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quanta nobis necessitas est obedire Deo, ut digni inveniamur ejus salutis quam nobis per Filium proprium donavit (Atto).
ai[tio" swt. aijwn. ] the cause of eternal salvation , Latt. causa salutis aeternae. In 2:10 the word corresponding to ai[tio" is ajrchgov" . There the thought was of Christ going before the ‘many sons’ with whom He unites Himself. Here the thought is of that which He alone does for them. In the former passage He is the great Leader who identifies Himself with His people: in this He is the High-priest who offers Himself as an effectual sacrifice on their behalf.

The word ai[tio" does not occur elsewhere in N.T. Comp. 1 Sam. 22:22; 2 Macc. 13:4; Bel 42.

The phrase ai[tio" swthriva" is used by Philo of the brazen serpent ( De agric. § 22, 1.315), and of Noah in relation to his sons ( De nobil. § 3,
2.440). Comp.
De vit. cont. § 11 (2.485 M.). It is found not unfrequently in classical writers: e.g., Demosth. De Rhod. libert. § 4 (p. 191) movnoi tw'n pavntwn th'" swthriva" aujtoi'" ai[tioi .
swt. aijwn. ] This spiritual, eternal, divine deliverance answers to the external and temporal deliverance which Moses wrought. The phrase is not found elsewhere in N. T.

Comp. Is. 45:17 jIsrah;l swvzetai uJpo; kurivou swthrivan aijwvnion

( : ymil;/[ t['WvT] ).

The phrase corresponds with zwh; aijwvnio" (comp. 1 John 5:20, Addit. Note). Compare also Heb. 6:2 krivma aijwvnion . 9:12 aijwniva luvtrwsi" . 15 hJ aijwvnio" klhronomiva . 13:20 diaqhvkh aijwvnio" .

The words with which aijwvnio" is used in other books of the N. T. throw light upon its meaning: pu'r Matt. 18:8; 25:41 ( to; p. to; aij. ); Jude 7 ( p. aij. ); kovlasi" Matt. 25:46; skhnhv Luke 16:9 ( aiJ aij. sk. ); basileiva 2 Pet. 1:11 ( hJ aij. b. ); o[leqro" 2 Thess. 1:9; paravklhsi" 2 Thess. 2:16; crovnoi Rom. 16:25; 2 Tim. 1:9; Tit. 1:2; qeov" Rom. 16:20 ( oJ aij. q. ); kravto" 1 Tim. 6:16; dovxa 2 Tim. 2:10; 1 Pet. 5:10 ( hJ aij. d. ); eujaggevlion Apoc. 14:6.

The double correspondence of swvzein, uJpakohvn (Heb. 5:7, 8) with uJpakouvousin, swthriva" is to be noticed. Three brief notes of Greek commentators deserve to be quoted: teleivwsin th;n ajnavstasin kai; th;n ajqanasivan ejkavlese : tou'to ga;r th'" oijkonomiva" to; pevra" (Theod.).
a[ra ou\n teleivwsi" dia; tw'n paqhmavt wn givnetai : pw'" ou\n uJmei'" dusceraivnete ejpi; tai'" teleiopoioi'" qlivyesin ; (Theoph.).
oJra'/" o{sa peri; uJpakoh'" dialevgetai w{ste peivqesqai aujtouv" ; dokou'si gavr moi sunecw'" ajfhniavzein kai; toi'" legomevnoi" mh; parakolouqei'n (Chrys.).

Heb. 5:10. prosagoreuqei;" ... ajrc. ] being addressed by God as High- priest .... O. L. vocatus (pronunciatus) sacerdos ( princeps sacerdotum ). Vulg.
vocatus pontifex. The title ( High-priest ) is involved in the words of Ps. 110:4 and v. 1 taken together; comp. Heb. 6:20. A royal priesthood is there combined with admission to the immediate Presence of God ( sit...at my right hand ), which was the peculiar privilege of the High-priest. At the same time the peculiar character of this priesthood ( after the order of Melchizedek ) includes the pledge of its eternal efficacy ( eternal salvation ). Comp. Heb. 7:16
f. The word
prosagoreuvein (here only in N.T.) expresses the formal and solemn ascription of the title to Him to whom it belongs (‘addressed as,’


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