- principally exercised about. And what greater security can they have hereof than the interest and glory which this their high priest hath in heaven? 1 John ii. 1, 2.
VERSE 2.
The second pre-eminence of our Lord Christ as our high priest, which the apostle calls over in this summary of his discourse, is contained in this second verse.
14 AN EXPOSITION OF THE _ [CHAP. Vill.
Ver. 2—Tiéiv wyiuv Aerroupyds, nal ris oxnviis ths @Anbnijs, iv tanger 6 Kbpig nal ovx dvdpwros.
Asiroupyés, “minister.” Tay dylwv. Vulg. Lat., “sanctorum.” Rhem., “ of the holies.” Syr., SYTP 724, “ of the holy house,” or “domus sanctuar is” “of the house of the sanctuary.” c Sanetuarii,” “ of the sanctuary,” as we shall see. “Hy ¢arngev 6 Kvpios. Vulg. Lat., “quod fixit Deus,” “ which God hath fixed” or
“pitched.” Rhem., “which our Lord pight;” following the original as to the word Kupioc. Syr., STON, & God.” NWI 72 NP, “and not a son of man.” Some copies of the Vulgar Latin, “Dominus.”
Ver. 2.—A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
There are two parts of these words, expressing,—1l. What is affirmed of our high priest; namely, that he was “a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle.” 2. An amplification of what is so affirmed, by the description and distinction of this tabernacle; “which the Lord fixed, and not man.”
In the first also there are two things:—l. The assertion of his office; he is “a minister.” 2. The assignation and limitation of his discharge of that office; it is “the sanctuary and true tabernacle.”
1, It is affirmed that he is Acrovpyés, “a minister.” Having de- clared the glory and dignity which he is exalted unto,
s “sitting down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,” what can be further expected from him? There he lives, eternally happy in the enjoyment of his own blessed- ness and glory. Is it not reasonable it should be so, after all the hardships and miseries which he, being the Son of God, under- went in this world? Who can expect that he should any longer condescend unto office and duty? Neither generally have men any other thouglits concerning him. But where, then, would lie the advantage of the church in his exaltation, which the apostle designs in an especial manner to demonstrate? Wherefore unto the men- tion of it he immediately subjois the continuation of his office. He is still Aerroupyés,—a “ public minister” for the church,
Aciroupyéw is “to minister,” either with God or before God, as a priest for others; or for God, in the name of God towards others, as do magistrates and ministers of the gospel. And therefore all these sorts are called Asroupyo/, or said to be Aciroupy%ous. The Lord Christ is expressly spoken of here as a priest; it is a name of his priestly office, wherein he acts towards God. Nor is he anywhere called or said to be Asroupyés in any of his actings from God to- wards us; although he be said therein to be dscxovog, Rom. xy. 8: that is, he was so in the days of his flesh, but that name now no way belongeth unto him. He is not therefore styled “a minister,” because he executeth the purposes of God towards us, as Schlich-
Aeiroupyos.
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VER. 2.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 15
tingius fancieth; but he acts towards God and before God on our behalf, according to the duty of a priest. He went into heaven to “appear in the presence of God for us,” and to discharge his office before God on our behalf. And it is granted also, that by virtue thereof he doth also communicate all good things from God unto us; for the whole administration of things sacred between God and the church is committed unto him. And we must observe, that,— Obs. I. The Lord Christ, in the height of his glory, condescends to discharge the office of a public minister in the behalf of the church.— We are not to bound our faith on Christ as unto what he did for us on the earth. The life and efficacy of the whole of his mediation depend on what he did antecedently thereunto, and what he doth consequently unto it; for in these things doth the glory of his love and grace most eminently appear. Antecedently unto what he did on earth, and to make way for it, there was his infinite condescension in assuming our nature. He was “in the form of God,” and in the eternal enjoyment of all the blessedness which the divine nature is essentially accompanied withal. Yet being thus “rich,” this was his “grace,” that “for our sakes he became poor.” _ This ineffable grace and love of Christ is the principal object of our faith and admiration, as it is declared by the apostle, Phil. 11. 6-9. And as he “emptied himself,” and laid aside his glory for a season, to undertake the work of mediation; so now he hath reswmed his glory, as to the manifestation of his divine power, and hath the highest addition of glory in his human nature, by his exaltation at the right hand of God, yet he continueth his care of and love towards the church, so as to discharge the office of a public minister in their behalf. As all the shame, reproach, misery, with death, that he was to undergo on the earth, deterred him not from under- taking this work; so all the glory which he is environed withal in heaven diverts him not from continuing the discharge of it. — _ 2. There is a limitation of this ministration of our high priest, with respect unto its proper object, and that in a double expression. For he is a minister, (1.) Tév ayiwy. (2.) Tis oxnviis ris dAndwiis. (1.) He is so ray &yiov. The word may be either of the mascu- line or of the neuter gender, and so respect either per- sons or things. If it be taken in the former way, it is of the saints. And this is the ordinary sense of éyso in the books of the New Testament,—“ saints,” or “holy persons.” But they cannot be here precisely intended ; and the apostle useth this word frequently in another sense in this epistle. Téy éyiwy, from dye, of the neuter gender, may have a double signification: [1.] Of holy things in general; [2.] Of holy places:— [1.] Of things. So the Vulg. Lat. renders the word, “sanctorum ;” which the Rhemists translate “holies;” that is, of holy persons or