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No.23.
The Profession of the heavenly calling.
pp. 126 - 128
The first word of Heb. 3: is hothen, which properly means "from whence". The idea
intended by its use here may be expressed by saying, "Seeing that things are thus" (as
indicated in Heb. 1: and 2:), "then I ask you to consider the One Who is both Apostle
and High Priest of our profession". The title High Priest is one which most believers will
associate with Christ, but how few realize His equal glory as THE Apostle!
One of the special aspects of the Gospel according to John is to set before us Christ as
the Apostle and High Priest. John's Gospel is divided into two sections, the first being
the outer and public ministry (1:-12:, Apostle), the second the inner or private ministry
(13:-21:, High Priest). Both sections begin with a reference to His "own". He came to
His own, and His own received Him not". "Having loved His own which were in the
world, He loved them unto the end". Here in this thirteenth chapter we see the Apostle
and High Priest.
"Jesus knowing . . . . . that He was COME FROM GOD"--The Apostle.
"And WENT TO GOD"--The High Priest (13: 3).
This is repeated in the wonderful seventeenth chapter:
"Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast SENT"--The Apostle.
"I am no more in the world . . . . . I COME TO THEE"--The High Priest (17: 3, 11).
The fact that Christ was the Sent One is the burden of the Gospel. It is aionian life to
recognize Him as the Sent One (17: 3). The disciples are marked by the knowledge that
Christ was the Sent One (8). The oneness of the Father, the Son, and the saint, so
marvelously indicated in verse 21, is with the object that the world might believe that the
Father sent Christ. This is repeated with added words, all reminding us of Heb. 2:,
"That they may be perfected into one, and that the world may know that Thou hast sent
Me" (23).
It was no new thought to the Hebrews that Messiah should be the Apostle, or the
Sent One. In Isa. 48: 16 and 61: 1 the Hebrew equivalent is used. According to
Isa. 19: 20, the exodus from Egypt is to be repeated: "He shall send them a Saviour, and
a great One, and He shall deliver them. And the LORD shall be known to Egypt".
Moses was evidently a "sent one" or an "apostle".
"Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh."
"This shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee."
"I AM hath sent me unto you."
"The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God
of Jacob, hath sent me unto you" (Exod. 3: 10, 12, 14, 15).