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upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them P by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God.

8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and
is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and
things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
10 For God is not unrighteous to forget "your work and
p Or, for-q Psa. 65, 10.-r Iss.5.6.-a Prov. 14.31. Matt. 10.42. & 25,40. John 13.
- Ron.3.4. 2 Thess. 1.6,7.

have made Him a public example; or, crucifying unto them.
selves, and making the Son of God a public example. That
is, they show openly that they judge Jesus Christ to have been
worthy of the death which He suffered; and was justly made
a public example by being crucified. This shows that it is
final apostacy, by the total rejection of the Gospel, and blas
phemy of the Saviour of men, that the apostle has in view.
See the note introductory to ver. 4.

7. For the earth which drinketh in the rain] As much as if He had said, In giving up such apostates as utterly incurable, we act as men do in cultivating their fields; for, as the ground which drinketh in the rain by which the providence of God waters it, brings forth fruit to compensate the toil of the tiller; and continues to be cultivated, God granting His blessing to the labours of the husbandman:-So

8. That which beareth thorns and briers is rejected] That is, the land which, notwithstanding the most careful cultivation, receiving also, in due times, the early and latter rain, produces nothing but thorns and briers, or noxious weeds of different kinds, is rejected, adoxos, is given up as unim proveable; its briers, thorns, and brush-wood burnt down, and then left to be pastured on by the beasts of the field. This seems to be the custom in husbandry to which the apostle alludes. The nature of the case prevents us from supposing that he alludes to the custom of pushing and burning, in or der to farther fertilization. This practice has been common from very early times:

Sæpe etiam steriles incendere profuit agros;
Atque levem stipulam crepitantibus urere flammis.
VIRG. Geor. I. v. 84.
Long practice has a sure improvement found,
With kindled fires to burn the barren ground:
When the light stubble to the flames resigned,
Is driven along, and crackles in the wind.
But this, I say, the circumstances of the case prevent us from
supposing to be intended.

DRYDEN.

faith and love shall be saved,

labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in
that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
11 And we desire that every one of you do show the same
diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through
faith and patience inherit the promises.

u1 Thess. 1.3-v Rom. 15.25. 2 Cor. S. 4. & 9. 1, 12. 2 Tim. 1. S. Ch.3.6, 14.x Col.2.2-y Ch. 13.56.

tion of Christ and his Gospel, are about to be finally rejected by God. They must meet with destruction; they have the things that are suitable to, and indicative of, a state of reprobation; the wrath of God will come upon them to the uttermost: but while they meet with destruction, you shall meet with salvation. It is worthy of remark, that no genuine Christian perished in the destruction of Jerusalem; they all, previous to the siege by Titus, escaped to Pella, in Colosyria: and it is remarkable that not one Jew escaped! all either fell by the sword, perished by famine, or were led into captivity! According to their own imprecation, His blood be upon us and our children! God visited and avenged the innocent blood of Christ upon them and upon their posterity; and they continue to be monuments of His displeasure to the present day.

10. God is not unrighteous] God is only bound to men by His own promise: this promise he is not obliged to make; but, when once made, His righteousness or justice requires Him to keep it: therefore, whatever IIe has promised, He will certainly perform. But He has promised to reward every good work and labour of love, and He will surely reward yours: God's promise is God's debt.

Every good work must spring from faith in the name, being, and goodness, of God: and every work that is truly good must have love for its motive, as it has God for its end.

The word rov Konov, labour, prefixed to love, is wanting in almost every MS. and Version of importance. Griesbach has left it out of the text.

Ministered to the saints] Have contributed to the support and comfort of the poor Christians who were suffering persecution in Judea. As they had thus ministered, and were still ministering, they gave full proof that they had a common cause with the others; and this was one of the things that proved them to be in a state of salvation.

11. We desire] Επιθυμουμεν, we earnestly wish that each person among you may continue, evdeikvoodai, to manifest, Is nigh unto cursing] It is acknowledged, almost on all exhibit to full view, the same diligence. There might be rea hands, that this epistle was written before the destruction of son to suspect that some, through fear of man, might not wish Jerusalem by the Romans. This verse is, in my opinion, a the good they did to be seen, lest they also should suffer per proof of it; and here I suppose the apostle refers to that ap. secution. This would not comport with the generous noble proaching destruction; and perhaps he has this all along in spirit of the Gospel: the man who is afraid to let his decided view, but speaks of it covertly, that he might not give offence. attachment to God be known, is not far from backsliding. He There is a good sense in which all these things may be ap- who is more afraid of man than he is of God Almighty, can plied to the Jews at large, who were favoured by our Lord's have very little religion. As the church of Christ required ministry and miracles. They were enlightened by His preach- all those who in these times embraced the Gospel, to be pub. ing; tasted of the benefits of the heavenly gift, the Christian licly baptized, those who submitted to this rite gave full proof religion established among them; saw many of their children that they were thoroughly convinced of the truths of Chrisand relatives made partakers of the Holy Ghost; tasted the tianity; and they gave this as a public pledge that they would good word of God, by the fulfilment of the promise made to be faithful. Abraham; and saw the almighty power of God exerted, in The same diligence] They had an active faith, and a la. working a great variety of miracles. Yet, after being convin-bouring love; and the apostle wishes them to persevere in ced that never man spake as this man, and that none could do both. They were diligent, very diligent; and he desires them those miracles which He did, except God were with Him; to continue so.

