0730 THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST

JULY 30 = HEBREWS 5

THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST

Back in the second chapter, the author introduced Jesus as the great high priest. I didn’t grow up in a church where we had priests, so I didn’t have a full appreciation for what a priest was there to do. But let’s just say it’s a big deal.

At the end of chapter 4, the subject came up again.

“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.”

‭‭The duty of any priest is to serve as a bridge between heaven and earth, between God and mankind. The priest represents the prayers and intentions of people before the throne of God, and then delivers to the people the message God has given in answer. It requires someone who is fully human, understanding weaknesses and fully empathizing with them, rather than someone who is holier than the rest of us, who comes before God to roll his eyes and slander God’s creation. Jesus does this work of a great high priest to perfection. He was tempted in every way, so he knows our weaknesses. And yet he did not sin, so he is able to represent us and serve as that bridge, over whom we are able to cross. And so we receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Which is always, when we are talking to a perfect creator God. Thanks be to God for this indescribable gift of Christ Jesus!

So, what does that high priest carry out in order to bring us to God? The writer elaborates:

“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.”

What our great high priest did was first to offer up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears. He had those earnest prayers because of his humanity, pleading to let the cup pass from him. Also he knew deeply the hearts of all people, whom he had come to save.

And our great high priest was heard because of his reverent submission to the will of his father. Even though he was a son, he came to carry out the will of another. And notice this path that he cut for us: He learned obedience from what he suffered. That’s how we learn obedience, too, you know. We suffer. It softens our hearts. It breaks our self-wills. And it makes us quicker to obey the next time.

But Jesus was always instant in his obedience. So once he was made perfect (remember how he said it is finished on the cross?), he became our source of eternal salvation and he was designated as high priest. We’ll get to Melchizedek later, but the point here is that he always stands in that position as the bridge between heaven and earth, and when we follow his path of obedience, we are able to arrive in favor with God and receiving eternal life, with our high priest!

Perhaps with Count Zinzendorf, as we enter, we can sing praise to Jesus our High Priest:

“Thou great high priest, add incense to the prayers thy saints now offer

Come hear our hearts and add thy grace to candles burning in this place

To keep us burning brightly.

An ear which always hears a prayer, an eye that blinks or sleep not

As children, Lord, we long for Thee to be our Priest with lips and feet

and lead us through our trials.

Our hands will bless, our souls convene, our bodies are Thy temple

Our souls reborn with labor pains which no one fully understands

Until this life is over.

Our Friend Thou art, thou Faithful One, come pour out spirit and fire

And every time we come and sing add incense to our offering

And hold our hands up higher

Hold our hands up higher!