The Pulpit Commentary — Exodus — Volume 2 — Section 120

HOMILIES BY V.ARIOUS .AUTHORS. Vers. 16-19.-Sinai and Sion. In studying these verses we cannot but be reminded of the picture drawn by the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews of the contrast in respect of Church state and privilege between believers of the Old and believers of the New 'l'estament dispensations. "Ye are not come," he says," unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, a.nd darkness, a.nd tempest. . . . But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem," etc. (Hebrews xii 18--25). Briefly stated, what is set forth here is the contrast of legal with Gospel privilege. The writer is addressing Jews, who were in danger of apostatising from Christ. He seeks to dissuade them from going back to Judaism by showing them the vast superiority of the privileges which they enjoyed as Christians to those enjoyed under the law. We, who are Christians, and are in no temptation to return to Judaism, approach the subject from a different side. But the verses are still of use as showing us, by contrast, the greatness of our privilege. We have, 1. the negatitJe side of Christian privilege-what we are delivered from," Ye are 1wt come," etc.; 2. The positive side of Christian privilege-what we have come to, "Ye are come unto Mount Sion," etc. It will better suit our present purpose to view the contrast along different lines. I. 'l'HE CONTRAST IN THE MOUNTAINS. Sinai and Sion. 1. Sinai. Sinai, the mountain of law, stands a.s the proper representative of the old economy. The Israelites, a:; seen above, were under a. peculiar constitution. Bound to God by a. covenant of la.w, they yet enjoyed many of the benefits of a state of grace. Sinai, however, was the proper representation of their economy. Divest that economy of all that it derived from the new and better covenant which has since superseded it, and it would have been a ::iinai economy pure and simple. The law said, Do this and thou shalt live; and if the Israelite did not do it, it could award no blessing to him, could only condemn. Th~ was the formal constitution. As placed under law, the people, in their approaches tt God, were cuustantly coming a.new to the mount that might be touched, and that burned with tire. 2. .Siun. The first thing which strikeij us here is-(1) 'l'hat theTe r,11, XIX. lG-l!l.) 1'1IE BOOK OF EXODUS.