the same immediate inspiration of the Holy Ghost, of persevering grace, and of eternal glory. So much and no more, as faith every moment beholds with open face; so much does hope see to all eternity. But this assurance of faith and hope is not an opinion, not a bare construction of Scriptures; but is given immediately by the power of the Holy Ghost; and what none can have for another, but for himself only."

after having followed Him in thousands, for three years, while Το the full assurance of hope] Προς την πληροφορίαν της He preached to them the Gospel of the kingdom of God; they λmidos. "The full assurance of faith," says Mr. Wesley, "re. fell away from all this, crucified Him, who, even in His suflates to present pardon; the full assurance of hope, to future ferings as well as His resurrection, was demonstrated, by mi-glory: the former is the highest degree of Divine evidence racles, to be the Son of God; and then, to vindicate their un- that God is reconciled to me in the Son of His love; the latter paralleled wickedness, endeavoured to make Him a public is the same degree of Divine evidence wrought in the soul by example, by reproaches and blasphemies. Therefore their state, which had received much moral cultivation, from Moses, the prophets, Christ, and His apostles, and now bore nothing but the most vicious fruits, pride, unbelief, hardness of heart, contempt of God's word and ordinances, blasphemy, and rebellion, was rejected, reprobated of God; was nigh unto cursing, about to be cast off from the Divine protection; and their city and temple were shortly to be burnt up by the Ro man armies. Thus the apostle, under the case of individuals, points out the destruction that was to come upon this people in general, and which actually took place about seven years after the writing of this epistle! And this appears to be the very subject which the apostle has in view in the parallel solemn passages, chap. x. 26-31. and, viewed in this light, much of their obscurity and difficulty vanishes away.

9. But, beloved] Here he softens what he had before said: having given them the most solemu warning against apostacy, he now encourages them to persevere, commends the good that is in them, and excites them to watchfulness and activity. Better things of you] Than that you shall resemble that unfruitful ground, that can be improved by no tillage, and is thrown into waste, and is fit only for the beasts of the forest

to roam in.

We must not misapprehend these excellent sayings of this eininent man: 1. The person who has this full assurance of hope, is he, who not only knows and feels that his sins are for given through Christ Jesus; but also that his heart is pu rified from all unrighteousness, that the whole body of sin and death is destroyed, and that he is fully made a partaker of the Divine nature. As, without holiness, complete entire holiness, no man can see God; so, without this, none can scripturally or rationally hope for eternal glory: it being a contradiction to profess to have the full assurance of hope, to enjoy a state and place for which the soul is conscious it is not prepared. 2. All that is said here must be understood as still implying the absolute necessity of continuing in the same degree of grace, from which this full assurance of hope is deri ved. This full assurance, therefore, does not imply, that the man will absolutely persevere to the end; but that if he do persevere in this saine grace, he shall infallibly have an eter. nal glory There is no unconditional perseverance in the Scripture; nor can there be such in a state of probation.

Things that accompany salvation] Ta exoμeva σwτrpias, things that are suitable to a state of salvation; you give proofs still that you have not, whatever others have done, departed from the living God. Several of your brethren have 12. That ye be not slothful] This shows how the full asalready apostatized; and the whole nation is in a state of re- surance of hope is to be regulated and maintained. They must bellion against God; and, in consequence of their final rejec- I be diligent: slothfulness will deprive them both of hope and

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was confirmed by an oath,

heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath :

18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible
for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have
fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure
and steadfast, f and which entereth into that within the veil;
20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus,
made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Chap. 12.1.-f Lev. 16. 15. Chap. 9.7.-g Chap. 4.14.& 8.1. & 9.4.—h Chap.1.1@
5.6, 10. & 7.17.

"What is the meaning of by Thine own self? Rab. Elizar
answered, Thus said Moses to the holy blessed God, Lord of
all the world, If thou hadst sworn to them by the heavens and
the earth, then I should have said, As the heavens and the
earth shall pass away, so may Thy oath pass away. But now
Thou hast sworn unto them by Thy great naine, which liveth,
and which endureth for ever, and for ever and ever: therefore
Thy oath shall endure for ever, and for ever and ever."
This is a good thought: if God had sworn by any thing
finite, that thing might fail, and then the obligation was at an
end;-but He has sworn by what is infinite, and cannot fail;
therefore His oath is of eternal obligation.

Followers of them] Minrai de KλпpovoμoVVTwy Tas enayythias That ye be mimics, or imitators of them who are inheriting the promises. And they inherited these promises by faith in Him who is invisible, and whom they knew could not lie; and they patiently endured, through difficulties and adversities of every kind, and persevered unto death. "The promises made to Abraham and to his seed, were-1. That Abraham should have a numerous seed by faith, as well as by natural descent. 2. That God would be a God to him and to his seed in their generations, by being the Object of their worship, and their Protector. 3. That he would give them the possession of Canaan. 4. That he would bless all the nations of the earth in him. 5. That He would thus bless the nations through Christ, Abraham's seed. 6. That through Christ, like-bour unawares was sure, if he gained the city of refuge, be wise, He would bless the nations with the Gospel revelation. Four of these promises the believing Gentiles were inheriting at the time the apostle wrote this letter. 1. They were become Abraham's seed by faith. 2. God was become the Object of their worship and their Protector. 3. They were enjoying the knowledge of God in the Gospel church, and the gifts of the Spirit. Gal. iii. 4. All these blessings were bestowed upon them through Christ. By observing that the believing Gen. tiles were actually inheriting the promises; i. e. the four promised blessings above-mentioned, the apostle appealed to an undeniable fact, in proof that the believing Gentiles, equally with the believing Jews, were heirs of the promises made to Abraham and his seed."-See Dr. Macknight. The promises may be considered as referring to the rest of faith here, and the rest of glory hereafter.

