The Legal Mind Chapter Eleven

Chapter eleven begins with the author's explanation of the faith mentioned in Hebrews 10:22, 23, and 38. If the “just” should live by faith, which is set in stark contrast to drawing or turning back, we should genuinely want to know what constitutes 'just,' 'faith,' and 'drawing back.' The author asserts what his own experience tells him, he asserts a truth imparted by the Holy Spirit. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Now, if hope seems insubstantial to any of you, perhaps your sights are set on personal worldly gain. In the sense of the author's assertion, we may view 'substance' as the cumulative body of hopes. A simple list of those hopes from the previous chapter shows us they were not looking for a new car or money in the bank. Their hopes were primarily set on spiritual gains. Salvation, redemption, eternal life; these are things not seen. Contrary to the things we know on our worldly plain, the 'substance' and 'evidence' of faith are as much a part of a higher mental/spiritual plain as the things hoped for. The hopes are internal, the faith is internal, the substance and evidence are internal.

What is a just person? Synonyms for the word 'just' include fair-minded, equitable, open-minded, objective, nonpartisan, unprejudiced, unbiased, and fair (as in actions toward others.) A just person is not easily influenced by material goods, powers, or personal advantage. Things are things, they come and go. For a person of this caliber, health is wealth. Such people are more concerned with their relationships – unions based on integrity, honor, love, and maintained through conscientious effort and virtue. Just people are not saintly in every aspect of their being – they are ordinary people. My Dad, for example, although of limited education, and of the type of his time and culture, was a just man. After the family broke up, he continued to raise me and my brother. He did so at the expense of a personal life. He believed in what was right, he believed in his duty as a father and was unswayed by thoughts outside that framework. Just people are often honored for acts of selfless dedication and heroism.

If drawing back is the opposite of moving forward in faith, is it also the opposite of 'just?' What does being a person who draws back entail? If one is not moving forward, one is either standing still or moving backward. This is a person who has quit. This is one who has lost hope and given up. Being, necessarily, a contributing member of a larger body of believers, the support this member once evinced is retracted, causing the greater body's work of faith to be more difficult. The one who turns back is an Indian giver. By turning back, this person fails in being just and is seen as selfish. There is a certain amount of courage involved in living a faithful life. The man who draws back proves his own cowardice. The faith of which the author speaks is nothing less than courage under fire. This faith thus glorified by the author is the faith of the patriarchs.

Beginning in verse two, the author tells us all the wonderful things that faith affords. Foremost, it was through the substance of things hoped for, and through the evidence of things not seen, that the elders, the patriarchs of old received a “good report.” That is to say, they received fame, renown, honor, etc. Before he continues, the author pauses to let us know that faith and understanding work hand-in-hand. He points out, in verse three, what you and I, indeed, all ordinary people of faith can understand. We know, for instance, that the worlds (plural) were framed by the word of God. There is the visible, corporeal world we are all familiar with. The truth of that world is that it was made to be an extension of the unseen spiritual world.

Continuing from verse four, Abel's faith provided a more excellent sacrifice than that of his brother Cain. By his faith, he obtained the witness of God that he was righteous, “God testifying of his gifts,” and through his faith, even after he was dead, he still spoke. Enoch, by his faith, was “translated” by God that he should not see the usual death of men. He was simply not there. Well before his translation, Enoch obtained the testimony that he “pleased God.” Let us pause on the word translate. The word simply means, 'to move from one location or condition to another.' Synonyms for the word include transfer, transport, and transplant.

From the case of Enoch, we may surmise, as did the author of Hebrews, that since Enoch pleased God through faith, without faith, it is impossible to please God. The author explains why in verse six. Anyone who comes to God must do so by first believing that God exists, that God is real, that he is who he claims to be. By extension, we also believe that God rewards those who “diligently seek him.”

Noah also had faith. Being warned by God of things to come, he believed. Noah was “moved with fear.” He was indelibly impressed. It was Noah's faith that led him to build the ark and save his family. Noah's faith was a condemnation of an unbelieving world. Out of all the people of his entire world, only Noah became heir to the righteousness that faith alone established. Abraham was another patriarch with a good report. His faith was expressed in obedience when he was called out of his homeland to inherit what he knew not. His faith carried him through foreign lands and strange countries all for a promise. Abraham is revered by three world religions for his unerring faith, a faith through which he became the father of nations.

Not only men are known for faith. We find Sara in verse eleven. Her faith carried her from barren old age to childbirth past her age. “It is said that she judged him faithful who had promised.” Through the faith of Sara and Abraham, two elderly people near death, so many children sprang forth that they numbered in multitude like the stars of heaven. All of those the author listed died in their faith before they received the promise. They saw them afar off, they were thoroughly persuaded, embracing the promise and confessing they were merely strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Their minds were on a far country yet to be reached. If the country from which they came was on their minds, they surely could have returned, but they pressed on. They desired something better, something higher, that is to say, a heavenly country. That is why, says the author, God is not ashamed to be called their God. That is why, the author claims, God has prepared a city for the faithful.

Continuing from verse seventeen, we are made aware of the depth of Abraham's faith, that he would even sacrifice his only begotten son. He approached the sacrifice of his son, believing that God would raise him from the dead. This is because Abraham had already been told that through his son Isaac God's promises to Abraham would be effected. Abraham believed every word of God. The sacrifice of Isaac did not happen. All God wanted from Abraham was faith, but the near-sacrifice of Isaac was intended only as a figure of the true sacrifice of God's only begotten son.

Isaac, being another patriarch of faith, blessed his two sons in matters of “things to come.” Then Jacob, one of Isaac's sons, when he himself grew old, blessed the two sons of Joseph, Ephraim, and Manasseh. Faith continued through Joseph, who, at his death, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel and gave instructions for the disposition of his bones. So it goes, the issue of faith is argued all the way to verse forty.

Faith is more than an opinion or personal inclination. It is a quality that also exists independently. Such faith is ascribed to Moses before he was able to reason. At the age of three, Moses, by the faith of his parents, was hidden from the Pharaoh's decree. They saw that Moses was no ordinary child, and in hiding him, they put their own lives at risk. Moses ended up raised by the Pharaoh's own daughter. He was in a position to live a privileged life, but his faith brought him to a divergent choice. His choice was for the people of God. Rather than “enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season,” Moses pledged himself to God's chosen people and suffered affliction with them.

Moses believed the reward at the end of it all would compensate him for all his losses. The author of Hebrews worded the faith of Moses in light of the fact that God and Jesus are one. He said it this way, “Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.” By his faith, he turned his back on Egypt, disregarding both the Pharaoh's anger and military might. He endured as one who could see the invisible God. Through faith, Moses kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, to protect the chosen people. Moses is a man whose faith is legendary, and he is revered alongside Abraham in the three major religions. Moses passed through the Red Sea and interceded for the chosen people of God for forty years before passing the mantle to Joshua.

The list of faith is long and hallowed. Faith took down the walls of Jericho. Faith saw the saving of Rahab for her dealings with the spies. Gideon is honored for his faith, likewise Barak, Samson, Jephthae, David, Samuel, and the prophets. The list of deeds through faith is impressive. All of these people, through the faith they evinced, subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, turned weakness into strength, fought valiantly, and put to flight the foreign armies. Women received their dead raised from death, while others would not accept deliverance from torture and certain death so they might obtain a better resurrection. Suffering cruel trials, mocking, scourging, imprisonment, stoning, and horrible forms of execution, they resisted temptations and wandered about disenfranchised. They slept in caves, holes in the earth, mountains, and deserts, dressed in skins, being destitute, afflicted, and tormented.

They were heroes of faith, and none of them received the promise in their lifetime. The world, according to the author, is not worthy of such people. All of them have, through their faith, received a good report. Now, it might seem sad that these folks have endured such sorrows, but God has provided for them something far superior when it comes to rewards. The faithful continue to this day, yearning for the promised reward. When, at last, that reward unfolds, we shall see it in the company of all those who came before. Hand in hand, we shall accept the prize, saints, patriarchs, and prophets alike. We shall be made perfect together.

Throughout chapter eleven, we were introduced to the various heroes of faith. They were ordinary people called into extraordinary lives. They were beacons in their generations, inspiring countless others to persevere. We begin chapter twelve with this great company of champions, and how they pertain to the author's case. Life is a challenge to all of us, not only to those who have gone before but to ourselves in the here and now. In a legal sense, Hebrew law required only two or three witnesses to establish a matter as truth. The author has provided many more than three. To us, the jury deciding the case, the weight of so many reputable witnesses is an established truth against giving up. The case presents us with a challenge to continue in our own faith, to be strong in the face of adversity that is in no wise new to our generations. Our forefathers stood strong against the same trials, hope and faith never waned. 

The Legal Mind Chapter Ten

Beginning at verse one, the law through Moses is explained by contrasting it with the heavenly. The law provides only a shadow of good things to come. They are not the true image of those “good things.” For that reason, those who approach the law, which provides only the band-aide solution of yearly sacrifices, can never obtain perfection. Had any person obtained perfection thereby, the sacrifices would have ceased to be offered. With the goal of perfection obtained, there is no longer a need for purging. The effective sacrifice purges once, and after that, the worshiper has no more “conscience of sins.” It is precisely on the issue of “conscience of sins” that worldly sacrifices fail. As verse three explains, worldly sacrifices retain the “remembrance” of sins from year to year. The conclusion, found in verse five, is that it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to abolish sin.

The author turns his attention to the area of redemption where it rises above the law. The author uses the 'law and prophets,' the written word of God, to make his case against the law. This is seen in verses five through nine. Referring to Psalms 40:6-8, we are shown the establishment of a new plan. We are shown the advent of the one who is written of in “the volume of the book.” Through the prophet, David, the son of God converses with God. It is the son who says to the father, “Sacrifice and offering 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.” All of the sacrifices and burnt offerings, according to the son of God, were offered by the law.

Compare Hebrews to Psalms. “Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” We clearly see the point the author is making in verse nine. The point is this: the son of God took away the first and established the second. “Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God,” is the author's paraphrasing of Psalms 40:8.

Verse ten uses the phrase, “By the which will,” establishing a predetermination on the parts of God and his son, as shown through texts the Hebrews, themselves, used commonly to establish truth. The author's point was that old testament truth established new testament truth. Put in modern thought, Jewish truth proves Christian truth, that truth being that we are sanctified, once for all time, through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ.

