Chapter 1

(Verses 1 through 4) "God Who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, Whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by Whom also He made the worlds; Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His Person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they."

As we review the Old Testament we find God indeed speaking at many different times, and in various manners by the prophets unto the "fathers," the ancestors of these whom the writer is addressing. He spoke to Moses through the burning bush, and in the terrible cloud on Mt. Sinai . He spoke to Elijah in " a still small voice." He caused the ass upon which Balaam was riding to speak to him; and many other examples can be found of how He spoke to various ones in the days of old. However those things are now in the past, for He "hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son." The day for speaking by the prophets, in what sometimes seemed to be riddles, is over. He has now spoken openly by His Son. That we may be assured of the authority of this Son, the writer tells us more about Him. The first fact brought to our attention is that the Father [God] has appointed, not "will appoint," Him heir of all things. As such He has all necessary authority; but there is more. It is by Him that God has made the worlds. (John 1:3) "All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made." The expression, "by Whom He made the worlds" can just as properly be read, "by Whom He made the ages," meaning, just as does John 1:3, "every thing that ever has been, or ever will be, made." Although spoken of as in the past, it also covers the future, because what God has purposed is as sure as if it were already done. This Son is also "the brightness of [God's] glory, and the express image of His Person, and upholding all things by the word of His power." He is the brightness of the glory of God. (John 1:14) "And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,(and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."  The only way in which any man has ever seen God is by seeing the Son, (John 1:18) "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, Which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him." (John 14:9) "Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known Me, Philip? He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?" He also "upholds" all things, that is, He keeps them from falling, or being destroyed, thus preserving, or reserving them for His own purposes, by the word of His power. (II Peter 3:5-7) "For this they are willingly ignorant of, that by the WORD of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same WORD are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." This gives us a very small glimpse of the glory of this Son by Whom God has now spoken unto us. Now we look at His work. "When He had by Himself purged our sins [He] sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." The Greek verb, "katharidzo," here translated, "purged," means "to make clean; to free from defilement of sin and from faults; to purify from wickedness; to free from the guilt of sin; to consecrate by cleansing or purifying." It is then no wonder that later in this epistle the writer says, "For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." Now since He has purged our sins by Himself, that is by the offering of Himself on the cross, He has "sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." He occupies the seat of highest honor, on the right of the Father Himself. "Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they," or as it could as properly have been translated, "Having become more excellent than the angels, _ _ _." This is said in reference to the fact that for the period of time He spent here on earth He "was made a little lower than the angels." But since by inheritance He has obtained a more excellent name than that of an angel. He being the Son of God, and having now finished that part of His work for which He was made a little lower than the angels, has resumed His glorious position which is far more excellent than that of any angel.

(Verses 5 through 7) "For unto which of the angels said He at any time, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee? And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son? And again, when He bringeth in the First Begotten into the world, He saith, And let all the angels of God worship Him. And of the angels He saith, Who maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire."

Here the writer points out that no angel was ever spoken of, or spoken to, as was the Son of God. His first quotation is from Psalms 2:7. The next two are not so easily identified, and possibly came from a different version of the Old Testament from that which we have, or as the Apostle Paul often does, he may have changed the choice of words slightly from what we have. He says that the Father said, to the Son, "Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee," and this is also what David said, in Psalms 2:7. Then he tells us that the Father said, of the Son, "I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son," and when the Son was brought into the world, He ordered all His angels to worship Him. This last may be said in reference to the events, which are recorded in Luke 2:9-14, reasoning back from the fact to the command that brought it about. Although this was all said of the Son, He only said, of the angels, "Who maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire." (Psalms 104:4)

(Verses 8 through 12) "But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore God, even Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of Thine hands: they shall perish; but Thou remainest; and they shall all wax old as doth a garment; and as a vesture shalt Thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail."

Verses 8 and 9 are quoted from Psalms 45:6-7, and verses 10 through 12 are from Psalms 102:25-27. The writer's purpose here is to show that the coming of Christ Jesus into the world is not a new idea, but one, which is according to the expressed purpose of God. It was prophesied by David, the great king of Israel , and therefore cannot be considered as contrary to the word of God, but rather, as it is indeed, the fulfillment of a long-standing promise of God Himself. So all these things were said in prophecy concerning the Son, by Whom God has now spoken; and because He is thus recognized in prophecy there can be no doubt as to His authority. Even the earth and the heavens shall pass away; but He will remain in all of His glory, and that of His Father.

(Verses 13 and 14) "But to which of the angels said He at any time, Sit Thou on My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?"

The quotation in verse 13 is from Psalms 110:1, and fits exactly with what the writer has said in verse 3 of this chapter, "When He had by Himself purged our sins, [He] sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high." Some might question the necessity for repeating so many Old Testament prophecies concerning "The Son." The answer is simple. This letter is to Hebrew, or Jewish, Christians who have all their lives been taught the Jewish interpretation of the scriptures, the idea that the Messiah, or the Christ, was to come and set Israel free from all her national, political, and military enemies, and establish Israel as the ruler of the world, with no teaching of His suffering and exaltation for the salvation of sinners. So in order that they may be fully established upon the foundation that a "suffering Jesus" is also "the glorious Messiah," it must be shown that these prophecies are fulfilled in Him. Although His suffering is often mentioned in the Old Testament, particularly in Psalms and Isaiah, the Jews were never able to see the interval of separation between His suffering and His glory. Now the writer says that His day of suffering is over, and He, according to the prophecy of God, is now, in obedience to the Father's command, seated at His right hand until all His enemies have been subdued, "made His footstool." Again, this is a commandment, which was never given to any angel; but it is given to the Son. All the angels of God are only ministering spirits, servants, sent forth to serve for those who shall be heirs of salvation.

(Verses 1 through 4) "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will."

All of this is predicated upon that set forth in Chapter I, namely, God has now spoken to us by His Son, and His word is now to be our guide. The law and the prophets have served their purpose. For this reason we should very carefully consider what He has said, lest we let these things slip from our memory. We are reminded that the word spoken by "angels," (literally, "messengers," which does indeed sometimes mean angelic beings, as we usually consider it, but is also applied to men, which in this case seems more applicable in view of what has been said in the preceding chapter,) was firm, and could not be pushed aside. But for every transgression and disobedience there was a penalty that must be paid. With all that has been said about how much greater is the Son than any angel, or man, if those things spoken by angels, or messengers, were so inflexible, what escape is there for anyone who neglects this great salvation which the Son has wrought out, and about which He began to speak?  Of course, the very nature of the question indicates that there is no escape. There is no indication here, or elsewhere in scripture, that this salvation was ever offered to anyone of us for his approval. It is a finished work, see Chapter I, verse 3. Its success, or failure, is in no wise contingent upon the acceptance or rejection of any man. The only One Who ever had that right is the Father; and He has shown His approval of it by seating the Son on His own right hand. Some will say that because the writer says, "if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord _ _ _," it signifies that He is offering it to the sinner. This is by no means the case. The four gospel writers bear witness that the Lord Himself did first begin to tell of the great salvation He came to purchase with His own blood. If one will examine John 6:35-50, he will find that the whole matter of to whom this salvation is given rests in the hands of the Father, not the sinner. Although there our Lord testifies that it is for the believer only, He also makes it crystal clear that the believer is he whom the Father has drawn to Him. There are many other scriptures that are equally firm on this truth. However, what the writer is here saying is that any who "neglect" this salvation have no escape. Let us refresh our minds concerning the word, "neglect." The dictionary defines it thus: "to treat with no regard or attention or with too little; to slight; to set at naught." Those who have not the love of God in their hearts treat this salvation with no regard, and they set it at naught, that is, they consider it as nothing. For such there is no escape; but those in whose hearts God has placed His love see it as the most glorious work ever wrought on behalf of man. Some who are always trying to find loopholes for sinners to escape judgment try to tell us that this only has to do with what they call "time salvation." The salvation which amounts to the purging of our sins, as spoken of in Chapter I, verse 3, is a matter of eternal duration; and it is the only salvation mentioned so far in this epistle. Not only did our Lord first begin to speak of this, but also those who heard Him confirmed it to others, and they to others, so that we also have the wonderful news of it today. Those who heard Him, and confirmed what He said to other faithful witnesses, such as the writer of this epistle, were given the witness of God in the signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His will, not the will of man. The gifts of the Holy Ghost even today are given according to that same will.

(Verse 5 through 9) "For unto the angels hath He not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that Thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; Thou crownedst Him with glory and honour, and didst put Him over the works of Thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under His feet. For in that He put all in subjection under Him, He left nothing that is not put under Him. But now we see not yet all things put under Him. But we see Jesus, Who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man."

We are still continuing the contrast between the angels and the Son. The writer tells us that God has not placed that "world to come," or as the Apostle Peter says, "new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness," in subjection to the angels. But he refers us to a prophecy, (Psalms 8:4-6,) which has rightly been held to be both a historical statement and a prophecy. It is historical in that it refers to the statement of God, in Genesis 1:28, in which He set Adam in dominion over all the earth, including the fishes of the sea, the fowls of the air, and every living thing on earth. It is prophetic in that it establishes our Lord Christ Jesus as head over all things in "the world to come."  The writer says, "He left nothing that is not put under Him. But now we see not yet all things put under Him." This is the reason why He is now seated on the right hand of the Father until His enemies are made His footstool. He is awaiting the time appointed of the Father for the full manifestation of His glory. What we do see is "Jesus, Who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man, crowned with glory and honour." (Note: The transposition of two parts of the quotation is not to change the meaning, but to simplify it.) He is now crowned with glory and honor, and sitting in the position of highest honor, "on the right hand of the Majesty on high," awaiting the appointed day, when He shall take up the position of being over ALL. The whole thrust of this epistle is to show that this is the same Jesus Who took upon Himself the nature of man, which is a little lower than that of angels, because He came to suffer death; and the nature of angels is not compatible with so doing. While in this lower estate He did by the grace of God taste death for every man; not for every individual in the world, but for those of every class, Jew, Gentile, old, young, male, female, slave, and master, "even as many as the Lord our God shall call," as said the Apostle Peter, in Acts 2:39.

(Verses 10 through 13) "For it became Him, for Whom are all things, and by Whom are all things, in bringing many sons into glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of One: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare Thy name unto My brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto Thee. And again, I will put My trust in Him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given Me."

