Hebrews 7:1-3
HISTORIC REFERENCE TO MELCHISEDEK... [ Continue Reading ]
HISTORIC REFERENCE TO MELCHISEDEK... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓͂ΤΟΣ ΓᾺΡ Ὁ ΜΕΛΧΙΣΕΔΈΚ. All that is historically known of Melchisedek is found in _three verses_ of the book of Genesis (Genesis 14:18-20). In all the twenty centuries of sacred history he is only mentioned _once_, in Psalms 110:4. This chapter is a mystical explanation of the significance of thes... [ Continue Reading ]
CH. 7. CHRIST, AS AN ETERNAL HIGH PRIEST AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHISEDEK, IS SUPERIOR TO THE LEVITIC HIGH PRIEST Historic reference to Melchisedek (1–3). His Priesthood typically superior to that of Aaron in seven particulars. i. Because even Abraham gave him tithes (4–6). ii. Because he blessed Abr... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΡΩ͂ΤΟΝ. This seems to imply that of his two names or titles “Melchisedek,” and “King of Salem,” the _first_ means “King of Righteousness” and the second “King of Peace.” In a passage of mystic interpretation like this, however, the writer may intend to suggest that there is a direct connexion betwe... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΦΩΜΟΙΩΜΈΝΟΣ ABK. The less correct form ἀφομοιωμένος is found in CDEL. 3. ἈΠΆΤΩΡ, ἈΜΉΤΩΡ, ἈΓΕΝΕΑΛΌΓΗΤΟΣ, “_without lineage_” or “_pedigree_” as in Hebrews 7:6. The mistaken rendering “without _descent_” is ancient, for in consequence of it Irenaeus claims Melchisedek as one who had lived a celibate... [ Continue Reading ]
ΘΕΩΡΕΙ͂ΤΕ ΔΈ, “_Now contemplate spiritually_.” ΠΗΛΊΚΟΣ ΟὟΤΟΣ. Here begin the seven particulars of the typical superiority of Melchisedek’s Priesthood over that of Aaron. FIRST. Even Abraham gave him tithes. ὯΙ ΚΑῚ ΔΕΚΆΤΗΝ Κ.Τ.Λ. The καὶ must not be connected with Ἀβραὰμ by trajection (_hyperbaton_... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE EVEN ABRAHAM GAVE HIM TITHES... [ Continue Reading ]
ἹΕΡΑΤΕΊΑΝ. Defined by Aristotle to mean “care concerning the gods.” ἈΠΟΔΕΚΑΤΟΙ͂Ν. The Priests only took tithes of the people indirectly, through the agency of the Levites. Delitzsch argues that after the Exile the Priests collected the tithes themselves. It cannot however be proved that the Priests... [ Continue Reading ]
Ὁ ΔῈ ΜῊ ΓΕΝΕΑΛΟΓΟΎΜΕΝΟΣ. Οὐ, which might have been here expected, would simply state the _fact_. The μὴ is practically here a stronger negative because it denies the very conception. Comp. Luke 1:20, καὶ ἔσῃ … μὴ δυνάμενος λαλῆσαι. John 7:49, ὁ ὄχλος οὗτος ὁ μὴ γιγνώσκων τὸν νόμον. ΕΥ̓ΛΌΓΗΚΕΝ, “_an... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE HE BLESSED ABRAHAM 7. ὙΠῸ ΤΟΥ͂ ΚΡΕΊΤΤΟΝΟΣ, i.e. the inferior is blessed by one who is (_pro hac vice_ or _quoad hoc_) the Superior. Hence blessing was one of the recognised priestly functions (Numbers 6:23-26).... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE HE IS THE TYPE OF AN _UNDYING_ PRIEST 8. ΚΑῚ ὯΔΕ. As things now are; while the Levitic priesthood still continues. ἈΠΟΘΝΉΣΚΟΝΤΕΣ ἌΝΘΡΩΠΟΙ, “_weak dying men_”—men who are under liability to die (comp. Hebrews 7:23), as in the lines “He preached as one who ne’er should preach again, And _as... [ Continue Reading ]
