We now come to the fullest expression of all, not merely a resurrection of dead ones,

not merely a resurrection out from dead ones, not even an out resurrection of dead ones,

but the OUT resurrection that which is OUT from dead ones, ten exanastasin ten ek

nekrõn (Phil. 3: 11; see next of Lachman, Tischendorf and Tragelles).

It will be seen that the apostle was not thinking of the resurrection in its wide aspect.

Seeing that he belonged to Christ, by his own teaching he was sure of participating in the

resurrection of those who were Christ's at His coming. The only alternative before us is

that he was seeking something different, something possibly better, and something in the

way of a prize.  Hebrews 11: 35 acquaints us with a resurrection that was to be

"obtained", and which was called, "a better resurrection". The verse speaks of two

resurrections, (1) a resurrection which was in the nature of a deliverance, and (2) while

others (not accepting deliverance by that means) suffered to the full in order that they

might obtain a better resurrection. Hebrews 12: is devoted to the subject of "Sons" and

"Firstborn". All sons are not necessarily "firstborn". The position of the firstborn is one

of special privilege in the Scriptures. These Hebrews, while being "holy brethren and

partakers of the heavenly calling", were warned of the dangers of "letting slip" (2: 1), of

seeming to "come short" (4: 1), of being "slothful" (6: 12), of "drawing back" (10: 38),

and of "casting away their confidence with its great recompense of reward" (10: 35).

Were they going to fail?  Were they, though delivered from Egypt, to fall in the

wilderness? Were they going to "sell their birthright" for a little ease in this life? If so,

the "better resurrection" of Heb. 11: 35 could not be theirs, for that was only attainable

by those who had been "perfected" (11: 40, and the whole teaching of the epistle, which

see later under the title "perfected"). The second half of Heb. 12: deals with the

firstborn and their inheritance.

Esau is brought forward as an example of how these Hebrew believers might forfeit

their birthright and special position as the firstborn. Mount Sion is the goal of the

"heavenly calling", the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and an

innumerable company of angels, a full festival, and the church of the firstborn having

been enrolled in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and the spirits of perfected

righteous ones. We call special attention to the fact that it is not the perfecting of the

spirits that is here intended, but that here are the spirits of "perfected righteous ones".

This is in many points parallel with the teaching of Phil. 3:, the city on the one hand is

the heavenly Jerusalem, the citizenship on the other is "in heaven"; the "perfected" ones

are the ones who find their place alongside of the innumerable company of angels; the

"perfected" ones alone could attain to the "out resurrection" of Phil. 3:

These passages refer to different spheres, but are found running in parallel lines, and

throw light upon our subject. Angels are "spirits" (1: 7 and 14), and angels are spoken of