To The Hebrews

by S. J. HILL | Category: To The Hebrews | Oct 1933

Hebrews 5. continues the subject of the High Priest, and in the first three verses we have one of the line of Aaron presented, one who could bear gently with the ignorant and erring because he himself was weak, and also was a sinning man. The question arises, if a man was rendered sympathetic to his fellows because he himself knew the power of sun, how could this be true of our great High Priest who was without sin? The answer is surely this, that 1-le, because He had known the most extreme limit of temptation and had resisted perfectly, must have felt the power of temptation more than he who having been tempted in measure, yielded and sinned. The Lord was tempted in all points as we are, and that to an extent which none of the sons of men has ever known-witness the temptations in the wilderness-forty days' abstinence from food-" He hungered"! What a suggestive word! The kingdoms of the world and their glory presented as in a flash before Him, and the offer to have all that glory if He would only accept it from the prince of this world! No great world-despot has ever had such an offer. And yet again, the temptation to spiritual pride, to cast Himself down looking to God to uphold Him in a self-chosen path! Thus in the three great departments of sin, " The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life," He was tempted as none other has ever been.

Then later in His life, the Tempter sought to gain an advantage and with great subtlety employed a leading and beloved disciple-a kind of father to the Apostles' band, even Peter. He said, in view of the Lord's foretelling of His sufferings and death (Matthew 16.), "Be it far from thee (or, pity Thyself) Lord : this shall never he unto thee." But He turned, and said to Peter, "Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art a stumbling-block unto Me." And yet again (John 14. 30, 31), in view of the imminence of His sufferings He said, "The prince of the world cometh: and he hath (or, findeth) nothing in Me; but that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do." Thus it is established that the Lord who ever was and is the

perfect One, knew the power of temptation in its most extreme form, far, far more than those who break down under a lesser trial. And so He is qualified to be a merciful and faithful High Priest-merciful to us, and faithful to God, "Named of God a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek."

At chapter 5. 11, the writer is confronted with a difficulty-he is embarrassed by the condition of those to whom he is writing. He wants to enlarge on the subject of this order of Priesthood, but feels that those to whom he is writing are not sufficiently advanced to follow him, and so before enlarging on the subject of the Lord's Priesthood which he takes up again with chapter 7., he pauses to deal with the condition of those to whom he is writing and to stimulate them to greater purpose of heart; so chapter 5. 11. to the end of chapter 6. must be viewed as a parenthesis. This is a word of admonition which we all need carefully to ponder, for but few, we think, will be satisfied with the spiritual progress they have made since they started on the heavenly course.

We here learn that these Hebrews had gone back : they had "become dull of hearing"; though by reason of the time they had known time truth they ought to have been teachers, they had need to be taught again the rudiments, the elementary things of the Word of God; they had need of milk, as babes, when they ought to have been able to digest strong meat; they still lacked skill in the handling of the Word of righteousness. These are serious and humbling words which we should take to heart ; our senses need to be exercised; we need to prayerfully ponder on the Word of God.

Chapter 6. is a continuation of the word of expostulation and warning; those written to are exhorted to make progress; not to lay again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God. We judge this is the foundation iii its negative and positive character-the "dead works " having reference to the religious works they had previously engaged in under the old Mosaic order of things; and faith, to the positive base on which their life was built. It is the view of the present writer, that what follows is not in the foundation, but relates to matters which ought to exercise the saints ; this we think is confirmed by the R.V. margin at the beginning of verse 2, " even." The idea is, we suggest, that the saints should concern themselves not with "washings" (plural), but with the "teaching" or significance of washings; not with the laying on of hands, but with what was intended by the act. Thus we understand that these washings or baptisms illustrate for us the needs be of the washing all over or new birth, and the laying on of hands the act of identification with Christ's sacrifice ; in both cases done once for all. Then we are to go to the positive truths of the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgement.

In verse 4, the writer is not dealing with merely hypothetical cases ; but with actual cases ; he studies to set forth the genuine nature of the work in the cases in view, that such were enlightened ; tasted the heavenly gift ; were made partakers of the Holy Spirit: tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come--they had spiritual apprehension of the reality of the future ; and yet they fell away. The writer seems to labour to employ words which certify to the genuineness of the original work. Such words shew what is possible of true believers. This will not imperil their eternal life, that matter is not raised ; but such conduct will be visited with the divine displeasure and will result in loss-they will he saved, yet so as by fire. But (verse 9), in the case of the Hebrews things were not so bad ; they had shewn in their behaviour "things that accompany salvation," even service and love to the saints; and we know this counts much with God : then the writer exhorts to continued diligence to the end, by the exercise of faith and endurance. He then cites a very outstanding example of such faith and endurance-even Abraham, who against hope believed in hope; who trusted in God's word for many years without aught but that word to encourage him; who in the supreme test offered up his son, accounting that God even so would fulfil His word, and thereupon God confirmed His promise with His oath. So it was with the Lord Jesus-in His lifetime He gave us His word, and then He died. The Pharisees said, "this deceiver said .

after three days I will rise again," and so they made the sepulchre sure, as they thought; but God raised Him from the dead and declared with an oath, "Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek." So we have His Word, and this Word has been confirmed by God's oath in the Resurrection ; therefore we have strong encouragement and ought not to fail.

After this parenthetical portion, we return to the subject of the Melchizedek Priesthood of Christ.

In Genesis 14. Melchizedek is presented to us as a very remarkable character. Lot, who first separated from Abraham, and then pitched his tent toward Sodom. soon became a dweller in Sodom and became identified with that which is a picture of this present evil world; vexing his righteous soul day by day with their lawless deeds. Judgement overtakes Sodom and the near cities, and Lot is taken captive. For his sake the victor kings are overthrown by Abraham, and Lot is rescued. The king of Sodom offers Abraham a reward, but lie refuses, for it was to rescue his brother alone, that he had interposed; but another king is present, and he takes precedence of Sodom's king. He is one of far greater dignity, and moreover holy in his character, and his ministry is accepted. This one is Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of God Most High. We know not who he was, only that he was made like unto the Son of God, as He soon will be revealed.

We are told in Hebrews that Melchizedek, by the meaning of his name was king of righteousness, and being king of Salem, he was also king of peace, and he sets forth the double office which the Lord will fill in a future day, the office of king and priest.

We very rightly see that as things are now in the world, any alliance between the church and the world is wrong, and a denial of the out-call. We do well to remember the word of the Lord in John 17. "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world " ; telling not only the fact but the measure of the fact, that our interests are identical with His ; but it is also well for us to recognise that things in the world are abnormal because of sin and because God's King has been rejected. A time is coming when the two (the civil, and the religious) shall be one-when all shall know and acknowledge Him, and when God's will shall be done on earth as in Heaven; when earth shall be a reflex of Heaven as was originally intended.

If Melchizedek represents the Lord, then Abraham represents Israel-the people of God which shall be the head of the nations. The title "God Most High," witnesses to God in His supreme position as over all authorities ; which authorities are responsible to Him. It is a title much in evidence in the book of Daniel, the Prophet; and Nebuchadnezzar the head of Gentile dominion had to learn by bitter experience that the Most High God ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whom insoever He will. After Nebuchadnezzar's sore trial and humiliation, he was restored to his kingdom, and excellent greatness was added unto him. So will it be with the Gentile nations in a coming day-they will lift themselves up against the Lord (as see Psalm 2.), and will be severely chastised and broken; then having been humbled to the dust, they will kiss the Son, and be at peace with Him.

S. J. HILL | Oct 1933
To The Hebrews