|
I.
INTRODUCTION: PARANESIS AND EXHORTATION BUILT UPON THE THEOLOGY OF THE
AUTHOR
The Apostle Paul wrote to his
disciple Timothy that those who want to live a life in Christ Jesus will
suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3:12). Jesus told his disciples in the
context of speaking of the Holy Spirit in the Book of John, that in this
world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome
the world (John 16:33). For the people of God of any time and place, the Book
of Hebrews is eminently practical for the comforting of those who suffer.
In fact, the way the author of the Book of Hebrews addresses his concerns
to the congregation is with a view to real suffering, and to promote an
identity--a wilderness-suffering identity in the people. This is so that
when they suffer they might think on their present circumstances in light
of the eschatological suffering and work of Christ in these last days (Heb.
9:26b-28). In the same way that the Book of Revelation teaches the people
of God to raise their eyes by faith upward to see God upon the throne in
these last days (cf. Rev. 4-5), so the Book of Hebrews teaches us to think
eschatologically about the Person and Work of Christ. The author of the
Hebrews teaches the people of God a theology of suffering in his parenesis,
or his exhortations, and the kind of mindset the believer ought to have in
the midst of their sufferings in the last days. Dr. R. B. Gaffin, Jr. writes,
"…Hebrews is an exceptionally instructive example of the integration
of doctrine and exhortation (life) that in various ways characterizes the
entire New Testament." The theology of Hebrews (doctrine) is to exhort
the people of God living in the last days to steadfast endurance and to
exercise and eschatological faith (life).
The author is concerned about
the people to whom he writes and we can learn a great deal about our own
sufferings in light of this book. One way of understanding the purpose of
the author of Hebrews is to see how he gets us to think eschatologically on
a horizontal plane, while gazing vertically to the superior Person and Work
of Christ as our High Priest (Heb. 1:1-4; 2:10-18). Christ is greater than
the angels (Heb. 2:5-13); greater than Moses (Heb. 3:1-6); he performed a
better sacrifice because he is a greater High Priest (Heb. 5:10; 6:19-7:28; cf. 9:11ff). Those who suffer in
manifold ways, can be confident that not only is their faith in the one who
is the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:8), but in their
suffering, they can be encouraged that he who was greater in his Person and
Work was identified with them, and went before them as archegon (Heb.
2:10-18; 12:1-11; cf. Acts 3:15; 5:31).
The Christian life is a race
run, according to the author of the Hebrews (Heb. 12:1ff). Believers are
not to be "over-realized" in their eschatology. That is, the race
believers in Christ run in these last days in the wilderness, as
"people on the way" is fraught with difficulties, challenges and
pain. The author of Hebrews teaches us to understand our lives as a pilgrim
people in the wilderness of suffering and to remember that Christ our High
Priest himself served in the wilderness and overcame (Heb. 2:14-18; 4:15).
In the same way, as believers who run the race with our eyes fixed on the
Pioneer (archegon) and Perfector of our faith, so we too can persevere
during perilous times and overcome. Although the pain and suffering is real
and comes to us in manifold ways, God has spoken his sure and precious
promises to us through Christ (Heb. 1:1,2). Christ in his High Priestly
work has accomplished our salvation and has been offered up as a
propitiation for our sins (Heb. 7:27; 9:14,15). Those who would have an
"over-realized" eschatology desire for all the fullness of heaven
now: fame, riches, absence of pain, rather than understanding that the
author to the Hebrews is teaching the people that as Christ identified with
us, so we must identify with him; that is, in his suffering (cf. Heb.
2:1-11). Hebrews 2:10 says, "For it was fitting that he, for whom and
by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the
pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering" (RSV). Hebrews
chapter 2, ends with this hopeful verse in v. 18: "For because he
himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are
tempted" (RSV).
The beginning of the book of
Hebrews is in the form of a homily that helps us to better understand the
author's word of exhortation (Heb. 13:22) as from the heart of a pastor who has
suffered in Christ himself. The book has the elements of an epistle, but
overall it is a pastoral theology of suffering. A theology that encourages
perseverance in the face of trial, pain, and even apostasy, in light of the
superiority of Christ's Person and Work as our High Priest. We should
remember that even Christ asked the question concerning faith and apostasy:
"When the Son of Man returns will he find faith on the earth"
(Luke 18:8; cf. Heb. 6:4-6). This is to teach us in light of the Book of
Hebrews that apostasy is a real and ever-present threat to the Church.
Believers must persevere with an eschatological faith that can move
mountains, but that acknowledges itself as a faith pioneered, championed
and perfected by Christ alone (Heb. 11:1,6; cf. 12:2-4).
