Hebrews 7:26
in Hebrews 7Such a high priest truly befits us—One who is holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
KJV
For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
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This verse in Hebrews 7
Commentary
16 notes on this verseFor to this end had He come, that, being Himself pure from sin, and in all respects holy, He might undergo death on behalf of sinners.
This site's exposition
high priest truly befits us
on Hebrews 7:26-27
The fitting priest is holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. The other high priests sacrificed daily for their own sins and for the people's. He sacrificed for sin once for all when He offered up Himself.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
It is obvious from these things that he is speaking about Christ according to the flesh in the preceding statements and these as well. For how could he say such things about divinity and not be ashamed, attributing these things to that incomprehensible nature? Therefore, …
They do not understand, that not even the proudest of spirits themselves could rejoice in the honor of sacrifices, unless a true sacrifice was due to the one true God, in whose stead they desire to be worshipped: and that this cannot be rightly offered except by a holy and righteous priest; nor unless that which is offered be received from those for whom it is offered; and unless also it be without fault, so that it may be offered for cleansing the faulty. This at least all desire who wish sacrifice to be offered for themselves to God. Who then is so righteous and holy a priest as the only Son of God, who had no need to purge His own sins by sacrifice, neither original sins, nor those which are added by human life? And what could be so fitly chosen by men to be offered for them as human flesh? And what so fit for this immolation as mortal flesh? And what so clean for cleansing the faults of mortal men as the flesh born in and from the womb of a virgin, without any infection of carnal concupiscence? And what could be so acceptably offered and taken, as the flesh of our sacrifice, made the body of our priest? In such wise that, whereas four things are to be considered in every sacrifice,—to whom it is offered, by whom it is offered, what is offered, for whom it is offered,—the same One and true Mediator Himself, reconciling us to God by the sacrifice of peace, might remain one with Him to whom He offered, might make those one in Himself for whom He offered, Himself might be in one both the offerer and the offering.
A commentator
Ephrem the SyrianCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS · Written before 373.
proposed
"It was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners … who had no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did this once …
"For such an High Priest also became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from the sinners." Thou seest that the whole is said with reference to the manhood. (But when I say "the manhood," I mean the manhood having Godhead; not dividing one from the other, but leaving you to suppose what is suitable.) Didst thou mark the difference of the High Priest? He has summed up what was said before, "in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin." "For" (he says) "such an High Priest also became us, who is holy, harmless." "Harmless": what is it? Without wickedness: that which another Prophet says: "guile was not found in His mouth," that is, He is not crafty. Could any one say this concerning God? And is one not ashamed to say that God is not crafty, nor deceitful? Concerning Him, however, in respect of the Flesh, it might be reasonable to say it. "Holy, undefiled." This too would any one say concerning God? For has He a nature capable of defilement? "Separate from sinners."
For the high priest being eternal, of necessity the salvation also and the Tabernacle are eternal, in accordance again with what is written: And they indeed are many priests, because that by death they are hindered from continuing: but he, because he abideth for ever, …
9 more voices on this verse
The Medieval Church3 voices
374. – Then when he says, for it was fitting that we have such a high priest, he shows from Christ's excellence the excellence of His priesthood. In regard to this he does two things: first, he shows that the perfections of the conditions required …
From these words it is clear that both above and now he speaks of the flesh. For who could say such a thing about God, and would he not be ashamed, applying this to the incomprehensible nature of God? So, He is "holy." Such a …
A commentator
BonaventureCollations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 3 · Written in the 13th century.
proposed
This Hierarch is acceptable to God, for we need a most sacred Reconciler. Hence the Epistle to the Hebrews: "It was fitting that we should have such a High Priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and become higher than the heavens," in order …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Undefiled - With any sin in himself. Separated from sinners - As well as free from sin. And so he was when he left the world.
For such an high priest became us,....
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.
