in precepts and prohibitions: it is powerful in promises and threats it is piercing in judgments and condemnations. 13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do. That is, to Whom we have to give account, for " we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of CHRIST;" "Hell and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men." 14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, JESUS the SON of God, The passing into the highest heaven of the LORD JESUS (represented on earth by the High Priest passing into the Holy of Holies,) implied that the work of redemption was complete-" It is finished," and that complete access to the FATHER was thereby opened up. let us hold fast our profession. The profession which we made at our Baptism, when we engaged to renounce the devil and all his works, and constantly to believe God's holy Word, and obediently to keep His command ments. But think not, the Apostle continues, that because our High Priest has passed from earth into heaven, that therefore He cannot feel for us and with us. 15 For we have not an High Priest Which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Prayer is the chain which draws down our Deliverer to us on earth, and raises us up to Him in heaven: to them that ask is the promise given; to them that rightly ask, "ask in faith nothing wavering;" for the eternal purpose of GOD in CHRIST JESUS is, that we should have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him. LORD, teach us to pray. CHAPTER V. 1 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to GOD, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins :' 2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. 3 And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. 4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of GOD, as was Aaron. Here we find four qualifications for the Priesthood mentioned; and as the Apostle had just before been speaking of our LORD JESUS, he proceeds to show that these qualifications were all to be found in Him. 1. The Priest must be taken from among men, must have the nature of man (verse 1.) Of this qualification as regards our Redeemer there was no question with the Hebrews; whatever else He was, He certainly was Man. 2. He, as standing between GOD and man, must be able to offer to GOD on man's behalf (verse 1;) this for the present S. Paul postpones. He treats of it fully in chapters vii., viii., and ix. 3. He must be able to enter into the feelings of men, and be tender and compassionate toward them (verse 2.) Of this qualification the Apostle speaks in verses 7-10. And 4. He must have a visible call from GOD, as Aaron had (verse 4.) Of our LORD's call the Apostle now speaks. 1 Lev. ix. 7, 8; Numb. xv. 22-29. 5 So also CHRIST glorified not Himself to be made an High Priest; He waited, not only until He, as Man, was of the age which the law of Moses required, namely thirty, but also until He had been anointed for His office by the HOLY SPIRIT, and called of God.1 A great lesson surely for all who profess to be His followers, not to thrust themselves into the Priesthood, nor to rely on any inward call, but to wait until the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls calls them, by the Bishops of the Church, who are in this matter His representatives here on earth. but He That said unto Him, Thou art My Son, to-day have I begotten Thee. 6 As He saith also in another place, Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Here is what may be called our LORD's ordination. Ages before He came in the flesh, GOD designated Him for the Priesthood; such designation we may observe, is with GOD the same as the actual deed: for "He spake and it was done;" and then thirty years after He came into the world, by being "born of the Virgin Mary," GOD visibly anointed Him. This qualification then was found in Him, "He was called of GOD." Of the thorough reality of His human feelings, the HOLY SPIRIT now proceeds to speak. 7 Who in the days of His flesh, That is, while He was still subject to human infirmity; for He has "His Flesh" now, and reigns with it in glory. when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him That was able to save Him from death, The "fear of death then had fallen upon Him;" He had this, and, with this, other human feelings. The Apostle alludes apparently to the time of our LORD's mysterious agony in the garden of Gethsemane. and was heard in that He feared 1 See S. Matt. iii. Or because of His reverential fear and piety, manifested in the words "not My will, but Thine be done." Here again He showed Himself possessed of human feelings; in His sorrow He gave Himself unto prayer, He as Man sought Him Who could save Him: "Hear My voice, O GOD, in My prayer, preserve My life from fear of the enemy." If the HOLY SPIRIT is alluding to the prayer made by the blessed One in the garden of Gethsemane, it might have been thought, that then He was not heard, in that He was not delivered from death. Perhaps for this very reason we are so distinctly told that He was heard: He was not indeed delivered from actual death, but He was "strengthened" by the Angel from heaven to go through it; and He was delivered from being held by death; He was to rise from the dead, and by being raised again to justify many: surely this was being heard. But JESUS praying, or fearing, is full of mystery. GOD grant us to think as we ought of such subjects. 8 Though He were a SoN, Rather the SON, the SON of GOD, and One with GOD, and GOD. yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; He learned by experience how sore a trial temptation is, how great a thing obedience is, how much God's grace and strength are needed by man. And having learned by experience (the only knowledge which previously He could not have had,) and thus having all His sympathy for man and with man drawn out, He was made perfect. Thou know'st our bitterness-our joys are Thine— No stranger Thou to all our wanderings wild : Stands in full sunshine of Thy piercing eye, But that Thou call'st us brethren: sweet repose Knows all, yet loves us better than He knows. 9 And being made perfect, He became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him; Truly then He had human feelings, truly He can sympathize and "have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way." O good LORD JESU, the Author and Finisher of our faith, the Beginning and the Ending, the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the All in All, Help Thou us, Thy poor, weak, ignorant servants, on our way through this world, that loving Thee above all things, and making Thee our only stay and support, and obeying Thee with free hearts, we may come to Thy rest, when Thou wilt and as Thou wilt. 10 Called of GOD an High Priest after the order of Melchisedec. "Called," that is spoken of or addressed by GoD, and therefore most certainly what GOD called Him, "a High Priest," and "after the order of Melchisedec." 11 Of whom That is of Melchisedec and of his likeness to CHRIST: but it may mean of CHRIST Himself and especially as the High Priest of our profession. we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, That is, to be explained. seeing ye are dull of hearing. Ye are, or rather as it should be translated, ye have become. 12 For when for the time For the length of time during which ye have professed the faith. ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of GOD; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. Compare 1 Cor. iii. 1, 2. 13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. |