CHRIST IS A SUPERIOR HIGH PRIEST 4:14-6:20

IV. CHRIST IS A SUPERIOR HIGH PRIEST 4:14-6:20

            (Warning” Don’t Become Dull Toward The Word 5:11-6:20)

            (Don’t Drift – Don’t Doubt – Don’t Become Dull)

A.    JESUS IS SUPERIOR TO EARTHLY HIGH PRIESTS IN POSITION AND ACCOMPLISHMENT 4:14-16

1.      The discussion of the Priesthood is the major theme of chapters 5 – 10

a.       It is hard to over emphasize the importance of the Priesthood to the Jewish mind. Tabernacle – Temple =- Aaron

b.      It was hard to grasp that something that had been such a vital part of their history and life was now no longer needed – was obsolete.

                                                1). i.e. Trauma associated with shutting down a company                                                    etc.

                                                2). The message is to let them know they are not without a                                                   Priest, a go between, and that Jesus is the Great High (lit.                                                    Great) Priest.

B.     FOUR WAYS IN WHICH JESUS IS A GREATER HIGH PRIEST. 4:14-16

1.      Jesus accomplished in actuality what all of the other Priest could only pre-figure or fore-shadow.

a.       “therefore” ties in with the description of Jesus in 2:17-31

b.      “gone through the heavens” not just the veil

                                                1). High priest once a year only.

                                                2). Bells were sewn in the hem of his robe – if bells stopped                                                 ringing …this was a reason for concern!

                                                3). Rope tied to one ankle in case something happened.

                                                4). Can you imagine the anxiety of listening for those bells?

                                                5). High Priest stayed no longer than necessary.

c.       All this pre-figured what Jesus would do one day.

                                                1). Heb. 8:1, 2 He is in the real Holy of Holies

                                                2). Heb, 9:11, 12 “once for all”

                                                3). Heb, 9:23-26

                                                4). He accomplished what they could on pre-figure.

2.      Jesus is a Great High Priest because He has a Greater Name – stature than they did V:14

a.       V:14 “Jesus, the Son of God”

                                                 1). Isa. 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is                                           given, and the government will be on his shoulders.                                               And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.                                     

2). Luke 1:31-32  Jesus…Son of the Most High

3). Matt. 1:23 God with us…Immanuel 3.     Jesus is a Great High Priest because He endured the fullness of temptations powers…without sin V:15 

a.      States the argument in the negative then the positive…we do not have…we have.

b.      Gnostic thought of the day tried to separate the flesh and deity.

                                       1). I John 4:1-3————-                                      2). He experienced a depth of temptation we will                                           never know.                                      3). Not every temptation, but every type of                                                   temptation. 4.     Jesus is a Greater High Priest because He supplies us with what no earthly High Priest could…V:16 a.      “Mercy” for our failuresb.     “grace” for the strength to endure

c.       I John 2:1, 2 “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

                                                1). NASV “advocate” paraclete

                                                2). See 2:18…come to the aid of…same idea.

d.      “with confidence”

e.       “approach” lit continually approaching

f.       I John 1:6-7 “

C.     QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST(Type) of WHAT EARTHYL HIGH PRIEST WERE ONLY AN ANTI-TYPE (SHADOW) 5:1-10

                        NOTE: Vs 1-4 the Qualifications and 5-10 How Jesus fulfills them.

1.      Vs: 1-3 A Common Humanity

a.       The High Priest could relate to the weakness and the sin of the people – they had to offer a sacrifice for their own sins first, then the people. Vs: 2, 3 lit. “keep on making”

b.      “From” men to represent “men” V:1

c.       The Sin Problem – Separation from a Holy God

                                                1). Outer Court – Inner Court – Holy Place – Holy of                                                           Hollies.

                                                2). Priest and the priesthood was a relationship of                                                                 reconciliation. NO priest, no forgiveness, no relationship                                                      with God.

                                                3). You see a strong transference of  this idea in the                                                              Catholic Church and there Priest/People relationship.

 d.      “Gentleness is a product of shared weakness” 

2.      V: 4 Must Be Called By and Appointed by God – No Exceptions.

a.       Examples of those who tried to make an exception.

                                                1). Saul I Sam. 13 – didn’t wait for Samuel and lost his                                                        kingdom.

                                                2). Korah and his following: Numbers 16 – earth                                                                  swallowed them.

                                                3). King Uzziah – tried to offer incense in the temple and                                                    was struck with leprosy II Chron. 26:16-21.

b.      Now he will show how Jesus meets and surpasses these qualifications – Will start with the last one first.

3.      Jesus was called and appointed by God Vs: 5,6

a.       Quotes Psa. 2:7 the coronation Psalm.

                                                1). Not speaking of His birth but His resurrection

                                                2). Acts 13:33-34

b.      Quotes Psa. 110:4

                                                1). Jesus not from the tribe of Levi, thus not eligible to                                                         serve through that line.

                                                2). Melchizedek – Will deal with him later in Chapter 7,                                                       but he was a Priest and a King.

c.       “Forever” Six times the writer will affirm that Jesus’ Priesthood is for ever: 5:6; 6:20; 7:17, 21, 24, 28.

d.      Since He is Priest forever, He gives His people salvation forever…7:23-25

4.      Jesus not only has the appointment, He has the Humanity to relate and to understand 5:7-10

a.       NASV “days of his flesh”

                                                1). John 1:14 “Word became flesh”

                                                2). Uses the Garden and not the cross as an example

b.      The Garden:

                                                1). The Reality of the Cross and its consequences was once                                                  for all settled here in the Garden.