Continuing at verse eleven, the author shows us that even though the worldly priest does his work daily, even though he sacrifices the same animals over and over and over, his work will never permanently erase sin. In stark contrast, Jesus, with his single sacrifice that covered all sin forever, took his rightful place on “the right hand of God.” The right hand signifies the power of God, and in that power, Christ set a work in motion that will ultimately bring all enemies of the truth under his feet. In contradiction to the enemies of truth, the sanctified are perfected and exalted by a single offering. For them, the work is sealed with a guarantee that is eternal. These are the claims, but don't take his word for it: there is a witness.

The author calls forth a trusted witness. A witness is called that the Hebrews revere. The mind, the word, the will of God is called to the witness stand. The Holy Ghost comes forth to give irrefutable testimony. In verses fifteen through seventeen, the witness testifies, “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.” This is the truth, not for the enemies of truth, but exclusively for the sanctified. The same laws, once externalized on tablets and in physical customs, will for the sanctified be internalized.

By the work of Jesus, we, as bold priests, now enter into “the Holiest,” a place formerly reserved and not within common reach, a place out of bounds and off-limits. We now enter the Holiest by a “new and living way,” which the High Priest has consecrated just for us. He has set a special place for the sanctified, an exalted place for his own. We may pass through the veil into the presence of God. What is the veil? Formerly, it was a covering to a room in the tabernacle which God entered. Now, it is the flesh of the son of God, beyond which God is ever-present.

In verses twenty-one through twenty-three, the author commends that we draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith because we, as the lesser priests, have a High Priest who is in charge of the house of God. A true heart and a full assurance of faith stem directly from our sanctification. In other words, having our hearts sprinkled and our bodies washed with the purest of water, our evil conscience has been taken away. We are clean, we are sanctified. Now, it is up to us to “hold fast the profession of our faith,” and be as faithful as he who promised. The sanctified have a job. Our daily course involves consideration of one another, helping one another to achieve love and good works, coming together in single-minded self-maintenance of all who are sanctified, and exhorting one another so much the more as we approach the goal of our faith. These works are brought forth in verses twenty-four and twenty-five.

The sacrifice of Jesus was the final sacrifice. If, after receiving the knowledge of the truth, and being set free from an evil conscience; if, after being sanctified and exalted, we fall back and sin willfully, there is no further remedy. We have been given a one-time gift, precious and irreplaceable. It is a flame we can ill afford to lose. For us, the flame is warmth, light, and life. We can not let it go out. If we do, all we can look forward to is the judgment and fiery indignation that will devour all the enemies of the truth.

A point of reference is brought forth. It only took two or three witnesses to condemn, without mercy, a person who rejected the law that Moses delivered. The author asks a sobering question. If we, who have been sanctified by the son of God, should act hatefully and disdainfully against the Spirit of grace that we have been shown, if we should grind Jesus beneath our heel and count the blood he shed on our behalf as common and vulgar, what greater condemnation and punishment will we be thought worthy of?

Verses thirty and thirty-one put on display the Hebrew national consciousness. It was and is a matter of recorded history. They were uniquely acquainted with their God. They knew him well. He was the one who said 'vengeance belongs to me.' He not only said it, he made good on it. He said 'I will recompense,' and 'the Lord shall judge his people.' All of that vengeance, and recompense, and judging is in their written history. As history, it is not isolated in the past, it crosses over into current events. The author touched on current events that his audience knew well. They lived it, as did the author. Verses thirty-one through thirty-five connects history to current events. The Hebrew national consciousness knew it was a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. They are exhorted, however, to call into memory their own experiences, their former days just after their spiritual illumination.

What had they endured for their faith? They were a laughing stock to the unenlightened. They were afflicted, reproached. They suffered abuse even while they banded together for mutual help and self-protection. They suffered loss alongside their companions, and in a statement that suggests the author was Paul, they “had compassion” on the author in his “bonds,” and “took joyfully the spoiling of their goods.” It was not an easy choice they made, but the author was assured that they believed in a “better and enduring substance” in heaven. That faith has persisted through the ages in all the faithful. We are, therefore, exhorted not to cast away our confidence. It will be rewarded.

Continuing at verse thirty-six, The author lays out the long road ahead. In the end, Jesus will come to us. He will not delay. In the end, we will receive the promise. Between now and then is the work of doing the will of God. It is not an issue we may file under 'instant gratification.' We will rise up day after day, and each day, the work will be before us. It is the long game. We can expect callouses and broken hearts. We will lean heavily on our patience. We will do the reps until our patience is muscular and well-defined. When we awake tomorrow and find that the work is still before, that we are not yet done, we may rely on our patience with confidence.

The long game will prove who is who among us. The long and, at times, arduous road ahead, that is to say, our daily lives, will be and must be lived in faith. We are on a road that gives but two directions. We can continue forward in faith to claim the promise, or we can forsake the goal and turn back. If we draw back from the prize, if we turn and face the direction from which we have come, what may we expect at the end of that journey? It will be the very thing from which we first fled. It will be an unfulfilled life and an empty, ignominious death. We fled from perdition and laid our hopes on the promise of God, that at the end of our labors should be the reward. The author ends this chapter by telling us plainly that giving up is throwing away all hope for the salvation of our soul. After you have worked many years toward the saving of your soul, after you have invested so much of yourself into that goal through faith and hard work, giving up leaves nothing in your reach save eternal punishment, and you've no one to blame but yourself.

The Legal Mind Chapter Nine

Chapter nine begins with the trappings of the old covenant. Old religious values are explained. Concerning the old covenant, the author held that, as a matter of fact, the old covenant, like the new, had ordinances of divine service. That is to say that a law was set forth by a governing authority, that the covenant functioned within the framework of an authoritative decree. Also, the first “ordinances of divine service” were furnished with a worldly sanctuary through which said service was rendered. The author points specifically to a tabernacle that was “made.” Within that physical structure could be found a physical candlestick, table, and showbread – all the familiar paraphernalia through which divine services had been carried out down through the ages. Beyond the second veil, there was the “Holiest of all.” In that area could be found the physical golden censer and the ark of the covenant which the tribes of Israel carried with them for generations. In the ark were real items with relevance to the people. They were the gold pot with manna in it, the rod of Aaron, and the tablets of their law.

This list of special structures and special items is found in verses one through five. They are listed as articles of common history. The author continues by pointing to those real people who carried out the divine service. Those people were grandfathers, great grandfathers, and great great grandfathers. The families of those people counted them in their lineage. Their names were listed and remembered with reverence. Everything the author brings into evidence can be corroborated through common knowledge and shared history. Real people went into the real first tabernacle to perform the actual service to God. The regular priests went into the tabernacle but not into the Holiest of all. That was a special chamber reserved for the high priest. Only he entered, and he entered it only once each year. He did so with the blood of sacrifices to stand in the presence of God and plead for the errors of himself and his people.

What was the point of all this? Verse eight provides the answer. “While the first tabernacle was yet standing,” there was no manifest path for the common man into the presence of God. The author's witness, here, is the Holy Ghost, and testimony in regard to the obstructed path comes from that source alone. Both the tabernacle, the author asserts, and the divine service were precursors, mere figures of something far greater than all the generations filled with services that could, by no means, ever bring the high priest to perfection. The yearly gifts and sacrifices failed in that they had to be repeated the next year. It was a matter of conscience that this truth was revealed through the Holy Ghost. If the high priest of the first covenant could, himself, never reach perfection, how could he ever hope to help the people? The divine services of the first covenant never reached a higher spiritual level. They never pulled free from the physical and worldly aspects of the human condition. They remained firmly rooted in the physical activities of a mortal framework – meats and drinks, bathing, and washing of hands. The services performed were carnal, and imposed as a placeholder until the time of reformation.

The case of the new high priest stands in stark contrast to the old. The coming reformation was achieved in Jesus Christ. He entered into the presence of God, not in the chamber of a physical building, but in a greater and more perfect tabernacle. Rather than entering yearly with the blood of animals, he entered once into the Holy place by his own blood and obtained for us an unfailing redemption. This is found in verses twelve through fourteen. The reasoning is that if the blood and ashes of animals cleansed and purified the flesh of mortal men, how much better was the blood of Christ, “who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God,” to purify our spirits. With dead works purged from the conscience within, the obstructed path is opened to all men to serve the living God. Divine service and the Holiest of all are open to each of us. This, argues the author, is the relevance of Christ as the mediator of the “new testament” – that by means of death and for the redemption of transgressions under the “first testament,” all of us who are “called” can receive the “promise of eternal inheritance.”

The Hebrew term for covenant is berit, meaning “to bond or fetter.” It is translated into Greek as syntheke, “binding together” or diatheke, “will, testament.” In the Bible, then, a covenant is a relationship based upon mutual commitments. It typically involves promises, obligations, and rituals. The terms testament and covenant can be used interchangeably, though covenant tends to be used for the relationship between Jews and God. This explanation is given on learnreligions.com.

The author uses the word testament, here, in the sense of 'last will and testament.' He explains that a testament is without force until after the death of the testator. A death is necessary for the enactment and enforcement of the testament. In that regard, blood was required for both testaments, old and new. In the new, it was the blood of the testator, Jesus Christ. In the old, this explanation is given by the author. Taken from verses eighteen through twenty-one, after Moses revealed the old testament to the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, and using scarlet wool and hyssop, he sprinkled the book, the people, the tabernacle, and the vessels of the ministry. He said to all the people, “This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.” This may refer to actions noted in Exodus twenty-four, while the reference of the author(s) of Hebrews is not found word for word, but inferred. The less than literal use of the Exodus account stems from Jewish tradition. 

See https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/hebrews-9-19.html

According to Judaic interpretation, almost all offenses and inadequacies are purged by blood. That interpretation concerns the law that binds Israel to God, the law of God as delivered to them through Moses. The consensus is that without the shedding of blood there is no “remission.” For the purpose of this study, we must understand what the author means by the word 'remission.' Turning to online sources, the definition of the word is this: the cancellation of a debt, charge, or penalty. Synonyms for remission include 'repeal,' 'pardon,' 'absolution,' 'forgiveness,' and one might also include a stay of execution. This is said in verse twenty-two, but distinctions are set forth in verse twenty-three. There, we note that the author presents us with, first of all, “heavenly things,” and secondly with the worldly “patterns” of things in the heavens.

As for those patterns, purification necessitated physical applications toward physical ends. That after which worldly objects and actions were patterned required a higher application of sacrifice and of blood. Therefore, the flesh was purified physically, but the spirit achieves remission spiritually. The author, in verse twenty-four, goes on to explain the spiritual application brought about through Christ. Christ did not enter the holy places of a physical building, neither did he engage in handwashing, the sacrifice of animals, or the maintenance of things like the shewbread or the candle. All of those things were mere “figures” of higher truths. Jesus entered into heaven itself, there to place himself in the presence of God as our sacrifice. Verse twenty-five tells us, neither did Jesus offer himself often in the manner of the worldly high priests who entered every year with the blood of “others.” To approach the matter from that angle, Jesus would have had to suffer and be crucified multiple times from the very beginning of the world. The higher application was to appear at the end of worldliness to put away sin with his singular sacrifice. Spiritual absolution is thus granted to the spirit.

Why was remission approached from this angle? Simply because it has been determined that every man must die once in his life. After that death, and not before, comes the judgment. So then, for the one death of many men, after which comes the one judgment of all, Jesus offered himself, once, to bear the sins of those destined to pass from life to face the judgment. For those who look to Jesus, and apparently, only those, Jesus will appear a second time. The judgment comes to all, but the judgment that comes to those who do not look to Jesus will be a judgment in which Jesus is absent. The judgment of those who look to Jesus will be a judgment in which Jesus appears as salvation. Why this point matters goes back to the author's distinctions between the heavenly and the worldly. We are figures of the truth. We are patterned after Jesus. We will see him because we are patterns of his incorruption. It says in First John 3:2, and I paraphrase, “Beloved, now are we the children of God, and while it does not presently appear what we shall be, we know that when he does appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” 

The Legal Mind Chapter Eight

Chapter eight begins with a summation of all previous points. The author begins by saying, “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum.” Add it all up and this is what you get. These are the talking points. “We” have such a high priest. Not just to Christians, as a people, the author speaks to the Hebrews, as a people. After all, it was a development in the Hebrew faith, from the Hebrew God to the Hebrew people, that a savior came. The first Christians were Hebrews by natural course. Of the new and improved high priest, the author states that he has been set at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens. Jesus, top of the top, best of the best, sits at the right hand of God. The right hand of God, according to the Hebrews, was the power and absolute authority of God. This development, then, is seen to proceed from God to God.

In the “heavens,” the new high priest ministers from the sanctuary. That is to say, that Jesus, at the right hand of God, performs his priestly service from the true tabernacle, pitched not by man, but by God himself. If the wilderness tabernacle was the precursor to the temple of God, then the precursor to the wilderness tabernacle was the heavenly tabernacle that God, himself, established for the purpose of a lifeline between God and mankind. The high priest manages the lifeline that proceeds from the Holy of Holies, the place where God actually is. God established the office of the high priest long before the earthly tabernacle was fashioned after the heavenly tabernacle. The development from the many high priests to the last one we would ever need advanced through all the planned and necessary stages.

The office of high priest that Jesus executes is not different from the historical office. Just as the earthly tabernacle was designed and fashioned after the example of the heavenly tabernacle, so, too, was the office of the worldly high priest modeled on the blueprint for the heavenly high priest. The author explains, in verse three, that every earthly high priest is ordained for the purpose of offering gifts and sacrifices to God on behalf of the people. Since those duties are based on a higher plan, it follows that the heavenly high priest “have somewhat also to offer.” Furthermore, as explained in verse four, Jesus on the earth rather than in heaven could not execute the office as it was already filled by others who offered gifts according to the law of God. The pattern was a clear line that at no point crossed itself. God was not negating his law by replacing the priesthood with Jesus, he was fulfilling his law by bringing things to their natural culmination. Both the priesthood and the tabernacle served as an example only. They were a shadowy and dark prefiguration of things to come. Moses, the author explains in verse five, was admonished by God to make all things according to the heavenly pattern.

The priesthood of the Hebrews was a mere shadow of the true priesthood that God had in mind. The ministry that Jesus obtained was more excellent than the entire history of earthly ministry by many priests. His ministry was not only that much better, the covenant that Jesus was to mediate between God and mankind was a much-improved covenant. Why was the new covenant so much better? It was established on better promises. To understand this, one need only ask the obvious question, 'why a new covenant?' If the first covenant was iron-clad and had no faults, there would never have arisen a call for the second. God found his first covenant wanting, he found fault with the priests and said, “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.”

Let us pause here and examine God's forewarning. The covenant is about the lifeline between God and mankind. It is about the ministry no less than the minister. If the new minister in a 'Hebrew development' is the new high priest in the heavenly tabernacle, Jesus Christ, then the new ministry in a 'Hebrew development' is Christianity. The new covenant and ministry are shown, in black and white, to cover two separate entities. Israel and Judah were divided entities. The upper tribes of Israel took a separate historical path from that of the lower tribes of Judah. Still, Christianity, as ministered by Christ, is meant to cover both houses. Historically, the house of Judah is more closely associated with the Hebrews than is the scattered house of Israel. I want to ask, is the 'Christian' development representative of a 'new' house of Israel, a new 'gathered' Israel? The development, of course, is neither historical nor political so much as spiritual. Therefore, the new Christian mindset may be symbolic of the new spiritual Israel.

The new covenant with the house of Israel is explained in verses eight through eleven. God found fault with the original ministers of his covenant with both houses. Then, the houses took separate paths. God said, “Behold, the days come when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.” Interestingly, Israel is mentioned first in regard to the 'new' covenant. Judah seems to be included as an afterthought. It is explicitly noted in verse nine that the new covenant will be unlike the covenant that was established with the nation's fathers, as in the days when God took the people “by the hand” and led them out of Egypt. As I said, this explanation is explicit and clearly shows that the initiative belonged to God. God did all the work. God maintained the covenant. It was the efforts of God that characterized the first covenant in that the people failed on their part of the agreement. It is clear, also, that God gave up on the first covenant because of the people's notable lack of forward momentum. They did not get that a relationship requires reciprocation.

Verse ten goes on to explain what the new covenant will entail (again, promoting the house of Israel above the house of Judah.) Only one house is specified in verse ten. That house is scattered Israel. By the non-inclusion of the house of Judah in verse ten, importance and relevance are ascribed to the house of Israel. It is seen, then, that the covenant will be administered through the agency of the house of Israel. Unlike the first rescue from bondage, any salvation beyond the house of Israel will be effected through the house of Israel. There is an obvious and striking difference between the first and second covenants. The first was an agreement written in stone. The second is an infusion of the ways of God into the minds and hearts of the people. For that one very important reason, it will be the work of the people to maintain the covenant. Their efforts, stemming from the overflow of their hearts and minds, will characterize the covenant. The relationship will no longer be one-sided.

One must see the 'newness' of the new covenant as epochal. In both the Judaic and Islamic mindsets, segregation is at work. One must gather one's own into one's enclosures. The walls of the enclosures must be impenetrable. There is an enforced distinction between that which lies within and that which lies without. The practices of those outside the enclosure are viewed as antithetical. The new covenant is unparalleled in that it works from the individual rather than the enclosure. The new covenant is a relationship with God that is empowered to reach beyond enclosures. It is said in verse eleven that the gatherers into enclosures, and the enforcers of walls, will no longer tow the party line of whose God is the true God. The belligerent preaching will end because each and every heart, and each and every mind, will know God. “And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.”

The old keyword was exclusion. The new keyword will be inclusion. “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” That will be the new deal to everyone, not just some. There will be mercy. There will be forgiveness. Every heart and every mind that becomes the home of God will show the evidence of it in the inclusive words they speak and the inclusive actions of their new works. There will be one salvation that includes every willing soul. There will be a single new living growing body of God-infused souls. There will be one savior and one high priest to set the stage, and it will be the people who maintain the covenant. It will be a matter of heart and mind rather than works. It will be a matter of conscience. Laws written in stone and crippling legalisms will be a thing of the past.

The author of Hebrews concludes with a comparison between the viability and survival of the new versus the old. Relating a covenant to the human body, the author states that by God saying “a new covenant,” He made the first covenant 'old.' Experience common to all men shows us the truth that anything which becomes old, anything that decays is ready to vanish. The old is on the way out. If the old is a sinking ship and the new is a life raft, the expedient course of action is to let go of the sinking ship and reach for the one thing that will save you. There are the old in spirit who cling to the decaying forms of exclusive ideologies. There are those made new in spirit who serve life from the heart where the power of all-inclusive salvation resides.

The Legal Mind Chapter Seven

Who was Melchisedec? Before the author of Hebrews brings him up, Melchisedec was mentioned by King David in the book of Psalms. The character's original introduction is seen in chapter fourteen of Genesis. Abram had just returned from a successful military campaign and met with several area kings including Melchisedec. So, obviously, by the time Melchisedec is mentioned in Hebrews, he had already been the topic for scholarly and Rabbinic study throughout the middle eastern peoples since the time of Abraham. Read about Melchisedec on https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melchizedek#Name. I never knew there were so many writings about him.

“Typological association of Jesus Christ with Old Testament characters occurs frequently in the New Testament and in later Christian writings; thus, Jesus Christ is also associated with Adam (as the "New Adam") and with Abraham. The bread and wine offered by Abraham to Melchizedek have been interpreted by church fathers including Clement of Alexandria as being a prefiguration of the Eucharist.” That comes from the article.

I found it interesting that some scholars associate Melchisedec with Shem, one of Noah's three sons. I also found it interesting that the blessing Abram received ties in with his name change.

“Expressing a kabbalistic point of view, the Zohar commentary to Genesis 14 cites Rabbi Yitzchak as saying that it was God who gave a tithe to Abram in the form of removing the Hebrew letter He from his own throne of glory and presenting it to the soul of Abram for his benefit.” And “The Zohar's commentary on Genesis 14 cites . . . The letter He is the letter God added to Abram's name to become "Abra-ha-m" in Genesis.”

Being an expert and teacher, the author(s) of Hebrews would have been studied in such interpretations. Both Abram and Melchisedec are brought forth as historical characters by the author. Abram, the father of their race, was a man. He won a victory in battle and afterward met with area kings, one of which was Melchisedec. In verse one of chapter seven of the book of Hebrews, the author begins, “For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of kings . . .”

The meeting of two people. Both are relevant to the Hebrew national identity. Both are relevant to the Christian identity. Aside from the many other historical interpretations of the two, the author has settled on an amalgamate Hebrew interpretation. This is his take.

Two persons met physically. Abram was a man. If Melchisedec was not a man, at least he was a person. The author's assessment of Melchisedec attributes to him the qualities of being without parents or children. That, in and of itself, is not beyond normalcy. However, what grabs the attention is, “having neither beginning of days nor end of life.” That really sets Melchisedec apart from normal men. In the author's opinion, Melchisedec had been “made like unto the Son of God.” Was the priest/king a divine being, an angel? In the book of Daniel, chapter three, verse twenty-five, the angel that appeared in the fiery furnace was described similarly, like the Son of God. The author says of Melchisedec that he was, first, “King of righteousness,” and after that, “King of Salem” (maybe a city, or) “King of peace.” As to his priesthood, he remained continually.

There is a connection to be made, here, between Melchisedec (“like unto the Son of God”)being a “King of peace” and Jesus being the “Prince of Peace” from Isaiah nine.

To continue in verse four, the author directs the reasoning mind to consider just “how great this man was.” The patriarch of Israel gave a full tenth of all that he possessed. That offering was not to the king but, rather, to the man who had no “beginning of days, nor end of life,” and who “abideth a priest continually.” The author then compares regular priests to this priest of note. In verse five, the author informs us that the regular priests were sons of Levi, a tribe set apart under law to receive the priesthood. They were commanded to take tithes from their own people according to the law of God. The difference between them and Melchisedec lay in the fact that Melchisedec was not a descendant of Abraham, yet, in the office of priest, he received tithes from Abram, and blessed the man that already possessed the promises of God.

The author, in verse seven, used the term, “without all contradiction.” That is akin to saying, 'without a doubt.' It is clear that the author considered Melchisedec greater than Abram. The man was eternal and made like the son of God. He obviously had a high reputation and history – enough so to impress a man who had just returned from slaughtering kings. The author asserts that the lesser, Abram, was blessed by the greater, Melchisedec. The author brings our attention to a common, well-known, everyday truth. Priests under the law were men; they died. On the other hand, Melchisedec had a time-honored reputation for immortality. The author then makes a personal point in verse nine, prefacing his opinion with the words, “as I may say so.” His personal aside was in regard to the man, Levi, the son of Abraham from whom came the priesthood. His point was simple. The priesthood was still in the loins of Abraham when the priest of the most high God met him.

The author challenges the reader about the Jewish national predisposition toward Levitical perfection. What was that? It was a basic, ingrained inclination to think of the priesthood under the law of God as beyond reproach, in other words, God's priesthood was perfect. There was nothing above it or beyond it. If the end-all limit of the priesthood, through which the people received the law, was perfect, the author asked, what further need was there for another priest to rise up after the order of Melchisedec? Why was not Jesus called after the order of Aaron like all other priests under the law?

The author introduces the argument that a change in the priesthood, that leap from the order of Aaron to the order of Melchisedec, necessitated a similar change in the law. He reasons that the man to whom these matters pertain came from a tribe that was not called to minister at the altar. The lineage of Jesus is addressed. He came from the tribe of Judah and not from the tribe of Levi. The law that came through Moses mentioned nothing about Judah having priestly duties. According to the author, the evidence suggests that Jesus, as priest, is similar to Melchisedec in that rather than being a priest by the law of a carnal command, he was a priest in the power of an endless life. His evidence was the very word of God that said to Jesus, “Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec.”

It is explained in verse eighteen that there had been a true “disannulling” of the commandment that had gone before. Basically, the previous command was canceled and made void. Why? It was because of the inherent “weakness and unprofitableness” of a priesthood peopled by mortal flesh. A conclusion based on decades of real-life experience expressed the truth that the law made nothing perfect. However, asserted the author, “the bringing in of a better hope did.” By that better hope, men drew close to God. Moreover, that better hope, that new high priest, Jesus, was affirmed by an oath. Regular men of the tribe of Levi were made priests by commandment but not by the oath of God. The author's evidence is the oath of God found written in God's word: “The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec.” This is the author's assessment in verse twenty-two: “By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.”

To continue from verse twenty-three, the author points to a well-known truth. Down through the ages, there had been many priests. Having many priests was a necessity due to the fact the men died and needed to be replaced. By comparison, however, Jesus had an “unchangeable” priesthood in that he did not need to be replaced because of mortality. For that one reason, Jesus, the priest forever after the order of Melchisedec, is able to save to the “uttermost” all who come to God by him. Since he lives forever, there is no interruption in his intercession.

Mankind's need necessitated such a high priest as Jesus. We needed something better than a mortal high priest subject to the same sins as all the rest of us. We needed someone who was holy, someone who was harmless, someone who was undefiled, someone who was separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens. We had already had ages of failing mortal priests. You might say, they were only there to keep the seat warm for Jesus. Unlike many ages worth of mortal priests, the new high priest after the order of Melchisedec would not need to daily make sacrifices for his own sins before those of the people. Everything was covered by the single act of offering himself to the cross.

The author concludes his argument. The law made priests of men. Men have infirmities. Priests themselves are guilty of sin and weakness. Then, they die. Unlike the law, the word of God's oath, which came after the law, consecrated the son as priest forever.

The Legal Mind Chapter Six

Verse one turns an interesting phrase. What exactly is meant by “leaving” the principles of the doctrine of Christ? Is it to set aside? Is it to forget or turn away from? I think not. All spiritual progress is built upon them. Let us determine, first of all, what is a principle and what is a doctrine. Synonyms for the word principles are concepts, ideas, theories, postulations, assumptions, philosophies, and even truths. One may argue assumptions all day and get nowhere. As an example, one assumption of the creation narrative has Adam and Eve as a single body, rather like Siamese twins who must be separated. Whether they were separated or Eve was created from a rib, what we know about the original man and woman is purely speculative. What, then, is a doctrine? It is a creed, a dogma, a conviction, an article of faith. It is a statement of faith purported by authorities to be incontrovertible. We may easily see that all the synonyms of the word 'principles' fit neatly within the fullness of the word 'doctrine.'

I think what is meant by the word 'leaving,' is simply that we should move on. We should not sit around and argue matters that impede our spiritual growth. Does it really matter whether one is sprinkled or immersed? Put some water on your head and move on. Is there a right and a wrong way to lay on hands? Maybe, but they are just hands; they are not spirit, move on. Is there some special order to the resurrection, some defining attribute about eternal judgment we've missed? We'll know when we get there. Stop pumping so much time and energy into topics of conversation that take you away from the matters at hand. You can circle these issues forever and only go in circles. Move on. Grow.

Some people obsess. Some people forge ahead. “And this will we do, if God permit,” tells me that not everyone is allowed to move on. If you keep circling the details, God will let you stew in them. If you seek to make strides, God will help you move forward. The author explains why in verses four through eight.

First, the example in verses seven and eight. Those things that grow well on the earth are doubly blessed. God blesses them, in the first place, by often sending the rain. The earth is hydrated and healthy. The herbs flourish. More so, because man tends to them, ensuring a proper environment in which to grow. On the other hand, there are useless thorns and brambles in dry and arid places. Some may receive the same rain as the herbs, but they are not tended by man as he has no purpose for them. If anything, they can be used for kindling.

Mankind, itself, may be seen in light of these extremes. Which spirit is cursed, which is doubly blessed? One spirit, having tasted the heavenly gift, drinks fully and is enlightened. That spirit, under the merciful hand of God and in the maintenance of equally enlightened peers, is doubly blessed. Another spirit, also partaking of the Holy Ghost, and tasting the good word of God, and having equal access to the powers of the world to come, turns away. That spirit is cursed. If that spirit should later seek to return, should hope to be renewed through repentance a second time, it is doubly cursed in that it puts Jesus back up on the cross. The cross is a public shame. The sacrifice that God made by sending his only son to the cross was meant to be effective as a single casting of the net, drawing in the 'whosoever will' lot. You can play your losing ticket a second time with no more chance of winning the one-time prize.

Dire words from the author ( the use of “we” suggesting a joint effort in the writing.) However, the audience to whom Hebrews was intended had convinced the author and company of actions and spiritual inclinations toward salvation. The audience had loved the saints and ministered to their needs. They had labored and worked in the name of Jesus. God would not overlook their labor of love any more than he would overlook their love for Jesus. To do so would be unrighteous – and that is not God.

The author and company (“we”) desired that the audience show the same diligence, not only in physical labors of love but also in their hopes for salvation. Be steadfast to the end in full assurance of the hope that is in you. In that regard, there are some spiritual pitfalls that should be avoided. A major pitfall is sloth. Synonyms for the word include laziness, idleness, lassitude, indolence, and apathy. In other words, defying weariness, do not avoid the hard work. Be like those who work patiently toward the promise. The promise is there, it's yours, you just have to reach it. As an example, the author cites Abraham. In the example, God promised, Abraham endured, Abraham obtained the promise that God confirmed by an oath.

In that culture, an oath was a serious matter. Confirmation by oath assured men of an end to all strife. What is strife? It is disagreement, controversy, and conflict. It is hostility, ill-feeling, and disharmony. All the negatives are laid aside and settled with an oath. In verse eighteen, the author mentions two “immutable things.” They are the counsel of God and the impossibility for God to lie. What does immutable mean? Synonyms for the word include enduring, unchangeable, abiding, permanent, established. God was willing to confirm his enduring truth to us in an oath. We are assuaged, our consolation is strong. We have fled the raging world and turned to Jesus as a refuge, as an anchor in a storm, and this steadfast anchor for the soul upon which we take hold, Jesus, who like Moses, has entered the presence of God. As the high priest for those who believe and endure and patiently labor in love and hope, Jesus is compared to Melchisedec in verse twenty. As a priest-king, Jesus is not only our advocate but a merciful judge. 

The Legal Mind Chapter Five

Continuing the argument with added layers of explanation, verses one through six tells us this, “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 also 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. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.”

