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The comparison. Chapter 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: & 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.
The contrast. The Apostle returns after this climax has been reached to point a
contrast, taking up the statement made in 5: 3 saying:
"For such an high Priest became us, Who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from
sinners, and made higher than the heavens; WHO NEEDETH NOT daily, as those high
priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for His own sins, and then for the people's: for this He
did once, when He offered up Himself" (7: 26, 27).
This truth has already found expression in Heb. 4: 14, 15; there we find reference to
Christ as Priest Who has "passed through the heavens", Who is touched "by the feeling of
infirmities", Who was nevertheless separate from sinners, "yet without sin" or "sin
excepted", i.e. the temptations of the wilderness pilgrimage are uppermost; choris,
"without", is used as in Heb. 9: 28.
Sin and its relation to Christ.
Scripture is never ambiguous where the personal sinlessness of the Lord is involved.
If Heb. 4: 14, 15 shows the Lord identifying Himself with His people in their trials, it
immediately adds "sin excepted". If II Cor. 5: 21 shows the Lord in His sacrifice was
identified with sin, it immediately adds, "Who knew no sin". If Rom. 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 Heb. 7: 26 concerning the sinlessness of the Lord Jesus.
A fourfold testimony.
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: