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