Ver. ο. καὶ τελειωθεὶς . .. αἰωνίου; ‘“‘and having [thus] been perfected. became to all who obey Him the source [originator] of eternal salvation”. τελει-- ωθείς (v. ii. το) having been perfectly equipped with every qualification for the
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4 ~ ~ -“Ἢ θεὶς ἐγένετο τοῖς ὑπακούουσιν αὐτῷ πᾶσιν αἴτιος σωτηρίας αἰωνίου-
1Ο. προσαγορευθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀρχιερεὺς κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελ-
χισεδέκ.
ΤΙ. Περὶ οὗ πολὺς ἡμῖν ὃ λόγος καὶ δυσερµήνευτος λέγειν, ἐπεὶ
priestly office by the discipline already described. Several interpreters (Theo- doret, Bleek, Westcott) include in the word the exaltation of Christ, but illegitimately. The word must be in- terpreted by its connection with ἔμαθεν ὑπακοήν; and here it means the com- pletion -of Christ’s moral discipline, which ended in His death. He thus became αἴτιος. σωτηρίας αἰωνίου αἱ or ἔδιδε of eternal salvation; in fulfilment of the call to an eternal priesthood, ver. 6 εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα and ver. Io. αἴτιος fre- quently used in a similar sense from Homer downwards, as in Diod. Sic., iv. 82, αἴτιος ἐγένετο τῆς σωτηρίας. Aristoph., Clouds, 85, οὗτος γὰρ ὁ θεὸς αἴτιός μοι τῶν κακῶν. Philo, De Agri., 22, πᾶσι τοῖς ὑπακούουσιν αὐτῷ with a reference to τὴν ὑπακ. of ver. 8. The saved must pass through an experience similar to the Saviour’s. Theirsalvationis in learning to obey. Thus they are harmonised to the one supreme and lag will, This is
reversely given fn if. 102, Ver. το. σεν, - . + Μελ-
χισεδέκ “styled by God High Priest after the order of Melchizedek”’. ““προσ- αγορεύειν expresses the formal and solemn ascription of the title to Him to whom it belongs (‘addressed as,’ “ styled’) ”’ (Westcott). ‘‘ When the Son ascended and appeared in the sanctuary on High, God saluted Him or addressed Him as an High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, and, of course, in virtue of such an address constituted Him such an High Priest” (Davidson). Originally called to the priesthood by the words of Ps. cx., He is now by His resurrection and ascension declared to be perfectly consecrated and so installed as High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. It may be doubted, however, whether the full meaning of προσαγορεύειν ‘ad- dress” should here be found. The com- moner meaning in writers of the time is “named” or ‘‘called”. Thus in Plutarch’s Pericles, iv. 4, Anaxagoras, ὃν Νοῦν προσ- nyopevov, xxvil. 2, λευκὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην προσαγ., xxiv. 6, of Aspasia, Ηρα προσαγορεύεται. and viii. 2 of Pericles himself, Ὀλύμπιον. . . προσ- αγορευθῆναι. So in Diod. Sic., i. 51, of the Egyptians, τάφους ἀῑδίους οἴκους προσαγορεύουσιν. Jt cannot be certainly
concluded either from the tense or the context that this ‘naming’ is to be assigned to the date of the ascension and hot to the original appointment. The emphasis is on the words ὑπὸ τοῦ
(θεοῦ, not by man but by God has Christ
been named High Priest; and on κατὰ . . » Μελχ. as warranting αἰωνίου. The passage v. II to vi. 20 is a di-
;—-gression occasioned by the writer’s re-
flection that his argument from the priesthood of Melchizedek may be too difficult for his hearers. In order to stimulate attention he chides and warns them, pointing out the danger of back- wardness. He justifies, however, his delivery of difficult doctrine notwith- standing their sluggishness, and this on two grounds: (1) because to lay again the foundations after men have once known them is useless (vi. 1-8); and (2) because he cannot but believe that his readers are after all in scarcely 5ο despe- rate a condition. They need to have their hope renewed. This hope they have every reason to cherish, seeing that their fathers have already entered into the enjoyment of it, that God who can- not lie has sworn to the fulfilment of the promises, and that Jesus has entered the heavenly world as their forerunner. Ver.
11-14. Complaint of their sluggishness of mind. : —Ver. 11. περὶ ov. “ Of whom,” not,