The
“high priests”,
according to the writer of Hebrews, took the “bodies”
of “beasts whose blood is brought
into the sanctuary”
for “sins”,
and they were “burned without the
camp”.
“Jesus also, that he might sanctify
the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate”,
and in chapter thirteen and verse thirteen
of Hebrews the writer shared
how he and his readers were to be “bearing”
Jesus'
“reproach”
where we read:
Let us
go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
The
verse begins, “Let
us go forth therefore unto him without the camp,...”.
The writer
began with the words, “Let us go
forth”
which means “Allow the writer of Hebrews and his readers to go out
of the assembly and forsake it” “therefore”
or “accordingly then” “unto him”
which refers to “Jesus” “without
the camp”
or “outside of the encampment”. The writer exhorted his readers
to follow after Jesus' example and go “outside
the camp”.
The
verse goes on to say, “...bearing
his reproach.”. The
writer continued with the word, “bearing”
or
“carrying, upholding and enduring” “his
reproach”
which means “Jesus' contumely, abuse, insult and revilement”. The
readers of Hebrews were to “uphold” the same “suffering”
Jesus endured “outside the camp”.
When
we consider these words in Hebrews, we see how Jesus is the model for
the way we should conduct ourselves in life. He bore the “reproach”
of the cross outside the city of Jerusalem on Calvary's hill, and we
also should be carrying His mantle with us. When we identify as
Christians,we may suffer “reproach, abuse, insult or revilement”
but we are following His example when we do. We may be persecuted for
our profession of faith in Jesus Christ, but we align ourselves with
the desire of the God of the Universe when we do. As God honored
Jesus, so shall He honor those who trust in Him to go “outside”
of the “world's camp” and put their lives through
“suffering” for the benefit of others.
Next
time the writer shares how he and his readers to “have
no continuing city”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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