Hebrews 7 — Verse 23, 24, 25

And they truly were many Priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of Death. But this Man, because he continueth ever, has an unchangeable Priesthood. Therefore he is able to save them also to the uttermost, that come to God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them.

The Apostle in these words proceedeth to his last Argument, from the consideration of the Priesthood of Christ, as Typed and represented by that of Melchisedec. And his intention is still to prove the excellency of it above the Levitical, and of his Person above theirs. And in particular he makes it manifest that the bringing in of this better Hope, did perfect or consummate all things which the Law could not do.

That he has in these verses a respect to Melchisedec as a Type of Christ and what we are taught thereby, is evident from the matter treated of in them. He had observed that as to the description given of him in the Scripture, that he abideth a Priest continually (ver. 3), and that it is witnessed of him, that he lives, seeing it is no where mentioned that he died (ver. 8), and this is the last consideration of him which he improveth to his purpose, and it is that which gives vertue and efficacy to all the other that he had before insisted on. Set this aside, and all the other, whether advantages or excellencies, which he had discoursed of, would be as ineffectual to the ends aymed at, as the Law it self. For what profit could it be to the Church, to have so excellent and glorious a Priest for a season, and then immediately to be deprived of him, by the expiration of his Office.

Moreover as what the Apostle affirms here of Christ has respect to what he had before observed concerning Melchisedec, so what he affirms of the Levitical Priests depends on what he had before declared concerning them, namely, that they were all mortal dying men and no more, and who actually died in their successive generations (ver. 8).

The words therefore have three things in them in general.

1. The state and condition of the Levitical Priests by reason of their mortality (ver. 23). This he observes because he is not declaring the dignity of Christ and his Priesthood absolutely, but with respect to them; whose state therefore was the Antithesis in the comparison.

2. The state and condition of the Priesthood of Christ on the account of his glorious immortality (ver. 24).

3. The blessed effects and consequents of the Priesthood of Christ, in as much by vertue of his immortality, he was a Priest for ever (v. 25).

In the first (ver. 23) there is (1.) the introduction of his assertion and observation, [in non-Latin alphabet], and they truly.

(2.) What he affirms of those Priests, they were many.

(3.) From where that came to pass; namely, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: which is not alledged only as the cause and reason of their being many, but also as a proof of their weakness and infirmity.

In the introduction of his assertion, there is a note of connexion and another of asseveration.

The first is the copulative conjunction; And, [in non-Latin alphabet]. A process to a new argument to the same purpose with those foregoing is intended hereby. The former design is continued and a new confirmation of it is added. For he resolved to omit nothing that was of moment, and to his purpose.

2dly. There is a vehemency in his assertion or a note of asseveration; and they truly. He had used the same note before in the same manner (ver. 21), where we omit the emphasis of it without cause. And in other places the same Translators render this particle by, truly, as they do here (1 John 1:3). But he does not so much assert a thing by it that was dubious, as positively declare that which was well known, and could no way be gainsaid by them with whom he had to do. And an argument pressed ex concessis is forceible. This is a known truth.

2. That which he affirms of them is, that they were many Priests; or there were many made Priests; or they who were made Priests were many. The sense is the same. By the appointment of God himself, there were many made Priests, or executed the office of the Priesthood. It is of the High Priests only, Aaron and his successors of whom he speaks: and it is with respect to their succession one to another, that he affirms they were many. This both the reason of it which he subjoynes, and what he afterwards adds concerning the Priesthood of Christ, wherein there was no succession, do evidently declare. For there neither was nor could be by the Law any more than one at a time. Perhaps in the disorder and confusion of that Church there might be more that were so called and esteemed, as were Annas and Caiphas: but that confusion he takes no notice of, but attends to what alwayes was or ought to have been, according to the Law.

By succession these High Priests were many. For from Aaron the first of them to Phineas, who was destroyed with the Temple, there were inclusively four-score and three High Priests. Of these, thirteen lived under the Tabernacle, before the building of the Temple by Solomon; eighteen under the first Temple to its destruction by the Babylonians; and all the rest lived under the second Temple, which yet stood no longer than the first. And the multiplication of High Priests under the second Temple, the Jews look upon as a punishment and token of God's displeasure: for because of the sins of a nation, their rulers are many, and frequently changed.

Whatever advantages there may be in an orderly succession, yet is it absolutely an evidence of imperfection. And by the appointment of this order God signified an imperfection and mutability in that Church state. Succession indeed was a relief against death; but it was but a relief, and so supposed a want and weakness. Under the Gospel it is not so, as we shall see afterwards. Observe, that

God will not fail to provide instruments for his work that he has to accomplish. If many Priests be needful, many the Church shall have.

3 The reason of this multiplication of priests, was because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death. They were mortal men subject to death, and they died. Death suffered them not to continue in the execution of their office. It forbad them so to do, in the name of the great Sovereign Lord of Life and Death. And hereof an instance was given in Aaron the first of them. God to shew the nature of this priesthood to the people, and to manifest that the everlasting Priest was not yet come, commanded Aaron to dye in the sight of all the congregation (Numbers 20:25, 26, 27, 28). So did they all afterwards, as other men, dye in their several generations. They were all by death forbidden to continue. Death laid an injunction on them one after another, from proceeding any farther in the administration of their office. It is not surely without some especial design that the Apostle thus expresseth their dying; they were by death prohibited to continue. Therefore he shews hereby, (1.) the way whereby an end was put to the personal administration, and that was by death. (2.) That there was an imperfection in the administration of that office, which was so frequently interrupted. (3.) That they were seized upon by death whether they would or no, when it may be they would have earnestly desired to continue, and the people also would have rejoyced in it. Death came on them, neither desired nor expected, with his prohibition. (4.) That when death came and seized on them, it kept them under its power, so that they could never more attend to their office. But it was otherwise with the Priest of the better Covenant, as we shall see immediately. Observe,

1. There is such a necessity of the continual administration of the sacerdotal office in behalf of the Church, that the interruption of it by the death of the priests was an argument of the weakness of that priesthood.

The High Priest is the sponsor and mediator of the Covenant. Those of old were so typically and by way of representation. Therefore all Covenant transactions between God and the Church must be through him. He is to offer up all sacrifices, and therein represent all our prayers. And it is evident from there what a ruin it would be to the Church to be without an High Priest one moment. Who would venture a surprisal to his own soul in such a condition? Could any man enjoy a moment's peace, if he supposed that in his extremity the High Priest might dye? This now is provided against, as we shall see in the next verse.