by Larry Curl

The Magnificence of Christ

(Part 8)

The Magnificence of Christ as our Great High Priest (Continued…)

We will begin with a quick review of Hebrews chapter 7, verses 23 through 25.

²³ Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; ²⁴ but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. ²⁵ Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

Verses 23 reaffirms that a new priesthood was needed because the old one consisted of mortal men who had to continually be replaced when they died. Their priesthood was temporary.  In contrast, verse 24 establishes that because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.

And because Jesus priesthood is permanent “…he is able to save completelythose who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

Here’s what John Piper says about verse 25:

“Our Salvation Depends on the Work of Christ Forever and Ever”

“Now the second great implication of verse 25 is that our future salvation depends on the active work of Christ forever and ever, not just on the past work of Christ or on our past decisions and commitments. It says that Christ is able to save forever . . . since he always lives to make intercession for us. In other words, he would not be able to save us forever if he did not go on interceding for us forever.

This means our salvation is as secure as Christ’s priesthood is indestructible. This is why we needed a priest so much greater than any human. Christ’s deity secures his indestructible priesthood for us.

This means we should not talk about our salvation in static terms the way we often do—as if I did something once in an act of decision, and Christ did something once when he died and rose again, and that’s all there is to it. That’s not all there is to it. This very day I am being saved by the eternal intercession of Jesus in heaven. Jesus is praying for us and that is our salvation.”

The continual work of intercession that Jesus does on our behalf, as our eternal great high priest, is just more grace upon grace!

And going back to chapter 7 verse 26…

^26” Such a high priest truly meets our need”!!

And such a high priest is truly magnificent!!

Now we will move on to Hebrews chapter 8.

The High Priest of a New Covenant

Hebrews 8:1-6, “1 Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, ² and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.³ Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. ⁴ If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. ⁵ They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” ⁶ But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.

This passage of Scripture brings out several important truths about Jesus’ ministry as high priest as compared to the earthly high priests that served under the law.

1. Jesus serves as high priest in the sanctuary that is in heaven.

• “We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven…” (vs 1)

• It is “…the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being” (vs 3)

• “…serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. (vs 5) This sanctuary was built by human hands.

• Jesus offered himself as the sacrifice for sins.

• “…But he (Jesus) has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:26)

• In contrast, the earthly priests offered up earthly sacrifices such as the blood of animals. “Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices…” (vs 3) (will see more about this in chapter 9 and 10 of Hebrews)

• Jesus’ ministry as high priest is superior to that of the earthly priests.

• ⁶ But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one…”

• This is true because the old one was established under the law and we saw earlier in Hebrews chapter 7 verses 18 and 19 that ^“The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless ¹⁹ (for the law made nothing perfect…”

• But, the new priestly ministry of Jesus is established under the new covenant and “… the new covenant is established on better promises.” (Hebrews 8:6)

• And the better promises are founded by what we saw back in chapter 7 verse 16 “…one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry, but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life.

The Blood of Christ is Superior to the Blood of Animals

Hebrews 9:11-28, “11But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. ¹² He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtainingeternal redemption. ¹³ The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. ¹⁴ How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

Before the earthly priests could enter the Most Holy Place in the tabernacle, they had to first be cleansed by sprinkling themselves with the blood of goats and bulls.

But when Jesus came as high priest, he entered the “Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood…”

The blood of goats and bulls that the priests used provided an outward cleansing, but it did not take away sin. Hebrews 10:4 “It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” And Hebrews 10:11 “Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again, and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins…”

But, the blood of Christ, who was the perfect lamb of God, does much more than provide an outward cleansing!

Jesus’ blood frees us from sin!

Revelation 1:5-6 ESV

“And from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Jesus’ blood has made us holy!

Hebrews 10:10

“And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

Jesus’ blood cleanses our consciences!

Hebrews 9:14

“How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”

John Piper comments on Hebrews 9:14

“So here we are in the modern age, the age of science, space travel—E-mail, heart transplants, instant replays, beepers, 911—and our problem is fundamentally the same as always: our consciences condemn us and make us feel unacceptable to God. We are alienated from God. We don’t feel good enough to come to him.

And no matter how distorted our consciences are, that much is true: we are not good enough to come to him.

We can cut ourselves, or throw our children in the sacred river, or give a million dollars to the United Way, or serve in a soup kitchen at Thanksgiving, or a hundred forms of penance and self-injury, and the result will be the same: the stain remains and death terrifies. We know that our conscience is defiled—not with external things like touching a corpse, a dirty diaper, or a piece of pork. Jesus said it is what comes out of a man that defiles, not what goes in (Mark 7:15-23). We are defiled by attitudes like pride and self-pity and bitterness and lust and envy and jealousy and covetousness and apathy and fear. Verse 14 says that these are “dead works”—that is, they have no spiritual life in them. They don’t come from new life; they come from death and they lead to death. That is why they make us feel hopeless in our consciences.

The Only Answer

The only answer in this modern age, as in every other age is the blood of Christ. When your conscience rises up and condemns you, where will you turn? Hebrew 9:14 gives you the answer: turn to Christ. Turn to the blood of Christ. Turn to the only cleansing agent in the universe that can give you relief in life and peace in death.”

That is the end Pipers’ commentary on verse 14.

But I wanted to add, that because we can now have a clean conscience through Jesus’ blood “we may serve the living God!” (last section of verse 14).We don’t need to be held back by guilt and feelings of unworthiness. We can now serve God freely!

There is a lot more in chapter 9 about Jesus as high priest, but to wrap up this series on the magnificence of Christ I wanted to end with Hebrews 10:19-23

A Call to Persevere in Faith

Hebrews 10:19-23

^“19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. “

We find several wonderful truths in this passage of Gods’ Word:

1. By the blood of Jesus, we can enter the Most Holy Place with confidence!
2. We can approach God in a “new and living way” that was opened up for us through Jesus body!
3. We can draw near to God in “full assurance”!

This was all provided for us through our Magnificent High Priest Jesus Christ!!

With this understanding, the author of Hebrews encourages us to “hold unswervingly to the hope we profess…”!

And we know we can hold on to this great hope because “…he who promised is faithful. “