For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
Christ's priestly office is exercised in heaven, not earth; in the power of His resurrection life, not His earthly life.
For. 'Aleph (') A B Delta read х men (G3303) oun (G3767)] 'accordingly then.'
If ... - `if He were on earth He would not even х oude (G3761)] be a priest' (cf. Hebrews 7:13-14); therefore, certainly, could not exercise the high priest's function in the earthly Holy of holies.
Seeing that there are - now (the temple service not yet being set aside, as it was on the destruction of Jerusalem) 'those ('Aleph (') A B Delta, Vulgate, omit "priests") who offer the (appointed) gifts х ta (G3588) doora (G1435)] according to the law.' Therefore, His sacerdotal 'ministry' must be "in the heavens," not on earth (Hebrews 8:1). I conceive that the denial of Christ's priesthood on earth does not extend to the sacrifice on the cross, which He offered as a priest on earth; but only to the crowning work of His priesthood-the bringing of the blood into the Holy of holies, which He could not have done in the earthly Holy of holies, not being an Aaronic priest. The place (the heavenly Holy of holies) was as essential to the atonement as the oblation (the blood). The body was burnt without the gate; but the sanctification was effected by the high priest presenting the blood within the sanctuary. If on earth He would not be a priest in the sense of the law of Moses ("according to the law").