prefigured. He has entered into the rest which He foreshewed, so that He can also bring His people into it. He is seated at the right hand of God. But meanwhile man has his part to do; and as we strive to secure the promised rest we must cling firmly to the confession in which lies the assurance of success.
The simple fact that we have a High-priest is stated first (
Having therefore a High-priest
), and then His character and position are described:
Having therefore a High-priest, great
in His essential Nature (1:1 ff.), and One
Who hath passed through the heavens
, and so come before the very Presence of God. The epithet
mevga"
does not go to complete the notion of High-priest, but characterises his dignity. Comp. 10:21; (13:20). Philo
de somn.
i. § 38 (i. p. 654 M.)
oJ mevga" ajrciereu;"
[
th'" oJmologiva"
];
de Abr.
§ 40 (2:34 M.)
oJ mevga" ajrciereu;" tou' megivstou qeou'
.
diel. t. oujr
.]
who hath passed through the heavens.
O. L.
egressum coelos.
Vulg.
qui penetravit coelos.
Comp. Eph. 4:10 (Heb. 7:26 note). Christ not merely ascended up to heaven in the language of space, but transcended the limitations of space. Thus we say that He entered into heaven and yet is above the heavens.
The phrase points out the superiority of Christ over the Jewish highpriest and over the Jewish mediator. He has passed not through the veil only but through the heavens up to the very throne of God (comp. 9:24; 1:3), and entered into the royal rest of God.
Theophylact well compares Christ and Moses: ouj toiou'to" oi|o" Mwush'", ejkei'no" me;n ga;r ou[te aujto;" eijsh'lqen eij" th;n katavpausin ou[te to;n lao;n eijshvgagen : ou|to" de; dielhluqw;" tou;" oujranou;" sunedriavzei tw'/ Patri; kai; duvnatai hJmi'n th;n eij" oujranou;" ei[sodon dou'nai kai; th'" ejn ejpaggelivai" katapauvsew" klhronovmou" poih'sai . And Primasius brings out aspects of mevga" : Magnum pontificem eum appellat qui habet aeternum sacerdotium, semper vivens, ad interpellandum pro nobis (Heb. 7:25). Sic enim dixit de illo angelus ad Mariam: Hic erit magnus et Filius altissimi vocabitur (Lk. 1:32).
jIhsou'n to;n uiJo;n tou' qeou' ] The two titles are placed side by side in order to suggest the two natures of the Lord which include the assurance of sympathy and power. For the use of Jesus see Heb. 2:9 note; and for the Son of God see 6:6; 7:3; 10:29; and Additional Note on 1:4. And for the combination of the two see Acts 9:20; 1 Thess. 1:10; 1 John 1:7; 4:15; 5:5. kratw'men th'" oJmol. ] Let us cling to our faith in Him, Whom we openly confess, as truly human, truly divine (Latt. teneamus confessionem ). Ouj to; pa'n tw'/ iJerei' divdwsin, ajlla; kai; ta; parj hJmw'n zhtei', levge dh; th;n oJmologivan (Theophlct.).
The phrase kratei'n th'" oJmologiva" , as contrasted with katevcwmen th;n oJmologivan (Heb. 10:23), seems to mark the act of grasping and clinging to that to which we attach ourselves, as distinguished from the act of holding firmly that which is already completely in our possession. Comp. 6:18. Thus the words imply danger and incite to effort.
For oJmologiva compare Heb. 3:1; 10:23 note; 1 Tim. 6:12 f. The writer everywhere insists on the duty of the public confession of the faith. The crisis claimed not simply private conviction but a clear declaration of belief openly in the face of men. Comp. 1 John 4:2 note.
Heb. 4:15. ouj gavr ] The apostle calls for effort, and he encourages it.