TT HH CC HHEE EEAAVVEENNLLYY HHRRIISSTT iinn tthhee EEppiissttllee ttoo tthhee HHeebbrreewwss B Y R O N K A N G A S Christians need to reconsider what they think and say theexcellencyofHispersongraduallyunveiledtoPaul.Be- about Christ. In Matthew 22:42 the Lord Jesus asked cause Paul received a revelation concerning Christ and His a crucial question: “What do you think concerning the excellency,hespontaneouslypossessedtheexcellencyofthe Christ?” This has been called “the question of questions,” knowledge of Christ. This was not the knowledge that be- and as such it is unavoidable and must be answered by eve- longs to Christ, the knowledge that Christ has; rather, it ryone. What concepts do we hold and what notions do we was Paul’s excellent knowledge of Christ, the outcome of cherish concerning Christ? Does our idea of Him match his vision of “the excellency, the supereminence, the su- what God has revealed regarding Him in the New Testa- preme preciousness, the surpassing worth of Christ” (Lee, ment? Since what we think is invariably related to what we Philippians 157). For the sake of the excellency of the say, we need to respond to another question asked by the knowledge of Christ in His excellency, Paul counted all Lord (Matt. 16:13-15). First, He asked, “Who do men say thingstobeloss(Phil.3:8).Paul’spursuitofChrist(v.12) thattheSonofManis?”Thedisciplesreplied,“Some,John beganwithaquestion—“WhoareYou,Lord?”—andfrom the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or then on his entire life was devoted to the progressive un- oneoftheprophets.”ThenHesaidtothem,“Butyou,who folding of God’s answer to his question. Paul surely knew do you say that I am?” “What do you think concerning the whathethoughtconcerningChristandwhathehadtosay Christ?” “Who do you say that I am?” Every believer in regarding Him. Unfortunately, many of today’s Christians Christ and every seeker of Christ needs to respond to these donotpossess,andmaynotevenaspiretopossess,theex- questions. cellency of the knowledge of Christ treasured by Paul. They have been hindered in gaining the excellent knowl- Our response involves what Paul describes as “the excel- edgeofChrist. lency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord” (Phil. 3:8). Paul’s knowledge of Christ began with a question HindrancestotheExcellencyoftheKnowledgeofChrist that he uttered spontaneously at the moment of his con- version: “Who are You, Lord?” (Acts 9:5). Immediately Leaving the best love. There are several reasons for this ab- the Lord replied, “I am Jesus, whom you persecute….I normalsituation,themostimportantofwhichisidentified have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a by the Lord Jesus in Revelation 2:4: “I have one thing minister and a witness both of the things in which you against you, that you have left your first love.” The first have seen Me and of the things in which I will appear to love for the Lord is the best love for Him—our love for you” (26:15-16). This word was confirmed by Ananias: Him as our Bridegroom. To love the Lord with the best “The God of our fathers has previously appointed you to love requires that we set our entire tripartite being abso- know His will and to see the righteous One and to hear lutelyonHim,thatis,“toletourentirebeingbeoccupied the voice from His mouth; for you will be a witness to by Him and lost in Him, so that He becomes everything Him unto all men of the things which you have seen and tousandweareonewithHimpracticallyinourdailylife” heard” (22:14-15). Paul was chosen to see Christ and hear (RecoveryVersion,1Cor.2:9,note3). Christ and thereby to receive the excellency of the knowl- edge of Christ, which would qualify him to experience Being content with limited knowledge and experience. Related Christ,toenjoyChrist,andtobeawitnessofChrist. to forsaking the first love for the Lord is the contentment and satisfaction with a limited knowledge and experience The excellency of the knowledge of Christ is derived from ofChrist.Many,satisfiedwithanelementaryandsuperficial October1998 5 knowledge of Christ, are content with knowing the Lord I have counted loss on account of Christ” (Phil. 3:7). Cer- only as their “personal Savior” and have no interest in ad- tain things of religion, culture, and ethnic identity were vancing in their knowledge of Christ. This can lead to an “gains”toPaul,butonaccountofChrist,hecountedthese attitudeofindifferencetowardtheLordandHiswordand things loss. Then he went on to say, “I have suffered the also to the practice of taking things for granted, instead of loss of all things and count them as refuse that I may gain earnestly seeking the Lord for light and understanding Christ and be found in Him” (vv. 8-9a). As one who was concerning Christ as He is revealed in books such as Co- willing to suffer loss by paying the price, Paul advanced in lossiansandHebrews. knowing, experiencing,andenjoyingChrist.Regrettably,a great many Christians today do not advance in knowing Not being poor in spirit. Another reason for the common theLordbecausetheyarenotwillingtopaytheprice. lackoftheexcellencyoftheknowledgeofChrististhefact that so few believers are “poor in spirit.” “Blessed are the Being frustrated by traditional Christology.Others, as a con- poorinspirit,”theLordJesustellsusinMatthew5:3,“for trast, love the Lord very much and are willing to pay the theirs is the kingdom of the heavens.” Our spirit, which is price to gain Him, but they are frustrated by the restric- distinct and different from our soul (1 Thes. 5:23; Heb. tions placed upon them by traditional Christology. To be 4:12),istheorgandeepwithinuscreatedbyGodforusto sure, heresy concerning the person of Christ will hinder us contact God, receive God, contain God, and assimilate from knowing Christ. This is obvious. Something less ob- God. To be poor in spirit is not to have a poor spirit. vious is the fact that adherence to traditional, orthodox Rather, to be poor in spirit is to be emptied in our human Christology can hinder us from perceiving the totality of spirit, in the deepest part of our being, and thus to have what is revealed concerning Christ in the holy Scriptures. the capacity to receive something new and fresh from the ThismeansthatevenanorthodoxChristologycanbecome Lord concerning Himself. To be poor in spirit means that a replacement for the all-inclusive Christ Himself. The nothing other than God is filling our spirit, that our spirit proper biblical Christology bears witness