163
April 1931
T h e
K i n g ’ s
B u s i n e s s
Around the fact of priesthood, as presented in Scrip ture, there gather not only the ideas of propitiation, in tercession, and benediction, but also that of representation. Our High Priest appears in the presence of God for us. You cannot over-emphasize the force of those two words “for us.” Meditate on them and let them speak their own message. As Israel was represented by Aaron, so a Christian believer is represented by the Lord Jesus in His capacity as High Priest. We stand before God in all the infinite perfections of our Representative. Believe this and rejoice in it. Our fourth consideration brings before us the fact of His manifestation. .Look at the closing words of chap ter 9: “Unto them that look for him shall he appear the ■second time, without sin, unto salvation.” As Aaron appeared in the presence of God on Israel’s behalf and appeared to the people with the blessings of His media torial work, so shall our representative Priest one day be manifested to His waiting people. Incarnation, propiation, representation, manifestation —these four factors make our High Priest great, so great that He is “able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him.” This instruction forms the foundation upon which the exhortations rest. The late Bishop Brooks once said that no exhortation would secure an adequate response unless it were based otj some truth as great as eternity. The exhortations of this epistle have as their basis the eternal truth concerning the priesthood of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is expected that this new unfolding of Christ will beget confidence of heart and will lead to that attitude of soul which offers “the sacri fice of praise to God continually” (13:15). A dmonition The trials of life often have a depressing effecLupon the people of God, especially when the people are untaught in the Word of God. We must remember that these He brew Christians' were without the guidance and comfort of our New Testament Scriptures, At the beginning of their Christian experience, they had shown courage and endurance. From chapter 10, verses 33, 34, we see that they had suffere'd the spoiling of their goods and had sympathized with others who were passing through simi lar trials.
have no thought. They are not “at leisure from them selves.” And why? Because they have not learned that “he is faithful that promised.” This lesson is learned only by those who take time to “draw near.” I nstruction We shall omit, for the present, any further reference to this line of exhortation, and shall pass on to consider the second line of truth under the word instruction. In this epistle, the instruction concerns the person and work of Christ as the great High Priest of His people. The first mention of His priesthood is found in chap ter 2, verse 17. Then in chapter 3, verse 1, there is a call to consider “the High Priest of our confession.” The development of this matter begins in chapter 5, and reaches its culmination in chapter 10, verses 19 to 21. Look carefully at these verses. In “things pertaining to God” a priest is needed, and the need is perfectly met in the person and work of our Lord. We believe that the Church of Rome is right in its emphasis upon priesthood, but wrong in the appoint ment of human priests. They are unnecessary because of the sufficiency of our Priest who is in heaven. That sufficiency is clearly seen in the light of four considera tions, presented in this epistle, which enter into the priest ly work of Christ. First of all, He is an incarnate Priest. The words in chapter 2, verse 14, clearly teach this. The need, the fact, and the purpose of the incarnation are seen in this verse. It is worthy of careful attention, for it may be regarded as one of the great verses of Scripture. Being incarnate, God manifest in the flesh, our High Priest can be trusted and relied upon for time and for eternity. This cannot be said of any priest who is only human. It is impossible to unreservedly trust any man with our spiritual and eternal interests. We can hardly do this in material and temporal matters; how much less, then, in eternal affairs! The limitations inherent in humani ty preclude this. With an incarnate Priest, one both hu man and divine, there is a basis for perfect rest. The second consideration arises from the words in chapter 2, verse 17, where we read of our merciful and faithful High Priest making propitiation for the sins of the people. He is not only an incarnate Priest but a propitiating Priest, and His sacrifice was so sufficient that it is repeatedly said to be “once for all.” By His sacri ficial death, He met every righteous requirement on our behalf in becoming the propitiation for our sins. In the words of chapter 9, verse 14, He “offered himself with out spot to God.” In meeting the righteous requirements of God’s holy law, He secured the righteous acquittal of the guilty. The benefits and blessings of this propitiatory work belong to those who put their faith in His atoning blood shed on Calvary’s cross. To confirm this, see Rom. 3 :24-26. The third consideration arises from the words of chap ter 9, verse 24—He appears “in the presence of God for us.” He is our representative in heaven. In Christ, there is a perfect revelation from God to man, and there is a perfect representation of man to God. Christ is both Prophet and Priest.
Then, because external circumstances pressed heavily upon them, their spiritual condition experienced a change which unfitted them to stand the strain. At this crisis of affairs, this epistle was written. The Lord knew their need and met that need in the presentation of the great truths found in this letter. As we have already seen, there is a line of truth that may be gathered under the word exhortation; then a second one under the word instruction; and now, lest the instruction should fail to secure the response that might naturally be expected, sev eral admonitions are given. There are words of warning against the peril of drifting from the Word of God, against the distrust that would deprive them of the rest of God; and finally against spiritual defilement, degener acy of life and departure from God. These separate ad monitions will be considered in later issues. 6 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope.”
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