Hebrews 4.end
September 29th 2013
Let’s pray.
So I wanted to enter boldly into Hebrews chapter 5 today . . . but I took a look at the last three verses of four and discovered a whole sermon needing to be given about them.
So that’s what we’re going to do.
But first let’s take a few minutes and learn more of the Word of God through song.
After ward we’ll take a few minutes to pray and reflect upon our relationship with the Lord and then we’ll come back to Hebrews five.
So we left off last week reading the final three verses of chapter three which introduced us to a new title and role of the Lord – High Priest.
Remember, we read in chapter four where the writer said:
Hebrews 4:14 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.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
So let’s talk about verses fourteen through sixteen before we tackle chapter five. Verse fourteen f chapter four says
Hebrews 4:14 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.
Recall that back in chapter two we might remember that the writer introduced to us the idea of Jesus being our merciful high priest.
Now it seems he picks the topic back up in full force and continues to allude to it until the end of chapter ten.
Also recall that the book of Hebrews has a theme present about Jesus being better than . . .
Better than prophets, better than angels, etc. And it seems he is now trying to convey to the Jewish reader converted to Christ (and to Christian readers everywhere) that Jesus is a far “better” high priest than what was provided to the Jews by and through the Levitical priesthood.
Is there a difference between a priest and a Levite. In a way, yes. Look at it this way: all Priest were Levites, but not all Levites were Priests.
Levites are the descendants of Levi, who was one of the twelve sons of Jacob.
Of course those twelve sons became the twelve tribes of Israel (without going into the specifics of Joseph and his two sons).
The term Levite is generally used, from a biblical perspective, to identify the part of the tribe that was set apart for the duties of the sanctuary service including being assistants to the priests, who were also Levites.
Again, while all priests were Levites, not all Levites were priests.
Before the Exodus, when the Israelites escaped the slavery of the Pharaoh of Egypt the ancient way of worship was still observed, with the firstborn son of each household serving in a priestly office.
The idea was God had saved the first born Sons in the Passover and they were therefore His priests.
This all changed at Mount Sinai when a hereditary priesthood from the family of Aaron was established.
After the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai, the Jewish people made and worshipped a golden calf. The only tribe that did not participate in this shameful act was the tribe of Levi.
At this time, the firstborn lost their special status, and it was transferred to the Levites, or those who were descendents of Levi, who not only did not participate in the idol worship but according to Exodus 32 they actually killed 3,000 of the COI (as ordered by Moses) who were running about wildly.
In Numbers 8:15-17 the Lord says:
“And after that shall the Levites go in to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation: and thou shalt cleanse them, and offer them for an offering. For they are wholly given unto me from among the children of Israel; instead of such as open every womb, even instead of the firstborn of all the children of Israel, have I taken them unto me. For all the firstborn of the children of Israel are mine, both man and beast: on the day that I smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for myself.”
After the incident on Sinai was over, Moses said of the Levites,
“Today you have ordained yourselves for the service of The Lord, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, that he may bestow a blessing upon you this day.” (Exodus 32:29).
The Levites were natural allies of Moses because Moses himself was of the tribe of Levi (Exodus 2:1-2,10).
Now, stay with me – Levi had 3 sons – Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. From those branches of the family, the Levites were organized into 3 levels of service:
PRIESTS –
The first level was composed of Aaron and his offspring, who were descended from Levi’s son Kohath. They formed the priesthood, also known as the Priesthood of Aaron or the Aaronic Priesthood.
The second level was made up of all of the other descendants of Kohath who were not descendants of Aaron but from Kohath’s other sons. They were in charge of the most sacred parts of the Tabernacle (Numbers 3:27-32, 4:4-15, 7:9).
The third level consisted of all of the descendants of Gershon and Merari, who were given lesser duties (Numbers 3:21-26,33-37).
The Levites served at the Tabernacle from age 30 to 50 (Numbers 4:3,23,30). They were not counted for military service in the armies of Israel, but were set apart for service to God (Numbers 1:45-50, 2:33, 26:62).
Levites had custody of The Tabernacle.
The Gershonites camped on the west of the Tabernacle (Numbers 3:23), the Kohathites on the south (Numbers 3:29), the Merarites on the north (Numbers 3:35), and the priests on the east (Numbers 3:38).
With their consecration to The Lord’s service, the Levites were allotted no territorial inheritance of their own at the Division Of The Land; God was their inheritance (Numbers 18:20, 26:62, Deuteronomy 10:9).
