Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 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.

14 16. Exhortation founded on Christ’s High Priesthood

14. Seeing then that we have a great high priest ] These verses refer back to Heb 2:17, Heb 3:1, and form the transition to the long proof and illustration of Christ’s superiority to the Levitic Priesthood which occupies the Epistle to Heb 10:18. The writer here reverts to his central thought, to which he has already twice alluded (Heb 2:17, Heb 3:1). He had proved that Christ is superior to Angels the ministers, and to Moses the servant of the old Dispensation, and (quite incidentally) to Joshua. He has now to prove that He is like Aaron in all that made Aaron’s priesthood precious, but infinitely superior to him and his successors, and a pledge to us of the grace by which the true rest can be obtained. Christ is not only a High Priest, but “a great High Priest,” an expression also found in Philo (Opp. i. 654).

that is passed into the heavens ] Rather, “who hath passed through the heavens” the heavens being here the lower heavens, regarded as a curtain which separates us from the presence of God. Christ has passed not only into but above the heavens (Heb 7:26). Transiit, non modo intravit, caelos. Bengel.

Jesus the Son of God ] The title combines His earthly and human name with his divine dignity, and thus describes the two natures which make His Priesthood eternally necessary.

our profession ] Rather, “our confession,” as in Heb 3:1.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Seeing then that we have a great high priest – The apostle here resumes the subject which had been slightly hinted at in Heb 2:17; Heb 3:1, and pursues it to the end of Heb. 10. The object is to show that Christians have a great High Priest as really as the Jews had; to show wherein he surpassed the Levitical priesthood; to show how all that was said of the Aaronic priesthood, and all the types pertaining to that priesthood, were fulfilled in the Lord Jesus; and to state and illustrate the nature of the consolations which Christians might derive from the fact that they had such an High Priest. One of the things on which the Jews most valued their religion, was the fact that it had such a minister of religion as their high priest – the most elevated functionary of that dispensation. It came therefore to be of the utmost importance to show that Christianity was not inferior to the Jewish religion in this respect, and that the High Priest of the Christian profession would not suffer in point of dignity, and in the value of the blood with which he would approach God, and in the efficacy of his intercession, when compared with the Jewish high priest.

Moreover, it was a doctrine of Christianity that the Jewish ritual was to pass away; and its temple services cease to be observed. It was, therefore, of vast importance to show why they passed away, and how they were superseded. To do this, the apostle is led into this long discussion respecting their nature. He shows that they were designed to be typical. He proves that they could not purify the heart, and give peace to the conscience. He proves that they were all intended to point to something future, and to introduce the Messiah to the world; and that when this object was accomplished, their great end was secured, and they were thus all fulfilled. In no part of the Bible can there be found so full an account of the design of the Mosaic institutions, as in Heb. 510 of this Epistle; and were it not for this, the volume of inspiration would be incomplete. We should be left in the dark on some of the most important subjects in revelation; we should ask questions for which we could find no certain answer.

The phrase great high priest here is used with reference to a known usage among the Jews. In the time of the apostle the name high priest pertained not only to him who actually held the office, and who had the right to enter into the holy of holies, but to his deputy, and to those who had held the office but who had retired from it, and perhaps also the name was given to the head of each one of the twenty-four courses or classes into which the priests were divided; compare Luk 1:5 note; Mat 26:3 note. The name great high priest would designate him who actually held the office, and was at the head of all the other priests; and the idea here is, not merely that the Lord Jesus was a priest, but that he was at the head of all: in the Christian economy he sustained a rank that corresponded with that of the great high priest in the Jewish.

That is passed into the heavens – Heb 9:12, Heb 9:24. The Jewish high priest went once a year into the most holy place in the temple, to offer the blood of the atonement; see the notes on Heb 9:7. Paul says that the Christian High Priest has gone into heaven. He has gone there also to make intercession, and to sprinkle the blood of the atonement on the mercy-seat; see the notes at Heb 9:24-25.

Jesus the Son of God – Not a descendant of Aaron, but one much greater – the Son of God; see the notes at Heb 1:2.

Let us hold fast our profession – see the notes at Heb 10:23; Heb 3:14; see the note, Heb 3:1. This is the drift and scope of the Epistle – to show that Christians should hold fast their profession, and not apostatize. The object of the apostle now is to show why the fact that we have such a High Priest, is a reason why we should hold fast our professed attachment to him. These reasons – which are drawn out in the succeeding chapters – are such as the following:

1. We may look to him for assistance – since he can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; Heb 4:15-16.

(2)The impossibility of being renewed again if we should fall away from him, since there is but one such High Priest, and since the sacrifice for sin can never be repeated; Heb. 6:

1. The fact that all the ancient types were fulfilled in him, and that everything which there was in the Jewish dispensation to keep people from apostasy, exists much more powerfully in the Christian scheme.

(4)The fact that they who rejected the laws of Moses died without mercy, and much more anyone who should reject the Son of God must expect more certain and fearful severity; Heb 10:27-30.

By considerations such as these, the apostle aims to show them the danger of apostasy, and to urge them to a faithful adherence to their Christian profession.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Heb 4:14-16

A great High Priest

Our great High Priest

I.

PRACTICAL FEATURES OF OUR LORDS PRIESTHOOD.

1. It is an argument for steadfastness in the Christian life.

(1) The fact that Christ is our Priest (Heb 4:14).

(2) That heaven is the sphere of the exercise of His priesthood.

2. It is an encouragement to the faith of the believer.

(1) Because of the sympathy of our great High Priest (Heb 4:15).

(2) Because of His personal experience of temptations.

(3) Because of His sinlessness.

(4) Believing prayer under such circumstances cannot be denied,

II. OUR LORDS PRIESTHOOD CONFORMED TO THE GENERAL LAWS OF PRIESTHOOD.

1. The priest must be taken from among men (Heb 5:1).

2. The priest was ordained to offer sacrifices to God.

3. The priest was ordained to be ready to sympathise with the unfortunate and wretched (Heb 5:2).

4. The priest was not self-appointed (Heb 5:4).

5. But the change in the order of priesthood in our Lords case is most suggestive and significant. It implies

(1) Perfection (Heb 7:11-19). (2) Perpetuity (Heb 7:20-25).

(3) That Christ alone could meet such requirements (Heb 7:26). Lessons:

1. The priesthood of Christ implies Divine qualities.

2. The sphere of the priesthood of Christ ensures the finished work as Redeemer.

3. The priesthood of Christ guarantees all-sufficient sympathy, assistance, and ultimate salvation. (D. C. Hughes, M. A.)

Jesus Christ, the Mediator between God and man

I. THE NECESSITY THERE IS FOR A MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND MAN.

1. This is clear, if we consider the circumstances in which our first parents placed themselves.

2. It is implied in the Divine institution of sacrifices and of the order of priesthood.

3. It is expressly taught in Holy Scripture.

4. It is confirmed by the almost universal practice of heathen nations.

II. THE SUFFICIENCY OF JESUS CHRIST TO SUSTAIN THIS IMPORTANT CHARACTER.

1. His greatness.

2. His goodness.

III. THE PARTICULAR MANNER IN WHICH WE, AS INDIVIDUALS, ARE TO DERIVE THE BENEFITS DESIGNED TO BE CONVEYED BY THE MEDIATION OF OUR LORD. Let us come to the throne–in other words, let us come to God–to Him who sits upon the throne. This implies, of course, a previous conviction of our being separated from God, and of the necessity of our return. (J. Crowther.)

Encouragement to hold fast

1. He giveth them a direction for entering into their rest; to hold fast their profession; that is, in faith and love to avow the doctrine of Christ.

(1) Then he that would enter into rest must be steadfast in maintaining and avowing the true religion of Christ.

(2) He who quitteth the profession of the truth of Christ taketh courses to cut off himself from Gods rest. For if we deny Christ He will deny us.

2. He commandeth to hold fast our profession. Then

(1) God will not be pleased with backsliding, or coldness, or indifference in matters of religion, because this is not to hold it fast; but to take a loose hold, which is the ready way to defection.

(2) There is danger lest our adversaries pull the truth from us.

(3) The more danger we foresee, the more strongly must we hold the truth.

3. The encouragement which He giveth to hold fast is, We have Christ a great High Priest, &c. Then

(1) As we have need of threatening, to drive us to enter into Gods rest, so have we need of encouragements to draw us thereunto.

(2) All our encouragement is from the help which we shall have in Christ, and that is sufficient.

(3) Christ is always for us in His office, albeit we do not always feel Him sensibly in us.

4. He calleth Christ a great High Priest, to put difference betwixt the typical high priest and Him in whom the truth of the priesthood is found. Then what the typical high priest did in show for the people, that the great High Priest doth in substance for us; that is, reconcileth us to God perfectly, blesseth us with all blessings solidly, and intercedeth for us perpetually.

5. He affirmeth of Christ, that He is passed into heaven; to wit, in regard of tits manhood, to take possession thereof in our name. Then

(1) Christs corporal presence is in heaven only, and not on earth, from whence He is passed.

(2) Christs corporal presence in heaven, and absence from us in that respect, hindereth not our right unto Him, and spiritual having or possessing of Him.

(3) Yea, it is our encouragement to seek entry into heaven, that He is there before us.

6. He calleth Him Jesus the Son of God; to lead us through His humanity unto His Godhead. Then no rest on the Mediator till we go to the rock of His Godhead, where is strength and satisfaction to faith. (D. Dickson, M. A.)

Our High Priest

We know how one man sometimes controls great masses of men. We know how the soldiers of Napoleon, not only in the day of battle, but to the end of their lives, carried in them a worshipping conception of that great hero of battles. We know that everywhere it is the habit of men to cling to some great nature and attempt to pattern their life after his life and to live by his power. Such is the genius of the New Testament. It holds up before the mind of the Jews the pattern which is most heroic to them–the high priest. It holds up Jesus Christ as the Exemplar, the Leader, the Deliverer, the God imminent to their imagination, and attempts to draw men not only through all those endeavours which they make to grow, but through all those experiences which befall them as residents of this lower sphere, without diminishing their faith, their hope, their joy, their courage, or their strength. This is the way in which Christ is presented to men. It is quite possible for an army to be enthusiastic for their king; but then, he is a different sort of being from themselves; and they mutter, He is a king, and has a good time. He does not know what it is to be wet, and half starved, and wearied with marching through the mud. He has no idea of what we poor privates have to endure. But if the general of an army has been a private soldier, and has gone through weary, dragging marches, and has been hungry and sick, and if he remembers it all, and if when his men go into camp he makes his round, and sits down by the side of one and another, the soldiers say, Though our general is regarded as the best general in Europe, yet he is not above thinking of us and feeling for us poor fellows in the ranks; he has been situated just as we are, and ha has sympathy for us what an inconceivable power that sympathy shown to those soldiers gives to that general! Now, the Lord Jesus Christ identifies Himself with the whole universe in such a way that we are sure that He knows us, and every possible experience that we can go through. Then He is lifted up, and is declared to be at the head of power in the universe. And both of these things–the humiliation by which He gets hold of our confidence and the elevation by which we are filled with enthusiasm for Him–makes Him one who is our inspiration and our encouragement. Now this conception of the Lord Jesus Christ is unfolded in many different ways, as if there were not enough syllables in the world to describe it! Now there is a doable connection between men and their Leader, Jesus Christ. In the first place, He is united to us by that which we need and lack. That which brings a physician to the side of the afflicted mans bed in his disease, his wounds, his putrefying sores. And we are in some respects in the same way related to Christ. He looks upon our sins as things to be healed. He looks upon us, in our unfortunate condition, as objects to be sorrowed over, and to be saved. We have, then, a ground for concluding that it is possible for us to live upon a higher plane than that which we find ourselves upon. All men cannot rise to the attainments of some. And, generally speaking, there is, I think, an element of discouragement among men in attempting to form a high religious life in themselves. It is of no use, they say. The temptations and the besetments are too many. But one is hopeful and courageous who has a conception of being folded in and guided by the watchful care and love of Jesus, who is at the source and centre of power, and who works, not on the principle of justice and equity, but on the principle of love, doing not that which we deserve to have done, but that which will rescue us, relieve us, build us up, instituting new measures instead of those which prevail in courts of justice. If a man wants to be a Christian; if he wants to be Godlike in his character and conduct; if he wants to practice benevolence and self-denial; if he wants to cultivate humility and gentleness; then he has encouragement in the life and power of the Lord Jesus Christ, who has been through the experiences of this life, and who knows what trials men are beset with here, who knows what inward strivings we have, and who, notwithstanding his knowledge of there things, loves us, and is willing to watch over us from day to day in order to build us up in spiritual things. With that inspiration, I think a man may well enter with courage and confidence upon the Christian life–a courage and a confidence which he could not feel if there were not this thought of his God, his Saviour, his Leader, who has given a concrete, practical example which he can follow, and following which he can attain to the Christian character upon a higher plane. Then, consider the experiences which men are obliged to go through in this life on account of the inequalities of condition. Men do not walk abreast. They are scattered up and down through the earth with every conceivable variation of circumstance and opportunity. Some men are rich, and some men are poor. Some men are educated, and some men wake up in mid-life to see what education would have been to them, but to find that it is too late for them to acquire it. If a man looks about and compares himself with those who are around him, if he compares his condition, his felicities or infelicities, with theirs, he may easily become discouraged and fall into complainings. Hear what the Matter says when He speaks on that subject: The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. Is there one single privation known to human life that your Leader has not experienced? Is there one single circumstance of position, of hindrance, which you have been subject to that your Lord has not felt in its full weight? The disciple ought not to complain of treatment which he sees his own Master bear with equanimity and meekness. What if every ill-fortune be yours? What if you are emptied of everything? What if you are overthrown? What if your health is broken down in mid-life? What if your affections are blighted? What if your name is traduced? So then, in the midst of the great deficiencies of life, its alterations, its trials, you have the leadership of this personal Christ, who is your Friend, your Guide, who is your Inspiration to patience, and who is your Joy and Triumph in the midst of sorrow and defeat. You cannot tell, by the way a cup looks when it goes into the furnace, what it will look like when it comes out. When, in the pottery, the colours are laid on, they do not appear as they will after they have gone through the burning process. Many a cup whose rim shines with gold after it comes out, goes in black at a negros face, such is the nature of the gold when it is prepared for the furnace. Even when it comes out it is bill little changed in appearance; and yet the colour is the same that it was when it went in. It is burnt in now, however, while then it was simply laid on. But there is another process that it goes through. By and by it is burnished; and the moment attrition is brought to bear on it, that moment the black begins to fall off, and the gold begins to come out in its perfect colour. Many a man says, I have endured and suffered year after year, and I am willing to be painted, and to go into the furnace, if I can come out anything comely and beautiful; but I am as black and homely as ever. Yes; but time is going to reveal what you have become. You do not know what you are. You do not know how much of what appears on the surface is cineration or charcoal which will fall away in death. You do not know what effects are being wrought by the strifes that are going on in the inner chamber of your soul. But God knows; and you should have faith that all will be well at last. He is dealing with you, and He says to you, You do not know what I am doing, but you shall know hereafter. No man is just what he seems to be. Everybody is being changed. God is preparing us for a higher state of existence. By the things which we suffer or endure, by yokes and burdens, by wounds and sickness, by failures, by all manner of overwhelmings in this life, He is working out in us that stature which shall yet appear in glory. (H. W. Beecher.)

Christ a great High Priest

I. THE PRIESTLY DIGNITY OF JESUS. Seeing, then, that we have a great High Priest.

1. Christ is a Priest. The term signifies one who ministers in holy things. The priests under the law were distinguished as follows

(1) They were appointed of God.

(2) Separated to their office and work at a peculiar time.

(3) Consecrated with the washing of water and anointing oil.

(4) Had peculiar apparel and ornaments; the robe, the mitre, and the breast-plate.

(5) They taught the people.

(6) Offered sacrifices.

(7) And burned incense before the Lord. It will easily be seen bow strikingly all these exhibited the character and work of Jesus.

2. Christ is a High Priest. Now the high priest was distinguished from the other priests

(1) As he was appealed to on all important occasions, and decided all controversies.

(2) He offered the great annual sacrifice.

(3) He only entered into the holiest of all once a year.

(4) He offered the annual intercessory prayer, and came forth and blessed the people in the name of the Lord.

3. Christ is the Great High Priest. Now Jesus is infinitely greater than the high priests of old.

(1) In the dignity of His person. He is the Son of God, Heir of all things, Lord of all.

(2) In the purity of His nature. Holy, harmless, and separate from sinners. Without spot.

(3) In the value and efficacy of His sacrifice. An equivalent for the worlds guilt. Only once offered, and for all sins.

(4) In the unchangeable perpetuity of His office. A priest for ever. An unchangeable priesthood (Heb 7:24). He had no direct predecessor, and He shall have no successor. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.

II. HIS HIGH EXALTATION. Who is passed into the heavens.

1. The place into which He is exalted. The heavens. Represented of old by the holiest of all. Described by Jesus as His Fathers house.

2. The manner of His exaltation. He passed into the heavens.

(1) According to His own predictions.

(2) While in the act of blessing His disciples.

(3) Visibly, and with great splendour.

3. The great end of His exaltation.

(1) To enjoy the rewards of His sufferings and toils (Php 2:6; Php 2:8-9).

(2) To appear before God as the intercessor of His Church.

(3) To carry on His mediatorial designs. Hence, He is to subdue His foes, prolong His days, see His seed, and witness the travail of His soul until He is satisfied.

(4) To abide as the Mediator between God and men to the end of the Christian state. Now God only treats with us by and through Jesus. And He is the only way of access to the Father (Joh 14:6; Heb 9:28).

III. THE PRACTICAL INFLUENCE THIS SUBJECT SHOULD HAVE UPON US. Let us hold fast our profession.

1. The profession referred to. It is a profession of faith and hope in Christ, and of love and obedience to Him.

2. This profession must be maintained. Held fast, not abandoned. We shall be tempted, tried, persecuted. Our profession may cost us our property, liberty, lives. This profession must be held fast by the exercise of vigorous faith, constant love, and cheerful obedience.

(1) For Christs sake. Whose we are, and whom we serve.

(2) For the professions sake; that Christs cause may not be injured, and His people cast down.

(3) Especially for our own sake. It is only thus we can retain Divine acceptance, peace, joy, and the sure prospect of eternal life.

Application:

1. Christs example is the model of our steadfastness.

2. Christs exaltation should be the exciting attraction to steadfastness.

3. Christs intercession will always provide the grace necessary to our holding fast our profession. (J. Burns, D. D.)

Christ the Reconciler

This book presents an ideal of Christ as a reconciler. Of what? It has been said that man was reconciled to God. That is correct. Men are reconciled to the law of God, but that is vagneness itself. Christ is a reconciler by revealing to us what is the real interior nature of perfectness, and what bearing it has upon imperfectness. The experience of noble souls is that discord prevails, and that with the struggle there can be no peace. There may be peace by lowering the ideal of our range of attainment, or by indifference and discouragement, but not by vital stress and strife can men have peace, when they are obliged every day to see that they come short, not of the law in its entirety and purity, but in their own conceptions in regard to single lines of conduct. Men all around are resolving to do the right and are eternally coming short of it, and then they say: How under the sun am I going to face God! I cannot face my neighbour. The reason is, that your neighbour is not God. There is a view of God that while it intensifies the motives for righteousness, encourages men who are unrighteous, and brings about a reconcilaiation between these constantly antagonising experiences in the human bosom. It is to such that this experience of Christ is presented. Jesus Christ is the spotless High Priest who offered Himself once for all mankind. He came forth and lived among men, and He knows what their tears and struggles are, what their temptations and difficulties. Every faculty that is found in a human being was found in Christ, and yet He was without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Do not come to a man who is conscious of his own infirmities, for he would not help you; but come to that Being who is conscious of absolute purity, and from whom you will get higher sympathy and a quicker succour. The moral perfectness of Christ develops sympathy for the sinful. It needed something like this in that age when the better men were the worst men, men whose righteousness was finished off by an enamel of selfishness, the men whose temperance made them hate drunkards, the men whose honesty made them hate men of slippery fingers, the men whose dried up passions made them scorn the harlot, the men who had money enough and abominated the tax-gatherers. Christ does not set Himself up on a throne apart, and say, I am pure, but says that because He is perfect He has an infinite sympathy with and compassion for the sinful and fallen. The supreme truth that we need to know is that God is determined to bring the human race on and up out of animalism and the lowest forms of barbarism to the highest degree of intellectual and spiritual development. That is the eternal purpose of God, and in that great work He will deal with the human family with such tenderness and gentleness that He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, nor blow out the wick which He has just kindled, and He will not stop until He brings forth judgment unto victory. I think sometimes that the greatest attribute of God is patience, and one of the greatest illustrations of patience of the same kind in men is that of the music Leacher, who takes a boy to teach him the violin, and hears him and bears with him through days, and through weeks, and through months and through years, and then has to take another and go right on the same way again. Or the artist who sees his pupil smudging a canvas, and tries to teach him the whole theory of colour, and tries to develop his ideality. Any parent, teacher, musician, artist, or any one else is obliged to go upon the theory God acts on–namely, that the higher you are the more you owe, and can give, to those who are lower; and if you are going to be instrumental in bringing them up, you have got to carry their burthens and their sorrows and to wait for them, and be patient with them. It is the law of creation, and if it is the law of creation in all its minor and ruder developments among mankind, its supreme strength and scope for beauty is in the nature of Himself. Look at the sun, the symbol of God. It carries in itself all trees and all bushes, and all vines, and all orchards, and all gardens. It sows the seed and brings the summer; and the outpouring of the vital light and heat of the sun makes it the father of all husbandmen and all pomologists. And yet Gods nature is greater than that. He is the life of life; He is the heart of hearts; He is the soul of souls; and the grandeur of His endowments is the life of mankind. Cast away all the old mediaeval notions of reconciliation, the mechanical scheme of atonement and plan of salvation, and all those lower forms. They stand between you and the bright light of the God revealed in Jesus Christ, a God who has patience with sin because He is sinless, who has patience with infirmity because He has no infirmities, who has patience with weakness and ignorance because He is supremely wise and supremely strong. Our hope is in God, and our life ought to be godly. Though we be faint or feeble, He will revive our courage and will give us His strength, and it will not be in vain that we endeavour to serve the Lord. (H. W.Beecher.)

Our great High Priest

The first important word is the epithet great prefixed to the title High Priest. It is introduced to make the priestly office of Christ assume due importance in the minds of the Hebrews. As an author writing a treatise on an important theme writes the title of the theme in letters fitted to attract notice, so this writer places at the head of the ensuing portion this title, Jesus the Son of God the Great High Priest, insinuating thereby that He of whom he speaks is the greatest of all priests, the only real priest, the very ideal of priesthood realised. The expression passed through the heavens is also very suggestive. It hints at the right construction to be put upon Christs departure from the earth. There is an obvious allusion to the entering of the high priest of Israel within the veil on the great day of atonement; and the idea suggested is, that the ascension of Christ was the passing of the great High Priest through the veil into the celestial sanctuary, as our representative and in our interest. The name given to the great High Priest, Jesus the Son of God, contributes to the argument. Jesus is the historical person, the tempted Man; and this part of the name lays the foundation for what is to be said in the following sentence concerning His power to sympathise. The title, Son of God, on the other hand, justifies what has been already said of the High Priest of our confession. If our High Priest be the Son of God, He may well be called the Great, and moreover there can be no doubt whither He has gone. Whither but to His native abode, His Fathers house? Having thus by brief, pregnant phrase hinted the thoughts he means to prove, our author proceeds to address to his readers an exhortation, which is repeated at the close of the long discussion on the priesthood of Christ to which these sentences are the prelude (Heb 10:19-23). In doing so he gives prominence to that feature of Christs priestly character of which alone he has as yet spoken explicitly: His power to sympathise, acquired and guaranteed by His experience of temptation (Heb 2:17-18). It is noteworthy that the doctrine of Christs sympathy is here stated in a defensive, apologetic manner, We have not a High Priest who cannot be touched, as if there were some one maintaining the contrary. This defensive attitude, may be conceived of as assumed over against two possible objections to the reality of Christs sympathy, one drawn from His dignity as the Son of God, the other from His sinlessness. Both objections are dealt with in the only way open to one who addresses weak faith–viz., not by elaborate or philosophical argument, but by strong assertion. As the Psalmist said to the desponding, Wait, I say, on the: Lord, and as Jesus said to disciples doubting the utility of prayer, I say unto you, Ask, and ye shall receive, so our author says to dispirited Christians, We have not a High Priest who cannot be touched with sympathy–this part of his assertion disposing of doubt engendered by Christs dignity–but one who has been tempted in all respects as we are, apart from sin–this part of the assertion meeting doubt based on Christs sinlessness. To this strong assertion of Christs power to sympathise is fitly appended the final exhortation. Specially noteworthy are the words, Let us approach confidently. They have more than practical import: they are of theoretic significance; they strike the doctrinal keynote of the Epistle: Christianity the religion of free access. There is a latent contrast between Christianity and Leviticalism. The contrast is none the less real that the expression to draw near was applied to acts of worship under the Levitical system. Every act of worship in any religion whatever may be called an approach to Deity. Nevertheless religions may be wide apart as the poles in respect to the measure in which they draw near to God. In one religion the approach may be ceremonial only, while the spirit stands afar off in fear. In another, the approach may be spiritual, with mind and heart, in intelligence, trust, and love, and with the confidence which these inspire. Such an approach alone is real, and deserves to be called a drawing near to God. Such an approach was first made possible by Christ, and on this account it is that the religion which bears His name is the perfect, final, perennial religion. (A. B. Bruce, D. D.)

Hold fast our profession

Holding fast the Christian profession

I. THE NATURE OF THE CHRISTIAN PROFESSION.

1. A cordial assent to the whole of Scripture truth, and especially the testimony which God has given of His Son Christ Jesus.

2. A profession of practical conformity to the whole of Gods revealed will.

3. The hope of eternal life and glory in heaven.

II. WHAT IS IMPLIED IN HOLDING FAST OUR PROFESSION?

1. That we actually have this profession.

2. A just sense of its high value.

3. That we may be tempted to forsake it.

4. That we are called to the regular, uniform, constant exercise of it.

5. Perseverance to the end.

III. THE MOTIVES TO THIS DUTY.

1. The person and character of Him who is its object.

2. Christs office and relation to us.

3. The security afforded against our own weakness, and the malice of spiritual foes. (H. Hunter.)

Holding fast our profession

I. WHAT IS OUR PROFESSION?

1. Attachment to the person of Christ.

2. Dependence on the work of Christ.

3. Devotedness to the service of Christ.

II. HOW IS THIS TO BE DONE?

1. By avowing in Gods ordinances your attachment to the person, reliance on the work, and devotedness to the service of Christ.

2. By a consistent life. (W. Cadman, M. A.)

Exhortation to steadfastness

I. THE EXHORTATION TO STEADFASTNESS IN OUR CHRISTIAN PROFESSION. By our profession we are sometimes to understand that which we profess, or the subject of our profession. In Heb 3:1, the term evidently means the holy religion which we profess. But the term applies to the act also. This is its import in that other passage, let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering. There are in what is called the Christian world two kinds of professors.

1. All nominal Christians. All who say that they are disciples of Christ; all who wish it to be understood that they have embraced the faith. Such persons may with propriety be exhorted to hold their profession fast: it is worthy of being held fast. And yet, if we do venture to remind such persons of the obligation arising from the very name they bear; if we point out any inconsistency in their conduct, the accusation is repelled with indignation, and they tell us they make no profession of religion. Now this

(1) Is singularly impudent and wicked. What would you think if the expression were applied to social life, to the duties which belong to a parent, a husband, a child, a subject, an honest man?

(2) It is in most cases not true. They themselves, at other times, deny it; and they would be highly affronted if they thought any one supposed that they deny the Lord who bought them. They do call themselves Christians, and hence they ought to be careful to live and act as such. But there are in the world

2. Those who profess to be Christians indeed. Now the profession of real Christians is distinguished from that which is nominal by these three marks.

(1) It is Scriptural. He founds his belief on having discovered that it is the infallible Word of God; and he receives nothing but what in his conscience he believes to have this sanction, Thus saith the Lord.

(2) It is experimental. I mean to say that every Christian has, in his own experience, an evidence of the truth of the gospel. He has put its truths to the test: he has tried them in his own case, and found them to be sanctifying and saving.

(3) It is practical. That is, the truth professed is not belied, but is borne out and appealed to by their conduct. Put these things together, and you will see how a real profession is distinguished from that which is merely nominal, It is scriptural, experimental, and practical: it is manifested by cheerfully doing, and patiently suffering the will of God. Such a profession as this we are commanded to hold fast.

3. This command implies that we are in danger of renouncing our profession. And this danger arises from various causes. Satan, the great foe of God and the gospel, goes about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he mar devour. Infidels and their associates having apostalised from the faith are aiming to seduce others to their guilt. The world too is a foe: by its smiles it would often allure, by its frowns it would often deter from steadfastness. Last, but not least, are the foes of our own household; a heart that is deceitful, and which is not fully renewed, will betray us into the hands of our outward enemies, so that we shall lose our peace at the last.

4. Let us hold fast our profession, says the apostle. Be valiant for the truth.

(1) Hold fast the simplicity of evangelical doctrine. Stand fast in one spirit, earnestly contending for the faith once delivered to the saints.

(2) Hold it fast in an evangelical experience of its blessings.

(3) Hold it fast by the practice of all that is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report.

(4) Hold fast by a public profession of the gospel, the truths in which you thus believe–the privileges you thus profess to enjoy–the duties you profess to exemplify. Thus give to every man a reason of the hope that is in you.

II. THE MOTIVE TO THIS DERIVED FROM HE PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST. We have a great High Priest, greater than any under the law. Many grounds of superiority to any who went before Him might be adduced.

1. Because of the place in which He ministers. He is at the right hand of the Majesty on high. He who is our Friend, the best Friend we ever had, who has given us such tokens of His love and kindness, is in that place where best of all He can serve our cause! Our High Priest can never be at a loss for a place in which to minister; He can never be at a loss for want of access to His Father and our Father, to His God and our God. He ever liveth to make intercession where He can make it with the greatest certainty of success.

2. Because of the more substantial benefits derived from the exercise of His office. Aaron was Gods high priest, but he was not a Saviour; his successors were Gods high priests, but they were not Jesus; they could not save from sin. But Jesus our great High Priest can redeem from all iniquity; and He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him. Greater

3. Because of the superior dignity of His original nature and character, The Son of God. As the Son of God He was sinless. There was no guilty spot upon His soul, though He was made a sacrifice for sin. He, therefore, is all our own; He was cut off for us, to finish our transgression, to make reconciliation for our iniquity. As the Son of God He is also necessarily immortal. Death could never have had any claim on Him after He took our nature into conjunction with the Divine, but by His own consent; He willingly laid it down, as an act of infinite benevolence to that world, whose cause He sustained. As the Son of God He can die no more, but liveth for ever. And oh, what a mercy in such a dying world as this, where so many are taken away from us, to be able to lift up our eyes to heaven, and be able to commit our concerns to this immortal and never-dying Redeemer! But wherein consists the force of all this as a motive to steadfastness in the Christian profession? Why

(1) For this reason we ought to hold fast the profession of Christianity. It is the priesthood of Christ that confers the crowning excellence on Christianity.

(2) But perhaps you say you have no intention to relinquish it; your only fear is that you shall not be able to hold it fast. You feel such powerful temptations, you are surrounded by so many adversaries, that you fear that in some dark and cloudy day you shall become their prey. And so you would if you were left to yourselves, if you depended on your own power. But you are not left to yourselves, the Gospel tells you that you have a great High Priest. You can hold fast your profession: the priesthood of Christ renders this practicable. (J. Bunting, M. A.)