to the all- hasbeenemptiedofeverythingotherthanGod.Allbeliev- inclusiveness and extensiveness of Christ (Eph. 3:18-19) ers should be empty in their spirit, ready to exercise their andtherebyassiststhebelieversingainingtheexcellencyof spirit to contact God and to receive more of God. Unfor- theknowledgeofChrist. tunately, most believers have something other than God filling their spirit and thus cannot advance in knowing the Lackingrevelation.Anothercauseofdeficiencywithrespect Lord. They are so filled, even saturated, with things other to the knowledge of Christ is a serious shortage of revela- thanGodthatthereisnoroomintheirspiritforGod. tion concerning Christ. Some quibble over the words enlightenment and revelation, claiming that we need the Being filled with old things. Instead of being unloaded and former but not the latter. However, according to Paul’s emptied in their spirit, many believers in Christ are filled prayer in Ephesians 1:17-18a we need both: “That the withtheoldthingsofreligionandtraditionandsimplyare God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may not open and able to receive further light from the Word give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full of God concerning Christ. A sense of oldness (a sign of knowledgeofHim,theeyesofyourhearthavingbeenen- spiritual death) pervades their Christian life and retards lightened.” We do not need, and we cannot have, a their spiritual development. Because such believers are revelation of Christ beyond what is written in the Bible, filledandsatisfiedwitholdthings,theydesirenothingnew but we certainly need, and we must have, a revelation of (Luke5:39). theChristunveiledintheBible.Actually,weneednotonly revelation but a spirit of revelation, and we need “the God Beingunwillingtopaytheprice. Whereas some are preoccu- who said, Out of darkness light shall shine,” to shine “in pied with the old things, others are not willing to pay the ourheartstoilluminatetheknowledgeofthegloryofGod price to gain something new concerning Christ. Our eter- inthefaceofJesusChrist”(2Cor.4:6).Onlythencanwe nal salvation is extended to us free of charge, for the price knowtheChristofGodrevealedintheWordofGod. was paid for us by the Lord in His redemptive death. Al- thougheternalsalvationisfree,progressinChristdemands Adhering to the principle of antichrist. Perhaps the greatest that we pay a price. In keeping with the Lord’s word in hindrance to the excellency of the knowledge of Christ is Revelation 3:18, we need to “buy” from Him: “I counsel the prevailing influence of the principle of antichrist. In a you to buy from Me gold refined by fire that you may be previousarticle(“TraditionalTheologyandthePrincipleof rich, and white garments that you may be clothed…and Antichrist,”Vol.II,No.3),wepointedoutthatinvarying eyesalve to anoint your eyes that you may see.” Buying degrees traditional Christian theology applies the principle gold, white garments, and eyesalve requires that we pay a of antichrist and that the majority of believers adhere in price, and paying a price entails suffering some kind of some way to the principle of antichrist. The principle of loss. For the sake of Christ, Paul was willing to pay the antichrist, implied by the fact that the apostle John speaks priceandsufferloss:“Whatthingsweregainstome,these of “many antichrists” (1 John 2:18), involves any matter 6 Affirmation&Critique or thing that is either opposed to whole book is the Son speaking Christ (against Christ) or that re- God”(Lee,Crucial128).TheSonof If we would have places Christ (instead of Christ). God is God Himself speaking (v. 8). Whereas the self is opposed to the excellency of the To say that God has spoken to us in Christ and must be denied for the the Son, as the opening verses of knowledge of Christ, sake of Christ, many things are re- this Epistle unequivocally affirm, ac- placements of Christ. Religion, we need to learn tually means that God speaks in Bible knowledge, theology, the law, Himself. The fact that God has spo- to repudiate all philosophy, spiritual gifts, miracles, ken in the Son and that the Son is spirituality,culture,tradition,natural replacements of Christ God indicates that God speaks in virtues—all these can be replace- Himself. The Son speaks God, de- and allow the ments of Christ. If we would have clares God, and defines God (John the excellency of the knowledge of all-inclusive Christ to 1:1, 14, 18). The book of Hebrews Christ,weneedtolearntorepudiate isatestimonyofGodspeakingtous become everything to us in all replacements of Christ and to in the Son. “God speaks in the Son allow the all-inclusive Christ to be- a real and practical way. and the Son speaks by what He is. come everything to us in a real and Whatever He is is His speaking” practicalway. (Lee,Crucial129). The aim of this article is to encourage believers to seek Since Hebrews is such a testimony, the Son is the center, Christ and to pursue Christ, especially the heavenly the focus, of this book (1:2a, 5, 8; 3:6; 4:14; 5:5, 8; 6:6; Christ revealed in the book of Hebrews. We will first con- 7:3,28;10:29).Christ’sbeingtheSonofGodimpliesthe sider the basic revelation of the person and work of Christ expression of God, the issue or coming out, of God (John as presented in this Epistle and then survey the aspects of 1:18). Here we should note that there is an important dif- theall-inclusivenessofChristunveiledinHebrews.Thiswill ference between Christ as the embodiment of God and as bring us to the focal point, both of the book of Hebrews the issue of God. As the embodiment of God Christ is re- and of this essay—the heavenly Christ, the Christ who is lated to God’s existence. Christ, as the embodiment of heavenlyinplace,position,condition,status,andministry. God, is the complete God (Col. 2:9). As the issue of God Christ is God’s expression. As the coming out, the emer- gence of God, Christ is the expression of God. Drawing TheSonofGod upon the Lord’s word in John 4:14, we may say that the InkeepingwiththeNewTestamentasawhole,theEpistle Father as the fountain emerges in the Son as the spring. to the Hebrews reveals that Jesus Christ is the God-man, The Son of God is the expressed God, God Himself ex- thecompleteGodandaperfectman.Inparticular,chapter pressed. oneunveilsthatChrististheSonofGod,andchaptertwo, thatHeistheSonofMan. TheNew Testament reveals thatregardingtheSonofGod there are two aspects: the aspect of the only begotten Son Hebrews 1 presents the