Hebrews 7

Question: What are the qualifications of our Intercessor? Answer 1. He is holy (Hebrews 7:26). For such a High Priest became us, who is holy, undefiled, separate from sinners.

Resp. Christ may be considered, 1. As the Son of God, and so he was not made a curse. 2. As our pledge and surety (Hebrews 7:22), and so he was made a curse for us: this curse was not upon his Godhead, but upon his manhood. This curse was the wrath of God lying upon him.

The law would not favor us so far, but now God does so indulge us, that what we cannot do of ourselves, we may do by proxy. Jesus Christ is a surety of a better testament (Hebrews 7:22). We fall short in everything, but God looks upon us in our surety, and Christ having fulfille…

Spiritus est Vicarius Christi; The Spirit is Christ's vicar on earth, his proxy, his executor to see that all that Christ has purchased for the saints be made good: Christ has obtained an inheritance incorruptible for them, (1 Peter 1:4) and the Spirit of Christ is his executor…

The Spirit does carve and polish the vessels of mercy, and make them fit for glory. 2. Christ causes perseverance and carries on a saint till he comes to the heavenly Kingdom, vi orationis, by his intercession: Christ is an advocate as well as a surety; he prays that the saints…

Secondly, there is a public kind of blessing, which is done by the minister of God, in the name of God. And after this sort, Melchizedek blessed Abraham, as he returned from the slaughter of the Kings, Hebrews 7:1: and without all contradiction, (says the Author of this Epistle)…

The papists avouch Christ to be a priest of this order in a new respect, in that as Melchisedeck offered bread and wine, when Abraham came from the slaughter of the kings: so (say they) Christ in his last supper did offer his own body and blood under the forms of bread and wine.…

Reason 4. Hebrews 7:24-25: The Holy Spirit makes a difference between Christ the high priest of the New Testament and all Levitical priests in this: that they were many, one succeeding another, but he is only one, having an eternal priesthood which cannot pass from him to any ot…

Therefore to the effecting of the said work there is required an infinite power, which far exceeds the strength of any created nature. Again, Hebrews 7:24 says Christ has a priesthood which cannot pass from his person to any other. Whence it follows that neither his kingly nor h…

1. In Christ's satisfaction for us there is an actual undertaking; he becomes guarantor and enters himself in our room; when all other things are cast aside — angels, men with their sacrifices, thousands of rams, ten thousand rivers of oil, and the fruit of the body — then our L…

So, having shown how it comes to pass that Christ suffered and suffered so much, and was brought so low under suffering; and having told that he was engaged to pay the Elect's debt, and that the Father had laid their iniquities on him; lest any might think that the Father would…

1. The person that suffered — he was not an ordinary, or rather not a mere man, but God-man; as is clear (Acts 2:27), cited out of (Psalm 16), where it is said, You will not leave my soul in hell, neither will you suffer your Holy One to see corruption. 2. The end of Christ's su…

It is implied here, that for this end, to wit, that the elect might be saved from sin, and that God's decree of election might stand sure, Christ Jesus became surety, and did undertake to satisfy for their sins; otherwise he could not have been liable to be stricken for them, if…

He has that testimony from the Prophet here, that he did no violence, neither was there any deceit in his mouth. He has this testimony from the Apostles — from Peter (1 Peter 2:22): he did no sin, neither was any guile found in his mouth; from John (1 John 3:5): he was manifeste…

Now we may see all these in Christ's sacrifice. For 1. He himself is the sacrifice (Hebrews 7:26; Hebrews 9:26; Hebrews 10:10), and frequently elsewhere in that epistle, and (1 Peter 2:24): Who his own self bore our sins, in his own body on the tree; and when he had offered up h…

The first is the excellency of His offering. He offered himself, as it is (Hebrews 7:27) and (Hebrews 10:10, 12, 14). The offering up of Himself, and of His blessed body on the tree, was another sort of sacrifice than all these bulls, rams, and goats, offered under the law, that…

2. It implies not only the crediting Him with the application of life, but that we commit ourselves to be alone in His debt and common for it, which is implied in that word (John 5): "You will not come to me, that you might have life." The use making of Christ for the attaining…

There is much of the dignity of Christ's office, and of the comfort of believers here: that Jesus Christ is not only the procurer of our life, but the overseer of it. From this comes that conclusion of the Apostle (Hebrews 7:25): Therefore he is able to save them to the uttermos…

He is so dexterous and powerful, that the devil shall gain no ground of Him, but He shall gain ground of him, and defeat him; so that we come after only to gather the spoil. He is able to save to the uttermost, (as it is, Hebrews 7:26.) all that come to God through him. And near…

2. There is need to take in this, held forth in God's promise in the Gospel; because, though Christ be the object of justifying faith, and His Righteousness be the ground of the soul's defense before God; yet God's promise must be looked on by faith, for the use making of Christ…

He is a priest after Melchizedek's order, and not after the order of Aaron, and (Romans 8:34) He is said to be at the right hand of God, making intercession for us. It is said likewise (Hebrews 7:25), that He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him, seeing h…

But the mean and low thoughts we have of him, and the poor consolation we feed on, do evidence much ignorance of him, and much unbelief of the solid worth and fullness that is in him, and in his priestly office in particular; and yet, O! how full of consolation is it? Such a hig…

This was typified in the people's giving the sacrifices to the priest to be offered, and though it were but two turtle doves, or two young pigeons, they were brought to the priest, as well as other sacrifices. But such as consider not the enmity and sinfulness that is in themsel…

Though Jonah be in the belly of the Whale, and the weeds wrapped about his head, yet will he look towards his holy Temple. So though a Soul have no life, nor sense, no inward [reconstructed: subsisting], nor arguments in the mouth, yet acting on Christ's Intercession by Faith, i…

3. If there be an ill and very necessitous case; or if there be challenges, and some commotion, discomposure and disquiet be in the spirit, there is readily little respect had to Christ; if quietness, and calmness be, there is also hazard of sitting down on that, and we readily…

To which we say, Assertion 1. Jesus Christ that holy thing (Luke 1:35), was a fit high Priest, holy, harmless, undefiled, separated from sinners (Hebrews 7:26). Which of you (says Christ to the Jews) convinces me of sin (John 8:46).

Job says, in chapter 14:4, that the most perfect who beget children are unclean (Romans 7:17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23; 1 John 1:8, 9, 10; 1 John 2:1). All that have need of a High Priest at the right hand of God to intercede for them have sin, and in so far are imperfect, as all…

(1 John 2:1-2) compared with (1 John 1:6-10) and (Hebrews 9): He appears for us, verse 24, for those that are sprinkled, verses 13-17, and look for him the second time, verse 28. He makes intercession for them that come to God through him (Hebrews 7:25). Who have a High Priest o…

For the first, Christ was appointed by God (and himself also undertook) to be our surety. This you have, Hebrews 7:22: he was made surety of a better testament or covenant, namely of the new. The Hebrew word for covenant the Septuagint still translated as 'testament,' the word i…

Therefore, as you have heard, there was an all-sufficiency in his death ('Who shall condemn? it is Christ that died'), a 'rather' in his resurrection ('yes rather, is risen again'), and a 'much rather' that he lives and is at God's right hand (Romans 5:10). The Apostle rises yet…

And the proper duty of his place being to show mercy, he does it with cheerfulnesse, (as the Apostle speaks:) For Mercy makes one do what they do, with cheerfulnesse. And Christ, as he is the Bishop, so the [illegible], the Deacon also, (for he beares all offices to his Church)…

I shall endeavour to give some satisfaction and reliefe in this, by these following considerations. First, The Apostle puts in indeede, that he was tempted [yet without sin,] and it was well for us that he was thus without sin, for he had not been a fit Priest to have saved us e…

Objection: But you say, who is there that so looks to himself, his wife, and children, and servants, so to his own heart and others, as that they are so wholly conformable to God's will in all that he counsels and commands, and who so expects such blessings, but that they take f…

This teaches us. 1. That Christ alone grappled with Satan, having no fellow worker with him, that we may know the strength of our Redeemer, who is able himself to overcome the tempter without any assistance, and to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him (Hebrews 7:25)…

One, that the difference lay in earthly things: which is not true. For the law was given to the Israelites: and it was a schoolmaster to Christ (Galatians 3), and, an introduction to a better hope (Hebrews 7:19). The second error is, that they differed only in this, that Christ…

It may be objected, that he is the Son of God: and therefore no curse. Answer: Christ must be considered as the Son of God, and again as our pledge and surety (Hebrews 7:22). In the first respect he was not accursed, but in the second.

I answer, the sonne of God. And this may not seeme strange, that he which is Lord of the law, should be subiect to the law: for he must be considered, as he is our pledge and suretie, Heb 7:22. and as one that standes in our place, roome, and stead; and before God represents the…

The word in the original translated large, is strangely wrested by sundry interpreters, without cause: Hilary referring it to the loftiness of sentences: Hyperius to the profundity and depth of matter: Jerome to the greatness of the character: Chrysostom and Theophylact, to the…

Though Christ was formed of the seed of Abraham, yet he contracted no defilement from a sinful nature; for the Spirit of God kept him pure from the very commencement: and this was done not merely that he might abound in personal holiness, but chiefly that he might sanctify his o…

But, as Luke appears to include Christ at the same time, it might be asked, What right had Simeon to take upon him the office of blessing Christ? “Without all contradiction,” says Paul, “the less is blessed of the greater,” (Hebrews 7:7). Besides, it has the appearance of absurd…

The laying on of hands (as we have said on a former occasion) was an ancient and well known sign of blessing; and so there is no reason to wonder, if they desire that Christ, while employing that solemn ceremony, should pray for the children. At the same time, as the inferior ar…

To this purport also is what we read in Psalm 118:26, We bless you out of the house of the Lord. In short, the apostle has told us that to bless others is a mark of superiority; for the less, he says, is blessed by the greater, (Hebrews 7:7.) Now when Christ, the true Melchizede…

They do not debate with him as to the doctrine itself, whether it was true or not—for already had they often enough attacked him in vain on that question—but they raise a dispute as to his calling and commission. And, indeed, there were plausible grounds; for since a man ought n…

This stops all pleas, and procures new pardons for new sins. Hence it is he saves to the uttermost, to the last compleating act, Hebrews 7:25 New sins do not irritate our former pardons, nor cut off our priviledges setled upon us in Christ. The returns and answers of all your pr…

By this Oath he promised him unto Abraham, and David of old, which proved the foundation of the churches stability in all generations; and also of their Security and assurance of Acceptance with him; see Luke 1:73, 74, 75. And in his taking upon him that Office whereby in an esp…

He, as Mediator, is furnished with sovereignty and eminent graces for the good of the body; and these, as they are for their nature most solid and excellent, so as to their virtue they are most efficacious and quickening. 2. If we take it in general, Observation: That the excell…

3. It shows his affection that he so names her now, wishing her a part of his own peace, and entitling her to it. Or, 2. this word may be derived from Salem, which properly taken, is Jerusalem (Psalm 76:1) and (Hebrews 7:1) Melchisedec was king of Salem, which signifies peace, a…

He purchased eternal life by the sacrifice of himself. Hebrews 7:27. He offered up himself. And 9:26. He has appeared to take away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

See Hebrews 9:12. He entered into heaven, there to make intercession for his people, to plead the sacrifice which he had made in order to the success of it, Hebrews 7:25. As he ascended into heaven, God the Father did in a visible manner set him on the throne as king of the univ…

God is praised twenty five times for his mercies, but the conclusion of all is, Praise the God of Heaven, for his mercies endure for ever; his mercies, as he is the God of heaven, they are the glorious mercies indeed. When the Scripture would set forth the excellency of a thing,…