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a successor, he says; but if he does not have a successor, he is also able to preside over all. For here the high priest, even if he was wonderful, was so only for that time in which he lived, such as Samuel, and all such as he; but after these things, no longer; for they had died. But here it is not so, but He saves to the uttermost. What is, To the uttermost? He hints at some great mystery. Not here only, he says, but there also He saves those who come to God through Him. How does He save? By always living to make intercession for them, he says. Do you see how humble a thing he said because of His humanity? For he does not say that He interceded once and obtained this, but always, and whenever He needs to make intercession for them; for this is what is shown by, To the uttermost. What is, To the uttermost? Not for the present only, he says, but also there in the life to come. Does He then always need to pray? And how could that be reasonable? And while righteous men have often accomplished everything from a single request, does He always need to? For what reason then is He seated with Him? Do you see that it is a condescension to speak humble things? What he says is something like this: Fear nothing, nor say, Yes, He loves us, and has confidence with the Father, but He cannot always live; for He lives always. For such a high priest was fitting for us, holy, harmless, undefiled, separated from sinners. Do you see that the whole has been said concerning His humanity? But when I say humanity, I mean one having divinity, not dividing, but leaving one to suspect the things that are fitting. Did you see the difference of the high priest? He summed up what was said above, when he said: But tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin; for such a high priest, he says, was fitting for us, holy, harmless. What is harmless? Not evil, not deceitful; and that He is such, hear the prophet saying: Neither was any deceit found in His mouth. Would one then say this about God? And is he not ashamed to say that God is not deceitful, nor fraudulent? Concerning Him according to the flesh, it would be reasonable to say, Holy, undefiled; and one would not say this about God, for His nature is not to be defiled. Separated from sinners. Does this alone then show the difference, or also the sacrifice itself? The sacrifice also. How? He has no need daily, he says, like the high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins, and then for the people’s; for this He did once for all, when He offered up Himself. This, what? Here he finally strikes up the prelude to the excellence of the spiritual sacrifice. And he spoke of the difference of the priest, he spoke of the covenant, not the whole indeed, but he spoke nevertheless; here he finally strikes up the prelude to the sacri 63.107 fice itself. Do not then, having heard He is a priest, think that He is always sacrificing; for He sacrificed once, and then sat down. For lest you think that He is standing above, and is a minister, he shows that the matter is one of economy. For just as He became a servant, so also a priest and minister; but just as having become a servant, He did not remain a servant; so also having