Son of God in His divinity from of God and the aspect of the firstborn Son of God. From eternitypasttoeternityfuture.TheSonwastheCreatorof eternity until the time of His resurrection Christ was the the earth and the heavens (vv. 10, 2); the Son is the Up- Son of God only in the aspect of the only begotten Son of holder of all things (v. 3); and the Son is the Heir of all God (John 1:18; 3:16). According to His deity Christ is, things(v.2).TheSon,havingbeenincarnatedforredemp- and always will be, the only begotten Son of God. As the tion by crucifixion, made purification of sins (v. 3) and only begotten Son Christ has an eternal relationship with then, in and with His humanity, was begotten in resurrec- the Father in that the Father is the eternal source of the tiontobethefirstbornSonofGod(v.5).InHisascension Son and that the Son is the eternal embodiment and ex- the Son sat down at the right hand of God in the heavens pression of the Father. Through resurrection Christ, who (v. 3). The Son will come again as the Firstborn (vv. 6-8); hadputonhumannaturethroughincarnation,becamethe the Son will be the King on the throne with the scepter in Son of God in another aspect, the aspect of the firstborn the kingdom (vv. 8-9); and the Son will remain forever SonofGod(Heb.1:5-6;Rom.1:3-4;Acts13:33).Asthe andeverineternityfuture(v.12). only begotten Son of God, Christ is the embodiment and expression of the divine life (John 1:4; 1 John 5:11-12). Hebrewsopenswiththesewonderfulwords:“God,having Through resurrection Christ became the firstborn Son of spoken of old in many portions and in many ways to the God as the life-dispenser for the propagation of the life fathers in the prophets, has at the last of these days spoken embodied in Him (Rom. 1:3-4; 8:10, 6, 11, 29). In His to us in the Son (1:1-2a). “The real subject of the book of first coming Christ was the only begotten Son, but in His Hebrews is God speaking in the Son. In other words, the secondcomingHewillbethefirstbornSon(Heb.1:6-8). October1998 7 Hebrews 1:3 says that, in the Godhead, the Son of God is Hebrews2revealsthatChrististheGod-man,“thesecond the effulgence of God’s glory and the impress of God’s man” (1 Cor. 15:47), for the fulfillment of God’s purpose. substance. Here glory is a matter of outward expression of God ordained the man in creation to express Him in His God, and substance is a matter of inward essence of God. image and to represent Him with His dominion (Gen. With respect to glory as the outward expression of God, 1:26-28); however, the man in creation, the first man, the Son is the effulgence of God’s glory. This effulgence is failed God in His purpose. Under the inspiration of God, liketheshiningofthelightofthesun.TheSonistheshin- in Psalm 8:4-8 the psalmist prophesied the recovery of the ing, the brightness, of the Father’s glory. With respect to ordinationwhichwasgiveninGenesis1buthadbeenlost. substanceastheinward essence of God,theSonistheim- Thesecondman,theLordJesus,whohasrecoveredman’s press of God’s substance. This impress is like the impress lost ordination and has fulfilled God’s original purpose, is of a seal. The Son, the impress of God’s substance, is the presentedtousinHebrews2.ThemanJesus,infulfillment expressionoftheFather’ssubstance,theexpressionofwhat of the prophecy in Psalm 8, was made a little inferior to the the Father is. Furthermore, for the Son to be the efful- angels because of the suffering of death (Heb. 2:9a). After gence of God’s glory and the impress of God’s substance the Lord Jesus had accomplished redemption by suffering means that the Son is God coming to us, that the Son is death, He was glorified in His resurrection (Luke 24:26), God reaching us and coming to be with us (Matt. 1:23). andinHisascensionHewascrownedwithgloryandhonor In God’s New Testament economy, we have a God who (Heb.2:9b)tobetheLordandChrist(Acts2:36;10:36b) reachesus,aGodwhocomestoustosaveusanddispense andwasexaltedtobeaLeaderandaSavior(5:31). Himselfintous. Hebrews 2 reveals not only the person of Christ as the Chapter one of Hebrews places particular emphasis on Son of Man but also the process through which He role of the Son of God in creation and in redemption. passed in His humanity to accomplish God’s purpose. This In creation the Son of God is the Creator, the Upholder, process involves Christ’s incarnation, crucifixion, resurrec- and the Heir. In the past all things came into existence in tion, glorification, and exaltation. In His incarnation Christ Him,throughHim,anduntoHim(v.2;John1:3;1Cor.8:6; became a man in order to partake of our blood and flesh Col.1:16).In the present the Son upholds all things by the (v.14),becomingthesameinnatureasweare.ThisHedid word of His power, and all things cohere in Him (Heb. to bring the infinite God into finite man, to mingle God 1:3; Col. 1:17). In the future the Son will be the Heir to with man that God and man could be one, to accomplish inheritallthings(Heb.1:2).InredemptiontheSonaccom- redemptionforman(Rom.8:3;1Pet.1:18-20;Heb.9:26, plished the purification of sins and, as evidence of the 28, 12; 2:14), to carry out God’s salvation in man (1 Tim. completion of redemption through His earthly ministry, 1:15), and to impart the divine life into man (1 John 4:9). whichculminatedwithHisvicariousdeathonthecross,the Through incarnation Christ was made like His brothers in SonisnowsittingontherighthandoftheMajestyonhigh, all things that He might become a merciful and faithful waiting for the subduing of His enemies (Heb. 1:3, 13). High Priest, who can be touched with the feeling of our TheSon tookawaysin andmadepurificationofsins byof- weaknesses (Heb. 2:17; 4:15). In His crucifixion Christ fering Himself as a sacrifice for our sins once for all (John tasted death on behalf of everything (2:9; Col. 1:20; 2 Tim. 1:29;Heb.10:12;9:26).TheSon’ssittingattherighthand 1:10);Hemadepropitiationforthesinsofthepeople(Heb. ofGodintheheavenssignifiesthatHisredemptiveworkhas 2:17); He destroyed (brought to nought, abolished, an- been accomplished and that He is resting there (1:13; 8:1; nulled) the devil (2:14; Gen. 3:15; Rom. 8:3); and He 10:12; 12:2). Now the Son is waiting for the subduing of released us from the slavery under the fear of death (Heb. Hisenemies,thatis,waitingforGodtosetHisenemiesasa 2:15).InHisresurrectionChristbroughtforthmanybroth- footstoolforHisfeet(1:13;10:13). ers (vv. 11-12; 1 Pet. 1:3; John 12:24; Rom. 8:29); He came to His brothers and declared to them the