t the same time He piously resigned Himself to die as a sacrifice, and
left it to God to decide whether He would raise Him from death or leave
His soul in Hades. Because of this perfect self-abnegation, His
sacrifice was complete; and, on the other hand, because of the same
entire self-denial, God did deliver Him out of death and made Him an
eternal Priest. His prayers were not only heard, but became the
foundation and beginning of His priestly intercession on behalf of
others.

2. The second essential qualification of a high-priest was authority to
act for men in things pertaining to God, and in His name to absolve the
penitent sinner. Prayer was free to all God's people and even to the
stranger that came out of a far country for the sake of the God of
Israel's name. But guilt, by its very nature, involves the need, not
merely of reconciling the sinner, but primarily of reconciling God.
Hence the necessity of a Divine appointment. For how can man bring his
sacrifice to God or know that God has accepted it unless God Himself
appoints the mediator and through him pronounces the sinner absolved? It
is true, if man only is to be reconciled, a Divinely appointed prophet
will be enough, who will declare God's fatherly love and so remove the
sinner's unbelief and slay his enmity. But the Epistle to the Hebrews
teaches that God appoints a high-priest. This of itself is fatal to the
theory that God needs not to be reconciled. In the sense of having this
Divine authorization, the priestly office is here said to be an honour,
which no man takes upon himself, but accepts when called thereunto by
God.[79]

How does this apply to the great High-priest Who has passed through the
heavens? He also glorified not Himself to become High-priest. The
Apostle has changed the word.[80] To Aaron it was an honour to be
high-priest. He was authorized to act for God and for men. But to Christ
it was more than an honour, more than an external authority conferred
upon Him. It was part of the glory inseparable from His Sonship. He Who
said to Him, "Thou art My Son," made Him thereby potentially
High-priest. His office springs from His personality, and is not, as in
the case of Aaron, a prerogative superadded. The author has cited the
second Psalm in a previous passage[81] to prove the kingly greatness of
the Son, and here again he cites the same words to describe His priestly
character. His priesthood is not "from men," and, therefore, does not
pa