For the law makes men high priests who have weakness; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, makes the Son, who is consecrated forevermore.
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John Chrysostom
AD 407
For this He did, he says. This; what? For (he says) it is of necessity that this [Man] have somewhat also to offer Hebrews 8:3; not for Himself; for how did He offer Himself? But for the people. What do you say? And is He able to do this? Yea (he says). For the Law makes men high priests, which have infirmity. Hebrews 7:28 And does He not need to offer for Himself? No, he says. For, that you may not suppose that the [words, this] He did once for all, are said respecting Himself also, hear what he says: For the law makes men high priests, which have infirmity. On this account they both offer continually, and for themselves. He however who is mighty, He that has no sin, why should He offer for Himself, or oftentimes for others?
But the word of the oath which was since the Law [makes] 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 mig...
364. – Having proved by the authority of the Psalmist that the priesthood of Christ is preferred to the Levitical and does away with it, the Apostle now proves the same thing by two other authorities: first, from the fact that he says, ‘The Lord has sworn’; secondly, that he says, ‘You are a priest’ (v. 23).
365. – In regard to the first he forms the following argument: ‘That which is instituted without an oath is less valid than that which is instituted with an oath. But the priesthood of Christ was instituted with an oath, as is clear from what he says, the Lord has sworn; but not the priesthood of Aaron, as is clear from Exodus (28:1): ‘Take unto you also Aaron’, therefore, etc. In regard to the major premise he says, and it was not without an oath. Those who formerly became priests took their office without an oath, but this one was addressed with an oath. All this is set down to prove that the priesthood of Christ is firmer; because, as has been stated above, every promise made...
