The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 29

four thousnnd years at the very least since God had begun to speak. 2, Given "in the prophets." A prophet is a forth-speaker--a spokesman-one who speaks for another. 'l'he prophetic formula was, " Thus saith Jehovah." God's prophets were men; he conveyed his message to his people through human minds and hearts. No prophet wrote as an automaton ; his own faculties wrought, and his ink-horn was dashed with his heart's blood. It is very beautiful to see the prophets rising up, one after another, in these far-past days. Together they form a " goodly fellowship ; " each was the noblest spirit of his time. 3. Frag'TTUJntary. "By divers portions," God had given the former revelation part by part. He delivered it in connection with temporary dispensations-the Adamic, the .Abrahamic, and the Mosaic. He gave it first by oral communication, and latterly by Scripture. The Old Testament grew slowly; it took more than a millennium to complete it, and at least twenty-seven different writers contributeL. to it. The revelation, though of priceless value, was always fr~omentary and imperfect; it was meant to be progressive and preparatory. God gave one truth to one age, and another to a succeeding age. The promises of redemption became the longer the more definite. 4. Multiform. "In divers manners "-in manifold fashion. Now God spoke by dreams, now by visions, now by voices, now by angels, now by similitudes, now by Urim, now by sacrifices and lustrations, now by putting a burning word into the prophet's soul. How various too, is the literature of the Old Testament Scriptures! Now it is historical, now biographical, now legislative, now prophetic, now philosophic, now poetical; as varied as the fresh mind of every contributor, and yet revealing all through the one eternal Mind. II. THE NEW TESTAMENT REVELATION CONTRASTED WITH THE OLD. The writer merely suggests this contrast, leaving its details to be wrought out in the meditation of hls readers. Unlike the Old, the New Testament revelation is: 1. Recent and final. "At the end of these days unto us." This refers to the close of the Mosaic economy. Judaism, like the older dispensations which preceded it, had got worn out, and in its turn had passed away; but the Christian dispensation is the final one, to be consum- mated only at the second advent. So, the new economy shall be ever present and always new, because not to be superseded so long as the world lasts. 2. Given "in his Son." What an element of stupendous contrast I 'l'he prophets were only inspired men; this is a Divine Person. The prophets were only servants; this is the Son. The prophets were only God's spokesmen; this is God himself speaking. The Son is the Logos-- the " Word," the manifested God. What a view is presented in the following clauses of his Divine dignity and his mediatorial majesty I This first grand sentence of the Epistle reminds us of the scene on the holy mount. It points us away from Moses and Elijah, as did the voice from the excellent glory, saying to our souls, "This is my beloved Son: hear ye him." 3. Complete and perfect. The New Testament presents the truth, not fragmentarily, as the Old Testament did, but in finished form and in undivided fulness. It was entirely written by eight or nine men belonging to one generation. It contains a richer revelation of more developed truth than that which is found in the Hebrew Scriptures. In the Son of God, speaking to us through his apostles and evangelists, we see revelation full-orbed at last. For eiahteen centuries now the canon has been complete; and, thus, progress in theology ca"n be made only as the result of better understanding of what God has already given us. The laureate's "Ring in the Christ that is to be," cannot refer with propriety to any Christ that is unrevealed. 4. Simple and clear. The Old Testament revelation was multiform-like a painted window, covered over with many-coloured and beautiful emblems; that of the New Testament is like a window of pure clear glass, through which we gaze upon the unveiled glory of heaven. The water of life trickled through the Old Testament in a variety of tiny streamlets; it runs in the New Testament with the flow of a broad pellucid river. Christ and his apostles "use "reat plainness of speech." The New Testament is much shorter than the Old but it is more inward, evangelical, and spiritual. It is a better revelation as well 'as a later, one; for it contains the substance rather than the shadows-the heavenly thin as rather than only their patterns. Preaching is a very simple ordinance. The two sac~aments constitute the entire Christian ritual. The Old Tolstament " veil i~ done away in Christ." . In conclusion : l, Great as were the privileges of thl.l 11ncient Hebrews (Rom, ix. OH, I. 1-14.] 'fHE EPIS'fLE TO '!'HE HEBREWS. 19