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"Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not
accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection."
This better resurrection echoes the two expressions of Paul's desire in Philippians,
where in chapter 1: he says that "to depart and be with Christ" is better than living or
dying, and in chapter 3: he speaks of such departure as "the out-resurrection out from
among the dead", which was the prize of the perfected. With this thought chapter 11: of
Hebrews closes:--
"These all having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God
having provided a better thing for us, that they without us might not be perfected" (39, 40).
There is but one more reference, and that is in chapter 12: It occurs in the section of
the epistle which deals with the first-born and the birthright. Esau is mentioned as a type
of those already spoken of in chapter 6: and 10:, and the apostle tells them that they
have not come to Mount Sinai (the law and its imperfect priesthood and offerings), but to
Mount Zion, to the city that Abraham looked for, the better country, inhabited by the
Church of the firs-born, which are written in heaven; to God the judge of all, and to the
spirits of perfected righteous ones (again note Phil. 3: where Paul, although standing in
the righteousness of God by faith, could also say, "not as though I am already perfected";
here in Heb. 12: we have both together, the spirits of perfected righteous ones); and to
Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, which has already been pronounced a better
covenant, resting upon better sacrifices, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh
better things than Abel's.
The following grouping of the thirteen occurrences of the word "better" may be of
service.
Better.
A | 1. 4. Christ at the right hand (verse 3).
Better than angels; more excellent name.
B | 6: 9. The things that accompany salvation.
C | 7: 7, 19, 22. The better priesthood, hope and covenant.
A | 8: 6. Christ at the right hand (verse 1).
Better covenant; better promises; more excellent ministry.
C | 9: 23. The better sacrifice for heavenly things.
B | 10: 34; 11: 16, 35, 40. Things that accompany salvation.
C | 12: 24. The blood of sprinkling speaking better things than Abel's.
There are many questions that awaits an answer, many of which we hope to deal with
in this series. Meanwhile, whereunto we have already attained, let us walk by the same
rule, and press on.