Of Christ's priesthood. Hebrews. him that was able to save him from death, and was heard, in that he feared;

8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered:

9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

10 Called of God an high priest, after the order of Melchisedec :

11 Of whom d we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered; seeing ye are dull of hearing.

12 For when for the time e 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.f

13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness;g for he is a babe.h

14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full

d Of whom, &c. Concerning Melchisedec I bave many things to say for the illustration of Christ's priest bood, which is difficult to be explained, because in spiritual matters ye are of slow apprehension.

e For when for the time, for considering the time ye have professed the Gospel, &c.

f Milk is here used metaphorically for simple instruction or doctrines; strong meat, for higher parts of know. ledge.

g Word of righteousness, the Gospel.

b For be is a babe in Christianity.

of faith, &c.

age, even those who, by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

CHAP. VI.

1 He exhorteth not to fall back from the faith, 11 but to be steadfast, 12 diligent and patient to wait upon God, 13 because God is most sure in his promise.

THEREFORE,leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God;

2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judg ment.

3 And this will we do, if God permit.

4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlight ened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an

open

shame.

7 For the earth, which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by

He exhorteth them to be

Chap. vii. diligent and patient.

whom it is dressed, receiveth tiently endured, he obtained blessing from God: the promise.

8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.

10 For God is not unrighteous, to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence, to the full assurance of hope unto the end.

12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

13 For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,

14 Saying, Surely, blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.

15 And so, after he had pa

16 For men verily swear by the greater; and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife.

17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath;

18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge, to lay hold upon the hope set before

us:

19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the vail;

20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest forever, after the order of Melchisedec.

CHAP. VII.*

1 Christ Jesus is a priest after the order of Melchisedec, 11 and so far more excellent than the priests of Aaron's order.

* In order to understand this chapter, it should be observed, that Paul here searches into the deep meaning of the oath of God, recorded Ps. cx. 4, and by examining the particulars concerning Melchisedec, Gen. xiv. 18– 20, he shews that Melchisedec was a far more excellent priest, than Aaron and his sons, and consequently Jesus Christ, of whom Melchisedec was only a type, exerciseth a priesthood, more acceptable to God, and more effectual for procuring the pardon of sin, than the priesthood, which Aaron and his sons exercised under the law.

In order to shew the exalted character of Christ as high priest, the apostle first shews how much Melchisedec was superior to the Levitical priests. This superiority consisted in his being a universal priest of the Most High

God, appointed to officiate for all true worshippers, who applied to him; whereas the Levitical priesthood was confined to the particular nation of the Israelites. Melchisedec was king, as well as priest, and of so excellent a character, that he was called Melchisedes, which signifies, king of righteousness. He did not, as the Jewish priests, derive his office from his ancestors; in his priesthood he was without father and without mother; that is, he was constituted priest by God Himself. Nor did he, like the sons of Aaron, begin to exercise his office at a particular age, nor cease to be a priest when old; but in his priesthood he was without beginning of days or end of life, that is, he officiated during his whole life. If therefore Melchisedec, who was only a type of our Saviour, was so much greater then the Levitical priests, how much more exalted was Jesus Christ, who was the Son of God, the maker of the worlds, universal King and Priest, and heir and Lord of all!