Letter to the Hebrews

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Dec 16, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 48.

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Letter to the Hebrews.

HEBREWS 7:15-26.

(Lesson 13, December 28, 1889.)

1. To whom was the priesthood given in the law of Moses?

2. How strict was the law on this subject?

3. How, then, could Christ become a priest?

4. How were the first priests said to be made?

"Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life." Heb. 7:16.

5. What is meant by a carnal commandment? See notes.

6. How was Christ made a priest? — Ib.

7. Why was the former commandment disannulled?

"For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof." Verse 18.

8. Why was it unprofitable?

"For the law made nothing perfect." Verse 19, first part.

9. What was brought in when that was disannulled?

"For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God." Verse 19. See note.

10. How did the Father declare the priesthood of his Son?

"And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest (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 forever after the order of Melchizedec)." Verses 20, 21.

11. What did this indicate? Ans. — The oath of God, from which he would not turn, indicated the honor and dignity of the priesthood of Christ, to show which is, indeed, the object of this entire chapter.

12. Of what did he become surety?

"By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament." Verse 22.

13. What is meant by his becoming surety of a covenant? See note.

14. Why were there many priests under the old covenant?

"And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death." Verse 23.

15. Why is the priesthood of Christ perpetual?

"But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood." Verse 24.

Perpetual, not transferred from one to another, gives a better idea of the fact stated than the word unchangeable.

16. What further assurance does this give to us?

"Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." Verse 25. See note.

17. How is it that such a high priest became us?

"For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens." Verse 26.

This means that he is a high priest in every way suited or fitted to our wants. The Aaronic priests could not meet our necessities — could not take away sin.

18. What is the character of our high priest? — Ib.

19. Did any of the Levitical priests resemble him in this respect? Ans. — The laws concerning the purity, in both person and character, of the high priest, were very strict. But no man ever bore the character here described.

20. What is meant by his being higher than the heavens? See Eph. 1:18, 22; 1 Peter 3:22.

NOTES.

CARNAL means fleshly; a carnal commandment means a commandment pertaining to the flesh. Carnal does not always nor necessarily mean sinful or evil. The Levitical system was not spiritual; perfection was not by nor in it. The word seems here to have reference to the frailty and mutability of mortal priests. This is rendered quite certain by the contrast, they were made priests by a carnal commandment; he after the power of an endless life.

Of course the commandment that is disannulled is the same as the law of Heb. 7:12. There was a disannulling of the entire ecclesiastical law of that dispensation, of which the priesthood was the center. Verse 19 is obscured by the common rendering. The first clause should certainly be in parentheses. "For there was verily a disannulling of the preceding commandment for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof (for the law made

nothing perfect), but [there was] the bringing in of a better hope, by which we draw nigh unto God." The actual contrast in the passage is destroyed by the introduction of the word "did," in our version. There was a disannulling of the one and there was a bringing in of the other. The first made nothing perfect — by the second we draw nigh unto God. The first had to be taken away, that the second might have place. There is a force to the expression "by which we draw nigh unto God," that is generally overlooked. Thus it is said that Moses drew nigh unto God, while the people stood afar off. Ex. 20:21; 24:1. And so the priests drew nigh unto God in his sanctuary, even into his presence, but it was death to the people to come near. But under the intercession of our high priest we are all said to draw nigh unto God. See the same contrast presented in 2 Cor. 3:12-18. What gracious privileges are conferred through the gospel of Christ.

BECOMING the surety of the covenant is a strange expression; such an idea is nowhere else found in the Scriptures. Jesus is not only the mediator of the better covenant, but he becomes surety — he seems to assume the responsibility of seeing that the object of the covenant shall be accomplished. This is an additional assurance to those who place their cases in his hands. But in this word, or in this transaction, there is no room given for presumption. It may not be said, I will do nothing, or, I have nothing to do; Jesus is my surety, and he will do all in my behalf. In any transaction no one would become surety for another who made no effort to be just. The first covenant had no surety, for the priests could not insure perfection, either in obedience, or by virtue of their offerings. How great reason have we to be thankful, for, with such a high priest as we have, there can be no failure in this covenant, unless it be through our own neglect or willfulness.

BECAUSE Christ has unending life and a perpetual priesthood, he is able to save completely — to the uttermost — them that come to him. No case can be forgotten or neglected in the transfer of office from one to another, or by reason of the infirmity and inefficiency of the advocate. Everything connected with his priesthood is calculated to give encouragement and assurance to those who put their trust in him.

ADDITIONAL NOTES.

THE answer to question 7 can only be understood by keeping in mind the comparison which is being drawn between the priesthood of Christ and the priesthood of Aaron. It is of Christ that Heb. 7:16 speaks. It can be paraphrased thus: "Who [Christ] is made, not after a law of a carnal commandment [as were the Levitical priests who, being 'compassed with infirmity,' were weak and short-lived, and therefore were not efficient helpers], but [he, Christ, was made] after the power of an endless life."

IT is well for the student to remember that "testament" and "covenant" come from the same Greek word, "diathēke."

THE high priest here on earth was "compassed with infirmity" while he was high priest. He was mortal, fallible, imperfect. If he undertook the case of a sinner, what could he do? — He could sympathize with the sinner; he could bear with his failures (Heb. 5:2) to some extent; he could learn where the sinner most needed help; he could point him to God; then he might die. The poor sinner falls again, and the priest who had helped, pitied, befriended, consoled, is dead. He must go to another, just as weak, just as much compassed about with infirmity. Truly in man there is no help.

BUT how different with our great High Priest. Once he was compassed with infirmity, but not now; that was before he became a high priest. He was made flesh, he met man's trials and temptations, realized their power, suffered but yielded not for one moment; but in the enduring, in the suffering, he was "perfected forevermore" (Heb. 7:28, margin); "made perfect" (Heb. 5:7-9); therefore while he can sympathize with and pity those who are in the flesh, he stands in all helpfulness, "higher than the heavens," in whom is all power, all fullness. And this precious, mighty Redeemer will dwell in our hearts by faith and enable us to overcome, even as he overcame.

"HIGHER than the heavens" means that he is above all creatures, however high they may be. All power was given him not only in earth but in heaven. He sat on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. The intelligences of heaven, who once with surprise and grief saw him made lower than themselves, and sympathized with him, are now far beneath him, counting it the highest privilege even to adore.