The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 64

of deterioration from the golden age of his original maturity. "The crown is fallen from our head." Man used his freedom to destroy his innocence. His spiritual nature 1s m ruins. He is the slave of his own evil passions, He feels far away from God, and he bas lost all fellowship with him, 2. His authority is resisted. So soon as Adam reb~lled against God, nature began to renounce allegiance to him. Ha~ing lost his purity, he forfeited the lordship which had been his birthright. Since the Fall, man bas not been able to master even the material world. Uncivilized nations live in ignorance of many of the simplest physical laws; and the most advanced rather wrestle with the forces of nature than command them. 3. His power is partial. How impotent man is in presence of earthquake and tempest I Frost and snow are mightier than he. Wild beasts defy him. Insect hordes destroy his harvests. Disease and death triumph over him. Man cannot rule his own spirit; and as for dominion over the spiritual world beyond himself, he is unable to see how such a thing can be possible at all. III. Hrs BE-CORONATION IN CHRIST. (Ver. 9.) The apostle's comment upon David's words fills them with new light and glory, by showing how their fulfilment centres in Jesus. He has become the focus of man's destined royalty. 1. The life of Jesus exMbita the Divine ideal of man. We understand what is meant by our creation in God's image when we " behold" him. He has lifted our crown from the dust, and set it upon his own head. Think of his life of spotless purity and holy familiarity with God <luring the years in which he continued "a little lower than the angels." He was, while on earth, the Second Adam-the Son of man-the Type of imperial manhood. While in the world he exercised dominion over the creatures ; and at length he was 13xalted to God's right hand, where our faith now sees him. 2. His death gives man power to reach up to that ideal. Jesus voluntarily submitted to his humiliation and sufferings and death that he might put away the sin which has robbed man of crown and sceptre. In tasting death be drank up the curse. His sacrifice has vindicated the righteousness and justice of God, and his blood has power to renew and sanctify the human soul. So, those who become united to him in his death are clelivered from the tbraldom of sin, and participate with him in his kingdom (Rev. i. 5, 6). 3. Hi., glory is the pwige of man's restored dominion. The last clause of ver. 9 reminds us that seeing Jesus has himself triumphed over death, the benefits of his death have become, by virtue of his exaltation, available for all. His people, being one with him, shall partake of all .the "glory and honour" with which, as the God-Man, he has been "crowned." Man's restoration to imperial power is already being foreshadowed on earth, in the increasing triumphs of science and art among Christian nations, and in the gradual victory of what is moral and spiritual over brute force and evil passion. And in heaven the saints shall reign with Christ. They shall stand nearer the throne than the seraphim. They "shall judge angels." The whole of Christ's vast empire shall be theirs (1 Cor. iii. 21-23). In conclusion, let us : 1. Cheri.eh the scriptural idea of man's dignity. 2. Remember that we can realize our destiny only in Christ. 3. Seek a saving interest in his atoning death. 4. Consecrate soul and life to his service. 5. Imitate him as the pattern Man. 6. Live in a manner befitting the great hope which we have in him. Ver. 10.-The necessity of Ohrist', sufferings. The Saviour's sufferings, while he was on earth, were: 1. Numerous. They covered his whole life, and culminated in his "tasting death." 2. Various. He suffered in body and mind and heart, and at the hands of earth and hell and heaven. But his severest sorrows were spiritual- " the travail of his soul.• 3. Unparalleled. His were the substitutionary sufferiniz;s of a perfectly holy human nature in most intimate identity with God. 4. Divinely inflicted. It is implied here that "it pleased the Lord to bruise him." The humiliation of Christ, so far from being incompatible with his headship, was indispensable in order thereto. He required to suffer- I. THAT BE MIGHT VINDICATE THE GLORY OF THE DIVINE OHARAOTEB. The glory :if God himself is the ultimate reason, as his will is the law, of all things. "It became !lim, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things;" i.e. the moral character of God rendered it needful that Jesus should taste death, if sinful man was to be saved. The necessity of the at.onement did not arise only from the exigencies of God's moral government. It 11-as not effected merely that its powor might soften the OH, II, 1-18,] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 55