Jesus Is Our Eternal High Priest (Heb. 4:14-5:10)
Long time ago or even now, in many Korean families, father usually has the final authority in almost everything. When a kid makes a mistake or gets a bad grade, he needs to be forgiven by his father. Even though his mother says, "it is okay," he cannot be really okay until his father says "it is okay."
In my old days, I was very afraid of my father as many other Korean boys.
I could not come close to my father to ask for something. So, I usually asked my mother to get my father's answers. My mother was kind of a mediator between me and my father. My mother was a spokeswoman for me and for my father.
Roman Catholics go to their priests and confess their sins to him in a small closed place. They think that their priests are mediators and could absolve them of their sins in place of God. But, the Catholic priests as well as church pastors do not have any right of absolution, a right of forgiveness of people's sins.
Only Jesus Christ is the Mediator between God and us and can forgive our sins in place of God.
In the Old Testament period, the Israelites had high priests for them.
The official first high priest was Aaron. And only Aaron's descendants could become high priests. The number of the high priest was usually one or two at its maximum. And all other Aaronic descendants who were not chosen as high priest served God as priests.
And other descendants than Aaron's from the tribe of Levi served God and His Temple without becoming priests, as doorkeepers, as members of the choir, etc.
As God instructed the Israelites, they came to the Temple with their animals whenever they felt that their past sins should be forgiven by God. And priests offered animal sacrifices to God for the forgiveness of their sins.
And the high priest went to the Most Holy Place, the place of God's Presence, once a year for the nation's sins to be forgiven.
The high priest was a mediator who asked God for his mercy and forgiveness, and proclaimed his forgiveness and blessings to the Israelites.
About 650 years before God appointed Aaron as the first high priest over Israel, there was Melchizedek. He was a king of Salem, now called Jerusalem, and a high priest of God. He came out to meet Abram (later his name was changed to Abraham) who returned from his victory over the king of Sodom after saving his nephew Lot.
Melchizedek brought bread and wine and blessed Abram, saying:
In my old days, I was very afraid of my father as many other Korean boys.
I could not come close to my father to ask for something. So, I usually asked my mother to get my father's answers. My mother was kind of a mediator between me and my father. My mother was a spokeswoman for me and for my father.
Roman Catholics go to their priests and confess their sins to him in a small closed place. They think that their priests are mediators and could absolve them of their sins in place of God. But, the Catholic priests as well as church pastors do not have any right of absolution, a right of forgiveness of people's sins.
Only Jesus Christ is the Mediator between God and us and can forgive our sins in place of God.
In the Old Testament period, the Israelites had high priests for them.
The official first high priest was Aaron. And only Aaron's descendants could become high priests. The number of the high priest was usually one or two at its maximum. And all other Aaronic descendants who were not chosen as high priest served God as priests.
And other descendants than Aaron's from the tribe of Levi served God and His Temple without becoming priests, as doorkeepers, as members of the choir, etc.
As God instructed the Israelites, they came to the Temple with their animals whenever they felt that their past sins should be forgiven by God. And priests offered animal sacrifices to God for the forgiveness of their sins.
And the high priest went to the Most Holy Place, the place of God's Presence, once a year for the nation's sins to be forgiven.
The high priest was a mediator who asked God for his mercy and forgiveness, and proclaimed his forgiveness and blessings to the Israelites.
About 650 years before God appointed Aaron as the first high priest over Israel, there was Melchizedek. He was a king of Salem, now called Jerusalem, and a high priest of God. He came out to meet Abram (later his name was changed to Abraham) who returned from his victory over the king of Sodom after saving his nephew Lot.
Melchizedek brought bread and wine and blessed Abram, saying:
"Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.
And blessed be God Most High, who has helped you conquer your enemies."
Then, Abram gave Melchizedek a tenth of all the goods he had obtained from the battle against the king of Sodom.
Melcizedek was not a descendant of Aaron. He was 650 years before Aaron. Yet, the Bible called him "a high priest of God."
In the same manner, Jesus Christ was not from the tribe of Levi but from the tribe of Judah. But, he performed the role of high priest, interceding with God for his people.
Melchizedek was a type of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament as "the eternal high priest."
(4:14) To the Jews, the high priest was the highest authority in the land. He alone entered the Most Holy Place in the Temple once a year to make atonement for the sins of the whole nation (Lev. 16).
Like the high priest Jesus mediates between God and us.
As people's representative, he intercedes for us before God.
As God's representative, he assures us of God's forgiveness and blessings.
Jesus has more authority than the Jewish high priests because he is truly God and truly man.
Unlike the Aaronic high priest, who could go before God only once a year, Christ is always at God's right hand, interceding for us. He is always available to hear us when we pray.
(4:15) Jesus is like us because he experienced a full range of temptations throughout his life as a man.
We can be comforted knowing that Jesus faced temptation--he can sympathize with us.
We can be encouraged knowing that Jesus faced temptation without giving in to sin.
He shows us that we do not have to sin when we are tempted.
(4:16) Verse 16 says: "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
Because of Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Eternal High Priest, we can come to the God of mercy and grace with confidence.
Through Jesus Christ, He shows us His mercy and grace.
(5:4-6) The author of Hebrews uses two Old Testament verses to show Christ's divine appointment:
Psalm 2:7 says: "You are my Son. Today I have become your Father." and Psalm 110:4 says: "You are a priest forever in the line of Melchizedek."