13. When God made promise to Abraham.] The promise referred to is that made to Abraham when he had offered his son Isaac on the altar, Gen. xxii. 16, 17, 18. "By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thy only son; that in blessing, I will bless thee; and in multiplying, I will multiply thy seed, as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the Bea-shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of His cuemies; and in thy seed shall the nations of the earth be blessed." Of this promise, the apostle only quotes a part, as is generally the case, because he knew that his readers were well acquainted with the Scriptures of the Old Testament, and particularly with

the law.

He sware by himself. He pledged His Eternal power and Godhead for the fulfilment of the promise: there was no be ing superior to Himself, to whom He could make appeal, or by whom He could be bound; therefore, He appeals to, and pledges His immutable truth and Godhead.

14. Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee] I will con tinue to bless thee.

Multiplying I will multiply thee I will continue to in crease thy posterity. In the most eral manner God conti nues to fulfil this promise: genuine Christians are Abraham's seed, and God is increasing their number daily.-See the notes on Gen. xxii. 12-18, and xxiii. 1.

15. He obtained the promise] Isaac was supernaturally born; and in his birth God began to fulfil the promise: while he lived, he saw a provision made for the multiplication of his seed; and, having continued steadfast in the faith, he received the end of all the promises, in the enjoyment of an eternal glory. And the inference from this is, if we believe, and prove faithful unto death, we shall also inherit the promises; and this is what is implied in the apostle's exhortation ver. 12. Be not slothful, but followers of them, &c.

16. Men verily swear by the greater] One who has greater authority; who can take cognizance of the obligation, and punish the breach of it.

An oath for confirmation]"This observation teaches us," says Dr. Macknight, "that both promissory oaths concerning things lawful and in our power, and oaths for the confirmation of things doubtful, when required by proper authority, and taken religiously, are allowable under the Gospel."

17. The heirs of promise.] All the believing posterity of Abraham, and the nations of the earth, or Gentiles in general. The immutability of his counsel] His unchangeable purpose to call the Gentiles to salvation by Jesus Christ; to justify every penitent by faith; to accept faith in Christ, in place of personal righteousness; and, finally, to bring every persevering believer, whether Jew or Gentile, to eternal glory.

18. That by two immutable things] The promise and oath of God; the promise pledged His faithfulness and justice; the oath, all the infinite perfections of His Godhead; for He sware by Himself. There is a good saying in Beracoth, on Exod. Xxxii. 13. fol. 32. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Thy servants, to whom Thou swearedst by Thine own self.

We might have a strong consolation] There appears to be an allusion here to the cities of refuge, and to the persons who fled to them for safety. As the person who killed his neighshould be safe, and had strong consolation in the hope that be should reach it; this hope animated him in his race to the city; he ran, he fled, knowing that though in danger the most imminent of losing his life, yet, as he was now acting accord ing to an ordinance of God, he was certain of safety provided he got to the place.

It is easy to apply this to the case of a truly penitent sinner Thou hast sinned against God, and against thy own life! The avenger of blood is at thy heels! Jesus hath shed His blood for thee; He is thy Intercessor before the Throne; flee to Him! Lay hold on the hope of eternal life which is offered unto thee in the Gospel! Delay not one moment! thou art Dever safe till thou hast redemption in His blood! God invites thee! Jesus spreads His hands to receive thee! God hath sworn that He willeth not the death of a sinner; then, He cannot will thy death: take God's oath, take His promise, credit what He hath spoken and sworn! Take encouragement! Believe on the Son of God; and thou shalt not perish, but have everlasting life!

19. Which hope we have as an anchor] The apostle here changes the allusion: he represents the state of the followers of God in this lower world, as resembling that of a vessel stri ving to perform her voyage through a troublesome, tempesta ous, dangerous sea. At last she gets near the port; but the tempest continues, the water is shallow, broken, and dangerous, and she cannot get in: in order to prevent her being un ven to sea again, she heaves out her sheet anchor, which she has been able to get within the pier head, by means of her boat, though she could not herself get in; then, swinging i the length of her cable, she rides out the storia in confidence, knowing that her anchor is sound, the ground good in which it is fastened, and the cable strong. Though agitated, she safe; though buffeted by wind and tide, she does not drive: by and by the storm ceases, the tide flows in, her sailors take to the capstan, wear the ship against the anchor, which still keeps its bite or hold, and she gets safely into port.-See on ver. The comparison of hope to an anchor is frequent among the ancient heathen writers; who supposed it to be as necessary to the support of man in adversity, as the anchor is to the safety of the ship when about to be driven on a lee shore by t storm. "To ground hope on a false supposition," says Socreiss "is like trusting to a weak anchor."-He said farther, et ναυν εξ ενός αγκύριου, ούτε βίον εκ μιας ελπίδος άρμις του ; Δες ought not to trust to one anchor, nor life to one hope. St Serm. 109.

The hope of eternal life is here represented as the son's an chor: the world is the boisterous, dangerous sea; the Chris tian course, the voyage; the port, everlasting felicity; sud the veil, or inner road, the royal dock in which that an-bor was cast. The storms of life continue but a short time: the anchor hope, if fixed by faith in the eternal world, wil infillibly prevent all shipwreck; the soul may be strongly tosse. by various temptations, but will not drive, because the ancler is in sure ground, and itself is steadfast; it does not drag. and it does not break: faith, like the cable, is the connecting medium between the ship and the anchor, or the soul and ta hope of heaven: faith sees the haven, hope desires and antre pates the rest; faith works and hope holds fast; and shortly the soul enters into the haven of eternal repose.

