and instead of being able to argue, that such threats belong only to the Old Covenant, the

passage goes on to declare that the punishment meted out to those who thus sin under

terms of the New Covenant will be "much sorer", and clinches the argument by quoting

the law:

These strange and terrifying words arise naturally out of the calling and sphere of

blessing to which the epistle to the Hebrews ministers, but not even the most ardent

advocate of the position we refute would want to read them into Eph. 2: Do those who

claim "Hebrews" as their own, accept Heb. 10: 26-30 as dispensationally true for the

Church of the Mystery, including themselves?

A superficial acquaintance with Ephesians and Hebrews might prompt the remark

that, in both, believers are said to be "made nigh". This, however, is not true for the word

employed in Eph. 2: 13 and 17 is eggus, "nigh", which word is never used in Hebrews,

whereas proserchomai, "come" or "draw near", is the word consistently used in Hebrews.

In Eph. 2: the believer is not told "to draw near" but learns the blessed truth that he has

been "made nigh" by the blood of Christ, an essential difference. In Hebrews, the

"drawing near" is a direct result of the New Covenant; in Ephesians the "being made

nigh" is the result of the creation of the New man, the Hebrews position being the subject

of the Law and the Prophets, the Ephesian position being the subject of the Mystery

which had been hid in God.

In the calling and sphere of Hebrews, the outstanding office associated with Christ as

He sits on the right hand of God, is that of High Priest. In the calling and sphere of

Ephesians, His outstanding office as He sits on the right hand of God, is that of Head.

Are these but two names for the same thing, or do they differ? No epistle, apart from

Hebrews, uses the title "High Priest" or "Priest", yet without the doctrine that revolves

around these words, how could the teaching of Hebrews proceed? It will be remembered

that the exhortation "to draw near" that occupied our attention in the previous article was

based upon the fact that those thus exhorted had "an high priest over the house of God"

(Heb. 10: 21).

References to the necessity of a sacrifice for sin are not limited to any one epistle.

Paul's epistles, both before  Acts 28:  and after, contain many such precious

references, yet, never, throughout the course of his ministry as God's appointed

Preacher, Teacher and Apostle of the Gentiles, does he ever use the word "Priest" or

"High Priest", either of the believer or of his Lord. And yet, when he came to write the

epistle to the Hebrews, he breaks entirely new ground, using the word "Priest" thirteen