The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the HebrewsEdwards, Thomas Charles
Religion
The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Hebrews
Edwards, Thomas Charles
Bible. Hebrews -- Criticism, interpretation, etc.
tabernacle; the revelation on Zion follows the sacrifice of the Cross.
Under the old covenant the revelation demanded sacrifices; under the new
covenant the sacrifice demands a revelation.
From this essential difference in the nature of the revelations a
twofold contrast is apparent in the phenomena of Sinai and Zion. Sinai
revealed the terrible side of God’s character, Zion the peaceful
tenderness of His love. The revelation on Sinai was earthly; that on
Zion is spiritual.
There can be no question that the Apostle intends to contrast the
terrible appearances on Sinai with the calm serenity of Zion. The very
rhythm of his language expresses it. But the key to his description of
the one and the other is to be found in the distinction already
mentioned. On Sinai the unappeased wrath of God is revealed. Sacrifices
are instituted, which, however, when established, evoke no response from
the offended majesty of Heaven. Of the holiest place of the old covenant
the best thing we can say is that the lightning and thunders of Sinai
slumbered therein. The author’s beautiful description of the sunny steep
of Zion is framed, on the other hand, in accordance with his frequent
and emphatic declaration that Christ has entered the true holiest place,
having obtained for us eternal redemption. All that the Apostle says
concerning Sinai and Zion gathers around the two conceptions of sin and
forgiveness.
The Lord spake on Sinai out of the midst of the palpable, enkindled
fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice. All
the people heard the voice. They saw “that God doth talk with man, and
he liveth.” They begin to hope. But immediately they bethink them that,
if they hear the voice of the Lord any more, they will die. Thus does a
guilty conscience contradict itself! Again, the people are invited to
come up into the mount when the trumpet shall sound long. Yet, when the
voice of the trumpet sounds long and waxes louder and louder, they are
charged not to come up unto the Lord, lest He break forth upon them. All
this appearance of inconsistency is intended to symbolize that the
people’s desire to come to God struggled in vain against their sense of
guilt, and that God’s purpose of revealing Himself to them was
contending in vain with the hindrances that arose from their sins. The
whole assembly heard the voice of the Lord proclaiming the Ten
Commandments. Conscience-smitten, they could not endure to hear more.
They gat them into their tents, and Moses alone stood on the mountain
with God, to receive at His mouth all the statutes and judgments which
they should do and observe in the land which He would give them to
possess. The Apostle singles out for remark the command that, if a beast
touched the mountain, it should be stoned to death. The people, he says,
could not endure this command. Why not this? It connected the terrors of
Sinai with man’s guilt. According to the Old Testament idea of Divine
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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