Hebrews 4:14-16

This Begins a New Section in Hebrews

The Hebrews Author Began By Telling His Audience…

That Both the Old and New Covenants Were Revealed By God

Then the Author Spoke About How Jesus is Superior to the Angels Who Helped Mediate the Old Covenant

And Then How Jesus is Superior to the Apostle and High Priest of the Old Covenant, Moses

Now the Author Begins His Section On the High Priesthood of Jesus

This Section Spans the Majority of the Book

Jesus as Our High Priest is One of, if Not the, Primary Points in Hebrews

What is a High Priest and What are His Duties?

To the Jews, the High Priest was the Highest Religious Authority

It was His Responsibility to See that the Covenant was Enforced…

That the People Completed the Duties of the Temple…

And that the People Kept/Obeyed the Law

It was His Responsibility to Direct the Hearts of the People to God

He Dealt with the Handling of Sacrifices and Offerings

He Blessed the People

And One of His Most Famous and Primary Duties was…

What He Did On the Day of Atonement

He and Only He Would Enter the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle/Temple

The Most Holy Place is Where the Ark of the Covenant was

The Mercy Seat Sat On Top of the Ark

And God’s Presence was Above the Mercy Seat

The High Priest Would First Purify Himself and Then Take 2 Goats

He Would Cast Lots for the Goats

One Would Be a Sacrifice to God for the People of Israel

One Would Be for Azazel (Scapegoat)

Leviticus 16:21–22 (NASB95)

“Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel and all their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and he shall lay them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands in readiness. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a solitary land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness.”

There are So Many More Details that Go into the Day of Atonement

But the Main Point is that the High Priest and His Ministry of Representing the People of God…

Provide the Way for All the People to Have Their Sins Atoned for…

And for Their Relationship with God to Be Reconciled

This is Going to Be the Focus of Jesus as Our Representative/High Priest

Humans are Sinful

Without a Mediator, Intercessor, Advocate, and High Priest…

We Cannot Draw Near to/Be Reconciled to God

Without a Mediator, Intercessor, Advocate, and High Priest…

We are Doomed

The Past Couple Weeks, We’ve Been in Hebrews 4:1-11

Hebrews 4:1–11 (NASB95)

Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.

For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, “As I swore in My wrath, They shall not enter My rest,” although His works were finished from the foundation of the world.

For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh day: “And God rested on the seventh day from all His works”; and again in this passage, “They shall not enter My rest.”

Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, He again fixes a certain day, “Today,” saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, “Today if you hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts.” For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that.

So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

Last Week, We Ended with Hebrews 4:12-13

Hebrews 4:12–13 (NASB95)

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

These Verses are Scary!

God Knows Everything About Us

He Knows Every Sinful Thought and Intention

And He is the Judge of Our Eternal Fate

We are Doomed Without a Mediator, Intercessor, Advocate, and High Priest

Recognizing that is What Gives this Next Major Section of the Book of Hebrews so Much Power

Hebrews 4:14–16 (NASB95)

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

These Verses are a Beautiful Summary of the Book of Hebrews

In a Nutshell, this is the Message the Author Wants to Flesh Out with the Rest of His Sermon

Hebrews 4:14 (NASB95)

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

Keeping in Mind that God’s Word Cuts Us Open and Reveals Everything About Us…

And That We are Accountable to that His Word…

Hebrews 4:14 (NASB95)

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

Confession = An Expression and/or Statement of Allegiance

We are to Keep On Holding On to Our Expression/Statement of Allegiance

Our Allegiance to Who/What?

Hebrews 4:14 (NASB95)

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

We are to Keep Holding On to Our Expression/Statement of Allegiance to Jesus, Our High Priest

The High Priest Under the Old Covenant…

Would Pass Through the Curtain of the Tabernacle/Temple…

And Enter into God’s Presence

But Our High Priest Passed Through the Very Heavens Themselves…

And Entered into God’s Presence in Heaven

Because He’s Done that, We Ought to Hold On to Our Allegiance to Him

In This One Verse, Jesus is Called Several Interesting Things

He’s Called Our “Great High Priest”

In the Greek Old Testament, the High Priest was Often Called the “Great Priest”

“Great High Priest” is Redundant

It’s Like Saying the “Great Great Priest”

But that is On Purpose

Jesus Isn’t Just a High Priest Like Aaron and His Descendants

Jesus is a Great High Priest

He is Superior to the Angels

He is Superior to Moses

And He is Superior to the High Priests

Along with “Great High Priest”, Jesus is Called God’s Son

Chapter 1 Discussed Jesus as the Son of God and the King

Throughout Antiquity, a King was Often Considered “God’s Son”

The 2 Titles Go Hand in Hand

But Never in Israel Had God’s Son/the King Also Been the High Priest

King Saul and King Uzziah Attempted to Do the Duties of a Priest

This Resulted in Saul Losing His Throne and Uzziah Being Struck with Leprosy

But We Do Read of One Man Who was Both King and Priest

And the Author of Hebrews Will Speak More About Him Beginning in Chapter 5

Does Anyone Know His Name? (Melchizedek)

Hebrews 4:15 (NASB95)

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

What an Amazing Thought

James 1:13 (NASB95)

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.