Father’s name (Heb. 2:12a); and He praised the Father in the TheSonofMan church (v. 12b). In His glorification Christ took the lead to Whereas the crucial point in Hebrews 1 is that the Son, in enterintogloryasthePioneertoleadGod’smanysonsinto whom God speaks, is God, the crucial point in Hebrews 2 glory(v.10;6:20),andHehasbeencrownedwithgloryand isthattheSonisalsoaman—theSonofMan,amanwith honor (2:9; cf. John 19:2). In His exaltation God gave blood and flesh who destroyed the devil on the cross Christ the dominion over all things (Heb. 2:7; Eph. 1:22- (v.14),whomadepropitiationforthesinsofGod’speople 23; Ezek. 1:26), and Christ was made Head over all things (v. 17), who was crowned with glory and honor (v. 7), (Heb.2:8;Psa.110:1;1Cor.15:27). who produced many brothers, or many sons, in addition toHimselfasthefirstbornSonandmadethemthechurch TheAll-inclusivenessofChrist (vv.11-12),andwhoisleadingthesemanysonsintoglory (v. 10) for the eternal, corporate expression of the Triune The Epistle to the Hebrews reveals not only that Christ GodinChrist. isbothGodandman,theGod-man,butalsothatChristis 8 Affirmation&Critique all-inclusive, that He is the reality of Forerunner. Hebrews 6:18b-20a says God, man, and every positive thing that the believers “have fled for ref- God in Christ intheuniverseandthefulfillmentof uge to lay hold of the hope set manyOldTestamenttypes. is within us to build before us, which we have as an an- chor of the soul, both secure and Himself into our being and Apostle. Christ is the Apostle (3:1), firm and which enters within the the first apostle in the New Testa- to build us into veil, where the Forerunner, Jesus, ment. The word apostle refers to one has entered for us.” As our Forerun- His being in order to who is sent by a higher authority. ner, the Lord Jesus entered the Christ was sent to us by God, from mingle and blend His heavens, the Holy of Holies within God, and with God (John 6:46; the veil (vv. 19-20). By suffering divinity with our humanity 8:16, 29). As the Apostle Christ death for us on the cross and by be- came to us from God and with God into one entity— ing glorified through resurrection, in order to share God with us, and He “crossed the river” and entered God’s living, spiritual, now we may partake of the divine into the region of God’s glory, the nature,life,andfullness. organic house. region of God’s expression (2:9). He took the lead to enter into Moses is a type of our Apostle, glory—thegloriousexpressionofthe God’s sent One. Moses came from Divine Being—and now He is lead- God to serve the people of God in their affliction. When ing us into glory (v. 10). He has cut the way into the very the people of Israel were suffering under the tyranny of glorywhereHeHimselfisandwhereGoddesiresustobe Pharaoh, God appeared to Moses and charged him to go forHiseternal,corporateexpression. to God’s people and to Pharaoh and to bring His peo- ple out of Egypt (Exo. 3:1-10). As a result of the Lord’s Thewordanchorin6:19indicatesthatweareonastormy appearing and commission, Moses became an Old Testa- sea. However, with Him as the Forerunner “within the ment apostle, God’s sent one, who brought the people veil,” there is a refuge, a heavenly haven. As our Forerun- out of Egypt and led them into the wilderness with the ner, the Lord Jesus passed through the stormy sea and goal of entering the good land for the purpose that they enteredtheheavenlyhaven,whereasourHighPriestHeis mightbeformedandconstitutedintothehouseofGod. interceding for us and ministering to us that we may be brought into glory. Our hope, “which we have as an an- Builder of God’s house. As indicated by the type of Moses, chor of the soul,” has entered the Holy of Holies within Christ’s being the Apostle is closely related to His being theveil,andwenowmayalsoenterthisrealminspiritand theBuilderofGod’shouse(Heb.3:2-6).Moseswasapart throughfaith. of God’s house, but Christ is the Builder of the house (v. 3). As one sent by God to take care of God’s house, Captain. Hebrews 2:10 says that Christ is the Captain of Moses was faithful to God in His house. This typifies that oursalvation.AstheCaptainofsalvation,Christisleading Christ, the Apostle from God for God’s house, is faithful an army, composed of the believers as His followers, into toHimwhoconstitutedHim(v.2). the glory of the Divine Being, where He now is. On the onehand,Christisinglory;ontheotherhand,Christisin Christ has two natures: humanity and divinity. Hu- us as the hope of glory (Col. 1:27). As He is leading us manity is good as the material for the building of into glory, He Himself dwells within us as the very glory God’shouse,anddivinityistheelementoftheBuilder.In into which He is leading us. Concerning this, Witness Lee HishumanityChristisactuallypartofthebuilding,forin says: His humanity He is the foundation stone (Isa. 28:16), the cornerstone (Matt. 21:42; Acts 4:11), the topstone The salvation of which Christ is the Captain is the salva- (Zech. 4:7), and the living stone (1 Pet. 2:4) to produce tion that brings us into glory. As our Captain, Christ the the believers as living stones for God’s spiritual house Savior took the lead to fight through into glory….In this (v. 5). Christ is not only a part of God’s building in His matter of fighting for glory, He was the Pioneer, for He humanity but also the Builder in His divinity (Matt. pioneeredthewayintoglory.Therefore,Heisqualifiedto 16:18). God in Christ is within us to build Himself into be the Captain of those who are entering into glory, and our being and to build us into His being (Eph. 3:17; He is called the Captain of our salvation.…Christ entered John14:23),buildingHisdivinityintoourhumanityand into glory as the Pioneer and now He dwells in the full, building our humanity into His divinity in order to min- glorious expression of the divine Being. As the One in gle and blend His divinity with our humanity into one glory, He…one day came into us and now dwells in our entity—God’s living, spiritual, organic house (1 Tim. spirit.…Hedidnotleavetheglory.…Hebroughttheglory 3:15;1Pet.2:5;Eph.2:21-22). into us. This means that when the Captain of salvation October1998 9 came into us, the glory came with Him. The Captain of ofthebookitiswrittenconcerningMe)todoYourwill, salvationcameintoustobetheglory.