Then said I: Behold I come: in the head of the book it is written of me: that I should do thy will, O God.

“"Wherefore when He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared Me. In burnt-offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo! I come, in the volume of the book it is written of Me, to do Thy will, O God." The types therefore contain the figure only, not the power; just as in images, the image has the figure of the man, not the power. So that the reality and the type have somewhat in common with one another. For the figure exists equally in both, but not the power.”

“Above, the Apostle, having considered the things that are done in each testament, showed the preeminence of the new testament over the old; here he proves one thing that he supposes, namely that the old could not cleanse sins. And this is the last of those five things which he had set forth beforehand concerning Christ. And concerning this he does two things. For first he shows the defect of the old testament concerning the abolition of guilt; second, from this he compares the priest of the new testament to the priest of the old testament, at Every priest indeed. Again, the first is divided into two. For first he proposes what he intends; second he proves it through the authority of Scripture, at Therefore entering into the world. Likewise the first is divided into two. For first he proposes his intention; second he proves it, at Otherwise they cease. Concerning the first, it must be known that the Apostle concludes to this very defect from the condition and rite of the old law. Now through sin there comes about a privation of future goods, and therefore, as it were, because that sin pertains to future goods, namely the heavenly ones, the old law stands to those goods as a shadow to the body, but the new law as an image. Now a shadow and an image agree in this, that each represents something; but a shadow represents in common, and as to the nature of the species, while an image represents in particular, and as to the nature of the individual, and specially. So too the new law, as regards future goods, represents more expressly than the old. First, because in the words of the new testament express mention and promise is made of future goods, but not in the old, but only of carnal things. Second, because the power of the new testament consists in charity, which is the fullness of the law. And although this charity is imperfect, by reason of the faith to which it adheres, nevertheless it is like the charity of our homeland. Hence the new law is called the law of love. And therefore it is called an image, because it has an express likeness of future goods. But the old law represents that likeness through certain carnal things, and from a great distance; and therefore it is called a shadow. Col. 2:17: which are a shadow of things to come. This, then, is the condition of the old testament, that it has a shadow of things to come, not the image of the realities. Now the rite was that year by year they offered on the feast of expiation the same victims, namely the blood of goats and bulls, for the same thing, namely for sin, as is clear from Lev. 23. From these two he concludes to his intention, namely that the law, having a shadow of future goods and not the image of the realities, cannot make perfect those who approach, namely the priests, by the same victims which they offer unceasingly, that is, year by year. Above, 7:19: the law brought no one to perfection. But this perfection is reserved for the new law, which consists in charity, which is the bond of perfection, Col. 3:14. Therefore it is said, Matt. 5:48: Be ye therefore perfect. Then, when he says Otherwise they would have ceased, he proves his intention from two things: first from the rite; second from the condition of the things offered, at For impossible. Now to prove that the law did not cleanse perfectly, he assumes two things. The first is that in it there occurred a frequent repetition of the same victims; and the reasoning is this: if the worshippers had once been cleansed through the same victims, since they would no longer have consciousness of sin, they would have ceased to offer, and if they had ceased, they would not need to offer. But then they did not cease, because, as has been said, year by year they offered the same victims. Therefore, because they did not cease always offering the same thing, it is a sign that they were not being cleansed. Matt. 9:12: There is no need of a physician for those who are well, but for those who are sick. But against this, because it could be said that the reasoning is not conclusive. For it could be said that that oblation cleansed from past sins, not from future ones, and therefore, because they sinned frequently, it was necessary for the oblation to be repeated frequently. I respond. It must be said that the Apostle's manner of speaking excludes this, because, since sin is a certain spiritual thing, which is opposed to the heavenly, that by which sin is cleansed must be spiritual and heavenly, and consequently must have perpetual power. Hence above, speaking of the power of the sacrifice of Christ, he attributes to it perpetual power, saying, having obtained eternal redemption. Now what has perpetual power suffices for both what is to be committed and what has been committed, and therefore it need not be repeated any further. Hence Christ by one oblation cleansed for ever those who are sanctified, as is said below. Likewise, as to what is said