                                                2).”saved from death” Not saved from dieing, but by being                                                             held by death’s power in the grave. Lit. “out of death”

                                                3).”he was heard” answered – fulfilled in the resurrection.

                                                4). “not my will” he wanted the will of the Father more                                                        than His own.

                                                5). “loud cries and tears”

                                                            A). Matt. 26:38 “overwhelmed” “sorrow even unto                                                              death.”

                                                            B). Luke 22:44 “being in agony” The aroist                                                                           participle suggests a growing intensity in his prayer                                                               to the point of reaching agony…tern used only                                                                  here…term also used by medical writers.

                                                6).”learned obedience” Not the first learning of obedience                                                   and other things – talk, walk, read, etc. (He learned what it                                                  was like to know what needed to be done and not want to                                                       do it, but do it anyway)

                                                7). “source of eternal salvation”

                                                8). “all who obey Him” We are talking about a life                                                                commitment, not just a one time profession of faith.

NOTE: The Hebrew Christians has suffered and would suffer even more deeply in the future. The Writer holds Jesus up as an example of how to do what they will be called to do in the near future.

1. I Peter 2:13-25 (20-21)————————–
2. Isa. 53:3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.…

D.    Warning: Don’t become dull toward the word 5:11 – 6:12

(This section covered by Jim Pounders.)

E.     The Assurance of our Hope 6:13-20

1.      God’s promise to Abraham:

a.       Gen. 12:1-4 God Calls a 75 year old idol worshiper.

b.      Gen. 13:14-18 Years pass and still no child/heir.

c.       Gen. 15:1-5…ff This was called, “cutting a covenant” It signified that if either parties did not fulfill their part, they should be cut asunder as punishment.

d.      But only God passes through! He assumes the responsibility of fulfilling the covenant.

e.       25 years later Isaac is born – name meant laughter

f.       Gen. 22:2 A shocking command!!!

                                                1). “we will worship and we will return to you”

                                                2). Heb. 11:17-19

g.      V:16, God swears an oath to a man.

h.      V:15 said he received it. When is this promise fulfilled? When He saw Jesus face to face.

i.        We too are apart of the fulfillment of this promise Gal. 3:7-9

2.      How do you have such a hope?

a.       Vs:11, 12 Read!————

b.      V:17, 18 We are the Heirs!!! Two things make our hope sure.

         1). His promise

         2). His oath.

         3). “Fled for refuge” pictures the cities of refuge Numbers                   35.

SIDE NOTE: Promises are not new to us. We hear and see them made all the time, and we also see them broken many times. I doubt that those of us in this room can see we have kept “every” promise we have ever made. Many reasons for our failures; we forget, we are neglectful, and there may also be circumstances beyond our control.

A promise is of no more value than the ability of the one who made it to carry it out. It also includes the willingness to carry it out. When we consider the promises of God we are speaking of one with whom it is IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO LIE. With God we are speaking of one who has a perfect track record of doing what He said He would do, to the point of promising to sacrifice His Son and then DOING IT. All promises since that one are a piece of cake.

As we close this chapter I want us to look at six of the promises that God has made to us.

3.      Six Promises of God:

a.       He has promised to supply every need we have.

                                                1). Phil. 4:19 “And my God will meet all your needs                                                                        according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

                                                2). Not our wants or things we have come to think of as                                                                   needs.

           

b.      God has promised that His grace is sufficient for us.

                                                1). II Cor. 12:7-10 “7To keep me from becoming conceited                                                  because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was                                                     given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to                                                     torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it                                                             away from me. 9But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient                                                   for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”                                                            Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my                                                               weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10That                                                   is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults,                                                in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am                                                 weak, then I am strong.”

                                                2) Notice how Paul came to a point in his life where he                                                        delighted in weakness! That is a picture of maturity we                                                        don’t often hear preached.

c.       God has promised to govern the temptations that come out way and also provide a way of escape.

                                                1). I Cor. 10:13 “13 No temptation has seized you except                                                     what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let                                                you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you                                                     are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can                                                      stand up under it.

                                                2). During the last days of my Father’s life my mom                                                             struggled and dealt with a lot. I told her God had paid her a                                                            great compliment, etc.

d.      God has promised us a victory over death – no more fear of                dyeing.

                                                1). Heb. 10:26-27 “26If we deliberately keep on sinning                                                       after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no                                                          sacrifice for sins is left, 27but only a fearful expectation of                                                         judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies                                                  of God.”

                                                2) I John 4:15ff

                                                3). II Cor. 5:10-11 Note Fear here is for the lost

e.       God promises to work in and through the events that happen in our lives.

                                                1). Rom. 8:28 “28And we know that in all things God                                                         works for the good of those who love him, who have                                                           been called according to his purpose.”

                                                2). Even if we can not “see” Him, He is at work.

f.       God has promised that we can KNOW we have eternal life.

                                                1). John 10:27-30 “27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know                                                  them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and                                                    they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my                                                      hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater                                                           than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.                                                     30 I and the Father are one.”

                                                2). I John 5:13 “13 I write these things to you who believe                                                   in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that                                                   you have eternal life.”