August 7, 2020
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ‘PURGING’ AND ‘PURIFICATION’
“When He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in high.”
Heb. 1: 3., NKJV.
“Christ by Himself purged our sins.’ These words introduce Christ as High Priest. The word ‘our’ is not found in the best manuscripts, and is to be omitted. The reading therefore is that Christ ‘by Himself purged sins,’ or better ‘made purification of sins. It is true that Christ purged ‘our’ sins, but the author [Paul] takes a more INCLUSIVE view, though later he will fully discuss ‘our’ sins.”
“It may be remarkable that while the phrase ‘by Himself’ is thought by some to be questionable reading, the Greek form for ‘purification of sins’ is such that this thought must be included: what Christ did,He did by Himself, He had no helper but God. He ‘trod the wine press alone.’ (Isa. 63:3).”
“The phrase ‘purification of sins’ in the Greek is in the middle voice, in which the ACTION TERMINATES ON THE SUBJECT.”
“Therefore, when Christ is said to have made ‘purification of sins, it’s first meaning is that this refers to and reacts upon HIMSELF. In His OWN life He overcame temptation. Though the sins of the world were laid upon Him, His own soul was NOT SULLIED [defiled, contaminated, corrupted] by them. [Why? How?] He repelled [resisted] every suggestion to evil. Satan never got foothold anywhere.”
“A thousand attacks were made upon Him, but not one succeeded. THIS IS THE FIRST MEANING OF ‘PURIFICATION OF SINS.’ Although, as noted ‘by Himself,’ is not included in the oldest manuscripts, the SAME idea is contained in the Greek middle voice, and may be translated ‘by Himself,’ or ‘for Himself.’”
Andreasen, The Book of Hebrews, pp. 52, 53.
This gives us a working example of what it means to study the Word “line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.” Let the preponderance of the testimony and evidence of the whole Scriptures speak for itself lest we take a “favorite” text out of context and render it a pretext!
Bless all with the Holy Spirit who imparts the empowering and enabling grace of God in Christ! NMF