Chapter 5 says, “Every _high priest_ taken from among men _is ordained

for men in things pertaining to God_, that he may offer both gifts and _sacrifices for sin_” (ver. 1), that no man takes this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God as was Aaron. So Christ glorified not Himself, to be made a high priest; but He that said unto Him, “Thou art My Son, to-day have I begotten Thee!” and again, “Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec” (vers. 4, 5, 6).

Further on, after setting forth, in the seventh chapter, the surpassing excellence of the High Priesthood of Christ in comparison with that of Aaron, and marking how exactly such a High Priest was adapted to our every need, “holy, harmless, undefined, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens” (c. vii. 26), the Apostle sums up his argument in the eighth chapter: “Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum, We _have_ such a High Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens—a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched and not man (Heb. viii. 1, 2). And inasmuch as every high priest _is ordained to offer_ both gifts and sacrifices, it is _of necessity that this man have somewhat to offer_” (Heb. viii. 3).

Jesus was proved to be our High Priest by offering up His own body for our sins, which is stated in the most explicit terms. “But Christ being come, a High Priest of good things to come; . . . neither by the blood of goats and calves, but _by His own blood_ He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption (for us)” (Heb. ix. 11, 12).

“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit _offered Himself without spot to God_, _purge_ your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb. ix. 14). (See also ver. 15.)

“Nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; for then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world; but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to PUT AWAY SIN _by the_ SACRIFICE _of Himself_” (Heb. ix. 25, 26).

“So Christ was once _offered to bear the sins_ of many,” _i.e._, of all that look to Him for salvation (Heb. ix. 28).

“By the which will we are sanctified through the _offering of the_ BODY _of_ Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb. x. 10).

“For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Heb. x. 14).

The Apostle Paul uses language equally explicit in Eph. v. 2:—“And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, _and given Himself for us_, _an offering_ and a _sacrifice to God_, of a _sweet smelling savour_.” {46}

Having thus shown how, on the _principles_ of the _priesthood of Aaron_, the Lord Jesus had proved Himself to be a priest, although of the higher and more perfect order of Melchisedec—the order of righteousness and peace, and everlasting endurance—this epistle points out in a very conclusive manner the defects of the Mosaic institutions, which were enjoined for a time only, to prepare the way, and lead up to the enduring realities of the Gospel of Christ. And here we cannot but notice again how completely the Christian mind of the author had passed from all the Jewish prejudices and predilections of his former training, to regard everything in the light and spirit of Christ; while far from disregarding or repudiating that which he showed to be past, worn out, and abolished, he draws from it his most powerful arguments in favour of the New Covenant as required to complete the first, by making good its typical meaning, and securing to all who had passed from earth to heaven under the provisions of the Law, those blessings which they had already entered on, upon the promise of the sacrifice of Christ to come.

“For the Law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God” (Heb. vii. 19). That better hope is stated to be the “blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God,” purging our conscience, &c. (Heb.