Among the many things the Hebrew epistle says of Jesus, one of the most prominent is His priesthood. Of the thirteen chapters in the book, at least ten of these speak specifically of His priesthood, or if there is no specific mention then there is obvious allusion to it. In chapter 3 we are asked to consider the apostle and high priest of our confession, even Jesus (v. 1). In that chapter, what we are asked to consider about Him is His faithfulness.
The first reference to Jesus as our priest is found in chapter 2. The writer said it behooved Christ in all things to be made like unto His brethren (He took flesh on Himself) that He might, through the sacrifice of Himself by His death, “become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He suffered, being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted” (vv. 17-18).
In chapter 4 he wrote, “Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one that hath been tempted in all points, like as we are, yet without sin. Let us then therefore drawn near with boldness unto the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need” (vv. 14-16).
Chapter 5 tells us “For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he might offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins, who can bear gently with the ignorant and erring, in that he himself is composed with infirmity and by reason thereof is bound, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but when he is called of God, even as was Aaron. So Christ also glorified not himself to be made a high priest, but he that spake unto him, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee: as he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” (5:1-6). In this same chapter (vv. 8-9), the writer, through the Holy Spirit, assures us “though he were a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered and being made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him, the author of eternal life; named of God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.” In chapter 6 he assured us that “… we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us, which we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and entering into that which is within the veil; whether as a forerunner Jesus entered for us, having become a high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” (vv. 19-20).
In chapter 7 he wrote, “And what we say is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there ariseth another priest, who hath been made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life” (vv. 15-16).
In chapter 8 we read, “Now the things which we are saying the chief point is this: we have such a high priest who sat down on the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man” (vv. 1-2).
We read in chapter 9 the following: “But Christ having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle … through his own blood entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption” (vv.11-12). He further added in that chapter, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (v. 14). He then added, “For Christ entered not into a holy place, like in pattern to the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us” (v. 24).
From chapter 10 these words are taken: “… having a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having our bodies washed with pure water, let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised” (vv. 21-23).
These are not all the references in the book to Christ, our high priest, but these highlight the nature and work of Jesus our Lord. By reading these we have copied, hopefully we will think more seriously of and appreciate to a fuller and more grateful degree the great work our Heavenly Father appointed for His Son to do for us. Surely, the next time we pray to our Father we will be moved to express our love and appreciation for the profound work of redemption our God provided for us, and also to remember that He always lives to both accept our gifts of appreciation for His daily blessings and for the true child of His, His powerful blood to cleanse us from our sins. Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift!
Jim McDonald