TRV
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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Hebrews 7:11–28. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Observe the necessity there was of raising up another priest, after the order of Melchisedec and not after the order of Aaron, by whom that perfection should come which could not come by the Levitical priesthood, which therefore must be changed, and the whole economy with it, Heb 7:11, Heb 7:12, etc. Here,
I.It is asserted that perfection could not come by the Levitical priesthood and the law.
They could not put those who came to them into the perfect enjoyment of the good things they pointed out to them; they could only show them the way.
II.That therefore another priest must be raised up, after the order of Melchisedec, by whom, and his law of faith, perfection might come to all who obey him; and, blessed be God, that we may have perfect holiness and perfect happiness by Christ in the covenant of grace, according to the gospel, for we are complete in him.
III.It is asserted that the priesthood being changed there must of necessity be a change of the law; there being so near a relation between the priesthood and the law, the dispensation could not be the same under another priesthood; a new priesthood must be under a new regulation, managed in another way, and by rules proper to its nature and order.
IV.It is not only asserted, but proved, that the priesthood and law are changed, Heb 7:13, Heb 7:14.
The priesthood and law by which perfection could not come are abolished, and a priest has arisen, and a dispensation is now set up, by which true believers may be made perfect. Now that there is such a change is obvious.
1.There is a change in the tribe of which the priesthood comes. Before, it was the tribe of Levi; but our great high priest sprang out of Judah, of which tribe Moses spoke nothing concerning the priesthood, Heb 7:14. This change of the family shows a real change of the law of the priesthood.
2.There is a change in the form and order of making the priests. Before, in the Levitical priesthood, they were made after the law of a carnal commandment; but our great high priest was made after the power of an endless life. The former law appointed that the office should descend, upon the death of the father, to his eldest son, according to the order of carnal or natural generation; for none of the high priests under the law were without father or mother, or without descent: they had not life and immortality in themselves. They had both beginning of days and end of life; and so the carnal commandment, or law of primogeniture, directed their succession, as it did in matters of civil right and inheritance. But the law by which Christ was constituted a priest, after the order of Melchisedec, was the power of an endless life. The life and immortality which he had in himself were his right and title to the priesthood, not his descent from former priests. This makes a great difference in the priesthood, and in the economy too, and gives the preference infinitely to Christ and the gospel. The very law which constituted the Levitical priesthood supposed the priests to be weak, frail, dying, creatures, not able to preserve their own natural lives, but who must be content and glad to survive in their posterity after the flesh; much less could they, by any power or authority they had, convey spiritual life and blessedness to those who came to them. But the high priest of our profession holds his office by that innate power of endless life which he has in himself, not only to preserve himself alive, but to communicate spiritual and eternal life to all those who duly rely upon his sacrifice and intercession. Some thing the law of the carnal commandment refers to the external rites of consecration, and the carnal offerings that were made; but the power of an endless life to the spiritual living sacrifices proper to the gospel, and the spiritual and eternal privileges purchased by Christ, who was consecrated by the eternal Spirit of life that he received without measure.
3.There is a change in the efficacy of the priesthood. The former was weak and unprofitable, made nothing perfect; the latter brought in a better hope, by which we draw near to God, Heb 7:18, Heb 7:19. The Levitical priesthood brought nothing to perfection: it could not justify men's persons from guilt; it could not sanctify them from inward pollution; it could not cleanse the consciences of the worshippers from dead works; all it could do was to lead them to the antitype. But the priesthood of Christ carries in it, and brings along with it, a better hope; it shows us the true foundation of all the hope we have towards God for pardon and salvation; it more clearly discovers the great objects of our hope; and so it tends to work in us a more strong and lively hope of acceptance with God. By this hope we are encouraged to draw nigh unto God, to enter into a covenant-union with him, to live a life of converse and communion with him. We may now draw near with a true heart, and with the full assurance of faith, having our minds sprinkled from an evil conscience. The former priesthood rather kept men at a distance, and under a spirit of bondage.
4.There is a change in God's way of acting in this priesthood. He has taken an oath to Christ, which he never did to any of the order of Aaron. God never gave them any such assurance of their continuance, never engaged himself by oath or promise that theirs should be an everlasting priesthood, and therefore gave them no reason to expect the perpetuity of it, but rather to look upon it as a temporary law. But Christ was made a priest with the oath of God: The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec, Heb 7:21. Here God has upon oath declared the immutability, excellency, efficacy, and eternity, of the priesthood of Christ.