20. Whither the forerunner] The word podpores, predre mos, does not merely signify one that gees or runs before abo ther, but also one who shows the way; he who first dões a par ticular thing; also the first-fruits. So in the Septuagist, İs xxviii. 4. podpopos ovkov signifies the first-fruits of the fig tree, or the first ripe figs.

To this meaning of the word Pliny refers, Hist. Not th xvi. c. 26, Ficus el præcores habet, quas Athenis PRODROMOR (podpoμos) vocant.-"The fig tree produces some figs with are ripe before the rest; and these are called by the Athenians prodromos, forerunners." The word is laterpreted in tus

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same way by Hesychius: it occurs in no other part of the New Testament, but may be found in Wisdom, chap. xii. 8. and in | Isa. xxviii. 4. quoted above from the Septuagint. From this we may at once perceive the meaning of the phrase: Jesus is the first fruits of human nature that has entered into the heavenly kingdom; the first human body that was ripe for glory, and ripe long before the rest of the children who are partakers of flesh and blood. And He is entered for us, as the irst-fruits of all who have found redemption in His blood.Compare John xiv. 2. 1 Cor. xv. 20, 23. and the notes there.

The metaphorical allusion is to the person who carries the anchor within the pier head, because there is not yet water sufficient to carry the ship in; and to this I have already referred.

Melchisedec, king of Saver

1. We have in this chapter a very solemn warning against backsliding and apostacy; and that negligence and sloth which are their forerunners. A man cannot be careless about God and heaven, till he has lost his relish for sacred things: and this relish he cannot lose while he is diligent and faithful. The slightest departure from truth and purity may ultimately lead to a denying, and even reviling, of the Lord who bought him.

2. Every obedient believer in Christ Jesus has both the oath and promise of God that He will make all grace abound towards him; for, in blessing God will bless him he may be greatly agitated and distressed, but while he continues in the obedience of faith, he will ride out the storm. His anchor is within the veil, while his heart is right with God. Jesus is gone before to prepare a place for hin; and where the firstfruits are, there will soon be the whole lump. He who perseveres unto death, shall as surely see God as Jesus Christ now I does. God's oath and promise cannot fail. CHAPTER VII.

After the order of Melchisedec] After a long digression the apostle resumes his explanation of Psa. cx. 4. which he had produced, chap. v. 6, 10. in order to prove the permanency of the High-priesthood of Christ.

Concerning the greatness of Melchisedec, after whose order Christ is a High-priest, 1-4. The Levites had authority to take tithes of the people; yet Abraham, their representative, paid tithes to Melchisedec, 5-10. Perfection cannot come by the Mosaic law; else there could be no need for another Priest, after the order of Melchisedec, according to the prediction of David, in Psalm ex. which Priest is sprung from a tribe to which the Priesthood, according to the law, did not appertain; but the Christ is a Priest for ever, not according to the law, but after the power of an endless life, 11-17. The law, therefore, is disannulled, because of its unprofitableness and imperfection; and Christ has an unchangeable Priesthood, 18-24. He is therefore able always to save them that come unto Him, being in every respect a suitable Saviour; and He has offered up Himself for the sins of the people, 25-27. The law makes those priests who have infirmity; but He who is consecrated by the oath is perfect, and endures for ever, 28. [A. M. cir. 4067. A. D. cir. 63. An. Olymp. cir. CCX. 3. A. U. C. cir. 816.]

NOR this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;

2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;

a Glen. 14. 15, &c.-b Gr. without pedigree. -e Isa 53.8. Ezra 2.62. NOTES-Verse 1. For this Melchisedec, king of Salem] See the whole of this history largely explained in the notes on Gen. xiv. 18, &c. and the concluding observations at the end of that chapter.

The name Melchisedec, py, is thus expounded in Bereshith Rabba, sec. 43. fol. 42. Your post mitsadic et Yoshebaiv, "The Justifier of those who dwell in Him;" and this is sufficiently true of Christ, but false of Jerusalem, to which the rabbins apply it; who state that it was originally called T'sedek, and that it justified its inhabitants.

Salem is generally understood to be Jerusalem: but some think that it was that city of Shechem mentioned Josh. iii. 23. St. Jerom was of this opinion.