The believers to whom the author
wrote were greatly disheartened or "sluggish" and losing faith
because of the persecution and suffering that they were undergoing (Heb. 5:11; 6:12; 12:3). According to Hebrews 10:32ff,
the Christians had "endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes
being publicly exposed to abuse and affliction, and sometimes being
partners with those so treated" (RSV). They had joyfully accepted the
plundering of their property, since they knew that they had a better
possession and an abiding one. However, they were ready to "throw away
their confidence, which has a great reward" (Heb. 10:35) (RSV). They needed endurance just as
all believers living in the last days: an endurance which fixes its
eschatological focus upon the promises of God (Heb. 10:36). The author is trying to encourage them
with the real hope they have in the present by considering the Person and
Work as High Priest on their behalf. William Lane wrote concerning the Person and Work of
Christ: "…the readers lethargy derives from their failure to
grasp the full significance of Christ…Like the changing
configurations of a kaleidoscope as it is turned, the writer sees the
eternal Son, the incarnate Son, the exalted Son."
Just as the Christians addressed
in the Book of Hebrews had real hope in what Christ has accomplished in his
superior work on behalf of his people, so the same hope is real for the
suffering believer who is tempted to give up and to return to an
unbelieving way of life. Therefore, we can finish the race as we look to him
and his incarnation, better sacrifice, and better priesthood in the context
of a better covenant. Christ is our all in all; and he is the end, the
eschatological goal of our salvation and faith. As we journey as believers
through this life in the Age of the Spirit, may we look to the Book of
Hebrews for comfort knowing that he who triumphed on our behalf is able to
keep us from falling and will bring us into his Kingdom presence through
our faith in him (Heb. 13:20,21; cf. Jude 24).
We will consider the theology of
suffering in the Book of Hebrews by reflecting upon the following
theological themes and aspects of our hope in the Person and Work of Christ
revealed to us in these last days. The theological themes of the Book of
Hebrews will exhort us as a pilgrim people, living in the last days while
pointing us forward through an eschatological faith to the Last Day when
all things will be renewed. First, we will look at how the author of
Hebrews describes a "last days people" as wilderness-sufferers so
that the people of God may have a correct understanding of our identity in
the midst of suffering (Heb. 3:7-4:10); second, we will consider the hope
of Christ's superiority to Angels (Heb. 1:5-14); third, we will consider
Christ's incarnation and work on behalf of his people in his suffering,
temptation, sympathy, and being made perfect (Heb. 2:10-18; 4:14-16;
5:7-10) ; fourth, we will consider our hope as a wilderness people in
Christ's superior offering of himself (8:1-10:18); and finally, we will
conclude with the promises and punishments in the Book of Hebrews.
II. A SUFFERING WILDERNESS
COMMUNITY (3:7-4:13)
As the people of God who live in
these last days, we should remember that we are a wilderness people who
have yet to enter our rest. For the author of Hebrews, suffering is a last
days wilderness reality, and this reality should not cause Christ's people
to stumble or be surprised (cf. 1 Pet. 4:12ff). We should understand that
in this world of pain and suffering we are only being identified with Christ
our Head. This means that we are a pilgrim people on the way to the full
inheritance in the Kingdom of God. Just like the saints in the Old
Covenant who did not see all the promises of God fulfilled, yet they still
believed God by faith, and knew he was able to fulfill his promises and to
give them their full inheritance (Heb. 11:6ff; cf. Heb. 4:1-13; Ps.
95:7b-11).
Although we await our rest now
according to Hebrews chapters 3 and 4, we persevere by faith, as those who
persevered by faith before us (Heb. 12:1). We continue the race in the
wilderness because of those witnesses in Christ who have preceded us;
knowing that because they have made it, we also shall make it. We persevere
to enter the rest and understand that although we do not fully see the Kingdom of God in all its fullness, we can be assured
that He who promised is faithful. We must walk by faith and not by sight
was we suffer in this world (2 Cor. 4:16-5:9). Our response and attitude as a
people of God in the wilderness is that we are on the outskirts of Canaan but we have yet to enter into the land
of promise. Dr. Gaffin wrote concerning the true character of the church in
the last days described in the Book of Hebrews: "…the situation
of the church is characterized by 'holding fast' (3:6,14; 4:14; 10:23) and
'pressing on' (6:1); all in all a key ingredient is the need for endurance
and perseverance (10:36; 12:1; cf. 10:32)." In other words, as a
wilderness people there is no time for rest "today" in these last
days, for this is our time of "works" by faith in Christ's
superior work (Heb. 4:10; 6:10). As a pilgrim people in the wilderness of
suffering, we should focus with an eschatological faith upon the hope to be
revealed (cf. 1 Pet. 1:13). As the author of the Hebrews teaches,
we must hope in Christ's accomplished work as a guarantee of our
inheritance.