…Now…theCaptain O God.” Saying above, “Sacrifices and offerings and ofsalvation[is]leadingusintoglory,intotheexpressionof burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You did not desire God. Eventually, when our whole being has been perme- nor delight in” (which are offered according to the law), atedandsaturatedwiththeelementofglory,theglorywill Hethenhassaid,“Behold,IhavecometodoYourwill.” comeoutofus.Whenweexperiencethisglorification,we HetakesawaythefirstthatHemayestablishthesecond, shall be fully in the expression of God. (Conclusion 320- by which will we have been sanctified through the offer- 321) ingofthebodyofJesusChristonceforall. Joshua. Hebrews 4:8-9 indicates that Christ is the real TheseversesindicatethatthewillofGodwastotakeaway Joshua, the One of whom Joshua was a type. In Joshua thefirst—theanimalsacrificesoftheoldcovenant—sothat 1:2theLordspoketoJoshua,saying,“Nowthenariseand the second—the sacrifice of Christ of the new testa- cross over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the ment—might be established. The first in verse 9 refers to land which I am giving to them, to the children of Israel.” the sacrifices of the first, or old, covenant, and the second Joshua means “Jehovah the Savior” or “the salvation of Je- refers to the sacrifice of the second, or new, covenant. The hovah”(Num.13:16);itisaHebrewnameofwhich Jesus sacrificeofthenewcovenantisChrist. istheequivalentinGreek.JoshuawasthusatypeofChrist bringingthepeopleofGodintothegoodlandastherest. Christ came into the world to do the will of God, and thewillofGod,inthiscontext,wasthatChristwould The Sabbath rest. As the real Joshua, Christ brings us into putawaytheanimalsacrificesoftheoldcovenantandestab- rest, which is actually Christ Himself as the good land. lish Himself as the unique sacrifice of the new covenant. This rest—the remaining Sabbath rest—is strongly empha- God prepared a body for Christ in which He could offer sized in Hebrews (3:11, 18; 4:1, 3, 5, 8, 10-11). If we Himself to God to replace all the offerings and sacrifices. would have the proper understanding of the Sabbath rest This was God’s will, and Christ came to do it. Because inHebrews,weneedtorealizethat,accordingtotheprin- Christ did God’s will, fulfilling God’s desire, the offerings ciple of first mention (Gen. 2:2-3), a Sabbath denotes a and sacrifices of the old covenant are no longer needed. situation in which God attains what He desires—man on They have been replaced by Christ, who, in His all- earth expressing Him and representing Him (1:26-28; inclusiveness,isnoweverythingtous. Heb. 2:6-8a). When the desire of God’s heart is satisfied, HeenjoysaSabbath.IntheOldTestament,thegoodland All the sacrifices and offering required by the law were (Deut. 12:9) was a rest because there, with the temple, types of Christ. Through incarnation Christ came with a God could have His expression and His representation for body of blood and flesh to replace those sacrifices and of- His kingdom, government, and administration. The Sab- ferings with Himself as the unique sacrifice and offering. bath rest in Hebrews 4:9 is Christ as our rest, typified by In the flesh and through the eternal Spirit (9:14), He of- thegoodlandofCanaan.AlthoughChristwillbetheSab- fered Himself to God once for all to take away sins. This bath rest to the believers in three stages—in the church wasthefulfillmentofthewillofGodtotakeawaythefirst age,inthemillennialkingdom,andinthenewheavenand and to establish the second, Christ as the reality of the of- newearth—hereitissufficienttopointoutthat,according feringsandsacrifices. toHebrews,inthisagetheheavenlyChrist,whoexpresses and represents God and who, resting from His work, sits The One who shed His blood to enact the new covenant. The attherighthandofGodintheheavens,istheresttousin Christ who is the unique offering and sacrifice is the One our spirit. To have Christ as our Sabbath rest today means who shed His blood to enact the new covenant. The new that we are experiencing and enjoying the Christ who ex- covenant required the shedding of the blood of the God- presses and represents God while we live in the church as man, the blood of Jesus, the Son of God (1 John 1:7). theincreaseofChrist. “Without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:22), and without forgiveness of sins there is no ThereplacementandrealityoftheOldTestamentofferingsand way to fulfill the requirements of God’s righteousness, sacrifices. Hebrews 10:5-10 reveals that Christ, according holiness, and glory so that the new covenant could be en- to the will of God, is the replacement and reality of the acted.ThebloodofChrist(God’sblood,Acts20:28)was sacrifices and offerings in the Old Testament, which are shed for the forgiveness of sins, and with His blood, the typesofHimselfastheuniquesacrificeandoffering: blood of the eternal covenant (Heb. 13:20), the new and better covenant (10:29; 7:22; 8:6) has been enacted Therefore,comingintotheworld,Hesays,“Sacrificeand (Matt.26:28). offeringYoudidnotdesire,butabodyYouhaveprepared for Me. In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You did HebrewshasmuchtosayconcerningthebloodofChrist. notdelight.ThenIsaid,Behold,Ihavecome(intheroll Through His own blood, Christ entered once for all into 10 Affirmation&Critique the Holy and Holies and obtained capacity that we have in ourselves. aneternalredemptionforus(9:12). Our faith has its source in the Lord TheheavenlyChrist The blood of Christ sanctifies us and is actually Christ Himself dis- istheresttous (13:12; 10:29), purifies our con- pensed into us to become in us our science (9:14), and “speaks some- inourspirit. ability to believe in Him and to be thing better than that of Abel” one with Him. The word Perfecter TohaveChristas (12:24), speaking of forgiveness, indicates that our faith needs to be justification, reconciliation, and re- ourSabbathrestmeans developed and completed. As be- demption. By this precious blood thatweareexperiencing lievers, we have all been allotted we have boldness for entering the “equally precious faith” (2 Pet. andenjoyingtheChrist Holy of Holies, where we may en- 1:1). This faith, which has been joy the all-inclusive Christ within whoexpressesand authored by the Lord, needs to be theveil. developed,perfected,inusbyHim. representsGodwhilewelive Therefore, we need to turn away inthechurchas Mediator of a new and better cove- from all distractions, behold the nant. Christ is the Mediator of the theincreaseof Christ. glorified God-man in the heavens, new covenant, which is a better and allow Him to finish in us the covenant (9:15-16; 8:6; 12:24). By workwhichHehasbegun. His death