PERFECTION

PERDITION

OR

(3) Access to God. Positively stated to be through Christ (7:25). Denied throughout the typical dispensation

(9:8).

A 7:19-21. a The law perfected no one.

b The oath and the priesthood.

B 7:22. `By so much' Jesus the surety of a better covenant.

C 7:23-27. c Salvation to the uttermost.

d He needeth not to offer for His own sins.

A 7:28.

a The law ordains infirm men.

b The oath ordains the Son

(`consecrated' - Gk. `perfected').

Note - 8:1-5 is parenthetical reference to true Tabernacle and ministry.

B 8:6-13.`By how much' Mediator of the better covenant.

Note - 9:1-6 is parenthetical reference to typical Tabernacle and ministry.

C 9:7,8.

d The high priest offered for himself as well

as the people.

c The way into the holiest not made manifest.

The three items indicated in verse 19 are seen under the three letters `A', `B' and `C'.

Access to God is a privilege beyond human computation, and this was not possible under the Levitical

priesthood or the law, by reason of the weakness of a system that made such demands on the flesh. Throughout the

dispensation of the law is the `fear of death' which Hebrews 2:15 declared held the Old Testament saints in

bondage, and the crying need for a Priest Who stood in the power of an endless life, in other words the risen Son of

Let us now give attention to verse 19. If it says the law perfected nothing, it leads on to say that something else

did. The second part of the verse is elliptical. Something is omitted which we must supply in order to get the sense.

A closely parallel passage is that of Romans 8:3:

`For what the law could not do ... God (did by) sending His Own Son',

is the sequel, but the word `did' has to be supplied.

There are some who understand Hebrews 7:19 to mean this:

`The law perfected nothing, but it was the bringing in of a better hope through which we draw nigh unto God'.

This is true. The law contained type and shadow that ever pointed to Christ. It did not reach the end itself, but it

did bring in the better hope that attained unto it. This however, while being true, is not the teaching of the verse

before us so far as we understand it. The better hope is said to have been `superinducted', epeisagoge which this

Greek word means. In Galatians 3:19 the law which was `superadded' was `for the sake of transgressions' and was

to operate `till the Seed should come', when it would be abrogated as being `weak and unprofitable', failing as it did

to touch the conscience.

When the fulness of time came and the Son of God entered into His office, there was the `superinduction' of a

better hope which set aside the types and shadows, and actually did give access to God. It is called `a better hope'.

This better hope does not look for an entrance into the land of promise, but looks for `a better country, an heavenly'.

It is connected with a `better Covenant', in contrast with the old Covenant that was made after the exodus and before

the land of promise was reached. `Better promises' lie behind this hope, a `better resurrection' lies ahead, and

`better sacrifices', or an infinitely better sacrifice, lie beneath.