Hebrews 10:21

And having an high priest over the house of God; HIGH PRIEST, [ hierea (G2409) megan (G3173)]. A different term [ archiereus (G749)] is used always in this letter for "high priest." Translate, 'A Great Priest:' one at once King and "Priest upon His throne" (Zechariah 6:13): a royal Priest, and a priestly King. HOUSE OF GOD - the spiritual house, the Church, made up of believers, whose home is heaven, where Jesus, their Head, now is (Hebrews 12:22). Thus heaven is included, as well as the Church, whose home it is....

21._And having a high priest, etc. _Whatever he has previously said of the abrogation of the ancient priesthood, it behaves us now to bear in mind, for Christ could not be a priest without having the former priests divested of their office, as it was another order. He then intimates that all those things which Christ had changed at his coming ought to be relinquished; and God has set him over his whole house for this end, — that every one who seeks a place in the Church, may submit to Christ and choose him, and no other, as his leader and ruler. (172)...

19-25 The apostle having closed the first part of the epistle, the doctrine is applied to practical purposes. As believers had an open way to the presence of God, it became them to use this privilege. The way and means by which Christians enjoy such privileges, is by the blood of Jesus, by the merit of that blood which he offered up as an atoning sacrifice. The agreement of infinite holiness with pardoning mercy, was not clearly understood till the human nature of Christ, the Son of God, was wounded and bruised for our sins. Our way to heaven is by a crucified Saviour; his death is to us the way of life, and to those who believe this, he will be precious. They must draw near to God; it would be contempt of Christ, still to keep at a distance. Their bodies were to be washed with pure water, alluding to the cleansings directed under the law: thus the use of water in baptism, was to remind...

Verse 21. _A HIGH PRIEST OVER THE HOUSE OF GOD_] The _house_ or family of God is the Christian Church, or all true believers in the Lord Jesus. Over this Church, house, or family, Christ is the High Priest-in their behalf he offers his own blood, and their prayers and praises; and as the high priest had the ordering of all things that appertained to the house and worship of God, so has Christ in the government of his Church. This government he never gave into other hands. As none can govern and preserve the world but God, so none can govern and save the Church but the Lord Jesus: He is _over_ the house; He is its _President_; he instructs, protects, guides, feeds, defends, and saves the flock. Those who have such a President may well have _confidence_; for with him is the fountain of life, and he has all power in the heavens and in the earth....

AND HAVING AN HIGH PRIEST OVER THE HOUSE OF GOD - Over the spiritual house of God; that is, the church; compare the notes on Hebrews 3:1. Under the Jewish dispensation there was a great high priest, and the same is true under the Christian dispensation. This the apostle had shown at length in the previous part of the Epistle. The idea here is, that as under the former dispensation it was regarded as a privilege that the people of God might have access to the mercy-seat by means of the high priest; so it is true in a much higher sense that we may now have access to God through our greater and more glorious High Priest....

EXPOSITION HEBREWS 10:1 CONCLUDING SUMMARY OF THE ARGUMENT WITH RESPECT TO CHRIST'S ETERNAL PRIESTHOOD. HEBREWS 10:1 FOR THE LAW, HAVING A SHADOW OF THE GOOD THINGS TO COME, AND NOT THE VERY IMAGE OF THE THINGS, CAN NEVER WITH THE SAME SACRIFICES YEAR BY YEAR, WHICH THEY OFFER CONTINUALLY, MAKE THE COMERS THEREUNTO PERFECT. The Law is said here to exhibit a _shadow _(σκιὰν)_ _of _the good things to come _(τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν), viz. of the "good things" of which Christ is come as "High Priest" ...

AND [HAVING AN] HIGH PRIEST OVER THE HOUSE OF GOD. The church of God, over which Christ is as prophet, priest, and King, and as the Son and owner of it; Hebrews 3:6; Hebrews 4:14. In the Greek text it is, "a great priest"; so the Messiah is called by the Targum on Zechariah 6:12 כהן רב, "a great priest", as he is; even a great high priest, as in Hebrews 4:14, and greater than Aaron, and any of his sons....

Hebrews 10:1. _For the law_ The old ceremonial law of Moses, Hebrews 10:1. _Having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect._ Those that were sprinkled with the blood of the Old Testament sacrifices did not feel that their sin was for ever put away. They went back, after the victim had been offered, with a certain measure of rest and relief, but not with that perfect rest which is the accompaniment of the pardon that Jesus gives to those who come unto God through him. Hebrews 10:2. _For_ If the worshippers had thus

CHAPTER 10 _ 1. The all-sufficiency of the one offering (Hebrews 10:1)_ 2. Exhortations (Hebrews 10:19) 3. Warning (Hebrews 10:26) 4. Encouragements (Hebrews 10:32) Hebrews 10:1 The precious truth the apostle has unfolded in the preceding Chapter s concerning Christ, His one offering He made, His own blood by which He entered once for all into the holy place the one all sufficient sacrifice, which has an eternal value and can never be repeated, is now still more practically applied. This one off

The exhortation opens with a few verses of general appeal, which sum up the results of the foregoing discussion. A free access to God's presence has been given us through the offering of Christ, who has inaugurated a way hitherto unknown, and depending not on mechanical ordinances but on His own living person. He inaugurated this way by breaking through the limitations of His earthly life as through a curtain. A new turn is here given to the analogy of the High Priest passing into the holy of holies. The earthly existence of Jesus is conceived as a curtain, which divided Him for a time from the perfect fellowship with God, and which was parted by His death. As we have a new way, so we have also a new and greater High Priest to represent us as the community of God (Hebrews 10:21). Let us therefore have done with all doubt and misgiving, and make our approach to God with that inward purity...