Hebrews 7.XX
MEAT
MARCH 16th 2014
Okay. Welcome welcome – and we welcome those who are watching live through streaming video from different parts of the nation and world.
We’re in Hebrews seven picking it up at verse 20.
Let’s sing the word set to music then spend a few minutes in quiet reflection and come back at hit the word.
Because the writer repeats some of his points (in a number of ways and places) we are actually going to move through the next couple chapters more quickly, touching on the similar spots and spending some time on new or unique issues brought forth.
Alright . . . let’s pray.
Music
Reflection and prayer.
We left off at Hebrew 7:19 where the writer wrote:
“For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did (meaning Jesus) by the which we draw nigh unto God.”
He continues with our text for today, saying:
20 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:
21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)
22 By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
23 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
24 But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
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.
28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
So let’s drop back to verse 20. The King James, speaking of Jesus says:
20 And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest . . .”
The double negative present in this line:
“And inasmuch as not without an oath He was made a high priest” makes it a positive so what it is saying is “Jesus was made a high priest by an oath.”
When? How? What does this mean?
That Jesus was set apart to be a high priest by an oath of God which promised that He would be a priest after the order of Melchizedek.
The writer is saying that no other high priest was made a “high priest” in or though this means or promise of God – which again is but another factor making Him superior (or a better high priest) than the Levitical priests who came before Him. (He goes on in verse 21 and explains it, saying)
21 (For those priests were made without an oath; but this (meaning Jesus) with an oath by him that said unto him, “The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec”:)
The Levitical priests were “set apart” and “consecrated” by virtue of descent, and when they arrived at a suitable age – thirty, if I’m not mistaken.
But Jesus received his office by special appointment, and it was secured to him hundreds of years prior by an oath from God. (and the writer adds – verse 22)
22 By so much (in and through this oath) was Jesus made a surety of a better Testament.
In other words, the oath God foretelling the appointment of Him as our final and great High Priest is far more solemn and important that a mere appointment due to age and genealogy.
And in making this oath the writer says Jesus was made “a surety” of a better testament.
Now the Greek word for surety (ENG-GOO-OS) does not occur anywhere else in either the New Testament OR in the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint.
Properly it properly means someone who pledges his name, his property or his influence that a specific thing shall be done.
(Story of arrest in Mexico)
So while the word here in Hebrews (ENG-GOO-OS )is not present anywhere else in scripture, the principle is and it is MOST profoundly observed in a story all the way back in Genesis.
There we read a most fitting account of another pledge or surety being given or offered up, don’t we? Remember?
Joseph is on the throne in Egypt and is visited by his brothers who sold him. He commands them to return home and bring the youngest brother, Benjamin, to him in order to obtain food.
So the brothers go back to their father Jacob and tell him that they need to go back with Benjamin the youngest.
This causes Jacob fear (He doesn’t want to lose another youngest like he lost Joseph) but Judah promises his father he will make sure that Benjamin returns safely.
And with this promise from Judah Jacob allows Benjamin to go with the brothers back to Egypt.
Well, when they do Joseph sets Benjamin up and he has his men hide his chalice in Benjamin’s bag.
Once the brothers are headed back to Jacob Joseph sends his men to overtake them, and search all their belongings for the stolen chalice and when they do they discover it in benjamin’s sack.
The brothers are shocked and brought back to Joseph who pretends to be angry and tells the brothers that he is going to keep Benjamin.
This causes Judah (mind you) to come forth and tell Joseph that they cannot return to their father in Canna without the lad, because (Judah says) (Genesis 44 beginning at verse 31)
31 It shall come to pass, when he (our father) seeth that the lad is not with us, that he will die: and thy servants shall bring down the gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the grave.
32 For (Judah says, referring to himself) thy servant became surety for the lad unto my father, saying, If I bring him not unto thee, then I shall bear the blame to my father for ever.
Now listen to what Judah says here:
33 Now therefore, I pray thee, let thy servant (let me, Judah) abide instead of the lad “a bondman” (to you Joseph); and let the lad go up with his brethren.
What a picture of one brother (Judah, by the way) being willing to offer Himself up as a surety on behalf of another.
Thousands of years later, this High Priest (Jesus Christ) does the very same thing, becoming a surety or bondsman in place of His brethren, so they too can return to the father who anxiously awaits their return!
An important note – Jesus is not a surety on the part of God as it were.
In other words God will maintain the covenant with or without such a surety – He is true.
So I would suggest that He is the security or bondsman on the part of man; He is the pledge to tell man that we shall be saved.