here, that it is not repeated: against this, because we offer daily. I respond. It must be said that we do not offer any other than that which Christ offered for us, namely his own blood. Hence it is not another oblation, but it is a commemoration of that victim which Christ offered. Luke 22:19: Do this in commemoration of me. The second thing he sets forth beforehand is that in the old testament a commemoration was made year by year of his own sins and those of the people; therefore they were not abolished. Hence he says that in them a commemoration is made, etc., which is true. For in general mention was made of sins, namely that one was conscious of sin, but in particular mention is made in the new. James 5:16: Confess your sins one to another. Then, when he says For it is impossible, etc., he proves the same thing from the condition of the things offered. For the most solemn of these was the oblation of goats and calves, which took place on the day of expiation. And since this was a certain obscure and imperfect representation of heavenly things, like a shadow, it is impossible for sin to be taken away by the blood of these. This is true as regards its own power. But if sins were forgiven to anyone, this was by the power of the blood of Christ, who was prefigured in that. Jer. 11:15: shall the holy flesh take away from thee thy wickednesses, in which thou hast gloried? As if to say: no. Then, when he says Therefore entering into the world, etc., he adduces the authority of Scripture, and concerning this he does two things. For first he sets it down; second he expounds it, at Saying above. This authority can be divided into two, according to the Gloss, because first it treats of the incarnation of Christ prefigured in the legal rites; second, of the passion of Christ, at Then said I. However, according to the intention of the Apostle it can be said otherwise, that first he touches on that which pertains to the rejection of the old testament; second, that which pertains to the acceptance of the new testament, at Then said I. Now this authority applies to Christ according as he enters into the world; therefore, because those things could not take away sins, the Son of God, entering into the world, says. Against this, because it is said, John 1:10: he was in the world. I respond. It must be said that it is true that he was in the world, as it were governing the whole, inasmuch as he is said to be in all things by essence, presence, and power; but he is outside the world, because he is not comprehended by the world, but has a goodness separate from the whole world, from which the goodness of the universe is caused. But because for our sake he was made a suppositum of human nature, he is said to enter into the world on account of his assumption of it, as above, 1:6: when he bringeth again the firstborn into the world, etc. Entering, therefore, into the world he says. But what does he say? Sacrifice and oblation thou wouldest not. Now he sets down four things which existed in the old testament, because a sacrifice was either of inanimate things, for instance bread or incense, and then it was called an oblation. Or of animate things, and then either for placating God, and it is called a holocaust, which was the most worthy, because the whole was burnt up and went to the honor of God. Or it was for the cleansing of sin, and it is called a sacrifice for sin. And this had two parts, because one part was burnt on the altar, the other went for the use of the ministers. Or it was for the benefits of God, and this was less worthy, because only a third part was burnt, and one part was given to the ministers, another to those offering. And this is called the sacrifice of peace offerings. To all these, in the new testament, there corresponds the oblation of the body of Christ, because through the body of Christ God was placated, namely in the offering of it on the cross. Rom. 5:10: when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son. Likewise through him sin was taken away. 1 Pet. 3:18: Christ died once for our sins. Likewise through him we are brought into eternal goods, and are advanced to the benefits of God. He says therefore, Victim, that is, sacrifice, and oblation thou wouldest not; and he interposes afterward, But a body hast thou fitted to me, that is, thou hast made it fit for immolation. And this as to two things. First, because it was most pure, that it might blot out every sin. Ex. 12:5: it shall be a lamb without blemish. Likewise, because it was passible, that it might be able to be immolated. Rom. 8:3: God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh. Now this body is a true victim and a true oblation. Eph. 5:2: he delivered himself up for us, an oblation and a sacrifice to God for an odor of sweetness. Holocausts also for sin did not please thee. It is greater to please than to will, because those things please which have in themselves something such that we will them. But we sometimes will certain things not for their own sake, but for the sake of something else. Therefore, because holocausts were the more worthy things, of which nevertheless he says that they did not please, therefore much less the others. But against this, because it is said, Lev. 1:9, that the priest burned them upon the altar for a holocaust and a sweet odor to the Lord. Moreover, if he did not will them, why did he command these to be offered to him? I respond. It must be said that this, that God says he does not will those things, can be understood in