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places of the Epistle under various aspects in relation to man's position and needs. In consequence of sinfulness and sin man is spiritually in bondage, in debt, alienated from God. He requires redemption, forgiveness, atonement, reconciliation. All these blessings Christ has brought to humanity by His Incarnation, His Life, His Passion, His Ascension. By His perfect fulfilment of the destiny of man under the conditions of the Fall, He has brought again within man's reach the end of his creation (Ps. 8; Heb. 2:5 ff.).

The general teaching of the Epistle upon the subject can be summarised most conveniently into two heads:
i. The effect of Christ's Sacrifice on the general relation of man to spiritual powers.
ii. The effect of Christ's Sacrifice on man's personal state.

i. The relation of man to spiritual powers.
(1) The might of the devil is brought to naught. Christ was Incarnate i{na dia; tou' qanavtou katarghvsh/ to;n to; kravto" e[conta tou' qanavtou tou'tj e[sti to;n diavbolon (Heb. 2:14). Comp. Apoc. 1:18.

(2) As a consequence of this men are delivered from ( a ) a present tyranny: kai; ajpallavxh/ touvtou" o{soi fovbw/ qanavtou dia; panto;" tou' zh'n e[nocoi h\san douleiva" (Heb. 2:15); and

( b ) an obligation contracted in the past: qanavtou genomevnou eij" ajpoluvtrwsin tw'n ejpi; th'/ prwvth/ diaqhvkh/ parabavsewn (9:15). Comp. 9:22, 10:18 ( a[fesi" ); 9:12 aijwniva luvtrwsi" .

(3) At the same time a propitiation is offered for the sins of the people, so that they can come before God: 2:17, 18.

These blessings are made permanent because the dominion of sin is set at naught, shewn in its essential impotence: eij" ajqevthsin th'" aJmartiva" dia; th'" qusiva" aujtou' pefanevrwtai (9:26).
ii.
Man's personal state. Man was created to gain the divine likeness: he needs therefore perfect hallowing.

He is sin-stained: he needs cleansing. He has powers capable of exercise, cultivation, development: he needs perfecting.

These three, hallowing, cleansing, perfecting, are connected in the Epistle with Christ's Sacrifice in Life and Death.

(1) Hallowing: ( a ) The purpose of Christ: jIhsou'" i{na aJgiavsh/ dia; tou' ijdivou ai{mato" to;n laovn, e[xw th'" puvlh" e[paqen (13:12).

( b ) The fact: to; ai|ma th'" diaqhvkh" ejn w|/ hJgiavsqh (10:29). ( c ) The realisation: ejn w|/ qelhvmati hJgiasmevnoi ejsme;n dia; th'" prosfora'" tou' swvmato" jIhsou' Cristou' ejfavpax (10:10). mia'/ prosfora'/ teteleivwken eij" to; dihneke;" tou;" aJgiazomevnou" (10:14). The work is complete on the divine side ( hJgiasmevnoi, teteleivwken ) and gradually appropriated on man's side ( aJgiazomevnou" ).

( d ) The ground: o{ te aJgiavzwn kai; oiJ aJgiazovmenoi ejx eJno;" pavnte" (2:11). The Redemption completes and crowns the purpose of Creation, which included the possibility of it.

( e ) An object of human effort: diwvkete ... to;n aJgiasmovn, ou| cwri;" oujdei;" o[yetai to;n kuvrion (12:14).


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