And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
No man - of any family but Aaron's, according to the Mosaic law, can take the high priesthood.
But he that is called. So Delta. [But A B C 'Aleph (') omit ho (G3588): 'but when called.'] This verse is quoted by some to prove the need of an apostolic succession of ordination in the Christian ministry; but the reference here is to the sacerdotal priesthood, not the Christian ministry. The analogy in our Christian dispensation would warn ministers, seeing that God has separated them from the congregation of His people, to bring them near Himself, and to do the service of His house, and to minister (as He separated the Levites, Korah with his company), that, content with this, they should beware of assuming the sacrificial priesthood also, which belongs to Christ alone. The sin of Korah was, not content with the ministry as a Levite, he took the sacerdotal priesthood also. No Christian minister, as such, is ever called Hiereus - i:e., sacrificing priest. All Christians, without distinction, whether ministers or people, have a spiritual, not literal, priesthood (1 Peter 2:5; 1 Peter 2:9; Philippians 3:3; Revelation 1:6; Revelation 5:10; Revelation 20:6). The sacrifices which they offer are spiritual, their bodies and the fruit of their lips, praises continually (Hebrews 13:15). Christ alone had a proper and true sacrifice to offer. The law sacrifices were typical, not metaphorical, as the Christian's, nor proper and true, as Christ's. In Roman times the Mosaic restriction of the priesthood to Aaron's family was violated.