5.There is a change in that covenant of which the priesthood was a security and the priest a surety; that is, a change in the dispensation of that covenant. The gospel dispensation is more full, free, perspicuous, spiritual, and efficacious, than that of the law. Christ is in this gospel covenant a surety for us to God and for God to us, to see that the articles be performed on both parts He, as surety, has united the divine and human nature together in his own person, and therein given assurance of reconciliation; and he has, as surety, united God and man together in the bond of the everlasting covenant. He pleads with men to keep their covenant with god, and he pleads with God that he will fulfil his promises to men, which he is always ready to do in a way suitable to his majesty and glory, that is, through a Mediator.
6.There is a remarkable change in the number of the priests under these different orders. In that of Aaron there was a multitude of priests, of high priests, not at once, but successively; but in this of Christ there is but one and the same. The reason is plain, The Levitical priests were many, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death. Their office, how high and honourable soever, could not secure them from dying; and, as one died, another must succeed, and after a while must give place to a third, till the number had become very great. But this our high priest continues for ever, and his priesthood is aparabaton - an unchangeable one, that does not pass from one to another, as the former did; it is always in the same hand. There can be no vacancy in this priesthood, no hour nor moment in which the people are without a priest to negotiate their spiritual concerns in heaven. Such a vacancy might be very dangerous and prejudicial to them; but this is their safety and happiness, that this ever-living high priest is able to save to the utmost - in all times, in all cases, in every juncture - all who come to God by him, Heb 7:25. So that here is a manifest alteration much for the better.
7.There is a remarkable difference in the moral qualifications of the priests. Those who were of the order of Aaron were not only mortal men, but sinful men, who had their sinful as well as natural infirmities; they needed to offer up sacrifices first for their own sins and then for the people. But our high priest, who was consecrated by the word of the oath, needed only to offer up once for the people, never at all for himself; for he has not only an immutable consecration to his office, but an immutable sanctity in his person. He is such a high priest as became us, holy, harmless, and undefiled, etc., Heb 7:26-28. Here observe,
(1.)Our case, as sinners, needed a high priest to make satisfaction and intercession for us.
(2.)No priest could be suitable or sufficient for our reconciliation to God but one who was perfectly righteous in his own person; he must be righteous in himself, or he could not be a propitiation for our sin, or our advocate with the Father.
(3.)The Lord Jesus was exactly such a high priest as we wanted, for he has a personal holiness, absolutely perfect. Observe the description we have of the personal holiness of Christ expressed in various terms, all of which some learned divines consider as relating to his perfect purity. [1.] He is holy, perfectly free from all the habits or principles of sin, not having the least disposition to it in his nature; no sin dwells in him, though it does in the best of Christians, not the least sinful inclination [2.] He is harmless, perfectly free from all actual transgression, has done no violence, nor is there any deceit in his mouth, never did the least wrong to God or man. [3.] He is undefiled, he was never accessory to other men's sins. It is a difficult thing to keep ourselves pure, so as not to partake in the guilt of other men's sins, by contributing in some way towards them, or not doing what we ought to prevent them. Christ was undefiled; though he took upon him the guilt of our sins, yet he never involved himself in the fact and fault of them. [4.] He is separate from sinners, not only in his present state (having entered as our high priest into the holiest of all, into which nothing defiled can enter), but in his personal purity: he has no such union with sinners, either natural or federal, as can devolve upon him original sin. This comes upon us by virtue of our natural and federal union with the first Adam, we descending from him in the ordinary way. But Christ was, by his ineffable conception in the virgin, separate from sinners; though he took a true human nature, yet the miraculous way in which it was conceived set him upon a separate footing from all the rest of mankind. [5.] He is made higher than the heavens. Most expositors understand this concerning his state of exaltation in heaven, at the right hand of God, to perfect the design of his priesthood. But Dr. Goodwin thinks this may be very justly referred to the personal holiness of Christ, which is greater and more perfect than the holiness of the hosts of heaven, that is, the holy angels themselves, who, though they are free from sin, yet are not in themselves free from all possibility of sinning. And therefore we read, God putteth no trust in his holy ones, and he chargeth his angels with folly (Job 4:18), that is, with weakness and peccability. They may be angels one hour and devils another, as many of them were; and that the holy angels shall not now fall does not proceed from an indefectibility of nature, but from the election of God; they are elect angels. It is very probable that this explanation of the words, made higher than the heavens, may be thought too much strained, and that it ought to be understood of the dignity of Christ's state, and not the perfect holiness of his person; and the rather because it is said he was made higher genomenos; but it is well known that this word is used in a neutral sense, as where it is said, genesthē ho Theos alēthēs - Let God be true. The other characters in the verse plainly belong to the personal perfection of Christ in holiness, as opposed to the sinful infirmities of the Levitical priests; and it seems congruous to think this must do so too, if it may be fairly taken in such a sense; and it appears yet more probable, since the validity and prevalency of Christ's priesthood in Heb 7:27 are placed in the impartiality and disinterestedness of it. He needed not to offer up for himself: it was a disinterested mediation; he mediated for that mercy for others which he did not need for himself; had he needed it himself, he had been a party, and could not have been a Mediator - a criminal, and could not have been an advocate for sinners. Now, to render his mediation the more impartial and disinterested, it seems requisite not only that he had no present need of that favour for himself which he mediated for in behalf of others, but that he never could stand in need of it. Though he needed it not today, yet if he knew he might be in such circumstances as to need it tomorrow, or at any future time, he must have been thought to have had some eye upon his own interest, and therefore could not act with impartial regard and pure zeal for the honour of God on one hand, and tender pure compassion for poor sinners on the other. I pretend not here to follow the notes of our late excellent expositor, into whose labours we have entered, but have taken the liberty to vindicate this notion of the learned Dr. Goodwin from the exceptions that I know have been made to it; and I have the rather done it because, if it will hold good, it gives us further evidence how necessary it was that the Mediator should be God, since no mere creature is of himself possessed of that impeccability which will set him above all possible need of favour and mercy for himself.