two ways. In one way, that he does not will them for this present time, in which, the truth having arrived, the shadow ceases; hence now he who would offer them would sin. In another way, that he does not will them on account of the sins of those offering. Is. 1:15: for your hands are full of blood. The third response, to which the Apostle tends, is that these things never pleased God in themselves, nor were they accepted, but they are said to be accepted on account of two things. First, because they were a figure of Christ, whose passion was accepted by God. For he was not delighted in the slaying of animals, but in the faith of his passion. For all these things happened to them in figure, 1 Cor. 10:11. Second, that he might call us back from idolatry through these sacrifices; hence in the first giving of the law no mention is made of sacrifices, but only after they made the calf. Hence Jer. 7:22: I spoke not to your fathers, and I commanded them not, in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning the matter of holocausts and victims. Then, when he says Then said I, etc., he continues concerning the approbation of the new testament, and according to the Gloss it is read thus: then, namely when thou hadst fitted a body to me, namely at the conception, I said, Behold I come, that is, I proposed to come, namely to the passion. 1 John 5:6: this is he that came by water and blood, Jesus Christ. Or it is better that it be referred to the coming into the world thus: then, namely when holocausts did not please thee, I said, I come, through the incarnation. John 16:28: I came out from the Father, and am come into the world. And this, that I might offer myself unto the passion. And therefore he says: behold. But will this sacrifice indeed be accepted? Certainly so, because in the head of the book it is written of me. This book is Christ according to his human nature, in whom are written all things necessary for man unto salvation. Is. 8:1: take thee a great book. Now the head of Christ is God, 1 Cor. 11:3. In the head of the book, that is, in the ordination of God, who is the head of Christ, who is the book, it is written that the Son of God was to be incarnate and to die. Or the book, that is, the Psalter, whose first Psalm is about Christ. Or better, the book of life, which is nothing other than the knowledge which God has of the predestination of the saints who are saved through Christ. Therefore in this book it is written of me, because the saints are predestined through me. Eph. 1:4: he chose us in him before the foundation of the world. Rom. 8:29: whom he foreknew, he also predestinated to be made conformable to the image of his Son. If therefore predestination is called a book, it is manifest that Christ is the head of the book. Apoc. 21:27: who are not written in the book of life of the Lamb. Who is simply predestined. Rom. 1:4: who was predestinated the Son of God in power. Therefore in the head of the book, that is, in me according to the divine nature, it is written of me according to the human nature, that I should do the will, namely thine, that is, this was foreordained, that through thy grace I should do thy will, by offering myself for the redemption of the human race. Then, when he says Saying above, he expounds the authority set forth before. And concerning this he does two things. For first, by assigning the order of the things to be said, he sets down the difference between the new and the old testament; second he expounds specially a certain thing supposed in the authority, at In which will. Now it has been said that two things were touched on in the authority alleged. One, which pertains to the rejection of the old testament; the other, to the approbation of the new testament. Now the old testament is rejected in two ways, both because God does not will its sacrifices, and because they do not please him; and thus David the prophet, saying above, that is, at the beginning. And what does he say? That sacrifices, and oblations, and holocausts, and for sin thou wouldest not. Is. 1:11: the holocaust of rams, and the fat of fatlings, and the blood of calves, and lambs, and goats, I would not, etc. Thou wouldest not — this is true in itself; nor are the things pleasing to thee which are offered according to the law, that is, thou dost not delight in these, Ps. 50:17: with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted — unless because they are a figure, or insofar as through them men were drawn back from idolatry. Therefore, having said this first, he subjoins Then said I, namely when thou hadst fitted flesh to me for the passion, or when these things did not please: Behold I come, whether unto the incarnation or unto the passion. But unto what? That I may do thy will. John 6:38: I came down from heaven, that I may do the will of him that sent me. John 4:34: my meat is to do the will of him that sent me. The prophet, therefore, saying this, takes away the first, that he may establish the second. In which he shows the difference between the old and the new testament, because speaking of the old he says that he does not will them, nor are they pleasing to God, namely in themselves; therefore they are taken away. But when he speaks of the new, he says that he wills it, because unto this I come, that I may do thy will. Therefore the new is established, that is, it is confirmed to be according to the will of God. Lev. 26:10: you shall cast away the old, the new coming on. Then, when he says In which will, he expounds that which he had said about the will of God, which Christ came to fulfill, namely what that will is. Now this is as it is said, 1 Thess. 