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Jesus The Better High Priest – Hebrews 5
Jesus The Better High Priest – Hebrews 5
Under the Old Covenant, God appointed that men would approach Him with sacrifice through the mediatorship of a High Priest. God had chosen the Levites, then from them He chose the family of Aaron. He appointed that it would be the eldest of the sons of Aaron that would be the High Priest. The writer of Hebrews summarizes many of the points of such a High Priest.
· Must be chosen by God
· Acts on behalf of men
· This is done in relation to God
· He offers (to God) gifts and sacrifices
· These are for sin.
Although we are no longer under the Old Covenant and its regulation on worship, we have a High Priest – Jesus, the Son of God (4:14, 8:1).
· He was appointed by God for this (vs. 5)
· He acts on behalf of men.
· He does this in relation to God – but doe so in the very presence of the Father (2:17; 8:1).
· He offered HIMSELF as the greatest gift.
· He offered himself as the gift that takes away the sin of the world.
Yet there are some major differences between these two priesthoods. The priests of the order of Aaron had to offer sacrifice for themselves for they, like the people they served, had sinned (5:3). Jesus did not sin (Heb. 4:15). The old priests had to be replaced because they died. Jesus holds His priesthood forever in that he lives forever (7:25). The old priests offered the blood of animals, which could not take away man's sin (10:4, 11). Jesus offered the sacrifice of a perfect, sinless man that does take away sin. The old priests served in an earthly tabernacle that only pictured the presence of God. Jesus entered into heaven itself and presented His sacrifice (9:24; 8:1).
Jesus is our High Priest. Through Him we are made acceptable unto God. Through His sacrifice we are washed from our sins. There is ONE mediator between God and man, the man Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 2:5). Let with confidence come before God through this High Priest who loved us and gave himself for us.
Hugh DeLong
