Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Hebrews 7:24

Hebrews 7:24. But he because of his abiding for ever (i.e in His life, John 12:34) hath his priesthood unchangeable (‘inviolable'). The active sense of the word rendered ‘unchangeable' (‘what does not pass over to another') is very unusual, and therefore less likely; but either meaning makes a good, and nearly the same, sense. By some commentators the ‘abiding' which is here affirmed of Christ is applied not to His life, but to His priesthood. If this meaning seem preferable, it needs then to be kept in mind that the ‘for ever' of the Psalm relates to the priesthood of Christ, and answers to the ‘for ever' of the arrangement with Melchisedec each of them having reference to the covenant to which they belong, and so not eternal in the case of Melchisedec, nor even in the case of Christ; for though the life of Christ is eternal, as are the effects of His priesthood, yet His exercise of that office will cease when all the glorious ends of it are completely answered in the eternal salvation of the redeemed, even as He will then deliver up the kingdom to the Father (1 Corinthians 15:24). But the more natural reference of ‘for ever' is to His life.

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Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary (4 vols)

Hebrews 7:24

Old Testament

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