4:3: this is the will of God, your sanctification. Therefore he says, In which will we are sanctified, and this, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ, namely made. Eph. 5:2: he offered himself an oblation and a sacrifice to God. And this, once. 1 Pet. 3:18: Christ died once for our sins. Then, when he says And every priest indeed, he shows the comparison of the priest of the new and of the old testament. Now it must be known that in the law there were two solemn sacrifices. One on the day of expiation, which was done by the high priest alone, concerning which much has already been said. The other was the continual sacrifice, in which one lamb was offered in the morning, and another in the evening, concerning which Num. 28:4. Of this also the Apostle here intends, and concerning this he does three things. For first he sets down that which pertains to the priest of the old testament; second he sets down that which pertains to the priest of the new; third he confirms it through authority. The second, at But this one, one; the third, at But he testifies. He says therefore, Every priest, etc. He says every, to differentiate from the sacrifice of expiation, which was done only by the high priest; but in this one, every priest is ready at hand, ministering the whole day, and often offering the same victims, because he always offered a lamb. These, namely the daily victims, could not take away sins, because they were repeated. Jer. 11:15: shall the holy flesh take away from thee thy wickednesses, in which thou hast gloried? Through this continual sacrifice is figured Christ, and the eternity of him who is the spotless lamb. Then, when he says But this one, one for sins, he shows that which pertains to the priesthood of Christ. And concerning this he does two things. For first he sets down his intention; second he assigns the reason, at For one. He says therefore, But this one, namely Christ, offering one victim for sins, namely one that takes away sins. But that old law offered many victims that did not expiate sins; this one, therefore, namely Christ, offering one victim, because he offered himself once for our sins, sits, not as a minister, as the legal priest who is always ready at hand, but as lord. Ps. 109:1: the Lord said to my Lord: sit thou at my right hand. Mark, last chapter: he sitteth at the right hand of God. At the right hand of God the Father, as to equality of power according to the divinity, but in the more excellent goods according to the humanity. Above, 1:3: he sitteth at the right hand of majesty, etc. And this forever. For he will not die again, because Christ rising from the dead, etc. Rom. 6:9; Dan. 7:14: his power, an everlasting power. For the rest, waiting until his enemies be made the footstool of his feet. This waiting does not suggest any anxiety in Christ, as in men. Hope that is deferred afflicts the soul, as is said, Prov. 13:12. But it designates the will of showing mercy, which God has toward us. Is. 30:18: the Lord waiteth, that he may have mercy on us. There are subjected, therefore, to his feet, that is, to the humanity of Christ, some who are willing, and in this their salvation consists, namely in doing his will. Ex. 10:3: how long refusest thou to be subject to me? But the wicked, unwilling, are themselves subjected, because even if they do not of themselves fulfill his will, nevertheless it is fulfilled concerning them as to the work of justice. And thus all things are subjected to him in one or another of these ways. Ps. 8:7: thou hast subjected all things under his feet. Then, when he says For by one oblation, he assigns the reason, namely why he sits as lord, and not as a minister, like the legal priest, because that one did not take away sins by one victim, and therefore it was necessary to offer many others, and frequently. Above, 5:1: for every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices. But the victim which Christ offered takes away all sins. Above, 9:28: Christ was offered once to exhaust the sins of many. And therefore he says that by one oblation he consummated, that is, perfected, that which he accomplished by reconciling and joining us to God as to our principle — those sanctified forever, because the victim of Christ, who is God and man, has an eternal power of sanctifying. Below, 13:12: Jesus, that he might sanctify the people by his own blood, etc. For through Christ we are perfected and joined to God. Rom. 5:2: through whom we have access to God. Then, when he says But he testifies, he confirms what he had said through the authority which is taken from Jer. 31:33, which, because it was expounded above in the eighth chapter, is for the present omitted. And nevertheless it can be divided into two parts. First he sets down the authority; second he argues from it, at But where there is remission of these. And he makes such an argument: in the new testament sins are remitted through the oblation of Christ, because the blood of Christ was shed for the remission of sins; therefore in the new testament, in which sins and iniquities are remitted, as was said in the authority, there is no oblation for sin — supply, to be repeated any further. Matt. 9:12: there is no need of a physician for those who are well, but for those who are sick. Where therefore there is remission of these, etc. For an injury would be done to the victim of Christ.”

