Ans. (a) Hebrews 9:26 presents to us the finished work of Christ. It is done at the end of the world, or age of man’s trial. God’s “due time” when man was proved to be ungodly and without strength to improve himself (Rom. 5:6). All the sacrifices under the law were but shadows of this great Sacrifice, and these could not purge from sin. The one Sacrifice alone can give the certainty that the believer’s sins are gone forever, so that the worshiper once purged has no more conscience of sins. He knows, therefore, that by one sacrifice he is perfected forever in the sight of God. (Heb. 10:14).
In Verse 19 he has now access into the holiest; that is, the immediate presence of God. He goes in in his priestly character, having his heart sprinkled from an evil conscience, and his body washed with pure water. (This alludes to Lev. 8:6, 30—our priestly place). But in approaching to God we also need the daily cleansing that gives us a moral fitness spoken of “a true heart, in full assurance of faith,” for though we are true children of God, and holy priests, we need always self-judgment of our ways.
(b) The verses, John 20:17-23, belong to Christianity. The new relationship as children of God our Father, and as Christ’s brethren is seen; also Christ as the center and object of gathering. Then His disciples are sent ones (apostle means sent ones); and these are seen here as having His new risen life and the Holy Spirit (this anticipates the coming of the Holy Spirit); so Verse 23 is the result of their ministry. The Lord committeed to His apostles the truth of the gospel and through them we now have it in the Scriptures, so that they had a special place of authority to administer this truth that we have not, vet it belongs to the word which any Christian may speak. Personally they had the authority, and in this sense were ambassadors for Christ, so that this 23rd verse does not belong to any man or set of men now, and if any claim this place, it is usurpation: This refers specially to their testimony in the gospel. (See also 2 Cor. 2:14-16).
Question: What is taught by the Seven Churches? What is the “Synagogue of Satan?” (Rev. 2:9; 3:9.) M. D.
Answer: Seven is the number of spiritual completeness. Revelation 2 and 3 gives us a complete picture of the spiritual state or condition of the church as the Lord’s witness here on earth from the time John wrote, till its end when Christ comes to claim His own out of it. The chief mark of each we might say: Ephesus, declension; Smyrna, persecution or suffering for Christ; Pergamos, worldliness; Thyatira, seeking worldly power; Sardis, formal religion; Philadelphia, revival of the truth of Christ’s person and coming; Laodicea, indifference to the claims of Christ. The last four run on concurrently till the end. May the Lord keep our hearts true to Himself.
“The Synagogue of Satan” is spoken of in the two phases of the assembly where no fault is found with them. It is there traditional religion opposes the truth, they “say they are Jews”—the people of God—but “they do lie.” They try to improve the flesh and to keep the law, and this recognizes good in man, whereas the truth is “in my flesh dwelleth no good thing.” Compare for the word “Jew,” which means “praise” (Rom. 2:21, 22; Gen. 29:35), those that say they are Jews, praise themselves; they are good in their own eyes.