Historical interpretation
Six Centuries of Reception
5 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
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Paul says, “If perfection had been attainable” through the Levitic house, “for under it the people received the law”—that is, through its agency the law of the people was declared—“what further need would there have been” to elevate another priest from another place, “rather than one named after the order of Aaron,” who was the patriarch of those priests, “but after the order of” the uncircumcised “Melchizedek”?After thus proving the necessity to change priesthood, Paul begins again to prove that, with this change in the priesthood, the law is changed too. “When there is a change in the priesthood,” he says, “there is necessarily a change in the law as well.” Is there need of a sacrificial law, if sacrifices and priesthood have been abolished?
So Melchizedek, “of whom these things are spoken” even though he was from that generation, came “from another tribe from which no one has ever served at the altar,” and the one who received his priesthood was certainly not from the Levites, lest he might be estranged from Melchizedek because of his origin.
In fact, “it is evident that our Lord” Jesus Christ “was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.”
For this reason Uzziah was stricken with leprosy, because he wanted to transfer priesthood by his action and move it to the house of Judah, before Jesus, who was from Judah, came and took it in his hour.
“This becomes even more evident” because “another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest not according to a legal requirement concerning bodily descent,” that is, not by being appointed before the people through the aspersion, sanctification, and blood and anointment of priesthood, and through its garments. Our Lord, on the contrary, was appointed and accepted the priesthood “by the power of a life” which is not broken down by death.
He accepted the priesthood through the oath proffered by David, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” Therefore, “a former commandment is set aside,” as well as the previous priesthood, “because of its weakness and uselessness” as a rule.
Yea and I am showing another difference also (he would say): not only from the tribe, nor yet only from the Person, nor from the character of the Priesthood, nor from the covenant, but also from the type itself. "Who was made not according to the law of a carnal commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. He became" (he says) "a priest not according to the law of a carnal commandment": for that law was in many respects unlawful.
What is, "of a carnal commandment"? Circumcise the flesh, it says; anoint the flesh; wash the flesh; purify the flesh; shave the flesh; bind upon the flesh; cherish the flesh; rest as to the flesh. And again its blessings, what are they? Long life for the flesh; milk and honey for the flesh; peace for the flesh; luxury for the flesh. From this law Aaron received the priesthood; Melchisedec however not so.
"But according to the power of an endless life. For He testifieth, Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec"; that is, not for a time, nor having any limit, "but according to the power of an endless life," that is, by means of power, by means of "endless life."
And yet this does not follow after, "who was made not according to the law of a carnal commandment": for what would follow would be to say, "but according to that of a spiritual one." However by "carnal," he implied temporary. As he says also in another place, "carnal ordinances imposed until the time of reformation."
"According to the power of life," that is, because He lives by His own power.
He is saying it is possible to bring out the likeness between the one and the other: as one did not have successors to his priesthood, so neither did the other transmit it to another—which he referred to as “bodily descent” because the law required on account of the mortality of human beings that after the death of the high priest his son would succeed to the priesthood. Now, in my view this phrase has another meaning as well: the priests cleansed the body in particular, sprinkling and washing it; they offered sacrifices for it. In other words, it was not for murderers or wreckers of others’ marriages that they were in the habit of performing sacrifices, but for menstruating women, lepers and people who touched the bones of the dead.
