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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Heb_7:26-28
26For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; 27who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 28For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.
Heb_7:26 This is possibly a quote from an early hymn or poem (like Php_2:6-11; 1Ti_3:16; 2Ti_2:11-13; and possibly 1Ti_1:17; 1Ti_6:15-16). The term "holy" can mean "merciful" from LXX (cf. Psa_16:10). The term "unstained" is a sacrificial term usually translated in the OT as "unblemished." This is a wonderful confessional summary.
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▣ "separated from sinners" This is a perfect passive participle. It does not reflect on Jesus' humanity (cf. Php_2:6-7), but speaks of His sinlessness (cf. Heb_4:15; Heb_9:14; 2Co_5:21; 1Pe_2:22; 1Jn_2:1; 1Jn_3:5).
▣ "exalted above the heavens" This may be (1) a statement of preeminence; (2) a reference to the gnostic false teachers' view of salvation as passing through the angelic spheres (cf. Heb_4:14); or (3) a way of referring to the resurrection/ascension.
Heb_7:27 This seems to relate to the Day of Atonement (cf. Leviticus 16), but here it is used in the sense of the daily offerings (the OT continual). It is historically and rabbinically verifiable that the high priest was directly involved in daily sacrifices in later Judaism but possibly not during the days of the tabernacle. See Special Topic: Jesus As High Priest at Heb_2:17.
▣ "He offered" This is the same term used in Isa_53:11 in the Septuagint (LXX), "to bear." Some see this as an allusion to the smoke of the sacrifices that rose up to God.
▣ "this He did once for all" Hebrews emphasizes the ultimacy of Jesus' once-given sacrificial death. This once-done salvation and forgiveness are forever accomplished (cf. "once" [ephapax], Heb_7:27; Heb_9:12; Heb_10:10 and "once for all" [hapax], Heb_6:4; Heb_9:7; Heb_9:26-28; Heb_10:2; Heb_12:26-27). This is the recurrent accomplished sacrificial affirmation.
▣ "offered up Himself" Jesus is the high priest (cf. Psa_110:4) and victim (cf. Isa_53:10) of the heavenly sanctuary (cf. Heb_9:24). This is a pillar of the NT emphasis on substitutionary, vicarious atonement (cf. Mar_10:45; Rom_8:3; 2Co_5:21).
Heb_7:28 "the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law" This is a contrast between the writings of Moses procedures and the "oath" of Psa_110:4.
▣ "appoints a Son" Jesus is a superior priest because He is part of God's family (i.e., "a son,"cf. Heb_1:2; Heb_3:6; Heb_5:8). This reference seems to combine Psalms 2 and Psalms 110 which were Royal and Priestly Psalms. He combines both OT anointed offices in Himself by the Father's oath.
▣ "made perfect forever" This is a perfect passive participle. He has been made perfect (humanly speaking) by suffering and this perfection continues (cf. Heb_2:10; Heb_5:8-9). See Special Topic at Heb_7:11.
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