Verse 3

The summary description of our High Priest designed, is carried on in this Verse, and the Apostle manifests, that as he wanted nothing, which any other High Priest had, that was necessary to the discharge of his Office; so he had it all in a more eminent manner than any other had.

[〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]. Syr. [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] Qui stat ut offerat, Who standeth (that is at the Altar) that he may offer; rendering [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] neutrally, the whole sense is imperfect, For every High Priest who standeth (at the Altar) that he may offer gifts and sacrifices; therefore

[〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]. Syr. [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] Oblationem, vul. Munera. Some rather use dona, and some donaria, sacred gifts.

[〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]. Syr. [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] that is, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] Sacrifices, vul. Hostias; and the Rhemists, Hosts, it may be to countenance their name of the Host in the Mass.

[〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]. Syr. [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] justum erat, aequum erat; it was just and equal. vul. necesse est, in the present tense, it is necessary. Beza, necesse fuit, it was necessary; properly; and so the Syriack renders the Verb Substantive understood in the Original, or included in the Infinitive Mood following, in the Preterimperfect Tense.

[〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], habere, hunc habere; Syr. [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] huic ut esset ei; To this Man that there should be to him, or with him.

[〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]. vul. aliquid quod offerat; something that he may offer. Syr. [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] Something that he should offer. The Arabick adds for himself, corruptly.

For every High Priest is ordained (appointed) to offer gifts and sacrifices: therefore it is of necessity (it was necessary) that this man (should) have somewhat also to offer.

The connexion of these words to what was before asserted, which gives us the design of the Apostle in them, is expressed in the causal conjunction, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], For. He both gives a confirmation of what he had before affirmed, namely, that Christ was the Minister of the true Tabernacle, that is, of his Body, and renders a reason why it should so be; and this he farther confirms in the Verses ensuing.

The reason he insists on, is taken from the general nature of the Office of every High Priest. That the Lord Christ is our High Priest, he had sufficiently demonstrated and confirmed before; this therefore he now assumes as granted. And hereon what belongs to him as such, he farther manifests, by showing what the nature of that Office required, and what did necessarily belong to every one that was partaker thereof.

There are therefore two things in the words.

1. A general assertion of the nature, duty, and Office of every High Priest.

2. A particular inference from there, of what did necessarily belong to the Lord Christ in the susception and discharge of this Office.

In the first, the universality of the expression is to be observed. [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], Every High Priest. By the context this universal is cast under a limitation with respect to the Law; every High Priest, that is, made or appointed by the Law; for of those alone the Apostle treats. There was indeed never any High Priest accepted of God, but those ordained by the Law; yet was it necessary to the Apostle, to make mention of the Law also. And although they were many of them, yet were they all of the same order and Office, and so were all alike authorized and obliged to the same duties. Therefore the Apostle thus expresses it by every High Priest, to evidence that there lay no exception against his argument, seeing that in the whole multitude of High Priests in their succession from first to last, there was no one but he was appointed to this end, and had this duty incumbent on him. Yes, it is not one especial duty of their Office that might be omitted, which he insists on, but the general end for which they were ordained; as he expresses it in the next word.

2. [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], is ordained; that is, appointed of God by the Law. Of the sense of this word, I have spoken before, as also of the thing intended; see Chapter 5:12.

God's ordination or appointment gives rules, measures and ends to all sacred offices and employments. Whoever undertakes any thing in religion or divine worship, without it, besides it, beyond it, is a transgressor and therein worships God in vain. He whom God does not ordain in his service, is an intruder; and that which he does not appoint is an usurpation. Nor will he accept of any duties, but what he himself has made so.

3. The principal end why the High Priests were ordained of God is expressed; it was to offer gifts and sacrifices. This appears in their original institution (Exodus, Chapters 28, 29).

1. They were to offer. God appointed Aaron and his successors, on purpose to offer gifts and sacrifices for the whole people.

2. None but they were to offer, that is, none but the Priests were so; none but they might approach to God, to offer any thing sacredly to him. The people might bring their offerings to God, but they could not offer them on the Altar. And some offerings, as those at the Feast of Expiation, were appropriated to the High Priests only. So is the case stated by Azariah the High Priest (2 Chronicles 26:18), Not to you Uzziah to burn incense to the Lord, but to the Priests the Sons of Aaron who are consecrated, from Exodus 30:7, Numbers 18:7.

And God hereby taught the people that nothing should ever be accepted from them, but in and by the hand of the great High Priest who was to come. And this is that which we are yet taught thereby. And whoever he be, if as great and prosperous as King Uzziah, who shall think to approach to God immediately without the interposition of this High Priest, he is smitten with the plague of spiritual leprosy.

4. What they were to offer is also declared. Gifts and Sacrifices. Sometimes all the Corbanes in general are intended by this word. For all sacred offerings of what sort soever, are so called at their first institution (Leviticus 1:2): "If any one among you bring his Corban to the Lord." And thereon the especial kinds of offerings and sacrifices are enumerated, which in general were all Corbans. So every thing that is brought to the Altar is called [in non-Latin alphabet], (Matthew 5:23, 24), when you bring your gift; that is, to offer gifts, sacred gifts of all sorts, especially sacrifices properly so called. Or by [in non-Latin alphabet], the Minchoth may be intended, as by [in non-Latin alphabet], the Zebachim are. For these two contain the whole complex of sacred offerings. For Zebachim or [in non-Latin alphabet], are bloody sacrifices; sacrifices by immolation or killing of what sort soever the matter of it was, or to what especial end soever it was designed. And the Minchoth were offerings of dead things, as of corn, oil, meats and drinks. To offer all these was the office of the priesthood ordained. And we are taught thereby: That,

There is no approach to God without continual respect to sacrifice and atonement. The principal end of sacrifices was to make atonement for sin. And so necessary was this to be done, that the office of the priesthood was appointed for it. Men do but dream of the pardon of sin or acceptance with God without atonement.

This the Apostle lays down as that which was necessary for every High Priest by God's institution. There never was any High Priest, but his office and duty it was to offer gifts and sacrifices, for to that end was he ordained of God.

Hence he infers that it was necessary that this Man should have somewhat to offer. For being a minister of the heavenly sanctuary, and the true tabernacle, a High Priest he was. But this he could not be, unless he had somewhat to offer to God. A priest that had nothing to offer, that was not ordained to that end, is indeed no priest at all.

And in this assumption of the Apostle, we may observe: (1.) the note of inference, 'Therefore'; (2.) the designation of the person spoken of, 'This man'; (3.) the manner of the ascription made to him, 'He must have'; (4.) the matter of it, 'somewhat to offer.'

1. The note of inference is [in non-Latin alphabet]: 'Therefore.' It is frequently used by the Apostle, in this epistle, when he proves his present assertions, from the old institutions of the Law and their signification (chapter 2:17; 3:1, 25; 9:18). And the whole force of this inference, especially that in this place, depends on this supposition, that all the old typical institutions did represent what was really to be accomplished in Christ; from where it was necessary, that he should be what they did signify and represent. Hence it is often observed in the Gospel, that he did or suffered such things or in such a manner, because things were so ordered under the Law.

2. The designation of the person is expressed: [in non-Latin alphabet], 'This Man.' He of whom we speak, this High Priest of the New Testament, whom he had before described, and specified by his name Jesus, and by his dignity, the Son of God. That this Man, this Jesus the High Priest of the New Testament.

3. The subject being stated, that which he affirms thereof, is that he, this Priest, must have somewhat to offer. And this was of necessity, that so it should be. For whatever otherwise this glorious Person were or might be, yet a High Priest he could not be, unless he had somewhat to offer; for to offer gifts and sacrifices is the sole end of that office.

This necessity then was absolute. For without this no office of priesthood could be discharged, and consequently no atonement be made, nor could we be brought to God.

And it is said, that it was thus necessary [in non-Latin alphabet], that he should have. And it is not possession only that is intended; but possession with respect to use. He was so to have somewhat to offer, as to offer it accordingly. For it would not avail the Church to have a High Priest that should have somewhat to offer, if it were not actually offered. Therefore respect is had both to the meetness of Christ to his office, and his faithfulness therein. He had what to offer, and he did offer it.

3. The matter of his offering is expressed: [in non-Latin alphabet], 'somewhat to offer,' that is, in sacrifice to God. The Apostle expresses it indefinitely, [in non-Latin alphabet], but what it is, which he was to have, he does not as yet declare. He was not engaged farther by his present argument. But he elsewhere declares expressly what this was that he had to offer, what was the matter of his sacrifice, and what it was necessary that it should be. And this was himself, his whole human nature, soul and body.

