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Here the two references emphasize the stranger and pilgrim character of this
profession of which Christ was Apostle and High Priest. For this other-worldly character
see I Tim. 6: 12, 13:--
"Fight the good fight of faith (fight = same word "race" in Heb. 12: 1) . . . . . and hast
professed a good profession before many witnesses (witnesses=same word as Heb. 12: 1)
. . . . . Christ Jesus, who testified before Pontius Pilate the good confession."
It is evident by the balance of the words that the "good fight" is parallel with the
"good confession"; and seeing that the "fight" is the same as the "race" of Heb. 12:, the
titles "Apostle and High Priest of our profession", and "The Captain and Perfecter of
faith", have much in common. As the Captain He was the Apostle, the Sent One. As the
Perfecter, He was the High Priest, who went back to God. The "profession" being the
profession of "faith" is another view of the particular aspect of faith exhibited in
Heb. 11:; in other words the whole theme revolves around the idea of pilgrim walk and
perfecting. The holy brethren are exhorted to "consider" Christ as the Apostle and High
Priest of their profession. In close association with the final reference (10: 23) recurs the
word "consider". This time however the exhortation is to "consider one another" in view
of the approaching day. These holy brethren are addressed as "partakers of the heavenly
calling".
A superficial exposition, which is ever ready to seize upon some verse to refute
"Ultra-dispensationalism", whatever that may mean, says:--
"Here is the same word that is used in Ephesians, therefore the Hebrews were
members of the One Body, and the whole dispensational distinction is exploded."
Readers of The Berean Expositor know full well that the peculiar and exclusive
character of the dispensation of the mystery rests upon positive Scripture (e.g., Eph. 3:)
and not inference, and further that the words of Eph. 1: 3, 20; 2: 6; 3: 10; and 6: 12,
have a special feature to be found nowhere else--but this we leave.
It is essentially in harmony with the perfecting of the pilgrim character, that those
addressed should be called "partakers of the heavenly calling", and that heavenly calling
needs no further exposition than is given in Hebrews itself to make its scope and position
clear to us.
"Heavenly."
A | Partakers.--Now.
a | 3: 1. Partakers of heavenly calling. Christ not ashamed.
b | 6: 4. Partakers of holy spirit.
B | Place. The Tabernacle.
c | 8: 5. The shadow of heavenly things.
d | 9: 23. The heavenly things themselves.
A | Partakers.--Then.
a | 11: 16. The better country--a heavenly, God not ashamed.
b | 12: 22. The heavenly Jerusalem (Holy City).