Pressing forward to the end.
It is obvious that the two leading words of this passage are those respectively rendered "principles" and "perfection." They indicate the beginning and the end. Every right ἀρχὴ looks forward, as a matter of course, to a τελειότης: and. every true τελειότης, when looked into, reveals a right ἀρχή. Hence we have—
I. THE RIGHT STARTING-POINT. Presuming that perfection is wanted, we must start rightly; and there is here indicated, somewhat in detail, what that right start is. True, there is to us some obscurity in the detail. We cannot be sure of the exact meaning of each of the expressions, but of the great general drift there can be no doubt. The Hebrew had been for centuries in expectation of the Christ. The beginning of the Christ was really an immemorial thing. The Anointed of God, bringing in his train all good things, had been proclaimed by Divine messengers and. accepted by the people. And here in these details, called a foundation, are set forth the acts showing the acceptance of the Christ. Note how these details can be classified. There is what we turn from, and what we turn toward. In the proclamation of the Christ a summons to repentance was always implied. Turn away from dead works. Works of the hand, and not of the heart, were superstitious externalities. But if a man is to turn away effectively from useless endeavors, he must have some definite point to which to turn. And so there is the mention of trust in God as well as repentance. These are the two really important points in considering the start of a man's connection with Christ. Promptly, decidedly, and from the heart, he must forsake dead works; and in the same spirit he must trust in the living God.
II. THE CONTINUAL AIM. Completeness as an actual thing must ever be before the mind. "Onward and upward" is the burden of the New Testament everywhere. Foundations are laid that buildings may be erected on them, story climbing above story, till at last, roofed and furnished, they are ready for habitation and use. Very hard work was it to get these Hebrews to see how the old dispensation was only the foundation of the new. They did not like to lose sight of familiar institutions and symbols. But in this they were very much like the man who should keep to childish things. Jesus himself had his time of initiation. He needed not to repent from any dead works, yet he came to John to be baptized along with the sinning, repentant crowd. And when he had entered on his work, with what steadiness he went on! There was no standing still. Every day not only brought him nearer in time to the accomplishment of his decease at Jerusalem, but fitted him for that accomplishment; and so he was able to say, "It is finished." The peril in our case is that we shall go on and on, and when the time comes that we also should say, "It is finished," there will be nothing to show but foundations. And if foundations are foundations and nothing more, then they are really not even foundations. They are but melancholy bits of waste, on which is written, "This man began to build, and was not able to finish."—Y.