In verse 10, the word translated, "it became," means "it was fitting." So, with this change, we have, "For it was fitting to Him, for Whom are all things, and by Whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." The expression, "to make _ _ _ perfect," is the translation of a single Greek word that can also mean "to bring to the proposed end, or goal," which in this case is the raising up of Jesus from that estate which is a little lower than the angels to this which belongs to Him both as the Son of God, and as the One Who is victorious over sin, Satan, death, hell, and the grave; and has nothing to do with perfecting anything lacking in either Him or His work, for He is eternally perfect in Himself as the Son of the living God. Now the writer declares that "both He that sanctifieth," this same Jesus, and "they who are sanctified," those whose sins He has purged, "are all of One," that is, they are all of God; and therefore He [Christ] "is not ashamed to call them brethren." He then quotes from Psalms 22:22 and Isaiah 8:18 to witness this point. As in other places where such quotations from the Old Testament are made, their purpose is to assure the Jewish believers that this same Jesus is the Messiah, and that His sufferings are not a sign of any failure, or change in God's plan, but are according to His already declared purpose.

(Verses 14 and 15)  "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage."

Since "the children," those whom our Lord will bring to glory, "are partakers of flesh and blood," that is, we are all in fleshly bodies as human beings, He took upon Himself a body of flesh and blood also, that in this body He might pass through death, and by rising from it He should overcome, or "destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." The Greek word that is here translated, "destroy," although it can mean "abolish," can also mean "render ineffective," and according to the context, this is the intent here, He has rendered the devil ineffective in the matter of death, by depriving him of that power, which, according to this writer he had until our Lord came and arose from the dead. Thus when Our Saviour overcame death, He broke the devil's power of bondage over those who "through the fear of death were all their lifetime in bondage." The fear of death, as the natural fear of the unknown that is universal in all living things is not totally removed; but in the believer this is overcome by the knowledge that our Lord has passed this way before us, and is awaiting us on the other side. Until Jesus passed through death, the devil held all men in bondage through the fear of it. Now that bondage is gone.

(Verses 16 through 18) "For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor them that are tempted."

Here the writer sums up what he has previously said, that Christ came not as an angel, but as a man, taking upon Himself the nature of Abraham. One might ask, "Since the human race is descended from Adam, and only the Jews from Abraham, Why does the writer say, `Abraham,' and not `Adam'?" One reason is that it is the purpose of this epistle to strengthen the faith of Jewish believers in the fact that Jesus is the Messiah, and anything that establishes his connection to Abraham is useful to the purpose.  Another is that he is about to move from the work of establishing Jesus as the Son of God into that of proving Him to be the High Priest after the order of Melchisedec, with whom Abraham once had an encounter. He now says that it is proper that He be made like unto His brethren in all things, that He might be able to feel their suffering and their temptations, and thus have sympathy for them, and be able to help them that are tempted. Thus He is a merciful, as well as a faithful high priest in things of God. In the clause, "to make reconciliation for the sins of the people," the word translated "reconciliation" also means "propitiation," and since this text has to do with our Lord's making satisfaction for our sins, this is the proper meaning. A study of the doctrine of reconciliation will show that, scripturally, man is called upon to be reconciled to God. God does not have to be reconciled to His elect, for he has always loved them. It is because He has loved us with an everlasting love that He has drawn us; He loved us "even when we were dead in sin;" and "God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Even the announcement at the birth of our Lord, Luke 2:14, clearly shows that God needed no reconciliation to His elect. Since He will never be reconciled to the wicked, nor they to Him the doctrine of reconciliation has no place in His relation with them. Certainly His justice was affronted by the sin of man, and propitiation, or satisfaction, had to be made. This Jesus did in and by His death on the cross.

(Verses 1 through 3) "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Who was faithful to Him that appointed Him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house."

The writer continues building upon the foundation already established. He has shown our Lord to be the Son, by Whom God has now spoken; the One, Who has by Himself purged our sins; the One, under Whose feet all things are to be subdued; and the One, Who, by passing through death has overcome, the devil, and broken his bondage over man. Now he addresses the readers as "holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling," and calls upon them, because of what has already been said, to "consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus." That is, turn away from every tradition that may be contrary. Dismiss all doubts as to whether or not He is the Son Whom David so often mentions in Psalms; and being made holy by Him, and called by the Spirit of God, give attention to "the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus." These brethren, with their Jewish background, are well acquainted with the fact that the High Priest, as God's representative on earth is to be respected and obeyed, and since "the Apostle" signifies that there is but One Who is sent of God, it leaves no room to look for another. So with their attention thus called to the Christ, the writer says, "Who was faithful to Him That appointed Him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house." By no means does he want to slight Moses, for to do so would have an adverse effect upon the whole endeavor. So he compares the faithfulness of the Christ in regard to Him Who appointed Him, to that of Moses, who, he says, "was faithful in all his house," that is, in all matters to which he was appointed. Now begins the contrast of the two. Moses, though faithful in all his house, is counted part of the house, while Christ Jesus is the builder of the house, and therefore has the greater honor. One must keep in mind that "house" does not always mean an edifice, but can, and often does mean "family," such as, "The House of Windsor".  Paul uses the phrase, "the house of Stephanas," meaning "the family of Stephanas." (I Cor. 16:15.) Since what we are dealing with here is the family of God, we can properly call it "The House Of God." In this house Moses was faithful in all things, but he was only part of the house. Jesus Christ is He Who made all things. Therefore He is the Builder of the house, and is entitled to greater glory than the house.

(Verses 4 through 6) "For every house is builded by some man; but He Who built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; but Christ as a Son over His own house; Whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end."

This is a continuation of that already covered, repeating that the faithfulness of Moses, although exemplary, is that of a servant in the house, while that of Christ is as a Son over His own house, which is, of course, worthy of more honor. The last portion of this sentence, "Whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end," is said, not to cause people to argue about what happens to those who do not do this, but to give assurance to those who do. This is our identification. If we do this, we have the assurance that we are the house of  Christ Jesus, and partakers of the heavenly calling.  One thing should be here remembered, our holding out depends not upon our strength and resolve, but upon the strength of our Lord; and the Apostle Paul gives us assurance in his statement to the Philippians, "Being confident of this very thing, that He Which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."

(Verses 7 through 11) "Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: when your fathers tempted Me, proved Me, and saw My works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known My ways. So I sware in My wrath, They shall not enter into My rest.)"

Again, the writer brings forth a quotation from the Psalms, (Ps. 95:7-11,) to prove the relationship of Christ to the prophecies of God, and he reminds us that this is said by the Holy Ghost, and therefore must not be overlooked. Although the Israelites in the wilderness did many times "provoke" God, this "day of provocation" apparently is that described in the fourteenth chapter of Numbers, for it was there that God turned Israel back to wander in the wilderness until that whole generation should die. Caleb and Joshua alone were permitted to survive, and enter into the land of Canaan , "the rest of God". The admonition to us is that if we would enter into the "rest of God" today, we must pay heed to the Son of God, Christ Jesus, for He is the One by Whom God has now spoken.

(Verses 12 through 15) "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end; while it is said, Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation."

Notice that the emphasis here is placed on the positive, and not the negative side of our subject matter. True enough the writer does say, "lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief," and "lest any of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin," but his emphasis is upon taking heed that the first does not occur, and exhorting one another daily to prevent the second. How sad, and even somewhat disgusting it is when those who claim to be called of God to preach His word, leave this, the positive side, and try to preach the negative, saying, "But if you do have such an evil heart of unbelief, and are thus hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, you are saved anyway, but you will just lose your joy in the service of God while here in this world."  Since our Lord has told us that there is only one sin for which there is no forgiveness, surely we can all agree that He is able to save any sinner He may see fit. And salvation is based upon the blood and righteousness of Christ, and not upon the merits of the sinner; but in all fairness, it must be said that there is not in the Bible a single verse of comfort to one who continues in sin; and there certainly is NO ASSURANCE of salvation to any except those who try to follow our Lord, weak though their efforts may be. The subject under consideration in verse 6 and the remainder of the chapter is "the rest of God," assurance of salvation. So the writer says that if we maintain our confidence in Christ unto the end, we are indeed made partakers of Christ. This is not the cause of our being made partakers of Him, but it identifies us as having been made so, and it gives us assurance of salvation. So let us not harden our hearts, as did Israel in the wilderness.

(Verses 16 through 19) "For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was He grieved forty years? Was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware He that they should not enter into His rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief."

Notice that the writer points out that not all, but some of those whom Moses brought out of Egypt , provoked the Lord. Then by asking two questions he shows that it was only those who sinned that provoked the Lord, and grieved Him through the forty years. Only to the unbelievers did He swear that they should not enter into His rest. This, together with what the Apostle Paul says, (I Cor, 10:5,) "But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness," seems to indicate that those referred to in the clause, "whose carcasses fell in the wilderness," may not necessarily mean all who died in the wilderness, but primarily those whom, because of their sins, God "overthrew," that is those upon whom He executed violent judgment. Be that as it may, we are told that this applied only to those who believed not. However, for the sake of those sinners all Israel was made to wander forty years in the wilderness; and the writer says, "So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief."

(Verses 1 through 5) "Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as He said, As I have sworn in My wrath, if they shall enter into My rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For He spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all His works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into My rest."

As concerning everything else in this epistle, although certainly it is applicable to us, it has special significance to the Jewish believer, as he is still struggling to cast off the bondage of the law, and embrace the freedom of the gospel. His only way to escape that bondage, and come into gospel liberty, which is here called "His [God's] rest," and is the assurance of salvation, is by abandoning all his dependence upon the ceremonial requirements of the law, and trusting solely upon the merit of Christ Jesus our Lord. We may think this to be a very simple thing, but to one brought up as a Jew, it was not quite so easy. He had been taught all his life to look to the law and its demands; and to enter into this rest means casting away all of his life's training. So the writer says, Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." Now if, as we approach this rest of gospel liberty and assurance, we begin to turn back, and say in our minds, "I must do this," or "I must do that," concerning the requirements of the law, in order to be saved, we cannot enter into that rest. Therefore, since we have a promise of this rest, let us fear, lest we come short of it, or even seem to come short. If we fear that something may take place, we will put forth every effort to prevent it; and that is exactly the meaning of this admonition. We are to guard against depending upon the works of the law, or of the flesh for salvation, or even for any help toward it. He says that the gospel was preached to Israel in the wilderness, and is also preached to us; to those Israelites, it was of no profit, because there was in them no faith that they might believe it. Compare our Lord's parable of the sower of the seed. In all places where the seed was sown, it brought forth no fruit except in the good ground; and according to His explanation of the matter this represents "an honest and good heart," which certainly is one wherein there is faith. Someone may ask, "Was the gospel of Jesus Christ preached to the Israelites in the wilderness?" It was not, as we know it today, but the gospel, or good news, of the promised land, the home God had promised to Israel, was preached to them by Joshua and Caleb, Numbers 14:6-9, "And Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of them that searched the land, rent their clothes: and they spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, The land which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land. If the LORD delight in us, then He will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey. Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us." The next verse clearly shows that the people had no faith by which to believe, and profit by this gospel. Now the writer says, "For we which have believed do enter into rest, as He said, As I have sworn in My wrath, if they shall enter into My rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world." There is a rest into which we who believe enter, but that it is not the rest into which God entered on the seventh day is evident, because God entered into that rest immediately upon finishing His works of creation, which indeed are "the foundation of the world."  He spoke of that thus: "And God did rest the seventh day from all His works." Yet He speaks, in Psalms 95:11, of another rest, for He says, "Unto whom I sware in My wrath that they should not enter into My rest." So this is a different rest since its context establishes that it has to do with the event in Numbers 14.

