SEV Biblia, Chapter 4:14
Por tanto, teniendo un gran Sumo Sacerdote, que penetr los cielos, Jess el Hijo de Dios, retengamos esta profesin (de nuestra esperanza).
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Hebrew 4:14
Verse 14. Seeing then that we have a great high priest] It is contended, and very properly, that the particle oun, which we translate seeing, as if what followed was an immediate inference from what the apostle had been speaking, should be translated now; for the apostle, though he had before mentioned Christ as the High Priest of our profession, chap. iii. 1, and as the High Priest who made reconciliation for the sins of the people, chap. ii. 17, does not attempt to prove this in any of the preceding chapters, but now enters upon that point, and discusses it at great length to the end of chap. 10. After all, it is possible that this may be a resumption of the discourse from chap. iii. 6; the rest of that chapter, and the preceding thirteen verses of this, being considered as a parenthesis. These parts left out, the discourse runs on with perfect connection. It is very likely that the words, here, are spoken to meet an objection of those Jews who wished the Christians of Palestine to apostatize: "You have no tabernacle-no temple-no high priest-no sacrifice for sin. Without these there can be no religion; return therefore to us, who have the perfect temple service appointed-by God." To these he answers: We have a High Priest who is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God; therefore let us hold fast our profession. See on chap. iii. 1, to which this verse seems immediately to refer.
Three things the apostle professes to prove in this epistle:- 1. That Christ is greater than the angels. 2. That he is greater than Moses.
3. That he is greater than Aaron, and all high priests.
The two former arguments, with their applications and illustrations, he has already despatched; and now he enters on the third. See the preface to this epistle.
The apostle states, 1. That we have a high priest. 2. That this high priest is Jesus, the Son of God; not a son or descendant of Aaron, nor coming in that way, but in a more transcendent line.
3. Aaron and his successors could only pass into the holy of holies, and that once a year; but our High Priest has passed into the heavens, of which that was only the type. There is an allusion here to the high priest going into the holy of holies on the great day of atonement. 1. He left the congregation of the people. 2. He passed through the veil into the holy place, and was not seen even by the priests. 3. He entered through the second veil into the holy of holies, where was the symbol of the majesty of God. Jesus, our High Priest, 1. Left the people at large. 2. He left his disciples by ascending up through the visible heavens, the clouds, as a veil, screening him from their sight. 3. Having passed through these veils, he went immediately to be our Intercessor: thus he passed ouranouv, the visible or ethereal heavens, into the presence of the Divine Majesty; through the heavens, dielhluqota touv ouranouv, and the empyreum, or heaven of heavens.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 14. Seeing then that we have a great high priest , etc..] That Christ is a priest, and an high priest, has been observed already, in ( Hebrews 2:1-7) but here he is called a great one, because of the dignity of his person, as follows, and the virtue of his sacrifice; and because of the place where he now officiates as a priest, heaven and with respect to the continuation of his priesthood; and likewise because he makes others priests unto God; and this great high priest is no other than the Word of God before spoken of: so the divine Logos, or Word, is often called a priest, and an high priest, by Philo the Jew f66 . This great high priest believers have, and have an interest in him; he is called to this office, and invested with it; he has been sent to do his work as a priest; and he has done the greatest part of it, and is now doing the rest; and saints receive Christ as such, and the blessings of grace from him, through his sacrifice and intercession: that is passed into the heavens ; he came down from thence, and offered himself a sacrifice for the sins of his people; and having done this, he ascended thither again, to appear for them, and to make intercession for them; whereby he fully answers to his character as the great high priest: and what makes him more fully to appear so is what follows, Jesus, the Son of God : the former of these names signifies a Saviour, and respects his office; the latter is expressive of his dignity, and respects his person; who is the Son of God in such sense as angels and men are not; not by creation, nor adoption; but by nature; not as man and Mediator, but as God, being of the same nature with his