Hebrews 7:21-22

THE PRIESTHOOD AND THE OATH

‘For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by Him that said unto Him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec: By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.’

Hebrews 7:21

It is remarkable language that the writer utters when he institutes this comparison between the Law and the Gospel.

Foremost, there is strong stress laid here on the solemn acts of affirmation of God, in his recognition of the office and work of the Redeemer. Let us endeavour to gather some reasonable idea of this great ‘oath’ of ‘the Most High God, the Possessor of heaven and earth.’

I. What is an ‘oath,’ as between man and man?—An oath is the most sacred action that mortal man can undertake to do. Well may God prohibit all false oaths. Well may He forbid to man all useless and profane, all rash and inconsiderate swearing. When necessity is urgent, when the gravest interests are involved, when the importance of a matter so requires, God allows us to swear by His name.

That a person swear lawfully, that a man’s oath be guiltless, there must be—

(a) A due regard to the object of the oath.

(b) A due regard to the morality of the oath.

(c) A due regard to the end and purpose and aim of the oath.

II. Such is the solemnity of God’s affirmation of the weighty counsels of His Word given us. ‘According to the Scriptures,’ God has ‘sworn’ to His Church and people upon earth to assure mankind of ‘the immutability’ of His purposes in Christ to us; ‘for those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by Him that said unto Him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec: By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.’ He has ‘sworn in His wrath’ to assure men that His threatened judgments shall be inflicted. He has ‘sworn’ in His love that blessings promised shall assuredly be bestowed. So He has ‘sworn,’ before all heaven itself, to His dear Son, the Lord Messiah, to ‘Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant’ of Grace and Peace, that He shall be the Eternal Priest of Heaven, the One High Priest ‘for ever’ of His choice, and call, and consecration. Our Lord Jesus Christ is now ‘such an High Priest,’ the unchangeable channel of all heavenly blessing to us, for God’s honour and glory for ever, for His Church’s consolation and peace without end.

—Rev. M. B. Cowell.