(Verses 6 through 11) "Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: again, He limiteth a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time; as it is said, Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus [Joshua] had given them rest, then would He not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from His. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief."

This is a somewhat difficult text to keep track of by reason of the order of its arrangement and the manner of punctuation used. One has to keep in mind that the manuscripts from which the translators worked were not punctuated. So they no doubt did as good a job as possible; but even the English language has undergone some significant changes since they did their work.  Another point to be made before further discussion, is that "Jesus" and "Joshua" are one and the same name. Both are alternate forms of "Yeshua," which means "the help of God." Our most often application of the name, "Jesus," is to the Christ, but it also appears elsewhere in scripture. We commonly refer to the great leader of the Israelites, after Moses, as "Joshua," but beyond question he is the one called "Jesus," in verse 8. For clarity, we shall there use the name, "Joshua." Since verses 7 and 8 are obviously a parenthesis, and as verse 7 continues what is said in verse 5, let us take these two verses out of their present order, and set them ahead of verse 6, for clarity. We shall also make a slight change in the word order of verse 7 thus: "Again, after so long a time, He limiteth a certain day, saying in David, `Today'; as it is said, `Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.' For if Joshua had given them rest, then would He not afterward have spoken of another day." It was indeed "after so long a time" from God's resting on the seventh day that David said, "Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts," thus limiting it to "Today." Since David's statement came many years after Joshua had led the Jews into the land of Canaan , it is quite clear that he did not give them this rest. If he had, there would have been no mention of another day in which they were to enter into rest by taking heed to the voice of God. Now let us look at verses 6, 9, 10, and 11. "Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: there remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into His [God's] rest, he also hath ceased from his own works as God did from His. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." Again, this is extremely important to one who may have been trusting in the works of the law, or in his own works of any sort, for salvation.  There can be no rest in such; and the only reason for a person's trusting in such is that he has not yet come to fully trust in, and depend upon, our Lord Jesus the Christ. Unbelief is what kept the Israelites out of the land of Canaan , their promised rest; and unbelief, to whatever degree it may remain in our hearts, will to that degree prevent our resting in Christ. When we fully trust and depend upon Him we enter into that rest. So we are commanded to labor, or put forth effort to enter therein. In Chapter III, verse 13, we are told how to do this, "But exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today;’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."

(Verses 12 and 13) "For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do."

There can be no doubt that "the Word of God," in this quotation, is Jesus the Christ, the living Word, because the literal translation of the first portion of this is, "For the Word of God is a living Being, and of great power, and sharper than any two-edged sword," assuring us that the living Word is under consideration.  He is able to pierce even "to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow," and He discerns, or knows, the thoughts and intents of the heart. There is no such thing as hiding from Him, because there is no created thing [literally, "act of creating"] that is not manifest in His sight. Everything and everyone is totally uncovered before His eyes; and He it is with Whom we have to do, or He it is before Whom we must stand.

(Verses 14 through 16) "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, That is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an High Priest Which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

The Jewish Christians very well know that the high priest under the law was the one who made atonements and intercessions for Israel .  Now, instead of a high priest here on earth, our High Priest has already passed into the heavens, and is in the very presence of God the Father. Not only so, but also He is Jesus, the only begotten Son of the living God. Therefore with Him as our High Priest we have nothing to fear. So let us firmly maintain our profession, our faith in Him, and Him alone. This High Priest is not so far separated from us that He cannot feel our sorrows and our infirmities, for He too, while on earth, suffered the same temptations that we suffer, but without sin: He never yielded to them. So we can rely upon Him to see us through whatever may come our way. Considering both His power and His mercy, we can come boldly to the throne of grace, or mercy seat, with full confidence that we will receive of Him mercy and grace to help in time of need.

(Verses 1 through 4) "For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself is compassed with infirmity. And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God as was Aaron."

This is a very clear and concise description of "every high priest taken from among men," that is, of the Levitical, or Aaronic, priesthood. The first thing is that he is ordained for men, that is, on behalf of men, in things of God. The purpose of the high priest is that he shall make offerings to God, both gifts, or thank offerings, and sacrifices for sins. Being selected from among men he also is subject to infirmities, and can therefore have compassion on others who are troubled with the same; but because he has infirmities, it is also necessary that he make sin offerings for himself, as well as for the people. Then we must remember the lesson of Korah, (see Numbers 16,) because of which, the writer says, "And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron."

(Verses 5 and 6) "So also Christ glorified not Himself to be made an High Priest; but Him That said unto Him, Thou art My Son, today have I begotten Thee. As He saith also in another place, Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."

Having reminded us that no man enters into the office of high priest except by the calling of God, the writer declares that Christ was not made High Priest to glorify Himself, nor did He enter into that office by His own volition. He was made High Priest to glorify the Father Who said to Him, "Thou art My Son, today have I begotten Thee," and "Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec." Later we will find a discussion of the order of Melchisedec versus that of Aaron.

(Verses 7 through 10) "Who in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that He feared; though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; and being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him; called of God an High Priest after the order of Melchisedec."

While here on earth Jesus prayed often to the Father, but this is, no doubt, a reference to His prayers in Gethsemane in the night in which He was arrested. Most often when we think of Gethsemane , we think of that prayer for the removal of the cup of suffering Jesus faced; but that was not His only prayer that night. John records, in the seventeenth chapter of his record of the gospel, the most beautiful prayer ever prayed, His intercessory prayer; and it was prayed that same night, and not far from that same garden. It was not for His disciples only, but for "all them also which shall believe on Me through their word." The Father heard and answered this prayer.  He also heard, and answered the prayer concerning the passing of the cup of suffering, as evidenced by the event Luke records in connection with that, "And there appeared an angel from heaven strengthening Him." Although it was necessary that He suffer for the sins of His people, the Father did not leave Him alone in that suffering. At the same time we must also remember that His prayer was not only that the cup might pass, but what is more important.  that the Father's will be done. Although He was the Son of God, in order that He be fully prepared ["made perfect"] for His High Priestly office, He, through the things that He suffered, "learned," or experienced obedience. Being thus prepared, He is established "the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him." Whoever is striving to walk in obedience to our Lord has no need to fear failure, and no need to look elsewhere for salvation, for He is the author of eternal salvation unto all such. He has been "Called of God an High Priest after the order of Melchisedec," not "called to be" a high priest, but by the calling itself He is a High Priest after the order of Melchisedec.

(Verses 11 through 14) "Of Whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."

Chapter 6

(Verses 1 through 3) "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and laying on of hands, and resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do if God permit".

Having told these brethren how sadly they are lacking in knowledge of the things of God, the writer tells them that because of this he is going to temporarily lay aside the principles of the doctrine of Christ, so far as teaching is concerned, and not go into a deep discussion of what can rightly be called the foundation thereof, such as repentance from dead works, faith toward God, the doctrine of baptisms [literally, "washings", or "cleansings"] laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment, all of which are taught in the Old Testament, but some of which require deeper understanding than these brethren presently have to be profitable for discussion. Instead of presenting a deep discussion of these things, he says, let us go on unto perfection," that is, things that should be more readily understood, but will be profitable to develop your understanding to a more mature level. "And this will we do, if God permit." He wants to develop their understanding somewhat before presenting what he desires to say concerning the Priesthood of Christ.

(Verses 4 through 10) "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing of God: but that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.  But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things which accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward His name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister."

This passage seems to give great difficulty to some, perhaps because of the parenthesis, (verses 7 and 8,) which breaks the continuity of thought. So, as is always permissible with parentheses, we shall remove it, and consider it after verse 10.  Perhaps another hindrance is that the hypothesis of verses 4 through 6 is not recognized because the "if" phrase, which usually introduces the hypothesis, is set later in the word order. Let us re-arrange the passage without changing its meaning.  "For if those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, shall fall away, it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame. _ _ _ But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things which accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward His name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister." There are several points to be considered here. The first is that the Greek verb translated "shall fall away" does not mean to stumble, and perhaps temporarily fall under temptation, and into sin. It, in its usage here, means "fall away" in the sense of renouncing Christ and Christianity, and turning back to sin; and in the case of those who have been converted from what the Apostle Paul called "the Jews religion," a return to the law for salvation.  Second, we must remember that this entire picture is an hypothesis, a supposition for the sake of illustration, not a statement of what will actually take place. Under the supposition that one who has been blessed as described, should renounce Christ, and turn against Him, there would be no hope for him. Because to do so would put Him to an open shame, and would require Him to be crucified again, or "afresh;" and this He will not do. This part of the passage teaches neither that anyone will do this, nor that it will not be done; but the next part of it gives assurance to all who believe in our Lord. Notice this assurance as the writer says, "But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things which accompany salvation, though we thus speak," that is, we are confident of your salvation; you have the things which accompany salvation, the evidence of it. Another outstanding hypothesis of scripture is found in Psalms 11:3, "If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" However that entire Psalm is dedicated to the proof that the foundations will not be destroyed, "for the righteous LORD loveth righteousness: His countenance doth behold the upright." The same principle is involved here. The reason why these brethren will not fall away is the same as before quoted from the Apostle Paul in the Philippian letter. The One Who has started a good work in them will not abandon it, but "will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." "For God is not unrighteous," and therefore He will not forget this work which He has wrought in their hearts, which is demonstrated by "your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward His name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister."  This must be the work of God because Paul says, (Philippians 2:13 ,) "For it is God Which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." So, little child of the living God, though you may feel weak, do not be afraid that He will ever abandon you.  Now back to verses 7 and 8. "For the earth which drinketh the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing of God: but that which bringeth forth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned." Surely there is no great difficulty in understanding this illustration, which is intended only to show how sad would be the plight of such a character as described in the writer's hypothesis. When the writer says, "that which bringeth forth thorns and briers," he is not concerned with land which may have been neglected for a while, and as a result of that neglect a few thorns and briers have grown up on it. There are many places, which are so covered and filled with rocks that they are completely un-tillable, and have so little soil that it is not worthwhile to even attempt to remove the stones. In such an environment the seeds of thorns and briers may find lodging in cracks and crevices between rocks where there is a little soil, sprout, and with the tenacity for which they are noted, grow and multiply. Such a place is worthless to man; and about the only efficient way to prevent the spread of the briers and thorns from such a place to good ground is to keep it burned as often as possible. So such a place is almost a curse, "nigh unto cursing."  So would it be with such as he has described in the hypothesis; but he maintains that those to whom he is writing have no reason to fear, "though we thus speak."

