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some texts, "For indeed you sympathized with the prisoners", this Christlike "sympathy"
(Heb. 4: 15) is noted. The suffering of "reproaches" associated them with Christ
Himself (Heb. 13: 13), and the "enduring possession" with the "enduring city" (13: 14).
Early Christians were called by their enemies, atheists, their places of assembly were
misrepresented as being convened for most immoral purposes, all of which
misrepresentations would constitute a very real suffering of reproach for Christ.
The words "goods" and "substance" should be rendered by the same word, and
perhaps "possession" is the most suitable. The words in the original being huparchonta
and huparxin.
"And submitted to the seizure of your possessions with joy, knowing in yourselves
that you have in heaven, a better and on enduring possession" (Heb. 10: 34).
The case of Moses in Heb. 11: 24-26 supplies a very full example of the meaning of
the apostle here. He esteemed this "reproach" as greater than all the treasures of Egypt.
He too looked unto the recompense of the reward. So the apostle urges these Hebrew
saints:--
"Therefore cast not away your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.
For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive
the promise" (Heb. 10: 35, 36).
An article could well be devoted to the words, "Ye have need of patience". It is the
"patience of hope", the patience that James speaks of when he says:--
"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing, that
the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her PERFECT work"
(James 1: 2-4).
It is evident that the words, "ye might receive the promise", indicate a long wait and
patient endurance, by the conclusion of the matter in Heb. 11: 39:--
"And all these, having received a good report through faith, received NOT the promise."
What does the apostle bring forward to encourage these tried and tested believers?
The Coming of the Lord.
The relation of the coming of the Lord to the church of the mystery is dealt with in a
separate article, but it is here brought forward as the crowning argument in the apostle's
testimony:--
"For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the
just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the
saving of the soul" (Heb. 10: 37-39).