something of the highest importance must be unexpectedly said after the other parts, which had been and might be treated of, where the particle denique is an apt expression in Latin, this courteous phrase, us swos s/Vs/i/, or w? g/Vg/P, not to be met with elsewhere in the New Testament, has been generally used by the Greeks to avoid hyperbole and the prolixity of a somewhat precise discourse, or for the sake of anticipatory mitigation l and softening the expression, by which it was intimated that the matter can scarcely be told unless it be expressed in the present words, and yet that it must be told. See Not. ad Chrys. de Sacerd., p. 494. — Asut, Levi) the progenitor of the priests. — \atu{3dvuv, who receiveth) ver. 5.
10. "Er/, still) He says, stilly not already now. The oifspring, after withdrawing from the power of the parent, become their own guardian ; but while they are under the power of the parent, nay, in . his loins, they follow his condition. It may be said, Was not Christ Himself, according to the flesh, as well as Levi, in the loins of Abraham ? Comp. Acts ii. 30. Ans. Christ is expressly set forth by the psalm as a priest after the order of Melchisedec, and that too in such a way that Melchisedec is made like to the Son of GOD, not the Son of GOD to Mel chisedec : nor is Christ subjected to Abraham, but stands in opposition to the sons of Levi. And Abraham, when Mel chisedec blessed him, Gen. xiv. 19, already had the promises, Heb. vii. 6 ; namely, those in which were included both the blessing expressed more generally and the natural seed, and so also Levi, Gen. xii. 3, 7, xiii. 15, 16 : but those promises under which Christ was comprehended, followed Abraham's meeting with Melchisedec, as well as the faith of Abraham, which was in the highest degree commended, Gen. xv. 1, etc., where we have the remarkable beginning, After these things.
11. E/ f&sv cue, if then) Now, the apostle, by referring to the 110th Psalm, shows that the Levitical priesthood yields to the priesthood of Jesus Christ : because Melchisedec, according to whose order and likeness Jesus Christ is a priest, (1.) is opposed to Aaron, ver. 11-14 ; (2.) has no end of life, ver. 15-19. —
perfection) The LXX. put this word for the Hebrew
. Append.