Hebrews 4:14

Exhortation founded on Christ's High Priesthood

14. Seeing then that we have a great high priest These verses refer back to Hebrews 2:17; Hebrews 3:1, and form the transition to the long proof and illustration of Christ's superiority to the Levitic Priesthood which occupies the Epistle to Hebrews 10:18. The writer here reverts to his central thought, to which he has already twice alluded (Hebrews 2:17; Hebrews 3:1). He had proved that Christ is superior to Angels the ministers, and to Moses the servant of the old Dispensation, and (quite incidentally) to Joshua. He has now to prove that He is like Aaron in all that made Aaron's priesthood precious, but infinitely superior to him and his successors, and a pledge to us of the grace by which the true rest can be obtained. Christ is not only a High Priest, but "a greatHigh Priest," an expression also found in Philo (Opp. i. 654).

that is passed into the heavens Rather, "who hath passed through the heavens" the heavens being here the lower heavens, regarded as a curtain which separates us from the presence of God. Christ has passed not only intobut abovethe heavens (Hebrews 7:26). Transiit, non modo intravit, caelos. Bengel.

Jesus the Son of God The title combines His earthly and human name with his divine dignity, and thus describes the two natures which make His Priesthood eternally necessary.

our profession Rather, "our confession," as in Hebrews 3:1.