Christ was the true wilderness
community, the archegon or Pioneer who went before his people into the
wilderness and suffered through trials and temptations, but did not sin and
ultimately overcame (Heb. 4:15). Christ persevered in the wilderness and
overcame sin, death and the devil on behalf of his people (Heb. 2:14ff; cf.
Luke 4:1ff). Christ has entered the rest, passed through the heavens and
has been seated at the right hand of the Majesty in Heaven (Heb. 4:14-16; 9:24). When we suffer as a church in these
last days, we must always keep in mind Christ's example of suffering and
his work as our sure guarantee for our persevering, because we can approach
the throne of grace with confidence and receive mercy and find grace to
help us in our time of need (Heb. 4:16). He who raised Christ from the dead
is faithful to make us like him and to perfect us with him (Heb. 13:20,21). We must understand that although we
may want to give up the race and quit at times, we should heed the warnings
of Hebrews chapter 6. We must understand that in the New Covenant context,
covenantal privileges because of Christ's Person and completed work,
requires covenantal responsibility. Apostasy is a real threat to the people
of God who suffer and desire to give up or to return to their old ways of
living because Christ has delayed his return. We should remember that our
hope is in the eschatological triumph of Christ! Because of this
eschatological triumph, we his people, must in these last days bear the
eschatological testing in order to be conformed to his likeness. As
wilderness people, we must set our eyes on Jesus and persevere, not
expecting all the fruits of the Promised Land in the wilderness. We must
remember that we are indeed pilgrim people in the wilderness who have yet
to arrive in the Promised Land of rest, but we are already heirs of this
rest now! This is the present wilderness-suffering identity of the people
of God now.
III. CHRIST'S SUPERIORITY TO
ANGELS (1:5-14)
The author to the Hebrews begins
his homily by immediately focusing the eyes and faith of the people to the
fact that God has spoken: in the past to our fathers through prophets, and
now to us in a Son. These words are words of comfort because many to whom
the author of Hebrews wrote thought the words delivered by angels were
comforting and wanted to return to an Old Covenant way of living. However,
the author teaches them that these words have been spoken by the one who
would fulfill all the commandments and the law, the words the angels had
mediated on Mt.
Sinai according to Jewish tradition. These
words of Christ are eternal and even though the grass withers and fades,
the words of Christ endure forever (1 Pet. 1:23-25).
The hope for all those in the
church who suffer is to realize that God has spoken to us in our present
condition as wilderness-sufferers, revealing himself in Christ, and he has
spoken the better word to us in the context of a better covenant. The words
of Christ to us are better because as the God-Man, Christ was able to
accomplish and fulfill all the promises made to believers in the Old
Covenant which was only anticipatory or proleptic (Heb. 10:1). These words
are those that are spoken by the Spirit of God, who because of the
humiliation and exaltation of Christ now dwells within us in the last days
(Acts 2:16-21; Heb. 1:1-4; cf. Joel 2:28ff). These are the words of the
Spirit that Christ himself told his disciples would remind them of who they
were, and what they should say when persecuted and when they experienced
suffering in Matthew 24 and Mark 13 (cf. John 14:25-31; 16:1-33). The words
that Christ has spoken to us in these last days, are words to encourage us
by faith to persevere to the Last Day. Christ has overcome and been
identified with his people, so that we may be a true people of God and
learn to be true disciples. God is treating his people who look by faith in
their suffering as children (cf. Heb. 12:5ff); we should rejoice in this!
Christ's superiority to Angels
as representatives of the Old Covenant is helpful to those who suffer. Now,
in these last days, Christ has spoken to us, and also fulfilled the words
of the Law mediated by the Angels on Mt. Sinai (Acts 7:37,38; cf. Mt. 5:17-20). In these last days, God has spoken
to us by a Son (Heb. 1:2), the Creator and Sustainer of Heaven and Earth.
We live in the context of a better covenant, that is the New Covenant when
Christ has completed his work on behalf of his people and we can be sure
that our only hope is in Christ alone. Those who would be tempted to return
to the Old Covenant way of life, those who do not understand their present
sufferings in light of the New Covenant, must further understand their
identification with Christ in his sufferings, in his humiliation or
incarnation. The revelation that was spoken by God in "many times and
various ways" (Heb. 1:1) (NIV), has now been spoken finally in a Son
who suffered, to encourage his wilderness people to persevere in the midst
of their sufferings.
