484 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. V.
which, though necessary unto them from their frail and sinful con- dition, yet had no respect unto Christ, nor accomplishment in him. And as for the former, he declares in the discourse immediately en- suing how they were found in Christ, as exercising this office, in a far more eminent manner than in them. This is the design of the discourse in the second part of the chapter, which we are now enter- ing on. Only, whereas in the description of a high priest in general, he begins with his-nature, qualifications, work, and duty, closing and issuing it in his call; in his application of the whole unto the Lord Christ, he taketh up that first which he had lastly mentioned, namely, the call of a high priest, and proceedeth unto the others in an order absolutely retrograde.
Ver. 5.—Oirw xul 6 Xpioris ody tauriv eddface yerndjvas apysepec, GAN 6 AaAHouS Tpdg udrdvr Lidg wou Ef od, eye OnmEpoy YeyevVNXe OE.
Ver. 5.—So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to-day have I begotten thee.
2? 6 2
Otrw xa/, “so also,” “and so,” or “in like manner;” a note rH drodéoews, of the application of things before spoken unto the subject principally intended. A respect may be herein unto all the instances in the preceding discourse: ‘ As it was with the legal high priest in all the things necessary unto that office, so in like manner was it with Christ; which he now designeth to manifest. Or the intention of this expression may be restrained to the last expressed instance, of a call to office: ‘As they were called of God, so, or in like manner, was Christ also ;’ which he immediately declares. And this is first regarded, though respect may be had unto it in all the particular instances of analogy and similitude which ensue.
On this note of inference there ensueth a double proposition on the same supposition. The supposition that they both are resolved into is, that “ Christ is an high priest.” Hereon the first proposi- tion, with respect unto his call and entrance on that office, is nega- tive, “ He glorified not himself to be made an high priest.” The other is positive or affirmative, “ But he that said unto him, Thou art my Son;” that is, he glorified him so to be, or he made him so.
‘O Xpicrés, “ Christ,” the subject spoken of ; that is, the promised Messiah, the anointed one. The apostle in this epistle calls him occasionally by all signal names, as “ the Son,” chap. i. 2, 8; the “Son of God,” chap. iv. 14; the “ Word of God,” chap. iv. 12; “Jesus,” chap. ii. 9; “Christ,” chap. iii, 6; “Christ Jesus,” chap. iii. 1. Here he useth the name of Christ as peculiarly suited unto his present occasion; for he had designed to prove that
Odrw xui.
‘O Xpirris.
VER. 5.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 485
the promised Messiah, the hope and expectation of the fathers, was to be the high priest for ever over the house of God. Therefore he calls him by that name whereby he was known from the beginning, and which signified his unction unto his office,—the anointed one. He was to be 709 175, the “anointed priest;” that is, “ Christ.”
The subject spoken of being stated or described by his name, the supposition of his being a high priest takes place. This the apostle had before taught and proved, chap. ii. 17, iii 1, iv. 14. But yet, considering the constitution of the law, and the way of any one’s entering on that office, a difficult inquiry yet remained, namely, how he came so to be. Had he been of the tribe of Levi, and of the family of Aaron, he might have been a priest, he would have been so, and have been so acknowledged by all. But how he should be- come so, who was a stranger to that family, who “sprang of the tribe of Judah, concerning which Moses spake nothing of the priesthood,” might be highly questioned. Fully and satisfactorily to resolve this doubt, and therein to take in the whole difficulty whence it arose, the apostle in the preceding verse lays down a concession in a uni- versal maxim, that none who had not a right thereunto, by virtue of an antecedent law or constitution,—which Christ had not, as not being of the tribe of Levi,—could be a priest, without an immediate call from God, such as Aaron had. By and on this rule he offers the right of the Lord Christ unto this office to trial; and therein ac- knowledgeth that if he were not extraordinarily called of God there- unto he could be no high priest. To this purpose he declares,—
First, WVegatively, that “he glorified not himself to be made an high priest.” Outward call by men, or a constitution = == by virtue of any ordinance of the law, he had none. ieee Seeing therefore he is a priest, or if so he be, he must be made so by God, or by himself. But as for himself, neither did he take this honour to himself, nor was it possible that so he should do; for the whole office, and the benefit of his discharge of it, de- pended on a covenant or compact between him and his Father. Upon the undertaking of it, also, he was to receive many promises from the Father, and was to do his will and work; as we have else- where declared and fully proved. It was therefore impossible that he should make himself a high priest.