Hebrews 4.14-5.10
In Hebrews chapters four and five we are plumb in the middle of Hebrews’ exposition of one of its most distinctive and powerful themes: that Jesus is our Great High Priest. Although the heavenly intercession of Christ is alluded to in other places in the New Testament (eg Roms. 8.34 and 1 Tim. 2.5) the discussion in Hebrews is the fullest, deepest and most inspiring of all. The two psalms quoted in 5.5 and 6 help form a short chain of titles for Jesus. The 2nd Psalm links together kingship and Sonship – God’s Son sits at his right hand. The 110th Psalm links kingship with priesthood – the Lord who sits at the LORD’s right hand is a priest forever like Melchizedek. Now Jesus is the Son of God, King and Priest.
The focus throughout today’s reading is on the uniqueness of Jesus’ priesthood. All priests are humans and have real empathy for their fellow humans with whom they share their weaknesses. Precisely because any human priest shares not only in the humanity, but also the sinfulness of those on whose behalf he intercedes, he has to offer sacrifices not only for their sins but also for his own. This is most obvious in the greatest OT sacrifice of all when, once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest enters behind the veil into the most Holy Place. He offers first a bull for his own sins before offering two goats for the sins for the people. Even the HP is a sinner like all of God’s people.
Priesthood is a privileged position which requires a divine call and appointment. In this respect at least Jesus priesthood is like that of all OT priests – God has appointed him. But Jesus is appointed to a higher status and permanent office. Jesus priesthood has four advantages over human priesthood: first because of his perfect life he has no need to make an offering for his own sin and so offers himself for the sins of others; secondly because of his resurrection he lives for ever and therefore his priesthood is not rendered ineffective by age or death. Because he lives forever his priesthood is permanent. Thirdly because Jesus is exalted to God’s right hand his sacrifice is seen in the very presence of God – in heaven rather than on earth. Finally because Jesus is not only God but became and remains a human this means we have a man in heaven as our intercessor and advocate on our behalf.
The combination of these things is a powerful spiritual comfort, in the literal sense of comfort – giving spiritual strength to our life in Christ. Here for me is the heart of the matter. Jesus’ incarnation (that as God he shared and shares our humanity), his obedient life (he did not sin), his sacrificial death (by which offering of himself on the cross he covers my sin) and his resurrection (he lives forever never to die again) are all things that he undertook as a human on my behalf and yours. They mean that Jesus our heavenly intercessor who intercedes for us not only was human but is human and his pleading has the power of all that he undertook, suffered and achieved as a human on our behalf. And that is just what I need. If Jesus as God were to plead before His Father’s throne on my behalf this would be powerful and persuasive but I’m not sure that I would be so confident that he was on my side. But he shares my humanity so closely and fully that it only differs from mine and yours in one crucial particular – he never sinned. He lived a perfect life of obedience to His Father and won a hard fought battle with exactly the temptations I – you – we face day by day. And though tested he came through untainted by sin. He has the nail marks to prove the extent and cost of that of obedience that was tested in every kind of temptation. He became obedient even to death on the cross. Now he pleads his perfect life and sacrificial death on behalf of sinful humanity. And this gives me great confidence: the nail prints of the Lamb are visible for heaven to see. For the Father to see.
The poets and hymn writers always say it best. Giant among them is Isaac Watts from 300 years ago. This is from ‘Join all the glorious names’.
Jesus, My Great High Priest,
‘Join all the Glorious Names’ by Isaac Watts
Offered himself and died,
My guilty conscience seeks no sacrifice beside;
His powerful blood did once atone; and
now it pleads before his throne.
My Advocate appears for my defence on high;
The Father bows his ears and lays his thunder by;
Not all that hell or sin can say
Can turn his heart, his love away.
You probably know Before the Throne of God Above – a modern revival of a 180 year old hymn made more powerful and more popular by a better tune. But it is this simpler 40 year old song by Wendy Churchill that, one Sunday evening, had me sinking to my knees in worship and weeping tears of joy at the sheer confidence I can have in Jesus’ pleading before his Father for little me. I make it our final prayer:
Jesus is king and I will extol him
‘Jesus is King’ by Wendy Churchill
Give Him the glory, and honour His name
He reigns on high, enthroned in the heavens
Word of the Father, exalted for us
We have a hope that is steadfast and certain
Gone through the curtain and touching the throne
We have a Priest who is there interceding
Pouring His grace on our lives day by day
We come to Him, our Priest and Apostle
Clothed in His glory and bearing His name
Laying our lives with gladness before Him
Filled with His Spirit we worship the King
O Holy One, our hearts do adore You
Thrilled with Your goodness we give You our praise
Angels in light with worship surround Him
Jesus, our Saviour, forever the same.