What a Priest - Perfect Intercessor and Sacrifice!

The writer of Hebrews was concerned that the readers were not ready for deeper truths of the faith. In chapter 5, he warned them not to be satisfied with milk when they should be eating meat. He mentioned Melchizedek but chose to wait until chapter 7 to explain his importance. This is passage reveals the beauty, the majesty, the all sufficiency of Jesus as our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. Here, we see the importance of Melchizedek as one who helps us more fully understand the greatness of Jesus our Savior Who is beyond compare.

We all need to savor the majesty of Jesus. The more we understand Him, the less likely we will turn away. When many think of Jesus, they think of the cross which is such an important place. But, Hebrews 7 gives us a picture of our Savior from eternity past to eternity future. Too many people are not secure in their faith because they are not certain Jesus can do what He says. Read chapter 7 and see that Who Jesus is determines what He can do!

I encourage you to prayerfully dig into chapter 7. For now, I will focus on the last 3 verses, 26, For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27, He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. 28, For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever. The force of these verses is that Jesus, our High Priest, has a superior sacrifice because it is based on His person, it was the sacrifice of Himself, and His priesthood was based on an oath.

We should revel in Jesus’ nature. R. Kent Hughes, . . . it seems that the author stands back in awe as he celebrates the superior character of Christ the high priest. He is holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens. The word for holy means devout in contrast to another word translated holy which means set apart. Innocent means literally, without evil. Unstained means pure in a religious and moral sense. William L. Lane, Taken together, these three adjectives describe the sinlessness of the high priest . . . In contrast to the Levitical high priest, of whom there was demanded only ritual purity (Lev 21:11) and bodily integrity (Lev 21:17).

The writer continues by describing Jesus as separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. Separated from sinners can mean the contrast between mankind’s sinfulness and Jesus’ sinlessness. Some believe it is tied to exalted above the heaven. William L. Lane, . . . his actual entrance before the divine presence, where he accomplishes the ministry of intercession. That is a beautiful separation since our High Priest is at the right hand of the Majesty on high, always concerned about those who place faith in Him alone.

Because of Jesus’ sinless nature, He not only represents us before God but was our sacrifice. Levitical priests had to offer daily sacrifices for their sins but for Jesus there was no need. In addition, Jesus’ sacrifice was once for all time. Hebrews 9:12, he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. Raymond Brown, Jesus was not only the perfect priest; he was the perfect sacrifice. In this letter Christ is priest, sacrifice, altar and even the ‘curtain' which was rent on that first Good Friday so that everyone might have direct access to God.

Jesus’ sacrifice is superior because it is based on God’s oath. Zane Hodges, Thus the Law appointed as high priests those who were weak, but the oath, which came after the Law, appointed this kind of Priest. Accordingly the readers could go to Him at all times, fully confident of His capacity to serve their every need. Ray Stedman, Such then is our Melchizedek, God’s provision for help in our daily life, incomparable in greatness, inexhaustible in resource, infinite in patience, infallible in wisdom and interested in all that concerns us.

I encourage you to join the study of Hebrews 7 under the Books of the Bible tab. Who He is determines what He can do!