Christ consummated the newcovenant.InHisdeathHeleftthenewcovenantwith TheHeavenlyChrist us,andnowinHisresurrectionHe,astheMediatorofthe newcovenant,isexecutingallthathasbeenaccomplishfor This all-inclusive Christ is the heavenly Christ in the Epis- andbequeathedtousinthenewcovenant,which,because tle to the Hebrews. The heavenly Christ is the Christ who of His death, has become a testament, a will. This better isnowinheaven,thepresentChristwhoisministeringon covenant was enacted upon better promises (8:6) and was ourbehalfintheheavenlyHolyofHoliesandtransmitting consummated with Christ’s better sacrifices (9:23). Now the wealth of His divine and human being as the glorified in the new covenant we have the forgiveness of sins and God-man into our regenerated spirit so that He, the Cap- thelawoflife,wehavethecapacitytoknowtheLord,and tain of our salvation, may bring us into the very glory in He is our God and we are His people (8:10-11). As the whichHenowdwells. Mediator of this new and better covenant, the resurrected and ascended Christ is enforcing this covenant. Actually, Pointing us to the Christ in heaven, the book of He- whatHeisenforcing,orexecuting,todayisnotmerelythe brews reveals this wonderful Christ. After He made new covenant but the new testament, a will that was en- purification of sins, He “sat down on the right hand of the acted by His death and bequeathed to us through His Majesty on high” (1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2). As 1:13 indi- resurrection.Everyitemofthiswill,thistestament,isabe- cates, Christ’s sitting down on the right hand of God was a quest for us to receive, appropriate, experience, and enjoy fulfillment of what was prophesied concerning Him in byfaith. Psalm110:1:“SitatMyrighthanduntilIsetYourenemies as a footstool for Your feet.” He entered into the heavens, Suretyofabettercovenant.“Jesushasalsobecomethesurety “intoheavenitself,toappearnowbeforethefaceofGodfor of a better covenant” (7:22). As a note in the Recovery us” (9:24). Furthermore, our Lord “has passed through the Version of the New Testament points out, the Greek word heavens” (4:14) and has become “higher than the heavens” for suretyis from a root word meaning “a hand into which (7:26), so that He is not only in heaven but is far above all somethingisplacedasapledge,”implyingthattheguaran- (Eph. 4:10). Now as we are running “the race which is set tee, the surety, cannot be unbound. Christ has pledged before us” (Heb. 12:1), we should look away “unto Jesus,” Himself to the new covenant and to all of us, His believ- the One who “sat down on the right hand of the throne of ers, who are under the new covenant, and He ensures the God” (v. 2). The Greek word translated “looking away effectiveness of the new covenant. Because Christ is such a unto” denotes looking with undivided attention by turning surety,thenewcovenantcannotfail.Everythinginthenew away from every other object. We need to turn away from covenantwillbefulfilledbyChristHimself. the earthly, religious things and look away unto the “won- derful Jesus, who is enthroned in heaven and crowned with Author and Perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Look- glory and honor,” the marvelous and glorious Son of God ing away unto Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our who is “the greatest attraction in the universe,” who is “like faith.”ThewordAuthorindicatesthatChrististhesource animmensemagnet,drawingallHisseekerstoHim.”Only and cause of faith; He is the One who originates and “by being attracted by His charming beauty” can we “look inaugurates faith within us. This implies that faith is a away from all things other than Him” (Recovery Version, gift, something infused into us by the Lord, not a natural 12:2,note2). October1998 11 Andrew Murray, who is surely exceptional in his personal andheavenly(3:1;6:4;8:5;9:23;11:16;12:22).Incon- knowledge and experience of the heavenly Christ, regards trasting the old covenant, which is earthly, to the new Hebrews as a glass in which “we can also see the glory of covenant, which is heavenly, the book of Hebrews is fo- Jesus on the throne of heaven, in the power that can make cused on the heavenly nature of the positive things, our heart and life heavenly too” (Holiest 26-27). Our par- unfolding the heavenly calling (3:1), the heavenly gift ticularneed,Murraycontinues,isto“seeHim,toconsider (6:4), the heavenly things (8:5), the heavenly country Him, to look to Him, as He lives in heaven (27). If we (11:16), and the heavenly Jerusalem (12:22). We are en- would be brought on to maturity and live an overcoming rolled in the heavens (12:23), and God warns us today life for the fulfillment of God’s New Testament economy, from the heavens (v. 25). If we heed God’s warning, we wemustfollowtheexampleofAndrewMurrayinaspiring mayrealizethedangerofbeingsoearthlymindedthatwe toknowthisheavenlyChrist: have no heavenly consciousness (cf. Col. 3:1-2), that is, no awareness of the person and ministry of the heavenly ItisJesusChristwemustknowbetter.ItisHewholives Christ, the heavenly nature of the church, of the heavenly to-dayinheaven,whocanleadusintotheheavenlysanc- provisions of the new testament, of the fact that, in Paul’s tuary, and keep us there, who can give heaven into our words, “our commonwealth exists in the heavens” (Phil. heart and life. The knowledge of Jesus in His heavenly glory 3:20), or of our need, as pilgrims and sojourners, to seek and His saving power; it is this our Churches and our the heavenly country and eventually to become part of Christians need. It is this the Epistle will bring us.…It is the heavenly Jerusalem, the city whose Architect and the great object of the Epistle to bring home to us the Builder is God. Everything about this Epistle—its view, heavenly glory of Christ as the ground of our confidence, its emphasis, its speaking, its atmosphere—is heavenly. In the measure of our expectation, and the character of that averyrealsense,Hebrewsfunctionsasthegateofheaven inward salvation He imparts.…Observe how the great through which we may enter into the heavenly realm to truth we are to learn is this: the knowledge of Jesus as experience and enjoy the Christ who is now in the heav- having entered heaven for us, and taken us in union with ens: Himselfintoaheavenlylife,iswhatwilldelivertheChris- tianfromallthatislowandfeeble,andlifthimtoalifeof What is spoken of in this book is like the gate of heaven. joyandstrength.TogazeupontheheavenlyChristinthe HereweenjoyChristastheheavenlyOnewhojoinsusto Father’s presence, to whom all things are subject, will heaven and brings heaven to us [in our spirit, 4:12] that transformusintoheavenlyChristians,dwellingalltheday we may be a heavenly people, living a heavenly life on in God’s presence, and overcoming every enemy. Yes, my earth and inheriting all the heavenly things. (Recovery Redeemer,seatedatGod’srighthand—ifIonlyknowHim Version,Heb.1:14,note1) arightandtrustHimasabletosavecompletely—Hewill makememorethanconqueror.(27,44,65) J. G. Bellett and Andrew Murray share this view. Bellett says,“Thisepistleintroducestheinnerheavenstoyou,and The heavenly Christ surely is worthy of our attention and not in a physical, but in a moral character. It introduces us ofourardentpursuit.J.G.Bellett’swritingishelpful,even tothegloriessurroundingandattachingtotheLordJesus, inspiring: nowacceptedintheheavens”(3).Hegoesontosay,“One leadingcharacteristicofthisepistleisthatitgivesusalook When the Lord Jesus was here, as we learn in Matthew intoheavenasitnowis”(10).Itisaheavenlybookwitha iii.,theheavenswereopenedtogetasightofHim.There heavenly perspective which encourages us to live in the was an object worthy of the attention of the heavens. He presence of God in the heavenly sanctuary. Understanding returned—and the heavens had an object they had never this, Andrew Murray tells us that in Hebrews “the heav- known before—a glorified Man. And as in Matthew iii. enlysanctuaryhasbeenopenedtous,sothatwemaynow we get the heavens opened to look down at Christ here, come and take our place there, with Jesus in the very pres- so in the Hebrews you get the heavens opened that you enceofGod”(Holiestvi-vii). may look up at Christ there.…Jesus is now in heaven in the glory of a Forerunner—a High Priest—the Purger of Heaven—aPlaceandaState oursins.ThereHesitsarrayedinglories.(4,34) At this juncture we need to raise a basic question: What is heaven? Is heaven a place or is heaven a state? The proper TheHeavenlyCharacterofHebrews answer is both. Heaven is both a place, an actual transcen- IfwewouldappreciatetheheavenlyChristinthebookof dentrealm,andalsoaspiritualstate,orconditionoflife,in Hebrews, we need to recognize the heavenly character of thisrealm. this book as whole. This heavenly character is indicated by the frequent use of the words heaven (9:24; 11:12; Paul’s word in 2 Corinthians 12:2 indicates that there are 12:25,26),heavens(1:10;4:14;7:26;8:1;9:23;12:23), three heavens. In this verse he speaks of being “caught 12 Affirmation&Critique away to the third heaven” (which, would seem that heaven is a state, a as the context indicates differed spiritual condition, rather than a Heaven is both a place from his experience of being place. On the other hand…Jesus where the Lord Jesus is “caught away into Paradise,” v. 4). presumably continues to have a glo- There is wide agreement among Bi- today as the glorified man rifiedbody…afactorwhichseemsto ble scholars that the first heaven is require place. In addition, parallel and also a spiritual the atmospheric heaven (Deut. references to heaven and earth sug- 11:11, 17; 28:12, 24; Psa. 18:13), condition, in which the gest that, like earth, heaven must be that the second heaven is the celes- believers may now live as a locale. The most familiar of these tial skies, or the universe (Gen. referencesis,“OurFatherwhoartin they receive from the 1:14; 15:5; Exo. 20:4; Jer. 10:2; heaven,Hallowedbythyname.Thy Heb. 1:10), and that the third ascended, transcendent kingdom come, They will be done, heaven, to which Paul was caught On earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. Lord the heavenly life awayandwhichistheobjectofour 6:9-10). We must be mindful, how- and power to live interest here, is the abode of God, ever, that heaven is another realm, the place where God and the Lord a heavenly life on earth. another dimension of reality. It is Jesus are today (Psa. 33:13-14; Isa. probably safest to say that while 63:15; Matt. 5:16, 45; 6:1, 9; 7:11, heaven is both a place and a state, it 21; 18:10; Eph. 4:10; Heb. 4:14; isprimarilyastate.(398) 1:3). Thisseemstobeafairandbalancedassessment.Neverthe- “Heavenismorethanamysticalnotion,imaginarydream- less, instead of trying to determine what heaven is land,orphilosophicalconcept.Itisarealandpresentplace primarily, it may be sufficient to assert that heaven is both inwhichGod,theCreatorofallthings,lives”(Ice10).We aplaceandastate,orconditionoflife. may also say that heaven “denotes a spiritual sphere coex- isting with the material world of space and time; it is The book of Hebrews indicates that heaven is both a where the exalted Christ now is, seated at God’s right place where the Lord Jesus is today as the glorified hand” (Maile 382). Although heaven exists now and is man and also a state, or spiritual condition, in which the “somewherebeyondearthandouruniverse,”“itisnotlim- believers may now live as they receive from the ascended, ited by physical boundaries or boundaries of time and transcendent Lord the heavenly life and power to live a space” (Ice 11). The following remarks by John F. MacAr- heavenlylifeonearth.Murraysays,“Heavenisnotonlya thurarequitehelpful: place, but a state, a mode of existence, the life in which the presence of God is revealed and experienced in its un- To say that God dwells in heaven is not to say that He is hindered power” (Holiest 105). Elsewhere Murray says, contained there. But it is uniquely His home, His center “Heaven is not only a locality, with its limitations, but a of operations, His command post. It is the place where stateoflife,thatconditionofspiritualexistenceinthefull Histhroneresides.Anditiswherethemostperfectwor- enjoyment of God’s love and fellowship, into which shipofHimoccurs.Itisinthatsensethatwesayheaven Christentered”(320). is His dwelling-place.…God transcends heaven. Heaven, in the end, is a place—the place where God dwells…the According to the revelation in Hebrews, we may experi- heaven of heavens, the third heaven.