The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-12-24
The international Sunday School Lesson.
December 20, 1898. Hebrews I: 10.
A Christmns Lesson.

December %, 1893. Hebrews 10
A Christmas Lesson.
The Eplstle to the Hebrews is life
line thrown to the soul In the surf
OF doubt. The anonymity Of the eplstlt
enhances it's effectiveness. One is not
diverted from the lifeline by the per-
sona1lty of him who throws it. All that
is to be done Is to lay hold. Without
the slightest preliminary a transcend
! ant truth flashes upon the reader II
Is that OF the continuity of the divine
revelation. God in diverse portions
kept speaking to the fathers by the
prophets. There is an orderly stices-
sion in revelation which argues one In
finite and commanding mind and will.
Another Characteristic of revelation is
that it is cumulative. Jesus Christ in
his person and work Is the consumma-
ton Of an age-long process OF revela-
ton. From this point the design of the
epistle Is to disclose the superiority Of
the revelation OF God in His Son. I'm
der the old dispensatlon God spoke by
the prophets. Now he speaks by His
Son. All that preceded were shadows.
Jesus is the substance. His klngship
Is greater than that OF David; his priest
hood greater than that of Aaron, be-
cause both are universal and eternal.
The writer of this epistle Is in dead
earnest for results. He shows the true
attitudes. one OF which the soul must
assume toward the Son, who is the reve-
latIon OF God. The first Is to neglect"
How shall we escape II we fail to "pick
up" this great salvation which God hao
placed so near TO US that we must take
it or step upon It? The second attitude
Is that OF apostncy. The most earnest
comprehensive, effective warning
against ,npostRcy Is in this epistle. The
final and blessed attitude of the soul
toward the revelation of God In Christ
IL faith, which the writer defines, excm-
pttftes, and to which he exhorts In the
climax of the epistlc.
Mosaic from Commentaries.
The epistfes to the Hebrews is brigh.
and elegant throughout. Lardner. The
Epistle to the Hebrews has not its like
aInong the epistles of the New Tesla
ment 1t is distinguished by eupho-
NOUS rythm and brilliant eloquence:
and this rhetorical form Is not super
induced on the subject. but is its
true expression as setting forth the
glories of the new covenant. Delitzsch.
At saHdry times: Literally. In many
portions. In divers manners; Voice,
dreams, visions, angels, prophets, prov
licences. In times past: OF old. The
fathers: The Hebrew ancestors. These
last days: Near the end Of this age.
Barnes. By his Son: The fact that the
Son Of God has spoken to us implies the
highest obligation to attend to what he
has said. ibid. Image OF his person:
Literally, the figure made upon a sur
face by stamp. Whedon. The word OF
his power: The word his power en-
forces. BY himself: Re was alone In
the work of his atouement. White.
Purged our sins: Literally, having made
publication for our sins, Sat down;
Well known figure denoting supreme
honor and dominion. Jameson,
The Teachers Lantern.
mo one who VIII not be upllfsel
and expanded intellectually by the fire.
Quent and attentive reading OF the
eplstle to the Hebrews, Its style is 20
elegant. thought so profound, reason-
ing go coHent.
2,-Thc opening Is unique. There Is
no hint OF the person OF the writer as In
other epIstes, No Rppeallto authority.
Office or function of writer is not so
much as named The writer does not
base his argument upon his own inspi-
ration, but upon that of the Old Testa-
ment scriptures, universally known and
acknowledged, gs,
S.-Thls eplstle IS Il. whole Christian
system in epltOme. II asserts the chief
doctrines of the Gospel, and explains
them. It introduces. examines and
confutes tho chief arguments and oh
jections against Christlanitg. It is sat
lsGnctory, conclusive, It leaves nothing
to be said.