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Our apostle comes now to assert the priesthood of Christ, and to set forth the dignity and excellency of his office; from whence he encourages the believing Hebrews to perseverence and stedfastness in the profession of their faith in him.
Here note, 1. The eminency of the person, Jesus the Son of God; not by supernatural conception only, but by eternal generation also; this is the eminancy of that person who is superior to men and angels.
Note, 2. The excellency of his office, a priest, and high priest, a great high priest: not barely equal with Aaron, but superior to him, and infinitely above him, the universal supreme pontiff of heaven and earth, in comparison of whom all other priests, even the highest of them, were but shadows.
Note, 3. His relation to us, We have him; that is, special interest in him, making profession of obedience to him; and he is passed into the heavens, to open heaven to us, and to make intercession with the Father for us. This entrance of Christ's into heaven, was shadowed forth by the high priest's entrance into the holy of holies here on earth.
Note, 4. Our obligation to him, Let us hold fast our profession; that is, the profession of our faith in him, without wavering, with constancy and perseverance.
Learn hence, 1. That great oppostion, ever has been and always will be made unto the stedfastness of believers in their holy profession. The apostle's exhortation plainly supposes opposition.
Learn, 2. That it is our duty, in the midst of all opposition, to hold fast our holy profession, without either apostatizing in the whole, or declining in parts of it. The glory of God is in the highest manner concerned in it, and assured destruction attends the omission of it, and that in a peculiar, terrible, and dreadful manner, Heb_10:29.
Learn, 3. That believers have great encouragement unto, and assistance in the stedfastness and constancy of their holy profession, by and from the priesthood of Jesus Christ: for as he is our High Priest, he knows our temptations, pities us under them, affords us actual help and relief against them, he interceding with the Father, that our faith may not fail, and that we may be kept the almighty power of God, through faith unto salvation.
Learn, 4. That Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, was the Son of God; and the necessity of his being so, did thus appear;
1. Before the entrance of sin there was no need of the office of priesthood between God and man: For every one was then in his own name to go to God with his worship, which would have been accepted according to the law of creation.
2. Sin being entered into the world, there was no more worship to be performed immediately unto God; two cannot walk or converse together, except they be agreed.
3. That the worship of God might be again restored in and to the world, it was indispensibly necessary that some one should interpose between sinners and the holy God; for should sinners approach him immediately in their own names he would be unto them a consuming fire.
4. No creature could undertake the office of being a priest for the church of God, which now consisteth all of sinners: neither the nature of the office, which was to interpose between God and sinners, nor the quality of the work, which is to make atonement for sin, would admit of it.
5. Jesus Christ therefore undertaking to be a Priest for sinners, it was necessary, he should be what he was, the very Son of God: which denotes he divine person and nature, and that our great High Priest was essentially and truly God: Seeing we have a great High Priest, even Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession,