Jesus - The Greater Priest and Priesthood - Part 2

Wonderful time of worship through song, I appreciate that. Think about something, we were just singing a great high priest whose name is love. We will see just how that fits in what we're looking at here in Hebrews. As a matter of fact, so much that we were singing really does come out of the verses and the message. I appreciate that. Well, if you would take your Bible and turn back to Hebrews chapter 7, we'll be in verses 20 to 28. We read those verses earlier in our scripture reading. We will read them again more than once throughout the message so that those verses will be solidified in our mind.

Now this morning we're going to finish up chapter 7, which is the most important chapter in the book of Hebrews. Now that is because chapter 7 is all about the priesthood of Jesus being in the order of Melchizedek and the fact that the priesthood of Jesus is also greater than that of the Levitical priesthood. Now notice how the author laid out his case. He's making an argument here in the chapter. He is forming a case in the argument. In the first section of the chapter, he argued that Melchizedek and his priesthood was greater than that of the Levitical priests in their priesthood. We saw that in verses 1 to 10.

And in the second section of the chapter, he argued that Jesus and his priesthood was in the order of Melchizedek or like that of Melchizedek and even greater than the priesthood of Melchizedek. And the author did not stop there. He went on to say that Jesus and his priesthood was and is greater than the Levitical priests and the Levitical priesthood as well. He even said that Jesus and his priesthood replaced the Levitical priesthood and made the Levitical priests and all of the priesthood there obsolete. Done away with, set aside. We see that in verses 11 to 28. Now think about those Jews who were receiving this teaching.

We know the context. We know the original recipients. This was a congregation that scholars tell us was comprised of Jewish believers. Some were genuine, some were not. The life they had been living under the ceremonial law and under the sacrificial system was really depressing. It was monotonous. It was drudgery. They were bound to an endless cycle of animal sacrifices that at the very best brought them temporary forgiveness and temporary peace. But for those Jews who had savingly embraced Christ Jesus, they were able to finally attain permanent forgiveness for sin before God and peace within.

They were even free from the ceremonial law and they were free from those endless sacrifices that they had to make year in and year out, day in and day out. But you know, I think about it in terms of people today. Sadly, there are people today. They have these new manmade ceremonial laws. They have these new religious sacrifices that they make and they do the same thing that these Jews did. An endless cycle of keeping laws and performing religious sacrifices.

Now last week we got started in verses 11 to 28 and we saw that these verses are all about the fact that Jesus was and is a greater high priest and that he is and possesses the greater priesthood. And in last week's message we covered verses 11 and 19 which are all about three arguments that the author puts forward in making his case that Jesus was greater. First he showed us the imperfections of the old covenant Levitical priesthood.

And not only did he make the case that the old covenant Levitical system and those ceremonial laws were unable to make a man permanently right with God, he went on to say that the entire Levitical system including the ceremonial law, those things were changed, they were abolished, they were replaced. We saw that in verses 11 to 12. And then next he showed that Jesus was in fact not a descendant from the tribe of Levi but from the tribe of Judah. And his heredity emphasized the fact that the priesthood of Jesus was a completely different order of a completely different kind. We saw that in verses 13 to 14.

Then third he explained the eternality of the priesthood of Jesus. And not only is his priesthood eternal, he explained that the priesthood of Jesus was and still is all powerful and indestructible which was the opposite of the Levitical priests because these were men who died. We saw that in verses 15 to 17. And then last he showed us that the priesthood of the Levites was actually set aside and it was abolished. The Levitical priests and their priesthood, the entire Levitical system with all of the rituals and laws, those things were unable to bring a man into a right relationship with God permanently.

So those things were actually set aside, they were abolished for a better hope through which men may be able to draw near to God. We see that in verses 18 to 19. Now the verses that we have before us this morning are really a continuation of the same argument from verses 11 to 19. Really verses 11 to 28 is one big message, one big message. So the title of the message this morning is Jesus, the Greater Priest and Priesthood. And this is a part two because last week was a part one. Jesus, the Greater Priest and Priesthood. Let's go back and read our verses again, verses 20 to 28.

