Jesus the High Priest

Drift • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

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In the middle of this great sermon from the author of Hebrews we turn to a comparison of Jesus to the levitical priest and to an obscure character named Melchizedek. The main idea; Jesus is the great high priest of our faith. What does this mean for us so far removed from any form of ancient Jewish practices?

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Introduction

Hebrews 4:14–5:10 NIV

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. And no one takes this honor 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.” And he says in another place, “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 4:14

One of my pet peeves as a pastor is no matter where I am at people turn to me when it comes time to pray. No hear me.....I know my calling is to be a spiritual leader, but I have been in homes where I have just met people and they go right before praying, oh wait....youre a pastor, you better pray. Typically, I will quote some scripture that is probably obscure about the priesthood of all believers or even something from our text today. Today is important as we talk about our great pastor....the great high priest, Jesus.

Listen, today is one of those weird ones. And we are basically covering a theme that is present in three whole chapters, so cant get to everything. I want to offer some stuff that I think is important and interesting for this text and then give you the reason why it matter for us too.....

The High Priest

We need to understand the priest as a category in Israel’s history. The preacher of Hebrews is reminding or giving common language to make sure we are thinking of the aspects of this category in the first few verses of chapter 5, as he describes the priests in the line of Aaron. During the time of Moses it becomes clear that there is a need for mediation between God and His people. Really as Moses is not able to fully live into this responsibility, God designates a lineage. A Family to always be the priest for Israel

The Aaronic priests were responsible for teaching Israel God’s instructions for life and holiness (; ; ; ), for leading the people in appropriate worship of God (; ), for discerning the will of God generally (; ) and in difficult legal cases (), for blessing the people (), and for assessing their ritual cleanness (). The priests, however, also represented Israel before God as they offered sacrifices to God on the people’s behalf. Although the priest was not normally the one who killed the sacrificial animal, he did sprinkle its blood on the altar on behalf of the person who offered it (e.g., ; Routledge, Old Testament Theology, 184–85).

Carver, D. E. (2014). Priesthood. D. Mangum, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, & R. Hurst (Eds.), Lexham Theological Wordbook. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Hebrews 5:

The focus of Hebrews is on this last responsibility because this is the grand theological point of comparing the high priest to Jesus: the atonement for sin.

Why is this important? Well let me speak in conjecture for a second....Why is this important.....Because in the middle of their struggles they need to know that their failures are not final, that their weakness is not the same as failing, they need to know that what Christ has done is ultimate and lasting. Soon the temple would be destroyed if it is not already and that would be more than symbolic. Their entire history relationship to God was built on this ongoing conditional relationship to the temple. Now what do they do by themselves or in isolation?

The high priest was so important,

For the Israelites, choosing a high priest was sacred because this priest understood the struggles of the people because he was one of them. He faced what they faced.

Hebrews 5:1–2 NIV

Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness.

However, this high priest also had to sacrifice for his own sins before atoning for the rest of the peoples. The High priest was obviously imperfect himself. I want you to couch this idea, we will come back to it.

Comparing Jesus to Melchizedek

Throughout these 3 chapters (5,6,7) there is an odd comparison of Jesus to a man named Melchizedek and it happens several times. What makes it even more odd is that he is mentioned here more times than in the whole bible. and are the only places that Melchizedek is mentioned. But we know more about him through some second temple extrabiblical writings and we can infer from this context and some of Genesis, Psalms text of what is going on here.

In , long before there is ever an instituted lineage of priests, there is this King of Salem (likely Jerusalem) that is also a priest.

Genesis 14:18 NIV

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High,

Here we see the offices of King and Priests married together into one person. And it is only God’s doing....not because of some lineage like being a relative of Aaron, but just because God said so. a priesthood that has no beginning or end.

And then in we see David declared to be the king that will rule from Zion AND a priest in the line of Melchizedek.

Now Jesus is being compared in similar ways to how David was. This is where you’re going to have to just trust me so I don’t spend 30 minutes throwing obscure texts at you....the comparison here is showing once again that God has been preparing the people to understand and receive Jesus. All of these characters were typologies of the one to come.

All of them together... This is what the messiah—the messianic dynasty—was supposed to be. Jesus was a high priest, a mediator, and a king. He's the mediator according to Melchizedek's priesthood, the king according to the dynasty of David.

Of his kingship, and specifically of his priesthood it will never end. He will never not be enough for the atonement of His people.

Hebrews 7:23–25 NIV

Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

Hebrews 7:

Hebrews 7:23–24 NIV

Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.

Hebrews 7:

Jesus, the perfect high priest

I want to spend the rest of our time talking about why Jesus being the high priest is so important. What makes him the perfect high priest and how does that apply to me?

The weakness and temptation versus the perfect holiness and victory. Is there a better priest? Someone better to represent the people, to know their faults and struggles, and at the same time have the strength to atone because he conquered all of those struggles and difficulties....and the way he atones, is as a sacrifice of himself.

He knows our weaknesses because he has faced them

The levitical priest was one of the people. He could relate to the experiences of life. He was this go between....one the one hand he was supposed to be an expert in the law and the ways we can be in relationship with God, but at the same time he experienced life and knew struggles. He had to sacrifice for his own sins as well. Jesus is the perfect High priest as he came in flesh and faced our adversity.....

Hebrews 2:18 NIV

Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.

Hebrews 4:15 NIV

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

Jesus faced the tempter according to . He was faced with the temptation for self gratification, for power, and to go his own way instead of God’s.

Friends, Jesus was not some sort of robot when he experienced pain and anger....He walked down this road.

He is always available

The levitical priest had office hours. Times he could be reached. Jesus is always available to us.

Hebrews 7:25 NIV

Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

We mentioned this a second ago, but there is a reminder here that in the past there have been all these priests and sometimes they die. Do you know what it’s like to not able to get a hold of someone when you really need them? Like have you ever called someone or several people and you are convinced they are just screening your calls? No, just me, ok cool.

He is always available....2 am, Tuesday, Christmas, your moms funeral, when you are crippled with that sin....

Hebrews 7:

This is important.... Because he knows our pain AND because he is always there

Hebrews 4:16 NIV

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 4:16

THRONE OF GRACE WITH CONFIDENCE

Jesus faced the weakness and temptation and is holy…

The levitical priest could relate to the difficulties and the failures. Jesus is the perfect High priest because he is holy.

Romans says, He who knew no sin.....

Hebrews 7:26 NIV

Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.

Romans, He who knew no sin.....

If he had only experienced it and not walked through it, then he would be like an drunk giving you advice on kicking alcohol. He can relate, you can share some stories, but He has no power to help.

Hebrews 7:

If he had only experienced it and not walked through it, then he would be like an alcoholic giving you advice on kicking alcohol. He can relate, you can share some stories, but He has no power to help.

Finally, Jesus is the great high priest because he brought the ultimate atonement sacrifice.

The levitical priest brought the sacrificial animals and sprinkled the blood to atone for the sins of the people. Jesus the great high priest brought the ultimate sacrifice.

Hebrews 7:27 NIV

Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.

Not only is he the great high priest but he is also the perfect sacrificial lamb. Your sins are atoned for, the only condition is your connection with the high priest.

He is the great high priest. Why is this important? In the words of John the Baptist, Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Martin Luther: “Either sin is with you, lying on your shoulders, or it is lying on Christ, the Lamb of God. Now if it is lying on your back, you are lost; but if it is resting on Christ, you are free, and you will be saved. Now choose what you want.”

Jesus was qualified, in the line of Melchezidek, elected by God, qualified because he was a worthy mediator, holy, but human. His death is sufficient for you and his reign as king and intercessor is eternal.