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The word ‘consecrate’ occurs twice in the Authorized Version of Hebrews (Heb_7:28; Heb_10:20). In the first passage it is the translation of ôåôåëåéùìÝíïí ; in the second of ἐíåêáßíéóåí . In neither case is the translation quite suitable.
1. Heb_7:28 : õἱὸí åἰò ôὸí áἰῶíá ôåôåëåéùìÝíïí . Full consideration of ôåëåéüù would encroach on the article Perfect (q.v. [Note: quod vide, which see.] ); but there are certain special points connected with this passage that may usefully be noted. ôåëåéïῦí ôὰò ÷åῖñáò is frequently used in the Septuagint , but only in the Pentateuch (Exo_29:9; Exo_29:29; Exo_29:33; Exo_29:35 [Lev_4:5] Lev_8:33; Lev_16:32, Num_3:3), to translate the obscure Hebrew phrase millç’ yâd = ‘fill the hand,’ i.e. ‘consecrate’ (a priest). Elsewhere in the Pentateuch and Historical Books (once in Ezekiel [Eze_43:26]) parts of ðëçñüù , ἐìðßðëçìé , ðßðëçìé are employed. ôåëåßùóéò is used alone (Exo_29:22; Exo_29:26-27; Exo_29:31; Exo_29:34, Lev_7:37; Lev_8:22; Lev_8:28-29; Lev_8:31; Lev_8:33) for the Heb. millû’îm (= ‘consecration’ [Revised Version ]). In Lev_21:10 ôåôåëåéùìÝíïò is used without the rest of the phrase = ‘consecrated,’ although many Manuscripts supply ôᾶò ÷åῖñáò áὐôïῦ . These last uses would at least point to the conclusion that ôåëåéüù and ôåëåßùóéò tended to become semi-technical terms for the consecration of the priest, having originally been used to translate the verb in the Heb. phrase, which is quite obscure. Most probably its original sense is suggested in the corresponding Assyrian kâtû mullû = ‘hand over to one (or make one responsible for) a person or thing or office’ (cf. F. Delitzsch, Assyrian Handwörterbuch, 1896, p. 409b; ‘Rammanirari, whom Asur has endowed with a dominion incomparable’; and Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible (5 vols) iv. 71a).
It follows, then, that Heb_7:28 and the other passages where ôåëåéüù occurs (see article Perfect) indicate that the writer is making use of a technical expression and, in harmony with his system of thought, hellenizing it (cf. Moffatt, Introd. to Literature of the New Testament (Moffatt)., 1911, p. 427). There can be little doubt that in Hebrews ôåëåéüù is used in the Aristotelian sense of bringing to the ôÝëïò or final end. Jesus, as High Priest, is ‘perfected’ for evermore, as distinct from the ôåëåßùóéò of the Aaronic priesthood. There can be no idea of a moral development in character. Jesus is ‘perfected [and there is also the further idea of exaltation to office] for evermore’ in the sense that He is endowed with an experience of human suffering in life and in death (Heb_4:15); so A. B. Davidson, Hebrews (Handbooks for Bible Classes), pp. 145f., 207f.; von Soden, Hebräerbrief3 (Handkommentar zum NT, Tübingen, 1899), p. 28 n. [Note: . note.] ; but cf. A. B. Bruce, Hebrews, 1899, p. 283ff.; M. Dods, Expositor’s Greek Testament , ‘Hebrews,’ 1910, pp. 265, 319, who argue for the sense of moral perfecting.
2. Heb_10:20 : ôὴí åἴóïäïí … ἥí ἐíåêáßíéóåí ἡìῖí ὁäὸí ðñüóöáôïí êáὶ æῶóáí äéὰ ôïῦ êáôáðåôÜóìáôïò . ἐãêáéíßæù is used also in Heb_9:18. In Authorized Version of Heb_10:20 the word is ‘consecrated,’ and in Heb_9:18 ‘dedicated.’ In Revised Version in both cases ‘dedicated’ is used. In the Septuagint ἐãêáéíßæù is used to translate two Heb. words, ḥânakh (‘initiate,’ ‘consecrate,’ Deu_20:5, 1Ki_8:63) and hiddçsh (‘renew,’ ‘make anew,’ 1Sa_11:14, 2Ch_15:8, Psa_50:12). ἐãêáéíßæù in Heb_10:20 might seem to combine both meanings, implying that some kind of way existed before (cf. Sir_33:8 [Sir_36:8]). In Heb_9:18, also, the word means simply ‘inaugurate,’ unless the pre-existence of a covenant is supposed (cf. Heb_9:20; Heb_9:23) before the ceremony of Heb_9:19-21. That the sense of ‘renewal,’ however, is strongly emphasized is seen also in the use of ðñüóöáôïí (‘fresh,’ ‘hitherto untrodden’). æῶóáí implies ‘a way that really leads and carries all who enter it into the heavenly rest,’ as opposed to ‘a lifeless pavement trodden by the high priest, and by him alone’ (Delitzsch, Hebrews, Eng. translation , ii. [1870] 171). It also implies a way that would never become old, worn, or obsolete; ἤí must be taken as referring to åἴóïäïò . Jesus has, by bursting the veil of His flesh in death, ‘inaugurated’ a new entrance into the Presence of God (cf. Mar_15:38). The flesh of Jesus is regarded as symbolic of the ‘veil’ or ‘curtain’ which was removed as the sacrificial blood was carried into the Holy of Holies. ἐãêáéíßæù ‘includes the motive of leading into life’ (von Soden, Hebräerbrief3, p. 64). Probably the literal idea of åἴóïäïò (= ‘entrance to a house’) is also symbolically present (cf. Neh_3:1 [Septuagint ]). The ‘house’ in this case is the Church, the new Temple [cf. ðáῤῥçóßáí ) in Neh_10:19, and its use in Neh_3:6 and Neh_4:16 is opposed to the attitude of the èåñÜðùí (Neh_3:5). The feast of ἐãêáßíéá (Joh_10:22) was instituted by Judas Maccabaeus (164 b.c.) in memory of the cleansing of the Temple from the pollution of Antiochus Epiphanes (1Ma_4:59).
Literature.-In addition to the references in the course of the article, see R. W. Dale, The Jewish Temple and the Christian Church, 1902, pp. 144ff.; 231ff.; F. Paget, The Spirit of Discipline, 1903, p. 191ff.; J.B. Mozley, University Sermons, 1900, p. 244ff.; articles s.v. in Dict. of Christ and the Gospels (Tasker), Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible (5 vols) (Hastings), and Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics (Feltoe).
R. H. Strachan.