Once established in the Promised Land, they were supported, in the agricultural economy of the time, by the tithes of the produce of the land paid to The Lord by the other tribes.
So it seems that the writer here is attempting to show how Christ surpassed the Levitical priesthood in all of its applications and that they were actually fulfilled in Him.
In some ways this appeal or argument was to show to the Jewish convert to Christianity that Christianity was not inferior to the Jewish religion in this respect.
Additionally it was a doctrine of Christianity that the Jewish ritual was to pass away; and its temple services cease to be observed.
So it was also very important to illustrate why these temple services passed on (or would pass on since the temple still stood at the time the writer of Hebrews composed this epistle).
This part of the Bible (from Hebrews 4:14 then through till the end of chapter ten) contain information and insights on priesthood that are not located anywhere else in the Word and they provide valuable insight.
Now, in verse 14 where the writer says:
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest,”
The term “great High Priest” was a familiar one to the Jewish reader of that day because the term or title high priest at that time was assigned not only to the high priest who would enter into the Holy of Holies but it was also given to that high priests assistant (or deputy) but also to anyone who ever held the office and was now retired and possibly even to those men who were over the main groups of Levites who served in other areas of the temple.
In other words, because the term was so ubiquitous at this time in Jewish history the writer of Hebrews makes sure we know we are comparing Christ to the top of the heap high priest who was over them all, and he calls him the Great High Priest.
“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.”
So there was the singular location of the Jewish temple. And once a year the great high priest of the nation would enter in and offer the blood of the atonement at the altar.
On the great day of atonement, as described in Exodus 30:10 this high priest, of the appropriate genealogy and having been ceremonially cleansed through a whole bunch of rituals and washings, would probably enter the holy of holies three or four times (according to Jewish tradition)
first to burn incense (Leviticus 16:12) . . .
then to sprinkle the blood of the bullock on the mercy-seat (Leviticus 16:14) . . .
then he was to kill the goat of the sin-offering, and bring that blood within the veil, and sprinkle it also on the mercy-seat . . .
and then, perhaps, he entered again to bring out the golden censer.
The important thing to remember is that it was only once a year that he would enter that holy place on behalf of the people.
Well the writer of Hebrews here in verse fourteen says that the Christian High Priest has gone (or entered now) into heaven.
He has gone there also to make intercession, and to sprinkle the blood of the atonement on the mercy-seat.
This fact also leads the writer to add that as a result of this, “Let us hold fast our profession (of faith).
See, if the Jews had a high priest who once a year entered into a holy of Holies (made with hands) and bearing animal blood which was shed for the sins of the people, how much better is the Christian “great high priest” who entered permanently (meaning He never leaves) into a holy of Holies NOT made with hands bearing His own precious blood on our behalf!
Listen – this is really the overall drift and scope of the epistle– to show that Christians should hold fast their profession, and not apostatize.
The object of the writer is to show why and how our having such a High Priest we ought to hold fast to the profession of our faith.
He adds, giving insight to the character of our High Priest and saying:
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.
What a beautiful fact – that our High Priest doesn’t just understand the human condition but was, according to verse 15,
“in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.”
Think about this for a minute!
(beat)
Recall what Isaiah 53:3 says of our Great High Priest, that . . .
“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”
How Hebrews 2:18 says
“For because he Himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted.”
How 2nd Corinthians 5:21 says:
“For God hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
And then He enters heaven, and in the presence of eternal God that “all-consuming fire of Holiness”and offers His own blood – his own!! on the mercy seat on behalf of all who believe and receive Him in faith.
It is mind blowing how good and loving and perfect the wisdom of God is in bringing us to Him.
What a perfect mediator of compassion, and love, and sacrifice, and purity – there, on our behalf . . .
Note that the writer says that we DON’T have a High Priest that can’t be touched with our infirmities.
The double negative in the King James, at least – “We Don’t that Cant” means we do, by the way . . .
We DO have a high priest who CAN be touched by OUR infirmities.
That word infirmities in the Greek is “Asthenia,” and it means “frailties of mind or body” meaning we can look to him with our physical maladies, aches and pains, and our mental and emotional and moral failures – for HE can be touched with the feeling of what we are experiencing.
He is not cold and unfeeling but is one that is abundantly qualified to sympathize with us in all of our afflictions.
Think on this especially in the comparison of high priests the COI had and ours who is now on high.
I am certain, knowing men, that some of the high priests for the Nation of Israel over the years had to be cold, and stern, and without sympathy for those who suffer.
