Hebrews 5:9

The words and design of this verse have so great a coincidence with those of Hebrews 2:10, that we shall the less need to insist upon them. Something only must be spoken to clear the context. The apostle having declared the sufferings of Christ as our high priest, in his offering of himself, with the necessity thereof, proceeded to declare both what was effected thereby, and what was the especial design of God therein. And this in general was, that the Lord Christ, considering our lost condition, might be every way fitted to be a “perfect cause of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” There are, therefore, two things in the words, both which God aimed at and accomplished in the sufferings of Christ:

1. On his own part, that he might be “made perfect;” not absolutely, but with respect unto the administration of his office in the behalf of sinners.

2. With respect unto believers, that he might be unto them an “author of eternal salvation.” Unto both these ends the sufferings of Christ were necessary, and designed of God.

Hebrews 5:9. Καὶ τελειωθεὶς ἐγένετο τοῖς ὑπακούουσιν αὐτῷ πᾶσιν αἴτιος σωτηρίας αἰωνίου.

Τελειωθείς, “perfectus,” “consummatus,” “consecratus;” “perfect,” “consummated,” “fully consecrated.” Syriac, וְהָכַנָא אֶתְגַמַּר, “and so being made perfect, “perfectus redditus,” as Erasmus. Εγένετο, ‘“factus est,” “fuit;” “he became.” Τοῖς ὑπακούουσιν αὐτῷ. Vulg., “sibi obtemperantibus.” So Arias, Eras., Syr. And Beza, “qui ipsi auscultans,” keeping to the word; which in all the three languages, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, signifies originally “to hearken,” “to hear, to attend unto, with a design to learn and obey.” Αἴτιος. Syr., עֶלְתָא, causa, so most. Beza, “auctor;” whom we follow, “the author.” Σωτηρίας αἰωνίου, “salutis aeternae.” Syr, דְּחַיֵּא דַּלְעָלַם “of life,” or lives which are eternal.” One learned grammarian hath translated αἴτιος, by “causa efficiens et exhibens.” Ethiop., “the rewarder with life eternal, and the redeemer of the world.”

Τελειωθείς, “being perfected,” “consummated,” “fully consecrated;” for the word is sacred, and expresseth sacred consecration. As to the sense of it in this place, with respect unto the verses foregoing, it answers directly unto its use, Hebrews 2:10, διὰ παθημάτων τελειῶσαι, “to perfect by sufferings;” only that it is used actively, with respect unto God the Father, “It became him to make perfect the Captain of our salvation.” Here it is used passively, with respect unto the effect of that act of God on the person of Christ, who by his suffering was “perfected.” The signification of this word, and the constant use of it in this epistle, the reader may find at large in our exposition on Hebrews 2:10. The sum is, that it signifies to dedicate, to consecrate, to sanctify and set apart, and that by some kind of suffering or other. So the legal high priests were consecrated by the suffering and death of the beasts that were offered in sacrifice at their consecration, Exodus 29. But it belonged unto the perfection of the priesthood of Christ to be consecrated in and by his own sufferings. I shall therefore only remove out of the way the corrupt exposition given us of this word by Schlichtingius:

Τελείωσις,

“Ista, seu consummatio Christi opponitur diebus carnis ejus: tum enim cum Christus infirmus esset, et ipse alieno auxilio indigeret, non potuerat aliis perfectum in omnibus auxilium ferre. Sed postquam consammatus est, id est, postquam immortalitatem, seu naturam incorruptibilem, supremamque in coelo et terra potestatem est adeptus, sicut nihil illi desit amplius; seu postquam est adeo penitus consecratus, et plenè in sacerdotem inauguratus (quemadmodum aliqui hanc vocem explicaudam putant), factus est causa salutis aeternse; nempe causa perfectissima. Nam et in diebus carnis suae erat causa salutis aeternae; sed consummatus, factus est causa perfectissima. Tunc causa erat nostrae salutis tanquam Dei maximus legatus et apostolus; nunc tanquam summus pontifex et rex noster coelestis a Deo constitutus.”

There is also another expositor, who, although he grants that the τελείωσις here mentioned hath respect unto the מִלֻּאִים, or “sacrifices at the consecration of priests, which was antecedent unto their right of offering any thing in their own persons, yet so far complies with this interpretation as to understand, I know not what, “inauguration into a Melchisedecian priesthood, which consisted in a power of blessing after his resurrection;” and so, in the application of the word unto Christ, falls into a contradiction unto his own exposition of it, making it consist in his exaltation and endowment with power. But there is nothing sound in these discourses. For,

1. There is no opposition between this consecration of Christ and the days of his flesh; for it was effected in and by his sufferings, which were only in the days of his flesh. And we have given the reason before, and that taken from the perfection of his person and his office, why he was himself consecrated for ever in and by that sacrifice which he offered for us; for neither could he often offer himself, and it was destructive of his whole office to have been consecrated by the offering of any other.

2. There is too much boldness in that expression, that Christ could not perfectly help others in the days of his flesh. For, set aside the consideration of his divine nature, wherein he wrought whatever the Father wrought (which this sort of men will not admit), he had declared openly that “all power,” “all things,” were given into his hand, Matthew 11:28; “power over all flesh,” John 17, which surely extended unto an ability of relieving all them that were committed to him of God. It is true, he had not as yet absolutely perfected all the means of our salvation; but he was furnished with a fullness of power in their accomplishment, according to the method and order appointed of God unto them.

3. It is not said, that after he was consecrated, or perfected, or made immortal, as though these things were of the same importance; for he was consecrated in and by his sufferings, as is expressly affirmed, Hebrews 2:10, which were antecedent unto and issued in his death.

4. That the Lord Christ was not constituted and consecrated a high priest before his entrance into heaven, is a direct contradiction unto the whole design of the apostle in this place. His purpose is, as hath been evidenced, and is acknowledged by all, to compare the Lord Christ as a high priest with the priests according to the law; and therein he shows his pre- eminence above them. Among the things which to this purpose he makes mention of, are his sufferings, verses 7,8. Now if he suffered not when he was a priest, and as he was so, nothing could be less to his purpose. But whereas he principally designed to magnify the priestly office of Christ, or his person in the exercise of it, on the account of mercy and compassion, verse 2, he proves his excellency unto that end from his sufferings as he was a priest; whence in the future discharge of his office he is inclined to give out merciful assistance unto them that suffer.

5. The pretended distinction, that Christ in the days of his flesh was indeed the cause of salvation, but afterwards a most perfect cause of salvation, is unscriptural. The Lord Christ, in every condition, was the most perfect cause of salvation, although he performed some acts and works belonging thereunto in one estate, and some in another, according as the nature of the works themselves to be performed unto that end did require: for some things that were necessary unto our perfect salvation could not be accomplished but in a state of humiliation; and some, on the other hand, depended on his exaltation.

6. What is affirmed concerning Christ's being the prophet of the church, and apostle of God, in the days of his flesh, but of his being a king and priest afterwards, is another invention of this sort of men. He was always equally the king, priest, and prophet of the church, though he exercises these offices and the several acts or duties of them variously, according as the nature of them doth require.

Τελειωθείς, then, is, “consecrated,” “dedicated, “consummated” sacredly. And it was necessary that Christ should be so, both from the nature of his office and work, which he was sacredly and solemnly to be set apart unto; and to answer the types of the Aaronical priesthood, which were so consecrated and set apart. And in this consecration of the Lord Christ unto his office of the priesthood, and his offering of sacrifice by virtue thereof, we may consider,

1. The sovereign disposing cause;

2. The formal cause constitutive of it;

3. The external means.

1. For the first, it was God, even the Father. He by his sovereign authority disposed, designed, called, and separated the Lord Christ unto his office; which we have spoken unto once, and must again consider it on the verse following.

2. The formal cause of it was his own will, obedientially giving up himself unto the authority and will of the Father, and that out of love unto and delight in the work itself, Psalms 40:6-8. And in especial did he thereby dedicate, separate, and consecrate himself unto the principal work and duty of his office, or the offering of a sacrifice, John 17:19.

3. The external means were his own sufferings, especially in the offering of himself. This alone hath any difficulty attending it, how the Lord Christ can be said to be consecrated by his own sufferings in his offering, when his offering was an act of that office which he was consecrated unto. But I answer, that seeing an external means of the consecration of Christ was necessary, it could be no other but only his own sufferings in the offering of himself. For,

(1.) It was impossible for him, unworthy of him, and beneath both the dignity of his person and excellency of his office, with the very nature of it, that he should be consecrated by any other sacrifice, as of beasts and the like, as were the priests of old. To suppose the suffering and offering of beasts to be useful to this purpose, is repugnant to the whole design of God, and destructive of the office of Christ itself, as is manifest.

(2.) He could not consecrate himself by an antecedent offering of himself; for he could not die often, nor suffer often, nor indeed had any need, or could righteously on the part of God have so done. It was therefore indispensably necessary that he should be consecrated, dedicated, and perfected himself, in and by the sacrifice that he offered for us, and the suffering wherewith it was accompanied. But withal, this was only the external means of his consecration; concerning which we may observe two things:

(1.) That as to the main or substance of his office, he was consecrated by his sufferings only in a way of evidence and manifestation. Really he was so by the acts of God his Father and himself before mentioned; only hereby he was openly declared to be the high priest of the church.

