The Epistle to the Hebrews [antikvár]

THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS I. Introduction The Epistle to the Hebrews is addressed to believers in the Lord Jesus from amongst the Jews. The contents of the Episde clearly show that it was written to establish these believers in the truth of Christianity with all its privileges and blessings, and thus to deliver them from the Jewish system with which they had been connected by natural birth. To understand the-significance of the teaching in the Epistle, we must remember the character of this religious system with which the Jewish remnant had been connected. It was a national religion given to those who, by natural birth, were descended from Abraham. It raised no question of new birth. It was entirely for earth; it was silent as to heaven. It regulated man's conduct in relation to God and his neighbour, and promised earthly life, with earthly blessings, to those who walked according to its precepts. This religion had for its rallying centre a visible temple—the most sumptuous building ever erected by man—with material altars, on which material sacrifices were offered by a special class of officiating priests who conducted an outward worship of God, accompanied by elaborate ceremonies, according to a prescribed ritual. It was purposely designed to appeal to the natural man to prove whether there is anything in man in the flesh that can answer to the goodness of God, when a religion is given which regulates every detail of man's life, from birth to old age, in order to secure his earthly prosperity, ease, and happiness. In result, this appeal to the natural man only served to show there is nothing in unregenferate man to answer to God. Thus it came to pass that this Jewish system, which in its inception was established by God, in its history became corrupted by man. The culmination of wickedness, under this system, was the rejection and murder of the Messiah. The Jews having thus filled up the cup of their iniquity became ripe for judgment. For the holy God to : i I ^