Father, and equal to him; and it is this which makes him a great high priest, and gives virtue and efficacy to all he does as such: wherefore, let us hold fast our profession : of faith, of the grace and doctrine of faith, and of Christ, and salvation by him, and of the hope of eternal life and happiness; which being made both by words and deeds, publicly and sincerely, should be held fast; which supposes something valuable in it, and that there is danger of dropping it; and that it requires strength, courage, and greatness of mind, and an use of all proper means; and it should be held without wavering; for it is good and profitable, it recommends the Gospel; and it has been made publicly before witnesses; and not to hold it fast is displeasing to God, and resented by him: and the priesthood of Christ is an argument to enforce this duty, for he is the high priest of our profession; he has espoused our cause, and abode by it; he has bore witness to the truth of the Gospel himself; he prays for the support of our faith; he pities and succours; and he is passed into the heavens, where he appears for us, owns us, and will own us.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 11-16 - Observe the end proposed: rest spiritual and eternal; the rest of grac here, and glory hereafter; in Christ on earth, with Christ in heaven After due and diligent labour, sweet and satisfying rest shall follow and labour now, will make that rest more pleasant when it comes. Let u labour, and quicken each other to be diligent in duty. The Holy Scriptures are the word of God. When God sets it home by his Spirit, i convinces powerfully, converts powerfully, and comforts powerfully. I makes a soul that has long been proud, to be humble; and a pervers spirit, to be meek and obedient. Sinful habits, that are become as in were natural to the soul, and rooted deeply in it, are separated an cut off by this sword. It will discover to men their thoughts an purposes, the vileness of many, the bad principles they are moved by the sinful ends they act to. The word will show the sinner all that is in his heart. Let us hold fast the doctrines of Christian faith in ou heads, its enlivening principles in our hearts, the open profession of it in our lips, and be subject to it in our lives. Christ executed on part of his priesthood on earth, in dying for us; the other he execute in heaven, pleading the cause, and presenting the offerings of his people. In the sight of Infinite Wisdom, it was needful that the Saviour of men should be one who has the fellow-feeling which no being but a fellow-creature could possibly have; and therefore it wa necessary he should actual experience of all the effects of sin tha could be separated from its actual guilt. God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, Ro 8:3; but the more holy and pure he was the more he must have been unwilling in his nature to sin, and mus have had deeper impression of its evil; consequently the more must he be concerned to deliver his people from its guilt and power. We shoul encourage ourselves by the excellence of our High Priest, to com boldly to the throne of grace. Mercy and grace are the things we want mercy to pardon all our sins, and grace to purify our souls. Beside our daily dependence upon God for present supplies, there are season for which we should provide in our prayers; times of temptation, eithe by adversity or prosperity, and especially our dying time. We are to come with reverence and godly fear, yet not as if dragged to the sea of justice, but as kindly invited to the mercy-seat, where grac reigns. We have boldness to enter into the holiest only by the blood of Jesus; he is our Advocate, and has purchased all our souls want or can desire __________________________________________________________________
Greek Textus Receptus
εχοντες 2192 5723 ουν 3767 αρχιερεα 749 μεγαν 3173 διεληλυθοτα 1330 5756 τους 3588 ουρανους 3772 ιησουν 2424 τον 3588 υιον 5207 του 3588 θεου 2316 κρατωμεν 2902 5725 της 3588 ομολογιας 3671
Vincent's NT Word Studies
14. Chapter ii. 17, 18 is now resumed. This and the following verse more naturally form the conclusion of the preceding section than the introduction to the following one.Great high priest (megan). Emphasizing Christ's priestly character to Jewish readers, as superior to that of the Levitical priests. He is holding up the ideal priesthood.
Passed into the heavens (dielhluqota touv ouranouv). Rend. "passed through the heavens." Through, and up to the throne of God of which he wields the power, and is thus able to fulfill for his followers the divine promise of rest.
Jesus the Son of God. The name Jesus applied to the high priest is forcible as recalling the historical, human person, who was tempted like his brethren. We are thus prepared for what is said in ver. 15 concerning his sympathizing character.
