OLBGrk; HEBREWS CHAPTER 7 HEBREWS 7:1 Christ, a Priest after the order
of Melchisedec, is proved to be of a more excellent order than that of
Aaron, from the character of Melchisedec, and his confessed
superiority to Abraham and Levi, HEBREWS 7:11 from the imperfection of
the Levitical priesthood, w... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBHeb;
TO WHOM ALSO ABRAHAM GAVE A TENTH PART OF ALL; by which tithing to
him. Abraham owns him to be God's priest. As he had received blessing
from God by him, so he returns to God, through him, his
acknowledgments; he divided, shared, and gave out his part to him,
even _the tenth_ part _of_ all _... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk;
In this verse is a mystical description of the eternity of Christ's
person and priesthood, set out by the Spirit in the silence and
omission of things that concerned Melchisedec and his glory; so that
what here is represented to be typically and in shadow, that was
Christ really and substant... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk;
NOW CONSIDER HOW GREAT THIS MAN WAS: the Spirit compares with, and
prefers, Melchisedec before Abraham, as he was God's high priest; he
introduces it with pressing these Hebrews to exercise an act of
judgment under the metaphor of seeing, denoting it to be such a
serious and intent act, as c... [ Continue Reading ]
This is a proof by instance out of the Levitical law, that he who
receiveth is greater than he who giveth. AND VERILY THEY THAT ARE OF
THE SONS OF LEVI, WHO RECEIVE THE OFFICE OF THE PRIESTHOOD: the seed
of Levi the son of Jacob, son of Isaac, son of Abraham, NUMBERS 1:48
3:1-5, and not all of them... [ Continue Reading ]
The proof is here applied, showing Melchisedec to be greater, not than
the Levitical priest only, but than Abraham himself. BUT HE WHOSE
DESCENT IS NOT COUNTED FROM THEM; he drew not his genealogy from any
priests before him, but is greater than those priests, who by
genealogy and succession were ma... [ Continue Reading ]
This principle is commonly acknowledged, it is a most apparent truth,
you Hebrews cannot deny it; it is your common judgment, that a priest
blessing, as God's officer, is greater than those blessed by him. He
that is in a lower state in God's church, is blessed by one set above
him in office by God... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk;
His greatness as to his priesthood above the Levitical, is proved from
its immortality. Immortal is greater and better than mortal; such is
his order of priesthood. This argument he brings in to heighten the
former, and so connects it to it. AND HERE MEN THAT DIE RECEIVE
TITHES: the particle... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk;
AND AS I MAY SO SAY: the Spirit now sets this priesthood above the
Levitical by instance, which instance being not so proper or direct,
his form of introducing it is considerable, as wv epov eipein, as to
say the word, which is a Greek elegancy of speech, when that is
uttered which is remark... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR, introduceth the proof, that Levi tithed in Abraham, being
virtually in him, as his productive cause; so near is the unity and
identity of descending children; and as truly were the posterity of
Adam in him when he ate, sinned, and fell, ROMANS 5:12. To remove all
question of the truth of it, th... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THEREFORE PERFECTION WERE BY THE LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD: now the
Spirit infers from the doctrine of Melchisedec's priesthood, the
dignity and perpetuity of Christ s, typified by it: so that it is not
Aaron's priesthood, but Christ s, which the Hebrews were to use for
their salvation after Aaron's w... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE PRIESTHOOD BEING CHANGED: _for_ refers to the expiration of
the Aaronical order, to which these Hebrews now were not bound, for
that a better priesthood and law were to fill up their room in the
church. The Levitical priesthood was changed and abolished to make way
for this; God designing th... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE OF WHOM THESE THINGS ARE SPOKEN PERTAINETH TO ANOTHER TRIBE:
that this priesthood was so altered, he proves by Christ's being of
another tribe than Levi. This is a periphrasis, describing the priest
after Melchisedec's order. Of whom was this said in PSALMS 110:4, but
of Christ, God-man, the... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IT IS EVIDENT THAT OUR LORD SPRANG OUT OF JUDA; the proof of this
change of the tribe, and of what tribe he was, was undeniably evident
to these Hebrews from their own genealogies, and the Roman census and
enrolment of him; the providence of God ordering this, that it might
be universally known... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk;