Let us hold fast our profession

Our High Priest is a mighty one, able to punish us if we shrink from our profession, and of power to protect us from all our enemies if we stick to Him; therefore let us hold last our profession. The doctrine professed by us; let no enemies drive us from our profession, neither Satan, nor any of his instruments. The Pharisees held fast the traditions of their elders and would not be removed from them Mar 7:3). The Turks are wonderfully addicted to Mahomet, he is a great prophet among them, they will not let him go. And shall not we hold the profession of the Lord Jesus? They hold errors fast, and shall not we the truth? The subject of their profession, counterfeit things, mere inventions of men, lies and fables. The subject of our profession is Jesus Christ the Son of God. Therefore us hold it fast; let neither the syrenical songs of heretics and schismatics in the time of peace, nor the blustering wind of persecution in the time of war pull us from our confession. Let us be faithful to the death as the martyrs were; let house and land, wives and children, liberty and country–yea, our lives–go before our profession. But this is a hard matter; we have no strength of ourselves to hold it against so many strong and mighty enemies. Therefore let us all fear ourselves and fly to God for strength, that it would please Rim so to strengthen us by His Holy Spirit, that we may hold fast the profession of Christ and His gospel to the end: Hold that which thou hast, lest another take thy crown. We will hold our money fast though it be to good uses, we will not part with that; but as for religion, a number are at this pass, the, care not what becomes of it; let that go whither it will, so we may sleep in a whole skin and keep that which we have; let come what religion there will, we can be of any religion. Such turncoats and timeservers shall never set a foot in the kingdom of heaven. If we hold not our profession last we shall miss of the crown of eternal life. (W. Jones, D. D.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 14. Seeing then that we have a great high priest] It is contended, and very properly, that the particle , which we translate seeing, as if what followed was an immediate inference from what the apostle had been speaking, should be translated now; for the apostle, though he had before mentioned Christ as the High Priest of our profession, Heb 3:1, and as the High Priest who made reconciliation for the sins of the people, Heb 2:17, does not attempt to prove this in any of the preceding chapters, but now enters upon that point, and discusses it at great length to the end of chap. 10.

After all, it is possible that this may be a resumption of the discourse from Heb 3:6; the rest of that chapter, and the preceding thirteen verses of this, being considered as a parenthesis. These parts left out, the discourse runs on with perfect connection. It is very likely that the words, here, are spoken to meet an objection of those Jews who wished the Christians of Palestine to apostatize: “You have no tabernacle – no temple – no high priest – no sacrifice for sin. Without these there can be no religion; return therefore to us, who have the perfect temple service appointed – by God.” To these he answers: We have a High Priest who is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God; therefore let us hold fast our profession. See on Heb 3:1, to which this verse seems immediately to refer.

Three things the apostle professes to prove in this epistle: –

1. That Christ is greater than the angels.

2. That he is greater than Moses.

3. That he is greater than Aaron, and all high priests.

The two former arguments, with their applications and illustrations, he has already despatched; and now he enters on the third. See the preface to this epistle.

The apostle states,

1. That we have a high priest.

2. That this high priest is Jesus, the Son of God; not a son or descendant of Aaron, nor coming in that way, but in a more transcendent line.

3. Aaron and his successors could only pass into the holy of holies, and that once a year; but our High Priest has passed into the heavens, of which that was only the type. There is an allusion here to the high priest going into the holy of holies on the great day of atonement.

1. He left the congregation of the people.

2. He passed through the veil into the holy place, and was not seen even by the priests.

3. He entered through the second veil into the holy of holies, where was the symbol of the majesty of God. Jesus, our High Priest,

1. Left the people at large.

2. He left his disciples by ascending up through the visible heavens, the clouds, as a veil, screening him from their sight.

3. Having passed through these veils, he went immediately to be our Intercessor: thus he passed , the visible or ethereal heavens, into the presence of the Divine Majesty; through the heavens, , and the empyreum, or heaven of heavens.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

The excellency of the great gospel Minister beyond all others in respect of his priestly office, especially beyond Aaron and the Levitical priesthood, is shown by the Holy Ghost:. {Heb 4:14-5:11} It is introduced as the Spirits counsel to these Hebrews, from the premises, for their using of this High Priest, in order to their reaching home to the rest of God, to whom and whose profession they ought to adhere, since he is so fit and so willing to give them an entrance into it: compare Heb 2:17,18; 3:1,6.

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest; being therefore by the Spirit through faith not only interested by a common relation in him, but by a real union to, and communion with him, as here described, a High Priest (Heb 2:11, and Heb 3:1) so great as none was, or can equal him: all the high priests on earth but imperfect types of him; above Aaron and all others; the grand presider over all Gods worship, who had work peculiar to himself above all; the supreme and universal Priest in heaven and earth, whose title the Roman antichrist usurpeth, to him only due, Pontifex optimus maximus; yet officiating always for us.

That is passed into the heavens; he hath fulfilled his type, entering into the holy of holiest in heaven, taking possession of Gods rest, and purchasing an entrance for us into it, and this after the removal of the curse, satisfaction of the Divine justice for our sins, victory over all enemies that would oppose his or our entrance by him, as sin, wrath, death, and the devil, and keeping possession of this rest for us, Heb 9:23,24,28.

Jesus the Son of God; Jesus the Saviour of his people from all their sins, their Emmanuel, Mat 1:20,21,23, who being God the Son by eternal generation, was incarnate by taking to himself and uniting a true body and a reasonable soul, being conceived miraculously by the virgin Mary from the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost: in which nature, inseparably united to his person, he fulfilled all righteousness, and died a sacrifice for our sins, and rose in our nature, and ascended and entered into the holy of holiest in heaven, and made atonement, and laid open the way to believers to enter Gods rest there.

Let us hold fast our profession; the entire religion of which Jesus is the author, as opposite to that of the Jews in its principles and practical part of it, Heb 3:1, is powerfully, strongly, and perseveringly to be held by his without relaxation; in which if we follow him, cleave to him, and by him labour to enter, we shall not come short of Gods rest, Heb 7:24,25; where the Head is, there shall the body be also, Joh 14:2,3; 17:24.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

14. Seeing thenHaving,therefore; resuming Heb 2:17.

greatas being “theSon of God, higher than the heavens” (Heb7:26): the archetype and antitype of the legal high priest.

passed into theheavensrather, “passed through the heavens,”namely, those which come between us and God, the aerial heaven, andthat above the latter containing the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon,c. These heavens were the veil which our High Priest passedthrough into the heaven of heavens, the immediate presence ofGod, just as the Levitical high priest passed through the veil intothe Holy of Holies. Neither Moses, nor even Joshua, could bring usinto this rest, but Jesus, as our Forerunner, already spiritually,and hereafter in actual presence, body, soul, and spirit, brings Hispeople into the heavenly rest.

Jesusthe antitypicalJoshua (Heb 4:8).

hold fastthe oppositeof “let slip” (Heb 2:1)and “fall away” (Heb 6:6).As the genitive follows, the literally, sense is, “Let ustake hold of our profession,” that is, of the faith andhope which are subjects of our profession and confession. Theaccusative follows when the sense is “hold fast”[TITTMANN].

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Seeing then that we have a great high priest,…. That Christ is a priest, and an high priest, has been observed already, in Heb 2:1 but here he is called a great one, because of the dignity of his person, as follows, and the virtue of his sacrifice; and because of the place where he now officiates as a priest, heaven and with respect to the continuation of his priesthood; and likewise because he makes others priests unto God; and this great high priest is no other than the Word of God before spoken of: so the divine Logos, or Word, is often called a priest, and an high priest, by Philo the Jew t. This great high priest believers “have”, and have an interest in him; he is called to this office, and invested with it; he has been sent to do his work as a priest; and he has done the greatest part of it, and is now doing the rest; and saints receive Christ as such, and the blessings of grace from him, through his sacrifice and intercession:

that is passed into the heavens; he came down from thence, and offered himself a sacrifice for the sins of his people; and having done this, he ascended thither again, to appear for them, and to make intercession for them; whereby he fully answers to his character as the great high priest: and what makes him more fully to appear so is what follows,

Jesus, the Son of God: the former of these names signifies a Saviour, and respects his office; the latter is expressive of his dignity, and respects his person; who is the Son of God in such sense as angels and men are not; not by creation, nor adoption; but by nature; not as man and Mediator, but as God, being of the same nature with his Father, and equal to him; and it is this which makes him a great high priest, and gives virtue and efficacy to all he does as such: wherefore,

let us hold fast our profession: of faith, of the grace and doctrine of faith, and of Christ, and salvation by him, and of the hope of eternal life and happiness; which being made both by words and deeds, publicly and sincerely, should be held fast; which supposes something valuable in it, and that there is danger of dropping it; and that it requires strength, courage, and greatness of mind, and an use of all proper means; and it should be held without wavering; for it is good and profitable, it recommends the Gospel; and it has been made publicly before witnesses; and not to hold it fast is displeasing to God, and resented by him: and the priesthood of Christ is an argument to enforce this duty, for he is the high priest of our profession; he has espoused our cause, and abode by it; he has bore witness to the truth of the Gospel himself; he prays for the support of our faith; he pities and succours; and he is passed into the heavens, where he appears for us, owns us, and will own us.

t Alleg. 1. 2. p. 76. De Profugis, p. 466. & de Somniis, p. 597.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

A great high priest ( ). The author now takes up the main argument of the Epistle, already alluded to in Heb 1:3; Heb 2:17; Heb 3:1, the priestly work of Jesus as superior to that of the Levitical line (4:14-12:3). Jesus is superior to the prophets (1:1-3), to angels (1:4-2:18), to Moses (3:1-4:13), he has already shown. Here he only terms Jesus “great” as high priest (a frequent adjective with high priest in Philo) but the superiority comes out as he proceeds.

Who hath passed through the heavens ( ). Perfect active participle of , state of completion. Jesus has passed through the upper heavens up to the throne of God (1:3) where he performs his function as our high priest. This idea will be developed later (Heb 6:19; Heb 7:26-28; Heb 9:11; Heb 9:24).

Jesus the Son of God ( ). The human name linked with his deity, clinching the argument already made (1:1-4:13).

Let us hold fast our confession ( ). Present active volitive subjunctive of , old verb (from , power), with genitive to cling to tenaciously as here and 6:18 and also with the accusative (2Thess 2:15; Col 2:19). “Let us keep on holding fast.” This keynote runs all through the Epistle, the exhortation to the Jewish Christians to hold on to the confession (3:1) of Christ already made. Before making the five points of Christ’s superior priestly work (better priest than Aaron, 5:1-7:25; under a better covenant, 8:1-13; in a better sanctuary, 9:1-12; offering a better sacrifice, 9:13-10:18; based on better promises, 10:19-12:3), the author gives a double exhortation (4:14-16) like that in 2:1-4 to hold fast to the high priest (14f.) and to make use of him (16).

Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

Heb 2:17-18 is now resumed. This and the following verse more naturally form the conclusion of the preceding section than the introduction to the following one.

Great high priest ()

Emphasizing Christ’s priestly character to Jewish readers, as superior to that of the Levitical priests. He is holding up the ideal priesthood.

Passed into the heavens ( )

Rend. passed through the heavens. Through, and up to the throne of God of which he wields the power, and is thus able to fulfill for his followers the divine promise of rest.

Jesus the Son of God

The name Jesus applied to the high priest is forcible as recalling the historical, human person, who was tempted like his brethren. We are thus prepared for what is said in Heb 4:15 concerning his sympathizing character.

Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament

Believers Kept in Perfect Rest by Mercy and Grace

1) “Seeing then that we have a great high priest,” (echontes oun archierea megan) “Having or holding therefore a great high priest,” greater than the priests of the Levitical high priesthood, Heb 2:17; Heb 3:1.

2) “That is passed into the heavens,” (dieleuthota tous ouranous) “Who has gone through (even into) the heavens,” even as the High Priest passed thru the veil into the holy of holies, Heb 9:12; Heb 9:24; Heb 10:19-23; .

3) “Jesus, the Son of God,” (lesoun ton huion tou theou) “Jesus the heir son of God; Jesus is the Son (heir) of God, of the trinity; there he lives to make intercession, Heb 7:22-25.

4) “Let us hold fast our profession,” (kratomen tes homologias) “Let us grasp, cling to, or hold tenaciously our confession,” our profession, our commitment to God and to Jesus Christ and to his church as holy brethren of his church, New Testament covenant program of worship and service, Heb 3:1; Heb 10:23-25. Note that this “love and good works” is to be performed thru “assembling together,” ; Eph 3:21.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

14. Seeing then that we have, or, Having then, etc. He has been hitherto speaking of Christ’s apostleship, But he how passes on to his second office. For we have said that the Son of God sustained a twofold character when he was sent to us, even that of a teacher and of a priest. The Apostle, therefore, after having exhorted the Jews obediently to embrace the doctrine of Christ, now shows what benefit his priesthood has brought to us; and this is the second of the two points which he handles. And fitly does he connect the priesthood with the apostleship, since he reminds us that the design of both is to enable us to come to God. He employs an inference, then; for he had before referred to this great truth, that Christ is our high priest; (76) but as the character of the priesthood cannot be known except through teaching, it was necessary to prepare the way, so as to render men willing to hear Christ. It now remains, that they who acknowledge Christ as their teacher, should become teachable disciples, and also learn from his mouth, and in his school, what is the benefit of his priesthood, and what is its use and end.

In the first place he says, Having a great high priest, (77) Jesus Christ, let us hold fast our profession, or confession. Confession is here, as before, to be taken as a metonymy for faith; and as the priesthood serves to confirm the doctrine, the Apostle hence concludes that there is no reason to doubt or to waver respecting the faith of the Gospel, because the Son of God has approved and sanctioned it; for whosoever regards the doctrine as not confirmed, dishonors the Son of God, and deprives him of his honor as a priest; nay, such and so great a pledge ought to render us confident, so as to rely unhesitantly on the Gospel.

(76) That is, in the latter part of chapter 2. In the beginning of chapter 3 he exhorted us to “consider” the apostle and high priest of our profession, and then proceeded to speak of him as an apostle. He now returns to the high priesthood, and says that as we have a great high priest, we ought to hold fast our profession. Such, according to Calvin, is the connection, and is adopted by Stuart and Bloomfield. — Ed.

(77) In the Apostle’s time there were many called high priests, such as the heads of the Levitical courses; but “the great high priest” meant him who alone had the privilege of entering into the holy of holies, that is, the high priest, as distinguished from all the rest. — Ed.

Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Heb. 4:14-16

The Divine-human High Priest.This passage introduces the consideration of the priesthood of Christ, to which brief reference is made in Heb. 3:1. Three things are argued:

1. His extraordinary dignity.
2. His perfect character.
3. His glorious work. The high priest was the prominent man, the example, of the Old Testament dispensation. There is an important distinction between a model and an example, which needs to be kept in view. F. W. Robertson skilfully explains that distinction. You copy the outline of a model; you imitate the spirit of an example. Christ is our Example, not our Model. You might copy the life of Christ, make Him a model in every act, and yet you might not be one whit more of a Christian than before. You might wash the feet of poor fishermen as He did, and live a wandering life, with nowhere to lay your head. You might go about teaching, and never use any words but His words, never express religious truth except in Bible language; have no home, and mix with publicans and sinners. Then Christ would be your Model; you would have copied His life like a picture, line for line, and shadow for shadow, and yet you may not be Christ-like. On the other hand, you might imitate Christ, get His Spirit, breathe the atmosphere of thought that He breathed, do not one single act which He did, but every act in His Spirit; you might be rich, whereas He was poor; never teach, whereas He was teaching always; lead a life in all outward particulars the very contrast and opposite of His; and yet the spirit of His self-devotion might have saturated your whole being, and penetrated into the life of every act, and the essence of every thought. Then Christ would have become your Example; for we can only imitate that of which we have caught the spirit. But if we make Christ our Example two things need to be carefully explained.

1. He must be in our plane, or we cannot hope to follow Him or to be like Him.

2. He must be out of our plane, He must belong to a higher plane, or we cannot be satisfied with Him. Fixing thought on Him figured as our High Priest, observe

I. Christ was one with men.In the records left us of His life there is a more evident effort to convince us of His veritable humanity than of His Divinity. It is as though men were sure to light on the idea of His being extraordinary, and it needed to be proved that He was really man. In his first epistle St. John does not argue or assert that Christ was God. That seems to have been believed. St. John demands belief in Christ as having come in the flesh. Illustrate:

1. The significancy of our Lords living so long a time as thirty years of common and ordinary human life, fully recognised during that time as a man among men.

2. The distinct apprehension of His ordinary manhood by His brethren, and by the people of Nazareth.
3. The perfect humanness of the habits and exhibited feelings of Christs life. Sensitiveness to suffering, bodily and mental. He was humanly affected towards the character and conduct of others. He was weary, hungry, sleepy.
4. The simple human character of our Lords death. One might expect such a Being to die in some sublime way. But, physically, our Lords was just a common and usual mans death; and, morally, it was remarkable as a good mans innocent death. With the idea of the humanness of Christ before us, we cannot but feel that His character is the expression, the outliving, of our ideal of humanity; it is the realised perfect character for a man.

II. Christ was distinct from sinners.It is important to estimate clearly the distinction between a man and a sinner. The condition of our world would be hopeless if the two terms were convertible. All that belongs to man was in Christ, but nothing that belongs to the sinner. But Christ was not distinct from sinners because His nature was imperfect, incomplete, on any side. It was a whole. Some may only be separate from sinners in some points, because they have no capacities for certain particular sins. There is no virtue in their sinlessness, any more than there is honesty in a thief whose hands have been cut off. This sense of our Lords distinctness was produced on all who came in contact with Him. Illustrate: The disciplesas in the call of Matthew. Peoplespeaks with authority, and not as the scribes. Enemies and indifferentsee money-changers in Temple-courts. Never man spake like this man. His judge and the Roman soldierssee the awe of Pilate, and the exclamation of the centurion. The same truth is borne in on us by the record. As we study the man we feel that He is more than man, other than man. There are two aspects in which His distinctness from sinners is impressively shown.

1. His acts are never doubtful. There has never been a merely human life without some incidents of questionable truth and virtue. In Christs life there is no record of any, but a distinct impression is left on us that there were none to record. This is a coin that you need not ring twice.

2. His acts were never selfish. This is largely characteristic of human acts; it is too constantly the fly in the best pots of ointment. Christs acts were all done under a profound sense of duty, and under a sublime impulse of love. The acts were right in form, and the life and feeling that inspired them were right also.

III. The Divine-human High Priest exerts the most ennobling and sanctifying power upon us.Precisely what man needed was salvation by God through man, through manhood; what he needed was a moral redemption. The Saviour of the world must be a Divine man. Only such a Saviour

1. Could demonstrate the distinction between man and sin.

2. Could bring to light the higher possibilities that are in human nature as God designed it.
3. Could exhibit the ennobling influence of the two great principles of our naturedependence, and the sense of duty. Ever near to God, ever doing the will of God, these are the essentials of true manhood.
4. Could show the charm which character, moral excellence, can put on all the relations of life.
5. And could reveal a sublime future for the race: as High Priest, working until all whom He represents have become like Him in fact. Then we are to be the people belonging to this great High Priest, the Son of God. What made men disciples of Christ while He was on earth? That makes men disciples now.

SUGGESTIVE NOTES AND SERMON SKETCHES

Heb. 4:14-16. Safety through the Great High Priest.The epistle to the Hebrews is an argument against apostasy. Everywhere, throughout this epistle, the signal-lights of danger are swung out along the Christian track. The fear which sometimes startled the steadfast and heroic heart of Paullest, having preached to others, he himself should be a castawayis declared to be, in this epistle, for every Christian a reasonable and substantial fear (Heb. 6:4-6). Against the too common tendency of putting the main stress of the Christian life upon its beginning, of reckoning upon heaven because one imagines himself once to have been in Christian mood and spirit, though he certainly is not now, this epistle is a prolonged Divine warning. Let us hold fast our profession, or, as the original has it, let us be strong in holding fast to itthat is the solemn and strenuous exhortation of this epistle. And in order to make its warning real and sure, the epistle falls back upon the ancient Scripture, and brings forward a clear instance of a good beginning and a bad ending (Heb. 4:11). The Hebrews started well. But the experiences of the wilderness were too much for them. They never enjoyed the Canaan rest. They were unworthy and apostate. Their carcasses mouldered in the wilderness. Now these later Hebrews to whom this epistle was addressed had begun well. They had acknowledged Jesus as their spiritual Mosesthe Messiah of promise and of prophecy. Under His leading they had begun their march out of the spiritual Egypt, through this worldly wilderness, to the spiritual Canaanto heaven, the home and rest of those who believe in and follow Christ. But the worldly wilderness was full of difficulties, and these Hebrew Christians showed signs of faltering. The Hebrew nation was against them; the resplendent and still standing Temple was against them; worldly success and the chance for livelihood were against them; bitter scorn and contumely were against them. Yet this epistle assures them there is no safety in apostasy; there is safety only in steadfastness. Apostasy is destruction. Still must they hold fast their profession (Heb. 4:1; also Heb. 4:11).Homiletic Review.

Holding fast our Profession.Now the question comes, Can we hold fast our profession? Yes, and our great High Priest is the reason and the power. We are not left on a lonely pilgrimage. We are not left to a single-handed conflict.

1. Since He is High Priest, He has made atonement for us.
2. Since He is High Priest, He now makes intercession for us.
3. His atonement is accepted, and His intercession is worthy, for His resurrection has set triumphant seal upon them. He has passed into the heavens.
4. He has Himself been tried, tempted in all points like as we are. So He is athrill with sympathy.
5. He knows temptation, yet He has vanquished it; He is without sin. Herein is help peculiarthe help of a victorious strength.

Heb. 4:15. Christs Sympathy with the Infirm.How many are burdened with a sense of deficiency, with their unlikeness to otherstheir inability to do what others can, or perhaps what they could once; how many see others come to the house of God, and are distressed that through weakness they cannot; how many feel themselves a burden to others, who would rather that others should burden them; how many mourn that their lives are useless and inactive! They want one who will take their part, comfort them by his tenderness, sustain them with his arm. In the text is such an one.

I. Consider the fact of the sympathy of the Lord Jesus. It is assured by

1. His personal human experience.
2. His perfect knowledge and love.
3. His vital union with His people.

II. Consider this sympathy in its connection with His high-priestly work.

1. As High Priest He has direct intercourse with us.
2. He prays for the supply of our need.
3. He brings us to the Father.

III. Consider that this sympathy with infirmity is the pattern for His people.

1. It rebukes our hardness.
2. It shows one of the great needs of the world.
3. It suggests a recompense for suffering. He suffered that He might sympathise with sufferers; that is why we suffer.Charles New.

Tempted, not overcome by Temptation.In all points tempted must not be taken as meaning in all points sharing our experience in dealing with the temptation. Christ did not share anybodys experience of yielding to temptation. He was never overcome by temptation. But that was not essential to human experience. That was fallen mans experience. And Christ was man, not fallen man. Find what is essential to man. Christ experienced that.

Heb. 4:15-16. The Sympathy of Christ.According to these verses the Priesthood of Jesus Christ is based upon the perfection of His humanity; and that implies that He was possessed of a human soul as well as a human body.

1. Accordingly in the life of Christ we find two distinct classes of feeling. When He hungered in the wilderness, etc., He experienced sensations which belong to the bodily department of human nature. But His grief, friendship, fear, etc., were the affections of an acutely sensitive human soul, alive to all the tenderness and hopes and anguish with which human life is filled, qualifying Him to be tempted in all points like as we are.
2. The Redeemer not only was but is man. It is imagined that in the history of Jesus existence, once, for a limited period and for definite purposes, He took part in frail humanity; but that when these purposes were accomplished the man for ever perished, and the spirit reascended, to unite again with pure, unmixed Deity. But our Lords resurrection life should be the corrective of this notion. And this suggests the truth of the human heart of God. Man resembles God. Love does not mean one thing to man and another thing to God. The present manhood of Christ conveys this deeply important truth, that the Divine heart is human in its sympathies.

3. There is a connection between what Jesus was and what Jesus is. He can be touched now because He was tempted then. His past experience has left certain effects durable in His nature as it is now. It has endued Him with certain qualifications and certain susceptibilities which He would not have had but for that experience.

I. The Redeemers preparations for His Priesthood.The preparation consisted in being tempted. But temptation as applied to a Being perfectly free from tendencies to evil is not easy to understand. Temptation has two senses: it means test or probation; it means also trial, involving the idea of pain or danger. Trial placed before a sinless Being is intelligible enough in a sense of probation; it is a test of excellence. And Scripture plainly asserts this as the character of Christs temptation. Not only test, but trial. There was not merely test in the temptation, but there was also painfulness in the victory. How could this be without any tendency to evil? Analyse sin. In every act of sin there are two distinct steps: there is a rising of a desire which is natural, and, being natural, is not wrong; and there is the indulgence of that desire in forbidden circumstances, and that is sin. Sin does not consist in having strong desires or passions: in the strongest and highest natures, all, including the desires, is strong. Sin is not a real thing. It is rather the absence of something, the will to do right. Sin is not in the appetites, but in the absence of a controlling will. There were in Christ all the natural appetites of mind and body. Conceive then a case in which the gratification of any one of these inclinations was inconsistent with His Fathers will. At one moment it was unlawful to eat, though hungry: and without one tendency to disobey, did fasting cease to be severe? Christ suffered from the force of desire. Though there was no hesitation whether to obey or not, no strife in the will, in the act of mastery there was pain. There was self-denial; there was obedience at the expense of tortured feeling. Not by the reluctancy of a sinful sensation, but by the quivering and the anguish of natural feeling when it is trampled upon by lofty will, Jesus suffered, being tempted. His soul was tempted.

II. The Redeemers Priesthood.By Priesthood is meant that office by which He is the medium of union between man and God. The capacity for this has been indelibly engraven on His nature by His experience here. All this capacity is based on His sympathy. We are scarcely aware how much the sum of human happiness in the world is indebted to this one feelingsympathy. Of this sympathy Christ, in its fulness, was susceptible. The sympathy of Christ was not merely love of men in masses; He had also discriminating, special sympathy with individuals. The priestly powers conveyed by this faculty of sympathising are two:

1. The power of mercy.
2. The power of having grace to help. There are two who are unfit for showing mercy: he who has never been tried; and he who, having been tempted, has fallen under temptation. The qualification in the text, without sin, is very remarkable; for it is the one we least should think of. Unthinkingly we should say that to have erred would make a man lenient; but it is not so. He alone is fit for showing manly mercy who has, like His Master, felt the power of temptation in its might, and come scathless through the trial. We must not make too much of sympathy as mere feeling. Feeling with Christ led to this, He went about doing good. Sympathy with Him was this, Grace to help in time of need. The sympathy of the Divine-human! He knows what strength is needed.

In conclusion, draw two inferences:

1. He who would sympathise must be content to be tried and tempted; he must be content to pay the price of the costly education. But it is being tempted in all points, yet without sin, that makes sympathy real, manly, perfect, instead of a mere sentimental tenderness.

2. It is this same human sympathy which qualifies Christ for judgment. The Father hath committed all judgment to Him, because He is the Son of man. The sympathy of Christ extends to the frailties of human nature, not to its hardened guilt; He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities.F. W. Robertson.

Heb. 4:16. Boldness at the Throne of Grace.The throne of grace is the reality figured in the mercy-seat, or propitiatory, or cover of the Ark, that was in the Holy of Holies. As the high priest in the old dispensation went in once a year with the incense and the blood, and brought blessings for the people from that throne of grace, so Jesus, as the great High Priest of the race, went into the spiritual Holy of Holies, and gained blessings for us from the throne of grace. Only there is this distinction: the old priest came out; Christ, our Priest, stays in,the veil is never closed behind Him, and we can go in; the way is open for us to go and ask for blessings, and we can go boldly because He is there, to be the ground of our acceptance, and to plead for us.

ILLUSTRATIONS TO CHAPTER 4

Heb. 4:15. The Help of our Lords Human Experiences.They tell us that in some trackless lands, when one friend passes through the pathless forests, he breaks a twig ever and anon as he goes, that those who come after may see the traces of his having been there, and may know that they are not out of the road. Oh, when we are journeying through the murky night, and the dark woods of affliction and sorrow, it is something to find here and there a spray broken, or a leafy stem bent down with the tread of His foot and the brush of His hand as He passed, and to remember that the path He trod He has hallowed, and that there are lingering fragrances and hidden strengths in the remembrance, in all points tempted as we are, bearing grief for us, bearing grief with us, bearing grief like us.A. Maclaren, D.D.

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell

PART TWO

The superiority of Christ as High Priest. Heb. 4:14 to Heb. 10:39.

I.

Purpose of and His fitness for the priesthood. Heb. 4:14 to Heb. 5:10.

A.

The fact of Christs priesthood stated, an appeal to the reader. Heb. 4:14-16.

1.

Because of His greatness, Let us hold fast our confession. Heb. 4:14.

Text

Heb. 4:14-16

Heb. 4:14 Having then a great High Priest, Who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. Heb. 4:15 For we have not a High Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but One that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin, Heb. 4:16 Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need.

Paraphrase

Heb. 4:14 Now the unbelieving Jews, on pretense that the Gospel hath neither an high-priest nor any sacrifice for sin, urge you to return to Judaism: but as we have a great High Priest, who hath passed through the visible heavens into the true habitation of God, Chap. Heb. 9:11-12 there to officiate for us, even Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our religion.

Heb. 4:15 To this constancy we Christians are encouraged by the character of our High Priest: For, though He be the Son of God, we have not in Him an High Priest Who cannot sympathize with us in our weaknesses, but One most compassionate, Who, being made flesh, was tempted in all points as far as the likeness of His nature to ours would admit, yet never committed any sin.

Heb. 4:16 Let us, therefore, through His mediation as our High Priest, approach with boldness to the throne of grace on which God is seated to hear our addresses, that we may receive pardon; and, when tempted or persecuted, obtain the gracious assistance of His Spirit to help us seasonably in such times of distress.

Comment

Having then a great High Priest

Christ has two relationships, enabling man to come to God through Him:

a.

An Apostle sent to teach, cf. Heb. 3:1.

b.

A Priest:

1.

This Priest has proven His character by His teaching.

2.

This Priest has proven His love by His death.

3.

This Priest has proven His superiority by passing through the heavens.

Christs high priesthood met the argument of the critical Jew:

a.

They could not say, You have no tabernacle, no sacrifice, no city, no high priest. We have indeed !

b.

The title high priest occurs first in Lev. 21:10 :

1.

There it is used to designate Aaron and his successors.

2.

We have a High Priest in heaven itself, not in an earthly tabernacle.

Who hath passed through the heavens

Only Christ has done this:

a.

He lived in heaven, and passed through the heavens to earth.

1.

Php. 2:5-11.

2.

1Co. 10:4 : they (the Israelites) drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the Rock was Christ.

b.

He lived on earth, and then passed through the heavens to heaven:

1.

Ascension: Act. 1:9.

2.

Stephen: Act. 7:56.

3.

Peter Act. 2:34-36 : seated.

c.

He now works in heaven, and will pass again from heaven:

1.

1Th. 4:13-18.

2.

Act. 1:11 : Jesusshall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven.

The Jewish high priest could pass only into the holy of holies on the great day of Atonement:

a.

We have one who passed through the veil of skies.

b.

Heb. 8:1-2 is very good: sanctuary which the Lord pitched.

Jesus the Son of God

This identifies our High Priest. He is not of the lineage of Aaron, but of the house of God.

let us hold fast our confession

Mat. 10:32 : Our confession is in a Person: That confession gives us a profession.

a.

It is a work of evangelism:

1.

We are saved to serve.

2.

We are won to win.

3.

We were told to tell.

b.

It is a way of life:

To renounce Christ is to seal our condemnation: Heb. 6:4-6; Act. 4:12 : In none other is there salvation.

2.

Because of His human experience, let us draw near. Heb. 4:15-16.

For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities.

He is a sympathetic, compassionate High Priest, who can be touched with our feelings. Heb. 2:17 : Wherefore it behooved Him in all things to me made unto His brethren.