(Verses 11 through 15) "And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: that ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no greater, He sware by Himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise."

Notice that the writer does not say, "And every one of you will shew_ _ _ ," but "And we desire that every one of you _ _ _." He is well aware that just as some are physically stronger than others, so it is in spiritual things; but it is his desire, and should always be the desire of every gospel minister, that every one of his flock will give diligence to serving the Lord in such manner that he may always have "full assurance of hope unto the end." Then he says, "that ye be not slothful," or lazy, but consider those who, though they may have had to wait longer than some would like before receiving the fulfillment of their expectations, served patiently, and did in their patience "inherit the promise," and follow, or imitate the example they have set before us. No doubt he is encouraging them to search the scriptures for these examples, for the one he cites is Abraham. The promise he mentions is by no means the only one made to Abraham, but it, as much as any, shows the long patience that is sometimes required in awaiting the fulfilling of the promise. The scriptures do not tell us Abraham's age when God made the promise to him. But when we consider the record of his life, we are brought to the conclusion that he must have been a comparatively young man; and he was about a hundred years old when the promise was fulfilled by the birth of Isaac. The writer here mentions something that, at this point, may not appear relevant, but its importance will show later. "For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, He sware by Himself." Then he says, "And so after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise." That is he obtained that which had been promised.

(Verses 16 through 20) "For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of His promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath: that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an High Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."

This chapter is primarily a discussion of "the priesthood after the order of Melchisedec" versus "the priesthood after the order of Aaron." Although it has been mentioned previously, it comes up for full discussion in this chapter; and in addition to the reasons already given for his special notice of the oath upon which God confirmed His promise, he sheds more light on it in verse 21.

(Verses 1 through 3) "For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is King of peace; without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually."

This passage and the account given in Genesis 14:18-20, have caused much controversy among men. Some have accepted Melchisedec as a historical person, while others consider him a Theophany, an appearance of God in the form of a man. The only recorded event of Abraham's meeting with him is given in the Genesis reference given above. In the present text the writer sets Melchisedec forth as "first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is King of peace." These are very impressive titles, especially for a Gentile. Although " Salem " means "peace," it also is the earlier name of what later became Jerusalem . The existence of this city at that period of time has been geologically documented, and since at that time there were many kings who were kings of cities instead of kings of countries, it may be proper to accept Melchisedec as a historical king of the city of Salem, which may have been so named because of the peaceful reign of Melchisedec, who in addition to being King of righteousness and King of Salem, was also "Priest of the most high God." In the Genesis account it will be noticed that Melchisedec, although priest of the most high God, instead of offering up sacrifices, as did other priests of that day, and even the Aaronic priests who came later, brought forth bread and wine, the types of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus the Christ, just as we partake of the same emblems today as a memorial of His death. He also blessed Abraham at this meeting, of which the writer speaks again later; and Abraham gave Melchisedec "a tenth part of all" the spoils he had taken from the kings. In verse 3 we are told that Melchisedec was "without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually." If this is taken literally, it certainly establishes Melchisedec as a Theophany. However those who consider him a historical person argue that the writer is here concerned not with biological origin or descent, but rather with his office, King of righteousness, King of Peace, and Priest of the most high God. In this office there was no one before him, neither father nor mother, and no one after him, no descent. Also it cannot be established when he was ordained to this office, nor is there any recorded end of his life. Thus he is a figure, "made like unto the Son of God;" and in that likeness, or figure, he remains a priest continually. Whether we accept him as a historical person, or as a Theophany, the Genesis record still stands, and he still remains a type of our Lord Jesus the Christ.

(Verses 4 through 7) "Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham: but he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better."

To a Jew no man is acknowledged to be equal to, much less greater, or better than, "father Abraham." Nevertheless here the writer proves by God's own word that Melchisedec was both greater and better than Abraham. Even Abraham acknowledged his greatness by paying tithes, giving the tenth part of the spoils of war, to him. This was long before the birth of Levi, and longer still before the Levitical, or Aaronic, priesthood was established, and so Melchisedec's lineage can not be counted from Levi.  So, by all logic, it must follow that Melchisedec was greater than Abraham, although the promises had been made to Abraham long before he met Melchisedec. Yet Melchisedec not only received tithes of Abraham, but also blessed him; "and without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better." This establishes the base upon which the writer can prove that the priesthood of our Lord Jesus the Christ is better than that of Aaron, and that He is also greater than the priests under the Aaronic priesthood.

(Verses 8 through 10) "And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, paid tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him."

This is only a follow-up of what has already been said. It points out that the order of the Levites is that, as one dies another takes his place, making it a matter of record that here tithes are taken by men who by reason of death are not able to continue, while he who received tithes of Abraham is witnessed as living. It is true that the only scriptural record we have "that he liveth," is found here, but since all scripture is given by inspiration of God, no corroborating witness is necessary.  The writer then points out that Levi (and his descendants) who receive tithes of their brethren according to the law were not exempt, but in Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedec. This is the same principle, which is used to prove that the whole human race sinned in Adam. Since the act was committed before the child was conceived, he, still in the loins of his father, is party to the act.

(Verses 11 through 13) "If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. For He of Whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar."

As early as Chapter IV, the writer has established that Christ Jesus is the High Priest of our profession. Then he proves from Psalms 110:4, that there is to be a priesthood after the order of Melchisedec, and that our Lord is the High Priest of that order. Now he says that if perfection were obtainable by the Levitical priesthood, there would be no need for a priesthood after the order of Melchisedec, and it would never have been established, but the fact that perfection could not be obtained by the Levitical order makes a new order necessary. Also with the change of the priesthood, there has to be a change of the law, because He, Who is the High Priest after the order of Melchisedec, is of a tribe of which, according to the old law no one could attend at the altar.

(Verses 14 through 17) "For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah ; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident: for that after the order of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. For He testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."

Having already said that the priest after the order of Melchisedec is of a different tribe from those of the Levitical priesthood, the writer says that it is clear that our Lord is of the tribe of Judah ; and Moses never said anything about a priest from this tribe. The evidence that our Lord is of the tribe of Judah can readily be found in the records of both Matthew and Luke. Yet there is another matter that is far more evident. This is, that there is to be another priest, not after the order of Aaron, but the order of Melchisedec. And He is not a priest by, or according to, a carnal commandment, (a commandment depending upon the flesh to obey it,) but after the power of an endless life. This is evidenced not only by history, but also by the prophecy of God (Psalms 110:4) "The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec."

(Verses 18 through 22) "For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.  And inasmuch as not without an oath He was made: (for those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by Him That said unto Him, The LORD sware, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:) by so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament."

The writer says that there is a canceling ("a disannulling") of the former commandment, or law, for its weakness and unprofitableness; and the Apostle Paul says, (Romans 8:3-4,) "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." The law's weakness was not of itself, but of the flesh upon which it depended for fulfillment. "For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did." This better hope is the better priesthood, which is after the order of Melchisedec, and the High Priest of which is our Lord Christ Jesus, Who is made a Priest not after a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. Since both the Priesthood and the High Priest are better, it is the bringing in of a better hope, a hope based upon an eternal High Priest by Whom we draw nigh unto God. There is yet another difference between these priesthoods, and the priests thereof. "Those [the priests of the Levitical priesthood] were made without an oath; but This [our Lord,] with an oath by Him That said unto Him, The LORD sware, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec." Inasmuch then as He is by the oath of God made the eternal High Priest after the order of Melchisedec, He is also surety of a better testament.

(Verses 23 through 25) "And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: but this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them."

Here we are reminded that because of death there could be no continuation of the Levitical priesthood except by succession, which always brings about some variation in the exercise of an office, even when that office is regulated by law. But the priesthood after the order of Melchisedec is one continuous unchangeable operation, because this High Priest lives forever. He by reason of living forever, is able to make eternal intercession for those who come to God by Him, and He is therefore able to save them to the uttermost, that is, with the loss of nothing, as He said in John 6:39.

(Verses 26 through 28) "For such an High Priest became us, Who is holy, harmless, and undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this He did once, when He offered up Himself. For the law maketh high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, Who is consecrated for evermore."

Chapter 8

(Verses 1 through 5) "Now of the things of which we have spoken this is the sum: we have such an High Priest, Who is set at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this Man have somewhat also to offer. For if He were on earth, He should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: For, see, saith He, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed thee on the mount."

All the discussion heretofore has been directed toward one point, establishing the fact that our High Priest and His priesthood, "after the power of an endless life" are better than the high priests and the priesthood which were "after the law of a carnal commandment." Now, having proved this, the writer says that the "sum," or as it is popular to say today, "the bottom line" of what he has said is that, we do have such a High Priest as has been described, and that He is now seated "on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens." Further, He is a minister not of the tabernacle pitched by man, which although made strictly according to the pattern given to Moses, is yet but a shadow of the heavenly things, but of the true sanctuary and true tabernacle which the Lord God Himself pitched. If He were still on earth He could not be a priest. Because there was already established a priesthood with priests who "serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things," which is all these are which were under the law. And they offer those gifts that are according to the law, leaving no room for another high priest in that priesthood. But His service is not in this shadow of heavenly things, but in the true sanctuary itself. Inasmuch as every high priest is ordained to offer up gifts and sacrifices, it is necessary that this High Priest also have something to offer. The difference at this point is that those high priests have to repeat their offerings daily, While our High Priest Who made Himself the sacrifice, has by this made one offering which needs no repetition, but will last forevermore.

(Verses 6 through 9) "But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the Mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if the first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. For finding fault with them, He saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in My covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord."

Having compared, or rather contrasted, the priesthoods, and the high priests thereof, the writer presents the covenants mediated by these high priests. Having shown that the ministry of Christ is as much better than that of the Levitical high priests as the true sanctuary is better than the mere shadow thereof, he tells us that the covenant represented by our High Priest is just as much better than that represented by the Levitical priests as His ministry is better than theirs. Because it is "established upon better promises." If there had been no fault with the old covenant, there would be no need for the new; but there was fault with it, not of itself, but by reason of the weakness of those upon whom it depended for fulfillment. (See Exodus 19:5-8) The very first words of that covenant are, "If ye will obey My voice indeed." So the whole covenant was based upon the obedience of the people; and the weakness of the flesh was its fault. So God "finding fault," or "knowing this fault was there," said, "I will make a new covenant _ _ _." Verse 6 says that this new covenant is established upon better promises than the old. The old covenant is established upon a promise, which rests upon a condition to be fulfilled by the flesh, "If ye will obey My voice indeed." The Lord says that the new covenant is "not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers _ _ _ because they continued not in My covenant, and I regarded them not." The new covenant, in order that it may stand has to be established upon something that gives better security than the condition, "If ye will obey."

