Verse 21

And having a great high Priest over the House of God.

Having, is understood from v. 19. The word whereby the Apostle expresseth our relation to Christ, ch. 4:15. He is our Priest, he exerciseth that Office on our behalf, and our duty 'tis in all things to be such as becometh this great High Priest to own in the discharge of his Office. What became him that he might be our High Priest, as it is expressed, ch. 7:26, shews what we ought to be in our measure that belong to his care, and say with boldness, we have an High Priest; which is another encouragement to the diligent attendance to the duties we are here exhorted to. For it may be said, that notwithstanding the provision of a new way into the Holiest, and boldness given us to enter thereinto; yet in our selves we know not how to do it, unless we are under the conduct of a Priest, as the Church of old was in their worship. All those Priests being removed, how shall we do now to draw nigh to God, without such a conduct, such a countenance? The Apostle removes this from them, and gives encouragement for what he had proved to be a duty before, namely, that we have a great High Priest.

Three things are in the words: (1.) That we have a Priest. (2.) That he is a great Priest: (3.) That part of his Office wherein in this duty we are concerned, which is, that he is over the House of God.

The first has been spoken to on many occasions: only the Apostle calls him not here, Our High Priest, which he does most frequently, but a Priest, with the addition of Great, A Great Priest, which answers directly to the Hebrew Expression, [in non-Latin alphabet], as the High Priest was called; yet the Apostle has a respect to his Eminency above all other Priests whatever. He is great in his Person, God and Man, as he had described him, ch. 1:2, 3. Great in his glorious Exaltation, ch. 8:1, 2. Great in his Power and the efficacy of his Office, ch. 7:25. Great in Honor, Dignity and Authority; the consideration whereof leads both to the confirmation of our faith, and the ingenerating of a due reverence in our hearts towards him. For as he is so great as that he can save us to the uttermost, or give us acceptance before God, as to our persons and our duties; so he is so glorious that we ought to apply our selves to him with reverence and godly fear.

That which to the particular end designed in this place, we ought to consider in his Office is, that he is over the House of God. The Apostle does not therein consider the Sacrifice of himself, which he proposed as the foundation of the privilege from where the ensuing duty is inferr'd; but what he is and does after his Sacrifice, now he is exalted in Heaven; for this was the second part of the Office of the High Priest. The first was to Offer Sacrifice for the people, the other was, to take the oversight of the House of God; for so it is particularly exprest with respect to Joshua, who was an eminent Type of Christ (Zechariah 3:6, 7). The whole care of ordering all things in the House of God was committed to the High Priest, so is it now in the hand of Christ, he is over the House of God, to order all things to the Glory of God, and the Salvation of the Church. The House of God, that is, the whole House of God, the Family of Heaven and Earth, that part of the Church above, and that here below, which make up but one House of God. The Church here below is comprized in the first place; for to them it is that this encouragement is given, to whom this Motive of drawing nigh, is proposed, namely, as they have an High Priest. And it is in the Heavenly Sanctuary wherein he administreth, or in the House of God above, into which also we do enter by our Prayers and sacred worship; so is he for ever over his own house.

The Lord Christ does peculiarly preside over all the persons, duties, and worship of Believers in the Church of God; (1.) In that all their worship is of his appointment, and what is not so, belongs not to the house of God. (2.) In that he assists the worshippers by his Spirit, for the performance of this duty. (3.) That he makes their services accepted with God. (4.) In rendring their worship glorious by the administration of his Spirit, and effectual through the addition of the Incense of his Intercession. For other things that may be hence educed, see our Exposition of chap. 4:14, 15, 16.