1. The entire Epistle to the Hebrews is an inspired witness to the fact that the Levitical priests were types of Christ, and that he acted as the literal high priest of his people. In this short letter he is called priest six times and high priest twelve times. Of the earthly tabernacle it is declared that it “stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us... .. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us... .. For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices... .. make the comers thereunto perfect... .. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins, for ever sat down on the right hand of God..... For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Heb. ix, 10-24; x. 1-14).
2. His work of propitiation, therefore, must have been real, and not metaphorical, because it is declared to be the substance of which the services of the Levitical priests were the “shadows,” “figures,” or “types.” But shadows are cast by literal substances, not by meta- phors; and a type or image necessarily implies real characters and attributes which it represents.
3. This is rendered certain from the following facts : (1.) He was expressly declared to be a priest both in the Old Testament and in the New: ‘ Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the
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CHRIST THE HIGH PRIEST. 147
order of Melchizedek” (Ps. cx. 4; Heb. v. 6; vi. 20), cuarre EX
Of the man whose name is the BRANCH, it is said that “he shall be a priest wpon his throne” (Zech. vi. 18). (2.) The New Testament account of his person and character ascribes all the literal characteristics of a real priest to him. (a) He was taken from among men to represent them. Compare Heb. v. 1, 2, with Heb. i. 14-18, and iv. 15: ‘“Forasmuch then as the children
are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise
took part of the same..... Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he night be a merciful and faithful high priest in things apos Tov Qcov, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” (b) He was chosen by God to his office (Heb. v. 4-6). (c) He was perfectly holy (Luke i. 35; Heb.
vu. 26). (d) He possessed beyond all others the right of
nearest access to the Father, and the greatest influence with him: ‘IJ came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.” He said to the Father, ‘I knew that thou hearest me always.” ‘If the blood of bulls and of goats sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much move shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God,” avail to the salva- tion of our souls? ‘For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands,.... but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us @mepunuer) John xvi, 28; xii) 42; Hebs #3; ix. 11-14, 24). (38.) And finally, both the Old and the New Testaments declare that he literally discharged the functions of a priest. These are (a) expiation (Isa. 111i. 10, 12). Daniel declared that after such a time the Messiah should be ‘ cut off, but not for himself;’? and that he would “make an end of sins, and make reconcilia- tion for iniquity” (Dan. ix. 24-26; Eph. v. 2; Heb.
CHAPTER IX.
Infer- ences de- duced.
148 THE NATURE OF THE ATONEMENT.
ix. 26; x. 12; 1 John it. 2).* (6) Intercession. “‘Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” (Rom. vill. owe Hebi. 257) John. 1),
4. Lastly, we maintain that the priesthood of Christ was a real and literal priesthood, because the whole history proves that the elaborate system of Levitical types, being images or shadows of his work, were pre-_ paratory to him, and found their fulfilment in him, Thus, for example, the apostle John declared that the fact that the soldiers did not break the limbs of Jesus, as they had done those of the two thieves, was in fulfil- ment of the law with regard to the pascal lamb (John xix, 865° Ex. xn. 46;-Num, 1x5.12). “The instant sor Christ’s death the veil of the temple, which had from the beginning marked the line between the priests, bringing near the offerings, and the unapproachable Jehovah, dwelling between the cherubim, “was rent im twain
from top to bottom” (Matt. xxvii. 50, 51). This was