(Verses 10 through 13) "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to Me a people: and they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more. In that He saith, A new covenant, He hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away."

Chapter 9

(Verses 1 through 5) "Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary. For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary. And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; and over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercy seat; of which we cannot now speak particularly."

In chapters 25 through 27 of Exodus, we find a description of the tabernacle, the Holy of holies, and all the furnishings of them. Here the writer is only interested in certain things, as he will by them show the work of Christ as our High Priest. Special note should be made of the ark of the covenant and its contents. As he mentions the cherubim, he says, "of which we cannot now speak particularly." It is his intention to bring forth other things more significant of the ministry of our Lord, and so he does not take the time to go into detail about the cherubim.

(Verses 6 through 10) "Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: the Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the Holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience; which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of the reformation."

Leaving the description of the tabernacle and its furniture, we come to the order of service in the tabernacle. The first thing to claim our attention is that not the high priest alone, but all the priests could at any time come into the first tabernacle to perform their services of making offerings according to the laws of God; but the one "after the second veil" was an entirely different matter. No one but the high priest was ever to enter it; and he only once each year when he carried into it the blood which he offered for himself, and for the people by sprinkling it before the cherubim on the mercy seat. This limited access was designed by the Holy Ghost to show that, for the duration of this tabernacle and priesthood, the way into the true Holy of holies was still a secret of God, to be revealed only at, and by, our Lord's coming into the world. (See Ephesians 3:1-11) The whole Levitical priesthood and all that pertained to it during the time of its service were only a "figure," or "type," of the true priesthood of Christ, which was to come. And all the ordinances, offerings, sacrifices, washings, etc., could not clear the conscience of, or make perfect, the one who did the service. All they could do was to point to the time when the "new and living way" would be revealed, "the time of reformation."

(Verses 11 and 12) "But Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."

In these two verses we have the "antitype," the fulfilling of the "figure," or "type," which the writer has been developing from the beginning of this chapter. To get its full significance, we should, perhaps, review a few things. We have the mercy seat mentioned earlier, which is actually the lid, or top, of the ark of the covenant. Many consider the contents of the ark show it to be a "type" of Christ; and their presentation appears to adequately support that idea. Nevertheless there is another point we wish to consider. The contents, when viewed from another perspective, indicate that without the blood sprinkled upon it the mercy seat is actually a judgment seat, or seat of condemnation.  So let us consider the matter. In this ark were the "tables of the covenant," the law.  Israel 's disobedience to the laws of God is well known and well documented.  Also in this ark "was the golden pot that had manna."  The occasion of God's giving manna to Israel was their murmuring and complaining against Him for what they considered a lack of food.  When He gave them manna, He also gave them two commandments concerning it. He told them that during the first five days of the week each was to gather only so much manna as he needed for the day, and not to try to keep any over for another day. Some of them immediately disobeyed.  He also told them that on the sixth day they were to gather a double ration in order to have a supply for the Sabbath, and they were not to look for it on the Sabbath.  Some also disobeyed this commandment. Finally Aaron's rod budded to put to silence the rebels who wanted to take the place God had assigned to him. With all this evidence assembled against Israel , if there were no blood sprinkled before and on the mercy seat, there would be no atonement, and it would be a seat of condemnation instead of a mercy seat. Although there is no altar in the Holy of holies upon which to offer sacrifice, the blood must be brought into it. Just as the sin offering was not made in the Holy of holies, so Christ offered Himself not in heaven, but while here on earth.  Nevertheless with, or "by His own blood He entered once into the Holy Place , having obtained eternal redemption for us." This seems to answer sufficiently the question sometimes argued over concerning our Lord's statement, in John 14:2, "I go to prepare a place for you." Some try to tell us that He is in heaven, working to prepare for us a lodging place there. This is clearly ridiculous, because the scripture tells us that He is now sitting at the right hand of the Majesty on high, awaiting the day when His enemies shall be made His footstool. Others seem to think He went to prepare the grave, which is just as ridiculous as the other idea. When He entered into the Holy of Holies in heaven with His own precious blood, and sprinkled it on and before the mercy seat, He thus prepared it for us that it might indeed be a mercy seat and throne of grace, unto which we can boldly come "that we may find mercy, and grace to help in time of need." Our Lord's ministry is not in a "worldly sanctuary," but in "a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands."

(Verses 13 and 14) "For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

Although God is the One, Who by His commandment specified the "blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of an heifer," and by so doing recognized them as acceptable to Him for ceremonial purification of the unclean, they still are common or worldly things, offered by men who are themselves subject to death. Since God has by His law declared these things acceptable, the blood of Christ Who is without spot or blemish, offered up through the eternal Spirit, must be infinitely more acceptable to God for the purging of our consciences from dead works that we might serve the living God.

(Verses 15 through 17) "And for this cause He is the Mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were made under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth."

Because "the blood of Christ. Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God" is so much more acceptable to God than those things offered under the first covenant, He is the Mediator of the new testament," or covenant. Our King James Version says, "testament," but the same Greek word is used here as in other places where the translation is "covenant." This also seems more in keeping with the context. Not only is He the Mediator of the new covenant, but also His death is effective as the means of redemption from transgressions, even those that were under the first covenant, to insure that all who are called (of God) shall receive the promise of eternal inheritance, that is, the fulfillment of that promise. Now, among men, as long as both parties to a covenant are alive it may be allowed that they could change the articles of the covenant; but when one is dead the covenant cannot be changed. This is why a man's "Last Will And Testament," which is also a covenant, cannot be legally considered his last until after his death. Since Christ is, on behalf of His people, One of the covenanting parties, and now has by means of His death become the Mediator of this covenant, it is His responsibility to see that this covenant is carried out with no changes.

(Verses 18 through 22) "Whereupon neither was the first covenant dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.  Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry. And almost all things are by the law purged with blood, and without shedding of blood is no remission."

Because the first covenant was in its service a "figure," a "shadow," or a "type," of the new covenant, it was necessary that the people under it, the law by which it was administered, the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry of it, be sprinkled with blood at its dedication. And during its ministry "almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission." This certainly was not because of any cleansing efficacy in the blood of animals, but was so ordained that it should point to "the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God" on the cross of Calvary . Without the shedding of His precious blood there would never have been any remission of sin.

(Verses 23 through 26) "It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with the blood of others; for then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself."

Since those things pertaining to the first covenant, although patterns, or figures, of the heavenly things, were yet of themselves earthly things, it was necessary, or appropriate, that they be ceremonially purified by natural things, since natural men were charged with applying and administering them; but the heavenly things themselves must have better, or heavenly, sacrifices. The holy place into which Christ has entered is heaven itself, not a tabernacle made by men. He is now in the presence of God as our High Priest; and His very presence there is a perpetual intercession for us. He does not have to make intercessory prayers to the Father for us, as was the continual duty of the high priest under the first covenant. On the night before He was offered up, He made an intercessory prayer for all His saints, and as He offered Himself only once, He prayed only one intercessory prayer, but as the Father's acceptance of His offering makes it eternally effectual, so His being received at the Father's right hand as the High Priest of His people makes His intercession eternal, and accepted forever. The high priest under the first covenant had to repeat his offering year by year, but not so with our High Priest. Had that been true of Him, He would have had to suffer many times since the beginning of the world, but instead, "now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." This does not mean that the world ended at the time He did this, nor that the actual end is even in sight, but that this is the covenant that is in force until the end. It will not have to be set aside, nor be replaced by another.

(Verses 27 and 28) "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation."

It is amazing how easy it is for us to lose the continuity of thought of a writer or speaker. Almost invariably, when people, and particularly preachers, read verse 27, they entirely forget what has gone before, and often what follows after this verse, and try to use the fact that judgment is appointed to follow death to scare people into, as they would say, "accepting Christ." While it is a very profound truth that "it is appointed to men once to die and after this the judgment," it is also true that this is not the emphasis of the writer. The reason for this verse is what is said in verse 26, particularly the first part of that verse, "For then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world." Verse 27 is the equivalent to saying that everyone knows that one death is all that is appointed unto men before the judgment. Since that is true, it would be unrealistic to think that Christ should suffer more times than that. Therefore, since this is so, "Christ was ONCE offered to bear the sins of many."  The real point of importance is that "unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation."  Remember that this entire epistle is written to believers to strengthen their faith in our Lord Jesus the Christ, and to comfort them with the assurance that He is our High Priest, our Mediator, and our Saviour; and that He is coming again for us.

(Verses 1 through 4) "For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of those things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins."

As has been the case heretofore we are still considering the contrast between the Levitical priesthood "after the law of a carnal commandment" and the priesthood of our Lord Christ Jesus, "after the power of an endless life." The former contained a "shadow," but not the "very image" of the good things to come.  We are all familiar with the fact that a shadow of anything can approach no closer to that which is its source than being an outline, or a silhouette, of the original, and even that can be distorted by the relative positions of the viewer, the object, and the light which causes the shadow, whereas "the very image" of an object is as its reflection in a high quality mirror. The image is such that from looking at it we are readily able to recognize the object itself. Now as the law only had a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of those things, there is no way that these shadows can ever bring perfection to those who follow after them. If there had been any way they could have made "the comers thereunto perfect," their work would have been finished; and the writer asks the question, "For then would they not have ceased to be offered?" If these sacrifices and offerings could have cleared the consciences of the worshippers they would have had no further need of such, but these were continued every year not to put away sin, but as "a remembrance again," a memorial, of sins. Because there is no efficacy in the blood of animals, it is not possible that they should have the power, or ability to take away sins. If such a thing had been possible, there would have been no need of another priest and another priesthood after a different order from that under which these offerings were made.