2. Gave a tenth part of all] It was an ancient custom among all the nations of the earth, to consecrate a part or tenth of the spoils taken in war to the objects of their worship. Many examples of this kind occur. This, however, was not according to any provision in law, but merely ad libitum, and as an eucharistic offering to those to whom they imagined they owed the victory. But neither Abraham's decimation, nor theirs, had any thing to do either with tithes as prescribed under the Mosaic dispensation, or as claimed under the Christian. 3. Without father, without mother] The object of the apos. tle, in thus producing the example of Melchisedec, was to show-1. That Jesus was the Person prophesied of in the exth Psalm; which Psalm the Jews uniformnly understood as predicting the Messiah. 2. To answer the objections of the Jews against the legitimacy of the Priesthood of Christ, taken from the stock from which He proceeded. The objection is this:-if the Messiah is to be a true priest, he must come from a legitimate stock, as all the priests under the law have regu. larly done; otherwise we cannot acknowledge him to be a priest. But Jesus of Nazareth has not proceeded from such a stock; therefore we cannot acknowledge him for a priest, the antitype of Aaron. To this objection the apostle answers, that it was not necessary for the priest to come from a particular stock; for Melchisedec was a priest of the Most High God, and yet was not of the stock, either of Abraham or Aaron, Anta Canaanite. It is well known that the ancient Hebrews were exceedingly scrupulous in choosing their high-priest: partly by Divine command, and partly from the tradition of their ancestors, who always considered this office to be of the highest dignity. 1. God had commanded, Lev. xxi. 10. that the nigh-priest should be chosen from among their brethren; i. e. from the family of Aaron. 2. That he should marry a virgin. 3. He must not marry a widow. 4. Nor a divorced person. 5. Nor a harlot. 6. Nor one of another nation. He who was found to have acted contrary to these requisitions, was, jure Divino, excluded from the pontificate. On the contrary, it was necessary that he who desired this honour should be able to prove his descent from the family of Auron; and if he could not, though even in the priesthood, he was cast out, as we find from Ezra ii. 62. and Nehem. vii. 63.

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3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.

4 Now consider how great this man was, d unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. 5 And verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive

Neh.7.61. Luke 1.34.& 3.23.-d Gen. 14. 18-20.-e Num.18.21, 25.

gies, which were regularly kept in the archives of the tem ple. When any person aspired to the sacerdotal function, his genealogical table was carefully inspected; and if any of the above blemishes was found in him, he was rejected.

He who could not support his pretensions by just genealogi. cal evidences, was said by the Jews to be without father. Thus in Bereshith Rabba, sect. 18. fol. 18. on these words, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother-It is said, if a proselyte to the Jewish religion have married his own sister, whether by the same father or by the same mother, they cast her out, according to Rabbi Meir. But the wise men say, if she be of the same mother, they cast her out; but, if of the same father, they retain her, IN PR shein ab la goi, “for a Gentile has no father;" i. e. his father is not reckoned in the Jewish genealogies. In this way both Christ and Melchisedec were without father and without mother; i. e. were not descended from the original Jewish sacerdotal stock. Yet Melchisedec, who was a Canaanite, was a priest of the Most High God. This sense Suidas confirms under the word Melchisedec, where, after having stated that, having reigned in Salem 113 years, he died a righteous man and a bachelor, Ayerɛadoγητός ειρηται, παρα το μη υπάρχειν εκ του σπέρματος Αβρααμ όλως είναι δε Χανανίον το γένος, και εκ του επαράτου σπορας δρο popevov, odev ovde yevɛadoyias netwτo, he adds, "He is, therefore, said to be without descent or geneulogy, because he was not of the seed of Abraham, but of Canaanitish origin, and sprung from an accursed seed; therefore he is without the honour of a genealogy." And he farther adds, "That, because it would have been highly improper for him, who was the most righteous of men, to be joined in affinity to the most unrighteous of nations, he is said to be araropa kat aunтоpa, without father and without mother." This sort of phraseo logy was not uncommon, when the genealogy of a person was unknown or obscure: so Seneca, in his 10th epistle, speak ing of some of the Roman kings, says, De Servii matre Jubi tatur; Anci pater nullus dicitur. "Of the mother of Servins Tullius there are doubts; and Ancus Marcus is said to have no father." This only signifies, that the parents were either unknown or obscure. Titus Livius speaking of Servius, says, he was born of a slave, named Cornicularia, de patre nullo, of no father, i, e. his father was unknown. Horace is to be understood in the same way:

Ante potestatem Tulli, atque ignobile regnum,
Multos sape viros NULLIS MAJORIBUS ortos,
Et vixissé probos, amplius et honoribus auctos.
Serm. 1. 1. Sat. vi. c. 9
Convinc'd that long before the ignoble reign
And power of Tullius, from a servile strain
Full many rose, for virtue high renown'd;

By worth ennobled, and with honours crown'd. FRANCIS. The viros nullis majoribus ortos, men sprung from no an. cestors, mean simply, men who were born of obscure, or un distinguished parents; i. e. persons who had never been famous nor of any public account.

To these Divine ordinances the Jews have added, 1. That no proselyte could be a priest; 2. Nor a slave; 3. Nor a bastard; The old Syriac has given the true meaning, by translating 4. Nor the son of a Nethinim: 5. Nor one whose father exer thus;--(Dandal) col to sons; Dela abuhi vela emeh cised any base trade. And that they might be well assured of ethcathebu Lesharbotho-Whose father and mother are not in all this, they took the utmost care to preserve their genealo-scribed among the genealogies. The Arabic is nearly the same

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He had neither father from the people. The priests received a tenth of this tenth لا انب لا لا ام له غير محسوبة نسبته

nor mother; the genealogy not being reckoned.

The Ethiopic: He had neither father nor mother upon earth; nor is his genealogy known.

As this passage has been obscure and troublesome to many, and I have thought it necessary to show the meaning of such phraseology by different examples, I shall, in order to give the reader full information on the subject, add a few observations from Dr. Owen.

from the Levites, who are here called their brethren, because they were of the same tribe, and employed in the same sacred work. The apostle is proceeding to show, that Melchisedec was greater even than Abraham, the head of the fathers; for to him Abrahamn gave tithes; and, as the Levites were the posterity of Abraham, they are represented here as paying tithes to Melchisedec, through him. Yet Melchisedec was not of this family, and, therefore, must be considered as having "It is said of Melchisedec, in the first place, that he was a more honourable priesthood than even Aaron himself; for anатwp аμптop, without father, and without mother. Where he took the tenth from Abraham, not for his maintenance, on part of the latter clause, namely, without beginning of for he was a king; but in virtue of his office, as universal days,' doth depend. But how could a mortal man come into high-priest of all that region. the world, without father or mother? 'Man that is born of a 6. Blessed him that had the promises.] This is a continua. woman,' is the description of every man: what, therefore,tion of the same argument; namely, to show the superiority can be intended? The next word declares, he was ayercado of Melchisedec; and, in consequence, to prove the superiority ynros' 'without descent,' say we. But yeveaλoyta, is a gene of the Priesthood of Christ beyond that of Aaron. As in the ration, a descent, a pedigree, not absolutely, but rehearsed, seed of Abraham all the nations of the earth were to be blessed described, recorded. Tevealoynros, is he whose stock and de- Abraham received a sacerdotal blessing from Melchisedec scent is entered on record. And so, on the contrary, ayevɛa- who was the representative of the Messiah, the promised Seed; Aoynros, is not he who has no descent, no genealogy; but he to show that it was through Him, as the High-Priest of the hu whose descent and pedigree is no where entered, recorded, man race, that this blessing was to be derived on all mankind. reckoned up. Thus the apostle himself plainly expresses this 7. The less is blessed of the better.] That the superior blesses word, ver. 6. 6 un yevraλoysμevos, & avrov; whose descent is the inferior, is a general proposition: but Abraham was blessnot counted,' that is, reckoned up in record. Thus was Mel-ed of Melchisedec; therefore Melchisedec was greater than chisedec without father or mother, in that the Spirit of God, Abraham. "The blessing here spoken of," says Dr. Macknight, who so strictly and exactly recorded the genealogies of other "is not the simple wishing of good to others, which may be patriarchs and types of Christ, and that for no less an end done, by interiors to superiors: but it is the action of a person than to manifest the truth and faithfulness of God in His pro-authorized to declare God's intention to bestow good things on mises, speaks nothing to this purpose concerning him. He is another. In this manner Isaac and Jacob blessed their children introduced, as it were, one falling from heaven, appearing on under a prophetic impulse. In this manner the priests under a sudden, reigning at Salem, and officiating in the office of the law blessed the people; in this manner, likewise, Melchipriesthood to the High God. sedec, the priest of the Most High God, blessed Abraham." 3. Here men that die receive tithes] The apostle is speaking of the ecclesiastical constitution of the Jews, which was stand pensation, though the priests were successively removed by death, yet they were as duly replaced by others appointed from the same family; and the payment of tithes was never interrupted. But as there is no account of Melchisedec ceasing to be a priest, or of his dying; he is represented as still living, the better to point him out as a type of Christ, and to show his priesthood to be more excellent than that which was according to the law; as an unchanging priesthood must be more excellent than that which was continually changing.

"2. On the same account is he said to be unte apne nepov, unte Cons Teλos exor without beginning of days, or end of life. For, as he was a mortal man, He had both. He was as-ing at the time this epistle was written. Under the Jewish dissuredly born, and did no less certainly die, than other men. But neither of these are recorded concerning him. We have no more to do with him, to learn from him, nor are concerned in him, but only as he is described in the Scripture; and there is no mention therein of the beginning of his days, or the end of his life. Whatever, therefore, he might have in himself, he had none to us. Consider all the other patriarchs mention ed in the writings of Moses, and you shall find their descent recorded, who was their father, and so up to the first man; and not only so, but the time of their birth, the beginning of their days, and the end of their life, is exactly recorded. For it is constantly said of them, such an one lived so long, and begat such a son, which fixed the time of birth. Then of him so begotten, it is said he lived so many years, which deter mines the end of his days. These things are expressly recorded. But concerning Melchisedec, none of these things are spoken. No mention is made of father or mother; no genealogy is recorded of what stock, or progeny, he was; nor is there any account of his birth or death. So that all these things are wanting to him in this historical narration, wherein our faith and knowledge is alone concerned."

But there he receiveth them] The de, here, in the first clause of this verse, refers to Mosaical institutions, as then existing : the Exci, there, in this clause, refers to the place in Genesis, (chap. xiv. 20.) where it is related that Abralian gave tithes to Melchisedec, who is still considered as being alive, or without successor, because there is no account of his death, nor of any termination of his priesthood.

Philo, Lucian, Josephus, Demosthenes, Eschines, and Plutarch, may be seen in Raphelius and Kypke.

Payed tithes in Abraham.] The Levites, who were descendants of Abrahamn, payed tithes to Melchisedec, dia, through Abraham, their progenitor and representative.

9. And as I may 80 say] Kai is eños Eintiv, And so to speak a word. This form of speech, which is very frequent among the purest Greek writers, is generally used to soften some harsh expression; or to limit the meaning when the proposition might otherwise appear to be too general. It answers Made like unto the Son of God] Melchisedec was without fully to our so to speak-as one would say--I had almost said father and mother, having neither beginning of days, nor end-in a certain sense. Many examples of its use by Aristotle, of life. His genealogy is not recorded. When he was born, and when he died, unknown. His priesthood, therefore, may be considered as perpetual. In these respects, he was like to Jesus Christ, who, as to His Godhead, had neither father nor mother, beginning of time, nor end of days; and has an everlasting Priesthood. The priesthood of Melchisedec is to abide continually on the same ground that he is said to be without fatherand mother; i. e. there is no record of the end of his priest. hood, or life, no more than there is any account of his ancestry. 4. Consider how great this man was] There is something exceedingly mysterious in the person and character of this king of Salem; and to find out the whole is impossible. He seeins to have been a sort of universal priest, having none superior to him in all that region; and confessedly superior even to Abraham himself, the father of the faithful, and source of the Jewish race. See ver. 7.

