HEBREWS,
EPISTLE
TO
to
the
Being
and
Personality
of
the
High
Priest
upon
whose
functions
he
sets
such
value?
In
other
words,
What
are
the
chief
features
of
the
Christology
of
the
Epistle
f
We
have
not
to
proceed
far
in
the
study
of
our
Epistle
before
we
are
brought
face
to
face
with
a
thought
which
dominates
each
discussion
of
the
relative
claims
of
Christ
and
the
OT
ministers
of
revelation
and
redemp-tion.
It
is
upon
His
Sonship
that
the
superiority
of
Jesus
is
based.
Neither
the
prophets
nor
the
ministering
angels,
neither
Moses
nor
Aaron,
could
lay
claim
to
that
relationship
which
is
inherent
in
the
Person
of
Jesus
Christ.
In
consequence
of
the
unique
position
occupied
by
'the
Son
of
God'
(4";
cf.
V-
«
3s
5'
7"
lO^s),
it
follows
that
the
dispensation
ushered
in
by
Him
is
above
all
that
went
before
it.
The
latter
was
but
the
dim
outline
('shadow'),
not
even
the
full
representation
('the
very
image')
'of
the
good
things
which
were
to
be'
(10').
Regarded
as
a
means
of
reveaUng
God
to
man,
this
superiority
is
self-evident,
as
the
Son
is
above
both
prophets
and
angels.
Looked
on
as
a
mediatorial
scheme
of
redemption
and
of
reconciliation,
it
stands
immeasurably
above
that
whose
representatives
were
Moses
the
lawgiver
and
Aaron
the
priest.
It
is
evident
from
what
has
been
said
that
this
feature
of
the
Personality
of
Jesus
is
transcendent
and
unique.
It
is
also
evident
that
sonship
in
a
general
sense
is
not
unknown
to
the
author
(cf.
2'°
12'-
"•).
As
if
to
preclude
all
misunderstanding
of
his
meaning,
he
at
the
outset
defines
his
belief
when
he
represents
the
Son
as
'
the
heir
of
all
things
'
and
the
agent
of
God's
creative
activity
(3"-;
cf.
Jn
1=),
the
effulgence
of
His
glory
and
the
very
image
of
His
Person.
Not
only
do
we
see
in
these
words
the
definition
of
a
faith
which
confesses
Jesus
as
the
great
world-sustaining
power
(1')
;
there
is
also
implied,
so
far
as
a
non-technical
terminology
can
do
so,
beUef
in
the
eternity
of
His
Being.
It
is
true
that
the
term
'flrst-begotten'
(l")
does
not
neces-sarily
carry
the
idea
of
eternity
with
it,
or
even
the
statement
that
He
is
the
Maker
of
the
ages
(1").
On
the
other
hand,
we
must
remember
that
these
are
but
supplemental
to
the
grand
Christological
confession
of
v.2,
which
excludes
the
notion
of
the
non-existence
of
the
Son
at
any
time
in
the
ages
of
eternity.
The
shining
of
Ught
is
coeval
with
the
light
itself,
and
the
impress
of
the
seal
on
wax
is
the
exact
reproduction
of
the
original
engraving.
It
is
true
that
we
have
here
no
systematic
declaration
of
Christological
belief.
The
time
had
not
yet
come
for
the
constructive
theologian.
At
the
same
time,
it
is
difficult
to
see
how
the
author
could
have
framed
a
more
emphatic
expression
of
his
belief
that
Jesus
the
Son
of
God
is
a
Divine
Person
from
eternity
to
eternity
(cf.
7^').
The
grand
and
final
scene
in
the
Divine
process
of
self-revelation
is
painted
in
words
of
magnificent
solemnity,
referred
to
inci-dentally,
and
repeated
again
and
again.
As
the
Son
of
God,
Jesus
had
a
Divine
inheritance
into
which
He
entered,
after
His
work
of
redemption
was
completed
on
earth,
by
sitting
down
on
the
right
hand
of
the
Majesty
on
High
(!';
cf.
l"
2»'-
4"
e^"
728.
Lk
22»»,
Mk
16").
In
his
reference
to
the
work
of
the
Son
in
'making
purification
for
sins'
(P)
the
author
impUes
at
once
Ms
beUet
in
the
humanity
of
the
Son.
Although
he
gives
us
no
direct
clue
to
the
extent
of
his
knowledge
of
the
conditions
under
which
the
Incarnation
was
effected,
he
leaves
us
in
no
doubt
not
only
that
the
man-hood
of
the
Son
is
a
reality,
but
that
for
the
work
of
redemption
it
was
necessary
that
it
should
be
so.
The
fact
that
his
allusions
to
this
doctrine
are
always
indirect
point
to
the
conclusion
that
he
expected
his
readers
to
be
familiar
with
it
as
an
indisputable
article
of
the
Christian
faith.
Besides,
he
reinforces
his
arguments
by
a
running
commentary
upon
those
Psalms
wherein
he
sees
prophetic
expressions
of
the
humiliation
of
the
Christ
(cf.
2'-
'•
"•
i8-
i«
6').
Incorporated
with
them
we
have
numerous
references
to
the
earthly
experiences
HEBREWS,
EPISTLE
TO
of
Jesus.