He is successful as a High Priest:

a.

Jesus stands by us in temptation. Rev. 3:10.

b.

His sacrifice is complete. Heb. 9:26 : But now once at the end of the ages hath He been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

our infirmities

Infirmities is a word that may be taken in various senses:

a.

2Co. 12:10 suggests what might be included.

b.

Probably the feeling of the soul should be included, such as fear, sorrow, dread of death.

Since He was made in the likeness of our sinful flesh, we know that he knows our feelings.

but one that hath been in all points tempted as we are

Christs threefold temptation gives us the major threats of the devil:

a.

Foodsatisfy the physical.

b.

Pinnacle of templeto extend the mercy of God to selfishness.

c.

Kingdomlust for powerrulership.

yet without sin

Describe your mother and her virtues, but you cant use this expression.
Other verses tell us that He was perfect:

a.

2Co. 5:21 : Him who knew no sin, He made to be sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

b.

1Jn. 3:5 : And ye know that He was manifested to take away sins; and in Him is no sin.

Jesus was tempted without falling into sin, but this is not true of any other.

Let us therefore draw near with boldness

Because of the kind of High Priest we have, we should have courage to approach Him:

a.

He is not a medicine man to Whom we have to bow and feel like a helpless creature.

b.

Because of His love, we should come without hesitation.

c.

His experience with this life gives us encouragement. Boldness here is not brazen, but confident.

unto the throne of grace

The history of the throne of grace is interesting:

a.

The ark was a symbol of Gods grace. Jer. 3:16.

1.

The lid was sprinkled with blood once a year. Lev. 16:14-15.

2.

Here was the mercy seat. Lev. 16:2; Num. 7:89; Exo. 25:22.

3.

Now we approach God through Jesus Christ Who sits at His right hand.

The throne of mercy is Gods, but Christ is our access to God. Eph. 2:18.

that we may receive mercy

We have to make the approach, for God has done His share:

a.

We must not be cast down with a sense of misery.

b.

Since all have sinned and fallen short of Gods grace, we need grace and mercy. Only God gives mercy:

a.

The devil gives death, not life, and beyond this, he makes people unmerciful.

1.

Hitler listened to no pleas of men.

2.

Men possessed of the devil are unkind, unforgiving. God has mercy only for those who merit it:

a.

Look at these verses:

1)

Heb. 10:27 : fearful expectation of judgment.

Heb. 10:31 : a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

b.

If we fail to come to God for mercy, we should not expect it in the judgment.

and may find grace to help us

Observe why Christ can give us help which is superior to that of the priest of the old covenant:

a.

The priest under the old system had to make atonement for his own sins. Heb. 5:2-3; Heb. 7:26-28; Heb. 9:7.

b.

They were after the order of Aaron. Heb. 7:11; Heb. 7:11-17; Heb. 8:4-5.

c.

The old was made without an oath. Heb. 7:20-22.

d.

Theirs was temporary. Heb. 7:23-24.

e.

They offered oftentimes the same kind of sacrifices. Heb. 9:25-26.

Heb. 9:28; Heb. 10:11-12. Heb. 10:14.

f.

They entered into the holy of holies every year, Heb. 9:7-12.

g.

Christ lives to make intercession, Heb. 7:25.

in time of need

Three great needs of man in the spiritual realm:

a.

We are in need when saddened. Joh. 14:1-4.

b.

We are in need when tempted. 1Co. 10:13; Heb. 2:18.

c.

We are in need at death, Psalms 23.

Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount said God would also care for our physical needs.

SummaryExhortation

1.

There is a throne of grace where God and man may meet.

2.

The mercy place has the atoning blood of the Lamb of God.

3.

We must come by faith. Faith and action must be mixed.

4.

We may approach in boldness, confidence.

5.

God still dwells with His people.

Summary Warning

1.

Faithfulness forfeited is a forfeit of eternal rest.

2.

We cannot trifle with Gods words, We must act today.

3.

The great aim of life is to labor for the rest.

Study Questions

656.

Christ is earlier described as an apostle. Where is He here?

657.

What is the difference between the two works?

658.

What has Christ done to prove that He is a great high priest?

659.

When was the title of high priest first used? See Lev. 21:10.

660.

What has Christ done that no other priest could do as far as the heavens are concerned?

661.

What time of passing through is referred to here?

662.

When will He pass through again?

663.

What would the heavens be in type in relationship to the old system?

664.

With what term does Paul identify our High Priest?

665.

Since this is all true, what exhortation does he have for us?

666.

What is our confession?

667.

What do we confess concerning this Person?

668.

Does this confession amount to a profession?

669.

What can be said of our High Priest as far as sympathy is concerned?

670.

How does this verse compare with Heb. 2:17?

671.

What does the word infirmity mean?

672.

Discuss Pauls bearing of infirmities, 2Co. 12:10.

673.

What is meant by touched with the feeling of our infirmities?

674.

Do pain, sorrow, suffering help one to be understanding of others?

675.

Is God able to be more sympathetic since Christ lived in the flesh?

676.

What three categories of temptation did Jesus face?

677.

How were the three so all-inclusive?

678.

Was He tempted at other times?

679.

Can you describe the most beautiful character whom you know with the expression without sin?

680.

Is this a teaching limited to this verse? Cf. 2Co. 5:21; 1Jn. 3:5.

681.

Have you noticed that with the great exaltation of Christ there is an exhortation to man? What is it in Heb. 4:16?

682.

Do heathen people come boldly to their priests?

683.

Does boldness allow brazenness and presumption?

684.

What is meant by boldness?

685.

What was the place of mercy in times past? Cf. Jer. 3:16; Lev. 16:2; Lev. 16:14-15.

686.

What is our throne of grace? Cf. Eph. 2:18.

687.

What do we receive when we approach the mercy seat?

688.

For whom does God have mercy?

689.

Is God always merciful? Cf. Heb. 10:27; Heb. 10:31.

690.

If we do not come to His mercy seat now, should we expect it at the judgment?

691.

What is the purpose of grace which we may find there?

692.

Could the Old Testament priest help?

693.

When is man in need? What are his problems?

694.

Is Christ able to help?

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

(14) All the chief points of the earlier chapters are brought together in this verse and the next:the High Priest (Heb. 2:17; Heb. 3:1); His exaltation (Heb. 1:3-4; Heb. 1:13; Heb. 2:9); His divine Sonship (Hebrews 1; Heb. 3:6); His compassion towards the brethren whose lot He came to share (Heb. 2:11-18).

That is passed into the heavens.Rather, that hath passed through the heavens. As the high priest passed through the Holy Place to enter the Holy of Holies, Jesus ascended up far above all heavens, and sat at the right hand of God. This thought is developed in Hebrews 8-10.

Our profession.See Heb. 3:1.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

III. THE SON AS OUR DIVINE HIGH PRIEST FULLY CONTEMPLATED, Heb 4:14 to Heb 10:18.

A. INTRODUCTORY, Heb 4:14 to Heb 6:20.

1. Recurrence to former view (Heb 2:9-18) of our High Priest, Heb 4:14-16.

14. Seeing Joins on to Heb 2:18, and continues the description of the approachable sympathy of the suffering Saviour.

Then Or, therefore. In view of the stern nature of the divine legation (apostleship) of the Messiah. Seeing that this terrible

Word this adjudging King is also a tender Priest, with all the saving power of royalty, let us not merely fear (Heb 4:1) and labour, (Heb 4:11,) but come boldly for mercy and grace, (Heb 4:16.)

A great high priest Greater than the highest sacred dignitary known to the Hebrews. Great high priest means a dignitary highest in the line of high priests. If our faltering “Hebrews” reverence that sacred line, most of all should they reverence Jesus.

Passed into Rather, passed through; namely, in his ascension to the right hand of God. See notes on Eph 4:8-10. The great high priest surpassed the ordinary line in this transcendent respect, that, whereas they only passed annually through the temple veil into the most holy, he passed through the heavens to the presence of God, of which the most holy was symbol. He was the real of which they were figure.

Jesus the Son of God Not Jesus (Joshua) the son of Nun, Heb 4:8.

Profession Note, Heb 4:1.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

‘Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us keep on holding fast our confession.’

While the verb ‘hold fast’ is different here in the Greek from Heb 3:6; Heb 3:14, the idea is the same. It ties in with Heb 3:6, ‘if we hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our hope’, and Heb 3:14 ‘if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm to the end’. The first is the requirement of our being His house, and the second the requirement of our being partakers of Christ. Both require that we are faithful in witness and faith from start to finish. And this is again stressed here, again bringing out that Heb 3:2 to Heb 4:13 are finally wrapped up in these verses.

Here we learn that this ‘keeping on holding fast our confession’ results from having our great High Priest, Jesus the Son of God, as the One Who has passed through the heavens. He has passed into the very presence of God. He is there in the Heaven of heavens itself, in His capacity as our High Priest, as the Son of God. And yet as no ordinary High Priest but as the eternal Son of Heb 1:1-3. His being ‘great’ emphasises His superiority to earthly High Priests. And yet He is as High Priest also the Man Who did Himself hold fast to His confession (Heb 2:17). He is Jesus as well as Son of God. He it is Who has ensured that through His offering of the sacrifice of Himself once-for-all we are made His house (Heb 3:6) and partakers of Him (Heb 3:14), and enter into His rest (Heb 4:1-11). Thus will we maintain the faith that we confess, for it is based on this solid foundation, and is in the hands of One Who fully understands what we have to face.

‘Jesus the Son of God.’ In chapter 2 Jesus is the One made lower than the angels as Man, and Who was made representative, restored man by being crowned with glory and honour. In chapter 1 the Son is the One Who is the perfect revelation of God Himself. Here the two are combined. As Jesus He can act as High Priest because He acts on behalf of those He represents, but without having sinned, and as ‘the Son of God’ He can pass through the heavens into God’s presence to represent us there.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

Second Exhortation to Holdfast a Profession of Faith in Jesus Christ – Heb 4:14-16 contains the second exhortation of the epistle of Hebrews, encouraging us holdfast our profession of faith in Jesus Christ, and to come boldly to God’s throne in order to find grace and mercy to persevere.

The Passion of Christ – After having watched Mel Gibson’s movie for the first time today called The Passion of the Christ, [210] I was overwhelmed as were all who have seen this drama of Christ Jesus’ Suffering and Death, of the pain He suffered at the hands of cruel men. How much does He now have compassion upon us when we are tempted into sin. He understands every ounce of emotions and temptation that we endure. He is willing to have compassion upon us when we fall and stumble for the price He paid through His suffering was incredible. The amount of effort and sacrifice He endured to purchase us as His possession will take eternity to be fully told to us. Remember in Pro 12:27 how we are told that to a diligent man his substance is precious. He was diligent to purchase us through His shed blood, so how much more precious we are to Him as His purchased possession.

[210] The Passion of the Christ, directed by Mel Gibson, 2004, Los Angeles, California: Newmarket Films.

Pro 12:27, “The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.”

Heb 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.

Heb 4:14 “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God” Comments – There are three heavens in Hebrew thought (2Co 12:2). Some scholars define the three heavens as (1) Heaven of clouds – Earth’s atmosphere, (2) Heaven of stars, etc outer space seems to be Heaven of Heaven, (3) Heaven of His Abode – God’s supernatural abiding place. Other scholars say that the first heaven is before the fall, the second heaven is since the fall, and the third heaven will be the eternal heaven above earth.

2Co 12:2, “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven.”

The author words this phrase in Heb 4:14 in such a way as to remind his readers of the annual Jewish event when the high priest passed beyond the veil into the Holy of Holies. The veil itself was decorated with heavenly designs. Josephus describes this Temple veil with its heavenly symbolism.

“As to the holy house itself, which was placed in the midst [of the inmost court], that most sacred part of the temple.Its first gate was seventy cubits high, and twenty-five cubits broad; but this gate had no doors; for it represented the universal visibility of heaven , and that it cannot be excluded from any place.But then this house, as it was divided into two parts, the inner part was lower than the appearance of the outer, and had golden doors of fifty-five cubits altitude, and sixteen in breadth; but before these doors there was a veil of equal largeness with the doors. It was a Babylonian curtain, embroidered with blue, and fine linen, and scarlet, and purple, and of a contexture that was truly wonderful. Nor was this mixture of colors without its mystical interpretation, but was a kind of image of the universe ; for by the scarlet there seemed to be enigmatically signified fire, by the fine flax the earth, by the blue the air, and by the purple the sea; two of them having their colors the foundation of this resemblance; but the fine flax and the purple have their own origin for that foundation, the earth producing the one, and the sea the other. This curtain had also embroidered upon it all that was mystical in the heavens , excepting that of the [twelve] signs, representing living creatures.” ( Wars 5.5.4)

The image of Jesus Christ “passing through the heavens” suggests His resurrection from the grave, and His passing through the three heavens into Heaven itself. The phrase “Son of God” further suggests His exaltation above the angels (Heb 1:1-14), and His seating at the right hand of God the Father.

The major significance of Heb 4:14 and a similar phrase found in Heb 9:24, “but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us,” is that Christ is now our intercessor. Jesus entered with His resurrection body, because flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God (1Co 15:50).

1Co 15:50, “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.”

Jesus has become our high priest:

Heb 3:1, “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;”

Heb 6:20, “Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.”

Heb 7:26, “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;”

Heb 8:1, “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;”

Heb 9:11, “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;”

Scripture References – Note similar verses to the phrase “that is passed into the heavens”:

Luk 24:51, “And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven .”

Act 1:9, “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight .”

Eph 1:20, “Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places ,”

Eph 4:10, “He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens , that he might fill all things.)”

1Ti 3:16, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory .”

Heb 7:26, “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens ;”

Heb 8:1, “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 ;”

Heb 9:24, “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us :”

In addition, we have the phrase “the heavens and the heaven of heavens” used in Scripture:

Deu 10:14, “Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD’S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is.”

1Ki 8:27, “But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded?”

2Ch 2:6, “But who is able to build him an house, seeing the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain him? who am I then, that I should build him an house, save only to burn sacrifice before him?”

2Ch 6:18, “But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!”

Psa 68:33, “To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice.”

Psa 68:33, “To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice.”

Psa 148:4, “Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.”

Heb 4:14 “let us hold fast our profession” Comments – The phrase “let us hold fast” places emphasis upon the efforts that a believer must exert in order to persevere and have eternal life. The author of Hebrews weaves this type of wording within this epistle because the theme of the perseverance of the saints is woven throughout Hebrews and the General Epistles using the Greek words (G2902) (Heb 4:14; Heb 6:18) and (G2722) (Heb 3:6; Heb 3:14; Heb 10:23).

Heb 3:6, “But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.”

Heb 3:14, “For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;”

Heb 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.”

Heb 6:18, “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:”

Heb 10:23, “ Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)”

The phrase “our profession” refers to a believer’s confession, or acknowledgement of Jesus Christ as the Son of God. The believers were to make this confession in a time when the Roman Emperor was to be acknowledged as a god, so that it was a bold step to confess Jesus Christ as Lord.

Heb 4:14 Comments – Heb 4:14 seems to serve as a better break to begin a new section than Heb 5:1.

Heb 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.

Heb 4:15 “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities” – Word Study on “be touched with” – BDAG says the Greek word “be touched with” (G4834) literally means, “to sympathize with, have or show sympathy with”; which is the ability to be moved with someone’s sufferings because of going through a similar experience. This Greek work can be transliterated, “sympathize.”

Comments – “the feeling of our infirmities” The phrase “the feeling of our infirmities” means that Jesus felt all of the pain and sorrow that we feel on earth. This is testified in Isa 53:3, “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.”

Our spirit is often willing, but our flesh is weak (Mat 26:41).

Mat 26:41, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Illustration:

1Sa 30:6, “And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.”

God understands everything that we are going through. He desires to comfort us during these trials. The Scriptures tell us that He will comfort us in every tribulation.

2Co 1:3-4, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation , that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”

Heb 4:15 means that He is always there with us.

Heb 4:15 “but was in all points tempted like as we are” Comments – Jesus was fully aware of His temptations (Psa 22:6-8, Isa 53:3, Luk 22:28). Jesus was fully human as well as fully God (Heb 2:14; Heb 2:17), or this could not have been so.

