JESUS Christ’s High Priesthood after the order of Melchisedec Heb. 7:1-10, FAR MORE EXCELLENT THAN Aaron’S PRIESTHOOD, 20-24
“By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament” (v. 22). Gen. 43:9; 44:32, Pro. 6:1; 20:16, Heb. 8:6–12; 9:15–23; 12:24; 13:20, Matt. 26:28, 1Co. 11:25. A “surety” is one who agrees to undertake for another who is lacking in ability to discharge his own obligations…The surety is sponsor for another, standing in the room of and acting for one who is incompetent to act for himself… Thus, Christ was not a Surety for God, for He needed none; but for His own poor, failing and deficient people, who were unable to meet their obligations, incapable of discharging their liabilities… Christ fully pay all their debts, and completely satisfied every demand which God had against them. A beautiful illustration of the “surety” is found in Genesis 43:8, 9, “And Judah said unto Israel his father, send the lad with me… I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee, then let me bear the blame forever”…Later, Joseph’s cup was found in Benjamin’s sack Gen. 44:12, and on their return into Egypt and re-appearance before Joseph the governor, we hear him saying, “For thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father…Gen. 44:32, 33. Paul… a surety for Onesimus: Philem. 18, 19.
“And inasmuch as He was not made a priest without an oath, He is by so much made the surety of a better testament”. V. 21. On the close connection between verses vv. 20 and 22, John Owen said: “There may be a twofold design in the words. 1. That His being made a priest by an oath, made Him meet to be the surety of a better testament; or, 2. That the testament whereof He was the surety, must needs be better than the other; because He who was the surety of it was made a priest by an oath.” In the one way, he proved the dignity of the priesthood of Christ from the New Testament; and in the other, the dignity of the New Testament from the priesthood of Christ…Efficiently the priesthood gives dignity unto the New Testament, and declaratively the New Testament sets forth the dignity of the priesthood of Christ. These words clearly presuppose three things. First, the fist covenant before is dealt with more expressly in Hebrews 8, where the old and the new covenants are compared. Second, respects the old covenant was good—implied by the contrastive “better”. The old covenant was good, as the product of God’s wisdom and righteousness; it served a good purpose… its design was good, for it pointed forward to Christ. Third, that the old covenant had a “surety” … Moses was the typical mediator; Aaron, the typical surety, for he it was who offered solemn sacrifices in the name and on behalf of the people, making atonement for them according to the terms of the covenant. “Two questions had long engaged the attention of the Jews: the nature of the Messiah’s office, and who that person should be. Paul said that the Messiah was to be a Priest, yet not of the Levitical stock… Now he asserts that it was Jesus who is this Priest, for He alone has fulfilled the type and discharged the principal duty of that office. “Jesus” was “made a Surety” …by the will and act of God. 1:4, 3:2, 5:5.” Pink A. W.