The patriarch Abraham] 'O rarpiapxns, either from Tarnp, a father, and apxn, a chief, or head; or from rarpias apxn, the head of a family. But the title is here applied, by way of eminence, to him who was the head, or chief, of all the fathers, or patriarch of the patriarchs, and father of the faithful. The Syriac translates it (202) as Rish Abahatha, "head of the fathers." The character and conduct of Abrahain, place him as a man deservedly at the head of the human race.

5. They that are of the sons of Levi] The priests who are of the posterity of the Levites, and receive the priesthood in virtue of their descent from Aaron, have authority from the aw of God to receive tithes from the people. According to the law] That is, the Levites received a tenth

10. For he was yet in the loins of his father] That is, Levi was seminally included in Abraham, his forefather.

11. If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood] The word reXetwots, as we have before seen, signifies the completing or finishing of any thing, so as to leave nothing im perfect, and nothing wanting. Applied here to the Levitical priesthood, it signifies the accomplishment of that for which a priesthood is established, viz. giving the Deity an acceptable service; enlightening and instructing the people, pardoning all offences, purging the conscience from guilt, purifying the soul, and preparing it for heaven; and regulating the condnet of the people according to the precepts of the moral law. This perfection never came, and never could come, by the Levitical law:-it was the shadow of good things to come, but was not the substance. It represented a perfect system, but was imperfect in itself: it showed that there was guilt, and that there was an absolute need for a sacrificial offering to atone for sin: and it typified that Sacrifice; but every sacrificial act under that law most forcibly proved that it was impossible for the blood of BULLS and GOATS to take away sin.

For under it the people received the law] That is, as most interpret this place, under the priesthood, isporven being understood; because, on the priesthood, the whole Mosaical law, and the Jewish economy, depended: but it is much better to

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(for under it the people received the law,) what farther need
was there that another priest should rise after the order of
Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron ?
12 For, the priesthood being changed, there is made of neces-
sity a change also of the law.

13 For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to an.
other tribe, of which no inan gave attendance at the altar.
14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang ont of Juda; of
which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.
15 And it is yet far inore evident: for that after the similitude
of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,

16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.

II a. 11.1. Matt 1.3. Luke 233. Rom. 1.3. Rev.5.5.-m Psalm 110.4. Chap.5.6, 10 & 6.20-a Rom. 8.3. Gal 4.9.-o Acta 13.30. Ron.3.20, 21, 8.& 8.3. Gal.2. 16, Chap. 9.9.

of Aaron, but of Melchisedec. 17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the or. der of Melchisedec.

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18 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. 19 For the law made nothing perfect, P but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. 20 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest; 21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec :)

22 By so much" was Jesus made a surety of a better testa.

inent.

p Or, but it was the bringing in. Gal.3.24.-q Ch.6. 18 & 8.6.-r Rom. 5.2. Eph. 2 18. & 3.12. Ch. 4, 16, & 10.19.—8 Or, without swearing of an oath.- Psalm 110.4.u Ch.8.6.& 9.15.& 12.24.

Thou art a priest for ever] This is the proof that He was not appointed according to the carnal commandment; but according to the power of an endless life, because He is a Priest for ever; i. e. one that never dies, and is never disabled from performing the important functions of His office; for, if He be à Priest for ever, He ever lives.

understand e' awry, on account of it, instead of under it; for it is a positive fact that the law was given before any priesthood was established; for Aaron and his sons were not called nor separated to this office till Moses came down the second time from the mount, with the tables renewed, after that he had broken them, Exod. xl. 12-14. But it was in reference to the great sacrificial system that the law was given; and on 18. For there is verily a disannulling] There is a total ab. that law the priesthood was established: for, why was a priest.rogation, poayovons Evroλns, of the former law, relative to the hood necessary, but because that law was broken, and must Levitical priesthood.-See ver. 19. be fulfilled?

That another priest should rise] The law was given that the offence might abound, and sin appear exceeding sinful; and to show the absolute necessity of the Sacrifice and Media. tion of the great Messiah: but it was neither perfect in itself, nor could it confer perfection; nor did it contain the original priesthood. Melchisedec had a priesthood more than four hundred years, (422,) before the law was given; and David prophesied, Psa. cx. 4. that another Priest should arise, after the order of Melchisedec, nearly five hundred years, (476,) after the law was given. The law, therefore, did not contain the original priesthood; this existed typically in Melchisedec, and really in Jesus Christ.

12. The priesthood being changed] That is, the order of Aaron being now abrogated, to make way for that which had preceded it, the order of Melchisedec.

For the weakness] It had no energy; it communicated none; it had no Spirit to minister; it required perfect obedience, but furnished no assistance to those who were under it. And unprofitableness] No man was benefited by the mere observance of its precepts; it pardoned no sin, changed no heart, reformed no life; it found men dead in trespasses and sins, and it consigned them to eternal death. It was, therefore, weak in itself, and unprofitable to men.

