Hebrews 7:20

And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest: Another superiority of Christ's Melchisedek-like priesthood: the oath of God gave a solemn weight to it which was not in the law-priesthood, not so confirmed. HE WAS MADE PRIEST - rather supply from , which completes the sentence begun in this verse, being a parenthesis, 'Inasmuch as not without an oath, He was made surety of the testament (for, etc.), of so much better a testament hath Jesus been made the surety.'...

20._And inasmuch as not without an oath, etc. _Here is another argument, why the Law ought to give place to the Gospel; for God has set Christ’s priesthood above that of Aaron, since in honor to the former he was pleased to make an oath. For when he appointed the ancient priests, he introduced no oath; but it is said of Christ, the Lord swore; which was doubtless done for the sake of honoring him. We see the end for which he again quotes the Psalmist, even that we may know, that more honor through God’s oath was given to Christ than to any others. But we must bear in mind this truth, that a priest is made that he may be the surety of a covenant. The Apostle hence concludes, that the covenant which God has made by Christ with us, is far more excellent than the old covenant of which Moses was the interpreter....

11-25 The priesthood and law by which perfection could not come, are done away; a Priest is risen, and a dispensation now set up, by which true believers may be made perfect. That there is such a change is plain. The law which made the Levitical priesthood, showed that the priests were frail, dying creatures, not able to save their own lives, much less could they save the souls of those who came to them. But the High Priest of our profession holds his office by the power of endless life in himself; not only to keep himself alive, but to give spiritual and eternal life to all who rely upon his sacrifice and intercession. The better covenant, of which Jesus was the Surety, is not here contrasted with the covenant of works, by which every transgressor is shut up under the curse. It is distinguished from the Sinai covenant with Israel, and the legal dispensation under which the church so lo...

Verse 20. _NOT WITHOUT AN OATH_] "The apostle's reasoning here is founded on this, that God never interposed his _oath_, except to show the _certainty_ and _immutability_ of the thing sworn. Thus he sware to _Abraham_, Genesis 22:16-1, that _in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed_; and to the rebellious _Israelites_, Deuteronomy 1:34; Deuteronomy 1:35, that _they should not enter into his rest_; and to _Moses_, Deuteronomy 4:21, that _he should not go into Canaan_; and to _David_,...

AND INASMUCH AS NOT WITHOUT AN OATH - In addition to every other consideration showing the superiority of Christ as a priest, there was the solemnity of the oath by which he was set apart to the office. The appointment of one to the office of priest by an oath, such as occurred in the case of Jesus, was much more solemn and important than where the office was received merely by descent....

EXPOSITION THE PRIEST AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK. The exposition of Christ's heavenly priesthood is now at length taken up and carried out. It extends to Hebrews 10:19, forming the central part of the whole Epistle; and in the course of it is set forth also how the whole Jewish economy did in fact only prefigure and prepare for this one availing priesthood of the true High Priest of mankind. The peculiar thesis of Hebrews 7:1. is "after the order of Melchizedek," the question being—What is signified by this designation of the Messiah in the hundred and tenth psalm? The remarkable import of that psalm, in that it assigns priesthood as well as royalty to the Son, wa

AND INASMUCH AS NOT WITHOUT AN OATH,.... Our version supplies as follows, HE WAS MADE PRIEST; which well agrees with what is said in the next verse; the Syriac version renders it, "and which he confirmed to us by an oath"; that is, the better hope, Christ and his priesthood, said to be brought in, and by which men draw nigh to God; this is established by the oath of God himself referring to Psalms 110:4 afterwards cited in proof of it....

Hebrews 7:15. _And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof._ The old Levitical law is disannulled; it became weak and unprofitable; and now a higher and better dispensation is ushered in with a greater and undying priesthood. Hebrews 7:19. _For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God._ That is all it did: it was a stepping-stone towards something better. «

CHAPTER 7 _ 1. The priesthood of Melchisedec in contrast with the Levitical priesthood (Hebrews 7:1)_ 2. The holy and heavenly priesthood of Christ (Hebrews 7:20) Hebrews 7:1 The interrupted argument concerning the priesthood of Christ is now resumed. It connects with Hebrews 5:10. There we find Melchisedec mentioned for the first time, and here the historical Melchisedec is first of all described. The record is given in Genesis 14:18. He met Abraham, who returned from the smiting of the Kings, and blessed him. Abraham gav

THE MELCHIZEDEK PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST. It is shown that Scripture itself makes reference to a type of priesthood which is quite distinct from the Levitical. The nature of this priesthood is set forth (Hebrews 7:1) in terms of the description given in Genesis 14 of the priest Melchizedek. That some peculiar significance attached to him may be inferred from his name, and the name of his city. Still more suggestive is the fact that nothing is said as to his parentage, or his descent, or his birth and death. He was not one of a family of priests, but stands solitary, a priest in his own right, who never assumed and never lost his office. In all his attributes he comes before us as an earthly type of the Son of God (Hebrews 7:1)....