The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 388

but by spiritual conditions only. "The hour cometh, when neither in thle mountnin nor in Jerusalem, shall yo worship the 1<'11.ther. . . . The hour cometh, and no,v is' :when the true worshipper shall worship the Father in spilit and in truth," etc. (Joh~ 1v. 21-24). 'Wherever there is a devout soul, there is the true Zion. Tbe contrito h~~ can consecrate for itself a temple wherever it may be. 2. It is hallowed by t~e Divine pi·esence. "Ye are corn<! unto Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem." Previous to the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, the name Mount Zion "was applied exclusively to the eastern hill, or t-hat on which the templa stood." The glory of the Holy Land to the pious Hebrew wae Jerusalem, and the glory of Jerusalem wu Mount Zion, and the glory of Mount Zion was the temple, and the glory of the temple was the Shechinah ( cf. Ps. xlviii.1--3; lxxx. 1 ; cxxxii. 13, 14). " 'l'he Lord is in his holy temple." "He sitt;eth between the cherubim. The Lord is great in Zion." But in a higher sense he dwells in the consecrated heart, and in the Christ-ian Church. "Where two or three a.re gathered together i11 my Na.me, there am I in the midst of them." 3. Its members are indivulually consecrated to God. "'l'o the Church of the Firstborn." The firstborn of Israel were dedicated to God as his priests (Exod. xiii. 1, 2, 11-15). Afterwards the tribe of Levi was selected for this service instead of the firstborn of all tbe tribes (Numb. iii. 11-13). And it is characteristic of every Christian that he is consecrated. to God; he is a priest unto God. " Ye are a holy priesthood, to offor up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. . . . Ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession." 4. Its members are heirs to a glorious inheritance. All Christians are called " firstborn" because they are all heirs of the heavenly inheritance. " We are children of God : and if children, then heirs," etc. Heirs "unto an inheri- tance incorruptible, and undefiled," etc. 5. Its members are individually known unto God. They "are written in heaven." They a.re "not yet citizens of heaven who have taken up their full citizenship by passing throngh death, but persons to whom their citizellShip Is assured, they being as yet here below." This enrolment in the book of life is the sign that the citizenship of the Christian is in heaven, and that his name and character are known unto God. " The Lord knoweth them that are his." 'fbe good Shepherd "calleth his own sheep by name" (cf. Luke x. 20). I l THEY ARE FAVOURABLY RELATED TO ANGELIC BEINGS. "Ye are come . . . to an innumerable company of angels.'' Notice : 1. The great number of angelic beings. The text speaks of" myriads of angels," an expression which is employed to indicate a great multitude. St. John in spiritual vision saw" many angels ronnd about the throne; . . . and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands." 2. The joyful spirit of angelic beings. "And to myriads, the festal hcst of angels." Alford: "'CI11vlryvp1s is the complete, multitudinous, above all, jubilant, festal, and blissful assembly." "There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." They rejoice in the progress of the cause of Christ, in the extension of his Church, in the triumphs of his cross and Spirit. 3. The gracious rdation of angelic beings to Christians. Angels were present at Sinai in great numbers, and assisted at the giving of the Law (cf. eh. ii. 2; Deut. xxxiii. 2; Gal. iii. 19). But their ministry upon that occasion seems to have been majestic and terrible, fitted to awe but not to attract men. But their relation to Christians is gracious and engaging. We are come unto them. Invisibly yet beneficently they are present with us as our spiritual helpers. "Are they not all ministering spirits?" etc. Ill. THEY ARE SYMPATHETICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE PERFECTED SPmITB OF THE GOOD. " A.nd to the spirits of just men ma.de perfect." We have here: 1. The noblest portion of kuman beings. "Spirits." Having laid down their bodies at death, these thinkina, reflectinu, loving, worshipping spirits live on in consciousness and in blessed- ness. 2~ .A com1T°.end,able character if l,uman beings. "Spirits of just men.'' Not innocent; but pardoned and purified from sin through the mercy of God. Spirits of all the jllilt who have ent~red the eternal state, from righteous Abel down to the spirit which last responded to the home-call. 3. The most excellent condition of human l,eings. "Spirits of just men made perfect." Made perfect, not in degree, but in character and condition. Perfect as being without error and sin, but not as being 'iucapable of further progress. 'l'hey are without sin, but ~hey will grow in holiness. 'l'u~y are without error, but they will increase in knowledge. "Made perfect;" then en. xn. 1-2D.J TllE EPISTLE TO TIIE HEilltEWS. 383