(2.) There were some acts and duties of his sacerdotal office yet remaining to be performed, which he could not orderly engage into until he had suffered, because they supposed and depended on the efficacy of his suffering. These he was now made meet and fit for, and consequently unto the complete discharge of the whole course of his office.

Being thus consecrated, ἐγένετο, “he was made,” “he became,” or “he was” only. Nothing was now wanting unto the great end aimed at in all these things, which is expressed in the next place.

Αἴτιος σωτηρίας αἱωνίου. Where his consecration is before mentioned, Hebrews 2:10, he is said to become ἀρχηγὸς σωτηρίας, a “captain of salvation.” And it is affirmed of him with respect unto his actual conduct of believers unto salvation, by the plentiful and powerful administration of his word and Spirit. supplying them with all fruits of grace and truth needful unto that end. Somewhat more is here intended. Αἴτιος is both “a cause in general,” and “he who is in any kind the cause of another thing.” And sometimes an “efficient cause,” and sometimes a “meritorious cause” is expressed thereby. In the first sense it is used by Isocrates ad. Phileb.: Θεοὺς τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἡμῖν αἰτίους ὅντας, “The gods are the author” (or “causes”) “of good things unto us;” that is, they bestow them on or work them in us. And Aristotle, de Mundo, useth a phrase of speech not unlike this: ῾Η ἐν οὐρανῷ δύναμις συμπασιν αἴτιος γίνεται σωτηρίας, “The power that is in heaven is the cause of safety to all things.” And sometimes it is taken for a meritorious or procuring cause, or him by whom any thing is procured; though most frequently in other authors he who is guilty or deserves evil is intended thereby. So he: Οὔκ ἐγὼ αἴτιος εἷμι ἀλλὰ ζεὺς καὶ μοῖρα . So αἴτιος is expounded by Eustathius, ὑπεύθυνος καὶ κολάσεως ἄξιος; but it is of the mine importance with reject unto what is good. The apostle, therefore, hath in this word respect unto all the ways and means whereby the Lord Christ either procured salvation for us or doth actually bestow it upon us.

And here also it will be necessary, for the further clearing of the importance of this word, to examine the endeavor of the forementioned expositor to corrupt the sense of it:

“Est vero,” saith he, “perfectissima salutis cause, quia peffectissima ratione salutem affert; nihil illi deest, nec ad vires, ac facultatem, nec ad studium et voluntatem salutis nostrae perficiendae. Nam et poenas peccatorum omnes a nobis potentia suâ arcet, et vitam aetemam largitur; spiritus nostros in manus suas suscipit; succurrit nobis in affiictionibus et opem promptè fert ne in fide succumbamus, inque poenas peccatis debits ea ratione incidamus.”

This, indeed, is “the voice of Jacob,” but “the hands” of this doctrine “are the hands of Esau.” For whilst by these words, for the most part true, we have a description given us how and on what account the Lord Jesus Christ, as our high priest, is the author and cause of our salvation, that which is indeed the principal reason hereof, and without which the other consideration would not be effectual, is omitted and excluded. For in the room of his satisfaction and expiation of sin by the propitiatory sacrifice of himself we are supplied with a keeping off, or driving from us, the punishment due unto our sins. But this kind of delivery from the punishment of sin by Christ is unscriptural, both name and thing. The tree way was that whereby he delivereth us from the curse and penalty of the law, so saving us from “the wrath to come.” And this was by his “bearing our sins in his own body on the tree;” by being “made sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” See 2 Corinthians 5:21; Romans 8:3; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24; Isaiah 53:6-8. The other things mentioned by this author Christ doth indeed, in carrying on the work of our salvation, and many other things of the like nature which he mentioneth not; all which are here included, but all with respect unto that foundation which was laid in his satisfactory oblation, which is by him here excluded.

We may therefore consider the Lord Christ as the “author of eternal salvation,” either with respect unto his own acts and works, whereby he wrought it or procured it; or with respect unto the effects of them, whereby it is actually communicated unto us: or we may consider him as the meritorious, procuring, purchasing, or as the efficient cause of our salvation. And in both respects the Lord Christ is said to be the author of our salvation, as the word doth signify him who is the cause of any thing in either kind. And where he is said to be the author of our salvation, nothing is to be excluded whereby he is so. In the first way, as the meritorious cause of our salvation, he is the author of it two ways:

1. By his oblation;

2. By his intercession.

Both these belong unto the means whereby he procures our salvation. And these, in the first place, are respected, because the apostle treats immediately of our salvation as arising from the priestly office of Christ. And,

1. In his oblation, which was the offering of himself as an expiatory sacrifice for our sins, accompanied with the highest acts of obedience, and the supplications mentioned, verse 7, two things may be considered unto this end:

(1.) The satisfaction he made therein for sins, with the expiation of our guilt; which is the foundation of our salvation, without which it was impossible we should be partakers of it.

