216 ΠΡΟΣ ΕΒΡΑΙΟΥΣ VIl. κρείττονος διαθήκης γέγονεν ἔγγυος Ἰησοῦς. 23. Kat ot μὲν, Ὦ ix. 24; aie nom.viii. πλείονές εἰσι γεγονότες ἱερεῖς," διὰ τὸ θανάτῳ κωλύεσθαι παρα- 345 1 a Tim. ii. 5; μένειν ". 24. 6 δὲ, διὰ τὸ μένειν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, ἀπαράβατον I jOan ll. » ε ote ἔχει τὴν ἱερωσύνην - 25. " ὅθεν καὶ σώζειν εἰς τὸ παντελὲς δύναται
1T.R. in $cACCDEKLP; και κρειττονος in ΝΒ0”. 2 yeyovotes ante νερεις with Ὁ ΒΓΡ ; post ιερεις in ACDE, 17, d, e.
parties. There is no reason to suppose that the writer particularised in any of these directions. He merely wished to express the thought that by the appoint- ment of Jesus to the priestoood, the covenant based upon this priesthood was secured against all failure of any of the ends for which it was established.
Vv. 23-25. Another ground of the perfectness of the new priesthood is found in the continued life of the priest, who ever lives to make intercession and can therefore save completely, whereas the Levitical priests were compelled by death to give place to others.
Ver. 23. καὶ, as above, ver. 20, in- troducing a new element in the argu- ment. of μὲν, as in ver. 21, the Levitical priests, πλείονες . . . ‘‘ have been made priests many in number,” not many at one and the same time
[Delitzsch], although that also is true, .
but many in succession, as is shown by the reason assigned διὰ τὸ θανάτῳ κωλύεσθαι παραμένειν “ be- cause of their being prevented by death from abiding” ‘in their office,” Peirce, as CEcumenius, ἐν τῇ ἱερωσύνῃ ϑηλονότι. Others think that remaining in life is meant. Possibly πλείονες is used instead of πολλοί, because there is a latent comparison with the one con- tinuing priest, or with those already priests; always more and more. He, on the contrary, 6 δὲ, by reason of his abiding for ever ἀπαράβατον ἔχει τὴν ἱερωσύνην “has his priesthood inviolable,” that is, no other person can step into it. The form of expression is similar to that used by Epiphanius of the Trinity, 4 δὲ ἀπαράβατον ἔχει τὴν φύσιν. The meaning οἵ ἀπαράβ. is contested, some interpreters (Weiss, etc.) supposing that it signifies ‘inde- feasible,” or ‘‘untransmitted ”’ or ‘‘non- transferable”. Indeed, CEcumenius and Theophylact translate it by ἀδιάδοχον. But in every instance of its occurrence given by Stephanus and Wetstein it has a passive sense, as νόμος, ὅρκος, etc., ἀπαράβ., and means unalterable or in- violable. This suits the present passage
perfectly, and returns upon the thought of ver. 3, that the new priest is sole and perpetual occupant of the office, giving place to no successor. ὅθεν, ‘‘ whence,” 2.€., because of His having this absolute priesthood; His saving power depends upon His priesthood. He is able καὶ σώζειν εἰς TO παντελές, ‘even to save to the uttermost,’”’ not to be referred merely to time as in Vulgate ‘‘in per- petuum,” and Chrysostom, οὐ πρὸς τὸ παρὸν μόνον φησὶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκεῖ ἐν τῇ μελλούσῃ ζωῃ. If referred to time, it might mean either ability to save the individual eternally, or to save future generations, Peirce joins it with δύναται, and renders ‘‘ whence also he is perpetually able to save”. But the phrase uniformly means ‘‘ completely,” “thoroughly,” as in Luke xiii. rr of the woman, μὴ δυναμένη ἀνακύψαι εἰς τὸ παντελές and in the examples cited by Wetstein. This, as Riehm shows (p. 613, note), includes the idea of per- petuity. The Levitical priests could not sO save: no τελείωσις was achieved by them; but everything for which the priesthood existed, everything which is comprised in the great [il. 3] and eternal [ν. 9] salvation, the deliverance [1], 15] and glory [ii. το] which belong to it, are achieved by Christ. The objects of this saving power are τοὺς προσερ- Xopévovs δι αὐτοῦ τῷ Θεῷ, “those who through Him approach God”; ‘through Ἠίπι no longer τε- lying on the mediation of Leviticai priests, but recognising Jesus as the “new and living way,” x. 19-22. This complete salvation Jesus can accom- plish because πάντοτε ζῶν . . . αὐτῶν, ‘“‘ever living to intercede on their behalf”. The particular mode in which His eternal priesthood applies itself to those who through Him approach God is that He intercedes for them, thus effecting their real introduction to God’s presence and their acceptance by Him, and also the supply of all their need out of the Divine fulness. ἐντυγχάνειν, “ to meet by chance,” ‘‘ to light upon,” takes as its second meaning, “to converse