An Exposition of Pauls Epistles, Letter 15 · Body of epistle · Chapter 5
The Summe of Chap. V.
I Have called Jesus, the Son of God, a great High-Priest, because the Levitical Priests are but a resemblance of him, and that in their imperfect measure For, look what office they had, vers. 1. What properties were required in them, vers. 2, 3. How they were called to their office, vers. 4. A fairer calling hath Christ, and to an higher Priesthood, vers. 5, 6. I called him a compassionate High Priest, because hee took on our frail nature, and had experience of such troubles as ours, both outward, and inward, vers. 7. For, the measure of the Mediators obedience, albeit Hee was the Son, required actual and experimental suffering: else, the price had not actually been paid for us, vers. 8. And, now being throughly fitted for his office by suffering, hee is become the cause of the salvation of all that follow him, vers. 9. Authorized for that end of God, after the order of Melchisedec; which order is more perfect than Aarons, vers. 10. Of which mystery I must speak with greater difficulty, for your incapacity, vers. 11. For yee have need yet more to bee catechised in the rudiments of Religion, as babes, vers. 12. For, such are they to whom easie Doctrine must bee propounded, vers. 13. But harder Doctrines, are for riper Christians, vers. 14.
The Doctrines of Chap. V.
Vers. 1. For, every High-Priest taken from amongst men, is ordained for men in things pertaining to God; that hee may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.
1. HEE setteth down the properties of the High-Priest, that hee might shew the truth of them in Christ. First, the peoples comfort did require, that the High-Priest should bee a man. So is Christ a Man, chosen out from amongst men. The Flower of all the Flock. Therefore wee may come the more homely to Him.
2. The High-Priest was ordained for men; that is, was appointed to imploy all his Office for mens good. So doth Christ: therefore may wee expect that hee will do for us, as Mediatour, what hee can: and that is all that wee need.
3. The High-Priests Office reached to all things pertaining to God; to communicate Gods will unto the people, and to lay before God the peoples Necessities. So doth Christs Office to all the business betwixt God and us, for working in us Repentance, and Amendment; and making our persons, and service, acceptable to God; and therefore, in nothing may wee pass by Him.
4. In special, the Priest behoved to offer Gifts and Sacrifices for sin, for removing of wrath, and obtaining of Favour: So hath Christ done, and fulfilled the type in this point also: therefore by Him must wee obtain the good which wee crave, and have the evil removed which wee fear.
Vers. 2. Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way, for that Hee Himself also is compassed with infirmity.
1. Hee goeth on in the Comparison: The typical High-Priest behoved to be compassionate on the Sinner: So in truth is Christ, even as the misery requireth, proportionally, as the word importeth.
2. Hee maketh two sorts of Sinners, Ignorants, and Transgressours. Then, Though there bee difference of sinners, yet no sinner, that seeketh to Christ, is secluded from His Compassion.
3. Followeth a difference, serving to advance Christ, above the typical Priest. The High-Priest typical, was compassed with infirmities, not onelyonly sinless infirmities, but sinful also; and so behoved to pitty others. Christ, though not compassed with sinful infirmities, but sinless onelyonly, yet doth pitty Sinners of all sorts.
Then, Look what compassion one sinner might expect of another▪ as much may wee expect of our sinless Saviour.
Vers. 3. And by reason hereof, hee ought as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.
Another difference. The typical Priest had need of Remission of his own sins, and the benefit of the true Sacrifice: But Christ, because without sin, offered Sacrifice onelyonly for our sins, and not for His own.
Then, All the Benefit of Christs Sacrifice, commeth unto us.
Vers. 4. And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but hee that is called of God, as was Aaron.
Hee proceedeth in the Comparison. The typical Priest entred by authority to his Calling, and was honoured by his Calling: So entred Christ. No man, saith hee, taketh this honour unto himself, but Hee that is called as was Aaron. Then, 1. It is an honour to bee called to an Office in the House of God. 2. The Calling is null, if it have not God for the Author, and Caller. 3. If a man take an office, not appointed of God, or intrude himself into an Office, without a lawful Calling, it is no kind of honour unto him.
Vers. 5. So also, Christ glorified not Himself, to bee made an High-Priest: But hee that said unto Him, Thou art My Son, to day have I begotten Thee.
1. Our Lord is commended, for not glorifying himself, by intrusion in his Office.
Then, 1. Such as pretend to bee Christs Servants, must beware to intrude themselves into any Office, and must attend, as Christ did, Gods Calling, to Gods Employment. 2. Hee that usurpeth a Calling, doth glorifie himself, and taketh the honour that is not given him: for which hee must give a Reckoning.
2. Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee, doth import, by the Apostles alledging, not onelyonly Christs God-head, and Declaration to be Gods Son; but also the Declaration of him, To be High-Priest in his Man-head; taken out from amongst men. So deep are the Consequences of Scripture, when the Spirit bringeth forth his own Mind from it.
Vers. 6. As hee saith also in another place, Thou art a Priest for ever, after the Order of Melchisedec.
Hee alledgeth another place, more clear.
Then, Howbeit Truth may bee proved from one place, yet it is needful also, for the …earers cause, to alledge more places, till the hearer bee convinced.
Vers. 7. Who in the daies of his flesh, when hee had offered up Prayers, and Supplications, with strong Crying, and Tears, unto him that was able to save him from Death; and was heard, in that hee feared.
Having proved Christs Office, hee sheweth his Exercise of it, in offering for our sins a more precious Oblation than the typical: Even himself, with Tears, to Death.
In these words, Then, Christ is pointed out unto us. 1. An High-Priest, taken from amongst men: a very true Man of our substance; Flesh, of our flesh. 2. A Man subject to the sinless infirmities of our nature, as Grief, Fear, Mourning, Death. 3. Having a set-time, during which hee was to bear these our infirmities, in the daies of his flesh. 4. Exercising his Priestly Office in these his daies, and offering his precious Tears, and Cryes, yea, his life, for us. 5. One, who howsoever Fear was upon his holy Nature, yet knew hee should bee delivered from death. 6. Who, as a man, in confidence of delivery, made prayers to the Father. 7. Whose prayers are not refused, but accepted, and heard on our behalf. 8. And, that these his sufferings were ended with the daies of his humiliation.
1. These Acts of Fear, and Tears, &c. are the proper Acts of his humane nature.
Then, 1. As the Divine Nature had its own Acts proper to it self, so had the humane Nature acts proper to it self also; and some acts were common to both the Natures: So of Christs acts, some are Divine, some Humane; some are both Divine and Humane. 2. As Man, hee was unable to bear our burthen, or to help himself, and therefore behoved to have the help of the God-head. 3. Albeit hee was God in his own person, yet as Man, hee behoved to take our room and place, and pray for assistance, both as surety for us, and teacher of us: To give us example how to behave our selves in straights.
2. Hee feared death, and offered Prayers and Tears, and strong cries: Because not onelyonly death temporal presented it self before him; but, which was much more, the curse of the Law, the Fathers wrath for sin duly deserved by us, was set in a Cup to his head, which should have swallowed him up for ever, if hee had not, by the worthiness of his person overcome it, and turned the eternal wrath and curse due unto us, into a temporal equivalent to himself.
Then, 1. The sense of Gods wrath, whom will it not terrifie since it wrought so on Christ? And Nature cannot chuse but fear, when sense feeleth wrath. 2. Felt wrath seemeth to threaten yet more, and worse: and therefore, beside feeling, doth breed yet further fear. 3. The curse of God due to our sins, virtually implying the deserved pains of Hell, is more terrible than can bee told, and such as the Creature cannot chuse but fear and abhor. 4. Christs sufferings were no phantasie, but very earnest, vehement, and terrible. 5. No weapon, nor Buckler against wrath, but flying to God by supplication, and crying, and tears.
3. Hee prayed to him that was able to save him, and was heard.
Then, 1. Albeit sense of wrath seeth no out-gate; but black fears are alwaies before it; yet Faith looking to Gods omnipotency, seeth an out-gate. 2. Christs prayers in our behalf, receive no repulse, but are heard. 3. Christ both died, and was saved from death also, because it could not keep Dominion over him. So shall wee bee saved from death though wee die.
Vers. 8. Though hee were a Son, yet learned hee obedience by the things which hee suffered.
Hee removeth the scandal of his Cross, by shewing the necessity and use thereof. Albeit hee was the Son, yet hee learned obedience by those things which hee suffered.
Then, 1. In the time of Christs deepest humiliation, the union betwixt his God-head and Man-head was not loosed, hee remained the Son of God still. 2. The excellency of his person exempted him not from suffering, having once taken on our debt. 3. Christ knew what suffering was, before hee suffered: but hee knew not by experience till hee actually suffered. 4. Christs holy life was a part of his obedience to the Father: but his obedience in suffering for our sins, was obedience in an higher degree. 5. To obey God by way of action, is a common lesson to every holy creature: but, that a sinless and holy person, should suffer for sin, was a new lesson proper to Christ, a practick which never passed but in Christs person onelyonly.
Vers. 9. And being made perfect, hee became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.
1. The suffering of Christ is called his Perfection.
Then, 1. Christ though perfect in his person, yet hee wanted something to make him perfect in his Office till hee suffered: for hee could not satisfie the Fathers justice till hee suffered; nor yet could hee have fellow-feeling from experience, of the miseries of his members. 2. After suffering, Christ lacketh nothing that may pacifie God, or comfort and save sinners.