IV. CHRIST'S INCARNATION AND
WORK ON BEHALF OF HIS PEOPLE (2:10,17,18; 4:14-16; 5:7-10)
A. The Suffering of Christ
As Christ suffered on
our behalf, so we look to him by faith to endure during our own sufferings.
The Apostle Peter in his first epistle teaches us that we should not be
amazed when trials and sufferings come upon us, because this was told
before to us (1 Pet. 4:12ff). The Apostle Peter continues saying that we
should rejoice "in so far as you share in Christ's sufferings, that
you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed" (1 Pet. 4:13; cf. Mt. 5:11-12). Christ suffered the pains of death
on our behalf and became identified with his people in order that he might
be a faithful High Priest who would, as the Lamb of God, lay down his life
for his sheep (Heb. 2:14-18; cf. John 10:11). Christ's suffering according
to Hebrews 2:10ff is taught to his wilderness people so that we might
understand that Christ, although divine, made himself a servant in order
that he might fulfill the demands and curse of the Law, and to be obedient
unto death (cf. Phil. 2:6-11). He did not consider equality with God
something to be grasped, but he humbled himself as a servant in order that
as our substitute he might reconcile us to God (Heb. 2:9; cf. Rom. 5:8-11; 2 Cor. 5:17-21). As a son, he identified with his
brothers (Heb. 2:11ff), the children of Abraham (Heb. 2:16), in order to be a faithful High Priest
on behalf of his people. He is a human High Priest, but one who is of an
eternal order of Melchizedek (Heb. 5:1-10; 6:13-7:28). Therefore, he could offer a better and
eternal sacrifice once and for all by his blood (Heb. 9:26-28). This is the hope of those who
suffer in the wilderness. Christ suffered, and we have not suffered to the
point of resisting blood (Heb. 12:3-4), but God uses our suffering to
conform us to the image of Christ, the True Eschatological Man (Acts 14:22;
1 Cor. 15:44b-50; Phil. 3:10-14,20-21)
This teaching of the Book of
Hebrews may be better understood in what Calvin calls the duplex mortificatio.
John Calvin says that we have a two-fold mortification: an inner dying to
our sins and fleshly way of life and an outer suffering that God brings
upon us in order to conform us to Christ's glory. Because Christ was made
perfect or complete through suffering, so his brothers are identified with
him are made complete and like him through the same kind of suffering (cf.
Heb. 2:10ff; 5:7-10; 12:3ff). While unbelievers harden their hearts in
anger against God when they suffer, the righteous who are identified with
Christ look to him by faith and are gloriously conformed to his image
through their sufferings (cf. 1 Pet. 1:6-9). We should remember what the
author says concerning Christ's own suffering: "Although he was a son,
he learned obedience from what he suffered, and, once made perfect, he
became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him…"
(Heb. 5:8-9). As Hebrews 12 teaches us, God chastises the sons that he
loves so that we may share in the holiness of Christ, and the peaceful
fruit of righteousness (12:7-11).
B. The Temptation of Christ
As a pilgrim people on
the way, who have yet to enter God's rest, we can know that in our
sufferings of temptation, we have One who has been tempted in every way
that we have, yet without sin (Heb. 4:15). Because Christ was Divine and
Human, he could fulfill God's Law and remain sinless; because he was also
man, he could identify himself with his people, laying down his life as an
expiation of sins and a ransom on our behalf (Heb. 2:17,18; 7:26; 9:15).
As a people who live in the
wilderness of sin, tasting now some of the benefits of the Eternal or
Heavenly by the abiding and indwelling Spirit of God, because of the
arrabon or down-payment of the Spirit which has been poured out in our
hearts (Rom. 5:5; Eph. 1:3-14), we can understand the tension in which we
now live. We are no longer under the reign and lordship of sin, but we do
still struggle (Rom. 6:14; cf. Rom. 7:13-25). What we want to do, we do not do;
but what we do not want to do, that we keep doing- -who shall save us from
this body of flesh? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord- -our
Great Substitute, who has been tempted as we are (Rom. 7:14ff; cf. Heb. 2:17,18)! Those to whom the author of the
Hebrews wrote could not understand why they were presently suffering if
Christ was indeed the Victor over sin and death. They desired to turn away
because he had not returned for them as quickly as they had imagined (Heb.
2:1-4; 4:1-3; 6:10-12; 12:25ff).
In our temptation, we remember
according to the Book of Hebrews that Jesus himself when he began his
ministry was taken immediately into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan
for forty days and forty nights (Luke 4:1ff). He overcame however by the
Word of God and he did all this on our behalf. We should not be surprised
that although we do live in the Age of the Spirit, we too will be tempted,
but not beyond that which we can bear according to the Apostle Paul (1 Cor.
10:13;
cf. 1 Pet. 9,10). The author of the Book of Hebrews is teaching the Church
that we should persevere, stand firm, and hold on, knowing that in the same
way God was faithful to Christ and rescued him from sin, death, and the
Devil, and he has triumphed over them…so he will do this for us as
well (Heb. 3:1,2; 12:1,2; 13:20,21). Hebrews 2:18 says, "Because he himself suffered
when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."
Our hope now is because Jesus has a permanent priesthood and is able to
save completely (forever) those who come to God through him, because he
always lives to intercede for them" (Heb. 7:24-25).
Our hope as wilderness-sufferers
in the last days comes from the complete and perfect work of Christ on our
behalf. As the Apostle Paul teaches us about union with Christ, so the
author to the Hebrews explains the benefits of identification with Christ
in our union. His work was completed and accepted before God, therefore we
know we can boldly come into the throne room and find grace to help us in
our time of need (Heb. 4:14-16). We must persevere by faith,
mortifying our sinful nature and laying aside the sins that easily beset us
and run the race with perseverance looking upon Christ, the One who was
tempted just as we are (Heb. 12:1,2).
Hebrews chapter 2 teaches us
that although the devil has been defeated, we still contend with him (2:14-18). God still allows him to persecute
us in this world, but now it is for God's glory and our good (cf. Rom. 8:28-39). We should remember that Christ's
Kingdom was inaugurated when he came the first time, and the gates of hell
will never prevail against Christ's Kingdom. However, as Christ's Kingdom
is progressing, so evil is escalating and progressing at an ever-increasing
rate. The sons of the devil will persecute the sons of Christ's Kingdom,
but we are not alone, Christ has been tempted and undergone the same
persecution, pain, and suffering on our behalf. The author to the Hebrews
is exhorting those who have heard the words of Christ, who have a saving
knowledge of his Person and Work, to heed his words and do not forget. If
they do, they only have a fearful judgment to expect. As
wilderness-suffering believers in the last days, we must heed chapter 10,
verses 37-39: " 'For yet a little while, and the coming one shall come
and shall not tarry; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he
shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.' But we are not of those who
shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and keep their
souls."
C. The Sympathy of Christ
The truth of the
sympathy of Christ is spoken of by the author of Hebrews to encourage us in
our journey. Christ's sympathy is with our weaknesses, he knows that we are
human and frail. He is truly able to uphold us and to keep us from falling.
The hope of this message is that Christ endured greater torments than
anyone who ever lived. He suffered the curse of the Law on our behalf and
tasted the wrath of God, death, and was in the closest relation to our sins
upon the cross without being tainted by them (cf. 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet.
1:18-21). In the same way, he is a faithful and merciful High Priest on our
behalf. He appears before the throne of God with prayers and petitions on
our behalf so that he can present us a radiant Bride before the world when
he makes all things new (Heb. 7:25ff).
Christ's sympathy is that he
forgives us our sins because of the work he has accomplished on our behalf;
he ever intercedes at the right hand of God upon the throne on behalf of
his people. This means that Christ does not only save his people
effectively, but his prayers and his sympathizing with our weaknesses
guarantees that he will not lose one sheep the Father has given to him. As
High Priest of a better covenant and of the things to come, he is able
during our trials, temptations and sufferings to sympathize with our
weaknesses and present his blood as our Priest, as an efficacious and
once-and-for-all offering before the throne of God (Heb. 9:11-28).
Therefore, the author of Hebrews teaches us that we can boldly enter the
throne room of God because Christ has sympathized and gone before us (Heb. 4:16). We can present our requests unto God
and know by faith that he will answer all of our requests. Endurance by
prayer, watchfulness, and perseverance is the way into the Kingdom of
everlasting rest (cf. Acts 14:22). This should be the expectation of this
present life for believers as we look forward to being in the presence of
our Maker (cf. Rev. 21:3ff). Knowing that there is a heavenly city, the New
Jerusalem, with foundations that cannot be shaken, although we have not
arrived as of yet (Heb. 12:18ff; cf. 4:1ff). We are still on the outskirts
of the city, in the wilderness of sin and temptation and suffering, where
Christ by his Spirit ministers effectively unto us (cf. Romans 8:18-27).