It may be it will be said, that it does not necessarily follow, that if he have somewhat to offer, it must be himself. For he might offer somewhat else out of the flocks and herds, as they did of old. Nor indeed does the Apostle intend directly to prove it in this place, namely, that it must be himself which he must offer. But it does necessarily follow from the arguments before insisted on; Chap. 7. For whatever else God had appointed or approved of to be offered in sacrifice, he had ordained the Levitical Priesthood to offer, and appropriated the offering of it to them, so as no such sacrifice could ever be offered by any who was not of the seed of Aaron. Whereas therefore our High Priest was not of the Tribe of Levi, but of Judah, it is evident that he could not offer any of the things which were appropriated to their ministry and service. And hence our Apostle in the next verse, affirmes directly, that if he was on the Earth, that is, to officiate in his office with the things of the earth after the manner of other priests, he could not be so much as a priest at all, seeing all such services were appropriated to and performed by the priests of another order. Again; if he might have done so, and accordingly had done so, our Apostle manifests that his Priesthood must have been ineffectual as to the proper ends of it. For the Law could make nothing perfect; not only because of the infirmity and imperfection of its priests, but also because of the insufficiency of its sacrifices to the great ends of expiating sin, by whomever they were offered. For it is impossible, as he declares, that the blood of bulls or goats should ever take away sin, or purge the conscience of the sinner (Chap. 10:1, 2, 3, &c.). Therefore as it was necessary that he should have somewhat to offer, so it was necessary that this somewhat should be himself and nothing else.

Something must yet be added as to the reading of the words themselves which influenceth their proper sense. [illegible], necessary, of necessity must have the verb substantive added to determine its signification. Erasmus adds, est; it is necessary; and we render it, it is of necessity. Beza supplies, fuit, as does the Syriack Interpreter [illegible] fuit, erat, it was necessary. And so he renders [illegible], by quod offerret, which he should offer, in both respecting the time past. Others render it by quod offerat, which he may offer, with respect to the time present or to come. And Beza gives this account of his translation, namely, that the Apostle having respect to the sacrifice of Christ which was past, affirms, that it was necessary that he should have somewhat that he might offer; and not that it is necessary, that he should have somewhat to offer. And although I will not deny, but that the Lord by reason of the perpetual efficacy of his oblation and the representation of it in his intercession, may be said to offer himself, yet his sacrifice and oblation of himself were properly on the earth, as I have fully proved elsewhere.

This text being urged by Grotius with respect to the offering and sacrifice of Christ, Crellius replies, Concludit Scriptor Divinus ex eo quod Christus sit Sacerdos, necesse esse ut habeat quod offerat; non ut loquitur Grotius necesse fuisse ut haberet quod offerret, quasi de re praeteritâ loquatur. Respons. ad cap. x. But as Beza very well observes, the Apostle had before mentioned the one offering of Christ, as already perfected and compleated (Chap. 7:27). He cannot therefore speak of it now but as that which was past; and here he only shews how necessary it was that he should have himself to offer, and so to offer himself, as he had done. And from these words we may observe,

1. That there was no salvation to be had for us, no not by Jesus Christ himself, without his sacrifice and oblation. It was of necessity that he should have somewhat to offer, as well as those priests had of old according to the Law. Some would have it that the Lord Christ is our Savior, because he declared to us the way of salvation, and gave us an example of the way whereby we may attain it, in his own personal obedience. But from where then was it of necessity that he must have somewhat to offer to God as our Priest, that is, for us? For this belongeth neither to his doctrine nor example. And it was necessary that he should have somewhat to offer, in answer to those sacrifices of old which were offered for the expiation of sin. Nor would our salvation be otherwise effected, by any other acts or duties of our High Priest. For the Church could not be saved without taking away the guilt of sin. And the whole design of the priests and sacrifices of old, was to teach and instruct the Church, how alone this might be performed. And this was only by making atonement for it by sacrifice, wherein the beast sacrificed did suffer in the room of the sinner, and did by God's institution bear his iniquity. And this our Apostle has respect to, and the realizing of all those typical representations in Christ, without which his whole discourse is useless and vain. Therefore there was no other way for our salvation, but by a real propitiation or atonement made for our sins. And whoever looketh for it otherwise, but in the faith and virtue thereof, will be deceived.

2. As God designed to the Lord Christ the work which he had to do, so he provided for him, and furnished him with whatever was necessary thereunto. Somewhat he must have to offer. And this could not be any thing which was the matter of the sacrifices of the priests of old. For all those sacrifices were appropriated to the discharge of the Priesthood. And besides, they were none of them able to effect that which he was designed to do. Therefore a body did God prepare for him, as is declared at large (Chap. 10:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, &c.).

3. The Lord Christ being to save the Church in the way of office, he was not to be spared in any thing necessary thereunto. And in conformity to him

4. Whatever state or condition we are called to, what is necessary to that state is indispensibly required of us. So is holiness and obedience required to a state of reconciliation and peace with God.