$10.] Completeness in Christ and the Christian. 165 mature,' i.e. that have emerged out of the state of infancy. In these passages the word rather answers to the Hebrew root calah. § 10. The word Teλeiwois only occurs twice in the N. T. The first passage is Luke 1. 45, where it signifies the accomplishment of God's promises; the other is Heb. 7. 11, where we read that, if there had been Teλeiwois, completeness, by means of the Levitical priesthood, there would have been no necessity for the raising up of a priest after an order other than that of Aaron. The Levitical sacrifices were not of a kind to perfect the worshipper as pertaining to the conscience (9. 9, 10. 1). The priest bore the TEλelwois or thummim on his breast-plate, but it was only a shadow, of which Christ gives us the substance. Completeness is only attainable through the Saviour. He Himself was perfected' for the work of the priesthood through suffering (Heb. 2. 10), and being thus perfected He became the author or cause of eternal salvation to all that obey Him (5.9). He is not now a partaker of human infirmity, but is described as 'a son, perfected for evermore' (7. 28). The effect of His ministry on man is thus described By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified' (10. 14). This perfectness, given by the offering of the Perfect Priest, has a retrospective as well as a present effect. Those who died in faith under previous dispensations without us were not made perfect,' 11. 40; now, however, the righteous who 1 Some render the word Teλelów to consecrate in this and other passages; and they have the LXX as authority for so doing. See, for example, Ex. 29. 22, &c.; Lev. 8. 22, &c., where it answers to the Hebrew expression, 'to fill the hands,' i.e. to consecrate;' ràs xeípas being added in some cases, but not in others. But it must be borne in mind that in our Lord's case His being perfected through suffering was, as a matter of fact, His consecration, and the Levitical formal solemnity of consecration has given way to the process of learning obedience by the things suffered,' whereby the Lord was constituted a perfect High Priest, one that could sympathise with all the troubles and temptations of His people in that He Himself had suffered being tempted. lived in past times are made perfect, and their spirits are before the throne (Heb. 12. 23). § 11. It may be further observed that as every sacrifice under the old dispensation was to be auwμos, and free from blemish, so Christ offered himself without spot to God (Heb. 9. 14, and 1 Pet. 1. 19); and so also Christians are to be not only ayol, or separate from the evil of the world, but also aμwuoi, or free from moral blemishes, Eph. 1. 4, 5. 27; Phil. 2. 15; Col. 1. 22; Jude 24; Rev. 14. 5. The word aμɛμTTоs is used of blameless characters, and is applied in Luke 1. 6, to Zacharias and Elizabeth, and in Phil. 3. 6, to Saul the Pharisee. In Phil. 2. 15, and 1 Thess. 3. 13, it is set forth as the characteristic of the true Christian, and as applicable to the heart as well as to the outward life. Compare also the uses of the adverbial form in 1 Thess. 2. 10, and 5. 23. In Heb. 8. 7, 8, the word serves to mark the contrast between the two dispensations: If the first had no fault to be found in it (aμeμTTоs), place would not have been sought for a second (but this is not the case); for finding jault (μeμþóμevos), he saith, Behold the days come,' &c. The word oλoxλnpía is used of the wholeness or perfect soundness of the body in Acts 3. 16; and the adjective is used in James 1. 4, where it is coupled with réλeios, and also in 1 Thess. 5. 23, where St. Paul prays for the saints, that their whole body, soul, and spirit may be preserved blameless. Yashar, or Rectitude. 167 CHAPTER IX. UPRIGHTNESS, FAITH, AND HOPE. § 1. Moral connection between the subjects of the present chapter.