“Here the apostle raises up and exalts the Lord Jesus Christ, as high as he had laid the Levitical priesthood low. He recommends Christ to them as the true high priest, the true atoning sacrifice, the antitype of all the rest: and this he illustrates, I. From the purpose and promise of God concerning Christ, which are frequently recorded in the volume of the book of God, Heb 10:7. God had not only decreed, but declared by Moses and the prophets, that Christ should come and be the great high priest of the church, and should offer up a perfect and a perfecting sacrifice. It was written of Christ, in the beginning of the book of God, that the seed of the woman should break the serpent's head; and the Old Testament abounds with prophecies concerning Christ. Now since he is the person so often promised, so much spoken of, so long expected by the people of God, he ought to be received with great honour and gratitude. II. From what God had done in preparing a body for Christ (that is, a human nature), that he might be qualified to be our Redeemer and Advocate; uniting the two natures in his own person, he was a fit Mediator to go between God and man; a days-man to lay his hand upon both, a peace-maker, to reconcile them, and an everlasting band of union between God and the creature - "My ears hast thou opened; thou has fully instructed me, furnished and fitted me for the work, and engaged me in it," Psa 40:6. Now a Saviour thus provided, and prepared by God himself in so extraordinary a manner, ought to be received with great affection and gladness. III. From the readiness and willingness that Christ discovered to engage in this work, when no other sacrifice would be accepted, Heb 10:7-9. When no less sacrifice would be a proper satisfaction to the justice of God than that of Christ himself, then Christ voluntarily came into it: "Lo, I come! I delight to do thy will, O God! Let thy curse fall upon me, but let these go their way. Father, I delight to fulfil thy counsels, and my covenant with thee for them; I delight to perform all thy promises, to fulfil all the prophecies." This should endear Christ and our Bibles to us, that in Christ we have the fulfilling of the scriptures. IV. From the errand and design upon which Christ came; and this was to do the will of God, not only as a prophet to reveal the will of God, not only as a king to give forth divine laws, but as a priest to satisfy the demands of justice, and to fulfil all righteousness. Christ came to do the will of God in two instances. 1. In taking away the first priesthood, which God had no pleasure in; not only taking away the curse of the covenant of works, and canceling the sentence denounced against us as sinners, but taking away the insufficient typical priesthood, and blotting out the hand-writing of ceremonial ordinances and nailing it to his cross. 2. In establishing the second, that is, his own priesthood and the everlasting gospel, the most pure and perfect dispensation of the covenant of grace; this is the great design upon which the heart of God was set from all eternity. The will of God centers and terminates in it; and it is not more agreeable to the will of God than it is advantageous to the souls of men; for it is by this will that we are sanctified, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all, Heb 10:10. Observe, (1.) What is the fountain of all that Christ has done for his people - the sovereign will and grace of God. (2.) How we come to partake of what Christ has done for us - by being sanctified, converted, effectually called, wherein we are united to Christ, and so partake of the benefits of his redemption; and this sanctification is owing to the oblation he made of himself to God. V. From the perfect efficacy of the priesthood of Christ (Heb 10:14): By one offering he hath for ever perfected those that are sanctified; he has delivered and will perfectly deliver those that are brought over to him, from all the guilt, power, and