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"And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by
reason of death: but this man, because He continues (as a priest) for the age, hath an
intransferable priesthood (verses 23 and 24).
See the argument in the word "continue" or "abide" in verse 3 which speaks of the
character of priesthood and not of life itself. "Unchangeable", aparabatos, means
incapable of transmission. Melchisedec had neither father nor mother--and Christ as the
Melchisedec priest has no need to secure a successor. His priesthood is never terminated
by death.
"By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better covenant" (verse 22).
The word "surety" is egguos, and is allied to eggizo, "to draw nigh" of verse 19.
The old covenant failed to "bring us to God", the new covenant gloriously succeeds.
The surety of that new covenant is not the blood of bulls or goats, but the blood of Christ.
Of such a priest and such a surety the apostle says:--
"Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him,
seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them" (verse 25).
We need to ponder these words, or else we may miss the sense:--
"He is able to save". That is a blessed fact.
"He is able also to save", suggests something in addition.
"He is able also to save to the UTTERMOST", reveals what that addition is.
Salvation unto all perfection.
Once more we are not confined to "salvation", but the "so great salvation" which the
Hebrews were in danger of letting slip (Heb. 2:). This is the "aionian salvation"
connected with obedience and suffering that makes perfect (Heb. 5:). To the uttermost is
eis to panteles. Panteles is from pan, all, and telos, end, from which we obtain teleiosis,
perfection. He is able not only to save so that condemnation is avoided, but He is able
ALSO to save unto all perfection those that come unto God by Him. He accomplishes
this "uttermost" salvation by "intercession". This word "intercession" is not limited to
the sense of supplication, but to the extension of aid of any sort.
If this "salvation" be taken to indicate salvation in an evangelical sense, shall we not
find a difficulty in making that salvation depend upon the Lord's pesent intercession?
This "uttermost" salvation He is attending to in His office as high priest:--
"Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He
might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make
reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself hath suffered being
tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted" (Heb. 2: 17, 18).
This is salvation eis to panteles; the Lord not only saves all that trust in Him, but He
is able also to save to the end, through temptation and trial. It is this that makes the