…It transcends the ence heaven as a state, or condition, of life both by confinesoftime-spacedimensions.Perhapsthatispartof enteringintothisheavenlyconditionandbyallowingthis what Scripture means when it states that God inhabits heavenly condition to enter into us. On the one hand, we eternity (Isa. 57:15). His dwelling place—heaven—is not are brought into heaven through our organic union with subject to the normal limitations of finite dimensions. Christ (Eph. 2:6), who is our Forerunner, Captain, and (56,59,60) High Priest. On the other hand, heaven as a condition of life is brought into us through the heavenly Christ as a MillardJ.Ericksonpointsoutthatadisputedquestionre- “Minister of the holy places, even of the true tabernacle, garding heaven is whether it is a place or a state. Having whichtheLordpitched,notman”(Heb.8:2).Ourbeing identified the issue, Erickson continues by presenting his in heaven and heaven’s being in us both depend upon views: Christ’s being the heavenly ladder, which joins earth to heaven and brings heaven to earth (Gen. 28:12, 16-19; Ontheonehand,itshouldbenotedthattheprimaryfea- John 1:51). In the church today—the house of God (Be- ture of heaven is closeness and communion with God, thel) and the gate of heaven—Christ is a mysterious, and that God is pure spirit (John 4:24). Since God does heavenly ladder which connects our regenerated spirit to not occupy space, which is a feature of our universe, it heaven. Ephesians 2:22 says that the dwelling place of October1998 13 God is in spirit, that is, in the regenerated human spirit. Christ was mainly for redemption, the heavenly ministry Through Christ as the ladder which is joined to our spirit of Christ is for the fulfillment of God’s original purpose. (1 Cor. 6:17), we can enter into heaven and heaven can Therefore, having completed His redemptive work, the enter into us. Simultaneously, we can be in heaven as a heavenlyChrist,theGod-maninglory,isnow,fortheful- condition of life, and heaven as a condition of life can be fillment of God’s original purpose, actively carrying out isus: His heavenly ministry, especially in His office as a High PriestaccordingtotheorderofMelchisedec. SincetodayourspiritistheplaceofGod’shabitation,itis now the gate of heaven, where Christ is the ladder that AKinglyandDivineHighPriest joins us, the people on earth, to heaven, and brings heaven to us. Hence, whenever we turn to our spirit, we The book of Hebrews is focused on the heavenly Christ, enterthroughthegateofheavenandtouchthethroneof and the central point concerning this heavenly Christ is grace [4:16] in heaven through Christ as the heavenly that He is a Priest not according to the order of Aaron ladder.(RecoveryVersion,Heb.4:16,note1) butaccordingtotheorderofMelchisedec(5:6,10;6:20; 7:11, 15, 17; 8:1), a kingly and divine High Priest. “The EpistletotheHebrewstellsushowChristasman,having TheHeavenlyMinistryofChrist finished the sacrifice for us, went up to heaven and now The New Testament, as a full revelation of Christ, shows has a heavenly priesthood.…It is the heavenly priesthood us that the ministry of Christ is of two parts: Christ’s of Christ we want to think of” (Murray, Jesus Christ 22- ministry on earth, His earthly ministry, and Christ’s min- 23). istry in heaven, His heavenly ministry. Among a great many Christians the primary emphasis is placed on If we would have the proper understanding of Christ’s Christ’s earthly ministry, that is, on the work accom- heavenly,kingly,anddivinepriesthood,itiscrucialforus plished by the Lord Jesus when He was on earth. Most torealizethatthebasicsignificanceofapriestintheBibleis believers have heard little, if anything, concerning the not that a priest serves God but that a priest ministers God heavenly ministry of Christ, and may know virtually to human beings. This basic significance of a priest is seen nothing about it. It is common for those in fundamental in the first mention of a priest in the Scriptures, a mention Christian circles to speak of the finished work of Christ whichestablishestheprincipleofapriest.Thefirsttimethe and to appeal to the Lord’s word in John 19:30—“It is wordpriestisusediswithMelchisedec(Gen.14:18-20).As finished!”—as proof that Christ completed the work westudythisfirstmentionofapriest,weseethatthefoun- which He came to do and that now, having nothing fur- dational story of the priesthood in the Bible is that of a thertodo,Heissittingonthethroneintheheavens.Yes, priestcomingfromGodandministeringsomethingofGod in His earthly ministry, which culminated with His death toGod’speople,especiallytoAbraham.Thebreadandwine on the cross, Christ completed the work of redemption, offeredtoAbrahambyMelchisedecsignifyGodbeingmin- and the book of Hebrews places strong emphasis upon istered to us to nourish, refresh, sustain, comfort, and this fact, testifying that Christ has dealt with sin once for strengthen us. The concept is the same with the heavenly all (7:27; 9:12; 10:10). Christ has been “offered once to Christ as the High Priest according to Hebrews: He minis- bear the sins of many” (9:28). “This One, having offered tersGodintous. one sacrifice for sins, sat down forever on the right hand of God” (10:12), for “by one offering He has perfected At this juncture we need to point out that Hebrews is a forever those who are being sanctified” (v. 14). Hebrews book on Christ’s priesthood in three aspects (2:17; 5:6; rightly emphasizes the completed redemptive work of 7:16, 25). The first aspect—the aspect of the Aaronic Christ, and this book is actually based upon the efficacy priesthood—is for offering sacrifices to God for our sins of the earthly ministry of Christ. Nevertheless, the same (10:12). The Aaronic priesthood, therefore, solves the book unveils, in a marvelous and profound way, the pres- problem of sin (7:27; 9:12, 28). In His earthly ministry, ent,heavenlyministryofChrist. Christ, as typified by Aaron, put away sin by offering Himself to God as the one sacrifice for sins (9:26; In His earthly ministry, Christ accomplished the work of 10:10-12). However, the Aaronic priesthood was not redemption. However, although redemption is a proce- partofGod’sinitialintentionbutwasaddedlaterbecause dure required by God, it is not the original goal ordained of the problem of sin (1:3; John 1:29; Rom. 8:3). For byGod. God’s goal is the fulfillment of the desire of His the fulfillment of God’s original purpose, the problem of heart to produce and build up a corporate expression of sin had to be solved, and it has been solved by Christ in Himself in Christ by dispensing Himself as the Triune theAaronicaspectofHispriesthood. God into His chosen and redeemed people. This corpo- rateexpressionistheBodyofChrist,whichconsummates The second aspect of Christ’s priesthood—the aspect of in the New Jerusalem. Whereas the earthly ministry of the kingly priesthood—is for ministering God into us 14 Affirmation&Critique