punishment of sin, and will put them into the sure possession of perfect holiness and felicity. This is what the Levitical priesthood could never do; and, if we indeed are aiming at a perfect state, we must receive the Lord Jesus as the only high priest that can bring us to that state. VI. From the place to which our Lord Jesus is now exalted, the honour he has there, and the further honour he shall have: This man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down at the right hand of God, henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool, Heb 10:12, Heb 10:13. Here observe, 1. To what honour Christ, as man and Mediator, is exalted - to the right hand of God, the seat of power, interest, and activity: the giving hand; all the favours that God bestows on his people are handed to them by Christ: the receiving hand; all the duties that God accepts from men are presented by Christ: the working hand; all that pertains to the kingdoms of providence and grace is administered by Christ; and therefore this is the highest post of honour. 2. How Christ came to this honour - not merely by the purpose or donation of the Father, but by his own merit and purchase, as a reward due to his sufferings; and, as he can never be deprived of an honour so much his due, so he will never quit it, nor cease to employ it for his people's good. 3. How he enjoys this honour - with the greatest satisfaction and rest; he is for ever sitting down there. The Father acquiesces and is satisfied in him; he is satisfied in his Father's will and presence; this is his rest for ever; here he will dwell, for he has both desired and deserved it. 4. He has further expectations, which shall not be disappointed; for they are grounded upon the promise of the Father, who hath said unto him, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool, Psa 110:1. One would think such a person as Christ could have no enemies except in hell; but it is certain that he has enemies on earth, very many, and very inveterate ones. Let not Christians then wonder that they have enemies, though they desire to live peaceably with all men. But Christ's enemies shall be made his footstool; some by conversion, others by confusion; and, which way soever it be, Christ will be honoured. Of this Christ is assured, this he is expecting, and his people should rejoice in the expectation of it; for, when his enemies shall be subdued, their enemies, that are so for his sake, shall be subdued also. VII. The apostle recommends Christ from the witness the Holy Ghost has given in the scriptures concerning him; this relates chiefly to what should be the happy fruit and consequence of his humiliation and sufferings, which in general is that new and gracious covenant that is founded upon his satisfaction, and sealed by his blood (Heb 10:15): Whereof the Holy Ghost is a witness. The passage is cited from Jer 31:31, in which covenant God promises, 1. That he will pour out his Spirit upon his people, so as to give them wisdom, will, and power, to obey his word; he will put his laws in their hearts, and write them in their minds, Heb 10:16. This will make their duty plain, easy, and pleasant. 2. Their sins and iniquities he will remember no more (Heb 10:17), which will alone show the riches of divine grace, and the sufficiency of Christ's satisfaction, that it needs not be repeated, Heb 10:18. For there shall be no more remembrance of sin against true believers, either to shame them now or to condemn them hereafter. This was much more than the Levitical priesthood and sacrifices could effect. And now we have gone through the doctrinal part of the epistle, in which we have met with many things dark and difficult to be understood, which we must impute to the weakness and dulness of our own minds. The apostle now proceeds to apply this great doctrine, so as to influence their affections, and direct their practice, setting before them the dignities and duties of the gospel state.”