(Verses 5 through 10) "Wherefore when He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifices and offerings 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. Above when He said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin Thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; then said He, Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. He taketh away the first that He may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

Without doubt the prophecy originally written by David in Psalms 40, and quoted here, refers to the coming of our Lord into the world to be the sacrifice for sin. The first thing we notice is the statement, "Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, _ _ _ In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin Thou hast had no pleasure." As the writer continues on, he repeats this declaration. When we consider this, the question immediately arises, "If He had no pleasure in such, that is, if they were not pleasing to Him, why did He order them? For they were established by His commandment. The only answer we have is found in the first verse of this chapter, "They had a shadow of good things to come." They were, of themselves, not pleasing to God; but they were ordered as shadows, that those who followed them would be brought to the object that casts the shadow, Christ Jesus our Lord and His sacrifice which effectively puts away sin forever. Although they were not of themselves pleasing to God, they pointed to that which was. He had purposed before time began to send His Word, as the Apostle John uses the expression, to be made flesh, dwell among men, and offer up Himself to God, the sacrifice that truly puts away sin.  So even in his day David announces that God is not pleased, or placated, by these sacrifices and offerings, but has prepared a body for the Son of God to come and take upon Himself that He may do the will of God. In prophesying of this coming of our Lord he says, "Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God." The writer says that this declaration takes "away the first," the Levitical priesthood and all that pertains to it, "that He may establish the second," the Priesthood of Christ after the order of Melchisedec.  Inasmuch then as He says, "I come to do Thy will, O God," the writer further declares, "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." As has been pointed out, this is the object to which all those offerings and sacrifices pointed just as natural shadows will inevitably lead to the object, which casts them. The most wonderful thing of all concerning this sacrifice which is indeed the fulfilling of the will of God is that it will never need repeating. It has been made once, and since it fulfills His will it sanctifies in the full and true sense of the word those for whom it was made, and this sanctification is not temporary.

(Verses 11 through 18) "And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: this man after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool. For by one offering He hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that He had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where the remission of these is there is no more offering for sin."

This is the writer's final testimony regarding the superiority of the sacrifice of our Lord Christ Jesus over the offerings made by the priests of the Levitical priesthood. He first points again to two major differences between the sacrifices. The priests under the old covenant daily offered sacrifices, and oftentimes one sacrifice was only a repetition of the one before it, and worse than that, none of them could ever take away sins. In contrast, our Lord after making "one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God," having finished His work until "His enemies be made His footstool." Moreover this one offering has done what all of those before it could not do. By it "He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." And the Holy Ghost is Himself a witness to us that this has been done. For it is He, Who through Jeremiah said, "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put My laws in their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." Upon this foundation the writer declares that "where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin." There is no more need for such.

(Verses 19 through 25) "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh; and having an High Priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised;) and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."

All that has been said heretofore, even from Chapter I, verse 2, when the writer tells us that in these last days God has spoken to us by His Son, down to the present point is summed up in verses 19 through 21. Jesus is the High Priest over the "house of God," not a building, but the family of God; and as such He has given us "boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus." We can enter into not only the tabernacle of the congregation, but also the "holy of holies," but only by the blood of Jesus. Nevertheless, let us by that blood come "boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." This throne of grace, or mercy seat, is in the holy of holies, in the very presence of God Himself. Yet by the blood of Jesus we are not only made able, but given boldness, and even commanded to enter into the holy of holies, and approach the mercy seat, or throne of grace. As a result of this we are to draw near not in pretense, but with a true heart in full assurance of faith. Some may hold that when the writer says, "having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water", he is speaking of water baptism. This hardly seems an adequate explanation. The first expression, as can hardly be denied, refers to that of which the sprinkling with blood, or the sprinkling with the ashes of a red heifer, under the law is the type, the purifying of the heart by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus, which is a work done by the Holy Ghost, with no help from any one; and, since our Lord Himself spoke of the Spirit as water, (see John 4:14 and John 7:37-39,) it seems most likely that the present expression, " _ _ _ and our bodies washed with pure water," has the same meaning as Paul's statement, Titus 3:5, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration _ _ _." However if one insists that this last part of the sentence intends water baptism, there is one thing that must be kept in mind, the heart must first be sprinkled from, or purified from, an evil conscience before having the body washed with pure water can be of any value. With these things done for us, "let us hold fast the profession of our faith." With such a High Priest, we have nothing to fear, and no reason to turn back to the old covenant. Our High Priest has promised to save us to the uttermost, and He is faithful. What more could we ask? Consider, or be mindful of one another, and instead of stirring up trouble, confusion, etc., let us "provoke one another to love and good works." This we are to do by setting the best possible examples of love and good works, and by daily exhorting one another in love and humility. Now if we are to do this, it follows that we must not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. And this is more important the closer we come to the day of the return of our Lord. The fact that it has been nearly two thousand years since this was written does not change the message. Even if His return is not immediately imminent, who can say how much longer any one of us has before we are called away?

(Verses 26 and 27) "For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries." 

Again the writer makes use of a hypothesis to show the seriousness of what he is saying. Notice that he does not say that anyone is ever going to sin willfully after having received the knowledge of the truth, neither does he say that no one will. What he does say is that should such a thing take place, there is no more sacrifice for sins. There is nothing left that can take away sin; and no man shall ever see God in peace without his sins taken away. There is one thing that stands out in this hypothesis. It is that this sin of which he speaks is committed willfully. For a person to sin willfully, two things are necessary. He must know that what he is doing is sin, and he must be doing it because it is sin, in an attempt to show God that he can get away with it. It is an act of open rebellion against God. For one who has received the knowledge of the truth to do such would leave him entirely uncovered and exposed to the wrath of God, which is indeed fearful; and it will devour all His adversaries. One must keep in mind that there are many different kinds of knowledge. There is that which is sometimes called, "head knowledge," as opposed to what is called "heart knowledge." The former is that common, or general knowledge which is received through the natural senses and the process of thinking, and to which we may attach no deep significance, while the latter has such profound effect upon us that our lives are governed thereby. Even the wicked have this common knowledge of the truth, although they care nothing about it. Nevertheless, as noted above, this says neither that this will, or will not, take place. But in view of the great quantity of teaching in the scriptures concerning the eternal security of the elect, we would be forced to come back to this same writer's statement in Chapter VI, verse 9, "But beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things which accompany salvation, though we thus speak."

(Verses 28 through 31) "He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know Him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto Me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

Here the writer continues the same hypothesis set forth in verse 26. He reminds us that, under the covenant by which men who die are made priests, those who despised its laws, (which is, of course, also despising its law-giver, Moses, who was only a servant,) were put to death upon the testimony of two or three witnesses. Then he says, in essence, "Suppose someone who has been sanctified by the blood of the new covenant, the blood of the Son of God, should so despise it that he would trample the Son of God under foot, do despite to the Spirit of grace, and count that blood as an unholy thing. How much worse do you think should be his punishment than that of him who despised the other covenant?" It is obvious from the very wording of the question that the punishment of the one who despises the new covenant is to be worse than that of the one who despised the old, regardless of to what degree we think it should be. Sometimes we hear people talking about calamities in this life, and rating them worse than death; but there is only one thing that our Lord set forth as being worse than death. (Matthew 10:28) "And fear not them, which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him, Which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." The great cry today is that God is such a loving and merciful God that He will not put such cruel punishment upon anyone; but notice this: "For we know Him that hath said, ‘Vengeance belongeth unto Me, I will recompense, saith the Lord.’ And again, ‘The Lord shall judge His people.’ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." We have entirely too many today who want to "water down" this declaration. It must be taken at full face value, in all its solemnity. Nevertheless this does not in the least endanger anyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ, for such are born of God, and cannot fall away.

(Verses 32 through 34) "But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions, partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and enduring substance."

This is said to strengthen the faith of these brethren, and give them comfort. When we begin to get a little weary, and our faith seems to waver, although we have not had so traumatic an experience as these brethren had endured, ("ye endured a great fight of afflictions; partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used,") we have been through experiences upon which we can look back, and seeing the hand of God in them, draw strength and comfort therefrom, knowing that the same God Who brought us through those trials can keep us all the way. Even if our present possessions may all be taken away from us, we "have in heaven a better and an enduring substance."

{Verses 35 through 37) "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and He that shall come, will come, and will not tarry."

We sometimes come into seasons that are discouraging to us. In such times we are prone to grow weary, and perhaps, begin to have doubts and fears. At such times let us not throw away our confidence in the Lord. It is far too valuable to be discarded. In such times we need to remember the words of an old song we sometimes sing about hope:

                           "It sometimes seems so little,

                            I think I'll throw it by:

                            And sometimes seems sufficient,

                            If I were called to die."

These seasons, though unpleasant, are used to increase our patience, which is a virtue we very much need. We should not expect to receive the fulfillment of God's promises immediately upon doing that which we think is the will of God. He sometimes delays the blessing that our patience may by this exercise be strengthened. So we must patiently await His coming. It may seem long to us, but with God there is no counting of time, for with Him one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. He will come at the appointed time, and will not tarry, or be late.

(Verses 38 and 39) "Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them that draw back to perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul."

(Verses 1 through 4) "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that, things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh."

Sometimes as we read a person's writings, or listen to his speaking, we tend to place our own definition upon his words, but in this chapter we have no excuse for misunderstanding his meaning of "faith," which is one of the most used words in this discussion. The writer defines the word before beginning his discussion of the subject he wishes to present. According to that definition it is "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." The substance of anything is that of which it consists, or the reality of it.  If we tell someone the substance of a speech we have heard, we may not repeat every word the speaker has used to embellish his ideas, but we do have to transmit the ideas that are the body, or essence, or "substance" of that speech. Thus faith is the very body, or reality of that for which we hope. To the Colossians the Apostle Paul said, "_ _ _ which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." So then, since faith is the substance of that hoped for, and Christ is the hope of glory, it can actually be said that Christ in us is our faith. Not only is faith the substance of things hoped for, it is also "the evidence of things not seen." So with this definition of "faith," we are brought to the inescapable conclusion that faith is not "believing in the promises of God", but rather "that which enables and causes us to believe," or to say the same thing in different words, it is unshakable confidence in God. This is what caused "the elders", or the men of God in old times, to obtain a good report. Notice that the writer says, "Through faith we understand THAT the worlds were framed _ _ _," not "Through faith we understand HOW the worlds were framed _ _ _." By reason of, or through, the confidence God has given us in Himself, we believe His written word, and by it we are informed, and thus "understand" that the worlds [literally "ages"] were framed by the word ["hrema," spoken word] of God, "so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." If we attempt to make anything, we must first assemble suitable materials for our project; but not so with God. With no materials at hand He spoke, and by the power of His spoken word the work was done. The things that are seen were made, but not from things that appear, that is, that were already existent, for none were.

Usually when the statement, "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain," is brought up for discussion, the idea will be set forth that this means that Abel by faith looked to the coming of Christ, and accordingly offered a sacrifice that was a "type" of His suffering as the Lamb of God for the sins of His people, while Cain's offering had in it no such "type," showing that Cain had no faith in the coming of our Lord. This may have some merit.  However, in view of all the examples given by the writer in this chapter, it seems that his strongest emphasis is not on what is the object of his faith, but on the simple fact that Abel had confidence in God, and Cain did not. This whole sentence, down to the colon, "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts," seems so nearly the same as the Apostle Paul said about Abraham, (Romans 4:3,) "For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness," that it appears that simply the confidence in God which God had instilled in his heart is the difference, without regard to any "type," or "figure," that might, or might not, be in the sacrifice itself. Nevertheless God bears witness of the righteousness of Abel, and testifies of his gifts. Through the testimony of God concerning him, although he has long been dead, he still speaks, because the witness of God is eternal.

