Jesus, The Best High Priest

Introduction

I came across a brief youtube clip this week where an actor who is 45 was with an actress who was 21 comparing the technology of there teenage years. The 21 year old held an iphone her hand while the 45 year old had a pile of 1990s “tech” in front of him. And while polaroids are cool and walk mans are retro the 21 year old literally laughed when he explained to her what an answering machine was. The reality is everything his pile of bulky devices could do, her iphone could do and much better. And while the extreme progress of technology can be a little frustrating, I believe we all thankful for GPS on our phones. The new and better tech is just that. It is better than the old one.

As the author of Hebrews writes to Jewish Christians he is comparing the Old Covenant with the New Covenant. Jesus is better than Moses and the revelation of the law that came through him. He is even better than the angels that brought Moses that revelation. And he is better than the Old Covenant high priest. Unlike the iphone which will just be out done by the next iphone next year, Jesus has come to establish a better covenant, promise, between God and his people once and for all. In this text our author compares and contrast Jesus with the high priest of the Old Testament, and like a comparison with the flip phone from the 90’s and new iphone. The new one is just better. Jesus is a better high priest, he is the greatest (once and for all) high priest for us. Read Hebrews 5:1-10.

Better than the Best High Priest v. 1-4

In these first four verses the author describes the best of an OT high priest. He does this knowing that his readers would have read the first 4 chapters of his letter and he expects us to compare and contrast the high priest he describes and Jesus who he has told us about. Is say the best of the OT high priest because when you read these verses who are struck of just how good this high priest would be. He is humble and does as God asked him. He’s gentle with the ignorant and wayward because he knows the he too is a sinner, but not all high priest where like this.

In 1 Samuel we read about Eli’s sons (who was the high priest at the time) and how they took from the sacrifices that belonged to the Lord, essentially stealing from God and also how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance of the tent of meeting. The author of Hebrews could have pointed to men like this and said, see Jesus is better than thieves and adulterers don’t return to Judaism. He could pointed to more contemporary examples like Caiaphas the high priest during Jesus’ time who held illegal trials which led to the death of the Messiah. Or he could have pointed to the Ananias the high priest who tried Paul at the end of the book of Acts and had him struck across the mouth though the law strictly forbid such treatment. The high priest were not always good men. It would be easy to point to these failures and say Jesus is better than this. But instead the author of Hebrews takes the high road. He describes the ideal high priest and still comes to the conclusion that Jesus is better.

There are four ways that Jesus out does the best of the high priest in these four verses and want us to briefly consider each one. First, the author in verse 1 points out that the high priest was chosen from among the people. He need to be chosen from among the people because he was to represent the people as he offered gifts and sacrifices for sins. His sacrifices can only apply to the people if he is fact is a representative of those people because he came from them.

Immediately our minds should go to Jesus. Who wrapped himself in flesh to dwell among us. He became a man in order to do this very thing. Yes, the high priest was from among the people, but to simply be human cost him nothing. It wasn’t a choice, it just was. Yet, Jesus left his throne in heaven, he descended into the earth in order to be one of us. He did not count equality with God as something to be held on to. But instead he willingly brought himself low. Hebrews 2:14 “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,”

Second, still from verse 1, the high priest would offer sacrifices for the sins of the people. But where would these sacrifices comes from? Not his own personal pasture, but the sacrifices he offered he would receive from the people. In fact, by some these sacrifices he and his family would be provided for. The gifts and sacrifices he offered did not cost him anything personally. Yet, Jesus’ sacrifice cost him everything and the people nothing. Hebrews 2:10 “For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.” Jesus’ sacrifice cost him his life, it cost you nothing.

Third, the high priest would deal gently with the ignorant and the wayward because he himself was beset with weakness. The high priest was a mortal man who was also a sinner. Therefore, before he could offer sacrifices to atone for the sins of the people he would first have to sacrifice a bull for his own sins and the sins of his household. He could not perform his duty as high priest until his sin was paid for by the bull. The author recognizes this weakness, but in presenting the ideal high priest he shows how this is a strength. A humble high priest would see that he is a sinner too and therefore be able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward.

