Hebrews
5:1 For every high priest taken from among
men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer
both gifts and sacrifices for sins: 2 Who can have compassion on
the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is
compassed with infirmity. 3 And by reason hereof he
ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. 4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself,
but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. 5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be
made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I
begotten thee. 6 As he saith also in another place, Thou
art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
This
Melchisedec is the meat. This has to do with an eternal High Priest, pointing
to Jesus Christ. This eternal priesthood points us to settled truth, that Jesus
is and always will be our high priest. This points to the fact that old age is
passing away and that the time for all other earthly priests was ending.
7 Who in the days of
his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying
and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that
he feared; 8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience
by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he
became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
He
learned obedience by the things which He suffered is meat. Since Jesus is the
perfect perpetual priest, He is the author of eternal salvation unto those who
obey Him.
Heb. 5:10
Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. 11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard
to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
12 For
when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you
again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are
become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
EXHORDIUM
13 For every one that
useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a
babe. 14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of
full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to
discern both good and evil.
He is exhorting them to teach rather than needing
taught. Of course, you need a teacher. Our teacher is the Lord Jesus Christ,
Himself. He has appointed teachers in the church. Paul stirred up the faithful with continual
reminders. He wanted them to press on into the deep things of God but was
unembarrassed to remind them again and again of the foundation that is Christ.
As Paul pushes his argument about the priesthood
of Melchizedek we see that he is talking about Christ. Christ had no beginning
and He has no end. He is the new order of priesthood and now the only priest,
the perpetual priest. All the speculation about the Christ, who He is, what He
means, what that means to those who have faith in Him and those who reject Him,
is all settled. We do not need to continually lay that foundation. Instead, we
look forward to that which God will do to us, for us and with us, in Christ. We
press on to the higher calling. We expect God to fulfill His promises to us in
Jesus.
These deep things have to do with God’s
purpose in history. It is just as certain as the foundations that God has laid
down in Christ. But unless our foundations are sure, we have no faith in the
security of the rest of the building.
Chapter 6 says if you have been enlightened
in Christ and have tasted of Him but turn back, then it is hard to revive you
again to faithfulness. So, don’t do that, press on. We believe better things
for you.
Minister to the saints. This gives you
assurance of God’s working in your lives. Assurance is one of the deeper things
of God. Stop doubting God’s goodness and rest in it. Do you love the saints?
This is a testimony of God’s active work in your life. Endure that you might
inherit the promises of God in Christ.
As we look forward, we see Jesus in
heaven at the right hand of the Father, our high priest, in the Holy of Holies
for us, taking away sin, praying for us. This is the anchor of the soul.
Jesus is the High Priest on the power
of an indestructible life. That ought to give us great hope.
Heb. 8:1 Now the main point in what has been said is this:
we have such a ahigh priest, who has taken His seat at bthe right
hand of the throne of the bMajesty in the heavens, 2 a aminister 1in the sanctuary, and 1in the btrue 2tabernacle,
which the Lord cpitched, not man.
Heb.
8:10 “aFOR
THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL
AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD:
I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS,
AND I WILL WRITE THEM bUPON THEIR HEARTS.
AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD,
AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
11 “aAND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE
HIS FELLOW CITIZEN,
AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, ‘KNOW THE LORD,’
FOR bALL SHALL KNOW ME,
FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM.
12 “aFOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR
INIQUITIES,
bAND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE.”
13 1When He said,
“aA
new covenant,”He has made the first obsolete. bBut whatever is becoming
obsolete and growing old is 2ready to disappear.
The
message here is clear. The New Covenant is a greater covenant based on better
promises. The Old Covenant is old and about to disappear. This will usher in an
era where the people of God stream into His Kingdom in unprecedented numbers.
Heb.
10:11 11 And
every priest stands daily ministering and aoffering time after time the same
sacrifices, which bcan never take away sins;
12 but
He, having offered one sacrifice afor 1sins bfor all time, cSAT DOWN
AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, 13 waiting from that time
onward aUNTIL
HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET.
Heb. 10: 18 Now where there is forgiveness of these
things, there is no longer any offering for sin.
Jesus has perfected those who have faith in Him,
once for all. This has to do with our eternal rest in Christ. This is the full
assurance he is speaking of. As long as we look to Jesus as our High Priest,
our eternal salvation is absolutely secure.
Heb. 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the
holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 By a new and living way,
which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his
flesh; 21 And having an high priest over the
house of God; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and
our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the
profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful
that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke
unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the
assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but
exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day
approaching.
I
am glad we say this each Lord’s Day. We are assuring ourselves that we can draw
near to God because we are in Christ and Christ is at the right hand of the
Father.
It is still possible to trample under
foot the blood of the covenant but we believe better things for you.
Heb. 10:35 Cast not away therefore your
confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. 36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye
have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come
will come, and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live
by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in
him. 39 But we are not of them who draw back unto
perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
So, let us continue on in faith, believing God. We
get the great faith chapter 11, of all those who believed God but never fully
saw the promise. Nevertheless, they have received it now. We are to have faith
like them as we look and walk forward. God is not slow about His promises, so
have faith, Heb. 11:1 Now
faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Heb. 12:1
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud
of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily
beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before
us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our
faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the
shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider him that endured such
contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your
minds.
Chapter 12 speaks of discipline. The Lord
chastens those He loves. This is so that we can grow up, eat strong meat and
stay faithful. This, too, is the deep things of God, and ought to give us
assurance of His care for us.
Heb. 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a
kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God
acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
29 For
our God is a consuming fire.13:1
Let brotherly love continue.
Having said all this, what does he then tell us
to do? It sounds like the basics but it is built upon the foundation and the
deep things of God, the enduring priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Chapter 13
says,
1.
Love the brothers.
2.
Entertain strangers
3.
Remember those in bonds
and those that suffer adversity
4.
Be faithful in your
marriages and no fornication or adultery
5.
Don’t covet and be
content
6.
Take the Lord as your
helper and do not fear man
7.
Remember your elders and
imitate them as they imitate Christ
8.
Don’t follow strange
doctrines and food fads
9.
Continue to offer the
sacrifice of praise in thanksgiving
10. Obey your
elders so they can watch over you with joy instead of grief
Finally, he bestows a blessing on them and we
will end with the blessing. Because Jesus is our eternal High Priest, we look
to Him in faith as the author and finisher of our faith. We can rest assured and we can live out our
days doing that which He has called us to, mainly, love God, love the brothers.
So, we know that if we look to Jesus, our works are indeed well pleasing in His
sight.
Heb. 13:20 Now
the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great
shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his
will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus
Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
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