Obs. VII. It is by Christ alone that we can make our approach unto God in his worship.—aAll sacrifices of old were to be brought unto the door of the tabernacle. What was offered elsewhere was an abomination to the Lord. With the instruments, with the fire, with the incense that belonged unto the tabernacle, were they to be offered, and not otherwise. And it is now by Christ alone that we have an “access in one Spirit unto the Father,” Eph. ii. 18. He is the only way of going to him, John xiv. 6. And it is in and by his blood that he hath “ consecrated a new and living way” unto the holy place, Heb. x. 19, 20.
Obs. VIII. It was an institution of God, that the people in all their distresses should look unto and make their supplications to- wards the tabernacle, or holy temple, 1 Kings viii. 29, 30.—And it is unto the Lord Christ alone, who is both the true tabernacle and _ the minister thereof, that we are to look in all our spiritual distresses,
Obs. 1X. If any one else can offer the body of Christ, he also is the minister of the true tabernacle—For the Lord Christ did no more. He did but offer himself; and they that can offer him, do _ put themselves in his place.
; VERSE 8.
The summary description of our high priest designed is carried on in this verse. And the apostle manifests, that as he wanted nothing which any other high priest had, that was necessary unto the dis- charge of his office, so he had it allin a more eminent manner than any other had.
Ver. 3.—Mts yap cpysepeds ig +d apoopepen daiph re-xul Suoiag nabiorarcs Dev dvaynaioy exen rr nai roUToY b mpodevivan. | Kabloraras cis rd xpooQépeiv. Syr., 27771 28771, “qui stat ut offerat,” “ who
standeth” (that is, at the altar) “that he may offer;” rendering ~adistaras neu-
24, AN EXPOSITION OF THE ~~ [CHAP. VIII.
trally, the whole sense is imperfect, “ For every high priest who standeth ” (at the altar) “ that he may offer gifts and sacrifices; therefore,” etc.
Adpe, Syr., 22%P, “oblationem.” ‘Vulg., “munera.” Some rather use “ dona,’ and some é doce ” «sacred gifts.” \
Kal Sucies. Syr., 8727, that is Dra, “sacrifices.” WVulg., “hostias;’ and the Rhemists, * hoster ae may be to ontanante their name of the host in the mass.
"Avayxeiov. Syr., MA Np, “justum erat,” “aquum erat;” “it was just and equal.” Vulg., “necesse est,” in the present tense; “it is necessary.” Beza, “ necesse fuit,” “it was necessary;” properly: and so the Syriac renders the verb substantive understood in the original, or included in the infinitive mood follow- ing, in the preterimperfect tense.
"Eyetv, “ habere,” “hunc habere.” Syr., m> OTT N72, “‘huic ut esset ei;”’ “to this man that there should be to him,” or “ with him.”
“O xpocsveyxn. Vulg., “aliquid quod offerat;” “something that he may offer.” Syr., 22222 272, “something that he should offer.” The Arabic adds, “for him- self,” corruptly.
Ver, 3.—For every high priest is ordained [appointed | to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity [tt was necessary] that this man [should] have some- what also to offer.
The connection of these words unto what was before asserted,- which giveth us the design of the apostle in them, is expressed in the causal conjunction, yép,-“ for.” He both giveth a confirmation of what he had before affirmed,—namely, that Christ was the “minister of the true tabernacle,” that is, of his body,—and rendereth a reason why it should so-be; and this he further confirms in the verses ensuing.
The reason he insists on is taken from the general nature of the office of “every high priest.” That the Lord Christ is our high priest, he had sufficiently demonstrated and confirmed before; this, therefore, he now assumes as granted. And hereon what belongs unto him as such he further manifests, by showing what the nature of that office required, and what did necessarily belong unto every one that was partaker thereof.
There are therefore two things in the words: 1. A general as- sertion of the nature, duty, and office of every high priest. 2. A particular inference from thence, of what did necessarily belong — unto the Lord Christ in the susception and discharge of this office.
In the first, 1. The wneversality of the expression is to be ob-. served: Tas d&pysepeis,—“ Every high priest.” By the context, this universal is cast under a limitation with respect unto the law: “Every high priest” that is “ made” or “appointed by the law;” for of those alone the apostle treateth. There was, indeed, never any high priest accepted of God but those ordained by the law, yet was it necessary unto the apostle to make
Tép.
Tas cpycsepevs.
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VER. 3.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 25
mention of the law also. And although they were many of them, yet were they all of the same order and office ; and so were all alike authorized and obliged unto the same duties. Wherefore the apostle thus expresseth it by “every high priest,” to evidence that there lay no exception against his argument, seeing that, in the whole multi- tude of high priests, in their succession from first to last, there was no one but he was appointed unto this end, and had this duty in- cumbent on him. Yea, it is not one especial duty of their office, that might be omitted, which he insisteth on, but the general end for which they were ordained; as he expyesseth it in the next word. 2. Kabioraras, “is ordained ;” that is, appointed of God by the law. Of the sense of this word I have spoken before, _as also of the thing intended. See chapter v. 1, 2. Obs. 1. God’s ordination or appointment gives rules, measures, and ends, unto all sacred offices and employments.— Whoever undertakes any thing in religion or divine worship without it, besides it, beyond it, is a transgressor, and therein worshippeth God in vain. He whom God doth not ordain in his service, is an intruder; and that which he doth not appoint is a usurpation. Nor will he accept of any duties, but what he himself hath made so. 3. The principal end why the high priests were ordained of - God is expressed; it was “to offer gifts and sacrifices.” This appears in their original institution, Exod. xxviii. Xx1x, (1.) They were to offer. God appointed Aaron and his successors, on purpose to offer gifts and sacrifices for the whole people. (2.) None but they were to offer; that is, none but the priests _were to offer,—none but they might approach unto God, to offer any thing sacredly unto him. The people might bring their offerings unto God; but they could not offer them on the altar. And some offer- ings, as those at the feast of expiation, were appropriated unto the high priests only. So is the case stated by Azariah, the high priest, 2 Chron, xxvi. 18: “Not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto _the LorD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, who are consecrated ;” from Exod. xxx. 7, Num. xviii. 7. And God hereby taught the people that nothing should ever be accepted from them, but in and by the hand of the great high priest who was to come. And this is that which we are yet taught thereby. And whoever he be, if as great and prosperous as king Uzziah, who shall think to approach unto God immediately, without the interposition of this high priest, he is smitten with the plague of spiritual leprosy. 4, What they were to offer is also declared: “gifts and sacrifices ;” — dpa, “munera,” “donaria,” “dona.” Sometimes all pe D237, the “corbanim” in general, are intended by ie this word ; for all sacred offerings, of what sort soever, are so called