“Then said I, lo, I come,.... Christ observing that legal sacrifices were not acceptable to God; that there was a body prepared for him; and that it was written of him in the book of God, that he should come; and the time being now come, with a note of attention and admiration, the matter being of great moment and concern, he cheerfully expresses his readiness to come, immediately, without any compulsion, even he himself, and not another. In the volume of the book it is written of me; in the book of the law, as the, Targum and Kimchi on Psa 40:7 interpret it; and which may design the Bible in general, the whole book of the Scriptures of the Old Testament: so "the book", is used for the whole Bible (r), and it is said (s), all the whole law, that is, all Scripture, is called "a volume"; accordingly there are things written of Christ in all the writings of the Old Testament, in the law, and in the prophets, and in the psalms. Jarchi interprets it of the law of Moses, and so it may design the pentateuch, or the five books of Moses; and there are several places therein, in which it is written of Christ, and particularly in Genesis, the first of these books, and in the head, the beginning, the frontal piece, the first part of that book; namely, Gen 3:15 which may be principally designed. Books were formerly written in rolls of parchment, and hence called volumes; See Gill on Luk 4:17, See Gill on Luk 4:20. The end of his coming is next expressed by him, to do thy will, O God; which, when he came, he set about with the utmost delight, diligence, and faithfulness, in preaching the Gospel, performing miracles, doing good to the bodies and souls of men, and in finishing the great work of man's redemption, which was the main part of his Father's will he came to do; and which he did, by fulfilling the law in its precept and penalty; by offering himself a sacrifice to God; by suffering death, the death of the cross; by destroying all his and our enemies, and so working out everlasting salvation. (r) T. Hieros, Megilla, fol. 73. 4. (s) T. Bab. Gittin, fol. 60. 1.”

“In the volume of the book - במגלת ספר bimgillath sepher, "in the roll of the book." Anciently, books were written on skins and rolled up. Among the Romans these were called volumina, from volvo, I roll; and the Pentateuch, in the Jewish synagogues, is still written in this way. There are two wooden rollers; on one they roll on, on the other they roll off, as they proceed in reading. The book mentioned here must be the Pentateuch, or five books of Moses; for in David's time no other part of Divine revelation had been committed to writing. This whole book speaks about Christ, and his accomplishing the will of God; not only in, The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the serpent, and, In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, but in all the sacrifices and sacrificial rites mentioned in the law. To do thy will - God willed not the sacrifices under the law, but he willed that a human victim of infinite merit should be offered for the redemption of mankind. That there might be such a victim, a body was prepared for the eternal Logos; and in that body he came to do the will of God, that is, to suffer and die for the sins of the world.”

“I come--rather, "I am come" (see on Heb 10:5). "Here we have the creed, as it were, of Jesus: 'I am come to fulfil the law,' Mat 5:17; to preach, Mar 1:38; to call sinners to repentance, Luk 5:32; to send a sword and to set men at variance, Mat 10:34-35; I came down from heaven to do the will of Him that sent me, Joh 6:38-39 (so here, Psa 40:7-8); I am sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, Mat 15:24; I am come into this world for judgment, Joh 9:39; I am come that they might have life, and might have it more abundantly, Joh 10:10; to save what had been lost, Mat 18:11; to seek and to save that which was lost, Luk 19:10; compare Ti1 1:15; to save men's lives, Luk 9:56; to send fire on the earth, Luk 12:49; to minister, Mat 20:28; as "the Light," Joh 12:46; to bear witness unto the truth, Joh 18:37. See, reader, that thy Saviour obtain what He aimed at in thy case. Moreover, do thou for thy part say, why thou art come here? Dost thou, then, also, do the will of God? From what time? and in what way?" [BENGEL]. When the two goats on the day of atonement were presented before the Lord, that goat on which the lot of the Lord should fall was to be offered as a sin offering; and that lot was lifted up on high in the hand of the high priest, and then laid upon the head of the goat which was to die; so the hand of God determined all that was done to Christ. Besides the covenant of God with man through Christ's blood, there was another covenant made by the Father with the Son from eternity. The condition was, "If He shall make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed," &c. (Isa 53:10). The Son accepted the condition, "Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God" [BISHOP PEARSON]. Oblation, intercession, and benediction, are His three priestly offices. in the volume, &c.--literally, "the roll": the parchment manuscript being wrapped around a cylinder headed with knobs. Here, the Scripture "volume" meant is the fortieth Psalm. "By this very passage 'written of Me,' I undertake to do Thy will [namely, that I should die for the sins of the world, in order that all who believe may be saved, not by animal sacrifices, Heb 10:6, but by My death]." This is the written contract of Messiah (compare Neh 9:38), whereby He engaged to be our surety. So complete is the inspiration of all that is written, so great the authority of the Psalms, that what David says is really what Christ then and there said.”