D. The Perfecting of the High
Priest of the New Covenant
The Book of Hebrews
teaches us that Christ was perfected in order that he may be an effective
High Priest of the New Covenant. The readers of Hebrews should not
understand this perfecting of Christ as referring to his majesty and deity
as Son of God, but to his human nature as a real and true human High Priest
who was made of flesh and blood. This means that the suffering of Jesus was
his "training school" which made him perfect for the Eternal High
Priesthood. As the priests in the OT of the Aaronic order were prepared for
service as high priest through rituals of various kinds, so Jesus was
prepared and perfected through his obedient work on behalf of his people.
The Aaronic Priesthood was a type or shadow on earth of the True Priesthood
in heaven. Therefore, he was ritually purified according to the
instructions given by God to Moses. He was also a temporal High Priest
because he offered sacrifices year after year that showed it was
impermanent, and that it was inefficacious for the once and for all removal
and forgiveness of sins (Heb. 10:11-14). One reason was because the High
Priest himself was sinful and although he was purified according to ritual,
he offered up the sacrifice on behalf of the people whom he represented and
on behalf of his own sins.
Christ on the other hand, being
of an eternal order, that is the High Priesthood of Melchizedek (Heb.
5:1ff), did not purify his people by types and shadows, but by his real and
true suffering and humiliation. He was identified with his people as the
True High Priest of Melchizedek, therefore he was without sin and did not
need to make atonement for his own sins. In fact, he appeared once and for
all with his own sacrifice to take away the sins that the blood of bulls
and goats could not take away (Heb. 2:17,18; cf. 10:1-4). As the True Priest,
Christ was identified with his people, but by offering himself, he offered
up his own blood that had eternal efficacy (Heb. 7:26-28; 9:25ff).
Those who suffer in the
wilderness and are tempted to turn away from Christ with a
non-eschatological and apostate faith, should remember that Christ himself
learned obedience and was perfected as a man in order to serve God on our
behalf as a Perfect and Eternal High Priest. This means that he fulfilled
the Father's work that he had been given to accomplish (Heb. 10:5-10); he
did this work willingly, but he took upon himself the curse of the Law for
the transgressions that had been committed by his people. In the same way
as our Great High Priest, so God chooses to perfect his sons through pain
and suffering. God chastises his children so that they may be ever more
increasingly be conformed to the image of Christ the High Priest (Heb.
12:5ff). You see, according to the author of Hebrews, there is no real
theodicy, only an eternal plan and wise discipline of truly making his
people to be like Christ in every way. In this pilgrim walk, our walk is a
walk of wilderness-suffering, awaiting our Great High Priest to come out of
the Most Holy Place in Heaven and to appear a second time not for judgment,
but for the salvation of all those who are longing for his appearing (Heb.
9:28).
Because there is no real
theodicy, those who suffer can be confident to know that Christ our High
Priest suffered on our behalf in his humiliation and so he has called us to
a life of suffering in his discipleship program. It is in this context that
we better understand the words in the Sermon on the Mount: "Blessed
are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." To redeem from evil
and sin was the reason for Christ's ministry as High Priest and as pilgrims
in the wilderness who have yet to enter our rest, we should expect nothing
less (Heb. 3:7-4:13). If God should grant times of peace, it is peace by
the Spirit that passes understanding, but our Kingdom membership has no
rights in this world because Christ's Kingdom is not of this world. If they
persecuted him, they will persecute us; if Christ suffered, so will his
people; if they disown him, so they will disown us…but he is faithful
who has called us (Mt. 5:10-12; 2 Tim. 2:11-13)!
V. CHRIST'S SUPERIOR OFFERING OF HIMSELF (8:1-10:18)
Christ's offering was
superior to all the offerings that foreshadowed him in type in the Old
Covenant (Heb. 8:5-7; 10:1,2). His offering was one that though he tasted
sin and death on our behalf, was himself without sin (Heb. 4:15). He who laid down his life for his
sheep, his church, his people, is He who is both God and man. His offering
was not temporary but of an eschatological and eternal significance (Heb. 9:11-28). God accepted his once-and-for-all
offering on behalf of his people because in the context of a New Covenant,
Christ fulfilled all the covenant obligations that his people had failed to
keep (Heb. 8:8-12; 10:5-10). Those who suffer should allow their present
and painful wilderness circumstances to be enlightened by the Light of the
World as he suffered beyond anything his people could have endured, in
order that they might have hope eschatologically in their present plight (Heb.
12:1-4).
