What Does Hebrews 7:26 Mean in the King James?
For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The Greek behind “became us” means “was fitting for us”: this priest’s distinction from the missing is what makes him suited to stand for us.
THE MEANING
This is a priest who is fitting for you: holy, without evil, unstained, distinct from the missing, and higher than the heavens. His distinction is not presented as a reason he cannot represent you; it is part of what makes him fitting.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The verse undoes the belief that a priest who is truly for you must share your missing: it calls the unstained, distinct priest fitting for you.
THE ROOT
ἔπρεπεν
eprepen
GROWS FROM
πρέπω
prepo
To be fitting or appropriate.
Here “became us” carries the sense “was fitting for us,” so the sentence begins with what corresponds to our need. The priest’s qualities are presented as fitting for us, not as a change of identity.
ALSO GROWS
prepon: fitting, appropriate
πρέπον
This form makes suitability explicit: the verse describes the kind of priest who corresponds to us.
eprepen: it was fitting
ἔπρεπεν
The same verb appears in Hebrews 2:10, linking what was fitting for God with what is fitting for us here.
τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν
tōn hamartōlōn
GROWS FROM
ἁμαρτ-
hamart-
To miss, err, or fall short.
“Sinners” belongs to the Greek word family of missing and missing the mark. The verse distinguishes the priest from that missing while calling him fitting for us; the English label can hide that connection.
ALSO GROWS
hamartia: missing, failure
ἁμαρτία
This noun names the missing associated with the people from whom the priest is distinct.
hamartanō: to miss, err
ἁμαρτάνω
This verb shows the same root as an action of missing, not only as a label for a person.
ἀμίαντος
amiantos
GROWS FROM
μιαίνω
miainō
To stain or defile.
“Undefiled” describes the absence of stain: nothing polluting clings to him. The verse presents this purity as something unstained, not something added on.
ALSO GROWS
miainō: to stain, pollute, or defile
μιαίνω
This verb names the staining that the word “undefiled” negates.
miasma: stain or defilement
μίασμα
This related noun names the pollution that does not cling to the priest.
THE PATTERN
The one who represents humanity can share its vulnerability while remaining clear of its missing.
Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.THE THREAD
For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.Hebrews 2:10 uses the same Greek verb, πρέπω (prepo), meaning “to be fitting,” translated “became” in both verses. There, what is fitting for God is bound to bringing many sons to glory through suffering; here, the priest who is fitting for us is marked by freedom from the missing.
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