The patristic interpretation of the Majesty is uncertain (
h] o{ti kai; oJ path;r lecqeivh a]n aujtw'/
(
aujto;"
)
megalwsuvnh h] o{ti aJplw'" ou{tw qrovno" megalwsuvnh" oJ mevgisto" qrovno"
, Theophlct), but the Fathers carefully avoid all puerile anthropomorphism in their treatment of the right hand of God, as for example: plenitudinem majestatis summamque gloriam beatitudinis et prosperitatis debemus per dexteram intelligere in qua filius sedet (Primas.). This Session declares under a natural figure that the Son of man has entered on the full and permanent participation of the divine glory and power. Compare a remarkable passage of Philo (
de Abr.
§ 24, ii. p. 19 M.)
path;r me;n tw'n o{lwn oJ mevso"
(the reference is to Gen. 18:1 ff.),
o{"
...
kalei'tai oJ w[n, aiJ de; parj eJkavtera presbuvtatai kai; ejgguvtatai tou' o[nto" dunavmei"
:
w|n hJ me;n poihtikh; hJ de; au\ basilikh; prosagoreuvetai
:
kai; hJ me;n poihtikh; qeov"
...
hJ de; basilikh; kuvrio"
....And a little later (
id.
§ 25) Philo speaks of the
manifestation (
fantasiva
)
hJ ejpi; dexia; hJ eujergevti", h|/ qeo;" o[noma
... Pearson
(
On the Creed
, pp. 277 f.) has given a good collection of illustrative quotations. Contrast Acts 7:55 (
eJstw'ta ejk dexiw'n tou' qeou'
).
ejn toi'" oujranoi'"
] Compare Heb. 9:24 note.
Heb. 8:2. tw'n aJgivwn leit. ] a minister of the sanctuary , Latt. sanctorum minister. The phrase tw'n aJgivwn is unquestionably neuter: Heb. 9:8, 12, & c. It describes the Sanctuary, and specially what is elsewhere (Heb. 9:3) called the Holy of Holies ( a{gia aJgivwn ).
The exact phrase occurs in Philo, Leg. Alleg. 3.46 (1.114 M.), toiou'to" oJ qerapeuth;" kai; leitourgo;" tw'n aJgivwn (said of Aaron).
Some of the Fathers, both Greek and Latin, treat
tw'n aJgivwn
as
masc.
of the Saints. Thus Primasius:
sanctorum minister:
quod duobus modis potest accipi. Veniens quippe dominus in mundum per incarnationis exhibitionem ministravit sanctis aliisque fidelibus...et aliter: sanctorum minister erit in futurum quando semetipsum ministrabit illis ut cognoscant eum cum patre et spiritu sancto sicuti est....Potest et altiori sensu intelligi ut
tabernaculum verum accipiantur animae justorum quibus ipse filius Dei gaudia patriae caelestis administrat et in quibus ipse habitare dignatur. Compare OEcumenius:
ajrciereuv", fhsivn, tw'n hJgiasmevnwn parj aujtou' ajnqrwvpwn
, and so
tinev"
quoted by Theophylact.
There is a significant contrast between the Session of Christ and His serving:
pw'" de; oi|ovn te aujto;n oJmou' kai; sunedreuvein kai; leitourgei'n
;
eij mhv ti" a[ra leitourgivan ei[poi tw'n ajnqrwvpwn th;n swthrivan h}n despotikw'" pragmateuvetai
(Theodt). The two words in fact present the two complementary aspects of Christ's Person and Work, His divine Majesty and His infinite love. Christ serves though He reigns and reigns in serving. All that the High-priest did in figure He does absolutely. He makes atonement for men with God: He makes God known to men; and thus in both ways He fulfils their destiny. For
leitourgov"
and cognate words see Additional Note.
th'" sk. t. ajl.
...
oujk a[nqr.
] Comp. Heb. 9:11 note. The action of Christ's
Priesthood extends to all parts of the divine Dwelling. Thus the more general word
skhnhv
is added to
ta; a{gia
, but no local distinction can be pressed in regard to the heavenly antitype (archetype). Comp. Apoc. 15:5; (13:6). The general thought is that of the immediate Presence of God (
ta; a{gia
), and the scene of His manifestation to His worshippers (
hJ skhnhv
). Christ in the High- priesthood of His glorified humanity represents man to God, and in His divine