The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 77

is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good." (2) To meet the deep needs of man's spiritual nature. Man needs the removal of his alienation from God. His sins have separated between him and his God. He is alienated and an enemy in his mind by wicked works. And the death of the Only Begotten of the Father was necessary to reconcile him to God. That death was both "a response to the imperious claims of the eternal law of righteousness, and the :final appeal of the Divine love to the conscience and affections of the human race." That appeal moves man's heart, and awakens within it love to God. Moreover, man needs the satisfaction of th8 instinct of right now awakened within him. The truly penitent soul, knowing that sin is rightly followed by suffering, and if persisted in leads to death, and, hating sin in itself, would fain suffer as an atonement for its sins and as a homage to gooclness and truth. Such a penitent soul feels that "without shedding of blood there is no remission." The awakened conscience cries out for atonement. Our Lord's death for sin, the voluntary surrender of his life upon the cross for us, meets this deep and urgent need of the religious heart. 2. To succour man as a su_fferer. Man needs a High Priest who "is able to succour them that are tempted." The word "tempted" is used in two senses in the Bible. (1) Tested, proved, with a goo,l intent, as in the case of Abraham (Gen. x.xii. 1). St. James also writes of tempta• tions of this kind (Jas. i. 2, 3). (2) Tempted with evil intent, or solicitation to sin. In both these senses man is tempted. He is tried by suffering and sorrow, by physical pain and spiritual conflict. He is also assailed by subtle solicitations to sin. He requires a High Priest who will be able to help him in these trying experiences; one who will give him sympathy in his sorrows, inspire him with patience in his trials, and with spiritual discernment and strength in his temptations to sin. Such are the functions of our great High Priest. II. TnE QUALIFICATIONS OF OUB GREAT liIGB PRIEST. 1. He must share our nature in order that he might make atonement for us as sinners. The perfect obedience which our Lord rendered to the holy will of God, the painful sufferings which he patiently endured, and the terrible death which ho voluntarily submitted to, conld not havo constituted an atonement for us had he not previously taken upon himself our nature. "Wherefore it behoved him in all things to be made like unto his brethren." It was morally necess!Lry that he should share our nature if he would efficiently serve us as our High Priest. 2. He mmt share our trials in order that he might succour us in our sufferings. Our High Priest must be "merciful," so as to feel compassion for suffering and tempted men. He must be "faithful," so as to elicit and reto.in the confidence of those whom he represents before God. He must himself suffer temptation, that he may efficiently help the tempted. Both classes of temptation assailed him. Ho was tempted by Satanic suggestion and argument and inducement. He was tried by severest physical pains, and by spiritual sorrows which grew into the great over• whelming agony, "A Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. , .. Surely ho hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows." Hence he is ablo to succour them th!Lt are temptod. He can not only feel for them, but with them. By his personal experience of our sufferings he has acquired the power of sympathy with us iu them. " .As God, he knows who.t is in us; but o.s man, be feels it also." "Sympo.tby," so.ys Burke, "may be considered as a sort of substitution, by which we a.re put into the place of auothcr man, and affected in many respects as he is n[fcctetl." '!'bus our greo.t High Priest sympathizes with his tried people. "In all thoir affliction ho is afflicted." He succours as well as sympathizes; he inspires with courage as well as regards with compassion; and in our weakness he makos us strong in himself "anti in the power of his might," Having such a High Priest, let us trust him heartily and at all times.-W. J. Vers. 1-4.-.An exhortati()'TI, against drifting away from the glorious Son of God. This passage is evidently a parenthosis, no link in the argument. Like the acknow• letlged Epistles of Paul, this is characterized by frequent sudden and brief departures from the general outlini, of thought. Like a river, the outline is clear from beginning to end, but here and thtire are ijmall side channels into which tho stream is swiftly, involuntarily drawn, to re;om tnt1 mam current a little lower down. One of these wo bav11 befort, us. Tbo 111tcrJtdio11 of this passago is very natural. The last chapter  68 'l'HE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. [oH, II, 1-18,