Timothy to Hebrews - The Preterist Archive

412 Hebrews IV. 16.
with, this part itself to a full and formal conclusion. We have
here, however, not merely the old admonition of merely general import
: not to lose the benefits of the new covenant from a false
attachment to the forms of the old covenant ; the admonition is
given here in a special form, namely to hold fast the cjrace of God,
and to come with joyfulness to the throne of grace. In speaking of
this throne of grace, the author had certainly not in his mind the
n-ib; (which indeed is caJled " mercy-seat" only in Luther's translation,
but not in the original, nor in the Sept., and which was in
reality a simple " cover" or " lid").;
the author in an exhortation to
hold fast the specifically Christian element in the atonement of
Christ, would assuredly not have expressed himself in a form peculiar
to the Jeivish cultus. The throne of grace is simply the throne
of God, but of God as a reconciled father in Christ : They are to
draw near to God not as a judge, but as a gracious father for Christ's
sake.
"Iva Aa/3w/jev eXeov teal X'^P^'^ evpcdfiev elg evKuipov j3orideiav, that we
may receive mercy and find grace to a seasonable help (as seasonable
help), EvKaif)og, opportunus, not '^in time of need," but
simply the opposite of an uKaipog [3o7jdeia, a help which comes too
late. EtV cannot, grammatically considered, introduce the tiine of
the receiving and finding, but only the end and residt thereof.
(" That we may receive mercy, etc. to a seasonable help" = that
the mercy which we receive may take the form of a help coming still
at the right time ; i. e., to give the sense in other words : that we,
so long as it is yet time, and we have something still to help us,
may receive mercy and find grace.)
This concluding exhortation to have recourse to grace, forms
also at the same time the transition to the following part. "Let
us come to the throne of grace," the author has just said. Forthwith
he himself follows his own admonition, and goes with his
readers before the throne of grace, and begins the consideration of
the high-priestly calling of Christ.