Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
HEBREWS VIII.
whou Office has been Abolished,
ChiisCs Prieslhood far above Aaron's, priests, this he did—not "died first for His own sinsand then the people's," bnt for the people's only. The negation
Therefore no earthly so-called apostolic succession of priests are His vicegerents. The Jewish priests had sucis twofold : He needeth not to offer (1) daily ; nor (2) to offer for His own sins also ; for He offered Himself a spotless sacrifice (v. 26 ; ch. 4. 15). The sinless alone could offer foi the sinful, once—rather as Greek, "once for all." The sufficiency of the one sacrifice to atone for all sins for ever, resulted from its absolute spotlessness. 28. For—Reason for the difference stated in v. 27, between His one sacriflco and their oft-repeated sacrifices, viz., because of His entire freedom from the sinful infirmity to which they arn subject. He needed not, as they, to offer for His own sin; and being now exempt from death and "perfected for evermore," He needs not to repeat His sacrifice, the vrord —"the word" confirmed by "the oath." which—which oath was after the law, viz., in Psalm 110. 4, abrogating the preceding law-priesthood, the son—contrasted with "men." consecrated— GVeeA:, "made perfect" once for cessors In office, because " they could not continue by reason of death." But this man, because He liveth ever, huth no successor in office, not even Peter (1 Peter 5. 1). !J5. Wherefore Greek, "Whence;" inasmuch as "He remaineth for ever." also—as a natural consequence flowing; from the last, at the same time a netv and higher thing. [A1.F0RD.] snve—His very name Jesus (v. 22) meaning Saviour—to the uttermost—altogether, perfectly, so that nothing should be wanting afterwards for ever. [TittMANN.] It means "in any wise," "utterly," in Luke 13.
11. come unto GojI—by faith, liy him—through Him &s their mediating Priest, instead of through the Levitical priests, seeing heeverllveth—resuming "He continueth ever," v. 24; therefore " He is able to the uttermost;" He
Is not, like the Levitical priest, prevented by death, for "He ever liveth" (t>. 23). to make Intercession—Tliere was but the one offering on earth once for all. But the inall, as in ch. 2. 10 ; 5. 9, Notes. Opposed to " having infirmity." Consecrated as a perfected priest by His perfected sacrifice, and consequent anointing and exaltation to the right hand of the Father.
tercession for us in the heavens {v. 26) is ever continuing, whence the result follows, that we can never be separated from the love of God In Christ. He intercedes only for those who come unto God through Him, not for the unbelieving world (John 17. 9). As samples of His intercession,
CHAPTER VIII.
cf. the prophetical descriptions in the Old Testament. "By an humble omnipotency (for it was hy YL\s humiliation thaX He obtained all power), or omnipotent humility, appearing in the presence, and presenting His postulations at the tlirone of God. [Bishop Peakson.] He was not only the offering, but the priest who ot Tered It. Therefore, He has become not only a sacrifice, but an intercessor; His intercession being founded on His voluntary of Tering of Himself without spot to God. We are not only then in virtue of His sacrifice forgiven, but in virtue of the Intercession admitted to favour and grace. [Archbishop Magee.] 36. such—as is above described. The oldest MSS. read, "also." "For to us (as sinners; emphatical) there was also becoming (besides the other excellencies of our Higli Priest) such an High Priest." holy—pious (a distinct Greek word from tliat for holy, which latter imp Wes consecration) towards God; perfectly answering God's will in reverent piety (Psalm 16. 10). harmless lit., " free from evil" and guile, in relation to Himself, undeflled— not defiled by stain contracted from others, in relation to men. Temptation, to which He was exposed, left no trace of evil in Him. separate—ratlier, "separated from sinners," viz., in His heavenly state as our High Priest above, after He liad been parted from the earth, as the Levitical high priest was separated from the people in the sanctuary (whence lie was not to go out), Leviticus 21. 12. Though
