 |  |
The force of the oath and its bearing upon the subject is found in the added words
"and will not repent". The Priesthood of Christ was immutably secure. Not only was
there this attribute of immutability connected with this Priesthood arising out of the
nature of the oath sworn by God, but further, it arises out of the fact that He ever liveth:
"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 ever (the age), hath
an unchangeable (intransferable) Priesthood" (verses 23 and 24).
Note the argument in the word "continue" or "abide" in verse 3 which speaks of the
character of the Priesthood and not of life itself. Aparabatos (verse 24) means something
more than "unchangeable"; it means incapable of transmission or of transference. 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 testament (covenant)" (verse 22).
The word "surety" is egguos, and is allied to eggizo, "to draw nigh" of verse 19. As
we have before noted, the Old Covenant failed to "bring us to God", the New Covenant
gloriously succeeds. The "us" and the "we" referring to those Hebrews and not to
Gentiles as described in Eph. 2: 11, 12. 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 concerned with initial salvation but with 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 the evangelical sense, shall we not
find a difficulty in making that salvation depend upon the Lord's present intercession?
He is attending to this "uttermost" salvation in His office as High Priest: