grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus : whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (tXac- Tnotov), through faith im his blood” (Rom. iii, 24, 25). “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be SAVED FROM WRATH through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life” (Rom. v. 9, 10). - “Our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for owr sins”’ (rept apapTiov); which is the very phrase frequently used in the Septuagint to translate npn, sin-offering. (See Lev. iv. and xvi.; Gal. i. 3, 4.) ‘In whom we have redenvption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Eph. i. 7). “ But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ” (Eph. ii 13). “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins;” and, “Having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to recon- cile all things unto himself” (Col. i. 14, 20). “Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man (dia tov’Tov) is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: and by him (év tovT@) all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses” (Acts xi. 38, 39).*
We claim that these passages teach the gospel, not in a figure, but in direct terms, to be understood according ~ to the ordinary use of language and force of words. All that Jowett, and those who agree with him on this sub- ject, can say to turn the force of the Scriptures is, that they are “figurative ;” that we must take their “inward
meaning,” because their literal meaning is dishonouring
* See Macdonnell on Atonement, pp. 76-81.
SACRIFICES PIACULAR AND TYPICAL. 139
to God, and revolting to the refined moral sense of ad- cmarres vanced thinkers.* a Thus we have the whole heathen world, the Jewish people, and the entire Christian Church, the Old Testa- ment symbols, and the New Testament historical narra- tives and didactic statements, all on one side; and the Socinians, Rationalists, Jowett, Maurice, Bushnell, and
Young on the other.
* Jowett, vol. i., p. 261, and vol. ii., pp. 476, 477.
CHAPTER IX.
THE ORTHODOX DOCTRINE PROVED BY THE FACT THAT CHRIST EFFECTED SALVATION BY ACTING AS THE HIGH PRIEST OF HIS PEOPLE.
et. S==aHAT our doctrine as to the nature of Christ’s i work, as above stated, is true, we claim is established by our fourth argument, namely, that the Scriptures clearly set forth Christ as
acting and suffering as the High Priest of his people. Peutios It is essential to the Moral Influence Theory to consider catesof Christ solely as the mediwm through which God exerts ono! a saving moral influence upon man.* The point of the Theory as controversy of the Church with the advocates of that
of Christ's theory, as was truly stated by Limborch, is, Whether pre Christ, by his death, removed obstacles to our salvation existing in the nature of God, as well as those existing in the nature of man? In opposition to their error, I propose to prove that the characteristic function of the ancient priest, and especially the high priest, was, that he represented the people before God; that, taken from among men, he was ordained to act in behalf of men v2 those matters which have a bearing upon God (ra rpos Position TOV Oecov), that he may bring near to God both gifts and of advo- sacrifices for sin (Heb. v. 1). It is essential to the
cates of Govern- Covernmental Theory to assume (a) that the work o1
mental
theory. Christ, in itself considered, accomplishes only the salva-
* See Young’s Life and Light of Men, p. 27, and note.
CHRIST THE HIGH PRIEST. 141
bility, and not the actual salvation, of any; and (0) that it is general and indefinite in its reference, having re- spect to no particular individuals, but to all sinners of mankind as such. In opposition to their error, I pro- pose to prove that the ancient priest and high priest, (@) in every instance, sought and obtained remission, not vemissibility—reconciliation, not merely the possibility of reconciliation—for those for whom they acted; and (b) that hence the work of the priest had a definite reference to particular persons, whom he represented, for whom he offered expiation, and in whose behalf he in- terceded.
I, The distinctive character of the priest was, that he was divinely ordained to act in behalf of men in those matters which have a bearing on God. As the general character of the prophet was that of one qualified and authorized to speak for God to men, so the general idea of a priest is that of one qualified and authorized to treat in behalf of men with God. When Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, and their colleagues, rebelled against the assump- tion of an exclusive priestly character on the part of Moses and Aaron, on the ground that it belonged to every member of the holy nation in common, Moses