V. 9.— And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. Christ was absolutely perfect, holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners. The prince of this world came, and found nothing in Him. The perfection here spoken of refers to His priesthood. The Apostle had previously spoken of Him as the Captain of His people’ s salvation, being made perfect through sufferings, chap. 2:10. How else could He atone for sin? Thus we are taught that it was necessary that He whom God gave as a leader and commander of the people should be fully qualified for the office through sufferings. Under the law there was no remission of sins without shedding of blood. Now the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sin. The Church could only be ransomed by the blood of Christ. The wages of sin is death; and, in order to show to His people the path of life, it was necessary that He should tread the path of death, and give His life a ransom for many. In this passage we are taught that, as our great High Priest, He was made perfect, that is, His consecration was completed. There is a reference here to the process of the consecration of the Jewish high priest. In the first place, the holy garments were to be prepared and put upon Aaron and his sons, after they had been washed with water. They were then to be anointed with oil. A bullock was next to be brought, on which they were to lay their hands, which was then to be killed, and the ram was to be burned upon the altar. The ram completed the consecration of Aaron, and there fore was called the sacrifice of consecration or of perfection, because by it the consecration of the priest was perfected or completed. So the consecration of the great High Priest being completed by His death, and the pouring out of the blood of the everlasting covenant, He became the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey Him. To obey and to believe are synonymous; for Christ saves all believers from their sins; He writes the law upon their hearts; and, under the constraining influence of His love, they deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, walking in newness of life. Eternal salvation is here mentioned in contrast with the temporal salvation of Israel from the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.