The
manner
of
His
death
(12^,
cf.
2»-
"),
His
general
temptations
(2'*
4"),
and,
in
particular,
that
of
Gethsemane
(5',
where
the
author
boldly
refers
to
Jesus'
prayer
to
His
Father
in
the
face
of
an
awful
calamity,
and
the
cause
which
occasioned
that
prayer).
His
work
as
preacher
of
salvation,
and
the
delegation
by
Him
of
the
work
of
proclamation
to
those
who
heard
Him
(1*
2'),
His
protracted
struggle
with
implacable
religious
enemies
(12')
—
all
point
to
our
author's
minute
acquaintance
with
the
historical
facts
of
Jesus'
life.
No
attempt
is
made
by
the
writer
to
minimize
the
extent
and
character
of
Jesus'
earthly
sufferings
and
the
limitations
to
which
He
was
subjected.
It
seems
as
if,
above
all
things,
he
is
anxious
to
impress
his
readers
with
their
stern
reality,
and
as
if
they,
in
their
turn,
were
tempted
to
despise
the
salvation
which
was
wrought
out
through
such
humiliation
(2')
.
For
him
this
humilia-tion
is
filled
with
a
moral
and
spiritual
significance
of
the
most
vital
importance.
In
His
constant
endurance
and
His
ultimate
triumph
Jesus
has
left
an
abiding
example
to
all
who
suffer
temptation
and
persecution
(122'-;
cf.
the
expression
'we
behold
him,'
etc.,
2').
■The
power
of
this
example
is
the
greater
because
of
the
oneness
of
Jesus
and
His
people
(cf.
2"),
by
which
their
endurance
and
witness
become
the
embodiment
and
extension
of
His
work
in
this
respect
(cf.
5^^
13'
12').
The
spiritual
significance
of
the
earthly
life
of
Jesus
is
no
less
real
and
splendid.
'It
was
fitting'
that
Jesus
should
be
perfected
'through
sufferings'
(,2^<>-
"),
not
only
because
He
thereby
attained
to
the
captaincy
of
salvation,
becoming
merciful
and
faithful
(2")
and
sympathizing
(4»),
but
because
the
ability
to
help
'his
brethren'
(cf.
2"-
")
springs
from
the
double
fact
that
He
is
one
with
them
in
His
experiences,
and
at
the
same
time
victorious
over
sin
('apart
from
sin,'
4",
cf.
7"
9")
as
they
are
not.
The
profound
synthesis
of
the
humiliation
and
the
glory
of
Jesus
thus
effected
by
our
author
is
enhanced
as
it
reaches
its
climax
in
the
bold
assertion
that
development
in
character
was
a
necessary
element
in
His
earthly
life
(S';
cf.
the
words
'perfected
for
evermore,'
7'*).
In
order
that
his
readers
may
fully
appreciate
the
character
of
the
work
accomplished
by
the
life
and
death
of
Jesus,
the
writer
proceeds
to
answer
objections
which
may
be
raised
against
the
propriety
of
His
dis-charging
the
priestly
functions
of
mediation
and
atone-ment.
This
he
does
by
a
twofold
process
of
reason-ing.
First,
reverting
to
the
language
of
the
great
Messianic
Psahn,
he
demonstrates
the
superiority
in
point
of
order,
as
in
that
of
time,
of
the
priesthood
of
Melchizedek
to
that
of
Aaron
(6»-
'»
7™-
"
etc.).
Next
he
shows
how
the
ideals
dimly
foreshadowed
by
the
functions
of
the
Aaronic
priesthood
have
become
fully
and
finally
realized
in
the
priesthood
of
Jesus
(,8^-gsf.
i4f.).
There
are
certain
characteristics
in
the
Melchizedekian
order
which,
by
an
allegorical
method
of
interpretation,
are
shown
to
be
typical
in
the
sublime
sense
of
the
priesthood
of
Christ.
It
was
(a)
royal,
(6)
righteous,
(c)
peaceful,
(d)
personal,
(e)
eternal
(,7").
A
high
priest
having
these
ideal
attributes
realized
in
himself
answers
to
man's
fallen
condition,
and
they
all
meet
in
the
Person
of
the
Son
'
perfected
for
evermore
'
(cf.
7").
No
mention
is
made
of
the
sacrificial
aspect
of
Melchizedek's
work,
but
this
is
impUed
in
the
sub-sequent
assertion
that
our
high
priest
'offered
up
himself
once
for
all'
(7'').
Indeed,
it
may
be
said
that
the
latter
characteristic
is
inseparable
from
the
above-mentioned
five,
for
the
priesthood
which
realizes
in
itself
the
ethical
ideals
here
outlined
will
inevitably
crown
itself
by
the
act
of
self-sacrifice.
The
argument
is
then
transferred
from
the
Melchizedekian
to
the
Levitical
order,
where
the
last-named
function
found
detailed
expression
in
the
Mosaic
ritual
institutions.
Here
an
answer
is
given
to
the
question,
'What
has
this
man
to
offer?
'
The
Aaronic
priests
offered
sacrifices
continually,
and
in
his
description
of
the
functions