To be ignorant is to not have knowledge. Something in Jewish culture which would have been near impossible when it came to the things of God. An ignorant Jew would have been a man who chose to know the law. Who would openly reject the teaching of his family and community. . A wayward person is one that knows better, but still choses to abandon the truth. These are the worst kind of folks. People that openly reject God, and an ideal high priest is able to be gentle even with these folks because of his own personal humility. His own knowledge of his own sin. Now, how can Jesus who never sinned top that? Being beset with the weakness of sin is something that the high priest can do, that Jesus can’t. So doesn’t that mean that the high priest must be more gentle than Jesus? No. Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Jesus did not sin, but Jesus was tempted in every respect. He has felt the full weight of temptation.

I was once told an illustration from a NT professor who flew F-4 fight jets in Vietnam. He said they would need to test the engines of their jets from time to time on the air craft carrier. So they would chain the jets to the deck and let the engines roar. Sometimes there were chains that broke. But other chains would hold until the test was complete. The test was complete when the jet was pushed to is maximum power. He asked us which chains felt the full weight of the F-4’s power the chains that broke or the the chains that endured until the end of the test. Jesus didn’t break. He knows that full weight of temptation. Though he is without sin, he is able to sympathize with your weakness. He deals gently with the ignorant and wayward.

And finally, the high priest was appointed by God. Hebrews 5:4 “And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.” The ideal high priest like Aaron, the brother of Moses and first high priest, was chosen by God to do this task. His sons would then follow in his steps. But this is not a task that any sane man would chose for himself. No one would actually want the pressure of being the high priest, no one who actually knew themselves would like they are adequate for the task. Instead, they would do it because God chose them for it. And this brings us to our next portion of the text. Jesus is appointed as the Son of God to be the final and greatest high priest.

Appointed by the Father v. 5-6

Hebrews 5:5–6 “So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”; as he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.””

Jesus did not exalt himself as high priest over the people, but rather he was appointed by God. Psalm 2:7 is quoted first. This was also quoted in chapter 1 verse 5 when the author was proving that Jesus was superior to angels. None of the angels were ever called a Son of God. Here the author is using the text to remind us that Jesus as God’s son is the King of kings. Psalm 2 is about the rule and reign of the Lord and his Anointed or Messiah, who he calls Son, of the nations. This reminder of Jesus’ kingship is then paired with Psalm 110:4 which declares the Messiah as a priest according to the order or pattern of Melchizedek. Psalm 110 is also a psalm about the rule and reign of God’s Anointed one aka Messiah aka Christ.

Melchizedek was a king and priest from Genesis 14:17–20 who appeared to Abraham after Abraham rescued his nephew Lot who was captured during a war. After Abraham defeats the kings that captured Lot this mysterious figure named Melchizedek appears. And we read the following: “After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!” And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

The difficulty for a Jewish person in accepting Jesus as the high priest would be the reality that Jesus was not from the tribe of Levi. Levi was one of 12 sons of Jacob later named Israel. These 12 sons would have children and multiple into twelve tribes who became the nation of Israel. And God appointed Aaron as high priest because he was a Levite, someone from the tribe of Levi. In fact, all God’s priest are born from this tribe. All of them, except this mysterious figure in Genesis 14 were we are told that Melchizedek the King of Salem brought out bread and wine. Something that a priest would do, not a king. And this is because the text tells us he was a priest of God Most High. So, Melchizedek is a king and a priest. Jesus was born from the tribe of Judah, from the lineage of David. David was a man who became king of Israel and in 2 Samuel 7:12–13 David is told: “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

So we have a king from David’s line that will reign forever and a priest in the order of Melchizedek that will be priest forever. An eternal king and an eternal priest. Who could this be? It is Jesus. Jesus is the King of kings come to rule over the nations forever. Which he has started to now through his church, he is our king and the king of all Christians. Christians who are from every nation. And he will complete this when he returns at the end of the age. And he is the high priest, and because he rose from the dead he is able to be a priest forever.

He is God’s appointed high priest and king, who will hold these offices forever.

T/S- And as he holds these offices eternally he becomes the source of eternal salvation

Christ, the Source of Eternal Salvation v. 7-10

Hebrews 5:7–10 “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.”

