The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 146

from priests having themselves infirmity, (Ps. ii. 7; ex. 4) must be taken together for yet he had, in hie human nature, experienced the proof required. The first (commented what it WIIB: "He w11e orncifled I~ ur1B,11,las" on under eh. i. 5) shows the LoRD's appoint- (2 Cor. xiii. 4); " Himself took our infirmi- ment of Christ to his kingly office as So" ; ties (uu9,v,l,u), e.nd bare our sicknesses" the . seco1:1d ~hows that _this kingly office (Matt. viii. 17; Ise.. liii. 4); the agony in the cames With 1t! also by Divine appointment, garden (whatever its mysterious import, of an_ ete_rnal pn~sthood .. Christ's entry into which more below) expressed persona.I ex- this kingly pnesthood 1s best conceived as perience of human ur1B,11,la. Alford denies inaugurated by his resurrection, after accom- that lt.r19a,drz, in the sense supposed by him plishment of human oberlience, whereby he to be here intended, can be attributed to fitted himself for priesthood. Before this Christ, and hence that 1repl1t«Ta< lt.r1Be11,,a1~ he WIIB the destined Hi.~h Priest, but not can apply to him (but see above on eh. the "pert"ected" High Priest, "ever living iv. 15, e.nd below on vers. 3, 7). to make interces~ion for us." It is not durina Ver. 3.-And by reaaon hereof he ought his life on earth, but after bis exaltatio;, (or, is bound, ~q,,l>.fl), aa for the people, so that he is spoken of e.s the lli~h Priest of alao for himself, to o.lrer for lins. This obli- mankind. In his sufferings and death he gation is evident in the case of the high was consecmted to his eternal office. Thia priests of the Law. Consequently, their sin appears from vers. 9, 10, and nlso from Pa. offering for themselves, in the first place, ex., quoted in this verse, where the priest- was II prominent part of the ceremonial of hood after the order of Melchizedek e.nd the the Day of Atonement, which the writer exo.ltation to the right hand of God o.ro may be supposed to have especially in view regarded together. See also _who.t wo.s snitl (Lev. xvi.). But can we suppose any cor- under oh. i. 5, of the application to Christ responding necessity in the case of Christ? of the other text quoted, "This day have I The argument does not absolutely require begotten thee." The Messianic referencu that we should, since the obligation of the and genera.I drift of Pa. ex. he.a been con- Levitical high priest me.y be adduced only sidered under eh. i. 13. It wo.s there seen in proof of his own experience of ur18,11,la. to be more than o. typical prophecy, Davi,! Christ, though under no such obligation, having in it I\ distinct view of One for might still fulfil the requisites of e. high greater than himself-of the SOI, to come, priest, expressed in the case of sinful high whom he onlls his LORD. But e\"en haJ it, priests by the obligation to offer for them- like other Meseio.nio psnlms, n primary ref,-r- selves; and we may (e.s Ebrnrd says) lenve ence to some theocratic king, the remnrknblo it to the writer to show how he does fulfil import of ver. 4 won Id in itself point beyornl them. Whether, however, there WIIB in one. For, though D,1vid orgnnized o.ntl con- Christ's own experience anything corre- trolled the priesthood o.nd the services of tho sponding to the high priest's offering for sanctuary, tbough both he and Solomon himself will be considered under vers. 7, 8. took o. prominent po.rt in solemn nets of Ver. 4.-And no ma.n taketh this honour worship, yet neither they nor nny other nnto himself, but being ce.lled cf God (the 6 king nssumed the priestly office, which, in of Textue Receptus before 1ta>.06µ,11or-" he its essential functions, wo.s scrupulously con- that is cnllcd," e.s in A.V.-he.s very slight fined to the sons of Ao.ron. 'l'he j udgmeu t authority), even as was ~aron. Thie verse on Uzzinh (2 Chron. :u:vi. lG-22) is a expresses the second essential of II high notable evidence of th11 importo.nco o.ttnched priest, Divine appointment, for 11esure.nce to this principle. Yet the verse before us of the efEco.cy of his mediation. Of course nseigns e. true priesthood to the future King. Aaron's successors derived their Di vine com- For Melchizedek, 118 ho appears in Genesis, mission from his original one (cf. Numb. is evidently o. true priest, though prior to :ui. 26; :u:vi 10-14). the Auronio priesthood, uniting in himself, Vere. 5, 6.-Bo also Christ glori11.ed not him- o.oeording to the system of the pntrinrohnl 1elf to be made a High Priellt. Here begins o.ge, the royalty o.nd the priesthood of his the proof that Christ fulfils the two require- rooe: o.s a true priest, he L!essed Abraham, ments, that mentioned second in the previous o.nd received tithes from him. But of bim, stntement being taken first in the proof- historically and symbolico.lly regarded, the chiastically, as is usuo.l in this Epistle. The consideration must be reserved for oh. vii., expression, i<l1m!11 l8&(ar1,, re.ther than rl,11 where the subject is token up. Enough ,,.,µ¾,v (>.a~•• mo.y have reference to the glory here to observe thnt in Ps. ox. a true and wherewith Christ is crowned in hie exalted eTerluting priesthood is assigned to tho position 118 Priest-King (of. oh. ii. 9). But BoN in union with his exalted royalty nt he that aid uto him, Thou art my Son, this the Loeo's right hand, nnd this by Divine dayhsve I bego1.ten thee. Al he aaith also ill appointment, by tbo "voice" or "oro.cle" of another place, Thou art a Priest for ever after tho Lono (ver. 1), confirmed by the Lonn'a the order of lllelohizedek. These two texts oath (ver. 4). 13S THE EPISTLE TO TIIE HEDREWS. [err. v. 1-14.