"who has not become a priest according to the law of a fleshly commandment." For Christ has become a high priest, not according to the law of a commandment concerning flesh, but according to the power of an everlasting life. What is according to the law of a fleshly commandment? That the law had commandments concerning the flesh, such as circumcision, rest, this one to eat, and that one not to eat. Which was of the flesh and did not come to the purification of the soul, therefore he says, a priest according to the law of a fleshly commandments. For he knew the Levites as priests. But he says, Christ has become a priest, both by his own power and that of the Father, and by eternal life.
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Summary
Hebrews 7:16 profoundly articulates the foundational difference between the Levitical priesthood and the priesthood of Jesus Christ, asserting that Christ's priestly office is not established by the temporary, physical regulations of the Mosaic Law, but rather by the inherent, indestructible power of His eternal life. This verse serves as a pivotal statement in the epistle's argument for the superiority and permanence of Christ's high priestly ministry, contrasting a priesthood based on human lineage and mortal limitations with one rooted in divine, unending existence.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is situated within a larger argument in Hebrews (chapters 7-10) that systematically demonstrates the superiority of Jesus Christ's priesthood over the Levitical priesthood established under the Mosaic Law. Specifically, Hebrews 7 focuses on the priesthood of Melchizedek, to which Christ's priesthood is compared. The preceding verses (e.g., Hebrews 7:11-15) discuss the necessity of a change in the law and priesthood, arguing that if perfection could have been achieved through the Levitical priesthood, there would have been no need for a priest to arise "after the order of Melchizedek." Verse 16 directly explains how Jesus' priesthood is different and superior, setting the stage for further elaboration on its permanence and efficacy in subsequent verses like Hebrews 7:23-25.
Historical & Cultural Context
The audience of the Epistle to the Hebrews was likely Jewish Christians grappling with persecution and the temptation to revert to Judaism, with its familiar temple rituals and Levitical priesthood. For them, the Mosaic Law and its intricate system of sacrifices and priestly service were deeply ingrained cultural and religious foundations. The Levitical priesthood was hereditary, passed down through the tribe of Levi, and its priests were mortal, requiring constant succession. This system, with its "carnal commandments," was designed by God to point forward to the ultimate sacrifice and perfect High Priest. The author's argument directly addresses their understanding of how God interacts with humanity, challenging their reliance on an earthly, temporary system by presenting Christ as the fulfillment and ultimate reality of all that the Old Covenant foreshadowed.
Key Themes
Hebrews 7:16 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the epistle. First, it underscores the Superiority of Christ, demonstrating that His priestly office transcends the limitations of the Old Covenant. Second, it highlights the Permanence and Perfection of Christ's Ministry, contrasting the temporary, mortal nature of the Levitical priests with Christ's eternal, indestructible life, which ensures His unceasing intercession (as seen in Hebrews 7:24-25). Third, it emphasizes the New Covenant's Foundation in Life, not Law, showing that access to God is now based on the "power of an endless life" rather than "the law of a carnal commandment," a theme further developed in Hebrews 8:6-13. This verse is crucial in establishing the theological basis for the radical shift from the Old Covenant to the New.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word signifies "to come into being," "to become," or "to be brought to pass." In the context of Christ's priesthood, it denotes that His appointment or establishment as High Priest is not a result of human lineage or a set of external regulations, but rather an intrinsic reality derived from His nature. It emphasizes the origin and manner of His priestly existence.
Derived from the Greek word for "flesh" (sarx), this term describes something pertaining to the physical, earthly, or temporal realm. When used in conjunction with "commandment," it refers to rules and regulations that govern outward, physical acts and human institutions, such as the Levitical laws concerning lineage, physical purity, and ritual practices. It highlights the transient and limited nature of the Old Covenant system.
This powerful adjective means "indissoluble," "permanent," or "indestructible." It conveys the idea of something that cannot be dissolved, brought to an end, or rendered inoperative. When applied to "life," it emphasizes the eternal, unceasing nature of Christ's existence, which is the very foundation of His priesthood.
This term refers to "life" in its fullest sense, often implying spiritual or divine life, as opposed to mere biological existence (psychē). In this context, it points to Christ's inherent, divine vitality and His resurrection life, which is not subject to death or decay. It is this eternal, indestructible life that empowers His perpetual priesthood.
Verse Breakdown
"Who is made"
This clause refers to Jesus Christ and the manner of His appointment or establishment as High Priest. It sets up the contrast that follows, indicating that His priestly status is not arbitrary but founded on a specific principle.
