Our Great High Priest

Hebrews Sermon 4

At the beginning of Hebrews Chapter 6, the writer records:

Therefore, let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.

These words are a challenge to us all and when you come to difficult passages in the Bible it would be so easy and so understandable to say, “I’ll just pass over this bit, just accept it without too much thought.” But we know, don’t we, that, as it says in 2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.

And just before the quotation from Hebrews 6 the writer says that although by now his readers ought to be teachers, they still need someone to teach them the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. That was because “you no longer try to understand.” He says that they need milk, not solid food.

But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

I am reminded way back when we were at college in the 1960s, we used to go on Sundays to Grosvenor Road Baptist Church in Dublin, where we would receive clear biblical teaching from a lovely man, Pastor Alec Judd. I remember one particular sermon that he gave, entitled “Digging Deep.” In fact, I still have my notes of that sermon. He invited us to think back to the time when we accepted Jesus into our lives, but then asked the question, “How have you gone on from there?” He then quoted those verses from the beginning of Hebrews chapter 6 and went on to base his sermon on those two housebuilders in Luke 6, where he talked about the work involved, the time involved, and the cost involved.

Difficult passages may be a challenge, but digging deep into them will always be a blessing to us. Our understanding of the character and God increases; our wonder at his great love for us grows and as we see more clearly his eternal plan for us, our faith will grow. The writer to the Hebrews in chapter 12 says

let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus

Now all these words of warning and exhortation from the writer, from Chapter 5:11 to chapter 6:12 come right in the middle of a section beginning at chapter 4:14 and goes on to chapter 10:18

Jesus, Our Great High Priest.

Several times the writer had spoken of Jesus as High Priest.

2:17: For this reason, he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.

3:1b fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.

Then from chapter 4:14 through to chapter 10 the writer leads us to an understanding that it is only through Jesus our high priest as mediator and his sacrifice that we can have our sins forgiven and our fellowship with God restored.

That fellowship had been destroyed in the Garden of Eden and since that fall, a barrier had existed between God and man. In order to provide a way for that barrier to be removed and to make access to him possible God provided two things. First — the Law, and second — the priesthood and the whole sacrificial system

The law set the standard and Psalm one gives a clear picture that those who delight in God’s law will receive God’s blessings and that He will watch over them.

1 Blessed is the one

who does not walk in step with the wicked

or stand in the way that sinners take

or sit in the company of mockers,

Note the progression in that verse. The wrong path can take you to a position, where you sit in opposition to what is true and right.

The contrast is verse 2

2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,

and who meditates on his law day and night.

That leads to a fulfilling life

3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,

which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither—

whatever they do prospers.

The warning is clear

4 Not so the wicked!

They are like chaff

that the wind blows away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,

but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

However, we know, both from our own experience and from what the Bible teaches that this standard is so high that it is impossible to reach. In Psalm 19:7 we read this

7 The law of the LORD is perfect,

refreshing the soul.

The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,

making wise the simple.

Paul makes that clear in Romans 3: 10 and Galatians 3:11

There is no one righteous, not even one.

Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.

In Romans chapter 8 :3 he says

For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.

A sin offering.This brings us to the second thing that God provided -— the priesthood and the whole sacrificial system. God wanted to provide a way for the Israelites to approach Him. In Exodus 25: 1, 2

The LORD said to Moses, “tell the Israelites to bring me an offering. You are to receive the offering for me from everyone whose heart prompts them to give

The Lord then gave Moses instructions for the building of the tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant. Then in verse 22 He said to Moses

I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.

This tabernacle, or tent of meeting was to be the place where they would meet God, and it was not just Moses who would meet God.: Exodus 29:42

“For the generations to come this burnt offering is to be made regularly at the entrance to the tent of meeting, before the LORD. There I will meet you and speak to you; there also I will meet with the Israelites, and the place will be consecrated by my glory.

The tabernacle, or tent of meeting, was established as the place where the people would meet with God, but there had to be an intermediary and it was not Moses who would continue to fulfil that role. We need to go back to Exodus chapter 28, where God said to Moses:

“Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests.

Consecrate them so they may serve me as priests.

“This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants.

This was the establishment of the priesthood that was to serve in the tabernacle and, later, the temple. They were to be the intermediaries between the people and God, with Aaron the first High Priest.

“Aaron’s sacred garments will belong to his descendants so that they can be anointed and ordained in them.

In the description of Aaron’s priestly garments, a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash, we might get lost in the detail of all the fine detail of the gold, the precious stones, the scarlet yarn, the fine linen, the chains, and the details of the workmanship. The ephod had two onyx stones, engraved with the names of the sons of Israel. The breastplate had twelve precious stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes. What is the significance of all these?. These verses from Exodus 28 tell us

Aaron is to bear the names on his shoulders as a memorial before the LORD

“Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breastpiece of decision as a continuing memorial before the LORD. Also put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron’s heart whenever he enters the presence of the LORD. Thus, Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the LORD.

