Chapter 7: An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews

There are almost as many different analyses given of this chapter, as there are commentators upon it. And sometimes the same person proposes sundry of them, without a determination of what he principally adheres to. All of them endeavor to reduce the whole discourse of the Apostle to such a method as they judge most artificial and argumentative. But, as I have elsewhere observed, the force of the Apostle's reasonings does not absolutely depend on any such method of arguing as we have framed to ourselves. There is something in it more heavenly and sublime, suited to convey the efficacy of spiritual truth, as to the understanding, so to the will and affections also. For this reason I shall not insist on the reducing of this discourse to any precise logical analysis, which none of the ancients do attempt. But whereas those methods which are proposed by learned men, whereunto, in their judgment, the Apostle's arguing is reducible, are only diverse, and not contradictory to one another: the consideration of all, or any of them, may be of good use to give light to sundry passages in the context. Those who have labored herein with most appearance of accuracy, are Piscator and Gomarus. My design being to examine and consider all the Apostle's arguings, and their connections particularly, I shall content myself with a plain and obvious account of the whole in general.

The design of the Apostle in this chapter is not to declare the nature, or the exercise of the priesthood of Christ, though the mention of them be occasionally inserted in some passages of it. For the nature of it, he had spoken to, Chap. 5th. and treats of its use at large, Chap. 9th. But it is of its excellency and dignity that he discourses in this place, and that not absolutely neither, but in comparison with the Levitical priesthood of the church under the Old Testament. As this was directly conducing to his end, so it was incumbent on him in the first place to confirm: for if it were not so excellent, it was to no purpose to persuade them to embrace it who were actually in the enjoyment of another. This therefore he designs to prove, and that upon principles avowed by themselves, with light and evidence taken from what was received and acknowledged in the church of the Hebrews from the first foundation of it. After this, he manifests abundantly the excellency of this priesthood from its nature and use also. But he was, in the first place, to evince it from the faith and principles of the ancient church of Israel, which he does in this chapter: for he declares how God had many ways instructed them to expect an alteration of the Levitical priesthood, by the introduction of another more useful, efficacious, and glorious; the continuance of them both in the church at the same time being inconsistent.

Herein was the authority and infinite wisdom of God made manifest in his dealing with the church of old: by his authority he obliged them to a religious observance of all those institutions which he had then appointed; this he did to the last day of the continuance of that state of the church (Malachi 4:4, 5, 6). But in his infinite wisdom, he had before them, in them, and with them, inlaid instructions for the church, whereby they might see, know, and believe, that they were all to cease and issue in something better afterwards to be introduced. So Moses himself in all that he did in the house of God, gave testimony to what was to be spoken and declared afterwards, Chap. 3:5.

And with respect to both of these, did that church greatly miscarry: for first, in many ages it could not be brought with any constancy to submit to the authority of God in obedience to his ordinances and institutions, as the whole story of the Old Testament does declare. And now, when the time was come, wherein they were all to cease, under a pretense of adhering to the authority of God, they rebelled against his wisdom, and refused to consider the instructions which he had inlaid from first to last concerning their ceasing and alteration; whereon the generality of the church fell and utterly perished. This therefore the Apostle designs here to enlighten them in.

And this should teach us with what diligence, with what reverence, with what subjection of soul, and resignation of our understandings to the will and wisdom of God, all divine revelations are to be inquired into. So dealt in this matter the holy men and prophets of old (1 Peter 1:10, 11). And as for want hereof, the whole church of the Jews perished at this season; so in all ages sundry particular persons did wofully miscarry; see Leviticus 10:1, 2, 3; 2 Samuel 6:6, 7; 1 Chronicles 14:11. And the want hereof is the bane of most churches in the world at this day.

In order to the end mentioned, the Apostle in the first place declares, that antecedently to the giving of the Law, and the institution of the Levitical Priesthood thereby, God had, without any respect thereunto, given a typical prefiguration of this Priesthood of Christ, in one who was on all accounts superior to the Levitical Priests, when they were afterwards introduced. This sacred truth which had been hid for so many ages in the Church, and which undeniably manifests the certain future introduction of another and a better Priesthood, is here brought to light, and improved by the Apostle. As life and immortality, so all spiritual truth, was brought to light by the Gospel (2 Timothy 1:10). Truth was stored up in the prophecies, promises, and institutions of the Old Testament; but so stored up, as it was in a great measure hidden also; but was brought forth to light, and made manifest in the Gospel. For whereas it is said, that the great mystery of the manifold wisdom of God, was hidden in him from the beginning of the world (Ephesians 3:9, 10), the meaning is not, that it was so hid in the will and purpose of God, as that he had made no intimation of it; for he had done so variously from the foundation of the world, or the giving of the first promise: but he had so laid it up, and stored it in his sacred revelation, as it was much hid from the understanding of the best of men in all ages, until it was displayed and brought forth to light by the Gospel (Psalms 49:4; 78:2). And all that glorious evidence of the grace of God which now appears to us in the writings of the Old Testament, is from a reflection of light upon them from the New Testament, or the revelation of God by Jesus Christ. And therefore the whole Church of the Jews, although they were in the entire possession of those writings of the Old Testament for so many ages, never understood so much of the mystery of the will and grace of God declared in them, as every ordinary believer under the Gospel is enabled to do. And if we have the privilege and advantage of those oracles of God which were committed to them, incomparably above what they attained to, certainly greater measures of holiness, and greater fruitfulness in obedience, are expected from us than from them. These things, the instance here insisted on by our Apostle, will manifest.

He in whom this prefiguration of the Priesthood of Christ was made, is Melchisedec, concerning whom and his Priesthood an account is given in the first part of the chapter to verse 11. And the description given of him consists of two parts: (1.) The proposition of his story, or what is recorded concerning him, verses 1, 2, 3. (2.) The application of it to the present purpose and design of the Apostle, verses 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. And this closes the first general part of the chapter.

The second part of it, from verse 10 to verse 24, consists in a double inference, with their improvements taken from that discourse, as respecting Christ in his office.

(1.) To the removal, abolition, or taking away out of the Church, the whole Aaronical Priesthood, with all the worship of the Tabernacle and Temple, which depended thereon. This he evidently proves to ensue from the respect that was had to the Lord Christ in the Priesthood of Melchisedec, whereof he had given an account. Hereunto do all arguings belong, verses 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.

(2.) To the excellency of the Priesthood of Christ in itself above that of the Tabernacle, even during its continuance, which follows no less evidently from what he had proved before, verses 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.

(3.) Having laid this foundation in his demonstration of the necessary removal of the Aaronical Priesthood, and the preeminence of that of Christ above it, even while it did continue, he further declares the nature of it, from the dignity and qualifications of his Person, with the manner of the discharge of his office on this account, verses 24, 25, 26, 27, 28. For the design of the Apostle in this Epistle, especially in this chapter and the three that ensue, is to open to us, or turn aside a double veil; the one here below, the other above: that below is the veil that was on all the ordinances, institutions, ceremonies, and types of the Law. This is the veil that is to this day upon the Jews, that they cannot see to the end of the things that were to be done away. This he removes by giving a clear and full account of the mind of God in them, of their use and signification. The other above is the veil of the heavenly sanctuary: this he opens to us in a declaration of the ministry of Christ our High Priest therein, as we shall see. And under these heads, as the Apostle plainly convinces the Hebrews of the ceasing of their Priesthood and worship, and that to the unspeakable advantage of the Church; so to us he does unfold the principal design and end of all the Mosaical types of the Old Testament, with the institution of God in them.

This may suffice as a plain view and prospect of the general scope of the Apostle in these discourses. The especial coherence of one thing with another, the nature of his instances, the accuracy and force of his arguings, the perspicuity of his deductions, with the like concernments of the argument in hand, shall be observed and spoken to as they particularly occur in our progress.