Day 73. Hebrews 4:14 through 7. Jesus, our High Priest.
Next, the writer of Hebrews points out Jesus as a high priest: and not just any high priest, but a high priest "after the order of Melchizedek." What does that mean? Melchizedek is a sort of shadowy figure from the book of Genesis, who appears mysteriously to bless Abraham, and then disappears again. He is not apart of the formal line of priests. He is prior to the levitical priesthood. In fact, he does not even appear to be an Israelite. But he is unique, like Jesus.
The other priests -- they were good, make no mistake. But they had flaws. There were many of them. There had to be many of them. They all died, but Jesus continues for all time as our priest. As well, unlike the other priests, Jesus is blameless. He does not have to worry about his own sins or his own standing before God. He fully sympathizes with our weaknesses, but he himself has been made perfect.
Jesus is a priest, our high priest, which might seem a strange thing to our ears. What do we need a priest for? A priest is a mediator, an intercessor, someone who pleads for someone else, and most of us don't think this way. What do we need a mediator for? Was do we need an intercessor for? What could we be guilty of? We're pretty good, aren't we? Maybe we make mistakes sometimes, but nothing we have to worry about.
But the author of Hebrews and his/her congregation do believer they need a mediator. They know that they fall, and they want to be reconciled to God. Jesus is a good reconciler because as a human being, he sympathizes with our stumbling ways, but he always has the ear of God.
But what about us? Is it good news to us that Jesus is rest, or that Jesus is a high priest? How would you describe the good news of Jesus?
The other priests -- they were good, make no mistake. But they had flaws. There were many of them. There had to be many of them. They all died, but Jesus continues for all time as our priest. As well, unlike the other priests, Jesus is blameless. He does not have to worry about his own sins or his own standing before God. He fully sympathizes with our weaknesses, but he himself has been made perfect.
Jesus is a priest, our high priest, which might seem a strange thing to our ears. What do we need a priest for? A priest is a mediator, an intercessor, someone who pleads for someone else, and most of us don't think this way. What do we need a mediator for? Was do we need an intercessor for? What could we be guilty of? We're pretty good, aren't we? Maybe we make mistakes sometimes, but nothing we have to worry about.
But the author of Hebrews and his/her congregation do believer they need a mediator. They know that they fall, and they want to be reconciled to God. Jesus is a good reconciler because as a human being, he sympathizes with our stumbling ways, but he always has the ear of God.
But what about us? Is it good news to us that Jesus is rest, or that Jesus is a high priest? How would you describe the good news of Jesus?
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