Christ Our High Priest

Introduction

Good morning to all. Certainly thankful to have visitors in our audience and glad that the rest of us can be out on this good Lord’s Day morning. Have you ever read a verse in the Bible, maybe isolated? It just has pointed out to you. And after reading it, you responded, Well, so what? In other words, what’s the significance of that verse? If you do not know the context or what comes before it and what follows after it. Hebrews chapter 7 and in verse 17 may be such a verse like that. Where the scripture says, He testifies, you are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek. So what? If you’re not familiar with who Melchizedek is, or familiar with the context of Hebrews chapter 7, you’re probably somewhat bewildered.

What’s the importance of that? The word Melchizedek is not found in any other book of the New Testament. Yet, some nine different times his name is mentioned in Hebrews, but it’s the only New Testament book in which his name is found. And outside of Hebrews, only in this prophecy that is quoted in verse 17 from really Psalm 110 in verse 4. And then in Genesis chapter 14, where Abraham paid tithe to him and was blessed by him. But other than that, who is Melchizedek? And so what is the importance of the fact that the scripture foretold that he would be a priest forever, or that Christ would be a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek. We have some visitors in the audience this morning from out of town, and we certainly welcome you, but give you a little explanation.

That at this nine o’clock hour, when I’ve been preaching, I’ve gone through in an expository way, verse by verse, through this book called Hebrews. And we’ve come today to these last few verses, Hebrews chapter 7. Actually, in our earlier study from the first, about 16 verses of Hebrews 7, we learn somewhat about the importance of Melchizedek. We learn that, as the scripture here says, he had no predecessor and he had no successor. He appears on the scene in Genesis chapter 14, as Abraham is returning from you might say rescuing his nephew Lot and their goods, and Melchizedek meets him on the way. And Abraham pays tithes unto Melchizedek and is blessed by Melchizedek. And as the scripture in Hebrews 7 would say, verse 6, he whose genealogy is not derived from them, received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises.

And now beyond all contradiction, the lesser is blessed by the better. In other words, if you want to say, who’s the greatest? Abraham or Melchizedek, the answer is Melchizedek. Now that may have stunned most of the Hebrews or the Jews who are reading this text. Because Abraham is the great patriarch, the father, you might say, of the nation of Israel, of the promised seed that was to come through his lineage. Abraham is great, the father of faith, the friend of God, the Bible says, and yet this man Melchizedek is greater than Abraham. In fact, as you proceed through the text of Hebrews chapter 7, he goes on to point out that it was the priesthood of Melchizedek that replaces the priesthood of Aaron. Aaron, the first high priest, brother Moses, established as God authorized the one who stood between man and forgiveness of sins, between man and God.

It was the high priest that would enter into the holy of holies one time each year on the day of atonement in the seventh month. And there offer the blood of a goat that had been sacrificed on the mercy seat for the sins of the people. Now, maybe to the Western mind, to most of us, even, if we’re not familiar with the Old Testament study about the high priest, or even even this study of Hebrews, we probably don’t know much about what’s the importance of a high priest, even. But to the Hebrew, the Jew who is reading this text that written to the Hebrews, it was very significant. Who’s the high priest and what does he do? He is the one who offers sacrifice for our sins.

1. If Perfection Were Through the Levitical Priesthood

But you mean Melchizedek is even greater than the one that God instituted through the law of Moses, and over the last 1,500 years or so, we’ve had success after successor of a high priest who is ordained by God to offer a sacrifice for our sins. Indeed, there must be some significance. Why would God effect such a radical change? And in verse 11 of chapter 7, he sort of gives a logical reason. He says, Therefore, if perfection were through the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people received the law, what further need was there that another priest should rise according to the order of Melchizedek and not be called according to the order of Aaron. In other words, if if the word perfection and perfect is a key word in Hebrews, it really carries the idea of that which is complete, of that which is fulfilled.

And it says, though to say, if in that, in fact, the law of Moses and the sacrifices by the high priests completed God’s work and fulfilled the purpose of God, there’d be no need for another. But the fact is, the law of Moses was not able to fulfill God’s purpose. It did not bring about salvation. As we read in Hebrews chapter 10, the first four verses, the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sin. In fact, in this seventh chapter, in verse 18 and 19, he says, on the one hand, there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness. For the law made nothing perfect. On the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope through which we draw near to God.