In other words, He becomes responsible, so to speak, to universal law and justice that no harm can be done to our salvation even though we will fail as sinners in maintaining any part of a salvivic agreement.
I’m saying that He is the surety that the Law of Justice will be met and honored, in spite of the fact that we have, will, and will continue to fail to merit His gift.
He is the surety that the penalty for disobedience will NOT fall upon us.
Again, I would suggest that those of faith, and those who come to faith, enter heaven not by and through our own righteousness or obedience but by faith in Him who eternally assures that justice has been met on our behalf.
And with Him as the surety (the pledge), we can be CERTAIN that proper honor and payment to justice HAS been made in EVERY CASE, in EVERY situation, completely and totally, pardoning every guilty sinner who receives Him by faith.
This is what we are looking and waiting to see – every knee bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord, and to agree and know from the heart that by and through Him and Him alone, salvation is made possible.
With Him as the everlasting pledge, the penalty is fully remitted to any and all who receive it.
This is yet another place where free will comes into play.
Because the pledge has been made once and for all and the surety is in place on high and forever does NOT force anyone to accept or receive it.
To suggest otherwise puts us in the same boat as the Calvinist who says God makes some men believe and refuses to make others the same.
The only difference here would be a universalist says God saves all . . . whether they want to be saved or not.
I would suggest the surety is in place for all, and God woos all – through some means and others – to receive and accept it on their own account.
But in this view, no one can rely on the suretyship of Jesus but he who accepts salvation on the terms of the gospel and the author of it.
His suretyship is not at all that a person will be saved “in his sins,” or that he will enter heaven no matter what His opinion of God and Christ are, but that when he or she chooses to believe the debt has been paid entirely by a worthy surety or bondsmen.
Lacking such a reliance and faith on the surety, they would therefore reap what they have sown, based on the Law of Justice of the law heaped upon them . . . until somehow lead to believe . . . otherwise. ?
Of course we can’t ignore the fact that the writer calls this covenant through Christ, “a better covenant,” a point we have beat to death – but for good reason – the recipients of this epistle were considering going back to the former covenant (as Christians even today have done too).
Verse 23 reiterates a point we have repeatedly made between Christ as the High priest of the new covenant and those high priests of the former, saying:
23 And they (of the Levitical order) truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
In other words the priests of the old Covenant were not immortal and so could not continue because of death (verse 24)
24 But this man (Christ Jesus), because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
Again, an idea we have brought out over and over again, is the fact that because Christ our final and only and immortal high priest does not die he has an unchanging priesthood.
There is no necessity that he should yield it over to others as the former Jewish priests did.
Alright . . . ready . . . huge verse and point COMING UP (verse 25)
25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
This passage is just beautiful, isn’t it? To me it is one of the most hopeful, gorgeous descriptions of Jesus Christ and His intentions, and desires, and purposes ever written.
Let me read it again. Speaking of Jesus Christ the writer says:
“Wherefore, he is able also to save them . . . to the uttermost . . . that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth . . . to make intercession for them.
Young’s Literal Translation puts it this way:
“whence also he is able to save to the very end, those coming through him unto God–ever living to make intercession for them.”
The ASV says: “Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”
Montgomery’s New Testament says:
“Hence also he is able to continue saving to the uttermost those who are ever drawing near to God through him, seeing that he is ever living to intercede for them.”
The Revised says:
“Consequently he is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”
And finally, the Weymouth’s New Testament says:
“Hence too He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, seeing that He ever lives to plead for them.”
(beat)
We have SOO much present here when it comes to understanding the Lord, and Savior, and King Jesus Christ.
Because of who He is, because of what He has done, because He has overcome sin, death, and had victory over all things, because He fulfilled the Law and the Prophets completely, because He is NOT subject to death, because He has an unchangeable priesthood . . . because He is a perfect unchangeable surety for all,
HE is able to save TO THE UTTERMOST . . .
That means not only through EVERY trial and failure and temptation but through until the END – through the end of the age – to the uttermost . . .
Who can He save to the uttermost?
“those who come to God . . .” better put, those who draw near to God . . . THROUGH HIM.”
Of course, those who draw near to God in this life through Him are His firstborn, are the First resurrected, are saved from hell and the Lake of Fire (known as the second death) but (to the uttermost end of time) . . . to the uttermost of situations, He is able to save all who
“draw near to God Through Him!”
How long does He maintain this stance and disposition?
Forever.
Until the end of the age.
Until God becomes all in all.
Scripture says it:
“He EVER liveth to make intercession!”
He is constantly and forever able to save those who draw near to God through Him.
