The Pulpit Commentary — Hebrews — Section 209

immutable" (Dr. Brown). The fact thnt Christ was made priest not without an oath sh?we that hie _priesthood was of supreme importance. 3. The eternal permanence oj Chu _secon~ priesthood proves its superiority to the former. (Vers. 23-26.) The Jewish priests were subject to human frailties and imperrections; their term of service swiftly passed, and their place was taken by another. Indeed, the whole family might be exterminated (specially when at first, in the wilderness, it consisted of but five, men) by pestilence, crime, or war, and Israel would find itself, as to-day, with no priest, no atonement, no mercy-seat, no mediator. That shows the inadequacy of that priest- hood. But Christ is High Priest for ever "according to the power of an indissoluble life." How superior to that which is according to the flesh I "All flesh is grass," II. GLANCE AT SOME OF TUE PRACTICAL TRUTHS INVOLVED IN THIS SUPERIORITY. l. That the .Aaronic priesthood is superseded by the rriesthood of Christ. The Romish doctrine that an order of men, on the mythical ground that they can trace their succes- sion to the apostles, are the appointed mediators between God and man, is a repetition of the Levitical system. But this priesthood is unnecessary, since Christ is in every point superior to it, and they who have Jesus do not need Aaron. Moreover, this carnal, genealogical priesthood is abolished by God, and shown to have been only a temporary expedient at the best. 2. That what the old dispensation did for a few, the Christian does for all. In the Old Testament the priests are those who draw nigh to God (e.g. Lev. x. 3) whilst the multitude stood without. Contrast ver. 10. "We" who are not of Levi's tribe, but simply believers in Christ, may now enter the Holiest of all -that is, we are all p1iests. Christ's high priesthood ,involves th6 priesthood of all believers. "Those who draw nigh to God " is the Christian name. 3. That what the ceremonial law could not do, Jesus can. Whifot the Levitical system was "weak. and unprofitable," the priesthood of Jesus brought in a system that was perfect. 'l'he perfection of a priestly system consisted in its ability to bring meu unto God. Men are cryini;, "Nearer, my God, to thee," in vain, because they seek it through human aid, religions ceremonies, legal observances; they have gone back to Judaism, which is dead and cannot help them. Now let them try Jesus. ·where Aaron fails, Jesus succeeds. "He is able to save them to," etc.-C. N. Vers. 26-28.-Christ's supe1·iority in the infinite perfection of his personal cha- racter. The second great argument for Christ's superiority to Aaron. 'l'he reason for tbe introduction of this argument here is probably that the writer is still thinking of Ps. CL The psalm speaks or Christ exalted to the highest heavenly position, and as a. Priest for ever. Of both these points the echo rings out here in vers. 26 nnd 28. Here is sharply drawn the picture of our Lord's personal perfection in a few carefully moderate words (for it is a delicate subject), and the conclusion is apparent. (Note on word "daily" in ver. 27. The high priest did not "daily" offer sin offerings; the morning and evening sacrifices were not offered by the high priest, nor were they sacrifices for sin but in a secondary sense, as they were burnt offerings. The great expiatory sacrifice offered by the high priest was on the Day of Atonement. The word "daily" here must mean day arter day; one day of atonement after another.) I. 'l'HE PERSONAL PERFECTION OF THE LoBD JESUS CHBI&T. "Holy, harmless," ctc.-so ruany aspects of the sinlessness of Jesus. The Hebrew probably saw here what was true of the high priest symbolically, spoken of Jesua literally. 'l'he one had inscribed on his forehead" Holiness unto the Lon]," which he hnd in symbol; the other was "the Holy One of God." 'l'he one was harmless (liternlly, "without evil"), for he could not offer for others till his own sin was expiated, but that was only an imputed sinlessness; the other had no sins to offer for. 'l'he one was "undefiled," c,bliged to be ceremonially clean; the other was in himself" without blemish and without spot." The one was" separate from sinners," excluded for seven days before the Day of Atonement even from his own family, but this was only physical; the other was able to say," I am not of the world." 1. The personal perfection of Jesus as seen in his manifested purity. "Holy," etc., represents his purity from different standpoints. "Holy," as regards his relation to God; "harmless," his relation to man; "undefiled," Lis relation to himself; "separate,'' etc., th~ sum of the whole, In every direction Jesus was without sin. .And so much was apparent to the men of hi6 day. His tnewies, Lis relatives, his disciples, all bear witness to this. He could aijk of all, en. vtr. 1- 28.] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 201