Heb 4:14 Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
Heb 4:15 For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as weare, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need.
Why do we have a great high-priest?
-Better then the Levitical priest.
We needed a better priest because the priest of the Old Testament could not take away nor forgive sin. They themselves needed to sacrifice for themselves. A better priest and priesthood was needed.
| Old testament priesthood |
Tekst |
Christ |
|---|---|---|
Appointed by God |
Hebr. 5: 4-6 |
Appointed by God |
Offers also for himself |
Hebr. 5: 3 |
Not for Himself |
After the order of Aaron |
Hebr. 6: 20, 7: 11 |
After Melchizedek |
Died (discontinued) |
Hebr. 6: 20; 7: 23, 24 |
High Priest forever |
Sinful |
Hebr. 5: 3; 7: 26 |
Perfect |
Offered daily |
Hebr. 7: 27, 28 |
Once for all |
Earthly tabernacle |
Hebr. 8: 2; 9: 11; 9: 24 |
True tabernacle |
First covenant had fault |
Hebr. 8: 7 |
Faultless |
Cannot make the worshipper perfect |
Hebr. 9: 9; 9: 14; 10: 3, 4 |
Can make perfect |
The writer had already proved:
In chapter 4-10 the writer will prove that Christ was also superior over the priest and their services.
Zech. 6: 13
Zech 6:13 Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
He is holding up the ideal and perfect high-priesthood.
He has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Jesus was tempted in all ways that we are tempted, yet He remained without sin.
We see evidence of this in Matthew 4 where Jesus is tempted by the Devil.
Sometimes people ask how is is possible that Christ was tempted in all things.
They reason that since he was not married, He could not have been tempted in these areas.
That since He had no children he could not have been tempted in these areas.
The answer to that question is that the nature of temptation remains that same, whatever the circumstances are.
There are three areas of temptation. (1 Joh. 2: 16)
So, Christ was tempted in all these areas yet He was without sin.
Can we say this about the (high) priest of the old covenant?
That is why it was needed that another priest would come, Him to be the perfect priest.
The Bible talks about different heavens.
This means that He is in heaven. Jesus in His ascension, described in Acts 1: 9, went throught the different heavens to be raised and being seated at the right hand of God.
He has an exalted position.
So, now we have a high-priest that is seated at Gods right hand. And He is our intercessor.
He is the one that now pleads for them that are faithful to God the Father.
Because we have this great and perfect high-priest we need to hold fast to that confession. The confession that He is our priest, that he is our intercessor, that He pleads for us by the Father.
Why are we to hold fast our confession?
Acts 4: 12
Act 4:12 And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved.
Christ is the only way to God, Christ is the only advocate, so we need to hold fast and not let go. If we let go of Christ we have nothing left.
In Matthew 16: 16 Peter gave the confession that Jesus was: “the Christ, the Son of the living God”. That is the confession that we need as well. That is the only confession that can stand in the day of judgement.
If we fall away or renounce Christ there is nothing left for us that condemnation.
He can be touched. He is one that has compassion and He understands.
He is king, He is great in power, glory, majesty, having in His hands all authority.
He is also full of compassion and love.
The word “touched”in our text:
G4834 sumpatheō
Thayer Definition:
1) to be affected with the same feeling as another, to sympathise with
2) to feel for, have compassion on
In the KJV this word is only used two times.
A related word (4835) is found in 1 Peter 3: 8
It is feeling it by reason of a common experience with men. (us)
Jesus has experienced all the same troubles and heartaches, He understands these pains and troubles. Therefore He is the best high-priest we can have.
As a priest, understanding our troubles he pleads with the Father.
Why do we want to let go of such a hight-priest.
He is the best we can find. Let us hold fast to Him.
And because He is what He is we can draw near with a heart of assurance.
Because of the office of Christ, we have full and bold reason to draw near to the Father.
Christ is the true minister of the heavenly sanctuary.
The throne of grace.
He is seated on the right hand of the Father. We can bring all things to Him.
1Jo 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
With boldness and confidence.
In all these things we are more then conquerers in Christ.
He has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ.
He truly is the way, the light and the truth.
Christ being our great and loyal intercessor.
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