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Concerning the

Hebrews.

14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence g steadfast unto the end; 15 While it is said, To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation.

16 For some, when they had heard, did provoke; howbeit, not all that came out of Egypt by Moses.

17 But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness ?

18 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?

19 So we see that they could not enter in, because of unbelief.

CHAP. IV.

1 The rest of Christians is attained by faith. 12 The power of God's word. 14 By our High Priest Jesus the Son of God, subject to infirmities, but not sin, 10 we must and may go boldly to the throne of grace.

LET us, therefore, fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest,a any of you should seem to come short of it.

2 For unto us was the Gospel preached, as well as unto

g The beginning of our confidence, our faith, which we have begun to exereise.

a His rest in heaven.

Christian's rest, &c.

them; but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

3 For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, If they shall enter into my rest; although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.

4 For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.

5 And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest.

6 Seeing, therefore, it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief:

7(Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, Today, after so long a time; as it is said, To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

8 For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.

9 There remaineth, therefore, a rest to the people of God.

10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.)b

b Verse 3-10. These verses are elliptical and obscure, but the meaning is, that since the rest promised to Abraham and his seed, according to

Rest is attained by faith. Chap. v. Of Christ's priesthood.

11 Let us labour, therefore, to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

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.

14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

15 For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;c 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 peed.

its principal meaning, was not the rest of the seventh day, nor that in Canaan; there certainly remaineth to believers of all nations, a better rest, a rest in heaven, of which that of the seventh day, and of Canaan, were only emblems.

c Who cannot be touched, &c. Who cannot sympathize with us in our weakness.

1

CHAP. V.

The authority and honour of our Saviour's priesthood: 11 negligence in the knowledge thereof reproved.

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 :

5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he,a that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to-day have I begotten thee.

6 As he saith also in another place, b Thou art a priest forever, after the order of Melchisedec :

7 Who,c in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications,with strong crying and tears, unto

a But it was be, that glorified him with that office, who said unto him, &c.

b In another place, Ps. cx. 4, which David, by inspiration, wrote concerning Christ.

&c.

Who, that is, Christ, in the days,

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 have many things to say for the illustration of Christ's priest hood, 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 judgment.

3 And this will we do, if God permit.

4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, 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 of the world to come,

powers

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 shame. open For the earth, which drinketh in the rain that com-' eth oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by

Chap. vii. diligent and patient.

He exhorteth them to be whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:

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

tiently endured, he obtained the promise.

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 yail;

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. 1820, 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

Hebrews.

Melchisedec FOR this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him ;a

2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being, by interpretation, King of righteousness, aud after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;

3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God, abideth a priest continually.

4 Now, consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils.

5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham ;

a See Gen. xiv.

and Christ.

6 But he, whose descent is not counted from them, received tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises.

7 And, without all contradiction,b the less is blessed of the better.

8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.

9 And, as 1 may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.

10 For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him.

11 If, therefore, perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron ?

12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

b Contradiction, doubt.

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 than 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 !

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