The Jews, who still cleave to it, are a proof that it is both weak and unprofitable; for there is not a more miserable, distressed, and profligate class of men on the face of the earth'

19. For the law made nothing perfect] It completed nothing; it was only the outline of a great plan, the shadow of a glori ous substance; see on ver. 11. It neither pardoned sin, nor purified the heart: nor gave strength to obey the moral precepts.-Ovdev, nothing, is put here for Ovdeva, no person. There is made of necessity a change also of the law] The But the bringing in of a better hope] The original is very very essence of the Levitical law consisting in its sacrificial emphatic, cody wyn, the super introduction, or the after inofferings: and as these could not confer perfection, could not troduction; and this seems to be put in opposition to the po reconcile God to man, purify the unholy heart, nor open the ayovans evroλns, the preceding commandment, or former Lekingdom of heaven to the souls of men, consequently it must vitical law of ver. 18. This went before to prepare the way be abolished, according to the order of God Himself; for, He of the Lord; to show the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the said, Sacrifice and offering, and burnt-offering, and sacri- strict justice of God. The better hope, which referred not to fice for sin, he would not; see Psal. xl. 6, 7. compared with earthly, but to spiritual good, not to temporal, but eternal feli Heb. x. 5-10, and with Psal. cx. 4. where it is evident God city, founded on the Priesthood and atonement of Christ, was designed to change both the law, and the priesthood; and to afterward introduced for the purpose of doing what the law introduce Jesus as the only Priest and Sacrifice; and to sub-could not do; and giving privileges and advantages which the stitute the Gospel system for that of the Levitical institutions. law would not afford. One of these privileges immediately The priesthood, therefore, being changed, Jesus coming in the follows:place of Aaron, the law of ordinances and ceremonies, which served only to point out the Messiah, must of necessity be changed also.

13. For he of whom these things are spoken] That is, Jesus the Messiah, spoken of in Psa. cx. 4. who came from the tribe of Judah, not from the tribe of Levi, of which tribe no priest ever ministered at a Jewish altar, nor could minister, according to the law.

14. For it is evident] As the apostle speaks here with so much confidence, it follows that our Lord's descent from the tribe of Judah was incontrovertible. The genealogical tables, both in Matthew and Luke, establish this point; and whatever difficulties we may find in them now, there were none apprehended in those days: else the enemies of the Gospel would have urged this as a chief and unanswerable argument against Christ and His Gospel.

15. And it is yet far more evident] Kai nepiroOTEROY ETI karadnλov esiv, and besides it is more abundantly strikingly manifest. It is very difficult to translate these words; but the apostle's meaning is plain, viz. that God designed the Levitical priesthood to be changed, because of the oath in Psal cx. where, addressing the Messiah, He says, Thou art a Priest for ever, after the order, or ouotornra, similitude, of Melchisedec; who was not only a priest, but also a king. None of the Levi tical priests sustained this double office; but they both, with that of prophet, appear and were exercised in the Person of our Lord, who is the Priest to which the apostle alludes.

16. Who is made] Appointed to this high office by God Himself; not succeeding one that was disabled or dead, according to that law, or ordinance, directed to weak and perishing men, who could not continue by reason of death.

By the which we draw nigh unto God.] This is a sacerdotal phrase: the high-priest alone could approach to the Divine presence in the holy of holies; but not without the blood of the sacrifice; and that only once in the year. But through Christ, as our High-priest, all believers in Him have an entrance to the holiest by His blood; and through Him perform acceptable service to God. The better hope means in this place Jesus Christ, who is the Author and Object of the hope of eter nal life, which all His genuine followers possess. He is called our hope, 1 Tim. i. 1. Col. i. 27.

20. Not without an oath] "The apostle's reasoning here is founded on this; that God never interposed His oath, except to show the certainty and immutability of the thing sworn, Thus He sware to Abraham, Gen. xxii. 16-18. That in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed and to the rebellious Israelites, Deut. i. 34, 35. That they should not enter into his rest :-and to Moses, Deut. iv. 21. That he should not go into Canaan:-and to David, Psa. lxxxix. 4. That his seed should endure for ever, and his throne unto all ge nerations. Wherefore, since Christ was made a Priest, not without an oath, that He should be a priest for ever, after the similitude of Melchisedec; that circumstance showed God's immutable resolution never to change or abolish His Priesthood; nor to change or abolish the covenant which was esta blished on His priesthood: whereas the Levitical priesthood, and the law of Moses, being established without an oath, were thereby declared to be changeable at God's pleasure." This judicious note is from Dr. Macknight.

21. Those priests] The Levitical were made without an oath, to show that the whole system was changeable, and might be abolished:

But this] The everlasting Priesthood of Christ, with an oath, to show that the Gospel dispensation should never change, and never be abolished.

This is probably all that the apostle intends by the words carnal commandment, evroλns oapkins: for carnal does not always mean sinful or corrupt; but feeble, frail, or what may be said of or concerning man, in his present dying condition. But after the power of an endless life] Not dying, or ceased ing through weakness, to be a priest; but properly immortal Himself, and having the power to confer life and immortality on,others. He ever lives as Priest, to make intercession for inen; and they who believe on Him shall never perish, but have everlasting life.

17. For he testifieth] That is, either the Scripture in the place so often quoted, or GOD, by that Scripture.

By him] God the Father:-that said unto him, the promis. Messiah, Psa. cx. 4.] The Lord sware, to show the immutability of His counsel:-And will not repent: can never change His mind nor purpose. Thou art a Priest for everas long as time shall run, and the generations of men be continued on earth. Till the necessity of the mediatorial kingdom be superseded by the fixed state of eternity; till this kingdom be delivered up unto the Father, and God shall be all in all, shall this Priesthood of Christ endure.

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