Exposition of Hebrews 6-10, Exegesis of chapter 7 · Exegesis of verses 4, 5, 6 – Exegesis of verses 4, 5, 6
VER. 4, 5, 6.
THE Proceed of these Verses is unto the Application of what was before Discoursed. For having proved that Christ the promised Messiah was to be a Priest after the Order of Melchisedec from Psal. 110. and given a Description both of the Person and Office of this Melchisedec from the Historical Narration of them as laid down by Moses, he makes Application of the whole unto his present purpose. And from the consideration of sundry particulars in his Description, confirms in general the Argument which he had in hand. For that which principally he designeth to prove is, that a more Excellent Priesthood than that of Aaron being introduced according to the Purpose and Promise of God, it followed necessarily, that that Priesthood with all the Worship, Rites and Ceremonies which belonged unto it, was to cease and be taken out of the way. For as this new Promised Priesthood was inconsistent with it, and could not be Established without the Abolition of it, so it brought a far greater Benefit and Spiritual Advantage unto the Church than it before enjoyed. And we are not to wonder that the Apostle insists so much hereon, and that with all sorts of Arguments, especially such as the Old Testament furnished him withal. For this was the Hinge on which the Eternal Salvation or Destruction of that whole Church and People at that time, did turn. For if they would not forgoe their Old Priesthood and Worship, their Ruine was unavoidable. Christ would either be rejected by them, or be of no profit unto them. Accordingly things fell out with the most of them, they clave absolutely unto their Old Institutions, and rejecting the Lord Christ, perished in their unbelief. Others contended for the Continuance of their Priesthood and Worship, for which they supposed they had Invincible Reasons, although they admitted the Profession of Christ and the Gospel therewithal. But our Apostle knowing how inconsistent these things were, and how the retaining of that Perswasion, would keep them off at present from believing the Necessity, Usefulness, Glory and Advantages of the Priesthood of Christ, and the Spiritual Worship of the Gospel, as also dispose them unto Apostacy for the future, laboureth by all means to eradicate this pernicious Fundamental Error out of their minds. Unto this End doth he so diligently insist on all the Instances, and particulars of them, whereby God of Old did intimate unto their Fore-fathers the Introduction of this Alteration, with the Advantage of the Church thereby. And I mention these things, that we may see the Reason the Apostle did so Scrupulously as it were to insist on all the ensuing particulars, which otherwise we may not so easily discern the necessity of; and withal to shew, (1.) How hard it is to dispossess the minds of men of inveterate Perswasions in Religion. (2.) The great Care and Diligence they ought to Use and Exercise who have the Care of the Souls of Men committed unto them, when they discern them in apparent danger of Ruine.
That the Old Priesthood was to be removed, and the New one mentioned to be introduced. He proves in the first place, by the Greatness of the Person who was first chosen of God to praefigure and Represent the Lord Christ in his Office of Priesthood. For if he were so Excellent in his Person and Office, as deservedly to be preferred above Aaron and all his Successors, then he who was praefigured and represented by him, must be so also; yea, be so much more as that which is Typed out and Signified, is, and always must be more Excellent than the Type and Sign, which are of no Use but with respect thereunto.
In these Verses he choseth out his first Instance in what he had observed before out of the Narrative of Moses concerning the Greatness and Excellency of Melchisedec, in that he received Tithes of Abraham. His Design is to prove him more Excellent and Great than all the Levitical Priests. But herein he takes a step backward, and begins with Abraham himself, from whom both People and Priests confessedly derived all their Priviledges. And he produceth his Instance in the case of Tithes, whereon as it is known the whole Levitical Priesthood did depend. And this the Apostle knew full well, that if once he proved him Greater than Abraham, he should not need with that People to prove him above any of his Posterity, but they would immediately give over the Contest. So in their Exceptions unto our Saviour's Testimony concerning himself they acknowledge they could proceed no higher; Art thou, say they, Greater than our Father Abraham? whom makest thou thy self to be? John 8. 53. But yet our Apostle not content herewith, to obviate all Pretences, proves distinctly afterwards that the whole Order of the Levitical Priests were inferiour unto him.
VER. 4, 5, 6.
foreign.
foreign; Considerate, Spectate, Syr. foreign —Videte; Vul. Lat. intuemini. Consider, Behold, Contemplate; serious Consideration with Diligent Intuition is intended. foreign; quantus hic; sit, vul. fuerit, is supplyed by others; as by us, how great this Man was. Syr. foreign —quam magnus hic. foreign. Decimas spoliorum, decimas de spoliis hostium; de spoliis, vul. Lat. Decimas de praecipuis, of the chiefest things. The Syr. makes a distinction. foreign —Tithes and First-fruits. foreign; Cujus Generatio non annumeratur in eis; Whose Generation is not numbred in them; very obscurely. Cujus genus non recensetur ex illis, non refertur ad illos. Whose Stock, Race, Pedigree is not reckoned from them, referred unto them; the Syriack foreign who is not written in their Genealogies, which is the sence of the word; for respect is had unto the Genealogies that were written and upon Record.