From the author's wholly Jewish perspective, the high priest, under their law, was a man who stood in the breach for the people. He was their representative to God. He was, in a sense, their defense attorney. He was a man just like them and a sinner just like them; he made sacrifices and offerings and prayers on their behalf as well as on his own behalf. Being a man, he could have compassion on those who tried and failed, on those who made mistakes, on those who used poor judgment. The high priest stood for the Jewish law but he was a man and also subject to the same human nature as those he served. No high priest ever took it upon himself to become a high priest, rather, it was required that he be authorized by one greater than himself in the chain of command. Likewise, Jesus, a man, was authorized by a higher power when God said to him, you are my son, on this day I beget you.

In verses seven through ten, the author continues to show the connection between Jesus and the high priest. While he was a flesh and blood man, he offered up prayers and supplications. His tears were real as he pleaded to the only one able to save him from death. Two things stand out: Jesus feared and Jesus was heard. Even though he was the son of a King and would become King himself, he took on him all that he suffered as a man to learn the obedience due to God by all men. His total submission to suffering and obedience made him perfect. He was able, then, to write the terms for salvation. How nice it is when your defense attorney is also the judge. Jesus became an all-time high priest with a one-time sacrifice. The thing about Melchisedec was that he was not only a high priest, he was also a King.

Next, comes the rebuke. We start at verse eleven. The author gives an honest assessment of the people he was trying to get through to. They were “dull of hearing.” They were dense. They were opinionated and settled in their ways. They had all but buried themselves in predeterminations. Who were these bone-headed louts? Verse twelve shows us that they were the religious elite. The audience of our author was none other than the church. They were the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the high priests, and doctors of the law. They were the very people ordained to lead the common man. Despite their high station, the author had no words of praise for them. There was much to be said, and the arguments he was presenting were difficult enough for the wholly enlightened.

These men, however, these “teachers” of the people, were far removed, in their own conceits, from the basic tenets of God's truth. The author blatantly informs them that they need to go back and attend the class, 'Truth 101.' They are described as self-deluded babes that imagine they have teeth for the meat of God's word, when, indeed, they must be breastfed the truth if they are to get anything at all out of the word. Those were not nice words, there was no honor in them, in fact, they were reverse-accolades.

Then, in verses thirteen and fourteen, the author explains what he means, and he lays it out plainly. He does not pull his punch. As Pharisees and other leaders go, they were “unskillful in the word of righteousness.” They were children pretending to be grown. The strong meat of God's word did not belong to them, it belonged to people of full spiritual age, who have put their senses through their paces, and who have exercised them to the point where they are able to discern good from evil. Babes cannot tell good from evil, they are only playing dress-up, walking around in the clunky shoes that belong to adults.

The Legal Mind Chapter Four

Continuing in chapter four, the author pleads with his readers to consider the matter with all seriousness and to realize what is at stake. The word 'fear' should be interpreted as a healthy respect for how the matter always works out. It is somewhat like clockwork in that the works must be wound daily, the hands properly aligned to the true time, and the alarm set for the right hour. What good will it achieve otherwise? The alternative is failure. I get all of that from verse one. In verse two, we are reminded that the former generation received the same message that we have received. Those who heard that message and fell in the wilderness were like the 'poster child' of all people who have no faith. The message, for it to bear fruit, must be mixed with individual faith.

In verse three, we are shown that even though everything was set from the beginning, even though God was grieved with that former generation, he still promised, despite his anger, that whoever believed would enter into the rest of God. What that rest is may be found in verse four. It is the seventh day upon which God rested from all his labors. The work of mankind will likewise find its seventh day. The joy of completion will be shared between the creator and the created. Mankind will realize a union that can not be easily described. We have the expression, “you had to be there.” Now, in this regard, a more apt expression is, “you will just have to be there.”

The connection is made, in verse five, between the rest of God that occurred way back in the creation and the rest of mankind far ahead in the resolution of our spiritual progress. The word 'if' is used in that regard, clearly indicating that the issue of choice rests upon the shoulder of each individual. In other words, the alarm has been set to the right hour but what matters now is whether or not we daily wind the gears and maintain the proper alignment. There are many people who will say, give me the benefit, just don't tell me what to do.

I write this in the year 2020, the year of the pandemic. As I write this study, there are many people of the same spirit. Their sense of individuality and independence separates them from the path of proper choices. They will not keep the works wound up because their simple bravado interprets wearing a mask as being controlled by others. Having worked for both the Salvation Army and a Gospel Mission, I can tell you that some people would rather sleep on the streets than be told what to do. They often railed on me when they were told the benefit comes at a price – personal responsibility. To them, compliance of any sort seemed foreign. They wanted the food offered but not the message. They wanted the bed offered but not the shower.

The message of God comes to the pandemic generation through David the psalmist. Seeing that the former generation failed to choose faith and enter God's rest, and seeing that it still remains that some must enter, that offer to make the choice of faith is extended to you and me. A path is opened to whosoever will choose faith over swaggering independence, to whosoever will choose compliance over hardheartedness. A path is open to you only 'if' you are open to that path. Two outcomes await each of us and both are the direct result of the choice we make. Will we continue to separate ourselves and fall in the wilderness or will we have a little faith in how things always work out?

Psalm 95:7 – 11 is central to this argument as, indeed, it stretches back from Hebrews 4:7 to Hebrews 3:7. The point is made in verses seven and eight that a day has been set apart or 'limited.' That day is a future day and has yet to be reached. For Jesus has given no one rest, if he had, says the author, he would not have spoken of a day yet to come. Clearly stated in verse nine is the claim that there remains a day of rest to be reached by the people of God. It is also clear, by the wording, that not all people are eligible for that award as not all people are even interested in such a thing. There is a 'people of God,' a people that strive for that higher mark, and there is a 'people of the world,' a people that disdains anything higher than the sty they wallow in. The latter is a people unable and unwilling to release their own works. It is as if they worship their achievements. Verse ten puts forth that the people who enter the rest of God must be able and willing to bring their works to an end, to set themselves apart from them and release them as did God his own works.

In verse eleven, we find the exhortation to move in the direction of that promised rest, to strive for it, to make our works the labors of faith. Pointing back to the example of those who fell in the wilderness because of their unbelief, the author suggests that there can only be a winner and a loser in this equation. This equation is spelled out in verse twelve. The word of God is the common denominator for it will both prove who is the winner and who is the loser. It will perform both actions by the same word for God is so much a part of every creature that all of us are perfectly known by him. We are, as the author states in verse thirteen, naked and clearly accessible to his discerning vision. Verse twelve shows just how keen and powerful the word of God is. It says, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful,, and sharper than any twoedged 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.”

I think it behooves those of us who labor for the promised rest to stop and take a hard look at just what this verse implies. The take-away from this verse is clearly seen in the words that were used. They are as follows.

Quick: meaning alive, functional, adaptive. The word of God is not a subordinate function set apart from God but an actual part of God. God is the God of life, the God of the living. There is a functional, adaptive connection between the God of the living, his word, and the living. Every thought and deed, on your part, instantly and completely register with God.

Powerful: meaning authoritative, capable, competent, efficacious. The living word connects the living God to the living in a powerful way. Anything that reaches a level of power does so by rising above all lesser levels. Authority is not a given, rather, it must be earned through labor, and competency must be earned through practice. When we talk about power, we certainly do not mean some paltry attribute off in the wings. We speak, rather, of the leading man in the drama, the hero around which so many fans and lovers gather, the one who judges and rules and supports and carries forward. When we speak of power, we speak not of the planets but of the sun around which the planets find their orbit.

Sharp: meaning acute, precise, absolute. The word of God, being as much a part of our personal realities as of God, himself, is no hit-and-miss quality. It is constant, unswerving, the core reality. It is the fundamental nature. There is no sliding scale in the word of God but, rather, it has a constant accuracy rating. All determinations by the word of God are acute, precise, and absolute.

Piercing: meaning probing, perceptive, observant. The word of God is so much a part of our reality that it is never just on the outside of us. It runs between every atom of our being. It can gauge our common expression as well as see us from the inside out. Like our own dual nature, the word of God is right or wrong, light or dark, up or down. The word of God reveals our true nature because it resonates with everything we are, everything we do, say, and think. Everything we are has a dual nature, and these parts may be separated and compared. Everything we say has a dual nature, and that may be separated and compared. Everything we think has a dual nature, and that may be separated and compared.

Dividing Asunder: meaning to separate and compare. Even our common understanding tells us that reality comes at us in sets and pairs. We know up as opposed to down and right as compared to wrong. We know left and right, in and out, day and night. Life is a Yin and Yang. Our personal selves, our souls, are a Yin and Yang. Our bodies are a Yin and Yang. Everything may be separated, laid out, and studied. From the outermost to our very cores, we find the dual nature that is prevalent in the reality we know. The right and left hemispheres of our brains may be divided asunder. Similarly, there are the left and right eye, the left and right ear, the left and right arm, hand, leg, foot, lung, kidney, etc. Our total being is not one of singularity but duality. The word of God is part and parcel of that duality, knowing each and every aspect from all conceivable points of view.

Soul and Spirit / Joints and Marrow: meaning examples of things that can be divided and compared. These simple examples are telling. The joints in our bodies, themselves being hidden from our external presence, also have a hidden truth inside them. The joints and bones in our skeletons surround, encase, and house a function that supports and justifies their very existence. Normally, however, most of us, if we think of bones at all, think of the more common external aspect. Yet, it is noteworthy that, when broken open, there is more to them than meets the eye. Likewise, and interestingly so, most view the human soul as a singularity. When they stop to think about it, they divided the soul from the body. That is in error as the soul is a combination of flesh and spirit. According to our creation story, the body of flesh was augmented with spirit, at once not only bringing the old body up to the status of “living soul” but also separating man from the animals. These simple examples which are offered by the author of the book of Hebrews, bring us smoothly to the augmentation that made us who we are.

Thoughts and Intents: meaning the point to which the examples are meant to draw our attention. The expression used by the author, and the quality that is intimately and powerfully known by God, who is a spirit, is “the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Obviously, the organ that pumps our blood has no thoughts and intents as those are functions of the brain. The brain, itself, is but an organ that processes mental aspects and qualities. The mind, then, is the augmentation that makes mortal flesh a living soul. The mind, like God, is spirit – the secret, hidden, unseen part of our constitution through which we are readily known by God.

