The Great High Priest

Introduction: Once again, the writer starts off with the word therefore. In the NKJV it is translated seeing then, but it is still the same Greek word that was translated all of the other times as therefore. So, having just gone through , what do we now know? We know that God’s rest is available and remains available, we know that entering into God’s rest is necessary for us if we desire to live eternally with Him, and we know that our rest is ultimately in the fact that the work of Christ is finished on our behalf and so we rest and trust in God’s saving work. So now the writer, writing to Hebrews, points to Christ as the perfect and complete High Priest who perfectly mediates between us and God. Because of Christ and His perfect atoning work, we can find rest in His mercy and find grace that will help us in our time of need.

Our Heavenly High Priest

Why does the writer feel the need to portray Jesus as the Great High Priest?

In order to understand why the writer of Hebrews felt the need to portray Jesus as the Great High Priest, we must first understand the role of the high priest. The high priests of the Old Covenant were appointed by God to be mediators or intercessors between Himself and the people of Israel. It was only the high priest who could enter into the Holy of Holies and offer the highest sacrifice and even that was only done once a year on the Day of Atonement. On the Day of Atonement all of the sins of the people were brought symbolically to the Holy of Holies where blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat as a sacrifice to atone for them.

In order to enter into the Holy of Holies, the high priest had to go through the three areas of the tabernacle or temple. Once he made the sacrifice the hight priest would take the blood from the sacrifice and enter into the outer court and then into the Holy Place and then through veil into the Holy of Holies.

We know from that since the high priest was a sinner as well he had to make an offering for himself before doing any of this, and because the high priest was a sinner he was not allowed to linger in the Holy of Holies. He was only allowed to remain in the presence of God’s Shekinah glory while he was in the act of making the sacrifice. He could not sit down or take his time and as soon as the sacrifice was finished he had to leave and could not return for another year when another sacrifice would have to be made.

Jesus, however, is not like other high priests - He is the Great High Priest. When he represented man before God He offered Himself as the perfect one-time only sacrifice. After offering Himself, He then passed through the heavens. He went through the atmosphere (first heaven), outer space (second heaven), and entered into the very presence of God (the third heaven). Once in the very presence of God, Jesus did not have to leave. He is the great High Priest who made the once for all time sacrifice, and once the sacrifice was made Jesus presented Himself in the Holiest of Holies where His sacrifice was accepted. The work was complete and it is by faith in that work that we can find the rest of God.

The appeal of is to those who are not yet uncommitted to Christ as the true intercessor between God and man. It is not enough to confess that you believe in priesthoods when you have not placed your faith in the ultimate Priest. It does no good to be religious and miss the sufficient sacrifice. Since Christ is our Great High Priest let us hold fast to our calling which is sure in Him.

Note: The sacrifice of Christ marked the end of the priesthood and an end of the sacrificial system. The temple was destroyed in A.D. 70. Any modern priesthood is a direct affront to the sacrifice of Christ.

Note:

Our Victorious High Priest

So first we have an High Priest who is Jesus the Son of God who has passed through the heavens and into the very presence of God. Based on this, let us hold fast our calling.

Second, we see that we do not have a removed High Priest. Jesus is the very Son of God, but that did not prevent Him from experiencing our feelings, our emotions, our pain, or our temptations. The Bible actually makes sure we understand that Jesus fully experienced humanity and fully experienced the results of the fall, yet without sin. Where all other men have failed Jesus succeeded. He shared in the weakness of our humanity even being tempted in every point even as we are tempted yet in all of his sharing our humanity and experiencing the results of the fall and feeling the weight of temptation He was victorious and without sin.

We would do well to remember this when we come before God with our needs and hurts and temptations because he understands them. He sympathizes with them. We can come before Him as a friend who understands it all.

Th

Having never sinned how can Jesus truly sympathize with me?

Example: Pain threshold

Note: Temptation threshold

Jesus had no capacity to sin, yet wouldn’t that make his temptations all the more terrible. He never gave in and I doubt that Satan ever gave up. Satan pursued Christ even to the point of possessing one of Jesus’ closest friends and tossing him away like an old worn out piece of clothing.

Hebrews 12:3–4 NKJV

For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

Jesus understands sin. He resisted it to the point of blood. He bore the weight of it and He broke sin’s back and took away its sting when he rose from the grave. Jesus understands our humanity even more than we do and we can thank him for being the Great High Priest who sympathizes with us and bears our burdens for us.

Our Merciful and Gracious High Priest

The one who understands perfectly is also able to provide for us perfectly.

1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

1 Corinthians

Jesus knows our weakness and our temptations and he can lead us out of them. As we finish this passage the same Holy Spirit who begs us to hold fast to our calling also begs us to draw near to His throne which overflows with grace. We know from the account of Esther that ancient kings were anything but gracious. Esther risked her life, even as the queen, by daring to seek an audience with the king, yet anyone who is penitent is welcome to come to the throne of the grace of God. Not only can we approach but we can be confident that we will receive grace and mercy.

Conclusion: God is just, but how terrible it would be if he were only just. God is also gracious and merciful. If you haven’t already this passage invites you again to come to the throne of grace. How could you reject such a Great High Priest? Come to the throne of grace because you know that your time of need is now. Come and find mercy and grace.