The author explains that Jesus is the appointed high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. He is the eternal King and priest of his people and when he was in the flesh he offered up prayers and supplications. He prayed with loud cries and tears. The author is referring to Jesus’ time in the garden of Gethsemane. In which he prayed Luke 22:42–45 “saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow,” Jesus is in agony as he prepares himself to offer himself as a sacrifice for our sins. The priestly act of offering a sacrifice for sin came a great and terrible cost for Christ. It would cost him not just life, but the suffering of the cross. He knew what was coming, he predicted it and he knew he had to go through with it. He prays in his humanity “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me.” But he never sinned. He not only obeyed all of God’s law, but he would obey every aspect of the Father’s will. He would willingly, though in agony, go to the cross to die for our sins. He cries out to God with tears and sweat that was like great drops of blood. And though the Lord would not relent in pouring our his wrath upon the Son, the Son was heard in his prayers. The Lord sends and angel to strengthen him. God did not remove the cup of his wrath, but he would ensure that the son had all that he would need to obey.

The Son was praying to the one who could save him from death. And at first glance it seems like he is not heard. After all, Jesus asks for the cup to be removed, but he does die for sin. He drinks every last drop of God’s judgement for sin. Is he really heard because of his reverance like our text claims? Yes, he is ministered to by an angel for the difficulty of the moment. He is given all he needs to be obedient and through this experience he learns obedience. He is the perfect son that puts his perfection on display through the suffering of his cross. The perfect obedience required to be our atoning sacrifice, the perfect obedience required to be our sinless high priest is completed in his suffering. He qualifies himself to be the source of our eternal salvation. He is appointed or designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek and he shows the world that he deserves the appointment through his suffering.

A great and terrible suffering. We often focus on the physical sufferings of Christ because of films like the passion of the Christ or because of paintings and works of art that depict the blood and gore. It was a bloody affair and the physical sufferings of Christ were great, but they pale in comparison to the spiritual suffering that he endured. Brothers and sisters if you take me out after church and beat me senseless, whip, and even hang me on a cross the sun would keep shining, the earth would remain still, and dead would still be dead. But when Jesus died, when the wrath of God was poured out of him, when the cup of God’s judgement was drank dry by our Savior the cosmos responded. The sun went dark for from noon to 3 pm, the ground shook, the dead rose from their graves, and pagans soldiers who beat him, mocked him, gambled for his clothing, hung him on the cross, and whose hands dealt out the physical pain watched the earth shake the sun go dark and they said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

It was a suffering like no other that perfected Christ. That is, it finished his work as our priest and king. And with that work complete he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. Our sin separates us eternally from God. God created us to be with him forever, but in our sin we cannot be in his presence. There is an eternal divide that is insurmountable for any man or woman to overcome. But Christ as the forever king and eternal priest bridged the gap. He satisfied God’s wrath, and in him we can be reunited with God. We can have a salvation that knows no end.

Conclusion

So what does a text like this do for everyday life? What is to be different come tomorrow when you return to your normal labor and life.

Be saved. The author of Hebrews is optimistic about the salvation of his hearers and we will see that in two weeks. But he also acknowledges there are some who will appear to know Christ but still need to truly repent and truly believe. They are wandering back to their old way of life and they need be made before God before it is too late. If you don’t know Jesus, Today is the day.

Worship the Kingly Priest Jesus. Be in awe of his great love for me and you. Sing, pray, tell a friend about Him, talk about him with your kids and spouse. Worship him! Give him glory! Romans 12:1–2 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” You can’t say you believe this and then go back to life as normal. Saved people live lives of worship in which they are transformed by God and do what is good, acceptable, and perfect.

Jesus changes us. When we see the real biblical Christ was must respond to him with nothing less that total and complete devotion. He reshapes our lives, he reorients our priorities, and nothing is left is untouched by his transforming work. You will spend time and money differently. Your relationships will change, your family time looks different. He really is who this text says he is. He is the king of the universe, the great high priest that made a perfect sacrifice for sins, and he is the source of eternal salvation. Glory in his goodness.