HenryWSC 25

Matthew Henry’s Westminster Shorter Catechism Commentary on Question 25

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Did fallen man need a Priest? Yes for every high priest is ordained for man in things pertaining to God,
Heb. 5:1
. Did Christ execute the office of a Priest? Yes: We have a great High Priest, Jesus the Son of God,
Heb. 4:14
. Was he appointed to this office? Yes: for Christ glorified not himself to be made a High Priest,
Heb. 5:5
. Was he confirmed in this office? Yes: for the Lord swore, and will not repent, thou art a Priest for ever,
Heb. 7:21
.
Did Christ as a Priest, make atonement for sin? Yes: he is a merciful and faithful High Priest, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people,
Heb. 2:17
. Did he do this by the sacrifice of himself? Yes: He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself,
Heb. 9:26
. Was be himself the Priest? Yes: for through the eternal Spirit he offered himself,
Heb. 9:14
. Was he himself the sacrifice? Yes: he made his soul an offering for sin,
Isa. 53:10
. Was he himself the altar? Yes: for we have an altar,
Heb. 13:10
. Would not the legal sacrifices serve? No: for it was not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sin,
Heb. 10:4
. Did God declare them insufficient? Yes: Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, ver. 5. Was this sacrifice necessary then? Yes: what the law could not do, in that it was weak, that Christ did,
Rom. 8:3
.
Did Christ as a sacrifice, bear our sins? Yes: his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree,
1 Pet. 2:24
. Did he bear them by the Father’s appointment? Yes: the Lord laid on him the iniquities of us all,
Isa. 53:6
. Did he suffer for them? Yes: he was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities, ver. 5. And not for any sin of his own? No: Messiah shall be cut off, but not for himself,
Dan. 9:26
. Did he suffer to satisfy for sin? Yes: he was once offered to bear the sins of many,
Heb. 9:28
. And was the satisfaction accepted? Yes: he gave himself for us a sacrifice to God of a sweet smelling savour,
Eph. 5:2
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Did Christ offer himself voluntarily? Yes: No man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down of myself,
John 10:18
. Was it his own act and deed to make his soul an offering? Yes: for he said, Father into thy hands I commend my spirit,
Luke 23:46
. Did this sacrifice need to be repeated? No: for by one offering he perfected for ever them that are sanctified,
Heb. 10:14
. Did Christ do this for the purchase of our pardon? Yes: for when he did it, he said, Father forgive them,
Luke 23:34
. Was it designed to save us from ruin? Yes: he gave his life a ransom for many,
Matt. 20:28
. And to reconcile us to God? Yes: for he made peace through the blood of his cross,
Col. 1:20
. Is this our plea for peace and pardon? Yes: Who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died,
Rom. 8:34
. Is Christ then the great propitiation? Yes: he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the whole world,
1 John 2:2
. And have we hereby access to God? Yes: he suffered the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God,
1 Pet. 3:18
. And had the Old Testament saints the benefit of this sacrifice? Yes: for he was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,
Rev. 13:8
.
Does Christ, as a Priest, make intercession? Yes: for he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors,
Isa. 53:12
. Is he always doing this? Yes: he ever lives, making intercession,
Heb. 7:25
. Does he do this as an Advocate? Yes: if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous,
1 John 2:1
. And as a High Priest? Yes: Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord,
Ex. 28:12
. Does he make intercession in the virtue of his satisfaction? Yes: for by his own blood he entered into the holy place,
Heb. 9:12
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Is Christ a Priest after the order of Aaron? No: but after the order of Melchisedec,
Ps. 110:4
. Is he a royal Priest? Yes: for he is a Priest upon his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both,
Zech. 6:13
. Is he a Priest that needs a successor? No: for this man, because he continueth forever, hath an unchangeable priesthood,
Heb. 7:24
. Is he a priest that needs a sacrifice for himself? No: for the law makes men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath makes the Son, who is consecrated for evermore,
Heb. 7:28
. Have all believers an interest in Christ’s priesthood? Yes: for we have a High Priest over the house of God,
Heb. 10:21
. Is this an encouragement in our approaches to God? Yes: let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace,
Heb. 4:16
. And is this it we must depend upon for our acceptance with God? Yes: for spiritual sacrifices are acceptable to God only through Jesus Christ,
1 Pet. 2:5
.
HenryWSC 25