Hebrews

7:20-28

The Arguments, 2:10-12:29

2. Christ's high priestly sacrifice enables us to approach God, 7:1-10:25

iii] Christ's superior priesthood

In Chapter 7 the writer of the book of Hebrews outlines the qualities of Christ's priesthood, a priest after the order of Melchizedek. In comparing Christ's priesthood with that of the Levitical priesthood, he makes the following points: i] God's confirming oath in Psalm 110:4 establishes Christ's unique priesthood, which priesthood serves as a guarantee of a greater covenant, v20-22; ii] The permanence of Christ's priesthood enables him to always intercede for his people, v23-25; iii] The perfection of Christ's priesthood means his priestly office can effectively serve our needs, v26-28.

Verses 20-22 make up one sentence in the Gk. Our author identifies the first advantage of Christ's priesthood over that of the Levitical priesthood, namely the guarantee of a superior covenant.

ou cwriV oJrkwmosiaV (a) "was not without an oath" - The phrase is a litotes in that it serves to emphasize the opposite. God confirmed Christ's new and eternal priesthood with an oath.

eisin .... gegonoteV (ginomai) perf. "became" - are having become. A periphrastic perfect construction. Possibly emphasizing aspect, "here denotes the beginning of a state or condition", BDF. "When these men were made priests", Cassirer.

oJ de "but he became a priest" - the one but. he the other. The phrase refers to Christ's priesthood after the order of Melchizedek. It possibly takes a general sense like "the whole process occurred", or more specifically "he became a priest."

dia + gen. "when" - through, by means of. Grammatically, dia followed by a genitive would normally be translated by "through", but here the intention is to introduce a text directly spoken by God to Christ. "Coming from the one who said to him", Cassirer.

tou legontoV (legw) pres. part. "God said" - the one saying. The participle functions as a substantive.

ou metamelhqhsetai (metamelomai) fut. pas. "will not change his mind" - he will not change his mind, repent, regret. Emphasizing God's constancy.

kata + acc. "because of [this oath]" - according to [such]. "And this makes Jesus surety of a superior covenant", Moffatt.

diaqhkhV (h) "covenant" - agreement. The "better covenant" rests on better promises, cf. 8:6. The writer to the Hebrews, more than any other NT writer, makes much of the new covenant, although he doesn't suggest that its being "new" means it is totally different to the old covenant. God's covenant with Abraham, and its final manifestation in Christ, rest on God promise to bless his people as an act of mercy (grace), which mercy is appropriated by faith. Yet, in comparison, God's new covenant in Christ is better / superior, eg. the new is a "better" covenant because it rests on the blood of Jesus, rather than the blood of sacrificial animals. "Better" in the sense of "greater"; "a superior covenant", Koester.

egguoV "guarantee" - guarantee, guarantor. Normally used of guaranteeing persons, but here obviously of the covenant promises.

Our author now identifies a second advantage of Christ's priesthood over that of the Levitical priesthood, v23-25. The Levitical priesthood was continually interrupted by death, but Jesus lives forever.

kai "" - and. Christ's priesthood and the Levitical priesthood were compared in v20-22, and so this particle is probably being used to set up another comparison; "there is another difference", TEV.

men ..... de "now ....... v24, but". "on the one hand ....... but on the other ......"

eisin gegonoteV "there have been" - are have become. Another paraphrastic perfect construction.

oiJ .... oJ "many ...... v24 Jesus" - [on the one hand] these many [ ....... on the other hand] this one.

dia to + inf. "since" - because of, on account of. This construction forms a causal clause expressing the reason why there had been many priests.

kwluesqai (kwluw) pres. pas. inf. "[death] prevented them" - to be hindered (rather than prevented).

paramenein (paramenw) pres. inf. "from continuing in office" - to continue. The infinitive is complementary, completing the sense of "hindered" = was not able to continue [in office].

de "but" - but, and. Here adversative.

oJ "Jesus" - this one. See above.

dia to + inf. "because [Jesus lives]" - because [to abide, remain, continue]. As in v23, this construction forms a causal clause.

eiV to aiwna "forever" - to the age, eternity.

aparabaton adj. "permanent [priesthood]" - unchangeable, permanent, inviable. "His work as priest does not pass to someone else", TEV.

In this verse we get a further glimpse into the priestly role performed by Christ. In 2:17 his priestly function is described as: i] to make propitiation. ie. To turn aside the wrath of God from the rebel onto the sacrifice; ii] to strengthen the children of God in times of temptation. In 4:15 his priestly function is described as supplying mercy and grace to help the child of God in times of need. Now here, Christ's priestly function is defined in terms of making intercession. The idea is similar to that put forward by Paul in Romans 8:33. To understand what the content of this intercession would be, we need only look at the earthly example of Christ. In Luke 22:32, Christ prays for Peter in the following terms, "I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren." Similarly in John 17 Jesus asks for: i] acceptance of his disciples because of his suffering and death, and ii] perseverance in the way. "Keep them safe." So, Christ asks for our right-standing in God's sight as well as aid in our journey of discipleship. In asking for this on our behalf, Christ does not plead our cause before a reluctant king, but rather asks with the authority and right of the glorified Son of God.

oJqen "therefore" - Drawing a conclusion.

swzein (swzw) "to save" - The infinitive is complementary, completing the sense of "is able".

eiV to panteleV "completely" - to the complete. "For all time", NRSV.

touV prosercomenouV (prosercomai) pres. part. "those who come [to God]" - the ones coming. The participle functions as a substantive.

dia + gen. "through [him]" - through, by means of. Instrumental.

zwn (zaw) pres. part. "because he [always] lives" - living. The participle is adverbial, probably causal, as NIV. "Since he is always living", Moffatt.

eiV to + inf. "to [intercede]" = in order to. This construction usually forms a purpose clause, "in order to intercede / make intercession for."

Our author finally identifies the third advantage of Christ's priesthood over that of the Levitical priesthood, namely the perfection of Christ's priestly office, v26-28. eprepen (prepw) imperf. "meets [our needs]" - was suitable [indeed for us]. "This is the kind of priest we need", Barclay.

oJsioV adj. "holy" - Used of both God and of godly persons. Note that the Hebrew cognate is hesed "loving kindness", "steadfast love"

akakoV adj. "blameless" - innocent. The word does also have the sense of "guileless", easily led astray. Obviously not the sense here.

amiantoV adj. "pure" - undefiled. The prefix a negates the word, which as a verb = "I stain, defile". The adjective has a passive connotation "he cannot be defiled", Kistemaker.

kecwrismenoV (cwrizw) perf. pas. "set apart [from sinners]" - The participle is adjectival, limiting "high priest", "who was separated from". The perfect tense indicates a lasting state. The high priest of Israel was ceremonially set apart from the people, but Jesus is set apart morally, possibly also in the sense of now seated at the right of the Ancient of Days.

genomenoV (ginomai) aor. part. "exalted [above the heavens]" - having become [higher the heavens]. The participle is adjectival, limiting "high priest", "who became high above the heavens."

kaq hJmeran "day after day" - daily. Actually, the sacrifice for the high priest's sins was yearly. The point here is that it was repeated. Jesus didn't need to offer a sacrifice for himself and his sacrifice for the world did not need to be repeated. "He does not need to offer a repeated sacrifice, first ....."

anaferein (anaferw) pres. inf. "[he does not need] to offer" - [who does not have] .... to offer. The infinitive is complementary, completing the sense of "does not have". Of "an offering made to God and placed upon his altar", Westcott.

touto "He" - this one. That is, "Jesus the high priest."

efapax adv. "once for all" - "For everything that had to be done in this matter he accomplished once and for all through the offering up of himself", Cassirer.

anenegkaV (anaferw) aor. part. "when he offered himself" - having offered up. The participle is adverbial, possibly temporal, as NIV, but also possibly instrumental, "by means of", as Cassirer above. Of "an offering brought to God", Westcott.

oJ nomoV (oV) "the law" - Obviously "the Law of Moses."

kaqisthsin (kaqisthmi) pres. "appoints" - puts in charge, makes. "Appoints".

asqeneian (a) "weak" - "Imperfect".

de "but" - but, and. Here adversative, "but".

oJ logoV hV oJrkwmosiaV "the oath" - the word of the oath. The new perpetual priesthood, after the order of Melchizedek, was established by Divine acclimation, given under oath, and thus, supersedes the imperfect Aaronic model.

thV "which" - Referencing the oath given by God = [the oath] which God swore [came after ...].

meta "came after [the law]" - after. In the sense of superseding the law.

teteleiwmenon (teleiow) perf. pas. part. "who has been made perfect [forever]" - having been made perfect. The participle is adjectival, limiting "the Son". The perfect tense expresses a continuing state and the passive possibly expresses divine action. Christ's exaltation is permanent and absolute.

Hebrews Introduction

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