The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 33

H. WAs MADE GRADUALLY. "At sundry times;" Revised Version, "by divera portions." 'l'he revelation was given piecemeal, by fragments, in and by various persons, and in difterent ages. Very gradual was the revelation of redemptive truth to man. God's fir8t comniunication (Gen. iii. 15) was like the evening star, serene and s~litary; the fuller communications of the patriarchal age were like the starry hosts of night; the revelations made to Moses were like the light of the fair and full-orbed moon, in which that of the stars is lost; and those made by succeeding prophets were l~ke the dawn of the day, when the moon grows pale and dim; and the supreme revela- t10n was hke the radiance of the sun shining in noontide splendour. This gradualness of revelation may be seen in many things, e.g. : 1. The character of God, Very gradual was the unfolding of the nature and character of the Divine Being to man. The measure of the revelation was adapted to the measure of the human capacity. Jesus, the Son, revealed the essence and heart of the Father. " God is a Spirit." Parable of the prodigal son. "He that hath seen me bath seen the Father." 2. The salvation of man and its method. 3. True human character and blessedness (cf. Deut. xxviii. 1-14 with Matt. v. 1-12). 4. The immortality of man. We find in the Bible longings for immortality, inquiries after it, hints concerning it, anticipations of it, but not until the final revelation in Christ was it brought into clear and assured light (2 Tim. i. 10). This gradualness of the Divine unfoldment should be remembered by us as we study the Divine communications. Let us not expect to find in the earlier portions what the later alone can contain, or put to Moses inquiries which only the Son ca.n reply to. III. WAS MADE VARIOUSLY. "In divers manners." This is true: 1. Of God's communications to the prophets. He communicated with them by Urim and Thummim, by dreams, visions, ecstasies, by quickening and directing their thoughts, etc. God is not limited as to his modes of access to and influence over the minds of men. He can call them into active exercise, impress them with deep convictions, etc. 2. Of the communications of the prophets to men. They spoke in prose and poetry, in parable and proverb, in history and prediction, in forcible reasoning and glowing eloquence. Each prophet also has his own style. God's revelations in the Bible and in nature aro alike in this, that they are characterized by endless and delightful variety. In nature we have the majestic mountain and the lowly valley, the massive oak and the modest daisy, the serene stars and the storm-driven clouds, the booming ocean and the rippling rivulet. Equally great and beautiful is the variety in the sacred Scriptures. IV. Is CHA.RACTERIZED DY m.-rTY. The revelation was given "by divers portions and in divers manners;" it came through different men and in widely distant ages; yet all the portions are in substantial agreement. The voices a.re many and vario~s, but they meet and combine in cne sweet a.nd sublime harmony. In the different portions of the revelation we discover unity of character-every portion is spiritual, pure, sacred ; unity of direction-every portion points to the last great revelation, the Divine So?; unity of purpose-to make man "wise nnto salvation." We conclude, then, that while the speakers were many, the inspiring :Mind was One only. Or, keeping more closely to the phraseology of the text, though the voices were many, the Speaker was but one. In this marvellous unity in such great diversity, we have the basis of a cogent argument for the Divine origin of the sacred Scriptures. V. Is PERFECTED DI ms SoN. "God . . . bath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son; " Revised Version, "bath at the end of these da.ys spoKen. unto us in his Son." The revelations ma.de in and by the prophets were imperfect. " '!'hey were various in nature and form, fragments of the whole truth, presented in manifold forms, in shifting lines of separated colour. Christ is the full revelation of God, himself the pure Light, uniting iuhis one Person the whole speGtrum" (Alford). It is quite appro- priate that the perfect revelation should be made in and through the Divine Son. T_he Son will be perfectly acquainted with the Father, and therefore a~le to ~eclare his will. 'l'he Son will resemble the Father, and therefore be able to mamfest him. "No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son," etc. No one knowcth "the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son willeth to reveal him;" "He that bath seen me bath seen the Father." The Divine revelations of redemptive truth to ma1..1 culminate in him. No new or further revelations will be granted unto us; but t.o the d-,vout, patient, and earnest student, new and brighter light will stream fort! on. 1. 1-14.] 'l'HE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 23