Lewis and Clark were determined to find a passage to the Northwest. In order to do that, they had to find a way to cross the Rocky mountains. With determination, planning, and true grit, they crossed the Rocky mountains, and blazed a trail to the West.
The ark of the covenant contained the law of God. Two cherubim guarded the law, with their wings outstretched. They guarded the way to heaven. They continued the watch of the angel with the flaming sword in Genesis 3. This barrier to humanity was even more terrifying and impossible than crossing the Rocky mountains. What we need is a trailblazer. We can follow where someone else leads. Jesus is therefore our Pioneer. He has crossed the barrier into the Most Holy Place. Only He did not need to sacrifice for Himself, since He was perfect. He could therefore cross over into the heavens, opening the way for us.
The way He did this was to make us His siblings. The only way into the Most Holy Place is to be related to Jesus Christ by new birth. He accomplished this by being made perfect in suffering. Now, this does not mean that anything about Jesus the Person was perfected. It means that, as High Priest, he was perfected as to His office. He had fulfilled all righteousness.
And so, in being made perfect, Jesus sanctifies us, proving that we are indeed of one family. It is our kinship to Christ that is emphasized here above all else. Jesus is not ashamed to call us His brothers and sisters. Are we ashamed to acknowledge Him before the world?
davejes1979
glwjohnson
greenbaggins
jeffhutchinson
Wes White
Andrew Webb
paigebritton
Reed Here
reformedmusings
Vern Crisler said,
May 3, 2007 at 11:51 am
Lane, I don’t mean to hurt your feelings, but comparing the work of Jesus to the Lewis & Clark expedition has got to be one of the worst extended metaphors ever put down in unforgiving print. I’m still trying to get it out of my system, even as we speak. The trip of Frodo and Sam to the fire mountain might have been a better choice. But nooooo!
Vern
P.S. Sorry, just had to get it out of my system.
greenbaggins said,
May 3, 2007 at 12:58 pm
You can tell that to Rick Phillips, who put it in his commentary (published by P&R). The fact of the matter is that the word “archegos” here means someone who goes before, a trailblazer. I’m not sure what connotations are upsetting to you. However, it does indeed speak to North Dakotans (for whom I wrote this piece), since L&C went up the east side of the Missouri River in 1804 (hence the name of that road), and went down the west side in 1806 (hence the name of that road). And many settlers followed. Just trying to contextualize the Gospel here.
Thomas Twitchell said,
May 3, 2007 at 5:39 pm
Heb 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
or
And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,
aitios: that which is the cause of anything, resides, causative, causing archegos: to make perfect, complete, to carry through completely, to accomplish, finish, bring to an end, to complete (perfect), add what is yet wanting in order, to render a thing full, to be found perfect, to bring to the end (goal) proposed, to accomplish, bring to a close or fulfilment by event of the prophecies of the scriptures
telIoo: to make perfect, complete, to carry through completely, to accomplish, finish, bring to an end, to complete (perfect),add what is yet wanting in order to render a thing full, to be found perfect, to bring, to the end (goal) proposed, to accomplish bring, to a close or, fulfilment by event of the prophecies of the scriptures
Love the redundancy of Paul, especially here in Hebrews.
The creator of faith (pistis), the first leader of leaders in it, and its goal and the competion of it.
What is there left for us to do, but follow?
greenbaggins said,
May 3, 2007 at 5:43 pm
Thomas, are you a fellow believer in the Pauline authorship of Hebrews? Way to go!