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"better hope" an anchor for the soul. He Who is its sure anchorage has "suffered being
tempted":--
"For we have not an high priest which cannot touched with the feeling of our
infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4: 15).
#41.
Heb. 7: 26 - 9: 20.
The principal thing.
A seated priest in a heavenly sanctuary
pp. 145 - 156
The ruling theme of this epistle is that of "perfection", and chapters 5: - 10: are
occupied with the office of Christ as priest after the Order of Melchisedec, and with His
one great offering. Both the priesthood, the sacrifice and the heavenly tabernacle are
verbally connected with "perfection".
The priest of the perfect.
The reservation of the apostle manifested in 5: 11 indicates that the doctrine
associated with this priesthood is by no means elementary, but can only be appreciated by
those of "full age", or as the word is, "the prefect" (5: 14).
This priesthood is also closely associated with another aspect of "perfection", namely,
that of the "overcomer". This is indicated by the first appearance of Melchisedec in
Scripture when he met Abraham, the overcomer, returning from the slaughter of the
kings.
A comparison and a contrast.
Heb. 5: opens with a description of the service of the high priest. He offered both
gifts and sacrifices, and also had compassion on the ignorant. His limitations are
indicated by the fact that
"He also is compassed with infirmity, and by reason hereof he ought, as for the
people, so also for himself, to offer for sins" (5: 2, 3).
The apostle proceeds to develop in some detail a comparison and a contrast.
First in comparison.--Chapters 5: 7-9 with its reference to Gethsemane reveals in
Christ a high priest Who can have compassion because He Himself had suffered being
tempted. The glorious superiority of Christ's Melchisedec priesthood occupies
chapters 6: and 7:, reaching its zenith in the record of that perfected priest Who is
able to save unto all perfection all that come unto God by Him.