blood," that by this means he might raise humanity to a higher pinnacle of glory than any on which the loftiest angel can set foot. It is because of this love " beyond a brother's" that even now he does not disdain "to call us brethren" (ver. 11). II. THE PURPOSES ACCOMPLISHED BY CHRIST'S BROTHERHOOD. Some expressions In the passage state these generally. (1) "He taketh hold of the seed of Abraham" ( rnr. 16), to pluck them from sin and Satan. (2) "'!'hat he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest" (ver. 17): here we meet this famous title of Christ, "High Priest," for the first time-a title which strikes the key-note of the Epistle, and which is not given to him in any other book of the New Testament. (3) "He that sanctifieth" (ver. 11). Christ became incarnate that he might consecrate his people by delivering them from sin. Or, more in detail, he became our brother: 1. 1.'o expiate sins. (Ver. 17.) By his death in our nature he has offered to God a perfect satisfac- tion for the sin of the world. The perfection of his sacrifice is due to the fact that he who suffered is the same glorious personage who is described in eh. i. as the Son of God, the eternal Jehovah, the Creator and Possessor of the universe. 2. To deliver from de,ath and Satan. (Vers. 14, 15.) "The sting of death is sin;" but death is powerless to harm the new life of those who are cleansed with the atoning blood. Sin was introduced at first by the devil, and death through sin, and so death is associated with the devil's usurpation; but Jesus has "bruised the serpent's head," rendering him impotent in relation to "the children'' who are to be brought to glory. They are emancipated by their elder Brother from death's power and fear. 3. To enable him to sympathize with his people. (Vers. 17, 18.) He passed, as our Brother- Man, throngh every variety of trial anrl sorrow, that we may learn to have confidence in him, as being fully able to sustain and cheer WI amid the darkest experiences of afflic- tion (eh. iv. 15, 16). 4-. To "bring many sons unto glory." (Ver. 10.) Jesus is our Moses and Joshua. He became our Brother that he might be our Leader through tho wilderness of t.his world up to the heavenly Canaan. Had he not " partaken of flesh and blood," there would have been no inheritance for WI, "The humanization of God is the divinization of man." LESSONS. 1. The native value of human nature, as seen in the fact that Christ has as~umed it, to redeem it. 2. "Thanks be to God for his unspeakable Gift." 3. How great the madness of the man who rejectR Christ's offered brotherhood I 4-. The necessity of union with Christ by faith, if we would have him claim us as his brethren. 5. The comfort of knowing, in our days of trouble, that the God-Man cherishes for us the love of a brother. 6. The duty of loving our brethren in Christ (eh. xiii. 1),
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-4.-77ie superior privileges of Christians. "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to,''etc. The "therefore" connects this chapter with the preceding. Because the Son of God is immeasurably greater than the angels," we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard," etc. Our text presents to us a view of the superior privileges aud the more solemn responsibilities of Christians as compared with those who lived in the earlier dispensation. We shall confine our attention at present to the former portion of the subject, which we may state thus-The privileges of this Christian dispensation are much superior to thoatJ of the Mosaia economy. L TBE EABLIEB REVELATION WAB MADE BY ANGELS, THE LATER BY THE LORD, The Law waR a "word spoken by angels.n 'l'he Law came from God, but it wa,1 given to Moses by the mediation and ministry of angels. They were present and assisted at the giving of the Law on Sinai. The testimony of Scripture upon this point is conclusive (Hee Deut. xniii. 2; Ps. lxviii. 17; Acts vii. 53 ; Gal. iii. 19). And Josephus says, "Our best maxims and most excellent laws we have learned of God by means of ancrels." And Philo: "There were present at the giving of the Law, visible sounds, an~ated and splendid, flames of fire, spirits, trumpets, and Divine men running hither and hither." But the revelation of the gospel was by the Son of God -" having at the first been spoken by the Lord." "Grace and truth co.me by Jesua Christ." Inasmuch as the Son is higher than the angels, insomuch i8 the reveltltion of the gospel higher than that of the Law. OH, II, 1-18.) THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 57