AND IT IS YET FAR MORE EVIDENT: the change and abolition of the
Levitical priesthood, and law, that the perfecting of Christ might
succeed, is not only clearly represented to the understanding of all,
that they assent to it, but _it is far more evident_ from the eternity
of this priesthood's... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO IS MADE, NOT AFTER THE LAW OF A CARNAL COMMANDMENT; the gospel
High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, was not constituted nor
consecrated after that order and rule of God which did bind the
Aaronical priesthood, and regulate it as to their consecrations and
ministrations, obliging them by annexed t... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE TESTIFIETH: this is proved by infallible testimony in PSALMS
110:4, God the Father himself solemnly declared him to be so before
the angels in heaven, and revealed it to men on earth by the prophet
David. THOU ART A PRIEST FOR EVER AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHISEDEC: that
as Melchisedec had no en... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk;
FOR THERE IS VERILY A DISANNULLING OF THE COMMANDMENT GOING BEFORE:
the Spirit having proved the disannulling of the Aaronical priesthood
for its imperfection, proceeds to prove the abolishing of the law or
covenant annexed to it, like it for weakness and unprofitableness;
ayethsiv is a disp... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk;
FOR THE LAW MADE NOTHING PERFECT: the proof of this weakness and
unprofitableness of the law is its imperfection; it had no
supernatural moral power to justify or sanctify any person, or to
bring him to perfection; neither did it perfect any person of itself
so as to reconcile him to God, or... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk;
This is a further proof of the excellency of Christ's priesthood above
Aaron s, taken from his constitution in it by oath. He who is made a
priest by oath, is a better and a greater priest than any made so
without it; but so is Christ. Kay oson is a comparative, answered
HEBREWS 7:22, insinu... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THOSE PRIESTS WERE MADE WITHOUT AN OATH; those priests of Aaron's
order were selected, instituted, consecrated, without any oath
mentioned by Moses, who did all exactly as the Lord commanded him,
EXODUS 40:16. God gave only command for it, and made their priesthood
but a temporary and passing ho... [ Continue Reading ]
This brings in the consequent on HEBREWS 7:20. _As much_ excellency as
was in God's oath constituting, SO MUCH there must be in the office
constituted. The Aaronical priesthood, by God's constitution, was
excellent; but Christ's is much more so, being by God's oath made
personal and everlasting, rel... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY TRULY WERE MANY PRIESTS: this further demonstrates the
excellency of Christ's priesthood above the Aaronical for its
singularity and self-sufficiency; whereas theirs was, for the
multiplicity of it, weak, vanishing, and mortal, like themselves. They
had multitude of priests together under t... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk;
BUT THIS MAN, BECAUSE HE CONTINUETH EVER; this Priest, Jesus, HEBREWS
7:22, is opposed to the Aaronical multitude; this excellent one, 1
TIMOTHY 2:5, after his resurrection abideth immortal. He is eternal
and permanent for person and office: see HEBREWS 7:25 ROMANS 6:9. They
are vanished, bu... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE HE IS ABLE ALSO TO SAVE THEM TO THE UTTERMOST: this
inference proves his eminency in office above Aaron's order by the
efficacy of it; for he is possessor of a supernatural Divine power,
which is able to save to perfection, to the full, to all ends, from
sin, in its guilt, stain, and power... [ Continue Reading ]
OLBGrk;
The last excellency of the gospel High Priest, preferring him to
Aaron's order, is the qualification of his person, by which he is
described in himself, distinguished from and set above all others, and
is that which remained out of David's proof to be cleared, who this
person was, who was di... [ Continue Reading ]
In this verse the Spirit shows the ground of his intercession work in
heaven, and why he doth not sacrifice as a High Priest there; therein
setting his far above the Aaronical priesthood. WHO NEEDETH NOT DAILY,
AS THOSE HIGH PRIESTS, TO OFFER UP SACRIFICE; he had no necessity,
being so holy as he wa... [ Continue Reading ]
This is the reason why the Aaronical priests had need to sacrifice for
themselves, and the gospel High Priest had not, and is finally
describing him who is so. FOR THE LAW MAKETH MEN HIGH PRIESTS WHICH
HAVE INFIRMITY; for the law which God gave to Moses, the ceremonial
law, constituteth, sets up, an... [ Continue Reading ]