Psa 22:6-8, “But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.  All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.”

Isa 53:3, “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.”

Luk 22:28, “Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.”

Heb 2:14, “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same ; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;”

Heb 2:17, “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.”

Jesus, having been tempted, is able to sympathize with us in the flesh. He is our example of how overcome temptation (Rev 12:11). In every temptation, Jesus used the Scriptures. Some of Jesus’ temptations are:

1. The forty-days of temptation in the wilderness by Satan himself (Mat 4:1-11, Luk 4:1-13)

2. Render to Caesar his things and to God His Things (Mat 22:15-22, Mar 12:13-17)

3. Jesus at the Last Supper – Disciples had continued with Jesus in His temptations. His life was full of them (Luk 22:28)

4. The question by lawyer concerning how to be saved (Luk 10:25-37)

5. Asking for a sign (Mat 16:1-4, Mar 8:11)

6. Asking about divorce (Mat 19:3-9, Mar 10:2)

7. Question about greatest commandment (Mat 22:34-40)

8. Adulterous woman (Joh 8:1-11)

Why was Jesus tempted? See Heb 2:18, “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.”

1. To sympathize with us, so that

2. Jesus might help us who are tempted

How does Jesus help us who are tempted? By us coming to Him boldly in prayer (Heb 4:16).

Mat 26:41, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Heb 4:16, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Likewise, God will use us to sympathize with and help others who are sufferings because of the trials that we have overcome. Jesus is our example.

2Co 1:6, “And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.”

Heb 4:15 “yet without sin” – Comments – Jesus lived His lifetime have one earth without sinning once (2Co 5:21, Heb 7:26 , 1Pe 2:21-22, 1Jn 3:5).

2Co 5:21, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin ; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Heb 7:26, “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners , and made higher than the heavens;”

1Pe 2:21-22, “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin , neither was guile found in his mouth:”

1Jn 3:5, “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin .”

Heb 4:15 Comments – Satan is the tempter (Mat 4:3, 1Th 3:5). The result of yielding to temptation is found in Jas 1:13-16.

Mat 4:3, “And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.”

1Th 3:5, “For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.”

Jas 1:13-16, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren.”

Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Heb 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly” – Comments Heb 4:16 is an exhortation encouraging us to come to Jesus Christ with boldness and confidence in contrast to the fear and trembling that the children of Israel felt at Mount Sinai (Heb 12:18-24). (The writer describes this epistle as “a word of “exhortation” in Heb 13:22.) Heb 4:14 refers to the deity of Jesus, which is described in Heb 1:1-14. Heb 4:15 refers to the humanity of Jesus, which is described in Heb 2:1-18. Therefore, Jesus has become approachable for us (Heb 4:16).

Heb 13:22, “And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words.”

“unto the throne of grace” – Comments The throne of God is mentioned throughout the Scriptures, with its most frequent references being found thirty-nine (39) times in the book of Revelation. Perhaps its earliest reference to God’s glorious throne is found in the book of Job, who lived during the time of the Patriarchs. In his weakness, Job saw the throne of God as a place where he compares his frailness to the Almighty Creator of the universe. For Job, God’s throne was a place where no one could contend with God and prevail.

Job 26:9, “He holdeth back the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud upon it.”

The next references come from the mouth of King David in the book of Psalms, who spoke of His throne a number of times. To David, God’s throne was an eternal throne where righteousness and judgment are found, and mercy and truth prevail. For David, it was a throne by which he modeled his ministry to the kingdom of Israel.

Psa 89:14, “Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.”

We then have the prophet Micaiah who prophesied to King Ahab, the wicked king of Israel. For Micaiah, the throne of God was a place where all heaven stood to hear God’s judgment upon kings and nations. For Micaiah’s words came forth as a judgment upon King Ahab.

1Ki 22:19, “And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.”

One of the most dramatic Old Testament visions of God’s throne took place in the life of Isaiah. For Isaiah, the throne of God was the place where his sins were cleansed and where he received his commission as a prophet of the God to Israel.

Isa 6:1, “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.”

For Jeremiah, who witnessed the destruction of the nation of Judah and whose people saw the end of all hope, God’s throne continued from one generation to the next. Thus, Jeremiah was able to say that his nation would be restore in the following generation because God was on the throne overseeing His people Israel.

Lam 5:19, “Thou, O LORD, remainest for ever; thy throne from generation to generation.”

Ezekiel also witnesses a vision of the throne of God during his commission as a priest and prophet to Israel at the age of thirty. For him, the throne of God was a glorious place where His heavenly angels came forth to set in motion the judgment of the nations and the restoration of Israel and the rebuilding of a more glorious Temple.

For the saints of God, whose hope is in Christ Jesus, who now understands our weaknesses, the throne of God is the place from which we receive our help in times of need so that we can persevere during the trials of life. We see His throne as a throne of grace where we receive mercy and help for which we have not earned by good works, but because His Son and our Great High Priest ever lives to make intercession in our behalf. For us, a throne of grace is the simplest description of what takes place when we approach Him.

The writer of Hebrews has just said that only Jesus is without sin (Heb 4:15). Thus, God’s throne is accessible to us only by God’s grace. This need for the high priest to bring gifts in behalf of our sins is explained in the following verses, and reveals that Jesus has offered His gift, His precious blood, once for all in our behalf, which explains how we have access to God’s throne of grace.

“that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” Comments – Andrew Wommack says mercy is not getting what one deserves, while grace is getting what one does not deserve. [211]

[211] Andrew Wommack, “Enter Boldly,” in “Hebrew Highlights,” [on-line]: accessed 4 June 2011; available from http://www.awmi.net/extra/audio/1061; Internet.

Heb 4:16 Comments In the mid-1980’s the Lord gave me a dream in which I asked a local pastor how to pray for people with sin in their lives. Shortly afterwards, the Lord laid on my heart to visit the hospital after work and pray for a close relative of mine that had been admitted for kidney stones. This individual had been raised in church, but was not serving the Lord very well. A lifestyle of sensual living had darkened her senses of God’s Word, so it could not work in her life. I entered the hospital room and found this person alone, since her parents had stepped out for a while. I sat down and asked her what she wanted God to do for her. She replied that she wanted the x-rays that would be taken in the morning to show that the kidney stones were no longer there, and that she would not suffer with them anymore. Before praying, I used Heb 4:16 to tell her that we were going to God’s throne together in prayer. However, we were not coming based upon her good works, for she would fail. Instead, we were coming before God’s throne based upon His mercy and grace. If we obtained His mercy and grace, then we would get our help in this time of need. I prayed a prayer of agreement with her. I then exhorted her to hold fast her confession of faith without wavering, for God was faithful who promised (Heb 10:23). I left the room. The next morning I received a call from my mother, who told me that this relative had been dismissed from the hospital because the x-rays showed no kidney stones. What a lesson I learned in how to pray for someone with sin in his or her life.

Heb 4:16 Scripture References – Note similar verses:

Psa 69:13, “But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.”

2Co 6:1-2, “We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)”

Heb 7:25, “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.”

Heb 10:22, “ Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.”

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

Justification: Jesus Christ is the High Priest of Our Confession In Heb 4:14 to Heb 5:14 we find the third literary section. This passage contains the second exhortation in the epistle of Hebrews, exhorting us to hold fast to our confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ by coming boldly to God’s throne in order to find grace and mercy to persevere; for the Jesus Christ our Great High Priest maintains our position of justification before God. Those who reject the Gospel will receive damnation, as stated in the conclusion of the previous section (Heb 4:12-13), but those who accept it will find access to God’s throne of grace (Heb 4:14-16). The author will then briefly mention the faithfulness of Jesus Christ as our Great High Priest (Heb 5:1-10) and conclude this section with a rebuke for their lack of spiritual growth (Heb 5:11-14).

Outline Here is a proposed outline:

1. 2nd Exhortation: Hold Fast Confession of Faith in Christ Heb 4:14-16

2. 2 nd Doctrinal Discourse: The Priesthood of Jesus Heb 5:1-10

1. The High Priest Must Be a Man Heb 5:1-3

2. The High Priest Must Be Ordained by God Heb 5:4-10

3. Conclusion: Warning for Failure to Grow in Maturity Heb 5:11-14

The Theme of the Believer’s Perseverance in the Faith – Heb 4:14 to Heb 5:14 exhorts us to maintain the confession of our faith in Jesus Christ. However, this passage of Scripture regarding our faith in Jesus is described from the perspective of our need to persevere in the faith in order to obtain this redemption. Thus, the theme of the believer’s perseverance in the faith is emphasized. In contrast, the lengthy discourse in the epistle of Romans, which emphasizes Church doctrine, discusses our secure position of justification through faith in Jesus Christ once we believe the message of the Gospel. However, in Heb 3:7 to Heb 4:11 we are told that our justification is dependent upon our willingness to persevere in faith and not turn back in rebellion, as did the children of Israel in the wilderness.

Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures

The encouragement offered by our great High Priest:

v. 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.

v. 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.

v. 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.

The picture which the inspired writer had just drawn of the omniscience of God as revealed through His Word might well cause the average reader to quail in terror, feeling his own insignificance in the face of such divine perfection, his own sinfulness in the face of such divine holiness. But here is a comforting reassurance for all poor sinners: Since, then, we have a great High Priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. The author never loses sight of the fact that Jesus the Savior is his great topic, Heb 1:2-3; Heb 2:17; Heb 3:1, and that the preaching of the Gospel of salvation is the only way of working faith. Of Jesus it is truly said that He passed through the heavens. For just as the high priest of the Old Testament passed through the forecourts and behind the veil to reach the Holy of Holies in the Temple, so Jesus passed through the heavens and appeared among eternal realities in the very throne-room of God. We know that this our High Priest is pleading for us the atonement made during His whole life and completed on Calvary’s hill, and that the Father cannot withstand the pleading of this Advocate. And what better and more cogent argument could be devised to keep us in the confession of His holy name, in our Christian profession, than this saving knowledge?

This encouragement is further confirmed: For we have not a High Priest unable to have sympathy with our weaknesses, but tempted in all things like us, without sin. This is one special point of human interest that tends to draw our hearts to this great High Priest. He was and is flesh of our flesh, true man. And during His earthly life He underwent the severest temptations that have ever come upon any man. It was not merely that the temptation came near Him without really assailing Him. It was rather so that His entire being, body and soul, was sometimes shaken to the very depths, as when He declared His soul to be exceeding sorrowful unto death, and when He found Himself forsaken of His heavenly Father, not to speak of the attacks of the devil which beset Him time and again. See Mat 4:1-11; Luk 4:1-13; Mat 16:21-23; Mat 27:45-46; Psa 22:2-21. So He can indeed be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, He can indeed have sympathy with our weaknesses; He knows what it means for weak flesh and blood to battle with dangerous enemies. Since, however, in His case He passed through all temptations without sin, He is able to be our High Priest and Advocate with the Father.

This fact should therefore serve as an inducement to us to place all our trust in Him with all cheerfulness: Let us, then, approach with confidence to the Throne of Grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace for help in time of need. Ordinarily no sinner would dare to come near to the holy and righteous God. Through the merit of Jesus, however, we are enabled to enter upon this act of worship, that of approaching the very throne of the great God Himself, with all cheerfulness and confidence. For it is not that we intend to urge any merit on our part in vindication of ourselves, but that we know we may obtain mercy, the free favor of God, that we shall find grace, God’s free love. In all hours of trial and affliction, then, when we feel so sorely in need of some comfort that cannot be challenged and doubted, we have this fact to rely upon, that our High Priest has perfected a full and complete reconciliation, and that God no longer is angry with us, but will accept us with all the kindness of a fatherly heart and give to us all that we need for the enjoyment of eternal bliss in His presence. Thus both the assurance of pardon and of divine assistance is ours, and we may go on through life in the cheerfulness of faith, knowing that the rest of the Lord awaits us at the end of the course, when He takes us home.

Summary

The sacred writer continues his warning against unbelief by showing that the promise of God is still in force, that there is still a rest remaining to the people of God; he points out the power of God’s Word, and shows that we may boldly approach the throne of God in reliance upon the mercy earned by our great High Priest.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

Heb 4:14. The apostle having finished the digression about the rest of God, and havingshewn,whathealwayskeeps in view, the infinitely superior advantage of what is to be had by Christ, above what is to be had in or by the law; he returns to what he had been saying, ch. Heb 2:17 Heb 3:1. Christ has been proved infinitely superior to Moses; and the rest that he promised infinitely superior to that of Canaan: he now proceeds to treat of Christ as our High-priest, still with a view of shewing his infinite superiority to the Jewish high-priest; and having mentioned what were the peculiar qualifications requisite in a high-priest, he proceeds to shew that Jesus had, in a most eminent manner, all those qualifications; that he was equal to Aaron, in that which was peculiar to Aaron; after which, he proves him to be infinitely superior to Aaron in many respects, in ch. 7. See ch. Heb 4:14 to Heb 5:11.

Seeing then The expressions in this verse bear a manifest relation to what the sacred writer had said in the two first chapters, and the beginning of the third, as will immediately appear to any reader who will be at the trouble of comparing them. Passed into the heavens, is, literally, passed through the heavens; to the highest heavens, or the heaven of heavens, that he might sit at the right hand of the Majesty on high; ch. Heb 1:3. It is said of John Baptist, that he confessed and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. Joh 1:20. That is, “He openly professed this truth.” Hence, when difficulties have arisen, and good men have steadily persevered in the faith, they are said to profess a good profession: 1Ti 6:12.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

to Heb 10:18

Heb 4:14 to Heb 10:18 . The author has, in that which precedes, compared Christ with the angels and then with Moses, and proved the superiority of Christ over both. He applies himself now to a third point of the comparison, in that he institutes a comparison between Christ and the Levitical high priests, and developes on every side the exalted character of His high-priesthood above the Levitical high-priesthood, with regard to His person, with regard to the sanctuary in which He fulfils His office, and with regard to the sacrifice presented. The copiousness of this new dogmatic investigation which is subservient to the same paraenetic aim as the preceding expositions, and therefore opens with an exhortation of the same nature with the former ones, and is presently interrupted by a somewhat lengthy warning-paraenetic interlude is to be explained by the greater importance it had for the readers, who, in narrow-minded over-estimate of the temple cultus inherited from the fathers, regarded the continued participation in this cultus as necessary for the complete expiation of sin and the acquiring of everlasting salvation, and, because they thought nothing similar was to be found in Christianity, were exposed to an imminent peril of turning away from the latter and relapsing entirely into Judaism. Compare the explanation already given by Chrysostom, Hom. 8. init. : ( sc . in the New Covenant) , , , , , , , , , .

The transition to this new section is formed by Heb 4:14-16 .

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

Heb 4:14 . The introductory phrase: , presupposes that the author has already had occasion to speak of Jesus as . We are therefore led back for to Heb 2:17 , Heb 3:1 . But, since there is further added to the qualification and , and thus also these characteristics must be presupposed as known from that which precedes, we have consequently not to limit , in its backward reference, to Heb 2:17 , Heb 3:1 , but to extend it to the whole disquisition, Heb 1:1 to Heb 3:6 , in such wise that (logically, indeed, in a not very exact manner) , glances back in general to the dignity and exaltedness of the person of Jesus, as described in these sections.

Erroneously does Delitzsch suppose that by means of the exhortation is derived as a deduction from Heb 4:12-13 . Such opinion would be warranted only if, with the omission of the participial clause, merely had been written. For since has received its own justification in the prefixed . . ., apart from that which immediately precedes, it is clear that, in connection with Heb 4:14 , there is no further respect had to the contents of Heb 4:12-13 . It is not therefore to be approved that Delitzsch, in order to make room for the unfortunate reference to Heb 4:12-13 , will have logically attached to the verb , instead of the participle , with which it is grammatically connected, and to which, as the most simple and natural, the like passage, Heb 10:19 ff., also points. What laboured confusion of the relations would Delitzsch require the reader to assume, when he is called to regard . . ., as being at the same time a recapitulation of that which has been said before, and continuation of the argument; and yet, spite of all this, to look upon as a deduction from Heb 4:12-13 ! In any case, the connection asserted by Delitzsch to exist between Heb 4:14 and Heb 4:12-13 : “the word of God demands obedience and appropriation, i.e. faith, not, however, as merely a faith locked up within the breast, but also a loud Yea and Amen, unreserved and fearless confession, from mouth and heart, as the echo thereof,” is in itself a baseless imagination; because the before-demanded and the here demanded are by no means distinguished from each other as a minus and a majus , but, on the contrary, in the mind of the author of the epistle are synonyms. It results that stands in a somewhat free relation to the foregoing argument, consequently must not at all be taken as, strictly speaking, an illative particle, with which that which precedes is first brought to a close, but as a particle of resuming , which, in the form of a return to that which has already been said before, begins a new section.