ὩΣ ἜΠΟΣ ΕἸΠΕΙ͂Ν, “_so to speak_”; shewing the writer’s consciousness that the expression is somewhat strained, especially as even Isaac was not born till 14 years later. The phrase is classic, and is common in Philo, but is the only example of the adverbial infinitive in the N. T. (Winer, p. 399), a... [ Continue Reading ]
9, 10. BECAUSE EVEN THE YET UNBORN LEVI PAID HIM TITHES, IN THE PERSON OF ABRAHAM... [ Continue Reading ]
ἘΠʼ ΑΥ̓ΤΗ͂Σ אABCDE. The rec. has ἐπʼ αὐτῇ, K al. ΝΕΝΟΜΟΘΈΤΗΤΑΙ אABCD. Rec. νενομοθέτητο. 11. ΕἸ ΜῈΝ ΟὟΝ Κ.Τ.Λ. At this point begins the _a fortiori_ argument which occupies the next nine verses. “Perfection” (compare the verb in Hebrews 9:9; Hebrews 10:1; Hebrews 10:14; Hebrews 11:40) means power... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE THE PERMANENCE OF HIS PRIESTHOOD, CONTINUED BY CHRIST, IMPLIED THE ABROGATION OF THE WHOLE LEVITIC LAW... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΕΤΑΤΙΘΕΜΈΝΗΣ. He here uses the comparatively mild and delicate term “being _transferred_.” When he has prepared the mind of his readers by a little further argument, he substitutes for μετάθεσις the much stronger word “_annulment_” (ἀθέτησις, Hebrews 7:18). It is a characteristic of the writer to b... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΕΤΈΣΧΗΚΕΝ followed by προσέσχηκεν is probably an intentional paronomasia, and is well supported by the MSS. (אDEKL). πρόσεσχεν AC. 13. ΜΕΤΈΣΧΗΚΕΝ, “_hath had part in_.” The expression seems to be designedly indirect, with reference to the Virgin birth. ΟΥ̓ΔΕΊΣ. Sacerdotal privileges were exclusiv... [ Continue Reading ]
ΠΕΡῚ ἹΕΡΈΩΝ אABCDE. The περὶ ἱερωσύνης of the rec. is an explanatory gloss. 14. ΠΡΌΔΗΛΟΝ, “_known to all_.” The word πρόδηλον occurs in 1 Timothy 5:24-25. The delicate shades of difference between μετέσχηκεν … προσέσχηκεν, πρόδηλον … κατάδηλον shew the careful elaboration of the style. ἈΝΑΤΈΤΑΛΚΕΝ,... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΤΆΔΗΛΟΝ. The word used is stronger than πρόδηλον in Hebrews 7:14 and does not occur elsewhere in the N.T. The change of the Law can be _yet more decisively inferred_ from the fact that Melchisedek is not only a Priest of a different tribe from Levi, but a priest constituted in a wholly different m... [ Continue Reading ]
ΣΑΡΚΊΝΗΣ אABCDL. Corrected by copyists into the common word σαρκικῆς. See the note. 16. ΚΑΤᾺ ΝΌΜΟΝ ἘΝΤΟΛΗ͂Σ ΣΑΡΚΊΝΗΣ. Rather, “_in accordance with_ the law of a fleshen (i.e. earthly) commandment.” Neither this writer, nor even St Paul, ever called or would have called the Law “carnal” (σαρκικός), a... [ Continue Reading ]
ΜΑΡΤΥΡΕΙ͂ΤΑΙ אABDE. Rec. μαρτυρεῖ. 17. ΜΑΡΤΥΡΕΙ͂ΤΑΙ, “_he is testified of_.” ὍΤΙ. This serves the purpose of our modern marks of quotation.... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΘΈΤΗΣΙΣ. See note on Hebrews 7:12. Comp. Galatians 3:15. ΓΊΝΕΤΑΙ, “_there occurs_” or “_results_,” in accordance with Psalms 110:4. ΠΡΟΑΓΟΎΣΗΣ. Comp. 1 Timothy 1:18; 1 Timothy 5:24. The “commandment” was only a temporary precursor of the final dispensation. ἘΝΤΟΛΉΣ. Most ancient and modern comme... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟΥ̓ΔῈΝ … ἘΤΕΛΕΊΩΣΕΝ. This is illustrated in Hebrews 9:6-9. ἘΠΕΙΣΑΓΩΓῊ ΔῈ Κ.Τ.