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(339-340)
THE
WATCH
TOWER
BROOKLYN,
N.
Y.
purpose
of
its
Great
Author.
My
reverence
for
and
gratitude
to
him
for
the
precious
"meat
in
due
season"
for
all
who
"will
receive
it,"
knows
no
bounds.
May
he
keep
you
moment
by
moment,
ever
closer
and
closer
"under
the
shadow
of
the
Almighty,"
sustaining
and
protecting
you
through
l~very
trial
or
persecution
he
may
per
mIt
to
come
into
),our
life
and
crown
you
"more
than
con
queror"
at
the
full
dose
of
the
earthly
pilgrimage!
Your
least
Colporteur
and
joyful
fellow-servant,
E.
G.
VOL.
XXX
BROOKLYN,
N.
Y.,
NOVEMBER
15,
1909
No.
22
THE
NEW
COVENANT
IN
THE
BOOK
OF
HEBREWS
If
the
New
Covenant,
in
no
sense
of
the
word,
belongs
to
the
Abrahamic
Covenant,
which
had
only
free
children.
He
shows
church-that
is
to
say,
if
we
are
not
under
the
New
Covenant,
that
the
Gentiles
were
received
under
this
Abrahamic
Covenant
if
it
belongs
merely
to
Israel,
and
through
Israel
to
the
world,
of
grace
(favor),
whose
blessings
are
conferred
on
a
basis
of
why
does
the
Apostle
have
so
much
to
say
concerning
it
in
the
faith
and
not
on
a
basis
of
works,
as
under
the
Law
Covenant.
Book
of
Hebrews
1
St.
Paul
shows
further
that
the
Law
Covenant
had
Moses
To
appreciate
the
necessity
for
the
Book
of
Hebrews,
we
for
a
Mediator,
because
that
covenant
placed
binding
obliga
must
mentally
take
our
stand
back
in
apostolic
days
and
get
tions
of
obedience
to
the
law
upon
all
who
came
under
it.
But,
our
bearings
as
though
we
were
living
there
under
those
condi-
reasons
the
Apostle,
the
original
Covenant
made
with
Abraham
tions.
Thinking
of
matters
from
this
sympathetic
standpoint
was
not
so.
It
imposed
no
binding
obligations,
and
therefore
the
answer
to
this
question
is
very
simple,
very
plain.
The
it
needed
no
mediator
and
had
no
mediator.
"Now
a
mediator
early
church
for
seven
years
after
our
Lord's
baptism,
for
is
not
a
mediator
of
one,
but
God
is
one."
(Gal.
3:20)
That
three
and
a
half
years
after
his
cross,
was
composed
exclusively
is
to
say,
a
mediator
is
not
necessary
to
a
covenant
in
which
of
Jews.
Not
until
the
end
of
Israel's
promised
"seventy
only
one
person
is
bound.
In
the
case
of
the
Abrahamic
Cove
weeks"
of
special
favor
could
the
Gospel
message
go
outside
nant
this
is
so:
God
is
the
one
person
bound
by
that
covenant;
of
that
nation
at
all.
We
remember
tha,t
Cornelius,
a
just
man,
hence
there
is
no
need
of
a
mediator
for
that
covenant
to
see
to
who
prayed
always
and
gave
much
alms,
was
the
first
one
from
the
faithful
performance
of
the
contract.
However,
as
there
was
the
Gentiles
to
be
received.
In
his
case
we
remember
how
it
no
mediator
to
guarantee
a
contract
or
covenant
on
God's
side,
he
was
necessary
for
God
to
specially
prepare
St.
Peter
for
such
a
gave
to
Abraham
and
to
all
who
would
be
of
his
faith,
the
best
remarkable
change
in
the
divine
method
of
dealing.
possible
~uarantee
that
God
did
not
make
the
Covenant
lightly,
We
remember
that
years
after
this,
the
question
of
receive
in
a
triflIng
manner
or
thoughtlessly;
for,
in
addition
to
pledge
ing
the
Gentiles
and
eating
with
them,
or
in
any
sense
of
the
ing
his
Word,
God
gave
his
oath-that
the
covenant
was
se
word
recognizing
them
as
being
on
equality
with
the
Jews,
was
cure,
sure,
could
not
fail.