] does not in such wise appertain to that only in combination with the same it should form the idea of the high priest (Jac. Cappellus, Braun, Rambach, Wolf, Carpzov, Michaelis, Stuart), but is indicative of the quality of the high priest, and means exalted , just as , Heb 10:21 , in combination with . Comp. also Heb 13:20 .

As the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews represents Christ the Son of God, so also does Philo ( De Somn . p. 598 A, with Mangey, I. p. 654) represent the divine Logos as . Comp. ibid . p. 597 (I. p. 653): , , , , , , .

] elucidatory demonstration of . Wrongly is it translated by Luther (as also by the Peshito): who has ascended up to heaven ; by Calvin, Peirce, Ernesti, al.: qui coelos ingressus est . It can only signify [Piscator, Owen, Bengel, Tholuck, Stuart, al .]: who has passed through the heavens, sc . in order, exalted above the heavens (cf. Heb 7:26 ; Eph 4:10 ), to take His seat upon the throne of the Divine Majesty (i. 3, 13). Allusion to the high priest of the Old Covenant, who, in order to make atonement for the people, passed through the courts of the Temple, and through the Temple itself, into the Most Holy Place. Comp. Heb 9:11 .

] emphatic apposition to . . ., in which the characterization of Jesus as the (Heb 1:1 ; Heb 1:5 , Heb 6:6 , Heb 7:3 , Heb 10:29 ) serves anew to call attention to the dignity of the New Testament High Priest. Quite mistaken are Wolf and Bhme in their conjecture that the object in the addition of is the distinction of Jesus from the Joshua mentioned Heb 4:8 . For the mention of Joshua, Heb 4:8 , was, as regards the connection, only an incidental one, on which account there also not even a more precise definition was given to the name.

] let us hold fast (Heb 6:18 ; Col 2:19 ; 2Th 2:15 ; wrongly Tittmann: lay hold of, embrace) the confession . is not, with Storr, to be referred specially to the confession of Christ as the High Priest, but to be taken in general of the Christian confession. The expression is here too used objectively, as Heb 3:1 , of the sum or subject-matter of the Christian’s belief.

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

THIRD SECTION
I
Exaltation of Jesus Christ above Aaron and his high-priestly successors
The exaltation of Jesus Christ, as the High-Priest who has passed through the heavens, furnishes a basis for the exhortation to the maintenance of the Christian confession

Heb 4:14-16

14Seeing, then, that we have a great high priest, that is [has] passed into [through] the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession [confession, ]. 15For we have not a high priest which [who] cannot be touched with the feeling of [sympathize with] our infirmities; but was [has been] in all points tempted8 like as we are, yet without sin [apart from sin]. 16Let us therefore come boldly [approach with confidence] to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy,9 and find grace to help in time of need [for seasonable succor].

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

Heb 4:14. Since, therefore, we have a great high priest, etc.Delitzsch, disconnecting the from the ., and carrying it over to the , makes the . . here incidental, and regards the with as deducing from the words immediately preceding the duty of steadfast perseverance [so Alf.]. But the position of between and , shows that, looking back to the entire previous discussion, in which Jesus has been not merely styled , Heb 2:17; Heb 3:1 (Thol., De W.), but also been set forth in His personal elevation and majesty (Ln.), the author is drawing the conclusion that we possess in Jesus not merely a Prophet and Messenger of God, legislator, and Leader, like Moses and Joshua, but a High-priest who, precisely on account of this character, can, as , conduct into the Sabbath rest (). The epithet points at once to that elevation of this High-Priest above Aaron and his successors, which is unfolded in this section; for the opinion of John Cappell, Braun, Ramb., Mich., etc., that the epithet only serves to give to the combination . . the meaning of high-priest, is entirely without foundation. Philo had previously called the Divine Logos . . (I., 654 Ed. Mang.). That the authors special point here is the majesty of this Christian High-Priest, is clear from the two appended descriptive clauses, of which the former tells us that this High-Priest has accomplished His course, in order that, exalted above all created existences (Heb 7:26; Eph 4:10), He might receive the Place belonging to Him upon the throne of the majesty of God, Heb 1:3; Heb 1:13; while the other connects immediately with His special designation as High-Priest the mention of His Divine Sonship, which explains this elevation (Heb 1:1; Heb 1:5; Heb 6:6; Heb 7:3; Heb 10:29). The rendering: who has gone to heaven (Pesh., Luth., Calv., Ernesti, etc.) is erroneous [as also that of the Eng. version, who has passed into the heavens]; and no less erroneous is the opinion of Wolf and Bhme, that the appended is intended to distinguish Jesus from Joshua.

Heb 4:14. Let us hold fast our confession.The circumstance that not merely such a High-Priest as the above exists, but that we already stand in a definite historical relation to Him, whereby He is our High-Priest, forms the ground of the exhortation to the holding fast, Heb 6:18; Col 2:19; 2Ti 2:15 ( not to be explained as by Tittman, lay hold of), of our confession, viz., our entire Christian profession, not merely our confession of Christ as our High-Priest (Storr).

Heb 4:15. For we have not an high priestinfirmities.The author is not here giving the ground of the exhortation which has already found its reason in the ., but proceeds to elucidate still further the declaration of Christs High-Priesthood which follows from the preceding discussion, by anticipating and setting aside the thought which might arise that a Messiah who had come from God, and who had gone to God, might perhaps indeed have taken upon Himself the human mode of life, but could scarcely have assumed our entire human nature to the extent of an actual sympathy with our weaknesses and our temptations. An actual joint endurance (, Rom 8:17; 1Co 12:26) of these sufferings is here not intended. The writer simply affirms a sympathy, a fellow-feeling, (, Heb 10:34); through which compassion shows itself in emotional participation, and in hearty sympathy with the condition of those into whose circumstances, perils and modes of feeling we are enabled to enter. The are not merely sufferings (Chrys., etc.), but our outward and inward infirmities.

But one who has been temptedWithout Sin.The stands hero as Heb 2:6; Heb 4:13, so that the adversative clause contains, at the same time, a heightening and a carrying forward of the thought. sc. is stronger than , Christs likeness to us in respect of being tempted extends to every relation with a single, far-reaching exception,an exception that, in fact, modifies the relation of likeness at every point, viz., apart from sin ( ). This cannot mean, except in sin, in all other things beside (Capp., Storr, etc.); for in that case must have been united immediately with , and must have had the definite article. The view of cum., Schlicht., and Dindorf, to wit, without having stained His sufferings by sin, is unnatural. The common explanation, viz., without His temptation leading Him to sin, is too narrow. The participation of Jesus in every form of human sufferingthe actual stirring of His emotions, His complete fellow-feeling with our weaknesses, the reality of His actual temptation,all have taken place without one single sinful emotion, and without ever finding in Him, as their condition, or point of contact, a single slumbering element of sin. Every thing took place with Him separately from sin. The sinlessness of the Divine Logos in Philo, (Ed. Mang. I., 562 ff.).

Heb 4:16. Let us therefore approachof grace.Since we possess in Jesus Christ a High-Priest who is not merely exalted, but also sympathizing and tried, and who thus has not merely the external position and power, not merely the internal inclinations and volitions, but every possible requisite form of qualification and fitness to be our Saviour, with this the previous train of thought, with its naturally accompanying exhortations, is brought to a sort of temporary, and, as it were, preliminary close. The throne of grace is neither Christ (Gerh., Seb. Schmidt, Carpz., etc.), nor the throne of Christ (Primas., Schlicht.), but the throne of God. The expression, however, is not intended to suggest the throne which arose upon the lid of the ark of the covenant (Bisp. after the earlier interpp.), but the throne of God in heaven, which at Heb 8:1 is called , and here , the throne of grace, because from it there descends to us the grace which is wrought through Christ the Son, enthroned at the right hand of God. There is no occasion for interpreting it as the throne which stands upon grace, Isa 16:5; comp. Psa 89:15 (Del.), but rather, as that upon which grace is enthroned. The coming or drawing near to this throne, designated by with an obvious reference to the approach of the Levitically clean to the sanctuary (Lev 22:3), or of the priest to the altar (Lev 21:17), is to be with the bold and joyous confidence () which gives to itself the corresponding expression (Heb 3:6), and rests upon the assurance of reconciliation with God.

That we may obtain mercy, etc.The object of coming to the throne of grace, which in the Old Testament was made possible by the Levitical sacrifice, in the New, by the sacrificial death of Christ, but in both cases finds the impulse to its realization in the faith of those who stand in need of succor, is the attainment of (mercy) and (grace). It is equally unwarrantable (with Ln.) to reject all distinction between these two terms, and with Bisp., to refer the (mercy) to forgiveness of sins and deliverance from suffering, and the (grace) on the contrary, to the communication of the higher gifts of grace. For (pity, mercy) always involves a more especial reference to wretchedness, which touches the heart; whether consisting in outward misfortune, suffering, punishment, or inward corruption, guilt and sin, while (grace), on the contrary, looks rather to a mere self-determined and kindly inclination toward those who have neither right nor claim to it. To restrict the words to the then still existing season of grace, with a reference back to Heb 3:13 (Bl., De W., Ln.), would indeed be preferable to the wholly vague and indefinite interpretation, so often as we need help; yet such a limitation is still less appropriate than (with Thol. and Del.) in reference to Heb 2:18, to refer it to our weaknesses and need of succor in temptations.

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

We must not merely believe what is announced to us of Jesus in the Holy Scripture, but also confess what we have in this great, and in every respect perfected Mediator of salvation.This confession presents itself, indeed, in separate acts, but the confession itself is a united and distinct whole; and the holding fast to this, as the confession of the Christian Church, presupposes in the members of the Church, a vitality, power, and fidelity of personal faith, which should ever be cherished, and by which again, our joyful access to the throne of grace is secured under the most painful trials.

2. The passing of Jesus through the heavens is not here presented as a parallel with the official and solemn passing of the Jewish High-priest through the holy place, into the Holy of holies.Rather the return of the High-priest Jesus, who, as such, has already made His perfect sacrifice by the offering up of His life upon the crossHis actual return, as Son of man, to the Father, is, in our passage, as an extra ordinary token of His incomparable majesty, placed in parallel with His Divine Sonship; whereby the whole person of the God-man is exalted above all finite beings and localities, and freed from the limitations of time and place, has been brought into full and unrestricted participation in the Divine majesty and glory.The Lutheran Dogmatic has for this reason drawn from our passage a capital proof of its doctrine of the ubiquity of Christ.

3. A contrast of the strongest kind appears in thus setting over against each other the exaltation of the God-man above every thing created, and His actual participation in human sufferings and fortunes. This participation is of a two-fold character; the one is a sympathizing and ever-enduring compassion, in respect to our needs, in a loving sensibility and fellow-feeling with our sufferings; the other is the sinless sharing, during his earthly life, not only of our susceptibility to suffering, but also of our liability to temptation. Both are a testimony of the perfection of Jesus, and a foundation of our confidence in His help, which we, for this reason, have to implore in our time of need. Upon this rests, in great part. the importance of the experiences obtained by Jesus in His human life, in regard to the character of human sufferings and temptations. As former of the world, the Logos of God knew doubtless what sort of a creature we are; but, clothed with our flesh, He became acquainted with human weakness from diversified and comprehensive experience. His Divine, preexistent knowledge, came to learn that which springs from personal trial.In these words of Cyrill of Alexandria, cited by Del., comes out rather the importance of these experiences, for the development of the personal consciousness and life of Jesus Christ, which has been touched on elsewhere in our Epistle; the object here aimed at, is the quickening of Christian steadfastness and fidelity, by pointing to His capability, not merely to understand our condition, but by virtue of His permanent connection with our nature, in which He has Himself been once tempted, even now, in His exalted condition, to take livingly to heart our state of need and of struggle.

4. The opinion defended by Menken, Collenbusch, Irving, that Jesus Christ was exempt, indeed, from actual sin, but not, in His nature, from inherited sin, has, lying at its basis, the endeavor to bring into clear light the reality of His humanity, the historical character of His temptations, and the greatness of His moral power and dignity. But it consists in a false explanation of the phrase, conceived of the Holy Spirit, in which certainly the phrase, born of the Virgin Mary, finds its supplementary and correlated truth, and it involves a dangerous confounding of the actual nature of fallen humanity with the God-created human nature which the Son of God assumed in order to redeem and sanctify humanity. This confusion again, has its ground in an inability rightly to distinguish in the human bosom the possibility of sinning, and the reality of temptation, from the commencement of sinful emotion in the affections (compare Ullmann, The Sinlessness of Jesus, 6th Ed., p. 151 ff., and Schaff, The Person of Christ, p. 51 ff.).

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

The duty of fidelity to our profession: a. in its ultimate ground; b. in its exercise; c. in its blessing.Whence arises the joyfulness of our approach to the throne of grace? 1, from the certainly of our reconciliation with God through the great High-Priest, Jesus, the Son of God; 2, from the experience of the sympathy which Jesus has with our weaknesses, as one who has Himself been tempted; 3, from faith in the power of Jesus for timely succor, inasmuch as He has gone sinless through temptation, and victorious through the heavens.What most powerfully consoles us in our struggles? 1, the testimony in regard to the great High-Priest, Jesus, if we can jointly confess it; 2, a survey of the temptations which Jesus has endured without sin, if we recognize therein His sympathy and His strength; 3, our sure and confident approach to the throne of grace in our need of help.It is not enough that we hear of the great High-Priest, Jesus. We must also, 1, confess Jesus in faith as the Son of God; 2, comfort ourselves in our temptations with His example; 3, seek and find from His grace timely succor in our weaknesses.

Starke:Take heed that thou do not fall off from the confession of Christ; for He is a mighty Lord, who can easily punish this thy wickedness; but He is also compassionate and sympathizing, since thou always findest with Him grace, compassion, and succor. Wilt thou then deprive thyself of such blessedness? There are times when compassion and grace are peculiarly needful for us: in our first repentance, when we feel within ourselves nothing but sin, wrath and curse; in our conflict with spiritual foes; in all forms of trouble, and at the final judgment.Joyfulness of heart and of conscience render prayer mighty with God. But if we are to attain such gladness we must stand in the state of faith, and of a true conversion (Rom 5:2; Eph 2:18; Eph 3:12).Our approach to the throne of God depends upon compassion and grace; these we must take by the hand of our faith which reaches forth after them; and we must find them as a great treasure, which, indeed, has been already obtained, but must still be sought by believing prayer.We need at all times the compassion and grace of God; for the sake of these we must seek without intermission the throne of grace; but we feel at one time more than at another, our destitution, the assaults of our enemies, the sorrows of this world; for which reasons we must at such times preminently draw near with reverence to the throne of grace.

Berlenburger Bible:We have a great High-Priest who consecrates the internal foundation for a holy temple in the Lord, and exercises in all respects His priesthood within us, as He has also outwardly exercised it for us.A weak faith which confesses itself to be weak, is always dearer to God than a strong faith which regards itself as strong, and is not.Christ, in all the assaults upon us, is assaulted along with us.Wrath and judgment are abundantly evident of themselves, and frighten the heart away from God. But grace and love are disclosed only through the Spirit of Christ, who then also works perpetually to this end, that we may learn to have a good conscience toward God, and this through the single perfect Mediator and High-Priest, who again has so won back love, that we can now find a throne of grace in the heart of God, provided only that we knock thereat, and make our supplications in the name of Christ.Taking, finding, receiving, are all that are of value here, and not any personal work or merit.