"not after the law of a carnal commandment"
This negative assertion clarifies what does not constitute the basis of Christ's priesthood. "The law of a carnal commandment" refers to the Mosaic Law, particularly the regulations governing the Levitical priesthood. These were "carnal" (physical, earthly, temporary) in that they pertained to external requirements, human lineage, and ritual purity, which were inherently limited and subject to change or cessation. This explicitly denies that Jesus' priesthood is derived from any Old Covenant legal framework.
"but after the power of an endless life"
This positive affirmation provides the true and superior foundation of Christ's priesthood. It is established "after" (according to) the "power" (inherent ability, dynamic force) of an "endless life." This refers to Jesus' divine, eternal, and indestructible life, demonstrated supremely in His resurrection. His victory over death and His perpetual existence mean that His priestly office is permanent, effective, and not subject to the limitations of mortality that characterized the Levitical priests.
Literary Devices
The primary literary device at play in Hebrews 7:16 is Antithesis (or Contrast). The verse is structured around a clear "not... but..." construction, sharply contrasting two opposing bases for priesthood: "the law of a carnal commandment" versus "the power of an endless life." This stark juxtaposition highlights the fundamental qualitative difference and the superiority of Christ's priesthood. The "carnal commandment" represents the temporary, earthly, and limited nature of the Old Covenant, while "endless life" symbolizes the eternal, divine, and perfect nature of the New Covenant and Christ's ministry. This antithesis effectively underscores the author's overarching argument for the obsolescence of the old system and the permanence of the new. There is also an element of Metonymy where "carnal commandment" stands for the entire Mosaic Law and its priestly system, and "endless life" stands for Christ's divine nature and resurrection power.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Hebrews 7:16 is a theological cornerstone, asserting that Christ's priesthood is qualitatively distinct and infinitely superior to the Levitical system. This distinction is not merely procedural but existential, rooted in Christ's very being. While the Levitical priests were appointed by a law that prescribed their lineage, age, and ritual purity—all carnal and temporary requirements—Jesus' appointment is based on the inherent, dynamic power of His eternal life. This means His priesthood is not subject to death or succession, guaranteeing His perpetual ability to intercede for believers. This truth underpins the entire New Covenant, signifying that our access to God is secured by an unchanging, living High Priest, rather than by a system of laws and rituals that could not perfect the worshiper.
Reflection and Application
The profound truth of Hebrews 7:16 offers immense assurance and stability to believers. In a world characterized by change, decay, and mortality, our access to God is not dependent on a fleeting, human-administered system, but on the unshakeable reality of Jesus' eternal life. This means that His intercession for us is continuous, His sacrifice for our sins is eternally effective, and His power to save is limitless. We are not reliant on a priest who will eventually die and need replacement, but on the living Christ who "always lives to make intercession" for us (Hebrews 7:25). This should foster a deep sense of security and confidence in our faith, knowing that our salvation is founded on an indestructible life. It calls us to abandon any lingering reliance on human effort, ritual, or tradition for righteousness, and instead to place our full trust in the finished and ongoing work of our eternal High Priest.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "the law of a carnal commandment" refer to in this verse?
"The law of a carnal commandment" refers to the Mosaic Law, specifically the regulations governing the Levitical priesthood. The term "carnal" (Greek: sarkikós) indicates that these commandments pertained to the flesh, the physical, or the outward aspects of life, such as lineage, physical purity, and ritualistic practices. These laws were temporary and earthly, designed to regulate a physical priesthood and a system of sacrifices that pointed forward to Christ. They were limited in their ability to bring about true spiritual perfection, as they dealt with external purification rather than internal transformation. The author of Hebrews contrasts this temporary, physical law with the spiritual and eternal basis of Christ's priesthood.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Hebrews 7:16 is a powerful declaration of Christ's unique and ultimate fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. The "power of an endless life" is not merely a descriptive phrase; it is the very essence of Christ's identity as the Son of God, who conquered death and lives forevermore. This eternal life is the bedrock of His unchangeable priesthood and His continuous intercession for believers (Hebrews 7:24-25). Unlike the Levitical priests who were subject to death and therefore could not offer a permanent solution, Jesus' resurrection from the dead demonstrated His "endless life" and qualified Him to be the perfect, once-for-all sacrifice and High Priest. His life, which cannot be dissolved or ended, ensures that His atoning work is eternally effective and that He remains perpetually able to save those who draw near to God through Him (Hebrews 7:25). Thus, Christ's "endless life" is the ultimate guarantee of the New Covenant's superiority, providing believers with an eternal and secure access to God, not through temporary rituals, but through the living reality of the Son who holds the keys of death and Hades (Revelation 1:18). Our hope and salvation are anchored in His indestructible life, making Him the Way, the Truth, and the Life for all who believe (John 14:6).