2. The fruit followeth, Being perfected, hee is become the Author of salvation to all that obey him.
Then, 1. The proper cause of our salvation is to bee sought in Christ, perfected by suffering: not in any one part of his holiness, or obedience in doing, or any part of his suffering; but in him perfected by his obedience, even to the death of the Cross. Wee may take comfort from, and make use of his holy conception, life, and several virtues: but wee must remember that his accomplished obedience, in doing, and suffering, is our ransome, joyntly considered: and not any particular act looked on alone. 2. None should stumble at Christs sufferings, which perfected him in his Office, and likewise perfected our ransome to the Father. 3. Christ felt the bitterness of his own sufferings himself: but wee got the sweet fruit thereof; even eternal life. 4. OnelyOnly they who obey Christ, can claim Title to the purchase of eternal life by him. Now these are they who obey him, who in uprightness of heart beleeve in his promises, and aim to draw strength out of him for new obedience.
Vers. 10. Called of God an High-Priest, after the Order of Melchisedec.
Hee proveth that Christ is Author of eternal salvation to his Followers, from the nature of his Priesthood, which is eternal; not after Aarons Order, but Melchisedec's.
Then the nature of Christs Priesthood after Melchisedec's order, and the Fathers authorizing him in the Office, is the evidence of our eternal salvation to bee had by him with the Fathers approbation.
Vers. 11. Of whom wee have many things to say, and hard to bee uttered, seeing yee are dull of hearing.
Being to speak more of this mystery, hee prepareth them, by checking their dulness, and advertising them of the difficulty of expressing himself because of the same.
Then, 1. Even the Children of God are not free of this disease, of slowness to conceive spiritual things aright. 2. The incapacity of Auditors will breed even unto the best Preachers, difficulty of expressing their mind. 3. Preachers should rebuke the dulness of people, to stir them up the more.
Vers. 12. For when for the time yee ought to bee Teachers, yee have need that one teach you again which bee the first Principles of the Oracles of God; and are become such as have need of Milk, and not of strong meat.
1. Hee maketh their fault the more, because by reason of time, they ought to have been Teachers: that is, both well grounded themselves, and labouring to inform others.
Then, 1. As wee have longer time to learn, so should wee make more progress in knowledge. 2. As wee are rooted in knowledge our selves, so ought wee to communicate our knowledge, and inform others.
2. Hee calleth the Catechizing of the Ignorant, the Teaching the first Principles of the Oracles of God; and compareth it to the giving of Milk.
Then, 1. Catechizing of the rude and ignorant, is the first thing must bee done, for making sound Christians. 2. There is an order to be kept in bringing men unto knowledge: The first principles, …nd fundamental Doctrines must first be taught. 3. Nothing is to bee taught for grounding men in Religion, but Gods Oracles; that which is in Gods word onelyonly. 4. The manner of teaching the Principles of Religion, should bee easie and plain, as Milk for Children.
Vers. 13. For every one that useth Milk, is unskilful in the Word of Righteousness. For hee is a Babe.
Hee proveth them to bee rude in knowledge, by the description of one weak in knowledge, whom hee calleth a Babe, using Milk, and unskilful in the Word of Righteousness: so called, because how to be righteous is the sum of the Doctrine of it.
Then, 1. There are degrees of knowledge in Christianity: Some are weak, like Babes; some more instructed, and of full age. 2. All knowledge in Christianity, is to bee reckoned by acquaintance with the Scripture, and skill therein: Not by humane learning.
Vers. 14. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age; even those who by reason of use, have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
1. Hee describeth the well-instructed Christian, by his meat, and exercised senses. The meat that hee is fit for, is strong meat: that is, more profound Doctrine.
Then, 1. All the Scripture, and Doctrine from it, is either Milk, or stronger meat; but whether this, or that, yet alwaies it is food, fit for nourishment of mens souls. 2. Discretion must bee used by Teachers, to fit their teaching, as their people are advanced, for Milk, or stronger meat; so as they may best bee fed.
2. For the exercise of his senses, or wits, to discern good or evil, hee hath it by use, habit, and frequent acquainting himself with Scripture.
Then, 1. The use of the Scripture, and knowledge gotten thereby, is to discern by it, what is good, what is evil; what is truth, what is errour; what is right, what is wrong. 2. Though Scripture bee the Rule, yet not every one can take it up, or make right application of the Rule, to the point in hand. 3. To get a mans wits exercised, requireth frequent use of, and acquaintance with the Scripture. And without this haunting our mind in the Scriptures, and observing the Lords counsel therein, a man cannot bee able, albeit hee were versed in humane writs, to discern false Doctrine from true.