tian's future existence as determined by Christ's existence. Possibly, also, he so takes it for granted that believers will have their place in a Messianic earthly kingdom that he does not think it necessary to mention it. The grief of survivors in 1 Th 4^^ seems to imply this clearly, also the reference to the judgment executed by believers in 1 Co 6'-. But what seems most evident is that St. Paul passed almost unconsciously from the traditional and more material view of the future state implied in 1 Th 4'^ to the simpler and more spiritual con- ception of future likeness to Christ, and a blessed existence with Him. This takes the place of all sensuous joj-s of heaven.
3. Petrine literature. — If the Lucan record of St. Peter's speeches may be taken as at least represent- ing Petrine material, then we have one or two passages relating to Christ's present place in heaven. Ac 2*^"^ interprets Ps 110^ of the Ascen- sion of Christ, and 3-^ adds that it was necessary for the ^lessiah to return to heaven because the OLTTOKaTacTTaais had not yet arrived. Both j^assages show that the belief in the Messiah's present exist- ence in heaven was an essential part of primitive apostolic tradition, and also that the earlj' tradi- tion was very little occupied with heaven as a place of abode in the future, but rather as the place whence God would intervene by sending the Messiah again to establish the kingdom on earth. The few passages in the First Epistle which speak of heaven add nothing to this position. 1 P l* echoes Col P : heaven is the place where the inheritance incor- ruptible and undefiled is kept with care until the moment for the revelation of Messiah. 1 P 3^ re-attirms the doctrine of Eph 1-" 4i°, etc. : the Ascension of Christ to heaven and His Exaltation over all the spiritual powers in the heavenly sphere. Hence, as far as the literature attributed to St. Peter is concerned, we do not find anything peculiar to him, but onlj- a confirmation of the two main elements of primitive Christian tradition — the present existence of Christ in heaven conceived of in a quasi-material way as a place or sphere con- trasted with earth, ancl the revelation of Christ from heaven bringing the accomplishment of all hopes of blessing, all that is comprised in awrripia. The connexion of the Holy Spirit sent from heaven with the eschatological expectation of the early Church is also characteristic both of the speeches in Acts and of the Epistle (cf. Ac 2i6-i8, i p iis). The same thought is frequent also in St. Paul (Ro 8-^ where the Spirit is the awapxv, an anti- cipatory guarantee of the blessings yet to come ; and Eph P*, where the Spirit is the dppa^dbp).
i. Hebrews. — The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews contributes much of importance to our inquiry. Possibly he is the only one of the NT writer's who shows clearly the influence of Alex- andrian Judaism in his views on the Last Things. St. Peter represents the primitive Jewish Christian eschatology in its simplest form ; even in the First Epistle, although Charles finds an advance on the eschatology of Acts, the hope is still rather for the kingdom on earth ; the heavenly nature of the in- heritance is not to be understood as referring to the place where it is enjoyed, but rather to the place from which it comes. Even in St. Paul's case, in spite of the clear advance towards a greater spiritualization of the eschatology, this advance seems to consist in the increasing emphasis laid on the spiritual assimilation of believers to Christ as the goal of hope, rather than in an abandonment of the hope of an earthly kingdom. The idea of the kingdom falls into the background, but its abandon- ment cannot be proved conclusivel}- from St. Paul's writings. But the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews seems to liave arrived at this stage of the development. There is no passage in his lettei
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HEAVEN
HEAVEN
which points clearly to the belief that the righteous share with Christ the joys of a kingdom on or over the earth. The principal passages for consideration are :
(a) Those which confirm the primitive apostolic tradition of the present session of Christ in heaven (414 726 81 92s. 24), The Avriter lays stress on the fact that Christ is higher than the ' heaven ' ; he implies a contrast in the phrase ' heaven itself,' avrdv rbv oiipavdv, the special dwelling-place of God, with the heaven, of Jewish theology. Jesus has passed 'through the heavens.' Of course this thought is found in Eph 4*'* also, (b) The eschatological passages (3> IV^ 12^-^*). Believers are parta'kers of a ' heavenly calling.' This might be understood as the source of the calling, but in the light of the subsequent passages it is more naturally understood as referring to the place and goal of the calling. In IP* the writer represents the believers of old as seeking a better and a heavenly country, and declares that God has prepared a city for them. In 12^"^, the climax of his appeal, he depicts the heavenly city, the home of the Christians whom he is address- ing. '_Ye have come,' he says, implying that the city exists already, and that it contains the myriads of angels, the assembly of first-begotten ones whose names were enrolled in heaven (Lk 1(P), the spirits of righteous men who have been 'perfected,' and finally Jesus Himself, the Leader and Completer of the faith. The sense of TereXeiu/jLivoi is a difficulty, but its interpretation is clearly suggested by the author's use of the word with reference to (jhrist in 2"" 53 7^. The author implies that Christ's present existence in heaven in a perfect state is the result of His experience on earth. He is morally and spiritually perfected as Man, and hence fitted to be the Leader and Completer of the faith. His present state is the witness and the guarantee of the future state of those who follow His leadership. God will do for them what He has done for Christ. This order of things constitutes the heavenly kingdom, the ' unshakable kingdom ' which vnll be manifest at the Parousia, when everything that can be shaken will be removed. The writer e\ddently regards the Parousia as the moment when the material heaven and earth will disappear, the wicked and apostates will receive the just judg- ment of God, and nothing will remain but the heavenly order of things already revealed to faith by the Resurrection and Attainment of Christ. Here we have St. Paul's line of thought carried to a clear and triumphant conclusion. Moral and spiritual progress and ultimate full conformity to the character of God are the true goal of hope. The old words aurtipia, fKiris, KXrjpovofiia are being filled \vith a definitely spiritual content, and have practically lost their temporal and material signi- ficance.