God is Incapable of Being Tempted to Sin

That Adds to the List of Sacrifices that Jesus Made in Becoming Human

Hebrews 4:15 (NASB95)

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

He Made Himself Susceptible to Temptation

Our High Priest Sympathizes with Our Weaknesses to Desires and Temptations

Sympathizes = To Suffer With; To Share/Understand the Feelings of Another

Today in English, Sympathy Refers to Feeling Compassion for Someone Experiencing Pain

Empathy is Understanding the Pain Someone Else is Suffering

sympatheō in Greek Emphasizes Both of These Ideas

Jesus Feels Compassion for Our Weaknesses

Because He Has Also Experienced Our Weaknesses

He Experienced Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Pain

He Understands the Human Experience

One Commentary Put it This Way:

“When he represents us before the father, he isn’t looking down on us from a great height and being patronizing about those poor creatures down there who can’t really do much for themselves. He can truly sympathize. He has been here. He knows exactly what it’s like.”

That is So Incredibly Comforting to Me

What About You?

And Jesus Doesn’t Just Feel Compassion for Us in Our Weaknesses

He Has Done and is Currently Doing Something to Help Us

Hebrews 2:17–18 (NASB95)

Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.

Hebrews 4:15 (NASB95)

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.

He has Been Tempted in All Things Like Us

What Temptations Would that Include?

(Discuss Jesus Being Tempted to Sin)

He was Tempted in Every Way Like Us…

But He Never Gave in to the Temptation

Not a Single Time

That Enables Him to Enter God’s Most Holy Presence and Plead Our Case

A Case that He Completely Understands and Sympathizes With

Hebrews 4:16 (NASB95)

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Keep in Mind that We Have a Great High Priest in Heaven Who Sympathizes with Our Weaknesses

Hebrews 4:16 (NASB95)

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Keeping Jesus Our High Priest in Mind, We All Should Continue to Approach with Confidence

Confidence = Openness; Speech that Conceals Nothing; Outspokenness; Boldness

Because of Jesus, Our High Priest, We Can Draw Near with Confident Free Speech…

Hebrews 4:16 (NASB95)

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

We Can Approach God’s Throne of Grace with Boldness and Openness

Because of Jesus, We Don’t Have to Live in Fear of the One Who Knows Our Thoughts and Intentions

We Can Approach Him with Openness, Honesty, and Free Speech…

Knowing that, Because of Ministry of Our High Priest, His Throne is One of Grace

Hebrews 4:16 (NASB95)

Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Because Jesus is Our High Priest Who Sympathizes with Our Weaknesses…

We Can Confidently Approach God’s Throne of Grace…

And Receive Mercy and Find Grace Whenever We Need it

Since Jesus is Our High Priest, Let’s:

Continue to Hold On to Our Expression/Statement of Allegiance to Jesus

Continue to Approach God’s Throne with Confident Openness

Instead of Holding On and Approaching…

The Hebrew Christian Audience Audience Were Letting Go and Turning Away

Pressures and Persecutions Were Leading Them to Renounce Their Allegiance…

And Distance Themselves From Jesus

By Doing So, They Were Losing Forfeiting Their Access to God Himself

Because Without Jesus, We are Doomed

Invitation:

James 1:2–4 (NASB95)

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

God Allows Us to Go Through Trials so Our Faith Can Be Tested

God Doesn’t Want Us to Fail

He Wants Us to Prove Our Faith to Be Genuine

You Never Really Know the Character of Your Faith Until it is Tested

It’s Easy to Be Kind When Others are Kind to You

But Genuine Faith is Kind When Others Aren’t Kind to You

Genuine Faith, When it is Tested, Produces Endurance

Genuine Faith Doesn’t Give Up But Grows Stronger

God Wants to Transform Us into Complete/Perfect Human Beings Like Jesus

The More Trials We Endure Faithfully:

The Stronger Our Endurance Will Become

The More Like Jesus We Become

That is Why We Should Find Joy in Our Trials/Temptations

They are Opportunities for Growth

That Doesn’t Mean We Pretend We are Happy When We are Suffering…

Or That We Enjoy Trials and Temptations

It Means We Look to the Outcome/the Goal

“If God is Allowing Me to Experience This, He is Offering Me an Opportunity.”

An Opportunity to Learn, Grow, Mature, Become Stronger, Prove My Faith, and Become More Like Jesus

Joy is Not an Emotion

Joy is an Attitude, a State of Mind You Choose to Have

Joy Cannot Be Stolen or Weakened By Outside Forces

Joy is the Outcome of Knowing that Everything is Going to Be Okay

Joy is the Fruit the Holy Spirit Produces Within Us When We Place Our Trust in Jesus

Joy is Knowing that Jesus has Won the Victory and He’s Coming Back to Rescue Us

So We Can Have Joy in the Midst of Suffering…

Because We Know the Evil Forces Attempting to Destroy Us are Already Destroyed Themselves

King Jesus Has Already Won, and He is Coming

And Until He Does, We Will Keep Enduring, Growing, and Becoming More Like Him…

With the Assurance that as Long as We are Fighting, He Considers Us His

You’re Going to Face Trials/Temptations this Week

Remember Their Purpose

They are to Make Your Stronger and More Like Jesus

Let that Bring You Joy

Keep Fighting the Battles, Because Jesus has Already Won the War