(CHAPS. 1. and 2.)
THE PERSONAL GLORY OF THE SON.
FROM what has been said already it will be seen that the main subject of this epistle is Christ in the seat of heavenly supremacy according to the four different characters in which He is viewed therein. We will now consider the object for which the Spirit of God thus reveals Him. The object is undoubtedly to fashion the souls of the saints in conformity therewith.
But before examining in detail the various chapters, let us recall that most touching incident in the Lord’s last journey to Jerusalem when, drawing near to the city, He wept over it as its ruin passed prophetically before his eyes (Luke 19:4242Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. (Luke 19:42)). And a little later, predicting the desolation of the Temple, He cries, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matt. 23:3737O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! (Matthew 23:37)). We see how His love longed after and would have gathered Israel under His all-sufficient and protecting power — a haven of safety from all evil.
But they would not; and instead, the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel together that they might seize Jesus by subtlety and kill Him, and finally persuaded the people to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. Thus was His life taken from the earth; and blessing for man in the flesh, in virtue of promises made to him, was Forever lost as depending upon His responsibility, and instead, His blood was upon them and their children.
Irretrievable as was the consequent ruin of Israel and of man after the flesh, no floods of evil can drown the love of Christ, neither can the many waters quench it; so that when they crucified Him in the place called Golgotha, or a place of a skull, and the malefactors one on the right hand and the other on the left, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Impossible that His cry on behalf of others should be unheard, or His intercession not prevail, proceeding as it did from a heart in which the infinite love of God found, and only there, the theater of its glorious display. Therefore in answer to His cry, the remission of sins is preached to them in the gospel on the day of Pentecost; and the promise of the Holy Spirit is fulfilled which He had poured out when exalted by the right hand of God.
Thus as the divine Son of David (Acts 2:30-3530Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; 31He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. 32This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. 33Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. 34For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, 35Until I make thy foes thy footstool. (Acts 2:30‑35)) He is revealed as exalted, and in heaven made both Lord and Christ; but beyond this His place is undefined. Subsequently Peter proposes the blessing to them according to God’s word to Abraham, which says: “In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed,” and he offers that upon repentance the Lord would send Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-2519Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; 20And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: 21Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. 22For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 23And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. 24Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. 25Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. (Acts 3:19‑25)). Earthly blessing in the seed of Abraham was still possible then and there; and He would come out of heaven to establish it if they would receive Him. But instead they laid hands on the apostles and put them in prison, beating them on another occasion and commanding them not to speak in the name of Jesus. Thus put they Christ’s ambassadors to shame.
Still the Lord lingers over them in patience, loth as it were to break the links with that earthly system which bore His name, and to which His saints still clung. So when the Spirit opens heaven to the view of Stephen, he bears testimony that the Son of man is standing at the right hand of God — not yet set down, but still as in the act of intercession for the people. Yet him they stone in murderous hate, and the final breach is made which leaves to the saints the heavenly place alone.
Hitherto it had been the joy of the Jewish believers to have the glorious position of Christ thus revealed in ever-increasing distinctness and grandeur, but a change is now observable, and Saul of Tarsus, become the chief instrument of the Spirit’s energy, converted by the direct vision of the Lord Jesus in heaven, not only excites from the outset the murderous opposition of the Jews, but also is viewed with suspicion by the disciples themselves (Acts 9:22:27). This clung to him throughout his course in an ever-increasing measure, and the prejudice with which he was regarded even by his brethren in the faith caused his ministry to be neglected and himself despised (Acts 15:2, 21:21-24; Gal. 1:11-1611But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. 13For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it: 14And profited in the Jews' religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. 15But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, 16To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood: (Galatians 1:11‑16); 2 Tim1: 15, 4:10, &c.).
So it came to pass that the sitting of Christ at the right hand of God, the doctrine of which is taught exclusively in Paul’s epistles (Col. 3:11If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1); Eph. 1:2020Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1:20); cf. 2 Cor. 4:1-61Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. 5For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:1‑6)), found but a very inadequate place in the hearts and consciences of the saints, and consequently had very little effect on their life and walk. To remedy this defect in the faith of the Jewish saints the Epistle to the Hebrews was written.
A feeble and intermittent communion with God not only leaves the soul exposed to the attacks of Satan, but, what is more, leaves us uninstructed and uninterested as to the thoughts and purposes of God, so that we become occupied religiously with our own thoughts. Thus the world is set up in the heart, though perhaps in a religious way. It was so with these Hebrews, but how graciously the Spirit labors to fix the eyes of their faith upon Jesus seated at God’s right hand, and thus bring them into line with what God was doing.
