(2) Chaps. v., vi., vii. set forth the nature of this Priesthood. (3) Chaps. viii., the work of CHRIST as In chapters v., vi., vii. the nature of CHRIST'S High-Priesthood is set forth, showing the characteristics of the Levitical high-priesthood as realized in CHRIST (V. 1-10); the Priesthood of CHRIST after the order of Melchisedec (vi. 20, vii. 14-19); and His characteristics as absolute and eternal High Priest (vii. 26-28). The work of CHRIST as High Priest is considered ix., x. treat of in chapters viii., ix., and x. The scene of this work is shown to be a heavenly and not an earthly Sanctuary (viii. 1-6); His atoning work is contrasted with that of the high priest on the Day of Atonement (ix. 11-28); and the abiding efficacy of His One Sacrifice is set forth (x. 1-18). (4) In the re In the remaining chapters we have the applicamaining chap- tion of the fruits of CHRIST's High-Priesthood to ters the fruits of this Priest hood are applied to believers. ii. Our LORD'S Priesthood as typified by Melchisedec. believers. Thus we see that the characteristics of our LORD'S High-Priesthood are deduced from two types: that of Melchisedec; that of the high priest on the great Day of Atonement. Let us consider what the writer of the Epistle tells us of each. Our LORD's High-Priesthood as typified by Melchisedec (Heb. v., vi., vii.). The writer of the Epistle bases his arguments on two passages of the Old Testament. He starts from the verse in the Psalm,* Thou art a Priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec," and determines the idea suggested by this phrase from an investigation of the single record of Melchisedec found in the Book of Genesis. He argues partly from ments and sil- what is there told us, and partly from what is there omitted; that is, both from the statements and from the silence of Scripture. His treatment is distinctly typi The state ence of Script ure about Melchisedec. *Ps. cx. 4. cal, not allegorical, the difference being that a type presupposes a purpose wrought out in history from age to age, while an allegory rests finally in the imagination. From the silence of Holy Scripture in regard to the parentage or genealogy of Melchisedec and the commencement or close of his priestly office, he distinguishes between the Priesthood of our LORD as the Eternal SON, "having neither beginning of days nor end of life,” * and the Levitical priesthood. He points out that both rest upon an authoritative institution: the Levitical upon GOD's command to Moses, and our LORD's upon the Divine utterances, "Thou art My SON, to-day have I begotten Thee," and, "Thou art a Priest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec" (vv. 5-7). And he shows that the superior excellence of the Melchisedecean priesthood over the Levitical is not only seen in the nature of the priest and in the circumstances of His Ordination, but that it is typically manifested in Abraham's attitude towards Melchisedec. The victorious patriarch, himself a priest and the ancestor of the Levitical priesthood, recognizes the greater dignity of the royal priesthood of Melchisedec by paying tithes, and receiving Melchisedec's blessing. We have already touched on the fact that the inferior priesthood of Levi was but local and Judaic, while that of Melchisedec was universal. We must point out, however, that the only features of the type upon which the writer of the Epistle dwells are the payment of tithes and the receiving of blessing. He passes in complete silence the gifts of bread and wine. Fathers, from Clement of Alexandria † and Cyprian *Ch. vii. 3. The universal features- over blessing. The the bread and wine. No reference to + Clement of Alex., Strom., iv. 25, 163; also Strom., ii. Ep. ad Cæcil., lxiii., 4. 5, 8 21. The Fathers they were the The argument concludes that such an High Priest needs not to offer daily, downward, have assumed that the bread and wine were the materials of a sacrifice offered by Melchisedec, and S. Jerome * distinctly states that they were offered for Abraham. This silence in regard to the gifts Bishop Westcott thinks very significant as indicating that the writer presents Melchisedec as priest, not in sacrificing, but in blessing; that is, in communicating the fruits of an efficacious sacrifice already made. And if we adopt the opinion that the bread and wine had already been offered in sacrifice, it falls in well with the Catholic view of our LORD'S Intercession, that He is now in heaven, pleading and dispensing on earth the fruits of His Sacrifice once offered upon the Cross. The verses in which the argument from Melchisedec concludes, are: "He, because He abideth for ever, hath His Priesthood inviolable. Whence also He is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God through Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an High Priest [in truth] became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and become higher than the heavens; Who hath no need daily, as the high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for their own sins, then for the sins of the people, for this He did once for all in that He offered up Himself" (vii. 24-27). From this we may gather, in support of the Catholic view, that though our LORD'S Priesthood is "inviolable" and continuous (is tov aiova), that is, it cannot pass to another, yet He hath no for this He did need daily to offer up sacrifices, for this He did once for all (pana) when He offered up Himself; " but that, being "holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from But that He is sinners, and become higher than the heavens," "He is able to save to the uttermost them that come unto * S. Jerome, Ad Matt., xxii. 41; cf. Ad Matt., xxvi. 26. once for all. able to save all that come to GOD through Him, and ever liveth to make GOD through Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." Here the phrase to make intercession" (εis to evτvyxάvεiv), as has often been intercession pointed out, implies the work of a Mediator interacting for them. between GOD and man, being able as Man from the things which He suffered" to sympathize with man, and being able as GOD to save to the uttermost those for whom He intercedes. There is here not only no mention of the offering Not only is of Sacrifice, but this is explicitly excluded by the statement that He "hath no need daily to offer up Sacrifice," either" for Himself " or " for the people,' 'for this He did once for all in that He offered up Himself." This certainly seems purposely to exclude from the idea of intercession or mediation the offering of any actual sacrifice. 99 66 This The objection of the Modern school to this is, that since it is the function of a priest to offer sacrifice, and our LORD is admittedly a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec," He must not only "have something to offer," but must continually offer it. objection does not seem well taken, since a priest does not cease to be a priest when he is not actually offering sacrifice, and there are other sacerdotal functions besides sacrifice. Aaron was high priest from the day of his consecration to the day of his death, and not only at the time when he was exercising his peculiar office on the great Day of Atonement. And if we accept the Catholic view that our LORD was a Priest from His Incarnation, we believe that He passed thirty-three years of His life without actually exercising the sacrificial function, although doubtless daily in will offering up to GOD His interior purpose to consummate on the Cross * Heb. viii. 3. there no men tion of any S. offered in heaven, but it seems explicitly excluded. The Modern school object that since our LORD is a He must con tinually offer S. This objection answered. Our LORD exercises His Priesthood in intercession, pleading the merits of His Sacrifice, in blessing, and in presenting to the FATHER His own glori fied Humanity and His Mysti cal Body the Church. In Chap. viii. we reach the main point, that we have an High Priest Who fulfils all has sat down at the Right Hand of God. the Sacrifice by which the world was to be redeemed. There is, therefore, no difficulty in believing that, having offered this One Sacrifice, as we are so distinctly told, once for all," and needing not to offer any other Sacrifice, He" abideth a Priest perpetually." For He exercises His sacerdotal functions in intercession, by pleading the merits of His Sacrifice once offered, by presenting to the FATHER with His own glorified Humanity His Mystical Body the Church, which He has redeemed with His Precious Blood. Like Melchisedec His work is to bless; and this is indicated in S. Luke's account of His Ascension: "It came to pass, while He blessed them, He was parted from them, and carried up into heaven."* And like Melchisedec also He feeds His people on earth with the fruits of His Sacrifice, in the Holy Eucharist. We now pass to the opening verses of the next chapter: "Now in the things which we are saying the chief point is this: We have such a High Priest as sat down on the Right Hand of the throne of the Majesty in the the conditions heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary, and of the true required, and tabernacle, which the LORD pitched, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; whence it was necessary that this [High Priest] also should have something to offer. Now if He were [still] upon earth, He would not be a priest at all, seeing there are those who offer the gifts according to law, such as serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly order, even as Moses is warned of GOD, when about to make the tabernacle, for, See, saith He, thou shalt make all things according to the pattern that was shewed thee in the mount. But, as it is, He hath obtained a Ministry so much the more excellent as also He is * S. Luke xxiv. 51. |