Ver. 1-13. Christ, the High Priest in the True Sanctuary, Superseding the Levitical Priesthood; The New Renders Obsolete the Old Covenant. 1. the sum—rather, "the principal point;" for the participle is present, not past, which would be required if the meaning were "the sum." "The chief point in (or, 'in the case;' so the Greek, ch. 9. 10, 15, 17) the things which we are speaking," ii'i., " which are being spoken." such—so transcendently pre-eminent, viz., in tliis respect, that " He is set on the right hand of," &c. Infinitely above all other priests in this one grand respect. He exercises His priesthood IN heaven, not in the earthly "holiest place"
(cli. 10. 12). The Levitical liigh priests, even when they entered the Holiest place once a year, only stood for a brief space before the symbol of God's throne ; but Jesus sits on the throne of the Divine Majesty in the heaven itself, and this for ever (ch. 10. 11, 1'2). a. minister-The G> eek term ImpUea priestly ministry in the temple, the sanctuary— GreeA:, " the holy places ;" the Holy of holies. Here the heavenly sanctuary is meant, the true—tlie archetypal and antltypical, as contrasted with the typical and symbolical (ch. 9. 24). Greek alethinos (used here) is opposed to that which does not fulfil Its idea, as for instance, a type; alethes, to that which is untrue and unreal, as o fie. Tlie measure of alethes Is reality ; that of alethinos, ideality. In alethes the idea corresponds to the thing ; in alethinos, the thing to the Idea. [Kalmis in Alford.] tabernacle —(Ch. 9. 11.) His body. Through His glorified body as the tabernacle, Christ passes into the heavenly " Holy of holies," the immediate immaterial presence of God, where He Intercedes for us. This tabernacle in which God dwells, is where God In Christ meets us who are " members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones." This tabernacle answers to the lieavenly Jerusalem, where God's visible presence Is to be manifested to His perfected saints and angels, who are united in Christ the Head; In contradistinction to His personal tnw'siftfe presence in the Holy of holies unapproachable save to Christ. John justifying through faltli the ungodly. He hath no contact with them as such. He is lifted above our sinful community, being " made higher than the heavens," at the same time that He makes believers as such (not as sinners), "to
Bit together (with Him) in heavenly places" (Epheslans
2. 6). Just as Moses on the mount was separated from and above the people, and alone with God. This proves Jesus is God. "Tliough innumerable lies have been forged against tlie venerable Jesus, none dared to charge Him with any intemperance." [Okiqen.] made—Jesus was higher before (Jolui 17. 5), and as the GocZ-man was made 8oby the Father alter Hishumillatlon (cf. ch. 1.4). higher than the heavens—for " He passed through (so the Greek) the heavens" (ch. 4.14). 37. dally—" day by day." The priests daily offered sacriflces (ch. 9. 6; 10. 11; Exodus 29.
1. 14, "Word . . . dwelt among us," Greek, "tabernacled." pitched Greek, " fixed" firmly, not man—as Moses (v.
5). 3. For-Assigning his reason for calling him " minis-
88-42). The hij;h priests took part in these daily-offered Bacrifloes only on festival days; but as they represented the whole priesthood, the dally offerings are here attributed to thetn; their exclusive function was to offer the atonement " once every year " (ch. 9. 7), and " year by year continually " (ch. 10. 1). The "daily " strictly belongs to ter of the sanctuary" (ti. 2). somewhat—He does not offer again His once for all completed sacrifice. But as the high priest did not enter the Holy place without blood, so Christ lias entered the heavenly Holy place with His owit blood. That "blood of sprinkling" Is in heaven. And
Christ, not to tlie high priests, " wlio needeth not daily, as those high priests {year by year, and their subordinate priests daily), to offer," Ac. ofl Ter up—The Greek term \s peculiarly used of sacrifices for jrt/i. The hlgii priest's double offering on the day of atonement, the bullock for himself, and the goat for the people's sins. Iiad its counterpart in the TWO lambs offered di><iy by the ordinary 458 is thence made effectual to sprinkle believers as the end of their election (1 Peter 1. 2). The term "consecrate" as a priest, Is lU., to fill the hand, Implying that an offering
Is given into the hands of the priest, which it Is Ills duty to present to God. If a man bo a priest, he must liave some gift In his hands to offer. Therefore, Christ, as a priest, has His blood as His oblation to offer before God