So if the law was perfect, that’s all that was needed in order to bring about God’s purpose of providing forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation, there’d be no need for a change. But the fact is, since the law was weak and unprofitable, sometimes in studying the Bible with people in usually a home Bible class, I like to read this verse, and after we’ve been talking about all the Bible is the Word of God. And you read this verse where in verse 18 it says just weak and unprofitable. You mean part of the scriptures of God was weak and it was unprofitable? And you have to stop and explain that. It’s God given through Moses. But it doesn’t mean that it was unable to fulfill what God’s purpose was.

It did that very well. It just was not given to provide for man the means of having sins taken away. In fact, as in Galatians chapter 3 and verse 19, the scripture there speaks how the law was given really for transgressions because of transgressions. It was given until the seed should come to whom the promise had been made. In other words, it was given to help identify what is sin. It was given to help not only to identify sin, but also the need for forgiveness, for a Savior to come. And that’s why in Galatians 3 and verses 22 and 23, it says the law. Before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up under the faith that should afterwards come. The law served as a schoolmaster, as a tutor to bring us unto Jesus Christ.

It showed man what sin really is and that he needed forgiveness. And it took more than the blood of animals to have that forgiveness. It brought us to Jesus Christ. So when it says the law was weak and unprofitable, it doesn’t mean that God failed, did it. It just simply means that it couldn’t provide perfection, it couldn’t provide the complete, it couldn’t provide that forgiveness that we have through Jesus Christ. And understanding that point, therefore, there was a need for a change. There was a need for a change in the priesthood. And as verse 12 say, the priesthood being changed. Of necessity, there’s also a change of a law. Now think through that for a moment. What do you mean? If the priesthood has changed, fulfilling even the prophecy of Psalm 11, and that now Christ is after the order of Melchizedek, not after Aaron under the law of Moses, there need to be a change in the law, or this couldn’t be.

An important Bible principle within this verse, because it also teaches us that we shouldn’t add to God’s word on the silence of the scripture. He doesn’t say just really that Jesus couldn’t be a priest. He just says, of which tribe Moses spake nothing. And wasn’t authorized to be of the tribe of Judah to be a priest. A priest had to be of the tribe of Levi. So therefore there needed to be a change in the law. Or else he couldn’t qualify as a priest, as a high priest. And therefore, when he continues with this logical outline, in verse 17, where we started this morning, he quotes this Psalm 110 in verse 4. You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek. But on the one hand, there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness.

2. The Bringing In of a Better Hope

For the law made nothing perfect. On the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God. Now look at the contrast in these two verses. On the one hand, this former commandment has been annulled because it was weak and unprofitable. The former commandment, in contrast, in verse 19, we have a better hope. We look forward to something better. The law needed to be replaced. In fact, it was annulled. It was set aside. And what happened is there was something else brought in. Because it was weak and unprofitable, but we have now a better hope. In Romans chapter 8 and verse 3, the apostle said, For what the law could not do, in that it was weak. Through the flesh, God did by sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and on account of sin, he condemned sin in the flesh.

What the law could not do. Jesus Christ accomplished in the sacrifice. It is his blood that indeed is able to take away sins, to be helpful to be washed from our sins. We have a better hope. In fact, as we will proceed in this series of lessons, you go in in the, if you have your Bibles open in chapter 8, you notice where in verse 6 He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also a mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, he says, Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I’ll make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, because they did not continue in my covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those days, says the Lord, I will put my laws in their mind and write them in their on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. None of them shall will teach his will shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother saying, Know the Lord, but all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. All of that are quotation from the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah. God had promised a new covenant established upon better promises. So in this scripture of chapter 7, Hebrews, what the apostle is showing that Jesus Christ is the one prophesied and the one who brings us in and be a better hope.

3. Jesus Has Become a Surety of a Better Covenant

But what’s your guarantee of that? Look at verse 22. Verses 20 through 22. When he continues with this line of reasoning by saying, inasmuch as he was not made priest without an oath, for they have become priests without an oath, but he with an oath. By him who said to him, the Lord has sworn and will not relent. You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. By so much more, Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. Now what he says in this that Jesus Christ was made this high priest by an oath of God, a promise, as God had sworn, so to speak. No Levitical priest was ever ordained or established on the basis of God’s oath. The Levitical priests were so appointed because of some physical, indeed, as verse 16 says, of a fleshly commandment.

That is, according to the Old Testament scripture, for example, their moral character or spiritual fitness was not examined. The important thing for the high priest under the law of Moses was that first of all they came from the tribe of Judah. From the tribe of Levi, couldn’t from the tribe of Judah. And that fact is that they’re of the right age. Priests at first, when he reaches the age of 20. And the younger priests in the age of 20 to about 30 would serve in the you might say the difficult part. If it was moving the tabernacle, they certainly were involved with that, or preparing the animals for it. But from the time of about 30 to 50, they could offer the sacrifices at the temple, and they became a little different type of service.

But at age 50, they retired. From 20 to 50 was the age. So those were some physical or fleshly commandment requirements of the priest. But Christ was made a priest of God by special appointment, by an oath of God. Back in chapter 5, in fact, in verses 8 and 9, the scripture says, Though he was a son, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. And having been perfected, he became the offer of eternal salvation to all who obey him, called by God as high priest, according to the order of Melchizedek. So Jesus Christ himself obeyed God, and then according to God’s oath, he was made high priest.

Therefore, Christ is described in verse 22 as a surety of that covenant. Something think about it. What does he mean? He’s the surety of this covenant. He’s the one who guarantees that the terms of this agreement will be carried out. He’s the surety of it. You may recall in the Old Testament, whenever Joseph, having been sold by his brothers, and then later indeed became ruler in Egypt, and his brothers come to Egypt to buy grain during the time of the famine. And on their second trip, in fact, they were not to come back if they hadn’t brought Benjamin. In fact, Joseph made it very clear. And so, of course, the father Jacob didn’t want to let Benjamin go. But it was Judah who was willing to be the surety for Benjamin.

He was the guarantee that he would be brought back. And if not, Judah would stand in place. In the New Testament, in Philemon, verses 8 and 19, Paul was the surety for Onesimus. In fact, he said, I’ll repay if he owes you anything. He said it’s a surety. Perhaps the closest thing in our lifestyle is a bondsman who posts bail for someone who’s under indictment. He guarantees that the indicted person will appear in court and will stand trial. In that sense, Christ is our bondsman. He is the surety. He is the one who, between God and man, promises and stands to fulfill that that covenant, that the promises of God will be honored, and that all who obey him will be saved. It is our risen Savior, who is the one who guarantees that the terms of God’s covenant will be fulfilled.

4. He Continues Forever, an Unchangeable Priesthood

You think about that. Christ, our high priest, guaranteeing for us. And so when you get to verse 23, he says, also, uh, verse 23, also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. But he, because he continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Throughout the time, over the 1500 years, from the time of Aaron to Christ, there have been many high priests. Death that brought about a need for a different one to take his place. But he says, look now, we have one who never changes. We have one Jesus Christ who having risen from the grave lives forever at the right hand of God. He is our higher priest. And the fact is that our church, the Lord’s church at least, has this same high priest forevermore as Hebrews 13 and 8, Jesus the same yesterday, today, and forever.

5. Able to Save to the Uttermost

And then you notice in verse 35 or 25, therefore. Now say all that we’ve said up to this point, we draw a conclusion. You surely know that when you read in the Bible and you come to this word therefore there’s a conclusion being drawn. So what? I started it off this morning. So what when you read verse 17 or you read that prophecy what difference does all that make it makes a lot of difference. Look how important it is whether you understand much about a high priest if you will just learn that he is the one who stands between you and God. He is the one who makes possible the forgiveness of sins who offers the sacrifice for sins. He here says therefore having reasoned with this all the way through therefore he is also able to save then he uses the words to the uttermost.

Those who come to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. To the uttermost. Can you name one even that might hint at being greater than or more important than our Lord Jesus Christ? Salvation in both quantity and quality is made possible by Jesus Christ. When I say quality and quantity, in quantity. Hebrews 2 9 says he tasted death for every man. And you know, in the Great Commission, he said, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved. He who believes not shall be condemned. He is the one God would have all men come to the knowledge of truth and to be saved. 1 Timothy chapter 2 and in verse 4.

Indeed, Jesus Christ in quantity made salvation possible for us. To the uttermost He’s able to save. But also in quality, He supplies our every need. What a Savior. As we’ve already observed back earlier in our lessons in Hebrews chapter 2 and also chapter 4 in the last few verses, he’s able to understand. He’s come to the aid of those because he himself walked as a man, and he himself was suffered in all points, tempted in all points, like as we are. And therefore, as this verse says, He is able, verse 25, to make intercession for us. He stands as our mediator. He is the one that is there at your side when you feel the lowest. He is the one who is able, as 1 John chapter 1, and in verses chapter 2 it is in verses 1 and 2.