To the end of the age He ever liveth to save those who draw near to God through Him.
Recall 1st Corinthians 15 beginning at verse 24 which says:
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
Until this point, when the age or end is wrapped up and completed, He is forever making intercession and saving those who draw near to God through Him.
As long as people are drawing near to God through any other means than Him it appears they will be wandering, lost, uncovered, unredeemed until they otherwise come to the only solution God respects – His Son, our High Priest.
But when that light comes on, when anyone has abandoned all the other means and ways and paths and ideas but Him, and draw near to God through Him, He . . .
“ . . .is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, seeing that He ever lives to plead for them.”
Praise God for this glorious, perfect, patient, long-suffering, loving God and King.
I love that line – “seeing that He EVER lives . . . to plead for them.”
Other versions translate this to say:
“Seeing He lives forever to plead for them.”
The Greek word is Pantote, and can be viewed as, “forevermore.”
It seems to me we can understand this in a couple of ways. If this world never ends, and new souls are being born and Christ is forever pleading for them, then this is one way to read it.
If this world wraps up, and there is an end, then we would read this that Jesus lives forever to plead for those who come to God through Him . . . and when all are His, when all is in all, this would end.
A LOT to think about and consider.
(beat) The writer continues:
26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
Where it reads, “For such an High Priest became us,” I think we might better understand this by saying, “It was becoming that we would have such a high priest . . . He was fitted to our condition,” meaning, we humans have in our character something that demanded a high priest for us should be personally holy.
In other words it would not suffice for Him to just be “uber powerful” but we had need that He would be . . .
“holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.”
There’s quite a bit to consider here when we bring up the fact that Jesus was and is all these things as our high priest.
I am guessing that somewhere in the calculations of justly redeeming fallen Man of flesh and blood, there had to be a flesh and blood redemption from a Man that was not only not fallen, but far beyond fallen.
There seems to be something to the idea that His shed blood justifies our sin but His Holy Life sanctifies those who receive Him.
Suffice it to say, He was, for reasons I’m not sure we will ever understand until we can ask him, sufficient to be our Holy High Priest for the redemption, sanctification, and mediation of fallen Man.
The writers point in describing Him as he does in verse 26 seems to be made in verse 27 where we read (speaking of Jesus):
27 Who needeth not daily, as those (Levitical) 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.
Again, we know that the Levitical high Priests had to offer blood sacrifices daily for the sins of the people and also for His own but by comparison our great eternal high priest – being holy – did not have to ever offer up anything for himself, and when it came to offering up for the sins of the world, He did once and for all . . .
by making Himself the sacrificial lamb.
This atonement – made by a holy and perfect offering – never needs be repeated and therefore there was an end to sacrifice.
(Verse 28)
28 For the law . . . (and by the way, his bringing up the law here is really putting it in its place relative to the covenant of Grace) For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.
Again . . .
“For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity (amen – right – so we don’t have to speak of this any longer) BUT . . .
“the word of the oath,”
“which was since the law,”
“maketh the Son,”
“who is consecrated for evermore?”
“The law makes high priests of men who are feeble, sinful, weak and diseased; but the word of the oath, which was made after the law, gives that position to a Son, in whom all good is forever complete, who is forever consecrated in this position!
Praise God.
And this brings us to chapter 8 where in my opinion the writer just continues on with his thought from seven.
I do not know how any Latter-day Saint could read chapters 8-10 and see the need or benefit of their priesthood.
Anyway . . .
this chapter is a continuation of the argument from the preceding chapter respecting the priesthood of Christ and verse one puts it this way:
1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
This summation is important to me personally for a number of reasons.
The writer begins by saying, “from all we have written and said here is the sum – and in two lines we get his point. Ready?
“We (believers) have such an high priest (as the one just described), who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.”
Take this entire Old Testament and everything it says and demands . . .
All pictures of Him and where He is today . . .
“ . . . set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle.”
And there He rules and reigns over His body.
He is the minister of administration. He is the voice. He is the director and the one who is forever pleading for those who come to God by Him.
Could it be those who have rejected Him in this life, if and when they are in the pits of hell, or in the lake of fire, and are trying to come to God through Buddah . . . he is silent?
Could it be those who in that state try to come to God by their works, or Mohammed, or any other way that He is silent . . .
And could it be that when all of those appeals have been exhausted, after all the deceptions and frauds have burned away, that it will leave people coming to God THROUGH Him . . . and at that point He will forever plead on their behalf?
(long beat)
Think on these things and we will hit them (plus more next week).
Questions
Prayer