Yes, we are all “naked and opened” to the eyes of God. This is a given state due to man's spiritual quality. It is by no means limited to one people or type of people. Even the most ardent non-believers are spiritually naked before God. Christians, Jews, Muslims, chanting monks, atheists, capitalists, and communists – we are all in the same sack. The very fact that we have a mind opens us to the scrutiny of God. As the author says in verse thirteen, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight.”

The author's recommendation, in verses fourteen through sixteen, needs no help to explain its content. The words are clear and precise for any and all of us to understand. “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 a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted 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.” He gets it. Everything you feel, he feels. Everything you know, he knows. He is aware of everything you are going through. Your inner strength stands waiting for you to simply take his hand.

The Legal Mind Chapter Three

 

In verses one through six, a comparison is made between Moses and Jesus. It is a comparison between the main pillars of Judaism and Christianity, between the old and new covenants. Whereas faithfulness throughout their house is the quality that makes each like the other, the difference is explained in terms of ownership of the house. The heir of God owns the house. Moses, as a servant in that house, as the main pillar and base of Judaism, was set as a testimony of things that would come into play later. In that Moses put forth the will of God, that word was a preparation for the actual will to come, his son. Lastly, in speaking of the house that was built, God is the builder, Moses is the contractor who began the work, and Jesus is the one who finished the work and took possession. The house, of course, is us, you and me. The house consists of the hearts and minds of the people of God.

In verses seven through eleven, the author quotes a passage that the scripture-sharpened mind would have known. The quoted reference comes from Psalm 95:7 – 11. Two things interest me, here. First is that the verse numbers are an exact match and, second is that the words spoken for God, and possibly written by King David, were ascribed to the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Ghost. Many may simply view the matter of this quote as the writer being inspired by the Holy Ghost. However, the language is that of God, that is, the one who was tested and tried by the Israelites in the desert, the one who was provoked time and time again until sickened by that generation after proving himself in every situation. It is hard to read this quote and not think that the author is calling God the Holy Ghost. Yet, God is Holy, and God is a spirit.

What exactly was the problem in the “provocation” and what is the author of Hebrews trying to express? The provocation was the incident in Meribah where the children of Israel thirsted. When God saved them from the plagues, they were all “Yeah!” When God brought them out of bondage to Egypt with miraculous signs and wonders, they were all “You betcha!” Despite all of that, despite the manna and the quails, the little discomforts always brought them back to complaining. They were in the desert, they were hot and thirsty, and they were ready to stone Moses. They complained, “have you brought us out here to kill us with thirst?” Just as Pharaoh saw the hand of God but hardened his heart, so the children of Israel saw the hand of God but hardened their hearts. The author is telling us that the initial enthusiasm failed. They went from 'God is with us' to 'where is our God when we need him?'

Was God angry with them because they were thirsty? No. He was ready to provide water. God was grieved with the spirit in them, a spirit that never seemed to stabilize or solidify. Like a squirrel in the middle of the road, they were trying to run in two directions. There was an error at work in their hearts and it was such a big deal that God did not want them to pollute his rest with it. That might have been like putting ink in clean water – the water is no longer clean. These five verses begin with a tricky statement, a statement the psalmist applied to his day and age but, also, a statement that the author of Hebrews applied to his day and age. “Today, if you will hear his voice.”

Let us examine this statement. Today, of course, draws the attention to the present, not to the past where was found the initial enthusiasm but to the tested enthusiasm of our present day, as when the desert tested the Israelite's faith in God. Those of us who begin in faith and grow in faith can, nevertheless, expect to fall on times of testing. We will experience pains and troubles and our woes will be like a dark cloud covering the sun of our joyous strength. What will we do then? Will we whine and complain? Will we forget the sun because of the cloud or will we hold on to the certainty that the sun is more real to us than a temporary cloud? There is definitely a lesson to be learned from the provocation, a faith-building and faith-maintaining lesson we can all take to heart. The error in the hearts of the Israelites was mentioned in conjunction with them not knowing the ways of God. That knowledge is not merely a recognition of what has transpired, the knowledge must be on a personal level. The Israelites knew well what God had already done, they doubted him in their current circumstance.

Let's think about the voice. “Today, if you will hear his voice.” Whose voice is being referenced here? The writer of the Psalm did not directly quote an earlier scripture. What was said was said generally, taking into account common knowledge. So, again, whose voice are we talking about? What are our choices? I see four choices. There is Moses who pleaded for the children of Israel. There is the voice of God (which is not directly quoted) who despaired of that particular generation. There is the voice of the Holy Ghost who is, perhaps, the psalmist's renaming of God (which is not directly quoted.) However, since the author of the book of Hebrews is writing a treatise on Christ and salvation, it stands to reason that the psalmist was referenced for the express purpose of shining a light on both God and the Holy Ghost in the voice of Christ. It is the call of Jesus to the faithful that they not lose the initial enthusiasm. We must not lose sight of our goal – to enter into the rest of God. A former generation was denied access because they lost the faith.

That brings us to the cautionary plea in verse twelve. “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from God.” Let's get our definitions straight. It appears the author of Hebrews is giving us the definition of a former generation's downfall. He is explaining what was under the hood, so to speak. We might take a more external view and see some justification in the people calling for water. We can relate. If we were in the desert on the brink of death, we, too, would cry out. Yet, in our day and age, we can not relate to the children of Israel seeing the Red Sea open up, or seeing the pillars of smoke and fire, or hearing the voice of God, or being abundantly supplied with manna and quail. They had no excuse for their complaint. Rather, they should have continued to believe. Instead, they departed from God in their “evil heart of unbelief.”

Next comes timely advice and, here, I lean on the author's wording without the need for much explanation. Hold each other up on a daily basis. Help your brothers and sisters be strong in their faith. Do not let a day pass you by. If you attend only the small matters of daily life, like eating and drinking, therein lies the sin that will harden your hearts against faith. Let every day, while it is today, be a day of exhortation and edification of faith and enthusiasm. Revel in your faith, “For we are made partakers of Christ,” and here I add 'only' “if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end.” This comes from verses thirteen and fourteen.

We are not the same as the generation that angered God in the wilderness, yet, there is a likeness between them and us that is explained in verses fifteen through seventeen. While it may be said, “Today, if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation,” it is obvious that some, when they heard, did provoke God – but not all of them. Some of them continued on to the promised land. The makeup of that generation was a mixed bag, just like ours is today. Some, then, heard and provoked while others heard and held fast. The ones that fell in the wilderness were the sinners who failed to exhort one another in the faith. As it is explained in verses eighteen and nineteen, not all of that generation grieved God, not all of them were denied access into the rest of God – only the ones who did not believe. The present application is that unbelief will bring the same results to us. Likewise, a continuing confidence, built up and maintained daily, will see us to our goal.

The Legal Mind Chapter Two

The author begins chapter two with a warning that connects the nature of man to the nature of the fallen angels. We begin with angels, disobedience, transgressions, and punishments. Verse one starts with a word that connects us back to the first chapter. It begins with the word, 'therefore,' meaning because. In other words, because of all that was bodied forth in chapter one, “we ought to give the more earnest heed.” We should really sit forward and pay attention. It is not some light matter that has been brought up but something intrinsically fundamental to our path through life and, especially, to our outcome.

We have been handed something we need for our own edification. Can we afford to let it slip through our fingers? The full verse states, “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.” Things slip, things we would normally consider to be rock solid. Things slip and there are always consequences. If the very angels of God are punished for oversights, do you think we will fare any better? One would figure the word spoken by angels to be dedicated and reliable. They speak for God. Right? Yet, we are assured that even the fallen angels were handed something vital to their relationship with God. They let it slip. We know that if God will punish those even closer to him than ourselves, “every transgression and disobedience” will receive a “just recompense of reward.”

If angels did not escape, how shall we? Verse three. That thing we have been handed is neither mean nor common. It is called great. For each of us, personally, it is a thing of the highest order, a vital necessity, like air or water for the body – something we just can not do without. We have been handed our own salvation. We did not have to work for it, it was given. All we have to manage to do is hold on to it and not let it slip through our fingers. A good start for such a labor is understanding. We must understand what it is and why we need it so much. We must understand what losing it means. This small task on our part will lead us to faith. A man who believes in nothing else believes in fire on a cold night. A man who believes in nothing else believes in water in a dry land. A man who believes in nothing else believes in air when over his head in the deep.

What is the history of that vitally important thing we have been handed? “At the first,” it was communicated by the Lord. Jesus told us. Then, those people who first heard the word of salvation confirmed it to others. A chain of communication began which has been uninterrupted to this day. The very same information has come down through the ages to our own ears. It has neither changed nor become less important. It is fire to the cold, water to the parched, and light to those who stumble through the dark. Accepting salvation is like coming up from the depths and breathing in the needful air we did not have below. The history of that wonderful gift we have been given, which we can ill afford to let slip through our fingers, came to us in a straight line from the source. Not only has that message gone forth unimpeded, but it has also received the corroborative support of God in signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Verses five through eight. The author, in speaking about the world to come, clearly states that it has not been placed in the hands of angels. The world to come is a world of saved men and women, it has been put “in subjection,” not of the angels but of men and women. Let us examine the word, subjection. Synonyms for the word include such as domination, control, and mastery. The gist of the argument is that it is a work in progress. We do not presently see the full outcome but we are in control. It is a thing of our making. The sons of men were made “a little lower than the angels” but we were, from the beginning, set up to share the glory and honor that is above that of the angels. Sin is a fallen state and we share that in common with the fallen angels but salvation is not an issue for angels. It is a concern only for mankind. It is, after all, men and women, you and I, the unredeemed who must consider what is at stake. What is it to say that we are unredeemed? It is to say that we are absent, adrift, misplaced, lacking, and astray. We are not properly aligned to receive what is ours.

Verses nine through thirteen. To fallen mankind is offered salvation. Salvation may be seen as a state of proper alignment that will allow us to achieve the goal we were set up for. We do not, at present, see the whole world that is to be placed under us but we see Jesus. Jesus was made a little lower than the angels. That is to say that he was made a man to suffer death for absent mankind. Death was the work. The prize, both for Jesus and for mankind through Jesus, was and is a crown of glory and honor by the grace of God. Jesus already had it. He was with God from the beginning. All things are his and all things are of his making – “by” and “for” – but he was made the captain of our salvation so, for it all to work and for it all to be above-board, it had to be done in a manner beyond reproach. It had to be perfect. Jesus had to be made perfect. That was accomplished through suffering.

