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To us, at the present time, this scruple regarding meats seems to have no parallel. We
are not concerned about food having been offered to idols, neither are we under any law
that divides meats into clean and unclean. At the same time it will not take us long to
discover that a great deal passes as "holiness" and "privilege" which rests, not upon
Christ, but upon accessories that have their basis in the flesh. Let us have none of them.
All distinctions have been buried in the tomb, and in the new creation they cannot exist:--
"We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. For
the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest
for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the
people with His own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto Him
without the camp, bearing His reproach, for here have we no continuing city, but we seek
one to come" (Heb. 13: 10-14).
We may be assisted in the understanding of this passage by the following
subdivision:--
A1 | Grace not meats. We have an altar.
B1 | Bodies . . . . . blood . . . . . without the camp.
A2 | Jesus, that He might sanctify.
B2 | His own blood, suffered without the gate.
A3 | Let us go forth unto Him.
B3 | Without the camp.
A4 | His reproach bearing.
B4 | We have no continuing city.
We have here two alternating themes, one dealing with sanctification, the other
pointing outside the camp or gate. Sanctification is dealt as something beyond the
ceremonial and typical separation involved in "meats": it has to do with "grace" and an
altar totally distinct from Israel after the flesh. Some have taught that the words, "we
have an altar", refer to the Lord's Table and the Lord's Supper, a doctrine we do not
think there is any need to use space in confuting. Others teach that our altar is the cross.
The cross throughout the N.T. is spoken of as a symbol of shame, and in Gal. 3: 13 the
death on the tree is a death under the curse of the law. Matt. 23: 19 declares that the
altar is greater than the gift upon it, and that the altar sanctifies the gift. We never read
that the cross was greater than the glorious offering of Christ, neither is there the remotest
suggestion that the cross sanctified the sacrifice of Christ. Full well we know the reverse
is the case.
When we read the O.T. directions concerning the altar and its treatment, we are not
left in doubt as to the altar that "we have". The altar built of stone had to be left
untouched by the tool of man, for that would pollute it (Exod. 20: 25). The altar was
cleansed, atoned for, anointed and sanctified, and it was most holy ( Exod. 29: 36, 37).
There is no difficulty to faith in believing both that the Lord, in the offering of that one
Sacrifice, became both the redeeming Passover Lamb, the whole Burnt Offering for
acceptance, and the Sin Offering under the curse, and, not only so, but that He, at once
the Sacrifice and Sin Bearer, was at the same time High Priest, Altar and Mercy Seat,