We who suffer could not have
redeemed ourselves, we could never as dead in trespasses in sins, offered
ourselves up to God. Our sinful transgressions of the covenant disqualified
us from any real and efficacious offering. Even if hypothetically possible
for one to live the Law perfectly (though it is not possible), man could
never have endured the wrath of God. Christ as human and divine High Priest
not only fulfilled the law positively, keeping all its commands, and
negatively, without sin, but endured the pains of death and hell, the wrath
of God as he descended into hell on our behalf. This was the Great High
Priest of whom the Father was well pleased and raised him up for our
justification, pouring out his Spirit upon all flesh so that we might be
like Christ, conformed to his image and be with Christ, in his presence.
VI. PROMISE AND PUNISHMENT IN
HEBREWS
As wilderness people, the author to the Hebrews want us to consider these
truths of Christ in a new and better covenant so that we do not fail to
continue and persevere by his grace. He speaks of promises to those who are
faithful and to those who overcome, but he also speaks of a fearful
judgment of God Almighty on those who become apostate and who fail to
listen to the words of encouragement or exhortation that he is teaching
them. Those who do not continue, but get bogged down in the worries and
cares of this life; those who have a non-eschatological faith, who put
their hands to the plow and look back; those who look back to Egypt as Israel under Moses and die in the wilderness
outside the covenantal Promised Land. For those who would consider giving
up, they must expect the wrath of God for their sins because they will
appear before Mt. Sinai with fire, thunder, and rumblings- -before the
Theophany, or presence of God- -to appear before a holy God without a
Mediator (Heb. 12:18-29). O, how painful and terrible will be that day for
those who give up the walk, those who are consumed eternally in the awesome
presence of God's wrath.
The promise of understanding the
word of exhortation which the author of the Hebrews writes is for those who
look by faith to better and heavenly promises (Heb. 13:22). The promises are for those whose faith
is like those in the Old Covenant who trusted God with an eschatological
faith that looked forward and enlightened their present wilderness
circumstances in this world. It is those who look by faith and not by sight
to the work of Christ, and to understand that the Christ of the Covenant
has fulfilled the Law of God and propitiated their sins. For those who
suffer in every age in the wilderness, there is hope of one who suffered
outside the city gates on their behalf so that they might enter the Eternal
and Blessed Holy New Jerusalem, to be in the presence of God forever (Heb.
13:12ff; cf. 2 Cor. 4:13-14). This can only be accomplished by an
eschatological faith that informs present sufferings and circumstances with
the knowledge that what God has said he will do and that all the promises
of God are "yes" and "amen" in Christ Jesus (2 Cor.
1:20).
An eschatological faith in the
midst of trials and sufferings has been displayed for us by a great cloud
of witnesses, fathers and mothers who have persevered to the end without
actually seeing what God had promised. However, in these Last Days, in real
time and history, Christ has appeared on our behalf to take away our sins;
he has spoken to us the words of God in the New Covenant; he has shown us
by his own suffering what we should expect and yet he has also gloriously
poured out his Spirit in our hearts so that we can call God "Abba,
Father" (Rom. 8:14-17; cf. Gal. 4:6-7). The Holy Spirit has been shed
abroad in our hearts, we have been justified by faith and now have peace
with God (Rom. 5:1ff). We are in union with Christ in his death, burial and
resurrection and we have word-pictures, or sacraments of the things which
have been accomplished for us (Rom. 6:3ff).
We live in a new and better age,
an age that we should not take for granted. Rather, one in which we should
look back to the Person and Work of our High Priest, and forward with an
eschatological faith to the place where God has promised to bring us- -in
his very presence in the garden, in paradise, in the New Jerusalem (Rev.
21:1ff). Those who suffer should rejoice because their eternal reward and
inheritance, although given to us now as a foretaste, is in heaven and we
wait patiently by faith on Christ to return a second time. We cry
"Come, Lord Jesus" because we long to be taken out of this world
of sin and flesh and into his glorious presence.
In this new and better covenant,
we have hope in eschatological realities that should fix our eyes by faith
upon Jesus our High Priest. These eschatological realities are given to us
as a foretaste of what is to come when Christ will be revealed a second
time (Heb. 9:28).
In the preaching of sermons on the Lord's Day, we hear the words of Christ
and we are pointed back to his work and forward to his reward. We have
eschatological realities given to us in the Lord's Supper as we sup by
faith with Jesus our High Priest which points us back to his blood and body
sacrificed on our behalf, but forward as we look to the Wedding Supper of
the Lamb in the New Jerusalem. In worship we have eschatological hope now.
We worship God in Spirit in Truth, although the Temple in Jerusalem has been destroyed, we are the Temple of God's Spirit which now indwells us. In our
worship we thank God in our gratitude for his gift in Christ and we look
forward to when we will praise God both day and night in his very presence.
Why should we rejoice in our wilderness-sufferings? All these realities are
the eschatological benefits of living in this new and better covenant.
