“ Great High

Priest Forever ”Hebrews 4:14 – 5:10

Great High Priest Forever•Growing up I had Catholic friends, and thought everything about their churches to be foreign•Friends of mine would ask about my Dad and mistakenly call him a Priest•The main function of a priest is to represent the people to God•This book has special insight as to Jesus’ role now that other books do not•Let’s see what we can learn today…

“14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” 5 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to

God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; 2 he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; 3 and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. 4 And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. 5 So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him,

“YOU ARE MY SON,TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU”;6 just as He says also in another passage,“YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVERACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”7 In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. 8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He

suffered. 9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, 10 being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.”

Hebrews 4:14- 5:10 (NASB)

A. Great High Priest Sympathizes…•Vs 14 -16,

“14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Hebrews 4:14-16

A. Great High Priest Sympathizes…•Vs 14 -16, 33 years, He walked the Earth like us– same struggles and temptations•He knows weakness– no sin turns Him away•Yet He did NOT become identical to us•Some then argue, “Wait– how could He be tempted like us if He was God?”•I’d argue He was tempted even more…•He’s been there, so He understands

A. Great High Priest Sympathizes…•The gods of other religions are said to detach from their people and were careless•Like Greek Mythology– the gods’ primary attribute was ‘apatheia’– the ability to feel absolutely nothing at all•They has their own problems within the ranks, and had no time for humans’ stuff•Ancient Rabbis taught God had two thrones; Mercy and Judgment– they couldn’t reconcile both– but we see Jesus did!

B. Earthly Priests…•Ch 5:1-4,

5 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining toGod, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; 2 he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; 3 and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. 4 And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was.

Hebrews 5:1-4

B. Earthly Priests…•Ch 5:1-4, God established the office of the priesthood and the High Priest in Exodus 28– to simplify, we can list them in 3 categories

1. To officiate, directly or indirectly through lower-ranking priests, sacrifices unto the Lord

2. To have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, to minister the atoning sacrifices with a loving heart for the people• Ideally, because he knows he’s just as weak as they!

B. Earthly Priests…1. To officiate, directly or indirectly through

lower-ranking priests, sacrifices to the Lord2. To have compassion on those who are

ignorant and going astray, to minister the atoning sacrifices with a loving heart

3. To be called by God•All were Levites, but not all were priests•Not all degreed theologians are called to preach

C. Heavenly High Priest…•Vs 5-10,

“YOU ARE MY SON,TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU”;6 just as He says also in another passage,“YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVERACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK.”7 In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. 8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He

suffered. 9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, 10 being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.”

Hebrews 5:5-10 (NASB)

C. Heavenly High Priest…•Vs 5-10, Quoting Psalm 2:7, ‘begotten’ refers to Calvary, not Bethlehem•2 definitions for the Greek word, this one being, “Cause to arise”•The difference– when Aaron was HP, he sacrificed animals that covered only his sin until the next sacrifice– Jesus sacrificed Himself, then Arose!!!•Melchizedek– who was he?•Save it for Chapter 7…

C. Heavenly High Priest…•Let’s look back at vv 7-9

“7 In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. 8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which Hesuffered. 9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation…”

Hebrews 5:7-9 (NASB)

C. Heavenly High Priest…•Remember where Jesus cried out to the Father? Gethsemane•Mat 26 says He asked if possible for the “cup” to pass from Him•Was He asking to avoid the cross? •Remember underlining “save Him from death”?•The grammar is such that He is really asking “save me from death after its’s done”•Praying for resurrection, which the Father answered!!!

Take Home!!

•We have a heavenly Great High Priest who knows all things, even our weaknesses•We can come to Him directly without fear•No human can forgive us of our sins on behalf His behalf