CHAPTER IV.

ON THE DOCTRINES AND PRECEPTS OF CHRISTIANITY IN RELATION TO THE DEATH OF CHRIST.

THE systematic theology of the New Testament, both doctrinal and practical, is chiefly contained in the epistles, or pastoral letters, addressed to particular churches or individual Christians by some of the apostles; and it is a remarkable fact, that almost all the expositions of evangelical truth furnished by these inspired writers, as well as all their applications of it to the improvement of character and conduct, are expressly grounded on the death of Christ, and distinctly refer to its two principal features above pointed out, namely, as constituting a propitiatory sacrifice, and as occasioned by the effusion of his blood. In the following discussion, this fact will first be proved by quotations from the apostolical writings, and afterward illustrated by showing its significancy and importance.

The plan of human salvation is described in Scripture as commencing with a covenant of reconciliation between God and men, founded on the atoning sacrifice of Christ. To atone for sin, the vicarious death of a suitable victim by the effusion of its life's blood was indispensable. For this purpose the life's blood of the victims offered under the patriarchal and Mosaic dispensations was totally inadequate, but that of Christ was perfectly sufficient; and it was through the oblation of this blood on the cross that he became at once the mediator, priest, and victim of the

new covenant, whereby those who embrace it are spiritually united to him, to each other, and to God. This arrangement is most clearly and copiously described by the apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Hebrew Christians of Palestine. After alluding to the structure and furniture of the tabernacle, or temple, and particularly to the veil which concealed the inner sanctuary from view, he proceeds as follows,-"These things being thus arranged, the priests enter at all times into the first sanctuary to perform the sacred services; but into the second the highpriest alone [enters] once a year, not without blood, which he offers for his own sins, and for those of the people. The Holy Spirit herein signified that the way into the most holy place was not yet made manifest, while the first tabernacle retained [its] institutions; which [is only] a figure [referring] to the present time, whereby both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshipper perfect as regards the conscience, [being] merely rites of outward purification by meats, and drinks, and various washings, reserved for a time of reformation. But Christ having arrived, [as] high-priest of the blessings to come, by the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this institution, neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, entered once for all into the most holy place, having achieved an everlasting redemption. For, if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkled on those who are unclean, sanctify to the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself [as a] spotless [sacrifice] to God, purify your consciences from dead works to worship the living God? And for this end he is [the] mediator of [the] new covenant; that, [in consequence of] a death having taken place as a ransom for the transgressions [committed] under the first covenant, those who are called

might attain the promised [gift] of the eternal inheritance. For, where [there is] a covenant, the death of the covenant-victim must necessarily take place; for a covenant [is] ratified over dead [victims], not having any force while the victim remains alive. On which account, neither was the first [covenant] solemnized without blood; for, when every commandment of the law had been recited to all the people by Moses, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, and scarlet-wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people, saying, This [is] the blood of the covenant which God hath appointed for you. And in like manner he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle, and all the implements of the sacred service; and [indeed], according to the law, almost all things are purified by blood, and without effusion of blood there is no discharge [of sins. It was] therefore necessary that the types of heavenly things should be thus purified, but the heavenly things themselves by better sacrifices than these; for Christ has not entered into the most holy place made with hands, the figure of the true [sanctuary], but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.*. For the law, presenting a shadow [only] of the future blessings, [and] not their very substance, can never by the same sacrifices which they offer year by year render those who attend them henceforth perfect; for [otherwise,] would they not have ceased to be offered? since the worshippers, once purified, would have had no further consciousness of sins. But by these [sacrifices] a fresh commemoration of sins [is made] every year; for [it is] impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Wherefore, on coming into the world [Christ] said, Sacrifice and offering thou desir

*Heb. chap. 9, v. 6-24. With a view to show the frequency and force of the allusions made in the epistles to the blood of Christ, the corresponding words are throughout this chapter printed in Italics.

edst not, but a body hast thou prepared for me. In whole burnt-offerings and [sacrifices] for sin thou hast no pleasure, then I said, Lo, I come (in a chapter of the book it is written of me), to do thy will, O God! [When, after] previously saying, Sacrifice, and offering, and whole burntofferings, and [sacrifices] for sin thou desiredst not, neither hadst pleasure [therein], which are offered according to the law, he adds, Lo, I come to do thy will! he taketh away the first, that he may establish the second; by which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. . . . Having then, brethren, liberty to enter into the most holy place by the blood of Jesus, that newly-opened and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is, his flesh, and [having] a high-priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts purified by sprinkling from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water."*

Nor was this, as some may have supposed, merely a figurative mode of speaking adopted to conciliate Jews; for the apostle uses precisely similar language when addressing Gentile Christians, as appears from the following passages in his epistles to the Ephesians and Colossians. -"Remember" says he to the former,-" that ye who were once Gentiles in flesh, and called uncircumcision by those who derive their name from the circumcision made by hands in the flesh, were at that time without Christ, aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, without hope, and without God in the world; but that now, by Christ Jesus, ye who once were far off have by the blood of Christ been brought nigh. For he is our peace, who hath united the two [parties], destroyed the middle wall of separation, and abolished *Heb. chap. 10, v. 1-10, 19-22; chap. 13, v. 10-14.

by his flesh the enmity [namely], the law of commandment in [the form of] decrees, that by [thus] making peace he might combine in himself the two [parties] into one new man, and reconcile both in one body to God through the cross, having slain the enmity thereby; and came and proclaimed peace to you who [were] far off, and to them [who were] nigh; for through him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father."-To the Colossians the apostle remarks," It pleased [the Father] that in him the whole church should dwell; having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all to himself, by him [alike], whether those on earth, or those in heaven;" —that is, whether Jews or Gentiles. That the new covenant like the old was ratified by the life's blood of its victim, is, moreover, declared by Christ himself, who said on instituting the Lord's supper-"This cup [is] the new covenant by my blood, which [is] shed for you [and] for many, for the discharge of sins; "—and the same meaning is evidently attached by the apostles Peter and Paul to the same term, whether they mention the blood of the covenant or the blood of sprinkling. When congratulating the Hebrew Christians on their conversion, the latter observes that they had come- "to Jesus, [the] mediator of [the] new covenant, and to [the] blood of sprinkling, which speaketh better things than [that of] Abel; "—and in another place styles Christ," the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of [the] everlasting covenant.” *—In the administration of this covenant the three divine persons manifestly concurred: planned and executed by the

* Ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ εὐδόκησε πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα κατοικῆσαι· Coloss. chap. 1, v. 19, 20;-Ephes. chap. 2, v. 11-18;-Heb. chap. 10, v. 28, 29; chap. 12, v. 22-24; chap. 13, v. 20, 21. Whether the epistle which bears the name of the Ephesians was addressed to the Gentile Christians of Ephesus, or, as is more probable, to those of Laodicea, does not affect the present argument.