John Chrysostom, on Heb 8:3

“For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is necessary that he also should have some thing to offer.”

“In the next place that thou mayest understand that he used the word "minister" of the manhood, observe how he again indicates it: "For" (he says) "every high priest is ordained to offer both gifts and sacrifices, wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer." Do not now, because thou hearest that He sitteth, suppose that His being called High Priest is mere idle talk. For the former, viz. His sitting, belongs to the dignity of the Godhead, but this to His great lovingkindness, and His tender care for us. On this account he repeatedly urges this very thing, and dwells more upon it: for he feared lest the other truth should overthrow it. That is, lest the belief of His Godhead should undermine our belief in His true manhood. Therefore he again brings down his discourse to this: since some were enquiring why He died. He was a Priest. But there is no Priest without a sacrifice. It is necessary then that He also should have a sacrifice.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.