Teks -- Hebrews 7:23 (NET)

7:23 And the others who became priests were numerous, because death prevented them from continuing in office,

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: Heb 7:23 - Many in number

Many in number ( pleiones ).

Comparative predicate adjective, "more than one,"in succession, not simultaneously.

Robertson: Heb 7:23 - Because they are hindered

Because they are hindered ( dia to kōluesthai ).

Articular infinitive (present passive) with dia and the accusative case, "because of the being hindered."

Robertson: Heb 7:23 - By death

By death ( thanatōi ).

Instrumental case.

Robertson: Heb 7:23 - From continuing

From continuing ( paramenein ).

Present active infinitive of the compound (remain beside) as in Phi 1:25 and in the ablative case.

Vincent: Heb 7:23 - Were many priests

Were many priests ( πλείονές εἰσιν γεγονότες ἱερεῖς )

Comp. Heb 7:21 for the construction. Rend. have been made priests many in number .

Vincent: Heb 7:23 - Because they were not suffered to continue

Because they were not suffered to continue ( διὰ τὸ κωλύεσθαι παραμένειν )

Rend. because they are hindered from continuing . Παραμένειν " to abide by their ministration."

Wesley: Heb 7:23 - They were many priests

One after another.

JFB: Heb 7:23

Another proof of superiority; the Levitical priests were many, as death caused the need of continually new ones being appointed in succession. Christ dies not, and so hath a priesthood which passes not from one to another.

JFB: Heb 7:23 - were

Greek, "are made."

JFB: Heb 7:23 - many

One after another; opposed to His "unchangeable (that does not pass from one to another) priesthood" (Heb 7:24).

JFB: Heb 7:23 - not suffered to continue

Greek, "hindered from permanently continuing," namely, in the priesthood.

Clarke: Heb 7:23 - And they truly were many priests

And they truly were many priests - Under the Mosaic law it was necessary there should be a succession of priests, because, being mortal, they were not suffered to continue always by reason of death.

Calvin: Heb 7:23 - NO PHRASE

23.=== And they truly, === etc. He had already touched on this comparison; but as the subject deserved more attention, he unfolds it more fully, though the point discussed is different from what it was before; for then he concluded that the ancient priesthood was to come to an end because they who exercised it were mortal; but now he simply shows that Christ remains perpetually a priest. This he does by an argument taken from things unequal; the ancient priests were many, for death put an end to their priesthood; but there is no death to prevent Christ from discharging his office. Then he alone is a perpetual priest. Thus a different cause produces different effects.

TSK: Heb 7:23 - were

were : Heb 7:8; 1Ch 6:3-14; Neh 12:10,Neh 12:11

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Heb 7:23 - And they truly were many priests // Because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death

And they truly were many priests: this further demonstrates the excellency of Christ’ s priesthood above the Aaronical for its singularity and self-sufficiency; whereas theirs was, for the multiplicity of it, weak, vanishing, and mortal, like themselves. They had multitude of priests together under the high priest, to manage the service, and above seventy high priests, beside their sagans, such as were to officiate for them if at any time they were legally disabled from the institution of the Aaronical order, to the destruction of the temple, and were made according to the law successively.

Because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death death cut them off one after another; they were all mortal, and could not abide, neither in their priesthood or life, Exo 28:43 . Death transmitted that priesthood from one unto another, till the priesthood itself, by the succession of a better, was abolished, and did expire; so frail, passing, and imperfect were both their persons and office.

Haydock: Heb 7:23 - Many priests

Many priests, &c. The apostle notes this difference between the high priests of the law, and our high priest, Jesus Christ: that they being removed by death, made way for their successors: whereas our Lord Jesus is a priest for ever, and hath no successor; but liveth and concurreth for ever with his ministers, the priests of the New Testament, in all their functions. Secondly, that no one priest of the law, not all of them together, could offer that absolute sacrifice of everlasting redemption, which our high priest, Jesus Christ, has offered once and for ever. (Challoner)

Gill: Heb 7:23 - And they truly were many priests // because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death

And they truly were many priests,.... There were many common priests at a time; and though there was but one high priest at a time, yet there were many of them in a line of succession from Aaron down to the apostle's time. The Jews say ^u, that under the first temple eighteen high priests ministered, and under the second temple more than three hundred: this shows the imperfection of this priesthood, since it was in many hands; no one continuing and being sufficient to execute it; but Christ is the one and only high priest; there is no other, nor is there any need of any other: the reason why there were so many under the law was,

because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death; death has a power to forbid a long continuance in this world, and no man does continue long here: death puts a stop to men's works, and to the exercise of their several callings; no office, even the most sacred, exempts from it; no, not the office of high priests: these were but men, sinful men, and so died; and their discontinuance by reason of death shows the imperfection of their priesthood: there was another reason besides this which the apostle gives, why the high priests were so many, and especially about this time; and that is, the office was bought for money, and men that would give most were put into it: hence there were frequent changes; the Jews themselves say, they changed every twelve months ^w.