Hebrews 7:13

᾿Εφ᾿ ὅν γὰρ λέγεται ταῦτα, φυλῆς ἐτέρας μετέσχηκεν, ἀφ᾿ ἧς οὐδεὶς προσέσχηκε τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ.

᾿Εφ᾿ ὅν,” in quem.” “In quo,” Vulg. Lat. הָּו טֵּיר דֵּאתַאמְרִ עֲלַוְהִי חָלֵין, Syr.; “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., ‘ אֶתִילֵד, “was born of another tribe.” “Particeps fuit,” did derive his genealogy from, and so had his especial relation unto, another tribe. Προσέσχηκε, “ministravit,” “attendit.” Vulg., “praesto 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.

Hebrews 7:13. For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth unto another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.

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. In the words there is,

1. The subject to be further treated on described, ᾿Εφ᾿ ὅν λέγεται ταῦτα : that is, περὶ οὗ, “de quo,” “he concerning whom;” “quem designaverunt haec,” “ad quem haec pertinent,” “he who is designed in all these things,” “he unto whom they do all belong,” “he with respect unto whom 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. 1. 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 Peter 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 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.

2. It is added, φυλῆς 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 Hebrews 2:14. His share, lot, and interest, lay in another tribe.

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, ἀφ᾿ 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 Chronicles 26:16-21. And God exercised the greater severity herein, that the church might understand, that when he introduced and allowed of a priest of another tribe, that old priesthood must of necessity cease and be abolished. “No man gave attendance;” that is, had right so to do.

That expression, προσέσχηκε τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ, “attended,” “waited on the altar,” may be a synecdochical description of the whole priestly office from the principal work and duty belonging thereunto. But I suppose the apostle may not only include the priests, unto whom the immediate work of sacrificing at the altar did belong, but all those who attended the services of it, though they could neither burn incense nor offer sacrifice; that is, all the Levites in their courses. For he so excludes the tribe whereof he speaks from the least relation unto the sacerdotal work or office. None of them ever did or might draw near nor minister at the altar, in any sacred services whatsoever. See 1 Corinthians 9:13.

This entrance doth the apostle make into the confirmation of his assertion, that the priesthood was changed, and therewithal the law. For it appears that there was to be a priest who had no right by the law so to be, seeing he was of that tribe which the law utterly excluded from any interest in the sacred services of the altar, and much more those which were peculiar unto the Aaronical priests. Thus,

Obs. 2. All men's rights, duties, and privileges, in sacred things, are fixed and limited by divine institution. And,

Obs. 3. Seeing Christ himself had no right to minister at the material altar, the re-introduction of such altars is inconsistent with the perpetual continuance of his priesthood.