"RE dvbpdirwv AawCavuevos, “taken from among men.” ‘This ex- pression is not part of the subject of the proposition, or descriptive merely of that which is spoken of, as if the whole should be, “ every high priest taken from among: men;”-in which way and sense they are restrictive of the subject spoken of, as containing a limitation in them, and so intimate that it is thus with every high priest who is taken from amongst men, though it may be otherwise with others who are not so. But this is one of the things which is attributed unto every high priest, every one that is so absolutely; he who is so is to be “taken from among men.” And “ex hominibus assumptus” is as much as “ex homi- nibus assumitur,” 7s taken from amongst men; and the whole sense may be supplied by a copulative interposed before the next words, “ds taken from amongst men, and is ordained.” . This is, then, the first thing that belongs unto a high priest, and which here is as- cribed unto him, “he is taken from amongst men.”
And two things are here considerable :—1. That he zs from nitiongiet men; and, 2. That he is taken from amongst them.
1. He is && dvbpdixwy, and herein two things are included :—(1.) That he is “naturee humane particeps.”” He is, and must be, partaker in common of human nature with the rest of mankind, or he is not, on many reasons, meet for the dis- charge of this office. Neither the divine nature nor angelical is capable of the exercise of it for men; and this is principally in- tended. (2.) That antecedently unto his assumption unto this office he was among the number of common men, as having nothing in his nature to prefer him above them. So was it with Aaron; he was a common man amongst his brethren, yea, a mean man in bondage, before his call to office. The first of these declares what every high
*EL dvbpomwy AapCavowevos.
"EE avbparwy.
VER. 1.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 445
priest is and ought to be; the latter, what the first legal high priest actually was.
I showed before that in this description of the office of a high priest, and the application of it unto Jesus Christ, those things which are essential thereunto, and without which it could not be duly exe- cuted, are found in him, and that in a far more perfect and excellent manner than in the priests of the law; but those things which, although they were found necessarily in all that were vested with this office, yet belonged not to the office itself, nor the execution of it, but arose from the persons themselves and their imperfections, they had no place in him at all. So is it here. It was essential to the office itself that he should be partaker of human nature; and that it was so with the Lord Christ our apostle signally declares, with the reason of it, chap. il. 14: but it was not so that he should be abso- lutely in the common state of all other men, antecedently to his call to office; for so the apostle declares that he was not, but he was the Son, the Son of God, chap. v. 8. So “ the Son was consecrated,” that is, a priest, “for evermore,” chap. vil. 28. For he was born into this world king, priest, and prophet unto his church.
2. AumCayvéwevos, “assumptus,” or “is taken,” is separated from them. Being made a high priest, he is no more of the same rank and quality with them.
‘Yate dvbpdruv xadioruras, re xpos riv csv, “is ordained for men.” ‘Yrtp is sometimes “vice,” or “loco,” “in the stead,” John x. 11, 15, xiii. 838; sometimes “ pro,” only as it denotes the final cause, as to do a thing for the good of men, 2 Tim. ii. 10. And both these senses may have place here; for where the first intention is, the latter is always included. He that doth any, thing in the stead of another, doth it always for his good. And the high priest might be so far said to stand and act in the stead of other men, as he appeared in their behalf, represented their persons, pleaded their cause, and confessed their sins, Lev. xvi. 21. But ‘in their behalf,’ or ‘for their good and advantage, to perform what on their part is with God to be performed,’ is evidently intended in this place.
Kabioraru: r& rpig riv Océve Some suppose that because xadie- raras is, as they say, “ verbum medium,” it may in this place have an active signification; and then the sense of it would be, that he might “appoint,” “ordain,” or “order the things of God.” But as it is used most frequently in a neuter or a passive sense, so in this place it can be no otherwise. So the apostle explains himself, chap. vili. 3, Mas deyepeds cig +d xpoopipsw dipaé re nal Svoiag xabioraros,— Every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices;’ which place expoundeth this. And two things are intended in the word:—1. God’s designation and appointment ;:
“Latp dvdsamraye
Kabicraras,
446 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. V.
2. Actual consecration according to the order of the law. For so it was in the case of Aaron.