418
PRIEST
PEINCE
entrance into heaven is mentioned, He is said to have gone ^through his own blood,' i.e. His access is based on the offering on Calvary (9'^). It seems impossible, therefore, to extend the idea of Christ's offering to mean ' a present and eternal offering to God of His life in heaven ' (W. Milligan, Ascension, p. 116). Such a view finds no warrant in the Epistle, and everything against it in the emphasis laid on the association of Christ's offering with His death (7" G'^- "• ^^''^ W^-^*), and the uniqueness and completeness of that as culminating in the entrance into heaven. The death of Christ meant propitiation, the Ascension emphasizes access based upon this propitiation (Westcott, Hebrews, p. 230). (c) The use of the two priesthoods, Melchizedek's and Aaron's, is not to be interpreted of two aspects of priesthood, — one on earth and the otlier in heaven successively realized by Christ, — for this would be quite opposed to V^ S"*. It means that there is one priesthood, of which Melchizedek is used for the person, and Aaron for the work. If Christ's death is associated with the Aaronic priesthood (against 8*), then the entrance into heaven must also be associated with Aaron (against 6'^** et al.), which would leave no room at all for the Melchizedek priesthood. It is im- possible for the death to be associated with one priesthood, and the ascension with the other. The order or nature of the priesthood according to Melchizedek gives validity and perpetuity to the acts which are symbolized in the Aaronic priest- hood.
(6) The personal qualifications of Christ as Priest. — The practical and spiritual use made of priest- hood in Hebrews gives special point to the emphasis laid on the personal qualifications of our Lord as High Priest. These are dealt with mainly from the human side up to 5^, and thenceforward from the Divine side. Both the human and the Divine are shown to be necessary. In regard to the human qualifications, we have : («) His manhood, involving oneness with us for sympathy and help (ch. 2) ; (b) His perfect sympatliy (4^^-'6) ; (c) His perfect training by obedience through suffering (S^"^**). The Divine qualifications are: (a) His Divine appointment (5^") ; (b) His indissoluble life (7'"), involving an uninterrupted tenure of office as con- trasted with the constant deaths in the Aaronic priesthood ; {(■) His inviolable or intransmissible priesthood (7^^), involving the impossibility of suc- cession or delegation [airapd^aTov] ; {d) His per- petual life of intercession (7^^) ; (e) His fitness through character (7^^) ; (/) the Divine guarantee in the Divine oath of appointment (7^^) ; (g) His position on the throne (8^) ; (A) His perfect offering (912. 24 |()i2) These Divine and human qualifica- tions of priesthood are based upon His Divine Sonship (ch. 1). His priesthood inheres in His Person as Son of God. It is this uniqueness as Son that gives Christ His qualifications for priesthood.
(7) The spiritual work of Christ as Priest. — The various aspects of His priestly work are shown in Hebrews as follows : (a) His propitiation (2^') ; (b) His ability to suffer (2^^) ; (c) His ability to sym- pathize (4^=*) ; (d) His ability to save (7-^) ; (e) "His present appearance in heaven for us (O^'*) ; (/) His kingly position on the throne (8^) ; (g) His coming again (9^^). These are the elements connected with His priestly Avork, though there are others which are associated with His more general and inclusive work as Redeemer. The work is at once perpetual and permanent. He offered Himself through an eternal spirit (G^'*) ; He has made an eternal covenant (9"- ") ; He is the cause of eternal salvation (5^) ; He obtained eternal re- demption (9^^), which culminates in eternal inherit- ance (9^^).
(8) The practical uses of Christ's priesthood. — The
definitely practical purpose of the truth of priest- hood is what must ever be kept in view. It is by means of the experience of Christ's priesthood that Christians come out of spiritual infancy into spiritual maturity (6^ 10^). Nowhere is the prac- tical character more clearly seen than in the various statements and exhortations Avliich have to do with the daily life of the believer. In particular, there are the associated jahrases, ' we have,' and ' therefore let us.' (a) 4^^ Having the High Priest, let us hold fast. (6) 4'^- ^^ Having a sympathetic High Priest, let us come boldly, (c) lO''-* Having boldness of access, let us draw near with faith ; having a High Priest, let us hold fast our hojje, let us consider one another in love. Then these three exhortations to faith, hope, and love are amplihed respectively in ch. 11 (faith), ch. 12 (hope), ch. 13 (love), {d) 12^^ Receiving a king- dom, let us have grace, (c) 13'^- ^^ Jesus suffered ; let us go forth. (/) 13" We seek a city to come, therefore let us otter the sacrifice of praise. The Epistle thus emphasizes one truth above all others. Christianity is ' the religion of free access ' to God (Bruce, Hebreivs, p. 171). It might be summed up in the exhortations, 'Draw nigh,' 'Hold fast,' ' Draw not back. ' It is characteristic that the word for believers is ol irpoaepxofievoi, ' those who come right up' to God, and its corresponding ex- hortation is Trpocrepxw^te^a, ' Let US come right up ' to God. Christianity is the better hope by which we 'draw nigh ' to God (^77/^611' ry detjp), and Christ is the surety {eyyvos) of a better covenant, that is, One who ensures our permanent access to God (Bruce, Bebretvs, p. 275). In proportion as we realize this privilege of nearness, and respond to these exhortations to draw near and keep near, we shall find that element of irappy^aia which is one of the essential features of a strong Christian life. It is this above all that the priesthood of Christ is intended to produce and perpetuate, to guarantee and guard. This truth of priesthood, as taught in Hebrews, is absolutely essential to a vigorous life, a mature experience, a joyous testimony, and an abounding work.