Although we are pilgrim people; although we are living in the wilderness prior
to when our King Joshua will return to lead us across the Jordan to enter the land; although we do not
see him now, we love him with a joy inexpressible and full of glory. All
these things the author of the Book of Hebrews teaches us that we have now because
of this new and better covenant and therefore we should live and have an
eschatological and expectant faith because God is faithful! We do not live
in the time of the Old Covenant with shadows and types, but in the New
Covenant displayed in the True Christ, our Great and Glorious High Priest,
how much more ought we to offer our bodies living sacrifices, holy and
pleasing unto him, because he who called us is holy, so ought we to be holy
as well (Rom. 12:1,2; 1 Pet. 1:13ff).
The Apostle Paul can further
help us understand the theology of suffering in the Book of Hebrews for the
last days. In 2 Corinthians 1:3-11, the Apostle Paul describes the God of
all comfort in the midst of our trials and sufferings. In verse 5, he says
that we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share
abundantly in comfort too. For Paul, as for the author of Hebrews,
suffering is a last days reality; but it has a purpose: the strengthening
of the brethren as they are conformed to the image of Christ (cf. 1 Pet. 5:10), and ultimately, for the glory of God.
God works in us suffering to develop perseverance, character and hope,
according to Romans 5:3-5. In Romans 5:2, Paul calls this the "hope of
sharing the glory of God."
In his letter to the
Philippians, the apostle says, "I count everything as loss because of
the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have
suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I
may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own,
based on law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness
from God that depends on faith; that I may know him and the power of his
resurrection and may share in his sufferings, becoming like him in his
death, that if possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead"
(Phil. 3:8b-11). The interesting thing here in this portion of Paul's
writings is that he describes our present life now in union with Christ as
our "death union". That is, to truly know Christ, as the author
of the Hebrews writes, is to be conformed to Christ's likeness, through his
sufferings. If we as a people of God in the last days want to truly know
Christ, we cannot experience his "resurrection" without first going
through his "cross-bearing" and "death" daily in order
to be like him. It is a glorious hope for the people who suffer to know
that they are being made like Jesus in his sufferings. Christ is our
brother and we in his family will suffer along with him (Heb. 2:10ff). This
reminds us of Calvin's duplex mortificatio, or double mortification
occurring in the believer's life in order to kill all remaining remnants of
our old man and putting on the new man, who is being conformed to the
likeness of Christ Jesus! This "putting on of the new man" is
accomplished in part by true and real sufferings. Therefore, we should not
turn back or away from Christ and His Kingdom, but look to him with an
eschatological faith in order that we may overcome and persevere. This is the
great hope in the word of exhortation to the Hebrews!
There will be suffering now
because we are in the wilderness, but we have the promises and possess the
Spirit of God now to help us to endure through our struggles. We have a
champion, a pioneer who went before us and now we look to him, knowing that
we can endure. In fact, Christ promises to those who overcome that we will
sit with him on his throne in the New Jerusalem; we will be given a new
name; we will eat from the Tree of Life; we will be in God's presence
eternally (Rev. 2-3). We should be able to realize ourselves now, in the
midst of our sufferings, taking part in these heavenly activities under the
preaching of the word, the sacraments, and in worship of our God. We should
realize that in this foretaste that we graciously have been given, that we
are indeed now seated upon the throne with Christ, raised with him in the
heavenlies and our lives are hidden in him (Col. 3:1-4). We should
understand our new name as identified in Christ's Person and Work and the
hope we have because our names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. We
should understand ourselves now to have begun to partake of the Heavenly
Tree of Life, the life lived by the Eternal Spirit who indwells us! This is
our great hope! This is our eschatological faith! This is the reason for
the word of exhortation written to the recipients of the Book of Hebrews,
and the word of encouragement written for us today in the midst of our
wilderness-sufferings.
CRB
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Dennison, C. and Gamble, R. ed. Pressing Toward the Mark: Essays
Commemorating Fifty Years of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, PA: OPC Publications, 1986.
Gaffin, Jr. Richard B. ed. Redemptive History and Biblical Interpretation:
The Shorter Writings of Geerhardus Vos, Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing,
1980.
Ladd, George Eldon. A Theology of the New Testament (Revised Edition), Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing, 1996.
Lane, William L. Word Biblical Commentary: Hebrews 1-8 (47a), Dallas, TX: Word Publishing, 1991.
Vos, Geerhardus. The Teaching of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 1998
(Reprint).
Grace and Glory: Sermons Preached in the Chapel of Princeton Theological Seminary, Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth Trust, 1994.
|
