Hebrews 7:28
in Hebrews 7For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For the law appointeth men high priests, having infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was after the law, appointeth a Son, perfected for evermore.
KJV
For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
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This verse in Hebrews 7
Commentary
12 notes on this verseFor the law maketh men high priests - The Jewish priests have need of these repeated offerings and sacrifices, because they are fallible, sinful men: but the word of the oath (still referring to Psa 110:4) which was since the law; for David, who mentions this, lived nearly 500 years after the giving of the law, and consequently that oath, constituting another priesthood, abrogates the law; and by this the Son is consecrated, τετελειωμενον, is perfected, for evermore.
This site's exposition
the law appoints as high priests
The law appoints as high priests men who are weak, and the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, made perfect forever. The chapter's strands meet in that closing title.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers3 voices
"For the law appoints men."And for whose sake did he not need, he says, to offer a sacrifice for himself? Nor did he often offer for the people, as the high priests do, but having offered once, he was sufficient; why? Because the priests who …
A commentator
Ephrem the SyrianCOMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS · Written before 373.
proposed
"The law appointed" weak "men as high priests" who certainly needed to offer sacrifices for their sins. "The word of the oath," however, "which" was provided in David "later than the law, appointed the Son" who remains "perfect forever."
"But the word of the oath which was since the Law maketh the Son who has been consecrated for evermore." "Consecrated": what is that? Paul does not set down the common terms of contradistinction; for after saying "having Infirmity," he did not say "the Son" who is mighty, but "consecrated": i.e. mighty, as one might say. Thou seest that the name Son is used in contradistinction to that of servant. And by "infirmity" he means either sin or death. What is, "for evermore"? Not now only without sin but always. If then He is perfect, if He never sins, if He lives always, why shall He offer many sacrifices for us? But for the present he does not insist strongly on this point: but what he does strongly insist upon is, His not offering on His own behalf.
The Medieval Church2 voices
376. – Then when he says, He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins, he removes from Him anything that was imperfect in the priesthood of the Law. But what was imperfect was that he needed …
Lest you think that although He offered once, yet it was also for Himself, he now proves that He did not offer for His own sins. For "the law appoints as high priests" ordinary men "who have weaknesses," that is, those who cannot resist sin, …
5 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The law maketh men high priests that have infirmity - That are both weak, mortal, and sinful. But the oath which was since the law - Namely, in the time of David. Maketh the son, who is consecrated forever - Who being now free, both from sin and death, from natural and moral infirmity, remaineth a priest forever.
For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity,....
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 Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
For--reason for the difference stated in Heb 7:27, between His one sacrifice and their oft repeated sacrifices, namely, because of His entire freedom from the sinful infirmity to which they are subject.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For the law - The ceremonial law. Which have infirmity - Who are weak, frail, sinful, dying. Such were all who were appointed to the office of priest under the Jewish Law. But the word of the oath - By which one was appointed after the order of Melchizedek; note, Heb 7:21. Maketh the Son - The Son of God. That appointment has resulted in his being set apart to this work. Who is consecrated forevermore - Margin, “Perfected;” see the note at Heb 2:10. The idea is, that the appointment is “complete” and “permanent.” It does not pass from one to the other. It is perfect in all the arrangements, and will remain so forever. Remarks The subject of this chapter is the exalted high priesthood of the Redeemer. This is a subject which pertains to all Christians, and to all men. All religions imply the priestly office; all suppose sacrifice of some kind. In regard to the priestly office of Christ as illustrated in this chapter, we may observe: (1) He stands alone. In that office he had no predecessor, and has no one to succeed him. In this respect he was without father, mother, or descent - and he stands in lonely majesty as the only one who sustains the office; Heb 7:3. (2) He is superior to Abraham. Abraham never laid claim to the ofrice of priest, but he recognized his inferiority to one whom the Messiah was to resemble; Heb 7:2, Heb 7:4. (3) He is superior to all the Jewish priesthood - sustaining a rank and performing an office above them all. The great ancestor of all the Levitical priests recognized his inferiority to one of the rank or “order” of which the Messiah was to be, and received from him a blessing. […]
The words behind it
22 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὁ | ho | The | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| νόμος | nomos | law | G3551 → | 192 times |
| γὰρ | gar | for | G1063 → | 1039 times |
| ἀνθρώπους | anthropous | men | G444 → | 549 times |
| καθίστησιν | kathistesin | appoints | G2525 → | 21 times |
| ἀρχιερεῖς | archiereis | as high priests | G749 → | 122 times |
| ἔχοντας | echontas | having | G2192 → | 707 times |
| ἀσθένειαν, | astheneian | weakness, | G769 → | 24 times |
| ὁ | ho | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| λόγος | logos | word | G3056 → | 329 times |
| δὲ | de | however | G1161 → | 2765 times |
| τῆς | tes | of the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| ὁρκωμοσίας | horkomosias | oath | G3728 → | 3 times |
| τῆς | tes | which [is] | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| μετὰ | meta | after | G3326 → | 461 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| νόμον | nomon | law | G3551 → | 192 times |
| υἱὸν | huion | a Son | G5207 → | 377 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τὸν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| αἰῶνα | aiona | age | G165 → | 121 times |
| τετελειωμένον.¶ | teteleiomenon | perfected. | G5048 → | 23 times |
ὁThe
hoG3588 →19766 times
νόμοςlaw
nomosG3551 →192 times
γὰρfor
garG1063 →1039 times
ἀνθρώπουςmen
anthropousG444 →549 times
καθίστησινappoints
kathistesinG2525 →21 times
ἀρχιερεῖςas high priests
archiereisG749 →122 times
ἔχονταςhaving
echontasG2192 →707 times
ἀσθένειαν,weakness,
astheneianG769 →24 times
ὁthe
hoG3588 →19766 times
λόγοςword
logosG3056 →329 times
δὲhowever
deG1161 →2765 times
τῆςof the
tesG3588 →19766 times
ὁρκωμοσίαςoath
horkomosiasG3728 →3 times
τῆςwhich [is]
tesG3588 →19766 times
μετὰafter
metaG3326 →461 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
νόμονlaw
nomonG3551 →192 times
υἱὸνa Son
huionG5207 →377 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τὸνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
αἰῶναage
aionaG165 →121 times
τετελειωμένον.¶perfected.
teteleiomenonG5048 →23 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
Hebrews 1:2But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.
it leads to
- 1 Corinthians 8:6
yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- John 1:3
Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.
- Colossians 1:16–18
For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him.
- John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
- 1 Peter 1:20
He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.
- 1 Corinthians 8:6
Through
Psalms 110:4The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
it leads to
- Hebrews 7:17
For it is testified: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Hebrews 5:6
And in another passage God says: “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”
- Hebrews 7:21
but Jesus became a priest with an oath by the One who said to Him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: ‘You are a priest forever.’”
- Hebrews 7:17
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies21
On this chapter
About Hebrews
This page draws on 13 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); 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; 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; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Hebrews and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Hebrews.