(2.) The merit of his obedience therein, by which, according to the tenor of the covenant between God and him, he purchased and procured this salvation for us, Hebrews 9:14. On these two accounts was he in his oblation the author or cause of our salvation.

2. He is so also on the account of his intercession; for this is the name of that way whereby, with respect unto God, he makes effectual unto us what in his oblation he had purchased and procured, Hebrews 7:25-27. And this he doth as the meritorious cause thereof.

But secondly, he is also the efficient cause of our salvation; inasmuch as he doth by his Spirit, his grace, and his glorious power, actually communicate it unto us and collate it upon us. And this he doth in sundry instances, the principal whereof may be named:

1. He teacheth us the way of salvation, and leads us into it; which Socinus fondly imagined to be the only reason why he is called our Savior.

2. He makes us meet for it, and saves us from the power of sin, quickening, enlightening, and sanctifying of us, through the administration of his Spirit and grace.

3. He preserves and secures it unto us, in the assistance, deliverance, and victory he gives us against all oppositions, temptations, dangers, and troubles.

4. He both gives an entrance into it and assurance of it, in our justification and peace with God.

5. He will actually, by his glorious power, bestow upon us immortal life and glory, or give us the full possession of this salvation. In all these respects, with those many other streams of grace which flow from them, is the Lord Christ said to be the “author of our salvation.”

This salvation is said to be “eternal;” whereof see our exposition on Hebrews 2:3. So the redemption purchased by this offering of Christ is said to be “eternal,” Hebrews 9:12. And it is called so absolutely, comparatively, and emphatically.

1. Absolutely; it is eternal, endless, unchangeable, and permanent. We are made for an eternal duration. By sin we had made ourselves obnoxious to eternal damnation. If the salvation procured for us were not eternal, it would not be perfect, nor suited unto our condition.

2. It is also said to be eternal in comparison with and in opposition unto that or those temporal deliverances, or salvations, which the people under the law were made partakers of by the interposition of their legal priests and their sacrifices. For there were temporary punishments, and excisions by death, threatened unto divers transgressions of the law, as it was the administration of a temporal covenant unto that people. From these they might be freed by the ministry of their priests and carnal atonements. But those who were delivered from those penalties, and saved from the sentence of the law, were not thereby absolutely secured of deliverance from the curse annexed unto the moral law as a covenant of works. Their salvation, therefore, was not eternal And perhaps, also, respect may be had unto the deliverance of the people of old out of bondage, with their introduction into the land of Canaan, which was a temporary salvation only. But this is so absolutely; and,

3. Emphatically. It takes off indeed all temporal punishments as effects of the curse of the law. It gives temporal deliverance from fear and bondage by reason thereof. It supplies us with mercy, grace, and peace with God in this world. But all these things issuing in eternal blessedness, that being the end of them, being all bestowed on us in a tendency thereunto, the whole is emphatically called “eternal.”

Lastly, There is a limitation of the subject of this salvation, unto whom the Lord Christ is the cause and author of it; it is to “all them that obey him,” τοῖς ὑπακούουσιν αὐτῷ πᾶσιν. The expression is emphatical. To all and every one of them that obey him; not any one of them shall be excepted from a share and interest in this salvation; nor shall any one of any other sort be admitted thereunto. He is “the author of eternal salvation” only unto “them that obey him;” whether there be any other author of salvation to those who neither know him nor obey him, they may do well to inquire who suppose that such may be saved. A certain number, then, they are, and not all men universally, unto whom he is the author of salvation. And as these elsewhere are described by the antecedent cause hereof, namely, their election, and being given unto Christ by the Father; so here they are so by the effects of it in themselves, they are such as “obey him.” ῾Υπακούω is “to obey upon hearing,” “dicto obedire;” originally it signifies only “to hearken” or “hear,” but with a readiness, or subjection of mind unto what is heard, to do accordingly.

