Hebrews 7: 13
Chapter 7 unavoidable, that some of them have been compelled to acknowledge that in the days of the Messiah legal sacrifices and the rest of their ceremonies shall cease; though the most of them understand that their cause is given away thereby. And they have no other way to free themselves from this argument of the apostle, but by denying that Melchisedec was a priest, or that it is the Messiah who is prophesied of, Ps. 110; which evidences of a desperate cause, and more desperate defenders of it, have been elsewhere convinced of folly.
Wherefore this important argument is confirmed by our apostle in the ensuing verses. And we may see,— Obs. VI. How it is a fruit of the manifold wisdom of God, that it was a great mercy to give the law, and a greater to take it away. And,—
Obs. VII. If under the law the whole worship of God did so depend on the priesthood, that that failing, or being taken away, the whole worship of itself was to cease, as being no more acceptable before God; how much more is all worship under the new testament rejected by him, if there be not a due regard therein unto the Lord Christ, as the only high priest of the church, and to the efficacy of his discharge of that office!
Obs. VIII. It is the highest vanity, to pretend use or continuance in the church, from possession or prescription, or pretended benefit, beauty, order, or advantage, when once the mind of God is declared against it.—The pleas of this kind for the old priesthood and law excelled all that can be insisted on, with respect unto any other things that any pretend a veneration for in divine worship; yet were they of no validity or efficacy.
Hebrews 7: 13
Ἐφʼ ὃν γὰρ λέγεται ταῦτα, φυλῆς ἑτέρας μετέσχηκεν, ἀφʼ ἧς οὐδεὶς προσέσχηκε τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ.
Ἐφʼ ὃν, "in quem." "In quo," Vulg. Lat. ,הָו ২ֵיר ৩ֵאתַאמְׁש רִ עֲלַוְׁש הִי הָלֵיןSyr.; "for he concerning whom these things are spoken." "For he on whom these things are said," Rhem., improperly. Φυλῆς ἑτέρας μετέσχηκεν. Vulg., "de alia tribu est;"
Rhem., "is of another tribe:" omitting the especial force of the word μετέσχηκεν, though the substance of the sense be retained. Syr., " ,אֶתִילֵדwas born of another tribe." "Particeps fuit," did derive his genealogy from, and so had his especial relation unto, another tribe. Προσέσχηκε, "ministravit," "attendit." Vulg.,
Chapter 7 "præsto fuit." The Ethiopic, "And if any one will say so," (or "as one may say,")
"he placeth another tribe, because they kept not the altar;" mistaking both the meaning of the design and sense of the apostle's words.
Ver. 13.—For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth unto another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
Γάρ. The causal conjunction, γάρ, doth not only intimate a pursuit of the foregoing argument, and the confirmation of the supposition whereon it was built, but also an entrance upon the express application of the whole precedent discourse unto the person of Jesus Christ, the true and only high priest of the church.
Ἐφʼ ὅν. In the words there is, 1. The subject to be further treated on described,
Ἐφʼ ὅν λέγεται ταῦτα: that is, περὶ οὗ, "de quo,"—"he concerning whom;" "quem designaverunt hæc," "ad quem hæc pertinent,"—"he who is designed in all these things," "he unto whom they do all belong," "he with respect unto whom
Ταῦτα. ταῦτα,"—"these things;" that is, all that hath been spoken concerning Melchisedec and his priesthood, all things that do naturally follow and ensue thereon. For although sundry of them were spoken firstly and immediately concerning other persons and things, yet they all belong ultimately and perfectly unto Christ alone, whom they did represent and make way for. And we may observe hence,— Obs. I. That it is our duty, in studying of the Scripture, to inquire diligently after the things which are spoken concerning Jesus Christ, and what is taught of him in them.—This doth our apostle find out in all that was spoken concerning
Melchisedec and the Levitical priesthood. This he himself gives in charge, John 5:39, "Search the Scriptures: … they are they which testify of me." Our principal aim in searching the Scriptures ought to be, that we may find out what they say and what they testify concerning Christ. And this was the practice of the prophets of old, with respect unto all the revelations which they received, 1 Pet
1:10–12. Let the pains, and industry, and skill of men, in the reading and interpreting of the Scriptures, be what they will, without this design they will never rightly be understood, nor duly improved. For as those things which concern his person, office, and grace, with the mysteries of the wisdom of God in them all, are the principal subject of them; so all other things which are taught and revealed in them are never apprehended, unto any good end or purpose, unless their relation unto him and dependence upon him be rightly understood. Some are charged that they esteem no preaching but that which is
Chapter 7 concerning the person of Christ; which how false an accusation it is, their preaching and writings do discover. But this they say, indeed, (that is, some do so,) that seeing it is the design of God to "gather all things into a head in Christ," that preaching is to little purpose which doth not more or less expressly evidence the relation of all truths and duties unto him.
Φυλῆς ἑτέρας μετέσχηκε. 2. It is added, φυλῆς ἑτέρας μετέσχηκε,—"he pertaineth unto another tribe." To confirm his argument concerning the changing or abolition of the priesthood, the apostle supposeth the distribution of the people into tribes, according unto the number of the sons of Jacob. And as these tribes had a common interest in the church, so some of them had peculiar privileges granted and confirmed unto them by law. So the priesthood was granted, confined, and confirmed unto the tribe of Levi, and unto the family of Aaron in that tribe. And it was so confined thereunto, as that all the rest of the tribes were for ever excluded from any interest therein, and all that belonged unto them incapacitated therefor. But unto one of the tribes so excluded from an interest in the legal priesthood did He belong of whom these things are spoken. And this I look upon as the principal reason of the distinction of that people into their tribes; namely, that God thereby might provide for their instruction as to the continuance of the legal worship among them; which could be no longer continued than the priesthood was reserved unto that one tribe whereunto it was originally granted, Μετέσχηκε. See the meaning of the word in our exposition on chap. 2:14. His share, lot, and interest, lay in another tribe.
Ἀφʼ ἧς. 3. He describes in general this other tribe whereof he was, by its legal exclusion from all the service of the altar: "Of which no man gave attendance at the altar." What tribe that was in particular he declares in the next verse, showing not only of what tribe he was, but also what it was necessary he should be. "Another tribe, ἀφʼ ἧς,"—"whereof;"—'from which none that was genealogized attended at the altar;' that is, had right so to do, or was not forbidden by the law so to do. God doth not reckon that to be done in his service which he hath not appointed, much less which he hath forbidden. What other inroads were made on the sacerdotal office we know not; but one of the tribe here intended by the apostle, whereof none was to attend at the altar, did draw nigh to offer incense; for which he was rebuked by the high priest, and punished of God, 2 Chron. 26:16–21. And God exercised the greater severity