Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Jeremiah 33:18
Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.
18. The making of the Levites co-extensive with the priests, while in consonance with the Deuteronomic legislation (e.g. Deu 17:9; Deu 17:18), was no longer recognised in Nehemiah’s day. Probably this passage was written after the change had in effect taken place, while yet the earlier phrase was retained.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 18. Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man] This is a repetition of the promise made to Phinehas, Nu 25:13.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The best interpreters understand this of a ministry to abide in the church to the end of the world, according to Mat 28:20; nor is it unusual for God in the Old Testament to express promises relating to, and to be fulfilled under, the gospel by expressions and terms proper to the Old Testament, as Isa 66:23; and in this sense it must be expounded, or restrained to the times immediately following the captivity; but it is generally understood as a promise for a gospel ministry to succeed the ministry in the Jewish church, and to abide to the end of the world.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
18. Messiah’s literal priesthood(Heb 7:17; Heb 7:21;Heb 7:24-28), and Hisfollowers’ spiritual priesthood and sacrifices (Jer 33:11;Rom 12:1; Rom 15:16;1Pe 2:5; 1Pe 2:9;Rev 1:6), shall never cease,according to the covenant with Levi, broken by the priests,but fulfilled by Messiah (Num 25:12;Num 25:13; Mal 2:4;Mal 2:5; Mal 2:8).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me,…. The Levitical priesthood has been abolished long ago; that was typical of Christ’s priesthood, and is succeeded by it; who is a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek; and who, having offered up himself a sacrifice here on earth for his people, ever appears in heaven, in the presence of God, on their behalf, making intercession for them; and as long as he continues to do so, which will be always, a man shall not be wanting before the Lord:
to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually; that is, to present that sacrifice before him, and plead the efficacy and virtue of it with him, which was typified by all those sacrifices, and has superseded them, being much better than they. Some understand this of a continuance of Gospel ministers unto the end of the world, who succeeded the priests and Levites; but as they are never called priests and Levites in the New Testament; nor were they properly the successors of the priests and Levites; rather it may be applied unto all believers now, who are priests unto God, and offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Christ; but the first sense is best.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
As to the priesthood, the same difficulty might be raised, for we know that the priesthood became corrupted; nay, that for the most part the priests not only became degenerate, but altogether sacrilegious. Hence the sacerdotal name itself became nothing else but a base and wicked profanation of all sacred things. But it was God’s purpose in this manner to shew that another priest was to be expected, and that men were not to look on figures and types, but were to raise their thoughts higher, even to him who was to be the only true Mediator to reconcile God to men.
By saying, who may kindle a burnt-offering, etc. , he specifies certain things, or some parts of the priest’s office, because the Prophets accommodated their discourses to men of their own age and time, and described the kingdom and priesthood of Christ under those external symbols, which were then in use. It is hence proper to take the ceremonies of the Law as denoting the reality, or what they signified. For Christ offered no calves, nor any incense, but fulfilled all these things which were then set forth to the people under symbols. And he speaks of burning, or perfuming the oblation, מנחה , meneche, for though the oblation remained entire, there was yet a perfuming made by frankincense, and a small portion of the flour was burnt. It is then a mode of speaking, when a part is stated for the whole. It now follows —
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(18) Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man . . .Here again we have a promise which received a fulfilment other than that which the words appeared to imply, and which doubtless was in the prophets thoughts. The Levitical priesthood passed away (Heb. 7:11), but Christ was made a Priest after the order of Melchizedek; and by virtue of their union with Him, His people became a holy priesthood (Heb. 10:19-22), offering, not the burnt-offerings and meat-offerings which were figures of the true, but the spiritual sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving (1Pe. 2:5), the sacrifice of body, soul, and spirit, which alone was acceptable to God (Rom. 12:1).
The special combination, the priests the Levites, is not found elsewhere in Jeremiah, but appears in Deu. 17:9; Deu. 18:1; Jos. 3:3; 2Ch. 30:27; Eze. 43:19; Eze. 44:15; Isa. 66:21. As far as it has any special significance, it may indicate either that the priestly character, though not the specific priestly functions, extended to the whole tribe of Levi, or, more probably, that Jeremiah speaks of the Levite-priests of Judah as contrasted with the priests of the high places, or such as Jeroboam had made of the lowest of the people.
To kindle meat offerings.The meat-offering, or minchah, it will be remembered, was of meal and frankincense, not of flesh (Lev. 2:1-15). It was burnt with fire on the altar, and the fragrant smoke was a sweet savour unto the Lord.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Jer 33:18 Neither shall the priests the Levites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.
Ver. 18. Neither shall the priest want a man. ] The same man Christ Jesus, who is, as a King everlasting, so a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek; and his sacrificing of himself once is more than equivalent to the daily perpetual sacrificing. Whereunto may be added the continuance of an evangelical ministry in the Church to the world’s end. Mat 28:20 Eph 4:11-13
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
the priests the Levites. Reference to Pentateuch (Deu 17:9, Num 25:10-13). App-92. Mal 2:5.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Isa 56:7, Isa 61:6, Eze 43:19-27, Eze 44:9-11, Eze 45:5, Rom 1:21, Rom 15:16, Heb 13:15, Heb 13:16, 1Pe 2:5, 1Pe 2:9, Rev 1:6, Rev 5:10
Reciprocal: Num 25:13 – an everlasting Jer 33:21 – and with Jer 35:19 – stand Mal 3:3 – the sons
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Jer 33:18. Levites is used figuratively because they furnished the priests under the Mosaic system. Under Christ ail of God’s people will be regarded as priests (1Pe 2:5; 1Pe 2:9; Rev 1:6; Rev 5:10). The other terms of the verse also are figurative, referring to the services in the kingdom of Christ,
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
33:18 Neither shall the priests the Levites lack a man before me to offer {o} burnt offerings, and to kindle meat offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.
(o) That is, chiefly meant of the spiritual sacrifice of thanksgiving which is left to the Church in the time of Christ, who was the everlasting priest and the everlasting sacrifice figured by the sacrifices of the law.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Likewise, the Levitical priests would resume functioning and continue to do so forever. [Note: This verse and the ones that follow are the only references to the restoration of the legitimate priesthood in the book.] They would offer sacrifices of worship continually (in the millennial kingdom). The burnt and grain (or meal) offerings were primarily for worship rather than to remove the defilement of sin (cf. Leviticus 1-2). In Jeremiah’s day, the priesthood was corrupt, and it may even have included non-Levitical priests (cf. Jer 6:13; Jer 19:1; Jer 26:10-11). The lack of legitimate priests was a problem in the early years of the restoration community (cf. Ezr 8:15).
In the Millennium there will be a restoration of Levitical priests, though instead of looking forward to the coming of the ultimate Sacrifice, the worshippers will look back to it. The Levitical priests will worship God under the New Covenant. The Old (Mosaic) Covenant came to an end at the Cross. A Davidic king, Jesus Christ, will also provide leadership under the New Covenant. Therefore, both the royal and priestly leadership of Israel, in the future, will resume what Israel formerly experienced under the Mosaic Covenant.