The Prayer Life of Jesus: Intercession

Hebrews 5:5-7

In this interesting letter, written to Jewish priests who had professed faith in Jesus as God-in-the-flesh, the Promised One of God whose life, death, and resurrection alone atones for sin, Jesus is described as superior to the angels, to Moses, to Melcihizidek - a contemporary of the father of Jewish people, Abraham - and superior to any priest of those descended from Aaron, a son of Levi.

These men and their families - descendants of Levi, and specifically descendants of his son Aaron - had grown up with their entire lives focused on the Temple of God located in Jerusalem.

As priests the men in the family were trained in the Torah - the first five books of the Hebrew Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). They were assigned various responsibilities at the temple such as teaching, interpreting and applying God’s laws; speaking on behalf of God; issuing judgments on God’s behalf, guarding the Temple itself and the contents, assessing and collecting tithes and offerings among other duties.

Those men who had discovered that in Jesus all God’s promises are fulfilled were forced out of Jerusalem due to a persecution begun by non-believing priests, accompanied by a zealous Pharisee (observer and interpreter of the law) named Paul (see Acts 8:1)

Assured that Jesus was indeed superior to angels, to Moses, to any priesthood previously inaugurated by God. These men and their families - far from their home and extended families - needed the NT letter identified as Hebrews in our Bible.

One passage in this letter offers insight into Jesus’ prayer life that we find no where else in the NT.

Hebrews 5:7–9 HCSB

During His earthly life, He offered prayers and appeals with loud cries and tears to the One who was able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverence. Though He was God’s Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered. After He was perfected, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him,