"And it was not without an oath, for those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath. But this one," of course this is Jesus, "was made a priest with an oath by the one who said of him, 'The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind. You are a priest forever.'" This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. The former priests were many in number because they were prevented by death from continuing in office. But he holds this priesthood permanently because he continues forever. "Consequently, he is able to say to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens. He has no need like those high priests to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself." So the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a son who has been made perfect forever. Now out of these verses, I want us to see that the author explains three things as he continued to make his case that Jesus was and is greater.

First we see the fact that Jesus is the provider and the guarantee of a better covenant. That's in verses 20 to 22. Second the fact that Jesus is the eternal priest and savior from verses 23 to 25. And then third, the fact that Jesus is the holy and the perfect priest. We see that in the remainder of the verses. So let's get started. Number one, the author shows us the fact that Jesus is the guarantee of a better covenant. Jesus is the guarantee of a better covenant. Now at first glance, it will seem that the author is repeating what he has already said, but that is not what he does. He is revealing more vital truth.

Here in verses 20 to 22, he reveals that Jesus is the provider of, he even guarantees a better covenant than that of the old covenant. And he does this by making a comparison and then he gives some new information. So first the comparison. We see this in verse 20 and 21, the comparison. Here he explains that the old covenant Levitical priests were in the order of and descendants of the Levites. And they were in that position and that service strictly because of heredity. Last week we saw this fact in verse 16 and we see this in the Levitical law from Leviticus 21 verses 16 to 24.

And if we do some study, we will see that there were no moral or character requirements required. There were no other requirements other than the fact that those who served as priests had to be physical descendants of the tribe of Levi. But that is not the case with Jesus. The author said that Jesus was chosen to serve as this new priest in this new priesthood not because of any physical heredity but based on an oath from God. And notice the two things that we see in the verses. First he mentions God's oath two times, clear to see. And then second he references God's oath which he made in Psalm 110 verse 4.

The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind. You that's Jesus are a priest forever. And notice what we see in this oath. God swore that Jesus would be priests forever and that he would never change his mind concerning these things. So look at this comparison that's before us. Whereas the old covenant priests were priests because of a commandment that had to do with heredity, Jesus as a priest in this new priesthood came about because of God's sworn oath. And this oath cannot be changed. Before I move on, notice what this shows us which should be a great, great source of encouragement and strength for those of us who are believers.

Seeing God's sworn oath that Jesus in his priesthood can never change or be done away with that should move us to a place of great assurance and great security. Let me repeat that. Seeing God's sworn oath here and that Jesus as his priest in priesthood can never change or be done away with that should move us to a place of great assurance and security. Now think with me here on a few questions. Can God lie? Can God change in any way? Can God change his mind? Can God change his word? Well we know the answer to those questions. That's no.

But see God has sworn by an oath that Jesus and his priesthood can never change and it can be never done away with and seeing this fact should move us to a place of great, great spiritual security. But then second, the new information. Jesus is the guarantee, the one who provides this guarantee for a better covenant. Look back at verse 22. It's plain to see. This, what is he referring to, all that he said previously. This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant, a better covenant. Now notice what the author is saying here. Two things which give us new information.

First Jesus is the guarantee and this word here, the King James uses the word surety. It means a sponsor, a surety, one who provides a guarantee. And again, can God lie? Can God change? Can God change his word? Can God change his mind? And another question, is Jesus God? Well yes. Well then second, this better covenant. Now all the translations use the word covenant. The King James uses the word testament. But the word here in the original, this means an arrangement, an agreement, a testament or a covenant. And notice what we have here.

Because of all of these things that the author has explained and argued here, Jesus is the guarantee and the one who provides the guarantee of a new and a better covenant. And this is new information. Because this is the first time the author has spoken of this new and better covenant. And as we will see, the author will return to this new and better covenant over and over all throughout the book. Now notice what we see here in these verses, verses 20 to 22. Because of the unbreakable and unchangeable oath from God, Jesus is and has become the sure and certain guarantee of a new and better covenant.

