LECTURE IV. CHRIST, AS OUR HIGH-PRIEST WITH GOD, THE HEB. V. 1-10. And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; called of God an high-priest, after the order of Melchisedec. v. 9, 10. IN the preceding chapters of this Epistle frequent mention has been made of the high-priesthood of our Lord. But that office being so important, St. Paul did not think it enough merely to advert to it in passing, particularly when writing to Jewish converts, in whose eyes the priestly office occupied, naturally and necessarily, a very prominent position. It was, in truth, the cardinal feature of the Jewish religion; as it is also of the Christian. Accordingly, the subject of our Lord's priesthood is formally discussed by the inspired penman, and occupies a large proportion of his letter. In the chapter before us, 1 See ch. ii. 17. iii. 1. iv. 14, 15. 2 Viz. ch. v. 1-10. and from ch. vii. 1. to ch. x. 29. besides ch. ii. or at least in that part of it (comprising the first ten verses) which we have at present to consider, a general view is taken of the high-priesthood of Christ in reference to the leading features of that office as exhibited under the Law. This, my brethren, is the subject proposed for our present consideration;-a most interesting, and (as, I trust, will be seen before we conclude) a most edifying subject, to which to invite the attention of a Christian congregation. May it prove, by God's blessing, a profitable one to us! From the abolition, by the Gospel, of the ritual institutions of the Mosaic Law, the Jews might not unnaturally suppose that Christianity had either no priesthood, or at least none worthy of being compared with that which formed so striking a part of the elder dispensation. But this was a very erroneous view of the Gospel. Christ, as we have repeatedly asserted, is the High-Priest of our profession. And now let us observe the reasons for which this title is applied to our Redeemer. to For every high-priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. v. 1. In the first place, the office of High-priest under the Mosaic dispensation was a vicarious office in sacred things. He was ordained for or on behalf of men in their religious services, in the "things pertaining to God." He stood as the appointed mediator between men and the Almighty. Through him even their " gifts" were to be offered, and still more their "sacrifices for sins." He was the great negotiator, as it were, of acceptance and atonement. In the high-priest it was further necessary, that he Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and [on them that are] out of the way; for that he himself also is compass ed with infirmity. And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. ver. 2, 3. should be able to feel for those, on whose behalf he exercised his office, making all reasonable and moderate allowance for the ignorant and erring. This any high-priest taken from among mere men was peculiarly inclined, or at least naturally fitted to do, being himself also compassed with human infirmity: and, indeed, on this ground he was called upon not only to sympathize with those who in ignorance were out of the way, and offer sacrifices for them, but to offer for his own sins also; which, so far, disqualified him from being a "perfect" high-priest, or any thing more than a humble type or figure of the great High-Priest to come, our Lord Jesus Christ. And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. ver. 4. Another qualification requisite as to the office of high-priest, was that he should not arrogantly take upon himself this high honour, but be "called of God, as was Aaron," and as were also, by a perpetual law', his descendants after him. You remember well "the gainsaying of Corah;" how he, being indeed of the tribe of Levi, but not of the family of Aaron, was not content with an inferior station in the ministry of the tabernacle, but aspired to "the priesthood also"," murmuring against Aaron, as if he had taken this honour to himself on the ground of being more holy than his brethren, and had not been expressly "chosen to come near unto the Lord"" on 1 Exod. xxviii. 1. 43. Numb. xviii. 1. E the behalf of the rest of Israel. You remember, I say, presumptuous ambition of Corah, and you know his punishment; how he perished in his gainsaying against Aaron, or rather against the Lord'; the earth itself opening to swallow up the rebels who joined him, whilst Corah and his company of two hundred and fifty (the more immediate abettors of his pride) were consumed with fire, as they stood offering their unhallowed incense in their self-arrogated office. So awfully did God declare, by these terrible judgments, that the office of high-priest was no human ordinance, but one of divine institution, which no man could take upon himself with impunity, but which he only was to bear, who, either expressly in person or virtually by some general appointment, was called of God. Such was the high-priest, when taken from among men. Now apply these qualifications to the priesthood of Christ; in whom this, as well as the other prophetic types of the Law, was so wonderfully fulfilled. In the first place, he was called of God. He glorified not himself to be made an High-Priest, or to undertake any of his great offices as the Saviour of the So also Christ glorified world, without a divine commission, not himself to be made but came in his Father's name, and an High-Priest; but he that said unto him, accordingly "received from God Thou art my Son; tothe Father honour and glory" in day have I begotten thee. As he saith also various ways, but especially when in another place, Thou art a priest for ever at his baptism, as also on other oc after the order of Mel-casions, "there came such a voice chisedec. v. 5, 6. to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased3." 1 Numb. xvi. 11. 2 John v. 43. 3 2 Pet. 1. 17. Thus did God bear direct testimony to the commission of Christ, and call him expressly by a voice from heaven to the exercise of his ministry; even as it had been prophesied of him long before in the second Psalm, "Thou art my Son, to-day have I begotten thee:' whilst, with more immediate reference to his sacerdotal office, it is said in another Psalm, "Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec1." In the second place, our High-Priest—though not taken from among men, as was Aaron, was yet, by virtue of his incarnation, "perfect man;" as He is, by eternal generation from the Father, "perfect Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. ver. 7, 8. God:" and, as man, in the truth of our nature, he can fully feel compassion for "his brethren," and is even ready to make every reasonable allowance for human infirmity. Listen to Him on the cross interceding for his very murderers, extenuating their offences to the utmost, yea, pitying them as persons "ignorant and out of the way:"-" Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." He who, though without sin, could thus compassionate sinners, how much more will he pity those that suffer, when he has been so eminent a sufferer himself! For real, without doubt, and most grievous, must those sufferings have been, which wrung from the Son of God, in the days of his flesh, "prayers and supplications" for deliverance, (as, for instance, during his agony in the garden, and subsequently on the cross itself,) "with 1 Ps. cx. 4. |