So, we have the priesthood. Then we have the system of sacrifices. The book of Leviticus gives the details of the various offerings or sacrifices that were to take place in the tent of meeting. Again, we could get lost in the detail, but the most important was the sin offering

The sin offering in Leviticus 4:

This reminds the Israelites that one is a sinner by nature. The offering required depended on who has sinned, starting with the priest. We also see God’s mercy at work here, in that, while he requires an offering, if you were very poor a sin offering was still within your means.

Aaron was to be more than an intermediary. Here’s what we read again in Exodus 28

36 “Make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD. Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban. It will be on Aaron’s forehead, and he will bear the guilt involved in the sacred gifts the Israelites consecrate, whatever their gifts may be. It will be on Aaron’s forehead continually so that they will be acceptable to the LORD.

Aaron the priest was not there simple to receive the gifts and sacrifices that the people had brought. He was to literally take them on himself and become the offering. Then, in the act of laying hands on the sacrificial animal, sin would be transferred to this substitute.

We have seen already in this letter that Jesus is shown to be more excellent that the angels, more excellent than the prophets, more excellent than Moses, more excellent than Joshua. All of these were used by God in remarkable ways as part of his purpose to redeem his fallen people. All had positions of honour in the eyes of his Hebrew readers. In no way was it his intention to diminish that honour when the spoke of the greater honour of Jesus. In the same way, when he spoke of Jesus as the great High Priest, his comparison with the priesthood confirms it was established by God.

What do we learn about the High Priest?

1. Every High Priest was selected from among men. If the son of God had never become man, he could never have offered that sacrifice for sins that God’s justice required

2. He was appointed to represent them in matters relating to God. The Son of God not only became man, but he came to act on behalf of man. Hebrews 10: 9 ‘See, God, I have come to do your will, O God’

3. He was to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. Hebrews 8:3 For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; hence it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer

Without a sacrifice, sins are not atoned for. The sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross was a priestly act. He offered himself as a sacrifice to God. Hebrews 9:12

he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.

Jesus was not only the lamb of God, bearing the judgment. He was also the priest officiating at the altar. Jesus was far more than a willing victim, passively enduring God’s judgment. On the cross he was performing a work and he did not cease till he cried “It is finished!” At any moment on the cross he could have stopped the suffering, but instead he chose to see it through to completion.

John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

John10; 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”

Isaiah 53:12 because he poured out himself to death,

4. He was able to sympathise with people since he himself was subject to weakness

A high priest, if he did not have compassion for the people on whose behalf he was offering sacrifices, would not be a fit person to do so. The high priests of Israel were, like everyone else subject to human failings and there are several examples of those weaknesses in Scripture. Of Jesus, our great High priest we read in Hebrews 4:15

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin.

Who but Jesus could have perfect compassion for the sinner? No one but the sinless saviour.

5. He was called and ordained by God

4 And no one takes this honour on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was. In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him,

“You are my Son;

today I have become your Father.”

Notice that the writer here uses the word Christ, or Messiah to refer to Jesus. This was confirmation that Jesus was indeed the one whom they had been waiting for. The quotation was from Psalm 2 and the verse from which it is taken actually begins with the words: “I will proclaim the Lord’s decree.” This was a making public the prophecy that the Son of God was about to fulfil his mission. It takes us to that scene by the River Jordan in Matthew chapter 3, when Jesus stepped from obscurity and was ready to begin his ministry.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.

This indeed was the beginning of his ministry as Peter recalls in Acts 10:37,38

You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached — how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

Then the quotation from Psalm 110

And he says in another place,

“You are a priest forever,

in the order of Melchizedek.

The next few verses from Hebrews 5: 7-10 describe Jesus’ ministry as that of a priest

offering up prayers and petitions

We see his compassion: With loud cries and tears

We see his obedience to his father’s will

We see him as the source of salvation for all who obey him

and we see him designated by God to be High Priest in the order of Melchizedek

Many of the Jewish Christians to whom the writer sent this letter were drifting back, at least in their thoughts to the temple and the rituals and the sacrifices that they had known from childhood. He wanted them to understand, though the system had been instituted by God, it foreshadowed the perfect sacrifice at Calvary and the immeasurable superiority of Christ over Aaron and the Aaronic priesthood.

Aaron was but a man; Christ the son of God yet fully man

Aaron offered sacrifices. Their effects were temporary. He had to offer sacrifices year after year; Christ offered one perfect sacrifice, once for all

Aaron needed to offer for his own sins: Christ was sinless

Aaron offered animals as sacrifice; Christ offered himself as sacrifice

Aaron’s atonement was for Israel alone: Christ’s atonement is for all that obey him.

The focus is Jesus, always Jesus. That’s what the writer to the Hebrews want to drill home. At the beginning of chapter 6 he says

Therefore, let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity

Hold fast, press on. Take hold of the hope that is set before us.

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

Now, I know you are thinking about Melchizedek. which the writer to the Hebrews has mentioned already at least 3 times. In fact, in chapter 5:11 he says, We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain.