SUCH words as love, life, light very often occur in the gospel by St. John, and also in his epistles; they may be almost regarded as key words to open to us much of the wealth of his teaching. In the gospel by Mark we have very frequently such words as straightway, forthwith, immediately—all expressive of energy and swiftness of action. Mark speaks of our Lord as the Servant, and how appropriate are those words in such a connection respecting Him.
In the epistle to the Hebrews we may term the often recurring words as “better,” “ever” or “forever,” “once” or “once for all,” key words. This epistle very specially instructs us in the sacrificial and priestly work of our Lord and Saviour. And how graciously suited to the theme is such a word as “better”— “better hope” (7:19), “better promises,” (8:6), “better sacrifices” (9:23), “some better thing” (11:40). Not that we are to infer that the promises, the hope, the sacrifices, the thing, in relation to Christ were only better than what preceded Him, and existed under the law, but that which relates to Christ is transcendently better than all else.
And what word in connection with Christ and His work is finer or more noble for our contemplation than “ever.” Here is the durable, the lasting, the eternal. Under the law, neither type nor shadow was intended to endure―all passed away. Again and again in this epistle we are given to see the old vanishing away before the new, the law departing before the gospel― “that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away” (8:13). It had done its appointed service for the glory of God, and the tuition of man, and its end had come. “Meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances,” or ceremonies, were all to give place when Christ came (9:10, 11), and the priestly order, and the sacrifices, and the place of worship also.
Let us first select some of the “every” or “for evens” that relate to Christ’s sacrifice, and then some which relate to His priesthood.
Having completed His work upon the cross He, by His one offering, “perfected forever them that are sanctified” (10:14), and the witness hereof is that He sits down forever (vss. 1,2) at the right hand of God. There is no break, and never will be a break, in the continuity of the excellence and efficacy of Christ’s sacrificial work. It allows no repetition, brooks no continuation, permits no finishing touches―forever it is perfect, forever it is complete. The forevers of the epistle are very marked in connection with the priesthood of our Lord, “Thou art a Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec” (vs. 6) opens up His glory as High Priest, for by this greeting did God glorify His Son for His great priestly work. And when our eye is directed “within the vail,” it is to behold there in the presence of God for us “Jesus, made a High Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec” (6:20). We see Him there on our behalf, the forerunner, who having completed His course on this earth, and having made a sacrifice through Himself for our sins, is in heaven’s holiest, a Priest for us. Earth’s priests change; they die; one high priest was succeeded by another; their position was guaranteed them only after the law of a carnal commandment; their succession was merely of earth; they derived their office from their predecessors―all of which was weak and unprofitable (7:18), but our Lord is Priest “after the power of an endless life” (vs. 16)― “a Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec” (vs. 17). And what a rest and rejoicing to His people lies in this fact. He changes not; He has no successor, oh, no! He is “the same yesterday, today, and forever” (13:8). A fourth time are these remarkable words used, “Thou art a Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec” (7:21), and to encourage our confidence in Him, for, “because He continueth ever, He hath an untransmissible, or unchangeable, priesthood, wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them” (vers. 24, 25).
“Once,” or “once for all,” are also key words. “Once in the end of the world hath He appeared, to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (9:26), and that for which He appeared has been accomplished. He was “once offered to bear the sins of many” (ver. 28), and the sins, for which He was once offered, being remitted, there remains now “no more offering for sin” (10:18), and we, “through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all,” are sanctified by the divine will (ver. 10). These words open the door into liberty; by virtue of what Jesus did upon the cross our sins are remitted, and we are sanctified. And not only so, but we have spiritual access to God, for our Great High Priest, having obtained eternal redemption, has entered in once into the holy place by virtue of His own blood (9:12). He, greater than Aaron, and with better sacrifices, has gone into God’s own presence in the value of His atoning work, and hence our privilege is to “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (10:19-22).