The Pulpit Commentary — 1 John — Section 67

0f all believers in this life-this is the heavenly ndl"Ocacy that we are to t0.ko advautnge of. Our minds may t~ro to the inexhausted power of Christ's work ou earth. Ilut, acc01d1ng to what 1s 1:ud down bore, we are to turn our minds more immeJiatcly to our Saviour's advocacy. The high priest did not stop with the offering of Facrifice in the co_urt_of the temple;_ but he followed it up by going into tbe most holy place, nud going with mcense? which 1s to be regarded as the symbol of ncceptnble prnycr. So "Christ is !1ot entered 1_uto the holy places made with hands, which are the tigurcs of the true, but mto heaven itself, now to appear iu the presence of God for us." His appearance there means continued priestly service in the form of advocacy for us. A.s actin<r for us he takes up our i_ndividual cases,_ with a view to our being brought forwnr~, e";.ch in our own way, to smlessncss. Clmst has all the knowledge of our case that 1s needed for advocacy. W c have to make up for the deficiency of our child. He has to be educnted for all_ the relat_ions of life--edur.ated even physically, educated for business, edncatc,l for soc1ety. W1th our larger acquaintance with life we superintend his education; and there is much which he does not comprehend or see the use of now, but which, we hope, he will feel the benefit of hereafter. Christ occupies a similar vantage-grouud with regard to our liie. He cnn take up all the threads of our life. He can comprehend its working, iu ,icw of the past and in view of the future. He can follow out in detail the whole struggle with sin. A.nd he can judge iufallihly how our outward circumstances need to be arranged, how our hearts need to be influenced, with a view to our complete deliverance from sin. A.11 this he turns into matter of iutercession for us, and we havo the comfort of thinking that the ignorance which cleaves to our prayers is covered by the perfect knowledge of his intercession. He has also all the interest in us that is needed for advocacy. It is said that Jesus died 011cefor all; but the spirit in which he died was not momentary and evanescent. "\Ve sometimes attain to an elevated state of feeling, and then we fall back into an habitually lower state. But the same intensity of interest in us which led Jesus to die for us he has carried into his risen life, and the form which it takes is intercession. We are given to understaud that his life on high is directed to the carrying forward of the work of grace in believers; and is this not the guarantee of its completion? "If, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." "Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." The latter Scripture is sometimes guot~d in the sense that, while there is life there is hope; but, in accordance with the other Scripture, it is to be understood in the sense that there is, in the living iuterest and unfailing intercession of the Saviour, covering all deficient interest in our prayers, guarantee for our salvation being carried to the uttermost, i.e. being thoroughly com- plekd in sinlessness. 3. Explanation of its sufficiency. "With the Father." Christ is our Ambassador at the court of heaven. He is there to represent us, and to protect and advance onr interests. But we are not to think of any reluctance on the part of the First Person needing to be overcome, or of all the desire to save us being en the part of the Son. Rather is the Saviour's advocacy to be rei;arded as the manifestation of the earnest desire of God (without distinction of Person) for our salvation. For it is with tlte Father that Christ intercedes. Does not tbis suggest to us his being easily reached? Christ tells us of a judge who seemed unreachable, and yet he was found to be reachable by the very lowest of considerations. If there is a way of reaching the worst kind of mind how much more must there be a way of reaching the Father's heart? Will he tak~ no heed of his children who cry unto him clay and night?. Will be not interpose for their deliverance from sin wheu their case is taken up by their heavenly Advocate, who, from all eteniity, stands. to him !n the_ most inti~ate of relatiuns? Will the face of his Son turned toward him, and his contmual pleadings on our behalf, be unheeded? (1) Our Representative. "Jesus Christ the Ilighteous." He is Jesus, i.e. in our humanity, and, at the same time, Christ, i.e. the Anointed of God promised to men. He has, therefore, the qualification of nature that is needed for our Representative, But he has also the qualification of character, being here called the Righteous. He does not need to shrink from standing in the presence of God a.s our Advocate; fur he has all the righteousness in our humanity whic~ God d_emands. He has met the Divine requirement all round, even a.s the Representative ~f ?inners. God, therefore, looks upon him with infinite plea.sure, And will he not be willing to liless us OU, II, 1-29.] 'l'HE .fiRS'l' EPISTLE GENERAL OF JOHN. 63