Confusion has been created by expositors in- sisting that 'access' must, in the three passages where the word occurs, always mean either intra- ditction, or liberty of approach exclusively. But the larger concept, 'introduction,' includes the lesser, ' liberty of approach.' To put it in another way — the latter term follows from the former. Presentation at the Court of Heaven gives one the right to return there. It secures habitual access to God at all times.
3. 1 P 318 ' Because Christ also suffered for sins
u
ACCESS
ACCESS
once, the righteous for the unrighteous, tliat he might bring us {irpoffaydya) to God.' The Apostle does not set liimself in this Epistle to expound the theology of the Passion. His general purpo.se is to comfort and sustain Christians wlio are suttering persecutions. Some of them were slaves, enduring wrongs from cruel masters because of their faith in Christ. These Avere directed to the exemplary character of Christ's suflerings. In 3" St. Peter assures them that it is better to suffer for AveU- doing than for evil-doing. Then in v.'* he links them in thought with the suliering Saviour. But it is not on tlie exemplary significance of Christ's sufferings that he enlarges. Tliat is left behind. The writer is spellbound by the very mention of the Cross, and for a moment he forgets his pur- pose of directing some wronged slaves to Chiist as the supreme example of suliering innocence, that he may state again the wider and deeper meaning of his Lord's Passion. Christ sufTered in connexion with sin once for all (a7ra|). The unique signifi- cance of His death consisted in its being the death of a righteous person for the unrighteous (SUatos virfp aSlKuv) ; and His action had this end in view, that He might conduct us (irpocraydyri) to God : ' ut nos, qui abalienati fueramus, ipse abiens ad Patrem, secum una, justificatos adduceret in ccelum, v.^, per eosdem gradus quos ijise emensus est, exinanitionis et exaltationis ' (Bengel). 'And if the soul bear back still through distrust. He takes it by the hand and draws it forward ; leads it unto His Father ; presents it to Him, and leaves not the matter till it [the reconciliation between a sinner and God] be made a full and sure agree- ment' (Leighton).
4. The word wpoaayory^ is not found in the Epistle to the Hebrews. Access is expressed there in different language from that in the passages con- sidered, because it is associated with somewhat different ideas. Tlie author of Hebrews, writing as a pastor, not as an evangelist, aims at con- serving rather than initiating faith. Instead of the Pauline and Petrine idea of the Saviour leading in a sinner, we have the sinner coming to the Saviour. Inti-udiu-tiun (Trpoaayi^yi)) becomes access, liberty of uppronrh, uppnixiuuitinn. Sinners are represented in the \ery act of approaching — are exhorted to approach. The worshippers under the law were toi)s irpoaepxaiiivovs, 'the comers' (He 10") ; ' not those that come to the worship, but those who by the worship come to God' (Owen). Under the gospel (Judaism evolved) their attitude and character remained the same : 7^ 11" (singular) or 4'* 10--, where believers are exhorted to draw near (irpocr^pxtiiJ.eBa).
As a Hebrew Cliristian addressing Hebrew Christians, the writer of Hebrews makes large use of Old Testament conceptions and Old Testament rites familiar to himself and his coi-respondents. Urging upon them tlie truth ' that the faith of Christ is the true and final religion' (Da\-idson), he presents a series of contrasts between what was elementary in Judaism and the finished product of Christianity. Modem readers are apt to lose themselves amid unfamiliar details here. But it is possible to set these details in the background, and yet grasp the permanent truths, which are as important for us as for the readers to whom such details Ijccame the most effective illustrations. We shall keep this in \-iew when attempting now to summarize the great facts associated with the idea of access in the four Epistles already referred to.
(1) The need of ncress to implies separation from God — want of fellowship like that en.ioyeil by those who walk in the light. We are by nature afar oil" (Eph 2'3), aliens (v.'=). There is an en- mity which must be slain before peace is eftected.
caled against all ungodli-
- of men (Ho l'^). The
rhiklrcn of wrath (Ejih
i '1 in Hebrews to draw
The wrath of G( ness and uuii_i Ephe-sians v. 22). That »■ . near t4">
is emphatically affirmed that He is able to unto the uttermost, it is supposed that great oppositions and difficulties do lie in the way of its accomplishment' (Owen).
(2) The great separating barrier is sin. All have sinned (Ro 3'^) : and the correlative of uni- versal sin is universal condemnation. Sin and death are so as.sociated as to be completely one (Eo 5'=- "• "• "• ='). The Ephesians are represented as dead in trespasses and sins (2').
(3) All three Persons of the Godhead conspired to deal with the problem of sin, in a way corre- sponding to its magnitude. Access is («) to (irpbs) the Father (Eph 2'*) — representing tlie God to whom we are to be reconciled and introduced, and into whose family we are to be adopted ; (b) throuqh (Sid) the Son (Uo 5-, Eph 2>«) ; (r) bi/ (iv) tlie Spirit (Eph 2'*').