The Sabbath-School

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Dec 23, 1889

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 15, No. 49.

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The Sabbath-School.

Letter to the Hebrews.

HEBREWS 7:27 to 8:2.

(Lesson 14, January 4, 1890.)

1. WHY were there many priests of the order of Aaron?

2. Why is there but one of the order of Melchizedek?

3. How often did those priests offer up sacrifice?

"Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's; for this he did once, when he offered up himself." Heb. 7:27.

4. For whom did they offer sacrifice?—Ib. See Lev. 9:7.

5. How often did the high priest of the new covenant offer sacrifice? Heb. 7:27.

6. What sacrifice did he offer?—Ib.

7. Did he make any offering for himself?—Ib.

8. Why did he not offer for himself, as the other priests did?—Ib., and verse 26.

9. What kind of high priests were made by the law of Moses?

"For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated forevermore." Verse 28.

10. What is meant by their having infirmity? Ans.—They were frail, imperfect, not enduring.

11. What kind of priest was made by the oath? Verse 28.

12. What was the oath to which the apostle refers?

"The Lord has sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." Ps. 110:4.

13. What were the main points of difference between the two orders of priesthood? See note.

14. How does Paul sum up his argument?

"Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens." Heb. 8:1.

15. What does he mean by such a high priest? Ans.—Such as has been described in chapter 7.

16. Where is our high priest? Heb. 8:1.

17. Of what is he a minister?

"A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man." Verse 2.

18. In what scriptures do we first learn of the sanctuary? Ex. 25:1-8.

19. Who was to make the sanctuary?—Ib.

20. What was the object of the sanctuary?

"And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them." Verse 8.

21. How many apartments, or rooms, had the sanctuary?

"And thou shalt hang up the veil under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the veil the ark of the testimony; and the veil shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy." Ex. 26:33.

22. What were these rooms called?—Ib.

23. What was put in the first, or holy place? Ex. 26:35; 40:22-27.

24. What was in the second, or most holy?

"And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord unto his place, into the oracle of the house, to the most holy place, even under the wings of the cherubim." 1 Kings 8:6.

25. According to what was it built?

"According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it." "And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was showed thee in the mount." Ex. 25:9, 40.

NOTES.

HEBREWS 7 is a most interesting chapter. The subject of the Melchizedek priesthood was introduced in chapter 5:6; but the depth of the subject, and the reflection that the brethren to whom he was writing had not properly improved their opportunities, and were not well prepared to appreciate the weighty truths of which he had to speak, led the writer to make a digression, in which he first described their condition, and then gave them a most solemn admonition, pointing out their great danger, and then gave them encouragement, setting before them the example of Abraham, and the faithfulness and righteousness of God in keeping his promises. By a happy and natural process he turns the subject of our hope, which rests on the promises made to Abraham, in the direction of the priesthood of Christ after the order of Melchizedek, from which he had been diverted, which is the great object of this letter.

WITHOUT indulging in any curious speculations, or dealing in any inferences, we find at least ten prominent points of difference between the two orders of priesthood. We will enumerate them as follows:—

1. Christ's priesthood is kingly; it is on the throne of his Father in heaven. Aaron had no kingship.

2. In his priesthood no genealogy was reckoned. In Aaron's line no one could act unless his genealogy was clear and undisputed.

3. He was born of the tribe of Judah, though that fact was in nowise material to his priesthood. The other priests were of the tribe of Levi, and this was a necessity.

4. He can save completely, or to the uttermost. Their priesthood and service made nothing perfect.

5. His priesthood is in heaven. Theirs was earthly.

6. His priesthood is perpetual, not transferable. Theirs was temporary; their death caused a succession.

7. He is ever without sin. They had infirmity, and were sinners, even as others.

8. He offered but one sacrifice. They offered many, daily, year by year continually.

9. He offered no sacrifice for himself. They had to offer for themselves.

10. He was constituted priest by an oath of God. Their priesthood was arranged through a mortal man.

It would be difficult to add anything to the evidences of the dignity and efficiency of our High Priest. It was pertinent that the Lord should inquire what more could have been done to his vineyard—his people—that he has not done. Isa. 5:1-7. What fruit shall we render to him for such wondrous provision for our salvation?

At this point the apostle sums up and applies the argument, and then passes from the difference of the priests to the difference of the covenants under which they served, including the difference of the offerings. This line of argument he continues until he comes to the close of all priestly work, and the coming again of the Son of God unto the full salvation of them that look for him.