Sermon #25                                                       Hebrews Notes

 

          Title:            Called of God an High Priest”

          Text:            Hebrews 5:1-10

          Readings:     Bob Poncer and Rex Bartley

          Subject:       Christ’s Superiority Over Aaron

          Date:            Tuesday Evening – August 1,2000

          Tape #         V-94a

          Introduction:

 

·        (Hebrews 5:1-10)  "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. (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; (10) Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec."

 

          In the first four chapters of this epistle, the Holy Spirit has shown us the superiority of our Lord Jesus Christ over the angels, over Moses, and over Joshua. All these were highly venerated by the Jews. Perhaps the only thing more highly venerated by them was their sabbath observance. In the fourth chapter, he displayed Christ’s superiority over that as well, showing us that Christ is the true Sabbath and that the sabbath rest of faith in him is indescribably better than the observance of legal sabbath days.

 

In the chapter before us, the apostle shows us the superiority of Christ as our great High Priest over Aaron and all the Levitical priest of the legal dispensation. This seems to have been in the back of his mind all along. I say that because he has mentioned Christ’s priesthood twice before (Heb. 2:17-18; 4:14-15).

 

·        (Hebrews 2:17-18)  "Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. {18} For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted."

 

·        (Hebrews 4:14-15)  "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. {15} For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

 

          Paul’s purpose, the Holy Spirit’s purpose, throughout this epistle, is to show us that the Lord Jesus Christ is the sinner’s only access to God. He is the only priest there is between God and man. In fact, he is the only Priest there ever was between God and man. All the priests of the Old Testament were only types and pictures of him. All the pretended priests of all religious orders are impostors.

 

Proposition: The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Priest by whom sinners may draw near to God and God draws near to sinners.

 

          When God gave the law to Moses at Mt. Sinai, he instituted an earthly, human priesthood, a priesthood by which sinners could approach him, worship him, and offer gifts and sacrifices to him. The Lord decreed that these priests must be descended from the tribe of Levi and the family of Aaron. Therefore, it is referred to as the Levitical or Aaronic priesthood.

 

          There was one other divinely ordained priesthood mentioned in the Old Testament, that of Melchizedek. You will remember him from Genesis 14. It was this man, Melchizedek, who brought bread and wine to Abraham and blessed him, to whom Abraham paid tithes. This was done long before any law was given by God concerning either the priesthood or tithes.

 

          That fact is important, because in this fifth chapter, the Holy Spirit shows us that the Lord Jesus Christ is, like Melchizedek, a priest in every way superior to Aaron. In verses 1-4, Paul gives us a description of Aaron’s priesthood and shows us how that it was a type and picture of our Lord’s priesthood. In verse 5-10, he shows us Christ’s fitness as our great High Priest, contrasting his priesthood with Aaron’s. I want to show you just those two things in this message: (1.) The Type, and (2.) The Contrast.

 

I.     The Type (vv. 1-5)

 

·        (Hebrews 5:1-5)  "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."

 

A.  Every high priest under the law was a man.  He was a common man, taken out from among them (Exod. 28:1).

 

 

·        (Exodus 28:1)  "And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons."

 

1.    He was ordained and invested with this great office by that special anointing with oil ordained by God.

 

2.    He was made a priest that he might represent them in things pertaining to God.

 

·        He presided over them in the name of God.

·        He appeared before God in their stead.

·        He presented their gifts and sacrifices to God.

·        He blessed them.

 

3.    The high priest stood between God and men.

 

Christ is our High Priest.  Let us never attempt to go to God except through Christ nor expect any favour from God except through Christ.

 

B.  Israel’s high priest was a just a man.

 

·        (Hebrews 5:2-3)  "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."

 

All the priests of the Old Testament were sinful men. Yet, they were compassionate, men who understood and sympathized with the people in their ignorance and thier transgressions of the law.  Christ, our Lord, became a man and knows our frame (Heb. 4:15; Ps. 103:14).

 

·        (Psalms 103:14)  "For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust."

 

·        (Hebrews 4:15)  "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."

 

When the high priest brought a sin-offering and made atonement for the people, he first had to offer an atonement for his own sin, and then for the people. Aaron was a sinner, too. As such, he needed mercy. He even had to make atonement for the holy things (Ex. 28:37-38).

 

·        (Exodus 28:37-38)  "And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be. {38} And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD."

 

In this, Christ differed from the Old Testament priest, for he had no sin (Heb. 7:27).

 

·        (Hebrews 7:27)  "Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself."

 

C.  No man volunteered for the office of high priest, but was called to it (vv. 4-5).

 

·        (Hebrews 5:4-5)  "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."

 

The office of high priest was an office of the highest honor. It involved the work of representing the people before God. No man volunteered to take this office. Only those men who were appointed and ordained of God were allowed to function in this high office. Any who dared, like Uzziah the king, to take the honor to themselves would with grave consequences and would be brought to public shame.

 

Christ himself did not take this high and holy office unto himself. Neither did he receive it from men. He did not acquire it by family heritage, because he was of the tribe of Judah, not of the Levitical order.

 

Our Lord was made a Priest. God the Father (he who said, 'Thou art my Son') made him our High Priest. The Father appointed him to the office, anointed him with the oil of gladness above his fellows and sent him to execute it (John 8:54).

 

II.  The Contrasts (vv. 5-10)

 

·        (Hebrews 5:5-10)  "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. {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; {10} Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec."

 

          As we have seen, in many ways Aaron and the other high priests in Israel were types of Christ, our great High Priest.

 

·        They were men of flesh who understood and pitied their fellow creatures.

·        They were chosen of God to be high priests.

·        They were intercessors between God and men.

·        They offered blood sacrifices for sin.

 

But in many ways the priesthood of Christ cannot be typified by men.

 

·        They were many; he is the one High Priest.

 

·        Their priesthood was temporary; his is eternal (Heb. 7:1-3).

 

·        They offered many sacrifices; he offered only one (Heb. 10:12).

 

·        They offered the blood of others; he gave his own blood (Heb. 9:12).

 

·        Their sacrifices could not put away sin; his did (Heb 10:14).

 

·        Their work was never finished; his was compelted (John 17:4).

 

·        (Hebrews 5:7)  "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;"

 

          In the days of his fleshy dwelling on earth, Christ (as our representative, numbered and identified with transgressors) 'offered' unto the Father effectual 'prayers and supplications (entreaties) with tears'.

 

·        This shows that our Lord, as a man, was a man of faith.

 

·        This shows the actual weight of our sorrow and our sin which was upon him.

 

·        He did not pray that he might be kept from dying, but that he might be delivered from death.

 

He was heard for the holiness and righteousness of his life and nature, and the Father delivered him from the power of death when he raised him from the tomb. We are delivered in him. 'He that believeth on me shall never die.'

 

·        (Hebrews 5:8-9)  "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;"

 

Four things here:

 

·        Though Christ is the Son of God, he was not exempt from suffering if he is to redeem a people (Rom. 8:32). None of the children of God are exempt (John 16:33).

 

·        Though he is the Son of God, he could execute a perfect righteousness, to the full extent that the law and justice demand, without a perfect suffering (Luke 24:44-47).

 

·        God’s salvation is an eternal salvation.

 

·        This salvation is given to those, and only those, who obey Christ, who believe the gospel.

 

Being perfect in his active and passive obedience, Christ became the author of a perfect, eternal salvation to all who believe on him.  He give us a perfect righteousness before the law and a perfect justification before the throne (2 Cor. 5:21).

 

·        (Hebrews 5:10)  "Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec."

 

          We will see more about this when we get to chapter seven. Here, Paul is primarily calling our attention to the fact that Christ is an eternal Priest, with an eternal priesthood.

 

Application:

1.     A Perfect Priest

2.     A Perfect Sacrifice

3.     A Perfect Altar

4.     A Perfect Salvation