t.he introduction of "a better hope "-tbo hopo of an efficiont priesthood of n dis• pens~tion both spiritual and permanent, and thUB of immediate and perfect accesa to God. H. T1ra SUPEnIORITY OF CnRrsT's PRTBSTHOOD TO Tll1!i LEVITIOAL. (Vers. 20-28.) Jesus is the true Priest of mankind, for whom the nations have been waiting. He is the Apostle of God to men, and the prevailing Intercessor with God for mon. 'l.'hia pa~sa~e remindB us how infinitoly exalted bis priesthood is above that of Aaron, 1. H, wcu cm,secrated with an oath. (Vera. 20-22.) No Levitical priost was installed thus solemnly. The Divine O!lth shows the certainty and importance and immutability of the thin:: sworn. It reminds us that the priesthood of our Lord enters into the very substance of the everlasting covonant. 2. Hi,s priesthood i• intransferalJle, (Vers. :!3-25.) The Levitical priesthood had this defect, that it required to be con- veyed from one man to another. But, although Christ died, his death did not" hinder hi1n from continuing;" it did not even temporarily interrupt the exercise of his priest- hood. For he died volunt,-irily. He birl. himself as Victim upon the altar. And, by dyin~, he conquered death, through the power of his indissoluble life. So, his media- torial authority is intransferable. 3. His character is holy. (Vor. 26.) The Levitical priests had " infirmity," :md needed to offer sacrifices first for their own sins. Even the moEt pions men among them bad been, of course, morally imperfect; and some of the high priests-such as C:.iaphas-who were not godly men, had been notorious for their wickedness. But "the Il;gh Priest of our confession" has a pure nature. He lived on eartL a stainless life. He was "separated from sinners ; " i.e. he showed on every side of his cha.meter that he belonged to another category than that of sinners. .And his spotless holi!:1ess was in the fullest harmony with our spiritual need; it was, indeed, indispensably necessary, and in every way most " becoming" and beautiful, in relation t.o us. 4. His sacrifice uperfect. (Vers. 27, 28.) 'l'he Jewish priests had to offer up sacrifices "daily"-" the same sacrifices year by year "-with laborious and wearisome iteraLion. But the one sacrifice of Christ is in itself all-sufficient to expiate guilt, cleanse the conscience, and purify the soul. His blood has virtue to atone, for it is the blood of God. 5. He minuters i" the real sanctuary. (Vers. 26, 28.). Aaron's ministry waa carried on in a moving tent of curtain-work and wood-work-a tent, too, which seems to have had no pavement bnt the naked ground. His successors, likewise, ■erved in what was at best a perishable "sanctuary of this world." But Jesus now ministers in "heaven itself," the most holy place of the new covenant. (The apostle emphasizes this point in eh. viii. 1~.) In conclusion, let us reflect upon this central thought of the passage-the immortal heavenly life of our High Pdest. He is a Divine person; and his Divine natnre is the basis of hill "endless life." Henco the perfection of his power to save.
Ver. 25.-Salvation to tke uttermost. The chief point in this verse is our High Priest's ability to save, and the guarantee which his perpetual intercession affords reo-ardiug that ability. What does this continual intercession certify? Four things. I. HE HAS THE ABILITY OF MERIT. The Saviour's merit arises from what he is, from what he became, aud from what he has done. His intercession is just a continual dev~lopment of the exhaustless efficacy of his life-work. Our Priest is the eternal Son of Goel clothed in human nature. Hie work on earth was both active and passive: ho obeyed and he suffered. He perfectly fulfilled the Law, and he fully endured the penalty due to our disobedience. Upon the union of this doing and dying the great 1tructure of our Intercessor's ability of merit is sustained. 'fho infinitude of his Divine nature invests his offering with boundless value, By his "obedience unto death " he sheathed the sword of justice in the heart of mercy. And, when he had doue this, h~ went bol<lly up to heaven, sprinkled the golden altar there with hie blood, end took his place in the midst of the throne. 'l.'he fact of hie intercession as our risen and glorified Saviour shows that the satisfaction which he has made for Bin is perfect. IL HE HAS THE ABILITY OF RIGHT, A true priest must receive hie appointment from God. So, our Lord's session at the right hand of the Father is in itself en evidence of the mlidity of his intercession. \Ve know, however, that God appointed him to his office with a 10lem1.1. oath (Ps. CL 4). He said to him, on the day when he OU, VII. 1-28.] 'l'HE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 181