The%20Superior%20Priesthood%20of%20Jesus%20Christ

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The Superior Priesthood of Jesus Christ
Hebrews
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The Overarching Theme of Hebrews

• Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly
  calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High
  Priest of our confession. (Hebrews 31)
• Since then we have a great high priest who has
  passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God,
  let us hold fast our confession. (Hebrews 414)

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• Now the main point in what has been said is this
  we have such a high priest, who has taken His
  seat at the right hand of the throne of the
  Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the
  sanctuary, and in the true tabernacle, which the
  Lord pitched, not man. (Hebrews 81-2)

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• In the summary and application section, all of
  our response is grounded in two essentially
  connected truths
• Since we have confidence to enter the holy place
  by the blood of Jesus (1019)
• Since we have a great high priest over the house
  of God (1021)

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The characteristics of our great high priest.

• What we have in the person of Jesus (The
  majesty of our high priest)(11-728).
• What we have in provisions of Jesus (The
  ministry of our high priest)(81-1018).
• What we should do in the pursuit of Jesus (Our
  ministry as His priests)(1019-1325).

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• Now the main point in what has been said is this
  we have such a high priest, who has taken His
  seat at the right hand of the throne of the
  Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the
  sanctuary, and in the true tabernacle, which the
  Lord pitched, not man. (Hebrews 81-2)

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What kind of priest do we have?

• For the Law appoints men as high priests who are
  weak, but the word of the oath, which came after
  the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.
  (Hebrews 728)

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Implications of this three-fold description

• A Sonsuperior in nature (11-413)
• Made perfectsuperior in experience (414-620)
• Foreversuperior in tenure (71-28)

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The OT Background

• Messenger of God to the people
• For the lips of a priest should preserve
  knowledge, and men should seek instruction from
  his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of
  hosts.

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The OT Background

• Minister of God in the tabernacle
• The priests role was to ensure the proper
  worship of God in the offering of incense and
  sacrifices, to offer holy sacrifices to God with
  reverence.

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• They shall teach Thine ordinances to Jacob, and
  Thy law to Israel. They shall put incense before
  Thee, and whole burnt offerings on Thine altar.
  (Deuteronomy 338-11)

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Jesus is presented as

• Messenger of God to the people
• Gods final spokesman (11ff)
• Gods first spokesman of the great salvation
  (23)
• Gods awesome present spokesman (1225)
• Consider him as the apostleof our confession
  (31).

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Jesus is presented as

• Minister of God in the tabernacle
• A minister in the sanctuary and in the true
  tabernacle (82)
• Consider him as the high priest of our
  confession (31).

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Jesus in these important roles is better than
His OT correspondents.

• He is mediator of a better covenant which has
  been enacted on better promises (86).
• He has obtained a more excellent ministry as
  priest (86).
• This better covenant and better ministry are
  grounded in fact that he has obtained a more
  excellent name! (14).

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The superior features of our high priest (that
is, in His person) are declared in three
principal areas.
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Superior in name or natureA Son

• His right to the world as His inheritanceheir
  of all things
• His work as creatorthrough whom also He made
  the worlds
• His divine splendorthe radiance of His glory
• His divine nature the exact representation of
  His nature

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Superior in name or natureA Son

• His role as sustainer of the created
  worldupholds all things by the word of His
  power
• His completed work as our great high priestwhen
  He had made purification of sins.
• His rule at the Fathers right handHe has sat
  down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.
• His more excellent namehaving become as much
  better than angels, as He has inherited a more
  excellent name than they.

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Jesus superiority to angels is clearly seen in
the OT Scriptures

• In the designation Son25-6.
• In His treatment as God, the served (worshipped)
  rather than the servant (the worshipper)16-7.
• In the designation God28-9.
• In the designation Lord210-12.
• In His position of rule at Gods right
  hand213-14.

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• As Gods Son, He is superior to angels, the
  heavenly mediators of the Law (14-14).
• As Gods Son, He is superior to Moses (and the
  prophets who followed him), the earthly mediator
  of the Law (31-6)
• As Gods Son, He is superior in nature to all who
  have participated in the history of Israels
  redemption.

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Superior or better in experience or
preparationMade perfect

• Glorious man became fallen and enslaved man.
• The last Adam tasted death for every man to
  redeem him from the fear of death and the slavery
  that results from it.
• All things have been put into subjection under
  Jesus feet.
• In order to occupy this place of dominion (which
  proves Him greater than angels) Jesus must first
  become lower than angels for a time that God
  might perfect the author of their salvation
  through sufferings (29-10).
• The result is that both Jesus and the seed of
  Abraham share a common relationship to God.
  They are all His sons and thus are brethren
  (211).

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It was necessary in Gods purpose for Him to
share our humanity and to be tested by suffering
so that He might

• Become a merciful and faithful high priest to
  make propitiation for the sins of the people
  (217).
• Come to the aid of the tempted (218).

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Our high priest he must not only share our
experience of suffering, he must also be made
perfect by learning the lesson of obedience.
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OT Priests Jesus contrasted
OT Priests Jesus
Called by God Appointed by oath
Beset with weakness Learned obedience through suffering
Makes offerings for self and others Makes offerings for others only
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Notice here the wonderful internal summary in the
expressions of 58-10.

• Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from
  the things which He suffered. And having been
  made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him
  the source of eternal salvation, being
  designated by God as a high priest according to
  the order of Melchizedek.
• Thus, Jesus, the Son was made perfect to
  serve as our high priest according to the order
  of Melchizedek (forever)!

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Superior or better in tenureForever!

• Jesus was called to serve as priest after the
  order of Melchizedek (59-10).
• This priesthood of Melchizedek is greater than
  the Aaronic priesthood (71-10).
• Therefore, the priesthood of Jesus brings in a
  better hope based on His permanent role as our
  high priest (711-28)

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OT Priests Jesus contrasted
OT Priests Jesus
Physical requirement Indestructible life
Not appointed by oath Appointed by oath
Vast numbers One priest
Make repeated sacrifices for themselves Makes sacrifice for others once for all
Weak A Son made perfect forever
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What did the message of Hebrews mean to the
original reader?
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What does the message of Hebrews mean to us?