Scripture is never ambiguous where the personal sinlessness of the Lord is involved. If Hebrews 4:14,15 shows

the Lord identifying Himself with His people in their trials, it immediately adds `sin excepted'. If 2 Corinthians 5:21

shows the Lord in His sacrifice was identified with sin, it immediately adds, `Who knew no sin'. If Romans 8:3

shows the Lord identified with flesh and blood, the sinlessness of Christ is expressed in the words `the likeness of

sinful flesh'. As this subject is one of the first importance, let us pause to examine the words of Hebrews 7:26

concerning the sinlessness of the Lord Jesus.

HOLY. There are three Greek words which are translated in the A.V. by the word `holy', they are hagios, hosios

and hieros. Hosios is the word used here. Its first occurrence in Acts 2:27:

`Neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption'.

Hosios is used in the LXX to translate the Hebrew word chasid, which is rendered not only by the word `holy',

but also by `merciful'. Hagios implies the thought of separation, but hosios suggests holiness that can stoop to have

mercy upon those who are in themselves defiled, without contracting defilement thereby.

The Syriac version uses a word here that means `pure'. This blessed character was our Saviour's from birth. It

is not an acquired holiness, but inherent. We can appreciate the choice of this particular word in the message of the

angel to Mary in Luke 1:35:

`The power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that HOLY THING which shall be born of thee shall be

called the Son of God'.

Such was His nature. His acts were in perfect harmony with His inherent holiness.

HARMLESS (akakos). This word occurs in but one other passage, viz., Romans 16:18 where it is translated

`simple'. In the LXX version of Psalm 26, akakos occurs in verses 1 and 11, where the A.V. reads `integrity'. The

intervening verses 2-10 are a practical expansion of the meaning of akakos. Reins and heart examined and tried

(verse 2). No fellowship with vain persons and dissemblers, but rather hatred of all wicked works (4,5), and so

throughout the Psalm. All this and more is true of the Lord Jesus.

As concerning hosios (`holy'), Scripture declares `He knew no sin'; as concerning akakos (`harmless'), Scripture

declares `He did no sin, neither was there guile found in His mouth'. The blessed man of Psalm 1 and the Holy One

of Psalms 15 and 16 is Christ.

UNDEFILED (amiantos). This word occurs in Hebrews 13:4, James 1:27, 1 Peter 1:4. The difference between

akakos and amiantos is that in the former the truth conveyed is that the Lord did no evil, while in the latter the truth

is that He could not be contaminated by evil in any one sense. He touched a leper, but He needed no cleansing. A

woman with an issue of blood touched Him, and while virtue went out of Him to her, no contamination passed from

her to Him. In the midst of publicans and harlots, called by the Pharisees, `a gluttonous man and a wine-bibber, and

friend of publicans and sinners', He ever remained `the Lamb without blemish and without spot'. Without natural

blemish (the thought in akakos), without contracted spot (amiantos).

In all this the Lord Jesus transcended the type. The Tabernacle needed an atonement by reason of the

uncleanness of Israel (Lev. 16:16), but such cleansing was unnecessary to the Lord. The Levitical priesthood sinned

and needed a sacrifice. The Lord knew no sin, did no sin, and needed no sacrifice. Earthly priesthood terminates at

death. The Lord ever liveth and His Priesthood is intransmissible. In all these respects the Lord was

SEPARATE FROM SINNERS. This we may see from two points of view.

(1) As to His manhood. Born of a woman, yet from birth `that holy thing', and while being made partaker of

flesh and blood, nevertheless coming in the `likeness' only of sinful flesh.

The verb chorizo `separate', enforces the translation `sin excepted' or `apart from sin' in Hebrews 4:15.