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The last excellency of the gospel High Priest, preferring him to Aaron’s order, is the qualification of his person, by which he is described in himself, distinguished from and set above all others, and is that which remained out of David’s proof to be cleared, who this person was, who was different from Melchisedec, though after his order, to take place after Aaron’s was expired, who was immortal, and constituted an everlasting Priest by God’s oath.
For such an High Priest became us, who is holy: this was God-man, the Messiah, and gospel High Priest, who was convenient, congruous, suitable, useful, and necessary, for us guilty, filthy, miserable sinners, in respect of ourselves hopeless and helpless, and cannot approach God without consumption; and, unless we have a person who can manage our cause with God, are lost for ever. To such is he agreeable and necessary, who only can help and save us. This the titles given him evince, showing all the perfections of a priest, of which others were dark shadows and types; as he was not only externally and relatively by office, but internally and morally holy. His essence as God was holiness; as man his nature was entirely agreeable to God’s will; he was that holy thing, Luk_1:35; not having holiness engraven on a mitre, as Aaron, Exo_39:30,31, but in his person; holy in his conception, birth, life, and death. The devil could find nothing but holiness in him, Joh_14:30. Pure in his soul, in his body, transcendently beyond his type, Lev_21:17-23; not a creature, angel or man, so holy as he, the most like to God of any, Joh_1:14.
Harmless; akakov, void of all natural evil in his spirit and flesh, no lust, no disposition to evil, not injurious to any, having no guile, an Israelite indeed beyond a Nathanael, of the most simple, pure, and innocent nature; he was good, and all his work was good, Act_10:38.
Undefiled; amiantov, without any spot, not soiled or stained without or within; the angels and heavens are not so clean in God’s sight, as lifts Priest of his; he was never tainted with the appearance of sin: if his church be so pure, what must himself be! Eph_5:27.
Separate from sinners; free from all vicious habit, quality, act, or stain, by what was in sinners, or by his converse with them; as separate from guilt or stain, as if he had never been with them; conjoined with God in being and fulness of righteousness, making sinners righteous, but contracting nothing from them.
And made higher than the heavens; by the constitution of God, after his sacrifice, mentioned Heb_7:27, he ascended far above all heavens, Eph_4:10, and is settled on God’s throne at his right hand, having all principalities, powers, might and dominion, and every name, subjected to him, and all things put under his feet, Eph_1:21,22. Never priest can reach where he is; this is his supereminent excellency, Heb_4:14 8:1 9:11. How able, mighty, and successful is he for managing all for his clients there! His work now is intercession.