Although the city and the land could be no longer called their own, fallen as they were under the dominion of the Romans, there remained to them still the holy place and the law in which to boast (Acts 6:13, 21:28; cf. Matt. 26:6161And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. (Matthew 26:61)). Now they had received the law as ordained by the ministry of angels (Acts 7:5353Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. (Acts 7:53); Gal. 3:1919Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. (Galatians 3:19)) in the hand of a mediator; and prior to the gospel it was in the prophets that in many parts and in many ways God had spoken, but always intermediately. All these agencies, however, now gave place to the Son in whom He Himself had personally spoken to them. In Him law was superseded though fulfilled; angelic glory paled before the personal dignity of the Son, and a mediator was no longer possible if God held immediate intercourse with man. Their ancient glories and privileges, and so their prepossessions, were annulled in view of that revelation which is not ancient because it is eternal.
Man shrinks from committing himself entirely to the thoughts of God, but how far better are His thoughts than ours! The inheritance given to man he has spoiled, defiled with his sins, yet would he seek his happiness therein, though all his days are sorrows and his travail grief. But He by whom the worlds were made, and by whom they shall be inherited, enters the scene of ruin wrought by sin, and, having made purification of sins, set Himself down on the right hand of the greatness on high. Thus He takes a supreme place as having done a supreme work; and every creature, however great and glorious, must take a subordinate place under Him as benefiting by His work. God’s angels that excel in strength shall worship Him. If He made all things He shall rule them in uprightness, and in due time unmake and change them. His gladness He shares with companions in manhood, anointed like Himself. Above them, indeed, because He, though truly in manhood, is God the Son, the alone Unchangeable, whose years shall not fail.
Of the material universe He disposes at His pleasure; His companions are chosen from among men. The angelic hosts are ministering spirits sent forth to serve such in unjealous grace; but no longer to be intermediate between God and man — no longer to furnish law with its solemn terrors on the one hand, and on the other to veil its inexorable exaction, so that man in the flesh might be tested. God has Himself spoken to men and made them companions of His gladness (Heb. 1:99Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Hebrews 1:9)). Thus He is everything for them. To the heirs of salvation the Son is all, and angels retire from the ministry of law imposed on man, to serve those who inherit salvation, in whom a far more excellent glory than that of law is displayed, and a nearer and more intimate place with God. Yet angels in yielding the glory of law’s high authority for the place of lowly service of grace, follow the pattern of Christ’s humility.
This necessarily sets man as under God in the highest and most authoritative place. But of what man or Son of man does Scripture speak? Not of Adam, who was not son of man, but of Jesus, who was made some little inferior to angels on account of the suffering of death. He it is who is crowned with glory and Honor, so that by the grace of God He should taste death for everything. God the eternal Son, who, having made purification for sins, sets Himself on the right hand of the greatness on high, is found in manhood on the throne, and is there crowned with glory and Honor (2:9) as man, under whose feet all things are subjected.
We see not yet all things put under Him, but we see Jesus the leader of our salvation, bringing the many sons to glory through sufferings, so as to display gloriously everything that God is morally and in His nature. Not as in the first creation, which merely exhibited His eternal power and divinity in what He did; this manifests what He is. It is the setting up in the man Christ Jesus of the new creation, where all things are of God; though this is not the subject of Hebrews.
In this He makes us all of one (2:11) with Himself, the Sanctifier and the sanctified, calling us brethren; and having taken part in flesh and blood, in which we were participators, He annuls through death the devil, who has the power of death. Death opposes an insuperable barrier to the might of the foe. To pass through it is to escape Forever from his bondage. This Jesus does for us, and we are effectually freed, since He and we are all of one; so that in resurrection He makes known the Father’s name, and sings in the midst of the assembly.
As lawful captives we needed to be redeemed from the hand of the enemy; but without a Friend, a Merciful and Faithful High Priest in things relating to God, how could we have hoped to reach the glory? This, Jesus becomes for us; but if so, it behoved Him (2:17) to pass through every circumstance of suffering in which His people may be found. A Priest on high, He is now able to succor those that are being tempted, for He being tempted has suffered even unto death.
But this introduces the high-priesthood of Christ, His present heavenly service, which, after setting forth the dignity of His person — His supreme deity and true humanity — is the next great subject presented in this epistle.