It
was
this
that
gave
Israel
such
one
which
caused
continual
disturbance
in
the
church
and
great
hope
in
that
Oath-Bound
Covenant.
amongst
the
most
prominent
of
the
apostles
of
the
time.
Years
The
Apostle
proceeds
to
show
that
the
Law
Covenant
did
after
Cornelius
had
received
the
holy
Spirit
teachers
from
Je-
a
good
service
for
the
Jews
in
that
it
prepared
them
and
rusalem
went
to
Antioch
and
found
that
there
Gentile
were
brought
them
to
Christ,
the
great
Teacher;
that
by
hearing
received
on
an
equal
footing
with
the
Jews
in
the
church
of
his
message,
his
invitation,
they
might
exercise
obedient
faith,
Christ
without
in
any
sense
of
the
word
subscribing
to
Moses
sacrificing
faith,
and,
being
baptized
into
Christ,
might
put
on
and
the
Law
Covenant.
They
were
shocked
and
expressed
Christ-become
members
of
his
body.
All
such,
Jew
and
Gen·
themselves
in
such
positive
terms
that
the
Antioch
church
sent
tle,
bond
or
free,
male
or
female,
would
be
members
of
the
one
Paul
and
Barnabas
with
others
to
Jerusalem
that
a
full
con-
body,
of
which
Christ
Jesus
is
the
Head.
This
chapter
winds
ference
on
the
question
might
be
had.
Guided
of
the
holy
up
with
that
forceful
statement,
"If
ye
be
Christ's,
then
are
ye
Spirit
the
apostles
reached
right
conclusions,
yet
even
Peter
Abraham's
seed
and
heirs
according
to
the
promise"-the
cove
was
so
little
in
sympathy
with
these
conclusions
that
years
nant
made
to
Abraham.
after
we
find
St.
Paul
reproving
him
for
dissimulation
and
reo
All
this
argument
was
to
show
the
Galatians
that,
So
far
fusing
to
eat
with
the
Gentile
brethren
when
Jewish
brethren
from
needing
to
get
under
the
Law
Covenant,
they
had
no
need
were
in
the
company-through
deference
to
the
Law
Covenant,
of
it
whatever,
and
those
who
were
under
it
needed
to
get
out
which
somehow
all
Jews
felt
must
be
recognized
and
subscribed
from
under
it,
in
order
to
be
able
by
faith
to
accept
Christ
as
to.
St.
Paul
seems
to
have
been
one
of
the
apostles
who
early
their
Redeemer
and
Justifier,
and
by
faith
to
consecrate
their
got
the
proper
focus
on
this
subject.
lives
unto
death,
that
they
might
be
acceptable
to
God
as
memo
We
find
that
this
Judaizing
teaching
was
not
only
in
the
bers
of
the
body
of
Christ.
ascendancy
in
Palestine,
but
that
its
influence
in
considerable
The
fourth
chapter
to
the
Galatians
continues
the
argue
measure
affected
the
Gentiles.
St.
Paul's
Epistle
to
the
Gala-
ment,
the
expostulation
against
the
error
of
wanting
to
get
·un
tians,
for
instance,
shows
us
how
many
of
them,
Gentiles
by
der
the
Law
Covenant,
until,
with
tears
in
his
pen,
the
Apostle
birth,
had
been
misled
into
believing
that
whatever
blessings
writes,
"My
little
children,
of
whom
I
travail
in
birth
again
they
might
enjoy
through
Christ
and
the
original
Abrahamic
until
Christ
be
formed
in
you,
I
desire
to
be
present
with
you
Covenant,
they
must
also
become
amenable
to
the
Law
Cove-
now,
and
to
change
my
voice
(to
one
of
sternness),
for
I
nant.
Note
that
the
Apostle's
letter
to
the
Galatians
is
al-
stand
in
doubt
of
you.
Tell
me,
ye
that
desire
to
be
under
the
most
exclusively
devoted
to
this
subject,
and
remember
that
Law
(Covenant),
do
ye
not
hear
the
Law
1"
Do
ye
not
real
the
Galatians
were
not
Hebrews,
or,
at
least,
the
majority
of
ize
its
bondage,
its
impossible
exactions
1
"Behold,
I,
Paul,
them
were
not.
In
that
epistle
he
found
it
necessary
to
show
say
unto
you,
that
if
ye
be
circumcised,
Christ
shall
profit
you
that
he
had
equal
authority
with
the
other
apostles
as
a
nothing.
For
I
testify
again
to
every
man
that
is
circumcised
teacher-that
the
Galatians
might
know
that
he
was
well
qual-
[every
Jew],
that
he
is
a
debtor
to
do
the
whole
law.
Christ
ified
&!!
the
others,
and
as
fully
authorized
to
instruct
them
is
become
of
no
effect
unto
you,
whosoever
of
you
are
(trusting
respecting
their
obligations;
that
his
word
was
authoritative;
that
you
are)
justified
by
the
Law
(Covenant);
ye
are
fallen
that
the
Gentiles
were
not
under
the
Law
Covenant,
but
under
from
grace."-Gal.
4:
19-21;
5
:2-4.
the
Grace
Covenant-the
original
Abrahamic
Covenant.
He
'Ve
have,
perhaps,
said
sufficient
to
prove
that
the
question
recounts
that
he
did
not
get
his
instruetion
or
his
knowledge
of
the
Law
Covenant
was
a
burning
question
in
the
early
of
the
Gospel
from
the
Apostles
at
Jerusalem,
but
that,
so
far
church,
not
only
with
the
Hebrews,
but
also
with
the
Gentiles.
as
it
was
concerned,
he
had
under
the
Lord's
Providence
been
It
seemed
impossible,
especially
for
the
former,
to
learn
that
their
instructor,
rather
than
they
his
instructor.-Gal.
2:
1-14.
the
Law
Covenant,
after
having
been
in
force,
with
all
the
won-
Note
carefully
the
Apostle's
appeal
in
Galatians
III.,
"0
derful
paraphernalia
of
the
Jewish
dispensation,
its
laws,
its
foolish
Galatians,
who
hath
bewitched
you,
that
ye
should
not
sacrifices,
etc.-that
it,
after
all,
was
not
necessary
and
that
obey
the
truth,
before
whose
eyes
[of
understanding]
Jesus
a
Gentile
could
really
have
aceess
to
the
Abrahamic
Covenant
Christ
hath
been
evidently
set
forth,
crucified
among
you
1
through
Christ
easier
than
could
a
Jew.
This
only
would
I
learn
of
you,
Received
ye
the
spirit
by
the
It
was
to
counteract
this
powerful
error
of
that
day
that
works
of
the
law,
or
by
the
hearing
of
faith
1"
etc.
His
entire
St.
Paul
wrote
the
Epistle
to
the
Hebrews.
It
certainly
has
argument
in
this
chapter
is
to
show
that
the
Law
Covenant
been
a
valuable
epistle
to
the
Gentiles,
but
it
was
written
spe
never
was
over
or
binding
upon
the
Gentiles,
but
only
upon
cially
to
the
Hebrews,
and
because
of
their
tenaeious
adherence
the
Jews.
He
shows
also
thflt
the
Law
Covenant,
instead
of
to
the
Law
Covenant,
from
the
dominating
influence
of
which
advantaging
the
Jew,
eondemned
him,
so
that
the
Jew
needed
thev
seemed
not
to
be
wble
to
free
themselves.
to
be
specially
redeemed
from
the
curse
or
sentence
of
that
'The
Epistle
to
the
Hebrews
was
written
to
prove
that
a
Law
Covenant,
by
our
Lord's
death
by
crucifixion.