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
Such a high priest became us - Such a high priest was in every respect suitable to us, every way qualified to accomplish the end for which he came into the world. There is probably here an allusion to the qualifications of the Jewish high priest: - 1. He was required to be holy, ὁσιος, answering to the Hebrew חסיד chasid, merciful. Holiness was his calling; and, as he was the representative of his brethren, he was required to be merciful and compassionate.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Though justifying through faith the ungodly, He hath no contact with them as such. He is lifted above our sinful community, being "made higher than the heavens," at the same time that He makes believers as such (not as sinners), "to sit together (with Him) in heavenly places" (Eph 2:6). Just as Moses on the mount was separated from and above the people, and alone with God.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For such an High Priest became us - Was suited to our condition. That is, there was that in our character and circumstances which demanded that a high priest for us should be personally holy. It was not requisite merely that he should have great power; or that he should be of a rank superior to that of the Jewish priesthood; but there was a special propriety that he should surpass all others in “moral” purity. Other priests were mere mortal men, and it was necessary that their office should pass to other hands; they were “sinful” men also, and it was necessary that sacrifices should be made for themselves as well as others. We need, however, a different priest. We need not only one who ever lives, but one who is perfectly holy, and who has no need to bring an offering for himself, and all the merit of whose sacrifice, therefore, may be ours. Such an high priest we have in the person of the Lord Jesus; and there is no truth more interesting, and no proposition more susceptible of proof, than that he is exactly Fitted to man. In his moral character, and in the great work which he has accomplishcd, he is just such a Saviour as is adapted to the wants of ignorant, fallen, wretched, sinful man. He is benevolent, and pities our woes; wise, and is able to enlighten our ignorance; compassionate, and ready to forgive our faults. He has made such a sacrifice as was necessary to put away our guilt, and offers such intercession as we need to have offered for us in order that we may be preserved from falling. Who is holy - Not merely “outwardly righteous,” but pure in heart. Harmless - Not injuring anyone. To no one did he do wrong. Neither to their name, person, or property, did he ever do injury; nor will he ever. […]
The words behind it
18 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Τοιοῦτος | toioutos | Such | G5108 → | 56 times |
| γὰρ | gar | indeed | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ἡμῖν | hemin | for us | G3165 → | 1936 times |
| καὶ | kai | also | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ἔπρεπεν | eprepen | was fitting | G4241 → | |
| ἀρχιερεύς, | archiereus | a high priest, | G749 → | 122 times |
| ὅσιος, | hosios | holy, | G3741 → | |
| ἄκακος, | akakos | innocent, | G172 → | |
| ἀμίαντος, | amiantos | undefiled, | G283 → | |
| κεχωρισμένος | kechorismenos | separated | G5563 → | |
| ἀπὸ | apo | from | G575 → | 640 times |
| τῶν | ton | <the> | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ἁμαρτωλῶν, | hamartolon | sinners, | G268 → | |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| ὑψηλότερος | hupseloteros | higher | G5308 → | |
| τῶν | ton | than the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| οὐρανῶν | ouranon | heavens | G3772 → | 272 times |
| γενόμενος· | genomenos | having become; | G1096 → | 667 times |
ΤοιοῦτοςSuch
toioutosG5108 →56 times
γὰρindeed
garG1063 →1039 times
ἡμῖνfor us
heminG3165 →1936 times
καὶalso
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ἔπρεπενwas fitting
eprepenG4241 →
ἀρχιερεύς,a high priest,
archiereusG749 →122 times
ὅσιος,holy,
hosiosG3741 →
ἄκακος,innocent,
akakosG172 →
ἀμίαντος,undefiled,
amiantosG283 →
κεχωρισμένοςseparated
kechorismenosG5563 →
ἀπὸfrom
apoG575 →640 times
τῶν<the>
tonG3588 →19766 times
ἁμαρτωλῶν,sinners,
hamartolonG268 →
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
ὑψηλότεροςhigher
hupseloterosG5308 →
τῶνthan the
tonG3588 →19766 times
οὐρανῶνheavens
ouranonG3772 →272 times
γενόμενος·having become;
genomenosG1096 →667 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Corinthians 5:21God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 3:18
For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit,
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Peter 2:22–24
“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.”
- Romans 5:19
For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
- Galatians 3:13
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
- 1 Corinthians 1:30
It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.
- 1 Peter 3:18
Through
1 John 2:2He Himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
it leads to
- 1 John 4:14
And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent His Son to be the Savior of the world.
- 1 John 4:10
And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
- 1 John 4:14
Through
1 Peter 2:22“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.”
it leads to
- Isaiah 53:9
He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth.
- Isaiah 53:9
Where this verse is studied
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About Hebrews
This page draws on 15 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, ON THE TRINITY 4.14.19; Bonaventure, Collations on the Hexaemeron, Collation 3; Cosmas Indicopleustes, The Christian Topography, Book 7; Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, Homily on Hebrews 13; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Oecumenius, The Pseudo-Oecumenian Catena on Hebrews; Tertullian, On Modesty; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Hebrews and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Hebrews.