For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the ones approaching perfect.
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Clement Of Rome
AD 99
Of the Lord; and let us not be dragged away by worldly lusts, but coming
The law having a shadow of the good things to come. The apostle continues till the 19th verse to show the insufficiency of the former law, as to the redemption and salvation of mankind. By the good things to come, some understand heaven itself, and the happiness of the elect there, of which the law was but a shadow, whereas we have a much more perfect image and knowledge of heaven in the new law, than they who were under the former law. Others by good things to come, understand the blessings of interior graces, with a remission of our sins in the sight of God, and true sanctification, of which all the sacrifices and sacraments of the old law, without faith in Christ, were but a shadow: and now in the new law we have an express image of them, i.e. we have these blessings themselves. (Witham)
Umbram.non ipsam imaginem rerum, skian, ouk auten ten eikona. It seems hard to take eikona for the things themselves represented; but only to signify, express am imaginem. Ver. 39. Non sumus substractionis filii, ouk esmen upostoles, sub Audi uioi.
For (he says) the Law having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things; i.e. not the very reality. For as in painting, so long as one [only] draws the outlines, it is a sort of shadow but when one has added the bright paints and laid in the colors, then it becomes an image. Something of this kind also was the Law.
For (he says) the Law having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the things, i.e. of the sacrifice, of the remission: can never by those sacrifices with which they offered continually make the comers thereunto perfect.
