VER. 11.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 261
of Christ is declarative of the accomplishment of them. Where- fore by calling him by this name, as it was most proper when he was to speak of his coming, so in it he minds the Hebrews of what was the ancient faith of their church concerning him, and what in general they expected on his coming. He had now no more to offer unto them but what they had for many ages expected, desired, and earnestly prayed for.
- Secondly, As a general foundation of what is afterwards ascribed unto him, or as the way whereby he entered on his office, he affirms that he is “come:’ “Christ being come, —rapayevéuevos. The word is nowhere else used to express the advent or coming of Christ. Hence by the Vulgar it is ren- dered “assistens;” which as it doth not signify to “come,” so the sense is corrupted by it. The Rhemists render that translation, “but Christ assisting an high priest.” But this increaseth the ambiguity of the mistake of that translation, as not declaring that Christ himself was this high priest, which is the direct assertion of the apostle. That which is intended is the accomplishment of the promise of God, in the sending and exhibition of Christ in the flesh: ‘He being now come, according as was promised from the foundation of the world’ For although the word is inseparable in its construction with what followeth, “an high priest,”’—“ being come an high priest;” yet his coming itself im order unto the sus- ception and discharge of that office is included in it. And upon _ this coming itself depended the demonstration of the faithfulness of - God in his promises.. And this is the great fundamental article of Christian religion, in opposition unto Judaism, as it is declared, i John iv. 2, 3. Wherefore, by his being “ come,” in this place, no one single act is intended, as his advent or coming doth usually signify his incarnation only; but the sense of the word is compre- hensive of the whole accomplishment of the promise of God in sending him, and his performance of the work whereunto he was designed thereon. In that sense is he frequently said to come, or to be come, 1 John v. 20.
And, as was before observed, there is not only argument herein unto the apostle’s design, but that which, being duly weighed, would fully determine all the controversy he had with these Hebrews. For all their legal administrations were only subservient unto his coming, and representations thereof,—all given in confirmation of the truth of the promises of God that so he should come: where- fore upon his coming they must all necessarily cease and be removed out of the church.
Thirdly, There is in the words a determination of the especial end of lis coming, under present consideration,—“ an high priest,” “being come an high priest;” that is, in answer unto and in the room of the high priest under the law.
Tapuryevouevos.
"Apr iepevs.
262 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. IX.
This states the subject of the apostle’s argument. He had before proved that he was to be a priest, that he was a priest, and how he came so to be. He now asserts it as the foundation of those actings which he was to ascribe unto him in answer unto those of the legal high priests, whose offices and services, with the effects of them, he had before declared: ‘Those high priests did so, “ but Christ being come an high priest,” ete.’
Fourthly, He adds the especial object of his office, or the things
F _ about which he is conversant in the discharge of it: ee an “Of the good things to come.” As the assertion is
positive, so there is a comparison and opposition in- cluded in it. The high priests of the law were not so. They were not priests of “good things;” that is, absolutely, or such as were necessary unto the purification, sanctification, and justification of the church. And so far as they were priests of good things, they were so of good things present, not of the good things promised, that were for to come. And this is the force of the article rév, “ of the good things;” namely, that God had promised unto the church. A priest, or a high priest, may be said to be the priest of the things that he doth in the execution of his office, or of the things which he procureth thereby; he is the priest of his duties, and of the effects of them ;—as a minister may be said to be a minister of the word and sacraments which he administereth, or of the grace of the. gospel which is communicated thereby. Both are here included, both the duties which he performed and the effects which he wrought.
The things whereof Christ is a high priest, are said to be “things to come;”—that is, they are yet so, absolutely so; or they were so called with respect unto the state of the church under the old tes- tament. Most expositors embrace the first sense. ‘These good things to come,’ they say, ‘are that future eternal salvation and glory which were procured for the church by the priesthood of Christ, and were not so by the Levitical priesthood. To the admi- nistration of the priesthood under the law he assigns only things present, temporal things, or what could be effected by them in their own virtue and power; but unto that of Christ he assigns eternal things, as he speaks immediately, he hath “ obtained eternal redemption for us.” The eternal salvation and glory of the church were procured by the priesthood of Christ, or Christ himself in the discharge of that office, and were not so by the Levitical priests.’ These things are true, but not the meaning, at least not the whole meaning, of the apostle in this place. For,—