Hence it is faith in the first place that is intended in this obedience. For it is that which, in order unto our participation of Christ, first “cometh by hearing,” Romans 10:17; and that partly because the object of it, which is the promise, is proposed outwardly unto it in the word, where we hear of it and hear it; and partly because the preaching of the word, which we receive by hearing, is the only ordinary means of ingenerating faith in our souls. Hence to believe is expressed by ὑπακοὑειν, “to hear” so as to answer the ends of what is proposed unto us. The ensuing subjecting our souls unto Christ, in the keeping of his commands, is “the obedience of faith.” We may now draw some observations from the words, for our further instruction: as,

Obs. 1. All that befell the Lord Christ, all that he did and suffered, was necessary to this end, that he might be the cause of eternal salvation to believers.

Being “consecrated,” or “perfected,” he became so; and what belonged unto that consecration we have declared. This was that which he was of God designed unto. And the disposal of all things concerning him to this end was the fruit of infinite wisdom, goodness, and righteousness. No more was required of him, that he might be the author of eternal salvation unto believers, but what was absolutely necessary thereunto; nor was there an abatement made of any thing that was so necessary. Some have said, that “one drop of the blood of Christ was sufficient for the salvation of the whole world.” And some have made use of that saying, pretending that the overplus of his satisfaction and merit is committed to their disposal; which they manage to their advantage. But the truth is, every drop of his blood, that is, all he did and all he suffered, for matter and manner, in substance and circumstance, was in dispensably necessary unto this end. For God did not afflict his only Son willingly, or without cause in any thing, and his whole obedience was afflictive. He did not die nor suffer δωρεάν, Galatians 2:21, without an antecedent cause and reason. And nothing was wanting that was requisite hereunto. Some suppose that Christ was and is the author of salvation unto us only by showing, teaching, declaring the will of God, and the way of faith and obedience, whereby we may be saved. But why, then, was he consecrated in the way before described? why did it “become God to make him perfect through sufferings?” why was he “bruised and put to grief ?” for what cause was he reduced unto the state and condition described in the verse foregoing? Certainly such men have low thoughts of sin and its guilt, of the law and its curse, of the holiness and righteousness of God, of his love to Jesus Christ, yea, and of his wisdom, who suppose that the salvation of sinners could be attained without the price and merit of all that he did and suffered, or that God would have so dealt with his only Son, might it any otherwise have been attained. I might show in particular from the Scripture, how every thing that Christ did and suffered was not only useful, but necessary also, to this purpose, allowing the wisdom and righteousness of God to give the standard and measure of what is so; but I must not too far digress And hence it is evident,

1. How great a matter it is to have sinners made partakers of eternal redemption;

2. How great, how infinite was that wisdom, that love and grace, which contrived it and brought it about;

3. How great and terrible will be the ruin of them by whom this salvation is despised, when tendered according to the gospel, etc.

Obs. 2. The Lord Christ was consecrated himself in and by the sacrifice that he offered for us, and what he suffered in so doing. This belonged to the perfection both of his office and his offering. He had none to offer for him but himself, and he had nothing to offer but himself.

Obs. 3. The Lord Christ alone is the only principal cause of our eternal salvation, and that in every kind. There are many instrumental causes of it in sundry kinds. So is faith; so are the word and all the ordinances of the gospel; they are instrumental, helping, furthering causes of salvation, but all in subordination unto Christ, who is the principal, and who alone gives use and efficacy unto all others. How he is so, by his oblation and intercession, by his Spirit and grace, in his ruling and teaching, offices and power, is the chief work of the ministry to declare. God hath appointed that in all things he should have the preeminence. There are both internal and external means of salvation that he hath appointed, whereby he communicates unto us the virtue and benefit of his mediation. These it is our duty to make use of according to his appointment; so that we expect no relief or help from them, but only by them. So much as they have of Christ in them, so much as they convey of Christ unto us, of so much use they are, and no more. Not only, therefore, to set up any thing in competition against him, as the works of the law, or in conjunction with him, as the Papists do their penances, and pilgrimages, and pardons, and purgatory, is pernicious and ruinous unto the souls of men; but also, to expect any assistance by, or acceptance in, such acts of religion or worship as he hath not appointed, and therefore doth not fill up with his grace, nor communicate from his own fullness by it, is the highest folly imaginable. This, therefore, is the great wisdom of faith, to esteem of Christ and to rest upon him as that which he is indeed, namely, the only author of salvation unto them that believe. For,

Obs. 4. Salvation is confined to believers; and those who look for salvation by Christ, must secure it unto themselves by faith and obedience. It is Christ alone who is the cause of our salvation; but he will save none but those that obey him. He came to save sinners, but not such as choose to continue in their sins; though the gospel be full of love, of grace, of mercy, and pardon, yet herein the sentence of it is peremptory and decretory: “He that believeth not shall be damned.”