Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
Hebrews 7:11-14 – Inclusion and Exclusion – the Silence of the Scriptures
I. THE PRINCIPLES OF INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION
A. These two laws of hermeneutics (and common sense) can be illustrated by the Hebrew writer in reference to the High Priesthood of Jesus Christ:
1. Law of inclusion – Heb.7:11-12
2. Law of exclusion – Heb.7:13-14
B. The law of inclusion is very simple: “what does the text include?”
1. This idea makes us look specifically at what is in the text, that is, the words, and only those words.
2. Some examples:
a. Gen.6:14 ‑ “Gopher” wood includes gopher wood.
b. Eph.5:19 ‑ “Sing” includes singing.
c. Mk.16:16 ‑ “Belief and baptism” includes belief and baptism.
C. The law of exclusion is very simple: “(1) what does the text not include, nor any other comparable text, therefore excluding or (2) what does the text specifically prohibit.”
1. This is the law of silence which prohibits.
2. Some examples:
a. Gen.6:14 ‑ “Oak” is excluded. Not because gopher is included, but because oak is not included in this text, nor in any other. REMEMBER: the question is not, is there anything prohibiting oak. The question is, is there anything authorizing oak.
b. Eph.5:19 ‑ “Playing” is excluded. Not because singing is included because “singing” only excludes “not singing.” God’s silence about playing, both in this verse, and in all other N.T. verses, prohibits playing. REMEMBER: The question is not, is there anything prohibiting instruments. The question is, is there anything authorizing instruments.
c. Mk.16:16 ‑ It is impossible to prove confession from this verse. Why? Because this verse does not include it. As we shall learn, it does not exclude it either.
d. Heb.7:11ff ‑ The tribe of Judah was excluded from the priesthood, but not because:
1) God said, “From the tribe of Levi only.”
2) God said, “From the tribe of Levi and not from Judah”.
3) But rather because God only included the tribe of Levi.
4) REMEMBER: The question was not, was there anything prohibiting Judean priests. The questions was, was there anything authorizing them.
e. Neh.7:64 – Since their names were not included, silence requires exclusion.
D. The relation of inclusion to exclusion:
1. Mk.16:16 ‑ This verse includes belief and baptism. It does not, however, include confession, but neither does it exclude it. The reason it does not exclude it is because of other verses (Rom.10:9‑10) that concern the same subject (alien seeking salvation). However, Mk.16:16 only includes belief and baptism.
2. Eph.5:19 ‑ Again let us notice that the command to sing does not, by its very definition, exclude playing. For under the Old Law, God commanded them to sing, and there it did not exclude playing. Why? Because God commanded it under the Mosaical Law. What excludes playing from Eph.5:19 is silence, both there and in every other N.T. text concerning our worship to God. It is not the command to sing which excludes.
Comments