Imagine a ravine to be crossed. It is filled with scalding water. We have a rope and we can easily all cross to the chosen side but first, we need a captain, someone to wade through the scalding water to the other side and tie off the rope. Then, the one who suffered is also already there to reach out and pull in the first to safely make it over. The first, then, are deputized to act in the captain's stead and reach out to those who follow and pull them to safety. I used the word deputize but the writer used the word sanctify. In acts of ordination, the ones who ordains and the ones who are ordained are both officially one. The sheriff and the deputy are both the law. As the writer puts it, “For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all one.” On this wise, the writer then connects the dots through both the old and new covenant. “For which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, (Psalm 22:22) 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. (Isaiah 8:18)” This is in reference to certain assertions made by Jesus in his last supper prayer.

Verses fourteen through eighteen. The type of death required to effect salvation is explained here. We must ask ourselves, what kind of salvation was secured? It was a salvation for flesh and blood mankind. Would there have been any value in a spirit climbing up on the cross? How about an angel? A heavenly being, who can neither suffer nor perish, would have achieved nothing by crucifixion. It would have only been an act. Jesus, the son of a spiritual God, had to partake of the nature of flesh and blood in order to truly suffer and truly die. In that manner, alone, could salvation be realized, be real. Christ, as a spiritual being, could have snapped his spiritual fingers and destroyed the devil and death in an instant but what good would that do non-spiritual beings?

For such destruction, we must consider the angle of attack. For all of our physical existence, we have been in bondage to death, and the devil has had power over every aspect of our being. The central reason for this bondage is mankind's “fear” of death. I speak of a matter that stands outside the realm of opinion. Fear is not an opinion, it is not a philosophical predisposition. Fear of death is a matter of our innate nature. Fear is a flesh and blood reality – it is just as much physical as it is spiritual. The eyes will blink, the body will flinch, the heart will race. Salvation for physical mankind will never make sense until one realizes it with his or her full nature. We must understand that when Jesus went to the cross, he faced death with his full nature, being both spiritual and physical. He did not flinch at the approaching death but let it wash over him. He conquered his death both in his mind and in his body. He defeated the innate fear of death and broke the chain of bondage. A flesh and blood man did that as the captain for each and every one of us who finally realizes that it takes death to defeat death.

Jesus could have taken on the nature of angels but he chose a more perfect plan. In all matters that pertain to God and to reconcile mankind with God, the spiritual son of the spiritual God made himself able to suffer and die so that he could be to us both a merciful and faithful high priest. Let us examine the word reconcile. It is not, surprisingly, one of those 'religious terms' with little practical application to reality. It is, in fact, quite the common word as its meaning is this: 'to restore friendly relations' or again, 'to make compatible and coexist in harmony.' Those are things we do every day in our small and common lives. Families, marriages, societies, all of these fail without a deliberate effort toward harmonious coexistence. We fall apart, then we make up. When we do, the marriage is saved, the family is united, and society moves forward. It is true that when we return to the simple core issues, we go above and beyond.

For mankind, the fear of death is both real and physical. When we look for help in our turmoil, invariably, we seek out those who have suffered in ways similar to our own suffering. We look for people who know what we are going through. Our bodies fear death. We avoid it at every turn. Biological fail-safes are hardwired into our physical natures. When I throw my hand suddenly in front of your face, you blink. When you sneeze, your body closes your eyes for protection. When the body is infected with a virus, it produces antibodies for defense. Even our death throes are defensive measures enacted by our biological fear of death. A drowning body spasms and gasps defending itself from death. We drive down the road and a single sneeze can cause us to run into a tree. If I learn to hold the wheel with one hand and hold open one eye while I sneeze, I can help another overcome the same distress. Verse eighteen tells us this about the real nature of the real help that Jesus, as savior, offers mankind: “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to help them that are tempted.” 

The Legal Mind

 

The Legal Mind

by DL Herring

05/23/2021

Credit for the letter to the Hebrews was traditionally attributed to Paul the Apostle. However, doubt on Pauline authorship in the Roman Church is reported by Eusebius. Modern biblical scholarship considers its authorship unknown, perhaps written in deliberate imitation of the style of Paul. Although the writer's style reflects some characteristics of Paul's writing, there are some differences. I get this from Wikipedia.

They also say, Scholars of Greek consider its writing to be more polished and eloquent than any other book of the New Testament, and "the very carefully composed and studied Greek of Hebrews is not Paul's spontaneous, volatile contextual Greek". The book has earned the reputation of being a masterpiece. It has also been described as an intricate New Testament book. Scholars believe it was written for Jewish Christians who lived in Jerusalem. Its purpose was to exhort Christians to persevere in the face of persecution. At this time, certain believers were considering turning back to Judaism (the Jewish system of law) to escape being persecuted for accepting Christ as their savior, now following this system of grace (saved by Jesus' sacrifice on the cross). The theme of the epistle is the doctrine of the person of Christ and his role as mediator between God and humanity.

If the author is not Paul but seems very much like Paul, albeit more polished, Then, perhaps, we must look to converted Jews that were at a more adept level in the law of God. Perhaps, the author was one of the Sanhedrin that followed Jesus. The author could be a person such as Nicodemus or Joseph of Arimathea. That was a city or area that scholars still are uncertain of. Some have placed it as far away as the area allotted to the tribe of Dan. The author definitely knew his Greek, however, Greek was widely used. Was the author, since his writing style mirrors that of Paul, actually the mentor of Paul? Who taught Paul, a Pharisee of enough rank and authority to persecute the early Christians?

Wikipedia says this. In the Christian tradition, Gamaliel is recognized as a Pharisee doctor of Jewish Law. Acts of the Apostles, 5 (written c. 80–90 CE) speaks of Gamaliel as a man held in great esteem by all Jews and as the Jewish law teacher of Paul the Apostle in Acts 22:3. Gamaliel encouraged his fellow Pharisees to show leniency to the apostles of Jesus in Acts 5:34.

Some scholars have attributed the writing of Hebrews to a student, companion, or helper of Paul. Some have claimed the authorship belongs to Priscilla. I, however, favor the mentor/teacher angle. It could well be that the book of Hebrews was a joint work based in the various expertise of Joseph, Nicodemus, and Gamaliel. The work is an effort toward Christian Jews to encourage faith under persecution and doubts. The striking feature of the writing of the book of Hebrews is the clarity of the legal mindset. Clearly, the author, or authors, knew the law of the Old Testament and could connect the dots with the emerging Christianity of the day. This clarity and expertise suggest that the writing comes from the mind of a Doctor of the Law. This will be my focus as I study Hebrews.

Hebrews Chapter One

A connection between the old and the new is found in the opening statement of the book. Hebrews chapter one, verses one and two states that the prophets of old spoke the word of God to the fathers of the Hebrew faith. It also states that the Son of God, who made the worlds and whom God has made heir of all things, spoke the word of God to the children of the Hebrew faith. The same word by the same God has been delivered to the whole Hebrew faith through both the prophets and the heir of God. The author combines the old covenant and the new covenant into a single viable synthesis.

Let us examine two details of the opening statement. First, how did God speak to the fathers? It was at different times (sundry.) Synonyms for the word sundry include 'various', 'many', 'numerous', and even 'multitudinous'. The occasions of God speaking through the prophets to the fathers were many. The manners in which the word of God was spoken by the prophets, likewise, were different (divers.) In a nutshell, the word of God went out to the fathers in and by every conceivable occasion, location, and method. We know by the history presented in the old testament that the Hebrews faltered under their covenant with God despite the many occasions of warnings and reminders. They failed to hold up their end of the bargain. Did God tire of them? Yes. Did God give up on them? No. Still holding out hope for his chosen, God sent his Son with a policy update.

The second detail is mind-boggling. The Son of God did not create the one world that we focus on. He created “worlds.” That is the plural and it speaks of multiple worlds beyond our current imagination. Worlds beside us, worlds above and below us, worlds without and within us. This second detail speaks of a power and a scope worthy of rather more respect than we offer up. Such power and scope deserve a respect that borders on reverence and fear. When Jesus spoke of having other sheep, did he mean other worlds? John 10:16, “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” Think of this in regard to the “worlds” that the Son of God made.

My thoughts on verses three through fourteen are on this wise: the author, or authors, of the book of Hebrews connects the dots between God, the Son of God, the angels of God and, by inference, mankind. Levels and ranks are presented in the order of God and Jesus as the highest ( and in this connection, again, uniting the old covenant between God and man with the new covenant between the Son of God and man) and the angels of God as below Jesus and servants to mankind. This supports the supremacy of the Son of God, as the author of the new covenant, by the testimony of God the Father, the author of the old covenant. There is, in order, a relationship between God and Jesus, a relationship between God and the angels, and a relationship between God and mankind secured through the Son of God.

Many valid points, law-of-God-wise, are made connecting the old covenant through the law passed down from Moses to the new covenant law of faith in Christ. Each point is worthy of individual scrutiny. I want to treat each point with the attention they deserve. I want to consider the full import of each statement. I may only have a thought or two on each point but, collectively, the sum shall be lengthy. I have, therefore, divided the statements made so that I may consider each one separately. I think the author, or authors, of this book, as a Doctor(s) of the Old Testament Law, express great clarity of thought in the first chapter of Hebrews. A synthesis between the old and new has been sought that makes a good case.

The relationship between God and Jesus:

Jesus is “the brightness of his (God's) glory,” Hebrews 1:3. I, personally, do not have a clear concept of the glory of God or, for that matter, of glory in general. However, I recall that the Bible portrays the glory of God in terms of brightness. Glory is something that shines. We have an instance such as the column of fire that led the children of Israel by night. Another such instance includes the burning bush of Moses. Then there is the instance where Moses' face was noticeably bright upon his return from the cleft in the rock. That is found in Exodus 34:29–35. People take note of the energy of God, a quality that is transferable – they call it glory. It is, after all, quite glorious. Consider David, the shepherd King, who wrote in Psalm 19:1, “The heavens declare the glory of God.” If we think of the stars of heaven, they are all shiny and twinkly. If we think of lightning in the sky, it is startlingly bright. The brightness of the glory of God was a quality that people saw with their own eyes. It was no idle figure of speech, then, that Jesus was the brightness of the glory of God. We recall from Matthew 17:1–8, Mark 9:2–8, and Luke 9:28–36 the transfiguration of Jesus in which he was reported to have shone with bright rays of light.