In the time of the Old Testament, God had chosen Aaron, and only Aaron's descendants could be high priests.
But, Aaron and his descendants could not play the role of mediator perfectly because they, like others, were not perfect.
(5:9) Yet, Christ was a perfect man. By obeying, he demonstrated his perfection to us.
Christ became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him.
Jesus' high priestly role was superior to that of any priest of Levi, because Jesus was a perfect man as well as a priest of a higher order(Ps. 110:4).
If the Jewish priests and their laws had been able to save people, why would God need to send Christ as a priest, who came not from the tribe of Levi (the priestly tribe) but from the tribe of Judah?
The animal sacrifices offered by the Levitical priests had to be repeated, and they were offered only temporary forgiveness; but Christ's sacrifice was offered once for all.
Because Jesus died once for all, he brought the animal sacrificial system to an end. He forgave our sins--past, present, and future. It offers total and permanent forgiveness.
Because Christ is our eternal high priest, we need to come before him for our sins and for our salvation and eternal life.
No pastors, church leaders, or Christian friends can substitute for Christ's work and for his role in our salvation.
Salvation comes only through Christ, whose sacrifice brings forgiveness for our sins.
We no longer need to rely on sacrificed animals and mediating priests to obtain God's forgiveness.
Levitical priests and their animal sacrifices offered people temporary forgiveness of God but could not save people.
Only Christ truly saves people.
Because of Jesus Christ, our eternal High Priest, our past, present, and future sins are all forgiven.
(7:25) As our High Priest, Christ is our Advocate, the mediator between us and God.
He looks after our interests and intercedes for us with God.
The Old Testament high priest went before God once a year to plead for the forgiveness of the nation's sins; yet Christ makes perpetual intercession before God for us.
Christ's continuous presence in heaven with the Father assures us that our sins have been paid for and forgiven. This wonderful assurance frees us from all guilts and from the fear of failures.
Melcizedek was not a descendant of Aaron. He was 650 years before Aaron. Yet, the Bible called him "a high priest of God."
In the same manner, Jesus Christ was not from the tribe of Levi but from the tribe of Judah. But, he performed the role of high priest, interceding with God for his people.
Melchizedek was a type of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament as "the eternal high priest."
(4:14) To the Jews, the high priest was the highest authority in the land. He alone entered the Most Holy Place in the Temple once a year to make atonement for the sins of the whole nation (Lev. 16).
Like the high priest Jesus mediates between God and us.
As people's representative, he intercedes for us before God.
As God's representative, he assures us of God's forgiveness and blessings.
Jesus has more authority than the Jewish high priests because he is truly God and truly man.
Unlike the Aaronic high priest, who could go before God only once a year, Christ is always at God's right hand, interceding for us. He is always available to hear us when we pray.
(4:15) Jesus is like us because he experienced a full range of temptations throughout his life as a man.
We can be comforted knowing that Jesus faced temptation--he can sympathize with us.
We can be encouraged knowing that Jesus faced temptation without giving in to sin.
He shows us that we do not have to sin when we are tempted.
(4:16) Verse 16 says: "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
Because of Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Eternal High Priest, we can come to the God of mercy and grace with confidence.
Through Jesus Christ, He shows us His mercy and grace.
(5:4-6) The author of Hebrews uses two Old Testament verses to show Christ's divine appointment:
Psalm 2:7 says: "You are my Son. Today I have become your Father." and Psalm 110:4 says: "You are a priest forever in the line of Melchizedek."
In the time of the Old Testament, God had chosen Aaron, and only Aaron's descendants could be high priests.
But, Aaron and his descendants could not play the role of mediator perfectly because they, like others, were not perfect.
(5:9) Yet, Christ was a perfect man. By obeying, he demonstrated his perfection to us.
Christ became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him.
Jesus' high priestly role was superior to that of any priest of Levi, because Jesus was a perfect man as well as a priest of a higher order(Ps. 110:4).
If the Jewish priests and their laws had been able to save people, why would God need to send Christ as a priest, who came not from the tribe of Levi (the priestly tribe) but from the tribe of Judah?
The animal sacrifices offered by the Levitical priests had to be repeated, and they were offered only temporary forgiveness; but Christ's sacrifice was offered once for all.
Because Jesus died once for all, he brought the animal sacrificial system to an end. He forgave our sins--past, present, and future. It offers total and permanent forgiveness.
Because Christ is our eternal high priest, we need to come before him for our sins and for our salvation and eternal life.
No pastors, church leaders, or Christian friends can substitute for Christ's work and for his role in our salvation.
Salvation comes only through Christ, whose sacrifice brings forgiveness for our sins.
We no longer need to rely on sacrificed animals and mediating priests to obtain God's forgiveness.
Levitical priests and their animal sacrifices offered people temporary forgiveness of God but could not save people.
Only Christ truly saves people.
Because of Jesus Christ, our eternal High Priest, our past, present, and future sins are all forgiven.
(7:25) As our High Priest, Christ is our Advocate, the mediator between us and God.
He looks after our interests and intercedes for us with God.
The Old Testament high priest went before God once a year to plead for the forgiveness of the nation's sins; yet Christ makes perpetual intercession before God for us.
Christ's continuous presence in heaven with the Father assures us that our sins have been paid for and forgiven. This wonderful assurance frees us from all guilts and from the fear of failures.
No comments:
Post a Comment