Chapter 19.—Zacharias and Elisabeth, Sinners.

Now what must we say of Zacharias and Elisabeth, who are often alleged against us in discussions on this question, except that there is clear evidence in the Scripture326    Luke i. 6–9. that Zacharias was a man of eminent righteousness among the chief priests, whose duty it was to offer up the sacrifices of the Old Testament? We also read, however, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, in a passage which I have already quoted in my previous book,327    See above, Book i. c. 50. that Christ was the only High Priest who had no need, as those who were called high priests, to offer daily a sacrifice for his own sins first, and then for the people. “For such a High Priest,” it says, “became us, righteous, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins.”328    Heb. vii. 26, 27. Amongst the priests here referred to was Zacharias, amongst them was Phinehas, yea, Aaron himself, from whom this priesthood had its beginning, and whatever others there were who lived laudably and righteously in this priesthood; and yet all these were under the necessity, first of all, of offering sacrifice for their own sins,—Christ, of whose future coming they were a type, being the only one who, as an incontaminable priest, had no such necessity.

19. Nam de Zacharia et Elisabeth, qui nobis saepe in hujus quaestionis disputationibus objiciuntur, quid dicamus, nisi quod evidenter Scriptura testatur, eminenti justitia fuisse Zachariam in principibus sacerdotum ad offerenda Veteris Testamenti sacrificia pertinentium. Legimus autem in Epistola quae ad Hebraeos scribitur , quod testimonium in libro superiore jam posui (Supra, lib. 1, n. 50), solum Christum esse principem sacerdotum, qui non haberet necessitatem, sicut illi qui sacerdotum principes dicebantur, 0163 sacrificium pro suis primum offerre peccatis quotidie, deinde pro populi. Talem enim decebat, inquit, habere nos principem sacerdotum, justum, sine malitia, incontaminatum, separatum a peccatoribus, altiorem a coelis factum, non habentem quotidianam necessitatem, sicut principes sacerdotum, primum pro suis peccatis sacrificium offerre (Hebr. VII, 26, 27). In hoc sacerdotum numero Zacharias, in hoc Phinees, in hoc ipse Aaron, a quo iste ordo exorsus est, fuit, et quicumque alii in illo sacerdotio laudabiliter justeque vixerunt; qui tamen habebant necessitatem sacrificium primitus pro suis offerre peccatis, solo Christo existente, cujus venturi figuram gestabant, qui hanc necessitatem sacerdos incontaminabilis non haberet.