The next of "the elders" mentioned is Enoch, one of only two members of the human race, who ever left this world except by death. Enoch, instead of dying, was taken by the power of God from this world, and placed in heaven. This is spoken of as his being "translated". Genesis 6:24 says, "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." The writer here says, "for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God." Although in Genesis nothing is said about Enoch's faith, the writer here declares, "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death". Then in verse 6 he proceeds to prove Enoch's faith by this statement, "But without faith it is impossible to please God." Therefore Enoch must have had faith since "before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God." Our Lord said, in one place, "No man cometh to the Father but by Me," and in another, "No man can come to Me, except the Father Which hath sent Me draw him;" and here the writer says, "For he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." So in considering these scriptures, we must acknowledge that faith is the identifying mark of those who, being drawn of the Father, come to the Son, and by Him to the Father; and since there is no other way to the Father, except by the Son, and since he that comes to the Father must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, we conclude that God gives faith to all of His elect. The ones mentioned in this chapter are only a few of those who are thus blessed, and have made exemplary use of that faith. Since all the examples given here can be found in more detail in the Old Testament, we shall not here take the time to mention every one of them, but put more attention on what the writer says about some of them.

(Verses 8 through 10) "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs of the promise: for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."

Abraham's faith was such that without questioning where he was going, he followed the command of God. Even though he spent the remainder of his life in the land of promise, he had no permanent dwelling place, but he, Isaac, and Jacob, all dwelt in tabernacles, or tents, all their lives, although they were all heirs of the promise of God. They, however, were looking beyond this world, and were looking for "a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." So it has ever been with God's people. They recognize that there is nothing for them here.  Their hope is beyond the veil.

(Verses 13 through 16) "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He hath prepared for them a city."

All those whom the writer has listed, together with those he will list later, are properly included in this quotation, for they all died before our Lord made His first advent into this world, which can be considered as a limited, or partial fulfilling of the promise of God, although the complete fulfillment awaits the day of the resurrection. So all, who, while looking for the return of our Lord, have fallen asleep in Christ, can also be included with them. So he says that although these did not live in this world long enough to see the promises fulfilled, they did die in the faith with full assurance and confidence in both the promises and Him Who made them. They did not consider themselves citizens of this world, but strangers and pilgrims therein. If they had a desire to turn back to "that country from which they came," there might have been opportunity for that, but they were seeking a heavenly country. God is not ashamed to be called the God of such, but instead of being ashamed, He has prepared a city to receive them.

In verses 17 through 19 we are referred to the incident of Abraham's trial, which is fully described in Genesis 22:1-14. Here in verse 19 the writer says concerning Abraham, "Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure." This faith is shown in Genesis 22:5, "And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you." As the writer continues he makes mention of several more whose faith was outstanding, and who by that faith wrought great works of valor and righteousness, all of which is recorded in more detail in the Old Testament.

(Verses 35 through 38) "Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: and others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented: (of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth."

It seems very strange when we hear men today who claim to be ministers of the word of God, declaring that if one will only turn away from sin, and serve God the path will be easy from there on, and all his troubles will be over. No other lie could please Satan more. He knows that one led to believe such, will soon meet with the greatest disappointment possible. Then, while he is in depression from such, Satan moves in with his temptation, saying, "It is just not worth the effort; and after all since you see that what you were told about this is not true, the rest is probably just as worthless." Some may think this would be beneficial in that those who were not really moved by the Spirit of God will turn back, leaving only those who have really been born again. This is a very callous way of looking at the matter. And besides this, even if such could be allowed, there will be many of the Lord's elect who will be burdened with doubts and fears that they ought not to have, and would not have if they were properly instructed in the beginning. That is the writer's purpose in reminding us of these things, just as did our Lord Himself when He said, (Luke 14:26-27,) "If any man come to Me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whosoever doth not take up his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple." It would be difficult indeed to find a group of people at any place, or in any time of history, who have suffered as much as God's faithful servants, people who, though always despised by the world are so far above the world that the world is not worthy of them. Any time when we begin to feel that we are having a difficult pathway, we should review this passage and then notice what follows it.

(Verses 39 and 40) "And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect."

(Verses 1 through 4) "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith: Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin."

Having given us such a lengthy list of faithful servants of God who have suffered all things for their faith, the writer says, "wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses." That is, we do not have to depend solely upon "the elders" for witnesses of faith; they are all around, like a great cloud. Indeed at the time of the writing of this epistle, faithful men, women and children were being persecuted, scourged, imprisoned, put into the arena with hungry wild beasts, and put to death in many other ways. Such witnesses were indeed all around. Because of these witnesses we are encouraged to lay aside every weight. It was common practice in that day, and is to some extent today for athletes in training for races, to attach weights to their feet while practicing running. Then when entering a real race they would remove the weights. As a result of this practice they could run faster in the race. In effect we are here told that practice time is over. It is now time to make the real race; and we must put aside the weights. Not only so, but we also must lay aside the sin by which we are so easily beset. He does not tell us which sin that is, because one person may be more easily beset by one sin, while someone else may be more subject to another. In fact we should put aside all sin. Then we are to run this race with patience, or endurance. This race is not a sprint such as a fifty, or even a hundred, yard dash. Instead it is the marathon of marathons, and we need endurance to run it successfully. While running this race we must keep our eyes upon "Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith." An architect is one who has been trained to design and plan structures of various kinds, and could well be called the author of any building he has so developed. However for that structure to come into actual being, one trained in construction must be brought in to build it.  Thus he qualifies as the finisher of the project. Yet insofar as our faith is concerned, Jesus is both the Author and the Finisher of it. He designed it and brought it into being. It can also properly be said that of our race, He is both the starting and the finishing line. He is our all in all. As we look upon Him we see One, Who, holding the shame of His cross to be of little, or no, value, endured it looking steadfastly upon the joy of the finished race. He endured all the persecution, derision, and contradiction, that sinners heaped upon Him. He endured even to the shedding of His own blood. This we are to consider lest we become weary and faint hearted, and are tempted to turn back. We have "not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin." We have no reason to be discouraged.

(Verses 5 through 8) "And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him: for whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons."

A common series of questions from people who are enduring any sort of affliction or trouble is, "Why has this come upon me? Is it because of something I have done? If so, what is it?" As we study Chapter XI, and Chapter XII down to this point, we are brought to the conclusion that these questions are totally unnecessary. If it is a trial of our faith, as are many of those incidents set forth in Chapter XI, our faith will be the stronger for it. And if it is chastisement for some of our errors, it tells us that God loves us and is dealing with us as with sons. Therefore, in either case, it should be of comfort to us. These things we need to keep in mind so that we will respect the chastening rod of God, and not become discouraged or faint hearted because of it. There would be greater reason to fear if we had no chastisement.

(Verses 9 and 10) "Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness."

Not only does chastisement show that God is dealing with us as with sons, but when we consider the further analogy we are made to realize the value of being subject to the chastening of God. We all have had "fathers of our flesh" who chastened and corrected us, and we respected them. All they could promise us is support of natural life. Why should we not gladly be subject to God, Who gives eternal life? Another point for consideration is that our fathers of the flesh were imperfect, and regardless of how good were their intentions, the imperfections of the flesh made them subject to mistakes. Therefore their chastening of us during the short time we were under their charge was "after their own pleasure." On the other hand, God is perfect, and makes no mistakes; and all chastisement at His hand is "for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness." Certainly this does not mean that by this chastening we will be made partakers of His holiness in the resurrection, for that depends solely upon the blood and righteousness of our Lord Jesus the Christ. Therefore it assuredly must mean that by it we are brought more into conformity with "the image of His Son" while we live here in this world.

(Verses 11 through 13) "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them that are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees; and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed."

Surely this passage needs no explanation, but this observation should be made. The converse of verse 11 is just as true as that stated; and today we have a national, if not a world-wide example of it. "The lack of discipline seems pleasant at the present: but afterward it yields the bitter fruits of rebellion and anarchy to those who are thus let go." This is in our natural situation today; but in the analogy of the writer, would it not also be true in the spiritual? So let us be thankful for His chastening, take strength and courage from the fact that we receive it, and "make straight paths" for our feet by following our Lord's commandments and example. Thus those who may be lame or weak will be healed and strengthened instead of being led astray.

(Verses 14 through 17) "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of bread sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears."

God's people are to follow after peace, do those things that will promote peace, even with their enemies, not to the point of renouncing, nor even compromising, their faith in our Lord Jesus the Christ or their obedience to Him, but by being as gentle to, and as humble before, all men as possible. There is a doctrine being taught in our present society called, "Passive Resistance;" and even some who claim to be Christians are teaching and following it.  If there is something going on that they do not like, they gather a group together, go to the place where it is being done, if possible force themselves into the path of those doing the work, and either sit or lie there until taken away by the police. Even when that which they are protesting is contrary to the laws of God, such as abortion, which by any manner of consideration is MURDER, all they accomplish is to advertise it, antagonize those engaged in it, making them more vociferous in its support, antagonize the general public who usually do not care about the issue one way or the other, and cause wicked men to blaspheme the word of God. We certainly should go on record against all evil things, both publicly and privately. Not only so, but we should have no fellowship with any who engage in evil doing. Yet we are to show gentleness and humility even in our firmness. Stirring up confrontation is the direct opposite of "following peace." We are also to follow holiness, which can only be done by obedience to the commandments and examples of our Lord. Notice that in verses 15 and 16 there are three "lests." According to the dictionary, "lest" means, "for fear that; in case; that _ _ _ not." Since the admonition is given that we should look diligently lest these things be, it appears that the intent is that, as much as possible, we are to prevent these things. The first is "lest any man fail of the grace of God." Someone will immediately say, "But we don't have any control over whether or not one receives the grace of God." That is certainly true, but it is not what the writer says. He says, "lest any man fail of the grace of God," which does not mean "fail to receive it," but "fail to utilize it in his life," The Apostle Paul says, "I do not frustrate the grace of God," which is exactly the same as is under consideration here. There are two things we can do to prevent such. We must set forth an example of making the best use we can of the grace of God in our own lives, and we can "exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today;’ lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." (Heb. 3:13) Then we are to give diligence "lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled." The "root" of any thing is that from which it is generated, or from which it grows. In cultivating a garden or field we often find obnoxious grasses, that, if neglected, can require much hard labor to bring them back under control; and in the process many good plants can also be damaged. But if, when we find a small root of that grass, we remove it immediately, it takes very little labor and does little, and often no, damage to good plants. So it is with those things which cause bitterness in the garden of the Lord. If we, His laborers, watch diligently for such, and remove them at once, while they are still small roots, we can prevent a world of heartache and bitterness. Finally we all must watch diligently, lest there be among us any fornicator, or profane person [literally "male prostitute" or "ungodly person"] such as Esau, who considered one "bowl of pottage" more valuable than his birthright as the elder son of Isaac. Although we have given the literal meaning of two Greek words above, and certainly such persons as they describe naturally are not to be desired in the fellowship of the saints, the writer's emphasis is primarily upon those, who from a spiritual standpoint might be considered as corresponding to such. That is, those who care nothing about the Lord, or any birthright as a child of God, but are only interested in what they may be able to get now, for so it was with Esau. He said, "Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me?" Afterward, he wanted the blessing that goes with the birthright but, as the writer here says, "He found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears." For such there is no place of "turning back." From such we are to withdraw ourselves, and have no fellowship with them.