6. Such a High Priest Was Fitting

He is our advocate. The Bible teaches that we ought not to sin. Our goal is that we will not sin, but who of us would say, oh, I’m perfect. I’ve never sinned or I don’t sin anymore. From time to time. We need to bow our hearts and heads before him in penitence. And he is the one who pleads our case. He makes intercession for us. He is the one, as verse 26 says, for such a high priest was fitting. He was appropriate for us. He is, what makes him appropriate? Why is he the one qualified? Well, notice five different characteristics. He’s holy. First of all, he’s like God. Pious. He is devout. Holy, he is pure. Furthermore, the next word is he’s harmless. When you look at Christ Jesus, he’s blameless, without guile.

He’s without malice or ill will. The next word is he’s undefiled. He’s without any sin. Though he was tempted in all points, like as we are. And separate from sinners. He’s set apart by reason of no sin. It doesn’t mean that he does not understand, for the scripture clearly says he understands and has come to the aid of us. But he himself has not sinned. He’s set apart by reason of having no sin. And then finally, verse 26, he is made higher or become higher than the heavens. Where is he? Look at chapter 8, verse 1, just a few verses down where the scripture says this is the main point of the things we’re saying. We have such a high priest who’s seated at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens.

His sacrifice was made once for all. Non-changeable priesthood. He does not need another one to come and take his place, for he will not die. Since indeed, the time that he arose from the grave and seated at the right hand of God, he evermore makes petition or intercession for us. Interesting, our Mormon friends have in their order. What they call the order of Aaron and the Order of Melchizedek. Young men from age 12 can be a priest of the order of Aaron. And when they reach 18, they can become a priest after the order of Melchizedek. You thought and think about that. If they would just read the scriptures, those who are of the order of Aaron are something Christ couldn’t be because he was not of the tribe of Levi.

And those who claim to be of the order of Melchizedek is something that only Christ could be, because it’s non-transferable. So they miss it on both points. But it tells that mystery, I guess it is, appeals to a lot of people. And so he’s come in, and Joseph Smith indeed and others who follow after him have adopted some things. Yeah, it’s got some Bible for it, but it’s so misused of it. But here the scripture speaks of Jesus. Look at verse 27 and 8. Who does not need daily as those high priests to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins and then for the peoples. For this he did once for all, when he offered up himself. The high priest under the law of Moses of the tribe or the order of Aaron had to first of all offer the animal sacrifice.

He’d take a goat out in front of the tabernacle of the temple, and then take blood of the one that he would take into the Holy of Holies, and offer the sacrifice, first for himself and then for the people. Christ didn’t have to offer for himself, for he was holy without sin. But he did offer for all. Verse 28, for the law appoints as high priests, men who have weakness. But the word of the oath which came after the law appoints the Son who has been perfected forevermore. He is made complete, he is made whole, he has brought for you and for me that promise of life everlasting. Look on over to Hebrews chapter 9, where in verses 24 through 28 of that verse, and all this ties together, of course, when he says in Hebrews 9, verse 24, Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself.

Now to appear in the presence of God for us. Not that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters the most holy place every year with blood of another.

Conclusion

But now, once at the end of the ages, he has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was once or was offered once to bear the sins of many. And of those who eagerly wait for him, he will appear a second time apart from sin for salvation. What a thrilling thought. We’re able to approach the Lord today in prayer. And if so, even plead for forgiveness of sins as we repent. And we know that the blood of Jesus Christ has made possible the forgiveness. We approach, He’s able to save to the uttermost. Not any one of us could say, Well, you know, I’m too sinful. I won’t do me any good.

It will do good. If you’re not right with Christ, you need to turn in obedience to him. What a savior we have. No matter how great we may think we’ve sinned, it too can be forgiven. If the crucifixion or the murder of Christ could be forgiven, then it was. To those who repented and obeyed the Lord. You stop and think. What does it mean? We have a high priest after the order of Melchizedek, guaranteed of our own salvation by him. And he was made a high priest, and God will not relent from it because by an oath, Jesus Christ was ordained to be like Melchizedek, greater than Abraham, and with a priesthood greater than that of Aaron’s. What a privilege. Think about these things. Let’s close with a word of prayer.

Almighty God, we are truly grateful for your love. We somewhat are overwhelmed when we look into the depth of your word.

Not according to the thoughts of man, for your thoughts are higher than man’s thoughts, and your ways are higher than man’s ways. And yet we’re privileged to come to know you, and to be in fellowship with you, and have that hope and that promise of life everlasting with you. Help us, therefore, Father, to so live that heaven indeed will be our home. And may we glorify you in our lives every day. Keep us now as we go through our period of study in our Bible classes, be with the teachers and the students. May we be edified. And then as we come later to worship, as we partake of the Lord’s Supper and be strengthened again by another lesson, we pray that all would be done to your glory and to your honor.

Keep us now, for we pray in the name of the Christ. And amen.