The old covenant has been fulfilled in the new. The old covenant has been changed. It's been abolished because of the new and the better covenant. Now before I move on, I want to use an explanation that I ran across from some John MacArthur material. This is very, very helpful. It's a little lengthy, but this will get any error that you may have here out of your mind. MacArthur says, and I'm quoting, "It is important to recognize that the old covenant was not bad. God did not make the new covenant because the old was bad, but because it was imperfect and temporary.

The Mosaic covenant was a very good covenant, a God-given, God-ordained covenant that served its purpose for the time in its own right. It was good as the product of God's wisdom and righteous will, but it served a very good purpose for it helped to restrain sin and to promote godliness. It also pointed toward the Messiah and helped prepare the way for Him. On the coming of Christ Jesus, the Mosaic covenant was exactly the covenant that Israel was supposed to have. The new covenant is better simply because the old was incomplete. The old was good. The new is better." And notice that this is good for us in two ways. First this is educational.

Understanding the relationship between the old covenant and the new covenant is good because some can be confused here. But then second, we must always remember that the old covenant was good, but its ultimate purpose was to point to the Messiah, was to point to the new covenant to come. And we live in the day, in the time, in the age of the Messiah. Yes, we can look back into the old covenant for many things that are beneficial, but the old covenant has been abolished. It's been fulfilled in Christ, the new has come. So church, be on guard against going back into the old.

Be on guard against going back into the old, being fixated with the old covenant. And there are always some who have a tendency to go back into the old. This reminds me of back when I was preaching through the Sermon on the Mount and I was dealing with the issue of divorce. I was a gentleman in the life of our church at that time who came to me for some counsel and it turned into a little bit of a debate. And he tried to argue with me that we would be better off if we could go back to those old covenant laws dealing with divorce. And I looked at him and I said, "You don't want that.

You don't want people being stoned for committing sins like that." And he couldn't get it. What I'm trying to show you churches is there are always some who are fixated with the old. Don't let ourselves be fixated with the old. The old was a shadow of what was to come, the new has come. It's Jesus. And we have a better hope and a better covenant in Jesus. So the fact that Jesus is the guarantee of a new and a better covenant. And then number two, the fact that Jesus is the eternal priest and savior. Jesus is the eternal priest and savior. Let's read those verses, verses 23 to 25.

The former priests were many in number because they were prevented by death from continuing in office. But he holds his priesthood permanently because he continues forever. Consequently, he, that's Jesus, is able to say to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him since he always lives to make intercession for them. Now again, we may think that the author is repeating information, but just like before, he is revealing more and more vital truth concerning Jesus and this new covenant. But here he explains that Jesus is truly the eternal priest and savior.

And he does this by making another comparison and giving some more new information. So first notice the comparison. We see that in verse 23 to 24. Now we have already seen that the old covenant priests and priesthood was imperfect and it was limited because of death. Warren Wiersby says there were many high priests because not one priest could live forever. John MacArthur says the Levitical priest had what might be called the ultimate disqualification for permanent ministry, death. Well that's obvious. But what was the author's point here? There were many priests under the old covenant because death kept them from remaining in office.

That's simple, that's obvious. But not so with Jesus. He was and is the greater high priest because his priesthood is permanent, it is eternal. And this word permanently here, the English standard says, but he holds his priesthood permanently, it means unchangeable, and it means unavoidable. And get this, the priesthood of Jesus is permanent and unchangeable because the office by its very nature is permanent and unchangeable. And that is because he, by his very nature, he is permanent and he is unchangeable. One commentator pointed out that this word translated permanently, the King James uses the word unchangeable.

This word was used in their day at the end of legal documents such as contracts. In other words, those documents, those contracts were permanent, they were unalterable in any way. So notice what we have here, the comparison between the many old covenant priests and this new priest in this new and better covenant. The amplified reads, "The former successive line of priests on the one hand existed in great numbers because they were each prevented by death from continuing perpetually in office.

But on the other hand, Jesus holds his office permanently and without change because he lives forever." But then second this new information, it's in verse 25, "Jesus is able to save to the uttermost." Now the verse says, "Consequently," that means because of all of these things that the author has explained, Jesus was and is able to do certain things. And here the author explains that Jesus has great power to save. And notice how he describes his power. The author says he is able to save, but before we see what this is, we need to see what this is not. I ran across something that the scholar Tom Shriner says.

He points out that this does not speak to some kind of a potential salvation. Now I took what he said and added some to it and this is a little bit of mine and a little bit of his. I want to always give credit where credit is due. But it is not that somehow Jesus may be able to save some, but he certainly can save and will save others. And this is not saying that Jesus has the potential to save and that the possibility of salvation is out there waiting for some to cash in on it. No, that's not what it means. Simply this does not speak of some kind of a potential salvation, but this speaks of a certain salvation and effective salvation.

The author is saying that Jesus is able to save with great certainty and this leaves no room for impossibility or impotence. And notice the depth and the breadth of this salvation. The verse does not say that he is able to save from the uttermost. As in he is able to save from the deepest and darkest places of sin and rebellion. The verse says that he is able to save to the uttermost as in he is able to save sinners from the darkest, from the deepest places of sin to the uttermost for forever, no matter what.

That's why the Amplified says, "Therefore he is able to save forever, completely, perfectly for eternity." Warren Wiersby says, "To be sure, it is true that Christ can save any sinner from any condition, but that is not the import of this verse." The emphasis is on the fact that he saves completely forever all who put their faith in him because he is our priest forever. He can save forever. Now this leads me to one big lesson here in the form of several that all come together. Do not believe that somehow one can have an eternal forever salvation in heaven if that one does not have a keeping and persevering salvation here on earth.

Let me repeat that. Do not believe that somehow one can have an eternal forever salvation in heaven if that one does not have a keeping and a persevering salvation here on earth. You see church, many profess Christ and believe they have a certain forever salvation in heaven, but in their earthly life they cannot and do not possess the spiritual strength and fortitude to hate sin, love God, love God's word and serve God. We know people like this. Although we know that believers can struggle, of course, but most of these people are not truly and genuinely born again.

But on a very personal note here, do not believe that he will save you to the uttermost in eternity forever if you do not have a salvation to the uttermost while here on earth. But notice the human responsibility here. We see this in verse 25. Look back at verse 25. Consequently, what that means is because of all of these things, he, that's Christ Jesus, is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God. Now those who are saved to the uttermost completely, perfectly for eternity are those who draw near to God through and in Jesus Christ for salvation.

Now Jesus says the very same thing in John 6.37 when he said, "All that the Father gives me will come to me and whoever comes to me I will never cast out." You notice that this is inclusive in that any and all who draw near to him and whoever comes to him will be saved. He is able to save to the uttermost any and all who draw near. But notice that this is exclusive as well in that only those the Father gives will draw near and be saved. Those who do draw near are those that God calls, God draws, and God gives to Jesus. In both this inclusivity and exclusivity here, these things are all true, all at the same time.

We cannot have one without the other even though sometimes it's hard to rectify these things. But look at how this is possible. Warren Wierzbe says the basis of this complete salvation is the heavenly intercession of the Savior. Now notice that all of the translations that I usually reference here use this phrase make intercession. And this phrase make intercession, this means to approach, to go and to meet with the person. This speaks of making an appeal, even bringing a petition.

And the idea here in the picture here is of Jesus, the great high priest of this new and better covenant coming before God in person to make an appeal and bringing petitions on behalf of those who draw near to God. But here I want you to ponder with me a few rhetorical questions for actually. How can Jesus go before God like this? Jesus can go before God like this because by making atonement for sin on the cross as the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, He became the perfect high priest and Savior, therefore He can go before God as intercessor. Great question, who does Jesus make this intercession for?