Through-
totally
new
dispensation
of
Grace,
and
not
of
Works,
had
heen
out
this
chapter
St.
Paul
contrasts
the
Law
Covenant,
from
ushered
in
through
Jesus
at
Pentecost.
He
would
have
them
which
the
Jews
was
desirous
to
get
free,
with
the
original
see
tba.t
Moses'
faithfulness
as
a
servant
and
Head
of
a
typi.
[.510]
(339-340) purpose of its Great Author. My reverence for and gratitude to him for the precious “meat in due season” for all who “will receive it,” knows no bounds. May he keep you moment by moment, ever closer and THE WATCH TOWER Brooxtyn, N. Y. protecting you through every trial or persecution he may permit to come into your life and crown you “more than conqueror” at the full close of the earthly pilgrimage! Your least Colporteur and joyful fellow-servant, closer ‘‘under the shadow of the Almighty,” sustaining and E. G Vou. XXX BROOKLYN, N. Y., NOVEMBER 15, 1909 No. 22 THE NEW COVENANT IN THE BOOK OF HEBREWS If the New Covenant, in no sense of the word, belongs to the Abrahamic Covenant, which had only free children. He shows church—that is to say, if we are not under the New Covenant, if it belongs merely to Israel, and through Israel to the world, why does the Apostle have so much to say concerning it in the Book of Hebrews? To appreciate the necessity for the Book of Hebrews, we must mentally take our stand back in apostolic days and get our bearings as though we were living there under those conditions. Thinking of matters from this sympathetic standpoint the answer to this question is very simple, very plain. The early church for seven years after our Lord’s baptism, for three and a half years after his cross, was composed exclusively of Jews. Not until the end of Israel’s promised “seventy weeks” of special favor could the Gospel message go outside of that nation at all. We remember that Cornelius, a just man, who prayed always and gave much alms, was the first one from the Gentiles to be received. In his case we remember how it was necessary for God to specially prepare St. Peter for such a remarkable change in the divine method of dealing. We remember that years after this, the question of receiving the Gentiles and eating with them, or in any sense of the word recognizing them as being on equality with the Jews, was one which caused continual disturbance in the church and amongst the most prominent of the apostles of the time. Years after Cornelius had received the holy Spirit teachers from Jerusalem went to Antioch and found that there Gentile were received on an equal footing with the Jews in the church of Christ without in any sense of the word subscribing to Moses and the Law Covenant. They were shocked and expressed themselves in such positive terms that the Antioch church sent Paul and Barnabas with others to Jerusalem that a full conference on the question might be had. Guided of the holy Spirit the apostles reached right conclusions, yet even Peter was so little in sympathy with these conclusions that years after we find St. Paul reproving him for dissimulation and refusing to eat with the Gentile brethren when Jewish brethren were in the company—through deference to the Law Covenant, which somehow all Jews felt must be recognized and subscribed to. St. Paul seems to have been one of the apostles who early got the proper focus on this subject. We find that this Judaizing teaching was not only in the ascendancy in Palestine, but that its influence in considerable measure affected the Gentiles. St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians, for instance, shows us how many of them, Gentiles by birth, had been misled into believing that whatever blessings they might enjoy through Christ and the original Abrahamic Covenant, they must also become amenable to the Law Covenant. Note that the Apostle’s letter to the Galatians is almost exclusively devoted to this subject, and remember that the Galatians were not Hebrews, or, at least, the majority of them were not. In that epistle he found it necessary to show that he had equal authority with the other apostles as a teacher—that the Galatians might know that he was well qualified as the others, and as fully authorized to instruct them respecting their obligations; that his word was authoritative ; that the Gentiles were not under the Law Covenant, but under the Grace Covenant—the original Abrahamic Covenant. He recounts that he did not get his instruction or his knowledge of the Gospel from the Apostles at Jerusalem, but that, so far as it was concerned, he had under the Lord’s Providence been their instructor, rather than they his instructor.—Gal. 2:1-14. Note carefully the Apostle’s appeal in Galatians ITI., “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes [of understanding] Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?’ ete. His entire argument in this chapter is to show that the Law Covenant never was over or binding upon the Gentiles, but only upon the Jews. He shows also that the Law Covenant, instead of advantaging the Jew, condemned him, so that the Jew needed to be specially redeemed from the curse or sentence of that Law Covenant, by our Lord’s death by crucifixion, Throughout this chapter St. Paul contrasts the Law Covenant, from which the Jews was desirous to get free, with the original that the Gentiles were received under this Abrahamic Covenant of grace (favor), whose blessings are conferred on a basis of faith and not on a basis of works, as under the Law Covenant. St. Paul shows further that the Law Covenant had Moses for a Mediator, because that covenant placed binding obligations of obedience to the law upon all who came under it. But, reasons the Apostle, the original Covenant made with Abraham was not so. It imposed no binding obligations, and therefore it needed no mediator and had no mediator. “Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.” (Gal. 3:20) That is to say, a mediator is not necessary to a covenant in which only one person is bound. In the case of the Abrahamic Covenant this is so: God is the one person bound by that covenant; hence there is no need of a mediator for that covenant to see to the faithful performance of the contract. However, as there was no mediator to guarantee a contract or covenant on God’s side, he gave to Abraham and to all who would be of his faith, the best possible guarantee that God did not make the Covenant lightly, in a trifling manner or thoughtlessly; for, in addition to pledging his Word, God gave his oath—that the covenant was secure, sure, could not fail. It was this that gave Israel such great hope in that Oath-Bound Covenant. The Apostle proceeds to show that the Law Covenant did a good service for the Jews in that it prepared them and brought them to Christ, the great Teacher; that by hearing his message, his invitation, they might exercise obedient faith, sacrificing faith, and, being baptized into Christ, might put on Christ—become members of his body. All such, Jew and Gentle, bond or free, male or female, would be members of the one body, of which Christ Jesus is the Head. This chapter winds up with that forceful statement, “If ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed and heirs aceording to the promise”—the covenant made to Abraham. All this argument was to show the Galatians that, so far from needing to get under the Law Covenant, they had no need of it whatever, and those who were under it needed to get out from under it, in order to be able by faith to accept Christ as their Redeemer and Justifier, and by faith to consecrate their lives unto death, that they might be acceptable to God as members of the body of Christ. The fourth chapter to the Galatians continues the argument, the expostulation against the error of wanting to get under the Law Covenant, until, with tears in his pen, the Apostle writes, “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice (to one of sternness), for I stand in doubt of you. Tell me, ye that desire to be under the Law (Covenant), do ye not hear the Law?” Do ye not realize its bondage, its impossible exactions? “Behold, I, Paul, say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised {every Jew], that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are (trusting that you are) justified by the Law (Covenant); ye are fallen from grace.”—Gal. 4:19-21; 5:2-4, We have, perhaps, said sufficient to prove that the question of the Law Covenant was a burning question in the early church, not only with the Hebrews, but also with the Gentiles. It seemed impossible, especially for the former, to learn that the Law Covenant, after having been in force, with all the wonderful paraphernalia of the Jewish dispensation, its laws, its sacrifices, ete—that it, after all, was not necessary and that a Gentile could really have access to the Abrahamic Covenant through Christ easier than could a Jew. It was to counteract this powerful error of that day that St. Paul wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews. It certainly has been a valuable epistle to the Gentiles, but it was written spe cially to the Hebrews, and because of their tenacious adherence to the Law Covenant, from the dominating influence of which they seemed not to be able to free themselves. The Epistle to the Hebrews was written to prove that a totally new dispensation of Grace, and not of Works, had heen ushered in through Jesus at Pentecost. He would have them see that Moses’ faithfulness as a servant and Head of a typi [4510]
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