become a minister, He did not remain a minister; for it is not for a minister to sit, but to stand. Here then he hints at the greatness of the sacrifice, which being one, and offered once, was sufficient for as much as all the others were not strong enough for. But not yet concerning this; but for now he says this much: For this He did once for all. This, what? For it is necessary, he says, that this one also have something to offer; not that for Himself; for how could He, being without sin, offer for Himself? but for the people. What are you saying? And He does not need to offer for Himself, but is so strong? Yes, he says. For lest you think that, He did once for all, was said also concerning Himself, hear what he adds: For the law makes men high priests who have weakness. For this reason they also always offer for themselves; but He who is powerful, who has no sin, for what reason would He offer for Himself? Therefore, He did not offer for Himself, but for the people; and this once for all. But the word of the oath, which was after the law, appoints a Son, perfected forever. -What is perfected? See; Paul does not make the contrasts direct; for having said, who have weakness, he did not say, a Son who is powerful, but perfected, that is,

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διάδοχον, φησίν· εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἔχει διάδοχον, καὶ δύναται πάντων προΐστασθαι. Ἐνταῦθα μὲν γὰρ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς, εἰ καὶ θαυμαστὸς ἦν, μέχρι τοῦ καιροῦ ἐκείνου ἐν ᾧ ἦν, οἷον ὁ Σαμουὴλ, καὶ ὅσοι τοιοῦτοι· μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα, οὐκέτι· ἐτεθνήκεσαν γάρ· ἐνταῦθα δὲ οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλὰ σώζει εἰς τὸ παντελές. Τί ἐστιν, Εἰς τὸ παντελές; Μυστήριόν τι μέγα αἰνίττεται. Οὐκ ἐνταῦθα μόνον, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκεῖ σώζει τοὺς προσερχομένους δι' αὐτοῦ τῷ Θεῷ. Πῶς σώζει; Πάντοτε ζῶν εἰς τὸ ἐντυγχάνειν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν, φησίν. Ὁρᾷς ὅσον τὸ ταπεινὸν εἶπε διὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα; οὐ γὰρ ἅπαξ αὐτὸν ἐντυχόντα τούτου τυχεῖν λέγει, ἀλλ' ἀεὶ, καὶ ἡνίκα ἂν δέηται ἐντυγχάνειν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν· τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τὸ, Εἰς τὸ παντελές. Τί ἐστιν, Εἰς τὸ παντελές; Οὐ πρὸς τὸ παρὸν μόνον, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκεῖ ἐν τῇ μελλούσῃ ζωῇ. Ἀεὶ οὖν δεῖται τοῦ εὔχεσθαι; καὶ πῶς ἂν ἔχοι λόγον; καὶ ἄνθρωποι μὲν πολλάκις δίκαιοι ἐκ μιᾶς αἰτήσεως τὸ πᾶν ἤνυσαν, αὐτὸς δὲ ἀεὶ δεῖται; τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν συγκάθηται; Ὁρᾷς ὅτι συγκατάβασίς ἐστι τὸ ταπεινὰ φθέγγεσθαι; Ὃ δὲ λέγει, τοιοῦτόν ἐστι· Μηδὲν δείσητε, μηδὲ εἴπητε, Ναὶ, φιλεῖ μὲν ἡμᾶς, καὶ παῤῥησίαν ἔχει πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀεὶ δύναται ζῇν· ἀεὶ γὰρ ζῇ. Τοιοῦτος γὰρ ἡμῖν ἔπρεπεν ἀρχιερεὺς, ὅσιος, ἄκακος, ἀμίαντος, κεχωρισμένος ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι περὶ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος τὸ πᾶν εἴρηται; Ὅταν δὲ εἴπω ἀνθρωπότητα, θεότητα ἔχουσαν λέγω, οὐ διαιρῶν, ἀλλὰ ἀφεὶς τὰ πρέποντα ὑποπτεύειν. Εἶδες τὴν διαφορὰν τοῦ ἀρχιερέως; Ἀνεκεφαλαιώσατο τὰ ἄνω λεχθέντα, ὅτε ἔλεγε· Πεπειραμένον δὲ κατὰ πάντα καθ' ὁμοιότητα χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας· τοιοῦτος γὰρ ἡμῖν, φησὶν, ἔπρεπεν ἀρχιερεὺς, ὅσιος, ἄκακος. Ἄκακος τί ἐστιν, Ἀπόνηρος, οὐχ ὕπουλος· καὶ ὅτι τοιοῦτος, ἄκουε τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος· Οὐδὲ εὑρέθη δόλος ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ. Τοῦτο οὖν ἄν τις περὶ Θεοῦ εἴποι· ὁ δὲ οὐκ αἰσχύνεται λέγων, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς οὐκ ἔστιν ὕπουλος, οὐδὲ δολερός; Περὶ μὲν οὖν τοῦ κατὰ σάρκα ἔχοι ἂν λόγον, Ὅσιος, ἀμίαντος· καὶ τοῦτο οὐ περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ εἴποι τις ἄν· ἔχει γὰρ φύσιν μὴ μιαίνεσθαι. Κεχωρισμένος ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν. Τοῦτο οὖν μόνον δείκνυσι τὸ διάφορον, ἢ καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ θυσία; Καὶ ἡ θυσία. Πῶς; Οὐκ ἔχει, φησὶ, καθ' ἡμέραν ἀνάγκην, ὥσπερ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς, πρότερον ὑπὲρ τῶν ἰδίων ἁμαρτιῶν θυσίας ἀναφέρειν, ἔπειτα τῶν τοῦ λαοῦ· τοῦτο γὰρ ἐποίησεν ἐφάπαξ, ἑαυτὸν ἀνενέγκας. Τοῦτο, ποῖον; ἐνταῦθα προανακρούεται λοιπὸν τῆς πνευματικῆς θυσίας τὴν ὑπερβολήν. Καὶ τὸ μέσον εἶπε τὸ τοῦ ἱερέως, εἶπε τὸ τῆς διαθήκης, οὐχ ὅλον μὲν, εἶπε δὲ ὅμως· ἐνταῦθα προανακρούεται λοιπὸν καὶ αὐτὴν τὴν θυ 63.107 σίαν. Μὴ τοίνυν αὐτὸν ἱερέα ἀκούσας, ἀεὶ ἱερᾶσθαι νόμιζε· ἅπαξ γὰρ ἱεράσατο, καὶ λοιπὸν ἐκάθισεν. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ νομίσῃς ἄνω ἑστάναι αὐτὸν, καὶ λειτουργὸν εἶναι, δείκνυσιν ὅτι οἰκονομίας τὸ πρᾶγμά ἐστιν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ δοῦλος ἐγένετο, οὕτω καὶ ἱερεὺς καὶ λειτουργός· ἀλλ' ὥσπερ δοῦλος γενόμενος, οὐκ ἔμεινε δοῦλος· οὕτω καὶ λειτουργὸς γενόμενος, οὐκ ἔμεινε λειτουργός· οὐ γὰρ λειτουργοῦ τὸ καθῆσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἑστάναι. Τοῦτο οὖν αἰνίττεται ἐνταῦθα τῆς θυσίας τὸ μεγαλεῖον, ἣ ἤρκεσε μία οὖσα, καὶ ἅπαξ προσενεχθεῖσα, τοσοῦτον ὅσον αἱ πᾶσαι οὐκ ἴσχυσαν. Ἀλλ' οὔπω περὶ τούτου· τοσοῦτον δὲ τέως φησί· Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐποίησεν ἐφάπαξ. Τοῦτο, ποῖον; Ἀναγκαῖον γὰρ ἔχειν, φησὶ, τὶ καὶ τοῦτον ὃ προσενέγκῃ· οὐ τὸ ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ· πῶς γὰρ ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ προσέφερεν ἀναμάρτητος ὤν; ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαοῦ. Τί λέγεις; καὶ οὐ δεῖται τοῦ προσφέρειν ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλ' ἰσχύει τοσοῦτον; Ναὶ, φησίν. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ νομίσῃς τὸ, Ἐποίησεν ἐφάπαξ, καὶ περὶ αὐτοῦ εἰρῆσθαι, ἄκουσον τί ἐπάγει· Ὁ νόμος γὰρ ἀνθρώπους καθίστησιν ἀρχιερεῖς ἔχοντας ἀσθένειαν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἀεὶ ὑπὲρ ἑαυτῶν προσφέρουσιν· ὁ μέντοι δυνατὸς ὢν, ὁ μὴ ἔχων ἁμαρτίαν, τίνος ἕνεκεν ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ προσφέρει; Ἄρα οὐχ ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τοῦ λαοῦ προσέφερε· καὶ τοῦτο ἐφάπαξ. Ὁ λόγος δὲ τῆς ὁρκωμοσίας τῆς μετὰ τὸν νόμον, Υἱὸν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τετελειωμένον. -Τετελειωμένον τί ἐστιν; Ὅρα· Οὐ τίθησι τὰς ἀντιδιαστολὰς ὁ Παῦλος κυρίας· εἰπὼν γὰρ, Ἔχοντας ἀσθένειαν, οὐκ εἶπεν Υἱὸν δυνατὸν, ἀλλὰ τετελειωμένον, τουτέστι,