Λ. The better punctuation is “There results a disannulment of the preceding commandment on account of its weakness and unprofitableness—for the Law perfected nothing—but (there results) the superinduction of a better hope.... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΘʼ ὍΣΟΝ ΟΥ̓ ΧΩΡῚΣ ὉΡΚΩΜΟΣΊΑΣ. This is the SIXTH point of superiority. He has lingered at much greater length over the FIFTH than over the others, from the extreme importance of the argument which it incidentally involved. The oath on which the Melchisedek Priesthood was founded is that of Psalms 1... [ Continue Reading ]
BECAUSE IT WAS FOUNDED ON THE SWEARING OF AN OATH... [ Continue Reading ]
ΟἹ ΜῈΝ ΓᾺΡ Κ.Τ.Λ., “_these men have been made priests without an oath_.” There is no mention of any oath of perpetuity in connexion with the Aaronic priesthood. ΕἸΣῚΝ ΓΕΓΟΝΌΤΕΣ. This is merely the periphrastic perfect (_sind geworden_).... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΡΕΊΤΤΟΝΟΣ ΔΙΑΘΉΚΗΣ. “_By so much better was the covenant of which Jesus has been made surety_.” The words—which might be taken as the keynote of the whole Epistle—should undoubtedly be rendered “of a better _covenant_.” The Greek word διαθήκη is the rendering of the Hebrew _Berîth_, which means a c... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑῚ ΟἹ ΜῈΝ Κ.Τ.Λ. “_And they truly have been constituted priests many in number_.” ΘΑΝΆΤΩΙ. The vacancies caused in their number by the ravages of death required to be constantly replenished (Numbers 20:28; Exodus 29:29-30).... [ Continue Reading ]
23, 24. BECAUSE IT IS INTRANSMISSIBLE, NEVER BEING VACATED BY DEATH... [ Continue Reading ]
Ὁ ΔΈ, “_but He_.” The A.V. “but _this man_” is not felicitous. ἈΠΑΡΆΒΑΤΟΝ, “_hath his priesthood unchangeable_” (Oecumen. ἀτελεύτητον, Theoph. ἀδιάδοχον, _sempiternum_ Vulg.): a rendering which is more in accordance with usage than “untransmissible,” “a priesthood that doth not pass to another,” as... [ Continue Reading ]
ΕἸΣ ΤῸ ΠΑΝΤΕΛΈΣ, i.e. “_to the consummate end_.” All the Apostles teach that Christ “is able to keep us from falling and to present us faultless before the presence of His glory” (Jude 1:24; Romans 8:34; John 6:37-39). ΣΏΖΕΙΝ. He saves them in accordance with His name of Jesus, “the Saviour.” Benge... [ Continue Reading ]
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION... [ Continue Reading ]
ΤΟΙΟΥ͂ΤΟΣ ΓΆΡ. The “_for_” clinches the whole argument with a moral consideration. There was _a spiritual fitness_ in this annulment of the imperfect Law and Priesthood, and the introduction of a better hope and covenant. So great and so sympathetic and so innocent a High Priest was suited to our ne... [ Continue Reading ]
ΚΑΘʼ ἩΜΈΡΑΝ. A difficulty is suggested by this word, because the High Priest did not offer sacrifices daily, but only once a year on the Day of Atonement. In any case the phrase would be a mere verbal inaccuracy, since the High Priest could be regarded as _potentially_ ministering in the daily sacri... [ Continue Reading ]
ἈΝΘΡΏΠΟΥΣ, i.e. ordinary “human beings.” ΜΕΤᾺ ΤῸΝ ΝΌΜΟΝ. Namely, in Psalms 110:4. ΤΕΤΕΛΕΙΩΜΈΝΟΝ, “_who has been perfected_.” The word “consecrated” in our A.V. is a reminiscence of Leviticus 21:10; Exodus 29:9. The “perfected” has the same meaning as in Hebrews 2:10; Hebrews 5:9.... [ Continue Reading ]