The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 193

nblo") is taken by enmo in nn intmnsilive 2. Which priesthood is evidently rlistind sense, ne in nrnrgiu of the A.V., that dot!. lrom the Aarnnic, our Lorri being of not pass to another, cquivnlont to ci.6,&6oxov. tho tribP, not of Levi, but of Ju,lt1.b. 'l'hie, however, is not the proper force of 8. What has been seen (vere. 5 and 8) this lnte Greek word, nor does the sense of as to the Melcliizedek priesthood the pneenge of necessity require it. being not "after the law of a carnal Ver. 25.-Wherefore he is able also to commaudment, but after the power eave them to the uttermost that oome nnto of au endless life," makes this '' more God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make abundantly evident." interoeeaion for them. We agnin observe Conclusion (vere. 18-20). The Aaronic how, at the end of successive stages of the priesthood (being in itself unprofit- argument, thouglite to be enlnrged on after- able) is_ ~herefore now superseded by wards are brought in. Here it is the per- an e.v,uhng one, "through wliich we petual intercession of Christ before the draw nigh unto God." heavenly mercy-scat. In the view of hie III. (vcre. 20-26.) Christ's priesthood ia office thus arrived at there is, in fa.et, e. thus availing; for: transition to the main subject set forth in 1. The Divine oath (Ps. ex.) established the three chapters that follow; viz. the ful- it, marking it a.s resting on the filment in Christ of the ceremonial of the eternal Divine counsels. Law, and especially of the high priest's 2. It is (as shown by the ea.me psalm) intercession on the Day of Atonement. And " unchangeable." The one PrieBt thus from Melchizedek the trnin of thought abides for ever. passes to the high priest. The typo of the Conclusion (ver. 25). We have, therefore, former has been sufficiently shown to be ful- in him at last, a. perfectly availing filled in the higher order of Christ's priest- and eternal interceding High Priest. hood; it is now to be shown how, being of such higher order, it is the antitype of the Ver. 26.-For 8120h a High Priest became .Anronic priesthood too, accomplishing what us, holy, harmlese, nndefiled, separated from it signified. Hence in vcr. 26 the word sinners, and ma.de higher than the heavens. "liigh priest" (a.px«p•br) is for the first Such a High Priest, it is said, for us was time introduced, as the key-note of what is fitting. The ea.me word frp,,re was used in coming. eh. ii. 10, where the humiliation of Christ wns spoken of. It was there said that to Summary of the jlJ'l'egoing argument. mako the Captain of onr salvation perfect I. (eh. v. 1-11.) Who.t does the Melchize- through enffering " became" God-was dek priesthood of Ps. ex. signify ? befitting to what we conceive of the Divine 1. (vere. 1-4.) One not depending on nnture. It is now said that our High humnn ancestry, e.ud one for ever Priest's being such o.e is here described abiding. " bec=e" us-was befitting to our etnte 2. (vers. 4-11.) One of e. higher order nnd needs. That he should be both humnn than tho.t of Aaron ; for : nnd superhuman was in all respects fitting- (1) Melcbizedek, being of a race o.pnrt, the one that he might be onr sympathizing received tithe frolll Abrahnm the brother; the other that his intercession patriarch. might avail. The further description of him (2) Thie denotes a higher position than in this verse is suggested by tho qualifica- that of the Anronic priests, who tions of the Ae.ronic high ~riest, what they tithed their brethren of the same typified being realized in Uhrist. The higl> rnce with themselves, in virtue only priost was by his consecrntion e. holy person, of a special ordinance. a.')'t0r (Lev. x.xi. 6, 8, etc.); he bore on his (3) The blessing of Abrnhnm by Mel- mitre " Holiness to the Lord" (Exod. n:xix. chizedek is similarly eiguificnnt. 30); he must be without personal blemish (4) 'l'he idea of an ever-living priest (Lev. xxi. 17, etc.); he must keep himself with <J. right to tithe transcends that continuo.lly from all ceremonial pollntion of the temporary claims of a euocee- (Lev. x.xi. 11nd :nii.); be must purify him- sion of dying men. self by a sacrifice for himself and by special (5) 1.evi himself virtually pnid tithe ablutions before entering the holy of holies to lllelohizedek. (Lev. xvi.); when thert1, be was conceived II. (\'ers. 11-18.) 'l'he Anronio priesthood, as in God's presence, a.part from the world nnd with it the wholo dispensntion of sinners outside. Christ was not only b11eed upon it, ie thus shown to hnve 11..,,,or, but 3,nor, pereonnlly and inwardly been imperfect and trnneitory; for: holy (Christians in the New Testament are I. Otherwise a priesthood of unother ell called a.')'lo,, but not all do-lo, : for the order would not have been spoken of use of which word, of. Titus i. 8; Acts ii. In Ps. ~-x. 27; xiii. ,H, where it is epplied to Chriot,  188 THE EPISTLE TO THE HEORKWS. Ccu. vn. 1-28.