The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 112

into his observatory to gaze in silence on the glory of the heavens above, It .was needful for Jewish Christians to look to tbe glory of Christ, as the best way to counteract the discouragements which arose from the opposition of the synagogue and of those to whom the cross of Christ was a stumbling-block and an offence. 'l'he truth of his priest- hood was to be acknowledged, and the glory of his apostleship was to be confessed; for he was sent by the Father to reveal his will and claim our faith; and "whosoever will not hear this Prophet shall be destroyed from among the people." If the steady con- templation of Jesus Christ was necessary for Jewish believers, it is equally so for ourselves. It is by beholding him we are changed into the same image of constancy, and hold fast the cheerful confidence with which we began the career, and cherish the exaltation of our hope to the end of our earthly life. 'l'hen those who die in the Lord gain the precious recompense of the congratulation and welcome of the Redeemer, who will greet them with those sacred words, "Well done, good and faithful servant: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." Believers are besought by the endearing appeal to their brotherhood to be faithful to him who was faithful as a Son, to whom they are predestinated to be conformed; and as he is not ashamed to call us brethren, we should strive to please him who encourages us to be faithful unto death, and he will give us "the crown of life."-B. Vers. 7-11.-There is an example here of the resources and adaptation of Old Testa- ment Scripture to New Testament conditions. The sacred writer turns to the ninety- fiftb psalm to give force to his remonstrances, and cautions against unbelief and disobedience. This part of the Psalter contains an impressive description of the conduct of the ancient tribes of Israel in their passage from Egypt to Canaan. There were two occasions on which the h!!.rdness of their hearts was specially and painfully manifest. The first of thesci was their unbelief at Rephidim (Exod. xvii. 1-17), when they murmured against God and against his servant Moses, and chode with the man of God respecting their want of water; and the place was called Massah ("temptation") and Meribah ("striving" or" contention "). A similar occurrence took place at Kadesh, when the people murmured again, and when supply of water was miraculously obtaiaed; it was called "water of Meribah" (Numb. xxi. 13). These acts of unbelief sprang from hardness of heart, which the thought of the Divine deliverances wrought for them and the designs of Jove revealed to them failed to overcome. The goodness of God did not lead them to repentance, but after their hardness and impeniteot heart they" treasured up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." They tempted God, and proved him to find whether he was able to do great things, and whether he was the supremci Ruler of them and all creatures. They found that he was .:>f one mind, and none could turn him. "Harden not your hearts," was the counsel given by the psalmist; and by Isaiah, whose mission, through unbelief in the people of Judah, was a" savour of death unto death." 'l'he prophets, and Jesus Christ the great Prophet, repeated and urged the same counsel upon the attention of the Jewish people, and urged it in vain. Jehovah was grieved and vexed with the former generation; and the Image of the invisible God wept over Jerusalem, and said, "If thou hadst known . . . the things that make for thy peace I but now they are hid from thine eyes." The punishment of the murmurers in the wilderness was that they should not enter into the rest of Canaan, which was designed for the obedient and those who should become a "kingdom of priests." There is probably a sacred meaning in the choice of the psalm, which specially refers to forty years, which length of time was nearly the period which elapsed f~om the crucifixion of our Lord to the predicted overthrow of Jerusalem, the destruction of the templci and cessation of sacrifices, and the captivity and dispersion of the people. Holding up the examples and punishment of unbelief before the eyes of Jewish belicivers, the Holy Spirit taught them to remember thci severity of. God, and to fear l~st their apostasy from Christ should shut them out from the higher and more glorious rest of heaven.-D. ' V ers. 12-14.-There is here asserted the need of mutual exhortation to avoid unbelief and follow Christ fully. Apart from the labours of the ministers of the gospel, who were to teach that Christ was" the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever," thern was to err, m. 1-19.] THE EPISTLE TO 'l'HE HEBREWS. 103