- the N. T. § 1. THE subjects discussed in the present chapter will be found to group themselves round three leading ideas which lie at the foundation of that which is right; as it is set before man in Scripture. First, we are given a conception of rectitude, or the keeping to a straight and even line, as opposed to depravity, which swerves from the appointed course; secondly, we are presented with an idea of fixedness, stability, and realisation of the Word of God, as contrasted with that which is transient, uncertain, and illusory; and, thirdly, there is set forth a spirit of dependence on Him who is the Source of Right and Truth. § 2. The idea of rectitude is presented by the word yashar (), whence the name Jasher is derived. Wherever the A. V. uses the word equity, it is a rendering of yashar, except in Ecc. 2. 21, where cishron (), prosperity, is used, and also in Is. 59. 14, where nacoach (1), the being in a right line, is found (compare Is. 26. 10, and 57. 2, where the same word is rendered uprightness). Yashar is rendered just in Prov. 29. 10, and righteous in the following passages: Num. 23. 10, 'Let me die the death of the righteous.' Job 4. 7, 'Where were the righteous cut off.' Job เ 23. 7, There the righteous might dispute with him.' Ps. 67. 4. Thou shalt judge the people righteously.' and 96. 10,) Ps. 107. 42, The righteous shall see it and rejoice.' Prov. 3. 32, Prov. 15. 19, Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit.' The LXX renders the verb yashar by ἀρέσκω, κατευθύνω, and κατορθόω ; also by ὀρθοτομέω, in two passages, namely, Prov. 3. 6, 'He shall direct your paths'; and 11. 5, ‘The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way.' § 3. The verb KaтEveúvw is used only three times in the N. T.: namely, in Luke 1. 79; 1 Thess. 3. 11; and 2 Thess. 3. 5; and on each occasion reference is made to the work of Christ in rightly directing the heart and ways of man. In 2 Tim. 2. 15, where we meet with the word opeоTOμεiv, the A. V. renders the passage 'rightly dividing the word of truth.' Some commentators have illustrated the word in this passage by the work of the carpenter or the stonemason; but it is probable that the LXX is the best guide in the matter. If so, we may render it rightly directing the word of truth,' i.e. setting it forth in uprightness. Compare Gossner's version, where we find 'verfährt,' and the Vulgate, ' recte tractantem.' The work of the ploughman would thus give the best illustration of St. Paul's meaning, and the passage would be brought into connection with Luke 9. 62. § 4. Tamam (Don), a word already described as signifying perfection or integrity, is rendered upright in the following passages: $ 5.] 2 Sam. 22. 24, 2 Sam. 22. 26, Ps. Ps. Tsadak, or Righteousness. 'I was also upright before him.' 169 'With the upright man Thou wilt show Thyself upright.' 15. 2, He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteous ness.' 84. 11, 'No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.' Prov. 2. 7, 'He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.' Prov. 10. 9, He that walketh uprightly, walketh surely.' Prov. 10. 29, The way of the Lord is strength to the upright.' See also Prov. 11. 20, 13. 6, 28. 6, 10, 18, 29. 10; Am. 5. 10. § 5. The renderings righteous and just usually stand for some form of the Hebrew tsadak (pry), which originally signified to be stiff or straight. It is rendered lawful in Is. 49. 24; moderately in Joel 2. 23; and right in several passages. It is unfortunate that the English language should have grafted the Latin word justice, which is used in somewhat of a forensic sense, into a vocabulary which was already possessed of the good word righteousness, as it tends to create a distinction which has no existence in Scripture. This quality indeed may be viewed, according to Scripture, in two lights. In its relative aspect it implies conformity with the line or rule of God's law; in its absolute aspect it is the exhibition of love to God and to one's neighbour, because love is the fulfilling of the law; but in neither of these senses does the word convey what we usually mean by justice. No distinction between the claims of justice and the claims of love is recognised in Scripture; to act in opposition to the principles of love to God and one's neighbour is to commit an injustice, because it is a departure from the course marked out by God in his law. For a further discussion of the word and of its Greek representative, viewed in relation to the doctrine of justification, see chap. 14. § 6. Mishpath (opp), which signifies the due administra |