Hebrews 7:18
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So the former commandment is set aside because it was weak and useless
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
there is--Greek, "there takes place," according to Psa 110:4. disannuling--a repealing. of the commandment--ordaining the Levitical priesthood. And, as the Levitical priesthood and the law are inseparably joined, since the former is repealed, the latter is so also (see on Heb 7:11). going before--the legal ordinance introducing and giving place to the Christian, the antitypical and permanent end of the former. weakness and unprofitableness--The opposite of "power" (Heb 7:16).
Open source ↗The doctrine of the priestly office of Christ is so excellent in itself, and so essential a part of the Christian faith, that the apostle loves to dwell upon it. Nothing made the Jews so fond of the Levitical dispensation as the high esteem they had of their priesthood, and it was doubtless a sacred and most excellent institution; it was a very severe threatening denounced against the Jews (Hos 3:4), that the children of Israel should abide many days without a prince or priest, and without a sacrifice, and with an ephod, and without teraphim. Now the apostle assures them that by receiving the Lord Jesus they would have a much better high priest, a priesthood of a higher order, and consequently a better dispensation or covenant, a better law and testament; this he shows in this chapter, where, I. We have a more particular account of Melchisedec (Heb 7:1-3). II. The superiority of his priesthood to that of Aaron (Heb 7:4-10). III. An accommodation of all to Christ, to show the superior excellency of his person, office, and covenant (Heb 7:11 to the end).
Open source ↗7:18 The old requirement about the priesthood was membership in the family of Aaron (see Exod 28:41-43). • set aside: See Heb 7:15-17. • because it was weak and useless: As explained in the verses that follow (7:19-28).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh,
Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses.
But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and worthless principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
(for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.
For physical exercise is of limited value, but godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for the present life and for the one to come.
Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace and not by foods of no value to those devoted to them.
What I mean is this: The law that came 430 years later does not revoke the covenant previously established by God, so as to nullify the promise.
Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand what the law says?
Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Certainly not! Instead, we uphold the law.
Brothers, let me put this in human terms. Even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended.