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understand it. The better hope is said to have been "superinduced", epeisagoge. In
Gal. 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 fullness of time comes 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 the "superinduction of 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" lie beneath.
This better hope brings us nigh unto God. This is what the law could not do, and
therefore this access to God must be intimately connected with "perfection". That this is
literally so will be found in the case of Christ:--
"We have such an high priest, Who is set at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty
in the heavens" (8: 1).
As the perfecter of faith He is
"set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (12: 2).
In the Spirit we, through Him, draw nigh now, but this only pledges actual access
when the day arrives for the redemption of the purchased possession. The superiority of
this better hope lies in the superiority of its mediator. That superiority has been shown in
various ways. The particular thought before us in verses 20-22 lies in the fact that the
Lord Jesus was made a priest by oath.
The oath that perfects.
The argument is found in the words:--
"And inasmuch . . . . . by so much . . . . ." (verses 20-22).
The intervening passages give the fact of the oath, and the result, the better covenant.
The hope and the covenant were "better" in the same proportion that the pre-eminence of
the Melchisedec priesthood was above that of Aaron. That pre-eminence is discovered in
the "oath".
The force of the oath and its bearing upon the subject is found in the added words
"and will not repent". The priesthood of Christ was immutably secure. Not only was
there this attribute of immutability connected with the priesthood of Christ arising out of
the nature of the oath sworn by God, but further, it arises out of the fact that He ever
liveth:--