Jesus is a Better Than The Law

Central Text Hebrews 5:1-14

For every high priest taken from among men is appointed in matters pertaining to God for the people, to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he is also clothed with weakness. Because of this, he must make an offering for his own sins as well as for the people. No one takes this honor on himself; instead, a person is called by God, just as Aaron was. In the same way, Christ did not exalt himself to become a high priest, but God who said to him, You are my Son; today I have become your Father, also says in another place, You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. 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. Although he was the Son, he learned obedience from what he suffered. After he was perfected, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, and he was declared by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. We have a great deal to say about this, and it is difficult to explain, since you have become too lazy to understand. Although by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the basic principles of God’s revelation again. You need milk, not solid food. Now everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced with the message about righteousness, because he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature—for those whose senses have been trained to distinguish between good and evil.

I. Jesus is The Better High Priest

V1. in order to be a high priest, you had to be taken from men.

Jews did not struggle with Jesus as a High Priest necessarily, it was the incarnation Hebraic Jews took offense to.

V2. Jesus, as a high priest, can feel compassion for men because he subjected himself to weakness. Therefore, Jesus is better qualified as a high priest because he understands and is able to recognize the weakness you and I endure everyday.

He was appointed by God. Scripture says in (Hebrews 1:9) for Jesus did not take the honor for himself, instead he was anointed, crowned, appointed ruler and giver of the New Covenant. Thoroughly and uniquely qualified to be the administrator of the Covenant (promise).

Hebrews 1:9 (CSB)

You have loved righteousness

and hated lawlessness;

this is why God, your God,

has anointed you

with the oil of joy

beyond your companions.

Vs. 3 Sacrifices, in the days of priests like Aaron and Melchizedek (Mal-Keys-a-deck) were offered for sins. This was the economy of the Old Covenant, a sacrifice made for sins essentially brought you back into right relationship with God.

II. Christ Did Not Exalt Himself, the Father Exalted Jesus

Jesus explains this in John 8:54

John 8:54 (CSB)

“If I glorify myself,” Jesus answered, “my glory is nothing. My Father—about whom you say, ‘He is our God’—he is the one who glorifies me.

To God alone belongs the glory and he is therefore the administrator of glory.

Verse 9 speaks to his being made perfect. Therefore Jesus is not only our Hight Priest but the ONLY one who can be called the PERFECT High Priest. A highly qualitative statement in reference to Jesus, his qualifications, his place in heaven and office being at the right hand of God the father.

Yes, God used the order of Melchizedek. But, the differentiation between Jesus and Melchizedek is that Melchizedek still required an offering for sins(the Old Covenant or Old Economy). Jesus was the sacrifice. And because Jesus was better than a million lambs, he was the better sacrifice.

III. Don’t Be In Need Of Milk, Progress To Milk

Often time, we want to look at this as a challenge to mature. Yes, indeed it is that…it is beautifully transcendent and continuously applicable in the life of the believer but I believe that the context , we see something more than meets the eye. In the Jewish perspective, we see that “milk” is the law.

Vs. 11 Verse 11 talks about how the Jews have become too lazy to understand. But Understand what exactly? The author of Hebrews here is referring to the 613 laws found in the Torah (THE FIRST FIVE BOOKS) to the Early Jews. The law equals the “milk” that Hebrews Chapter 5 Vs.12 is referring to. The law was like the ABC’s, simple elementary math. As though to say...”you ought to be professors instead you got stuck on your ABC’s” “You should be creating masterpieces but your stuck like a toddler with finger paints!”

God was asking for Jewish Christians to understand that the Law was , while fundamental, was a starting place not the whole picture.

They had become/were dull and too lazy when in regards to the New Covenant. The covenant that Jesus came to establish.

The word dull/lazy has a deeper meaning

We must always push, do not quit! I do not want to be a man, church, husband who could be accused of having “no push” in any way. We should be people of push! The law only allowed us basic alphabet, we can now write and read amazing things. The law was like the toddling of children with finger paintings. Jesus has made way for masterpieces.

Hebrew meaning: fat, lazy, a wick that has been blown put

Greek transliteration: Bapow “No Push” “unwilling to give effort to”

Oh that I would go to my grave spiritually wrung out (Charlie, Carl, my dad)

Push indicates movement, momentum, moving forward. The pharisees tried to put the new wine of the New Covenant into Old wine skins. It would be unsuccessful. Push is indicative of leaning and executing.