Three More Reasons for Jesus' Superior Priesthood

Bryce Hamilton

Go On To Perfection • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

Hebrews 7:20–28

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Introduction: Here in Jesus’ priesthood is shown to be far better in three more ways.

Jesus’ Priesthood Guarantees A Better Covenant

Although many Israelites believed that Aaron’s priesthood would last forever, this belief was not based on Scripture. God had never made an oath to Aaron or to any of the other priests that the Levitic priesthood would last forever. The promise of an eternal priesthood was only given to Christ, and it was sworn to Him as early as .

Because Jesus’ priesthood is based on an oath from God, it is unchangeable and eternal. So Jesus is made a surety of a better covenant. The covenant that God made through Jesus is better than the old Covenant because the new covenant is eternal. A better and perfect priest guarantees a better covenant.

Examples of Surety: Judah promised to be a surety for Benjamin

Paul was the surety for Onesimus

Philemon 18 NKJV

But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account.

Philemon 18–19 NKJV

But if he has wronged you or owes anything, put that on my account. I, Paul, am writing with my own hand. I will repay—not to mention to you that you owe me even your own self besides.

Jesus is the eternal priest over the New Covenant. Why do you think that that is such an important truth? Because since Jesus is the eternal priest over the New Covenant He can guarantee for us eternal life, and because Jesus is the eternal priest over the New Covenant all of the promises of the New Covenant are guaranteed to us by Jesus Himself.

Jesus’ Priesthood Will Never Be Disqaulified

At the end of the day, the Levitical priests of the Old Covenant faced the ultimate disqualifying factor for permanent ministry: death. None of them could intercede eternally because each and every one of them died.

In God gave Israel a dramatic demonstration of this.

Numbers 20:23–29 NKJV

And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in Mount Hor by the border of the land of Edom, saying: “Aaron shall be gathered to his people, for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the children of Israel, because you rebelled against My word at the water of Meribah. Take Aaron and Eleazar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor; and strip Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; for Aaron shall be gathered to his people and die there.” So Moses did just as the Lord commanded, and they went up to Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation. Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them on Eleazar his son; and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. Now when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, all the house of Israel mourned for Aaron thirty days.

Moses, the giver of the law, would not enter into the land, and Aaron, the mediator of the law, would not enter into the promised land. Ever since the birth of the nation of Israel and as far back as the first priesthood everything pointed to the fact that the Old Covenant would not be a permanent covenant. The Old Covenant was temporary and the Old Covenant could not bring people into the ultimate Promised Land.

However, Jesus, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood, and His priesthood is inviolable and incapable of being anything but permanent. Jesus priesthood will never be altered in any way. He is the last high priest.

Because Jesus’ priesthood is eternal and unalterable, He is able to save to the uttermost and His salvation is permanent. The power of salvation is Christ’s perfect ability to save. His salvation is not partial. His salvation is not temporary. His salvation is complete and eternal.

This is why we do not lose heart when telling others about Christ. Even though the world may not like us because we claim that Jesus is the only way to God, we make this claim because it is what the Bible teaches, and the Bible teaches it because Jesus is the only one who has the ability to save. He is the only one who has the power of salvation.

Example: There is only way to be saved from drowning.

There are no restrictions to salvation but one: it must be through Christ. Anyone can draw near to God but it must be through Jesus, and all who come to God through Jesus will be saved.

Jesus’ Priesthood is Holy and Sinless

Jesus could only be the perfect and eternal High Priest if He was holy and sinless. And He is. Levitical priests could not say that, and it was proven as the priests were required to offer sacrifices daily for their own sins as well as for the peoples’.

Jesus is and always was totally separate from sin.

John 14:30 NKJV

I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.

Who is the ruler of this world? What is one of Satan’s names? Satan is the ruler of this world and one of his titles is “Accuser.” Jesus was saying, “The ruler of this world is coming and he has nothing to accuse me with.”

He is harmless.

He is undefiled.

Separated from sinners.

Exalted above the heavens.

The law appointed men who have weakness, but the word of oath appoints the perfect Son.