The matter now passes from the possible to the certain. We have the opening and closing members of the structure

confirmed to us. We seek further and are struck with the alternations that are brought forward in chapters 6 and 10:

`Let us GO ON unto perfection' (Heb. 6:1).

`We are not of them who DRAW BACK unto perdition' (Heb. 10:39).

These two headings commend themselves at once, and we soon discover that they are supported `up to the hilt'

by their contexts. `Let us ... come boldly' is answered by `let us draw near' (Heb. 4:16; 10:22).

Let us now assemble our material, and see the structure of

HEBREWS AS A WHOLE

A 1:1 to 2:18 THE WORD

Thou remainest. Thou art the same

SPOKEN

How escape? Bring the First begotten

B 3:1 to 6:20

Let us come boldly

Examples of unbelief

ON TO

Perfect v. Babes

PERFECTION No renewal unto repentance

Senses exercised

Crucify afresh the Son of God

C 7:1 to

10:18 PERFECTION

No perfection in priesthood,

WHERE FOUND  law, ordinances, sacrifices

B 10:19 to 12:25

Let us draw near

Examples of faith

BACK TO

Sons v. Firstborn

PERDITION   No place for repentance

Discipline exercised

Trod under foot the Son of God

HIM THAT

Things that remain. The same.

to 13:25 SPEAKETH

Not escape. Brought from the dead.

The examples of unbelief of chapter 3 are gloriously answered by the examples of faith in Hebrews 11. In

chapter 5 we have `babes' set over against `full grown', but in chapter 12 we have `sons' over against `firstborn'.

That dreadful passage which has caused so much anxiety to sensitive souls, `no renewal unto repentance', finds its

explanation in the corresponding section of the epistle in Esau who `found no place for repentance', and which

shows us that the fear in chapter 6 was not the loss of salvation but of birthright and the firstborn's position.

The two foci `Perfection' or `Perdition' must now be given attention, for if we are wrong in our apprehension of

their respective meanings, we shall necessarily miss the argument of the whole epistle. The English word perfect is

made up of per `through' and facio `to do', and from this facio comes our word `fact'. So the English word suggests

the salutary idea of `making a doctrinal truth an experimental fact'. The Greek word `perfection' is teleiotes, one of

a number of words derived from telos `the end'. The fundamental conception in all the variants of this word teleios,

teleioo, teleiotes, teleiosis, to say nothing of compounds made with apo, ana, en, epi, dia and sun, is that of taking

whatever is in hand or in view to a finish or conclusion.

(1) `Perfecting holiness' (2 Cor. 7:1).

Of all subjects, the one that cannot conceivably be `improved' must be holiness, and without the context,

such an expression to `perfect' holiness seems to be more senseless and impossible than it would be `to paint

the lily or to gild the rose'. If however we observe the context of this exhortation, we shall see that practical

sanctification is in view. Not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers, is to `perfect holiness', to remember

that if we are looked upon as the temple of the living God, there can be no possible agreement with idols, and

with the promise attached to the separation from any unclean thing, the Apostle says'Having therefore these