Jesus is “the express image of his (God's) person,” Hebrews 1:3. When Jesus spoke to people, he sometimes spoke of his Father. On some occasions, Jesus described God to them. How does one describe an invisibility? Here are some of the things Jesus said of God. John 4:24, “God is a spirit.” Luke 24:39, “A spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” The common man could not see God – that is unless God decided to shine. That brightness was a sign that verified the presence and existence of God. What else did Jesus say about God? John 14:9, “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.”

Jesus accomplished his work through “upholding all things by the word of his (God's) power.” Hebrews 1:3. Synonyms for the word 'uphold' include confirm, endorse, sustain, validate, verify, vindicate, justify, approve, and support. Merriam-Webster states, Some common synonyms of uphold are advocate, back, champion, and support. While all these words mean "to favor actively one that meets opposition," uphold implies extended support given to something attacked. What is it that Jesus upholds? He upholds “all things” that are of God. What the worldly mindset seeks to invalidate, Jesus champions and endorses. How does he do that? He does it using the power of God – more specifically, the “word” of that power. What are some synonyms for word? Thesaurus.com provides this list: charge, injunction, edict, mandate, behest, bidding, decree, go-ahead, green light, order, command, and will. I like that last one best as it seems to fit the bill. Jesus upholds all things of God by the will of God. A name given to the Son of God is “The Word.” I think it is, therefore, appropriate to view Jesus as the command, power, and will of God.

Jesus, “by himself purged our (mankind's) sins.” Hebrews 1:3. When we speak of a person who is able to express the power of God, the concept of “by himself” shows us, in bright clarity, an empowered person. This is not a person on the outside of the work but, rather, the person central to the work. The word of God's power being communicated through Jesus may be seen as more than expression, as we normally define it. To us, expression is a mere affectation, a smaller aspect of our communication. With Jesus, that expression may be seen more as a channeling of the power of God. By the power of God coursing through his very being, Jesus, by himself, without additional assistance, worked a work that opened a path forward for the spirit in man.

Jesus took his rightful place “on the right hand of the majesty on high.” Hebrews 1:3. Upon completion of a work that no one else could effect, Jesus sat down “on the right hand of the majesty on high.” There are three parts to this statement. They are 'sat down,' 'right hand,' and 'majesty on high.' To sit down infers a rest after a labor. It also infers the assumption of a higher level. One may not sit, in this line of reasoning, unless there is a place prepared for just that. We may use our imagination to see a throne beside a throne. If we view a throne symbolically, we may see an interconnecting power between will and achievement. The second of the three parts is the position on the right hand. One may ask, why not sit on the left hand or in front? The right-hand position symbolizes, throughout scripture, one's power, might, and authority. The right hand of a warrior was usually his sword-bearing hand. The right hand of a king was usually the hand that held the scepter of sovereignty. Finally, that position of power, might, and authority was a place in close accessibility to the majesty on high. In the King James version, the word, majesty, is capitalized, showing due reverence to a quality greater than the realization of our common experience. The concept of 'on high' may likewise be viewed as a quality rather than a place. It may be seen as the supreme level of conceptualization for spiritual qualities such as goodness, rightness, and justification.

God made Jesus “so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.” Hebrews 1:4. What is a name? For us, it is a written or spoken designation. A scribble or a sound. Other than something by which recognition is triggered, names on our level of experience are quite idle. However, there is a higher level at which a name may be considered to be a real expression of one's being. That is precisely what this verse points to and explains. Everything brought up in verse three is a real name. Everything you read there about Jesus is an expression of his true being. The brightness of God's glory? That was his name. The express image of God's person? That was his name. Upholding all things by the word of God's power? Purging our sins by himself? Claiming his seat on the right hand of the majesty on high? All of those are the real names of Jesus. It is a better name he has than all the angels of heaven – and for one very important reason. His name came by inheritance. Jesus was the one and only son of the almighty. The nature of the father was the nature of the son. No other entity can make such a claim, neither the angels nor mankind.

The author of the old covenant said to the author of the new covenant, “Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.” Hebrews 1:5. Psalm 2:7. So far, the author(s) has given argumentation. Now, we come to the inclusion of witnesses and corroborating evidence. We gather this information from the site https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/corroborating%20evidence: In a court of law, corroborating evidence is used to uphold the testimony of witnesses. Three items of evidence are presented as witnesses taken from the very law that the Hebrews relied on. Item one is drawn from the book of Psalms and Identifies the begotten son of God.

The author of the old covenant said of the author of the new covenant, “I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son.” Hebrews 1:5. 2 Sam. 7:14. Item two is drawn from the second book of Samuel and identifies a promissory claim, or vow, on the part of God in regard to the person of Jesus.

The author of the old covenant said of the author of the new covenant, “And let all the angels of God worship him (Jesus.)” Hebrews 1:6. Psalm 97:7 “Adore him, all you his angels:” Deut. 32:43 "Rejoice with him, O heavens, and adore him, all ye angels." Item three is drawn from both Psalms and Deuteronomy and identifies the proper place of the angels in regard to the begotten son of God. In the law of the Hebrews, it only took two or three witnesses to establish the truth of a matter. The author(s) presents three items of corroborating evidence as the three witnesses that establish truth.

The author of the old covenant said to the author of the new covenant, “Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” Hebrews 1:8. Psalm 45:6. “Thou 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. Psalm 45:7. “Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thy hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall 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.” Hebrews 1:10 – 12. Psalm 102:25 – 27. Hebrews 1:8-10 continues the testimony that establishes the divinity of the heirship of Jesus based upon the exact character of his relationship with God. Heirship is defined as the position or rights of an heir, the status of being heir to something or someone, the right to inheritance. Of course, all of that had to be based in fact or truth. The author(s) established the truth of inheritance by the very proclamations in the law that were inspired by the spirit of God.

The author of the old covenant said to the author of the new covenant, “Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” Hebrews 1:13. Psalm 110:1. Jesus claimed his place at the right hand of the majesty on high. That high and lofty position of heirdom is explained as part of the in-gathering of the Hebrews. Being a footstool is not an object of denigration as it may be seen to complete the throne. As authority goes, it is a matching set.

The relationship between Jesus and the angels of God:

What God said to the angels, “And let all the angels of God worship him (Jesus.)” Hebrews 1:6. Psalm 97:7 “Adore him, all you his angels:” Deuteronomy 32:43 "Rejoice with him, O heavens, and adore him, all ye angels." We get an immediate sense of order, chain-of-command-wise. Christ is greater than the angels. The angels are commanded to respond to Jesus in a particular manner. Of angels, in particular, the command uses two words. They are worship and adore. Synonyms for adore include venerate, revere, honor, glorify, exalt and worship. For an example of worship, I turn to the incident of the ten lepers in Samaria. Upon the realization of being made whole, the Samaritan turned back to worship Jesus. This particular act of worship is described in two ways. The most immediate and physical of the two was that the man fell on his face before Jesus and thanked him. This worship is also described both by the author of the gospel and by Jesus, himself. Both descriptions are equal in their identification. The author said of the Samaritan that he returned with a loud voice and glorified God. With a loud voice is to say that the action he took, he engaged in unreservedly. Jesus said as much when he noted that of the ten, only one man returned to give glory to God. So then, what is glory? On the part of the Samaritan, it was an acclamation (in a loud voice and without reservation) praising all that is great about God. Of heaven, which includes more than the angels, the command is to rejoice with him. Him who? The first begotten. Jesus. I am reminded of a phrase from Psalm 19:5, “and rejoices as a strong man to run a race.” For those of heaven, that is to be a part of the same mind, to stand with and support. I would like to bring up the wording of the first half of verse six. 'when he brings in the first begotten into the world.' I look especially to the words in and into. They give the sense of an introduction, an inclusion. What is introduced is injected. The sense is of some internal quality that is surrounded by an external quality, like a stage within a theater. The protagonist steps into the spotlight.

What God said of the angels, “Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.” Hebrews 1:7. Psalm 104:4. Angels are made a certain way and for a certain purpose. They have their own particular nature. They must know their place in the order of things. I see them like an ocean wave upon reaching the beach of God's will, and the word to them is 'thus far and no further.' While they may speak for and, in some instances like, God, their nature is their limitation. When the angel in the burning bush spoke like God, it was a flame of fire, a singular aspect. When the angel in the garden used a fiery sword to block the path of Adam and Eve, to channel them in a particular direction, it was a singular aspect of something greater than itself, and its purpose was to minister.

The author of Hebrews concludes about angels, “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?” Hebrews 1:14. They are the helpers of humanity. To those of us who will be granted to stand with the son of God as heirs of salvation, the angels are our ministers. What exactly is a minister? Of a sort, they are missionaries and shepherds. They assist us in our journey. We, like a flock of tended sheep, may not be aware of their presence or influence because of our focus on what is in front of us. There are times, however, when we become aware of being moved or of having our paths blocked. The inexplicable occurs in our lives. We are channeled. We are prepared.

The relationship between the angels of God and mankind:

Angels are meant to worship Jesus, along with mankind, as the consecrated authority of God. The angels are created spirit beings, aspects of God. Men are begotten beings that were created by a combination of flesh and spirit, aspects of God. There is something of a gulf between angels and men. Mankind has that whole corporeal addition to work through. Otherwise, men and angels are similar spirits. Our paths cross but are not the same. The path of mankind goes where the path of angels does not. Our path can lead to salvation. For the angels, salvation may be either a forbidden or previously settled matter. We do not know the particulars about angels; we may only guess. We are informed that there was a falling out among the ranks of the angels; such musings must be left for other topics.

Angels are meant to be servants of God's will toward mankind and, as spirits, may take on the nature of God (a flame of fire.) However, their inclusion in chapter one of the book of Hebrews is merely to set the stage. The author attempts to place all elements in their proper place. The preeminence goes to God and His son, who at a particular point, adopts the begotten nature of mankind for the purposes of God. Mankind is low man on the totem, having a history that requires redemption. Angels stand between the preeminence and the need for redemption as shepherds. Mankind has taken a stand apart, like the fallen angels, but has been extended an invitation back into the fold. The path that mankind must take to reach that goal is, necessarily, through the nature of the greatest of our shepherds.