I am certain some became arrogant, egotistical, or caught up in their position.
Imagine if Jesus was such a high priest operating on our behalf – cold and heartless, one who simply performed the external duties of his office, one who was indifferent to, and or incapable to understand our failures and suffering or who did not care if we were pardoned or not . . .
What if Jesus came to earth and dominated every situation through perfect execution, who never suffered, and always won.
Imagine if his friends were the high-powered of society, and that he held distain for the lost, and lowly, and poor, and sinful. Got the picture?
Then imagine that such a savior is now serving as our high priest before the Father!
Speaking for myself I would never even attempt to make it to heaven – I’m too rebellious and would find myself too depressed at the notion.
In fact I would suggest that such coldness would repel most of us, His successful life would intimidate us, and his indifference would terrify us.
But it is His lowliness and tenderness and sympathy that attracts those of us who are feeble failures, and His kindness and understanding goes so far to encourage all who struggle.
The writer concludes saying, in light of all of this:
16 Therefore, let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Let’s break this verse down. You ready?
“Therefore . . .” in light of all of this most amazing good news, in the face of all we know about our Great High Priest . . .
“Let us”
You and I . . .believers in Him and His shed blood, those who accept Him as their Great High Priest, those who have received and trusted in Him – “
“Come boldly . . .”
The Greek word for boldly is “PAR-RAY-SEE –AH” and it is not best understood in terms of arrogance but it better means
With “frankness, with bluntness, or in all in all out spokedness.”
I like that.
“with blunt out-spokeness come forth”
Again, this is NOT an attitude of entitlement or superiority but I would suggest it is action founded in humility and love but absolute resolve to worship Him, see Him, and trust in His finished work.
Heart-felt, unabashedly unashamed all out belief and allegiance. The word is often translated in the King James to “openly.”
We have seen such blunt out-spoken openness at times in the stories and events that surrounded the life and ministry of Christ, haven’t we?
Remember John the Baptist? Besides Christ my biblical hero.
Absolutely “par-rees-seah.”
Outspoken, open in his person, blunt, and humble as a dog before his master when in the presence of the King.
How about the story of Zacchaeus? Another favorite of mine. Always makes me smile – makes me think of Jed.
Luke 19:1-7 tells it, saying:
1 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.
3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
Look at this. Here was a rich little man bold enough, open enough, yet humble enough to go and climb a sycamore tree as a means to reach the Lord passing through.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
Remember the woman who boldly (openly ) wept and washed the Lord’s feet when He was in the house of Simon the Pharisee? She openly worshipped Him without a care for her surroundings nor the criticism she most surely felt while doing it.
How about the two blind men who were sitting along the road when Jesus came by?
Matthew 20:30-31 says:
And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David. And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: “but they cried the more, saying,” Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.
And He did.
And then there’s my favorite story that illustrates this type of boldness – the Syrophonecian Woman? Remember her?
Matthew 15:22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.
27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.
28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
Boldly. Out-spokenly. Blunt openness drive by sold-out faith. Come forth. To what? To where? Back to Hebrews
The writer says to “the throne of grace”
Look at this picture the writer is presenting us.
The throne of grace! Is that not a gorgeous expression? It pictures or presents itself with two dynamic and powerful representations that when mixed together provide the most amazing assurance.
See a throne is the seat for a sovereign; a resting place for a King or Queen – one who is over all and has the final say.
A throne of grace would be a throne where a sovereign would lovingly dispense kindness and mercy and pardons.
But let’s get the picture or illustration right.
With Christ being our High Priest the illustration does NOT have Him on the throne of Grace but the Father.
The imagery is all taken from the ancient temple holy of holies where the mercy seat is emblematic of God’s throne.
Once a year the high priest would enter into the throne room bearing the blood of animals and would approache the Mercy seat (the throne seat) with the aim to redeem the people by the blood in His possession.
I am certain the writer of Hebrews is pulling from this imagery to make his comparison.
Listen closely – it is so beautiful – so we have the “great High Priest” of Christianity, Jesus the Christ, having shed his own blood to make expiation for sin.
And He is represented as approaching God, and pleading for the pardon of men just as the High Priest of the COI would do the same for them once a year.
But let’s make the picture even more clear.
Remember, the God who is sitting on that throne of Sovereignty is a God who
“so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
And so I think it is save to say that what God is going to want to know from our Great High Priest is:
Did she believe, my Son?
Did he believe?