Those who draw near, it's in the verse. More specifically those who savingly belong to Him. Jesus does not make intercession for those who are not redeemed. They have not been given to Him by the Father, John 6.37. But the next question, what is this intercession about? Specifically, this intercession is for those who by and through saving faith draw near to God in salvation. So this is a saving intercession. But then generally this intercession is for the redeemed in anything and everything they endure in life. So this is a sanctifying intercession. Now let me show you how this applies.

There are some of you here, you are not genuinely born again. You need to come near to Christ, you need to come near to Christ in repentance and faith, therefore Christ would be making a saving intercession for you. You see? But then those of us who are believers, we come near to Christ, we come near to Christ, therefore He makes a sanctifying intercession for us. But the next question, how should we see God the Father in this intercession? Now obviously in these verses we see a lot about the Son in His intercession. We clearly see that He, that's the Son, loved and loves mankind.

He, that's the Son, He gave Himself as a ransom to save men and mankind to become their intercessor. But we do not see much about the Father here. But we must do away with a common misconception here. God is not some kind of an angry policeman in the sky right here. God's not some kind of an angry judge. God is not angry as an angry God. He is not an angry and a vengeful God here. God is not angry, vengeful, some kind of a policeman or a judge in the sky so that Jesus has to run to Him so as to make intercession before God acts out. That's not what we have here.

Later on in Hebrews 13, 20-21, we see that God the Father and God the Son are in complete and total agreement in God's plan for the salvation of man. So this simply means that God the Father has the same heart as God the Son and God the Son has the same heart as God the Father in all of these things. Now what's my point? God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit all in heaven desire that men draw near to God for salvation and then in their sanctification. So much so that God sent His Son and the Son willingly came to be the guarantee of a true and a better covenant. So look what we have here in verses 23-25.

Unlike the former old covenant priests who died, Jesus is the eternal priest in that His priesthood is forever. Because of that fact, He is able to save the worst of sinners forever, completely and perfectly. And He lives always to intercede and to intervene on behalf of those who draw near to God in salvation and then in sanctification. And this is just what some of you need here this morning. Look brother, look sister, Jesus is at the right hand of God right now making intercession for you. So why are you not taking your burdens to Him? Why are you not taking your trials to Him? Why are you not taking your hurts to Him?

Why are you not taking your sins to Him? He's making intercession there right now. Why not come to the Father through the Son? But for others, some of you are not born again. You're a Christian in name, Christian in profession only. And Jesus is at the right hand of God the Father right now. And if you would draw near to Him, repenting of your sin and turning to God, believing by faith that He will save you, He will. He will. What a shame for believers to live day after day, week after week, month after month, not coming to the Son as He's making intercession. And what a shame for the lost to never come and draw near to God in salvation.

He's there to make intercession. So Jesus is the eternal priest and Savior. And then last, number three, the author shows us the fact that Jesus is the holy and perfect priest. Jesus is the holy and perfect priest. Let's read these verses, verse 26 to 28. "For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens. He has no need like those high priests to offer sacrifices daily first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.

For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a son who has been made perfect forever." Now, like before, we can see that the author is repeating himself, but he is revealing more and more truth about Jesus in this new and better covenant. And here the author explains that Jesus is holy, the sinless, the perfect high priest, and he does this by making another comparison. First the comparison, verses 26 to 27. Here the author describes Jesus as high priest and he gives this multi-layered description of Jesus. Actually, he gives five descriptions.

First he says that Jesus wasn't his holy. Now it is not that he became holy or that he somehow attained holiness. Jesus was and always has been holy because he was and always has been God. And being God, he has been eternally holy. And this holiness, this speaks of being free from sin, undefiled from sin, free from wickedness. I think it's obvious. He says that Jesus is holy. Second, the author says that he was also innocent. And this innocence here, this speaks of being free from fraud, being free from guile, being harmless.

Now, John MacArthur points out that holiness speaks to his relationship to God while this innocence points to his relationship to man. Jesus was holy. He was free from sin in his standing before God. He was innocent. He was free from any sin against man and free from any legitimate accusation from sin or any wrongdoing against another. Third, he says that he was unspained. The New American uses the word undefiled. This speaks of being unsoiled, free from any blemish, free from any corruption, moral corruption. And then fourth, the author says that he was separated from sinners.

This means that Jesus was of a completely different kind of a man. He was a completely different class of a man all to his own. Of course, Jesus was not completely cut off from sinners. He didn't live in isolation. He interacted with sinners. He talked with sinners. He ate with sinners. He even had close associations with sinners, which broke all kinds of cultural norms and rules. As a matter of fact, his earthly family, they were sinners. But in word, in deed, in thought, and even in motivation, Jesus was totally free from sin. He was separated from sinners in every way. He was a completely different kind of a man.

He was and is the God-man, fully God and fully man. Then fifth, the author says that Jesus is exalted above the heavens simply because he is holy, blameless, unstained by sin, and separated from sinners. He has been exalted above the heavens, and he is at the right hand of God. Ephesians 1, 21 says, "He has been exalted far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in the age to come." And because of these things, the author tells us in verse 27 that he has no need to offer daily sacrifices for personal sin like those Old Covenant priests did.

And notice the contrast up against those Old Covenant priests. Because they were sinners, those Old Covenant priests had to offer up daily sacrifices for their own sins, and then they were able to offer up sacrifices for the sin of the people, but not Jesus. He had no personal sin of any kind. No sin in word, no sin in deed, no sin in thought, no sin even in his motivations. Therefore, he could and did offer himself once and for all for the sin of his people. And look how this applies to us, church. This is the kind of priest that God has provided for us. We are sinners.

Every day we sin, every hour we sin, every minute, every second of our lives we sin. And if you don't believe that, ask your spouse. They'll tell you. We are sinners. And we can turn to this high priest, our high priest, for forgiveness for our sin and our sinfulness. I like what Warren Wiersby says, "As our high priest, Jesus gives us the grace and the mercy that we need not to sin." Could it be, sister? Could it be, brother, that you need to go to the throne of grace and mercy for the help and the intercession that can only come from him so as not to sin? Wiersby goes on to say, "But if we do sin, he is our advocate at God's throne.

If we confess our sins to him, he forgives us and he restores us." Brother, sister, how good are you at going to the throne of grace, confessing sin, receiving forgiveness, receiving that restoration? Or are you a believer that holds on to sin, that allows sin to haunt you and you struggle with forgiveness there and you struggle with a level of restoration there? It's no excuse. And then verse 28, "Jesus has been made perfect forever." Again, the author is still making contrast, but notice this will be very short and it's very simple. He says what we've already seen, "The old covenant law appointed sinful men as priests.

But God, by the oath of his word, which came later than the law and fulfilled the law, he thus God appoints a son, his son, who has been made our perfect high priest for forever." So notice what we have in verses 26 to 28. Unlike those old covenant priests, Jesus was and is our perfect, our holy and our eternal high priest. And because he had no sin, he was able to once and for all offer up himself for our sin. Now as I close, look at what the author has been explaining here in these verses, really from verses 11 to 28. Which is the second part of the chapter? This is the greater high priest. He has brought about a greater priesthood.

He has brought about a better covenant. He is our priest and savior, holy, perfect and eternal. Now two more statements and then I will close. I am so glad that I live under the new covenant. Obviously God is God and God is good and he ordained those Jews be born under the old covenant. But I'm so glad, I'm so happy that we live under the new covenant. And look church, we should be very, very, very worshipful here. We should be gripped with great gratitude here. Why?

Because we have before us clearly spelled out those things that those Old Testament saints saw through shadows, types and they barely got a glimpse and they yearn for these things. And we have no excuse, we have no excuse for living defeated Christian lives. So let's pray and let's commit these things to the Lord and we'll sing a closing song.