By the which we draw nigh to God (8 js éyyiGouer To Gem). Giving the reason why the hope is better. Christianity is the religion of good hope because by it men first enter into intimate fellowship with God. The old priesthood could not effect this.
20-24. A third argument to show the inferiority of the old priesthood. It is twofold: (a) the new priesthood was established with the oath of God; (6) it is held perpetually by one person, in contrast with the old priesthood which was administered by a succession of priests.
20. Not without an oath (ov ywpis opxwpooias). The A.V. is, on the whole, better than Rev. by inserting he was made priest. ‘Opxwpocia only in Hebrews. In LXX see Ezek. xvii. 18; 1 Esdr. ix. 98. For an oath rend. the taking
of an oath.
464 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Cz. VIL.
21. For those priests were made (oi uév yap—eiolv Lepeis yeyovores). Rend. for they have been made priests. Lit. are priests, having become such.
Without an oath. Without the taking of an oath by God. Scripture says nothing of an oath of God when he appointed Aaron and his posterity to the priesthood.
But this with an oath (0 dé peta opxwpocias). Rend. but he with the taking of an oath. The taking of the oath accom- panied (wera) the inauguration into the priesthood.
That said (Adyovros). Better, saith. Still says, since the promise is realised in Christ’s priesthood.
22. Was Jesus made a surety of a better testament (kpelrtovos dtabHnns yéyovev éyyvos Incots). “Eryyvos surety, N.T.°. Comp. Sir. xxix. 15, 16; 2 Macc. x. 28. Occasion- ally in Class., where also occur éyyuav to give as a pledge, eyyun surety, éyyvnols giving in surety, éyyuntns one who gives security, and éyyuntés plighted, always of a wife. The idea underlying all these words is that of putting something into one’s hand (év in, ywandov hollow of the hand) as a pledge. For testament rend. covenant and see on ch. ix. 16. The thought of a covenant is introduced for the first time, and foreshadows ch. viii. 6-18. It adds to the thought of the inferiority of the Levitical priesthood that of the inferiority of the dis- pensation which it represented.
23. Were many priests (w)eloves eioww yeyovdres ‘epeis). Comp. ver. 21 for the construction. Rend. have been made priests many in number.
Because they were not suffered to continue (1a 76 Kwrv- ecOar tapapeverv). Rend. because they are hindered from continuing. Iapapeévev “to abide by their ministration.”
24. Hath an unchangeable priesthood (aapdaBarov eye. thy tepwovvnv). Rend. hath his priesthood unchangeable. The A.V.
Cu. VIL] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 465
misses the possessive force of the article, zs priesthood, and the emphasis on unchangeable, arapaBatos,N.T.°. °LXX. This may be explained either as inviolable, or which does not pass over to another. Comp. Ex. xxxii. 8; Sir. xxiii. 18. Usage is in favour of the former meaning, but the other falls in better with the course of thought.
25. To the uttermost (els 7d qavtedés). Taverns all- complete, only here and L. xiii. 11. Not perpetually, but perfectly.
Come unto God (pocepyoudvous 7@ Ged). The verb °P., and in this sense only in Hebrews and 1 Pet. ii. 4. Seea peculiar usage in 1 Tim. vi. 8. Comp. éyyiSewv to draw near, Jas. iv. 8; Heb. vii. 19.
To make intercession for them (es 76 évtuyydverv irép avt@v). The verb only here in Hebrews. Comp. dmepevruy- xavev, Rom. viii. 26, see note. See also on évtevfes sup- plications, 1 ‘Tim. ii. 1. The idea is not intercession, but intervention. It includes every form of Christ’s identifying himself with human interests.* The attempt has been made to trace this idea to Philo, who alludes to the Adryos ixérns the suppliant Logos, and the Adyos mapadxdyTos the advocate-Logos. But the Logos is not treated by Philo as a divine-human personality intervening for men, but as a poetical personifi- cation allegorically considered. In one instance the suppliant Logos is the cry of the oppressed Israelites ; in another, Moses, as the allegorical representative of the universal reason of mankind. It represents certain functions of human reason and speech. Again, the suppliant is the visible Cosmos striving to realise its ideal.