(Verses 18 through 24) "For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: (for they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: and so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) but ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the Firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel."

Verses 18 through 21 are a recounting of the event of the giving of the law to Moses; and a more complete account is given in Exodus, beginning in Chapter 19. The writer's usage of this account is that it may represent the old or Levitical covenant, while the remainder of the passage is related to the new covenant and the priesthood "after the order of Melchisedec." Since the writer says, "For ye are not come" unto those things which pertain to the old covenant, we shall pass them with no further comment, and consider those things unto which he says, "ye are come." "But ye are come unto mount Sion , [or " Zion ,"] and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem ." The writer of this epistle, as pointed out before, is addressing Jewish Christians. And to a Jew, mount Zion and Jerusalem are two of the holiest places in the world; and from the time that the ark of the covenant was established in it, Jerusalem has been considered "the city of the living God." However, the writer here makes it clear that he is speaking not of the earthly mount Zion and Jerusalem , but the "heavenly Jerusalem ." Someone will immediately say that this is "the gospel church." If by so saying, one means any one of the organizations claiming to be "the church" today, or even the aggregate of all of them, he could not be farther from the truth. In coming to this "heavenly Jerusalem ," we come to an "innumerable company of angels." Earlier in this epistle it was declared that the angels of God are " all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation." So in coming to this mount Zion , we have come unto them, or have been brought into their midst for their service and protection. We have come to the general assembly and church of the Firstborn, which are written in heaven. All of those champions of faith mentioned in Chapter XI are surely of this number who are written in heaven, as well as all the elect of God in their day, in our time, and in all ages.  So they are all written in heaven, and are all part of this "general assembly and church of the Firstborn." We have come to "God the Judge of all." This was not possible under the old covenant. "If so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart," was the commandment when God came down on Mt, Sinai. And throughout the law dispensation no person except the high priest was ever permitted to enter the holy of holies, and he "not at all times" Now we have come to "God the Judge of all." We have direct access to Him. We have come to "the spirits of just men made perfect." The saints of God in ages past, although faithful and just, were justified only in anticipation of the sacrifice to be made by our Lord Jesus the Christ. They did not during their lives here on earth receive the fulfillment of that promise; but now that He has come, and has "by one offering perfected for ever them that are sanctified," they are by it made perfect. Thus through Him we are brought into fellowship with these "spirits of just men made perfect." As is said in Chapter XI, verses 39 and 40, "And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." By the coming of our Lord Christ Jesus to die for our sins, and to rise again for our justification, both they and we are made perfect in spirit; and at His return these bodies will also be made perfect. So the saints of both the old and the new covenants are brought together under one, the new. And finally we have come "to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel." This wonderful covenant, under which God will, and does, put His laws into our minds and write them in our hearts; under which He will make us His people and will be our God; and under which He will be merciful to our unrighteousness, and will remember our sins and iniquities no more, brings all of God's people together unto one Mediator, Christ Jesus our Lord.  Although, by definition, a mediator is "one in the middle," or between the two parties to a covenant, agreement, or discussion, while our Lord does, by His example, and teaching, and by the Holy Ghost, intercede with us to obey the commandments of God, and by His very Presence with the Father, is a perpetual intercession with God on our behalf, yet He has also given us direct access to the Father through His name.  "And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. _ _ _ At that day ye shall ask in My name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: for the Father Himself loveth you, because ye have loved Me, and have believed that I came out from God." (John 14:23-24 and 26-27) Those who believe in Him have the privilege of direct access, through His name only, to the Father, something that was not given under the old covenant. Even Abel approached God only by sacrifice. The sprinkling of the blood of Christ upon us, gives us free access to Him and to the Father, much better things than were given to Abel.

(Verses 25 through 29) "See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him That speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now He hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire."

(Verses 1 through 6) "Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."

This, perhaps, is clear enough that all can understand it. Yet a few comments may be in order. Our Lord has taught us by word and deed, to be ready to help those in need, and to show hospitality to strangers. The writer reminds us that in being hospitable to strangers some have even entertained angels without being aware of it. One of the most outstanding examples of this is given in Genesis, Chapter 19, when Lot took in the strangers who came to Sodom . When he says, "Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them," he is, of course, speaking of those who are in bonds, or in prison for the sake of the gospel; and the adversity suffered by any brother or sister is to be felt as our own. There were, at the time of this writing, as there are today, those who forbid marriage, but the word of God is clear; "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." We should remember that the word, here translated "judge," also means "condemn." As is normal New Testament usage, "conversation," in verse 5, means much more than we usually associate with it. It means our entire manner of living, or our conduct. So in all things we are to lay aside covetousness; and be content with that which God has given us, because whether we have much or little of this world's goods, our Lord has said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." What more could we want? So with this promise we can boldly say, "The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."

(Verses 7 through 9) "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein."

The expression, "them which have the rule over you," has no reference to anyone's ruling over you, as a master, and legislating what you can, or cannot do. Instead it means those who lead you by teaching the doctrines of God, as the next clause proves: "who have spoken to you the word of God." These we are to remember, and follow their example and their faith as it is shown in their manner of living. We are to consider the "end," or goal, of their lifestyle, which is Jesus the Christ; and He never changes. He is "the same yesterday, and today, and for ever." We should not, and must not, be carried about by "divers," different, and strange doctrines. Those things taught by our Lord and His apostles not only will stand, but they are all we need. Any later so-called, "revelation" is to be rejected out of hand. Neither are we to go back to the doctrines of the old covenant. The good thing for us is that our hearts be established with grace, that upon which the new covenant is founded; not with meats, such as the sacrifices of the old covenant, which have not even been profitable to those who were occupied with them all through the law dispensation.

(Verses 10 through 14) "We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come."

This passage is especially suited to the Jewish Christian, as in fact is the whole epistle. Under the old covenant some sacrifices that were brought had only certain parts that were actually to be offered on the altar. The remainder was to be "eaten before the Lord." Our altar, which is the communion table, only celebrates an offering, which corresponds to the sin offering, of which only the blood was carried into the sanctuary by the high priest, and the body was burned without the camp, thus leaving nothing of it to be eaten. So those who serve the old tabernacle cannot partake of the new altar. Our Lord, that He might fulfill that which was shown in type by the sin offering, and that He might sanctify the people by His own blood, suffered without the gate, or outside the city. "Then delivered he Him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led Him away. And He bearing His cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: where they crucified Him _ _ _".(John 19:16-18) This place is outside the city of Jerusalem . Then we are exhorted thus: "Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek one to come." Since our Lord suffered without the camp, we are to leave "the camp," the old covenant, and go to Him without the camp bearing his reproach. He has been cast out of the camp; and because of that, as we are his followers, there is no more place therein for us, we have no continuing city here, in this camp. So inasmuch as those of this camp have dishonored, cast out and crucified our Lord, let us bear that reproach also, and go out to Him, for even as did Abraham, we seek a city that hath foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God.

(Verses 15 through 17) "By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name. But to do good and communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."

We no longer are to offer burnt sacrifices and offerings to God. Jesus has finished all of that for us forever by offering Himself on the cross. Now our offerings to God are the continual giving of thanks to Him through our Lord Jesus the Christ for all His wonderful blessings to us. There is, however, something we can do for one another, for all the family of God, and indeed for our fellow man. What we can do for them may vary all the way from contributing all we can to them when they are in need, to simply lending a sympathetic ear to the account of their troubles, and in all cases praying for and with them. When we do these things they are accounted of God as sacrifices to Him; and with them He is well pleased. Again, when he says, "Them that have the rule over you," he is not speaking of one who rules as a dictator, but as a faithful pastor, "rules," or watches over the flock, and faithfully teaches the word of God and warns against evil. These we are to obey. They are responsible to God for the care they take of the flock; and as long as they are faithfully discharging their duty it is profitable to the flock to render obedience to their teaching and example.

(Verses 18 and 19) "Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. But I beseech you rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner."

This certainly is in need of no explanation. A point we would like to address is that of the attitude of the writer, which may also give a small clue of the identity of the writer. We are told that the time of this writing is about 68 AD, or approximately one year later than the date assigned to Second Timothy. In the letter to Timothy the Apostle Paul seemed to be fully assured that he would not be released from prison, but would soon be executed. He said, "For I am ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand." Also it is apparent that he was executed at the end of that imprisonment. (Of course, those who have tried to set the date for this writing had no more to go on than do we; and therefore they may be wrong about the time.) This writer says, "But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner," signifying his complete confidence that he would be freed, and that by their prayers it might be brought about sooner than otherwise. Another, perhaps minor, point is that Paul always positively declared his conscience to be good, while this writer says, "for we trust we have a good conscience," which is not in keeping with the Apostle's usual manner of speaking. Although, as has already been said, much of the writing seems to have many of the characteristics of the Apostle Paul's writings, there also may be a possibility that it may be by a different author, which in no wise discredits the truth of it.

(Verses 20 and 21) "Now the God of Peace, That brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, That great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

Thus the writer gives his benediction, in which he sets forth a few fundamental and precious truths. It is "the God of peace," Who, of course, is God the Father, Who has "brought again from the dead, our Lord Jesus, That great Shepherd of the sheep." By this He signified acceptance and approval of the work done by Jesus in the salvation of His people. Jesus is the great Shepherd; all His ministers are only under-shepherds. It is through the blood of Jesus, which is the "blood of the everlasting covenant," the new covenant as set forth in this epistle, that He makes us perfect in every good work to do His will. It is He, Who works in us that which is well pleasing in His sight; and all of this is done "through Jesus Christ to Whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen".

In verse 22 the writer requests that these brethren give heed to the exhortation he has written. In verse 23 he informs them that Timothy has been set at liberty, and promises that if Timothy  visits them soon, he also will be with him. He salutes the elders among them, and all the saints, closing with this prayer: "Grace be with you all. Amen.