rather say that bis incarnntion wo.s the means lation, to the extent of pllltioipation in suf- of bis being made like them. Translate fcriug unto death? That he might beoome theretore, observing the position of the sub: a meroiful (or, compa8Bionate) high priest, in stanhrns before the verbs, :For not, I ween, things pertaining to God, to make propitia- angels doth he lay hold of (to succour them), tion for the sins of the people, It was that but the seed of Abraham he doth l&y hold of. he might be fully constituted as the High The allusion is to its being the human Priest of humanity. Here, according to " children of promise," aud not angels, tb&t the manner of the Epistle, the view of are denoted in prophecy o.s being, and priesthood, to be afterwards set forth at acknowledged to be, the object of the length, is briefly hinted. It is taken up in eh. Messianic redemption. The expression, v., after the conclusion that Christ is man's "the seed of Abraham," is, of course, High Priest bas been reached by another line not intended to exclude the Gentiles: it of argument (see preceding summary). In is appropriately used in reference to the eh. v. one of the essentials of a true high Messianic promises of the Old Testament priest (whoso office is to mediate for man in (cf. Gen uiii. 18; Isa. xii. 8): and the things pertaining to God) is set forth as extension of its meaning to "all them thnt being that be should be of the same race believe " would be as familiar to the first and nature with those for whom be mediates, roaders of the Epistie as to us ( cf. lllatt. iii. u.nd able in all respects to sympathize with 9; John .iii. 89; Rom. iv. 11, 16). The con- them: and this view is here foreshadowed. clusion of ver. 17 ( which repeats virtually Ver. 18.-Such power of sympathy Christ, what bas been alleged before, after reo.son by undergoing human suffering and temp- given) now naturally follows: Whence ii tation, acquired. :For in that (or, wherein) behoved him in all things to be assimilated he hath au1fered himself being tempted (or to his brethren; i.e. to the race which wo.s ha'lling been himself tempted in that wherein the object of his redemptive succour. But, he hath suffered), he is able to sucoour them further, why the need of this entire assimi- that are tempted.
HOMILETICS, Vers. 1-4.-.A solemn parenthetical warning. Out of solicitude for the spiritual well-being of his readers, the writer pauses here for a moment, to enforce upon them the necessity of holding fast the New Testament salvation, He does so in words which are burning with urgency. I. THE DUTY. How prone men are to •• neglect the great salvation" (ver. 3) I All classes of sinners do so--the blasphemer, the infidel, the self-righteous man, the respect- able worldling, the procrastinator. Thousands of church-going people ignore the gospel, out of love of the world and secret repugnance to Christ and his cross. Even believers themselves are very prone to "drift away from" (ver. 1) their anchorage in the gospel verities. The early Hebrew Christians were strongly tempted to relapse into Judaism; our besetting danger is that we allow ourselves to glide with the multitude down the swift current of worldliness and indifference. We need, therefore, "to give the more earnest heed." Want of heedfulness on the part of professing believers is a great evil of our time. "My people doth not consider." What a blessing would dawn upon the Church, were all its members to begin to " search the Scriptures," and to make intense application of mind and heart to the spiritual study of saving truth I Only thus will Christian faith both Jive and grow. Only thus may one's life be a life of real devotion to the Redeemer. Only by discharging this duty of constant watchfulness will o believer be preserved from apostasy. II. THE MOTIVES BY WHICH IT IS ENFORCED. "Therefore" (ver. 1); i.e. on account of all that has been said in the previous chapter. 1. T/i,e greatness of the gospel. "So great salvation (ver. 3). What an unfathomable depth of meaning underlies this little word "so" I 'l'he new revelation far transcends the old, inasmuch as in the Son we havo received a visible manifestation of God, an adequate atonement for ein, an intelligible exhibition of the spirituality of religious service, a perfect expression of the dignity of man and a clear revelation of eternal life. Especially does the new economy excel the old i'n the distinctness with which it exhibits "salvation" as its characteristic feature. The gospel proclaims the love of God. It offers pardon, It breathes a new life into the soul. It rescues from the despotism of sin. lt promises a glorious immortality. And at what an infinite expenditure has this salvation been provided I It cost the incarnation of Christ, together with his obedience, sufferings, an<l death. It costs still OB. II. 1-18.] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 53