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essential transitoriness of the Law. But he recognises no less clearly its positive teachings. This also belonged to his office. For Judaism proclaimed most impressively three fundamental facts with which it dealt provisionally; and a sympathetic intelligence of that to which it witnessed and of that which it offered leads to the true understanding of Christianity as the divine accomplishment of the education of the world.

Judaism affirmed that the destiny of humanity is the attainment of likeness to God, an end to be reached under the actual conditions of life only through restrictions and painful effort. The holiness of God, to which man has to be conformed, is on the one side love and on the other side righteousness.

Judaism again affirmed that man as he is cannot at his own pleasure or in his own right draw near to God. The ceremonial law in all its parts deepened the consciousness of sin.

And yet again Judaism affirmed that it was the good pleasure of God to enter into Covenant with man, of which external institutions were the abiding sign and seal, a testimony at once and a promise.

The writer of the Epistle shews from the position of the believing Jew how the revelation of the Son of God deals with these facts finally. ‘Jesus, the Son of God’ (Heb. 4:14; comp. Acts 9:20), fulfilled the destiny of man, Himself true man, by bringing humanity to the throne of heaven. He fulfilled this destiny through suffering and death, bearing Himself the last consequences of sin and overcoming death through death. And yet more, He communicates through all time the virtue of His life to those who come to God through and in Him.

Under this aspect the significant emphasis which the writer lays upon the prae-Judaic form of Revelation becomes fully intelligible. The Gospel, as he presents it, is the fulfilment of the purpose of creation and not only of the Mosaic system. Melchizedek is a more prominent figure in his treatment of the O. T. than Abraham. Thus the work of Judaism is made to appear as a stage in the advance towards a wider work which could not be achieved without a preparatory discipline. So regarded the provisions of the Law can be seen in their full meaning, and by the help of their typical teaching a suffering Messiah can be acknowledged in His Majesty by the true Jew.

The God of Abraham and the God of Moses is, in other words, ‘a living God.’ His revelation of Himself answers to the progress of life (Heb. 3:12). His worship is realised in a personal revelation (9:14). His action corresponds with an individual judgment (10:31). His reward lies in the manifestation of His Presence (12:22 ff.).

We can now see more clearly than before how the general aim of the writer to present Christianity as the absolute revelation of God, the absolute satisfaction of man's needs, was furthered by his desire to deal with the peculiar trials of the Hebrews who felt keenly not only the shame and sufferings of the Messiah, but their own shame and sufferings from national hostility. These trials in fact served as an occasion for developing the new thoughts which the Book adds to the apostolic presentation of the Truth. They placed in a clear light the need which men have for a continuous assurance of present help in the actual difficulties of life. And so the opportunity was given in the order of Providence for developing the truth of Christ's High- priestly work, towards which the aboriginal religion, represented by Melchizedek, and the Mosaic system, had both pointed. For while the writer


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