Spring Disciple Formation Focus
Weekly Reading Schedule - Click Here
SPU Professor Dr. Rob Wall's online commentary - www.spu.edu/lectio
Hebrews 4-5: Jesus Our High Priest
Jesus staffs the help desk 24/7...and do we ever need it!
In my opinion, the most important theological lesson to learn in reading Hebrews is to recapture the truth that Jesus is our Great High Priest. This conviction comes from my own journey of spiritual growth. I had the privilege of studying for my doctorate in ministry at a seminary where this aspect of Jesus' ministry was given its rightful place of emphasis. This truth transformed my outlook on life and ministry. My Christian upbringing didn't emphasize it, nor did the seminary where I first studied to be a pastor. This might sound strange, considering that Dr. Rob Wall describes Jesus in his priesthood as "The Lead Pastor of a Wilderness Congregation." In spite of the fact that the priesthood of Christ was treasured by the theologians and pastors of the Protestant Reformation, over time it began to fade from view.
A study of Hebrews provides an excellent opportunity to recapture this foundational truth about Jesus. Hebrews 4:14-5:10 is the place where we learn about Jesus' Priesthood. Simply put, it answers the question: What is the post-Easter Jesus doing right now? Jesus lived and died, and rose from the dead, victorious over sin. He's the Savior we celebrate on Easter and strive to follow each and every day of the year. But what is he doing now? How can we describe the work that he's up to? And how does it benefit us? Let's find answers to these questions as we work our way through the text.
First, there was an ascension - Jesus is in heaven.
"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God..." (Hebrews 4:14).
As we learned in the first chapter of Acts (1:9), Jesus was transported (really, returned) to God's dwelling place, a place we call heaven. Sometimes we forget this part of the story. A question that reveals how much importance we give to the ascension is this one: "Where is Jesus right now?" If you're like me, your first impulse is to say "Wherever he wants to be" or "Everywhere." But the actual orthodox answer to the question is, as the Apostles' Creed reminds us, "at the right hand of God the Father." Wait a minute! If Jesus in heaven, how can we have a relationship with Jesus, or walk with him, or sense his presence? Simple: through the Holy Spirit. Now you have a theology that actually needs the third person of the Trinity. Jesus, victorious over death and glorified as Lord of all, can be with us by supernatural means through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings us the presence of Jesus, but Jesus remains in the control center of it all. Truly, a mystery, but a blessed one.
Jesus, in his priesthood, helps us hold firmly to the faith.
"...Since we have a great high priest...let us hold firmly to the faith we profess" (Hebrews 4:14).
Jesus' job as high priest is to help us hold firmly to the faith as we walk the journey toward God's goal for us. This is good news, because we're prone to stumble and fall or drift away in the process. It sure is nice to know that we're not alone in this walk of faith. When our faith is weak, Jesus holds onto us and gathers our grip into his, allowing us to hold on not by our own strength, but through his.
Jesus, in his priesthood, understands our human weaknesses.
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet he did not sin" (Hebrews 4:15). Here's why it's so important that God's Son became fully human - he needed to experience life as a human being in order to do this part of his Savior job description. As our great high priest, he is our helper extraordinaire, and he knows how to help us because he knows what we're going through. The text speaks of our weaknesses, and this calls us to get honest about what this word points to in our experience. It continues in a particular direction, that of "temptation." In our human weakness, we are tempted - tempted to give up when the going gets tough, tempted to do the wrong thing or avoid doing the right thing, tempted to give in to our insecure urges and bold desires. Here we learn that Jesus experienced it all, so he understands what we experience...he's able to empathize. And because he never gave into sin, he has the ability to help us find our way through temptation to faithfulness.
Jesus, in his priesthood, invites us to approach God with confidence.
"Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16).
The more we think about it, it's a fearful thing for a sinful, weak human being to approach the living God. How does that even work? Well, with the help of a priest to represent us in the process. With Jesus our High Priest stationed at God's throne of grace, we can approach confidently - confessing our sin and seeking mercy in forgiveness and grace in the form of helpful strength for living the right way. Bottom line: there is NO SHAME in being truthful with God about who we are - body, mind, soul. In fact, a good case could be made that we sail into troubled waters whenever we represent ourselves as better or more perfect than we truly are...and we miss out on the ministry of Jesus in the process.
Jesus, in his priesthood, represents us to God when sin is the subject.
"Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins" (Hebrews 5:1)
Did you catch that? "...from among the people." Jesus is only able to be a priest/helper for us because he was fully human. He represents us to God as one who has made a sacrifice for sins. What does Jesus as high priest do? He applies to us all the benefits of his saving sacrifice for sin. Yes, he did die once, for all - that's what makes him the Savior. But he keeps applying the benefits of the sacrifice into every need and nook and cranny of our lives - that's what Jesus does as our high priest.
Jesus, in his priesthood, deals gently with us when we are ignorant or going astray.
"He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness" (Hebrews 5:2).
In Jesus we find someone who deals with us gently - gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit that we find in Jesus as our helper. We could be ignorant - in need of growth and maturity and better judgement. We could be going astray - chasing after other gods and letting our desires drive us in directions God knows will cause us trouble. We could be? How about "we always are." But one thing that never changes is the gentleness of Jesus in helping us where and when we need it, to grow up in the faith and stay on the path.
Jesus, in his earthly life, prepared for his priesthood role through prayerful suffering.
"During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation..." (Hebrews 5:7-9).
When he walked this earth as one of us, Jesus gained experience in doing what priests do - offering up passionate prayers and petitions on behalf of those he loves. In his human sufferings he learned obedience that enabled him to be our savior and eternal helper. He can help us learn this kind of obedience to God's will.
And whenever we passionately cry out for help, we're never alone. Jesus' voice echoes in ours.
A Song Representing Jesus Our High Priest, our fully human brother who represents us to God the Father and lives to help us make it home.
"Brother" by NeedtoBreathe
Brother, let me be your shelter
Never leave you all alone
I can be the one you call
When you're feeling low
Brother, let me be your fortress
When the night winds are driving on
Be the one to light the way
Bring you home