Here’s the key, friends (in my opinion)
The Son will substantiate, and validate, and justify our belief on Him by and through the love we shared and gave to others.
Notice that God so loved the world He gave us His only begotten Son . . .
Notice that the Son so loved us and God He gave . . . His life.
As men and women who have believed on Him, who follow Him, who trust and are openly grateful for His shed blood, we too, then give, share, express . . . love to others.
In other words, the fruit of love proves we have believed.
So being full of faith the writer is telling us (as TRUE believers) that it is appropriate to come boldly in our appeal for a pardon.
Never depending on our own merits, but over-abundantly convinced that a perfect and complete sacrifice has been offered on our behalf and by this faith we are wholly convinced and assured that God will be merciful to us.
Now, because the writer is writing for people who will read his words, we know that this is imagery he is providing for us to use to “get by” and “operate on” while in the flesh.
In light of this it seems to me that every believer alive is to spiritually “come forth” now (in such open boldness) to the throne of grace and that this is not picturing a future event but a present mind-set.
This is why the writer concludes with verse 16, saying
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
We note two reasons the writer provides for us to have this mind-set:
“To obtain mercy” AND “to find grace to help in time of need.”
Let’s conclude talking about these two points.
First, he says we ought to come boldly as a means to “obtain mercy.” I thought we have obtained mercy and forgiveness from God on behalf of our faith on His Son?
Let’s go back to a couple of contextual points.
First, the writer is doing all he can to convince the Hebrew reader first to hold on to his profession of faith in Christ.
He is making a case – over and over again – that there are all sorts of “better” reasons to cling to Him.
He clearly intimates that there are enemies of faith out there that if they are allowed to dominate they have the ability to remove us (I would suggest incrementally) from the gift they (and we) have all received without price.
God does not draw from us – ever. But the enemy will attempt to get us to pull ourselves away from Him.
So he concludes with yet some more “tools” or suggestions to hang on the Christian tool belt (so to speak), first saying in verse 16:
“Let us therefore draw near.
These words in the Greek are written in the “present active middle volitive subjunctive of the verb and means:
“Let us keep on coming to” our high priest, this sympathizing and great high priest.
In other words, and in context, the writer is telling the reader that instead of deserting him who is there making mediation on our behalf, let us make daily use of him in our walk of faith.
Why?
He says, “that we may receive mercy.”
At this point we have to ask, “What are we receiving mercy for?” Don’t we believe Jesus paid for all of our sin? Is the writer suggesting we “continually approach the throne of Grace to obtain mercy for our every indiscretion and failure?
No . . . and Yes!
No in that it would be faithlessness that leads us to believe that Jesus has not already forgiven us – past present and future – for the sins of our flesh.
Yes in that we come to our King to receive mercy for failing in our faith and love – the two remaining Christian commandments.
It’s an important distinction as the former keeps us earning our place with Him (in the religious bent of Catholicism and/or Mormonism) but the latter keeps our hearts humble and open to admit our failures to actually live by faith and love as commanded.
In other words, and as a means to protect ourselves from personal apostasy, we continually come to the throne of Grace seeking mercy for our failure to be Christ to our neighbors.
But the writer does not end there. We come boldly to the throne, he says
that we may obtain mercy, and . . . find grace to help in time of need.
Where mercy grants us the pardon for our failures to love grace grants strength and support through the unconditional bestowal of His favor upon us in spite of our failures to live Christianity well.
Mercy and Grace are a tremendous one-two inoculation against withering and dying on the vine from faithlessness.
And the writer is telling us that by and through our continual coming to the throne of grace we will continually receive mercy for our failures . . . and grace that will strengthen us and support us in our time of need.
So even though we have been mercifully pardoned every time we fail to love, we need grace to continue on, to aid us in our Christian duties, and to help us love better, and love more, in the trials that lie ahead.
So many believe that the throne on high is a throne of judgment or justice. Maybe for some, but not for the Christian – it is a throne of grace.
But the writer has employed imagery (borrowed from the Old Testament) which suggests to us (in a spiritual sense) that it is a place of activity on behalf of Christ and the Kingdom over which He reigns.
With Him on high, as our high priest intermediary, we have 24/7 “we never close” access to the throne of Grace.
It is a location where we continually come, as a means to stay strong in the faith. And from what I can tell, it is a place where we obtain (by faith) mercy from the King for our failures to be Christian, and where we are simultaneously filled and empowered with His grace to forge ahead . . . and try again.
Questions
Comments
Next week is communion.
Also, take note of the announcements on the board at the back.