Laurentius:Believers still have weaknesses, but Christ sympathizes with believers in respect to their weaknesses.We must, 1, draw near, since by remaining at a distance from God, and by not being willing to draw near to Him, we could not possibly obtain succor. we must, 2, draw near to the throne of grace, since it is through grace alone that man obtains help, not through works. We must, 3, draw near with joyfulness, since to have begun to believe, and still be always inclined to doubt, is equivalent to doubting whether God is truthful, whether He is compassionate, whether He is Almighty; and he that doubteth must not think that he shall receive anything from the Lord (Jam 1:6-7).

Rambach:The recognition of the glory of Jesus Christ, and in particular of His High-priestly office, is the most excellent preservative against apostasy.

Von Bogatzky:Our sins must surely be great, and a great abomination, since so great an High-Priest was obliged to expiate them by the sacrifice of His own life. But man would fain make his sin insignificant and small, and is full of excuse, security, and impenitence, and he thus denies Christ as the great High-Priest, and His great propitiatory sacrifice.

Steinhofer:With a disconsolate heart, bewailing its misery, feeling nothing but corruption, one may yet summon a confident spirit to come to Jesus. The sinner may address Him. Before the throne of grace that has been sprinkled with blood, the sinner may present his cause, his whole burden of anxiety.We may only come to the throne of grace, as we are, and of our condition present what we feel, and ask for what we need.It is simply the result of the same pride with which Satan has poisoned us, if we refuse to throw ourselves upon mere compassion, and in this, let ourselves be looked upon precisely as we are.

Rieger:Sympathy carries us through, and obtains for us that which else a bold claim upon pity might deprive us of. Compassion reaches down the deepest into our misery, and is, as it were, the nearest thing for us to receive or lay hold of. Led by this, we always find, more and surer grace for opportune help in every time of need.

Von Gerlach:We are tempted by sin and to sin. Christ was tempted in both senses, without sin.As His kingly office has respect to the annihilation of the dominion of sin, death and the devil, and the restoration of men to the glorious freedom of the children of God, so His priestly office has respect to the doing away of that separation of men from God, which sin has occasioned, and the restablishment of their intimate fellowship with Him. The former is preminently a glorifying of Gods omnipotence; the latter preminently a glorifying of Gods love, in the work of redemption.

Stier:For that in thee which still loves to sin, thou shalt find no comfort and no sympathy, but hostility even unto blood, even unto death. But for the new man in thee, who is a member of Christ, and feels and suffers sin with pain, it is to thee truly a great consolation, that He, thy Lord and Head, has felt and suffered it also.In our perpetual drawing near lies the whole secret of our struggle unto certain victory; in the neglect of this, in indolent and distrustful standing aloof, lies our whole danger of destruction.Provided that prayer persists and becomes earnest seeking, we cannot fail to find grace at the throne of grace, where nothing else is to be sought and found.

Heubner:Christ, as a son, had a right to take upon Himself the creature. As a son, He was an eternal propitiator; God looked upon Him from eternity as the ground of our salvation, and in Him loves from eternity our fallen humanity as reconciled in Him. As son, He remains propitiator through eternity; His propitiation holds good forever, because, through the Son, it is grounded in the nature of God. Were the atonement to lose its efficacy, the Son must cease to have efficacy with the Father, and this is impossible.In Jesus Christ there is a wondrous union of loftiest elevation and condescending sympathy.Both the temptations and the sinlessness of Jesus inspire confidence in the heart.

Stein:The freer we feel ourselves from evil, the more painfully must temptations touch us.

Fricke:Having and holding, belong together.

Gerok:The lovely paths which open themselves to the Christian from the mount of the ascension: 1. downwards toward earth; a. a field of labor for our faith; b. a place of blessing for our exalted Saviour. 2. Upwards toward heaven; a. a gate of grace for daily joyful approach; b. an opened door of heaven for future blissful entrance.

Footnotes:

[8]Heb 4:15.The lect. rec. is attested by Sin. A. B. D. E., and is to be retained against the reading received by Mill, Bengel, Matthi, and recommended by Griesbach, which would properly mean, who has made trial of, expertus.

[9] Heb 4:16.The form , preferred by Lachm. and Tisch. instead of , has the sanction of Sin. A. B. C.* D.* K. 17, 71.

[Heb 4:14. , having passed through (not as in Eng. ver. into) the heavens: though of course either might be said. , our confession.

Heb 4:15.. , to sympathize with our weaknesses. , as to all things, in all things, , according to or after our similitude,=just as we are tempted. , apart, or separately from sin; tempted in all things, just as men are tempted, but still totally free from sin.

Heb 4:16. , Eng. ver. boldly: De Wette, Del., Moll, mit Freudigkeit=with joyfulness: Ln., mit Zuversicht=with confidence, as also Del. at 3, 6, nearly, viz.: joyous, unhesitating, confidence; Alf., confidence. , for seasonable succor.K.].

Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange

(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 a 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.

I include these verses within one reading, because they are so interwoven, that it were a pity to consider them distinctly, for they form one beautiful whole. And yet, they open to so many volumes of subject, that a whole life of grace can never go over the several parts of them, so as to say, there is no more to he said upon them. In a Poor Man’s Commentary I must study shortness, and therefore can only glance at the outlines.

And, first. We are called upon to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth; and here we are said to behold, with full confidence, our great High Priest, as passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God. I admire the manner in which this blessed truth is spoken. Seeing then, saith the Apostle; as if (and which is in reality the case,) all dispute about it was done away. There is a special emphasis on the words, seeing then. He is gone into heaven, (saith Peter). There Christ our forerunner is entered. And is on the right hand of God angels, and authorities, and powers, being made subject unto him, 1Pe 3:22 . And I admire the Apostle’s joining to this account of Christ’s return to heaven both the office of Christ, and the name of Christ. He had before, in the second Chapter (Heb 2 ), spoken somewhat largely of Christ, as a Priest, and an High Priest; and here he calls him a great High Priest. And, as the Apostle delighted upon all occasions, to introduce the name of his Lord, whenever an opportunity offered, he adds to the account of our great High Priest having passed into the heavens; his name, Jesus the Son of God! Reader! note this down first, in your looking to Him, who is thus passed into the heavens. It is Jesus, God’s dear Son, and your dear High Priest; yea, your great High Priest!

Secondly, Paul here from draws the strongest of all arguments, that we should hold fast our profession. Not as if this depended upon any strength in ourselves to hold it but, that in Christ’s strength we should grasp it, and carry it about with us as the credentials of our faith, rather parting with life than with a belief in Christ, Isa 27:5 . And this holding fast, implies making use of Christ upon all occasions; continually acting faith upon him; depending in him; and in spite of all temptations, resolutely holding on, and holding out, as those, who in a consciousness that He who is our great High Priest is passed into the heavens, hath obtained eternal redemption for us, by his blood and righteousness, and is now returned to heaven, to see the merit of it recompensed in some measure and degree, (though fully it never can be through all eternity,) to all his people. This is our profession. And the consciousness of Christ being passed into the heavens is enough in itself to make all his people, in spite of hell and sin, to hold it fast.

Thirdly. people, the next persuasion from these precious words, riseth still higher. 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. Of all the consolations and encouragements under the trials of the faithful, these views of Jesus, are certainly the greatest, and the best. First, as they relate to Christ’s Person. And, Secondly, as they relate to his High Priestly Office

Reader! what a thought is it, to lead the child of God to the mercy-seat of God in Christ, with every comfortable assurance of success; when we consider who it is we go to, what a knowledge he hath of our persons, wants, circumstances, trials, and difficulties; what a personal experience he himself hath had of the same things, being when upon earth in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. In all things else the same.

It is possible I may be singular. But, if I am, I can truly say I find the blessedness of it; and would not think otherwise than I do, on those sweet points, for a thousand worlds. I frequently say to myself, when my necessities compel me to go to the throne, (and, Reader, I fear, notwithstanding the frank and tender reception I always meet with there, when I go to my God and Savior, I should seldom go there, did not my wants make me;) but I frequently say, was not Jesus made an High Priest purposely that He might be merciful? Was it not his deep love, and his deep affection to sinners, which made Him, of all others, the most fitted to be our High Priest? And will he not exercise it towards me? Doth not the very nature of an High Priest call for mercy? Would the office itself be needed, if there were not poor sinners to receive from it? It is most true, and it is most blessed in the truth, that Jesus is a great High Priest, and is passed into the heavens, in proof of his Almighty greatness, and his Almighty power; but what endears Jesus to my heart still more, is that he is a merciful and faithful High Priest, in things pertaining to God; and can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; in that, he himself was once encompassed with our infirmity, and was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Reader! is it not this which gives a lift to poor, tried, buffeted, tempted souls, and enables them to come boldly to the throne of grace, to obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need?

One word more. It is an additional argument, and the Apostle most blessedly blends it with the former; that not only Christ’s greatness, and Christ’s fellow-feeling and compassion, make him a suited High Priest for his people, and such as none other, but God and Man in one Person can be; but also, that the exercises he himself hath gone through, and the sorrows in those exercises he hath borne, give him such a personal knowledge of all, the cases and circumstances of his people, as nothing but the having trod the path himself could have brought him acquainted with. And, although it is most true, that as God he could have no additional knowledge, neither be more merciful, in taking upon him our nature, yet, had Jesus the Son of God not been man, as well as God, he could not have had human affections, and human feelings, in a personal experience of what human sorrows are. So that it doth tend to give yet further encouragement to go to Jesus, when we keep in remembrance, that he not only knows as God, but that he feels as man. And in his own breast, we have this sweet and affectionate advocate, in that he knoweth our frame by his own, and how to administer the suited relief.

Precious Lord Jesus! do thou, by the sweet influences of thy blessed Spirit, keep those views everlastingly alive in my heart; that my soul may have the most lively actings of faith, upon thy Person, as God-Man, and thy knowledge, as having gone before in the tabulated path in my nature; so that I may not only come, but come boldly to thy mercy-seat, and always obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need!

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

XXI

JESUS CHRIST, HIGH PRIEST OF THE NEW COVENANT, GREATER THAN AARON, HIGH PRIEST OF THE OLD COVENANT

Heb 4:14-8:5 .

The letter to the Hebrews is an inspired exposition of the Sinaitic covenant, and particularly of the book of Leviticus. Our analysis and exposition of the Sinaitic covenant (Exo 19:1-24:9 ) shows that this covenant consisted of three distinct elements:

1. God and the normal man, or the moral law (Exo 20:1-17 ) as a way of life; not simply an obligation but a condition of life they that do these things shall live, they that do them not shall perish.

2. God and the nation, or the ordinances that set forth the principles of civic righteousness (Exo 21:1-24:9 ); in obedience to which the nation lives, and in disobedience dies.

3. God and the sinner, or the Law of the Altar (Exo 20:22-26 ), or the way of the sinner’s approach to God in order to find mercy.

We learn that all subsequent statutory legislation in the Pentateuch was developed from these constitutional elements or principles. Deuteronomy was developed from the first and second, and from the third was developed the last sixteen chapters of Exodus, all of Leviticus, and most of the legislation in Numbers. The Altar part, or God and the sinner, was typical of the new covenant, and contained in figures the way of grace and mercy, and revealed the only way by which Parts 1-2 could be kept. Hence it was the most important element of the Sinaitic law.

In the Pentateuch we find also these elements of the law of the sinner’s approach to God:

1. The sanctuary, holy of holies, or a place where the sinner might find God.

2. A means of approach to God in the sanctuary, or vicarious, expiating sacrifices placating the divine wrath against sin.

3. A mediator to go between the sinner seeking mercy, and God bestowing mercy. This mediator, or priest, took the blood of the vicarious expiation and carried it behind the veil and offered it upon the mercy seat, where God dwelt between the cherubim. That mediator, on the basis of that offered blood, made intercession for the people.

4. Times in which to approach God are set forth elaborately in that book daily, weekly, monthly, annually, septennially, and every fiftieth year. Those were the times that they could go before God, but the heart of Leviticus, as well as the heart of Hebrews, was a particular time, to wit: On the great day of atonement, when the people appeared before God to receive through an offering presented by the priest, the remission of their sins, we find a prescribed ritual that gave the steps involved.

5. Then we find what place there was for penitence, faith, and prayer. We find penitence to indicate that the man approaching God came as a confessed sinner. We find faith set : forth by the laying on of hands upon the head of the victim the victim to take his place. We find the prayer part to be the petitions that went with the high priest and were presented by him when he made the offering. All that ia, presented in the book of Leviticus.

So we find that the sanctuary of God was that part which was called the holy of holies, and that there God was visibly manifested, according to all Jewish interpretation, in the Shekinah of fire between the cherubim on the mercy seat. We find the victims to be bullocks, goats, and lambs. We find the mediator to be, and particularly upon the great day of atonement, Aaron. We find the sacrifices constantly repeated every year; on the ‘great day of atonement the priest bad to go for the people, carrying the names of the tribes on his breastplate, going for them into the holy of holies. In the letter to the Hebrews, which expounds the Altar part of the Sinaitic covenant, Paul does not discuss the Temple of Solomon, nor of Zerubbabel, nor of Herod, but the tabernacle of Moses, because his plan is to go back to origins, and to the dignity of founders. It would have been incongruous if after discussing angels, Moses, Aaron, and the prophets, he had skipped to the ritual of the Herodian Temple.

He makes this argument: AB Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is greater than the prophets, greater than the angels, greater than Moses, greater than Joshua, so he is greater than Aaron. We do not discuss in this chapter superiority of the new covenant over the old, but the superiority of Jesus Christ over Aaron as high priest.

In some respects Aaron and Jesus Christ are alike neither one took the honor to himself. Aaron did not appoint himself high priest to go before God, and Jesus Christ did not appoint himself to be mediator. The Father appointed them. Aaron was one of the people. Christ was like Aaron in that respect he was one of the people. He took upon himself the nature of man and became as one of those who became his brethren.

So we have not yet arrived to the point of discrimination between Christ and Aaron, but we do now come to the dividing line: Aaron being a priest under the covenant made upon Mount Sinai, was himself of the tribe of Levi. Jesus Christ did not belong to that tribe. He was of the tribe of Judah, therefore the priesthood of Christ does not come within the law of the covenant established by Moses on Mount Sinai. It was not his office to go to the Temple at Jerusalem and there officiate as priest. He had no such place there. That is a distinction. It shows that the priesthood of Christ must be according to an entirely different covenant, otherwise he would have to be a son of Levi to be a priest.

In getting to this point of distinction, Paul takes up a fragment of the history of Genesis, about an ancient king of Jerusalem Melchizedek. Before Abraham had any possession there, this man was both a king and a priest of God before the call of Abraham, before the segregation of the Jewish nation, when there was no distinction between Jew and Gentilei He had no pedigree of which there is any record, but when we come to Aaron’s time, no man could officiate as an Aaronic priest unless he could trace his Levitical descent. Melchizedek had no such genealogy, and therefore in a genealogical sense’ he is said to be without father or mother, and held his office as king and priest directly from God. He was recognized as greater than Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, for when Abraham was returning from the victory over Chedorlaorner he paid tithes to the king of Salem and received a blessing from him.

In the days of the psalmist a reference is made to that history: “The Lord hath sworn, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” This makes another distinction Christ, not Aaron, was made priest by oath of God. So a distinction between Christ and Aaron is that Aaron is after the order of Levi and his priesthood is under the Mosaic covenant made upon Mount Sinai, and Jesus Christ is a priest after the order of Melchizedek anterior even to Abraham, much less Moses, and greater than Abraham, receiving tithes from the whole Jewish people in the person of Abraham, and inducted by the oath of God. It shows, too, that no scripture is of private interpretation. The prophets spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, and when you go to interpret a passage of Scripture which the Holy Spirit indicted, you get the meaning through the illumination of the Holy Spirit.

The next point is that when Aaron, under the Levitical law was preparing to offer a sacrifice for the sins of the people, he must first offer for himself because he was a sinner, and before he offered for others he must himself be cleansed; but this Man was holy, “tempted in all points as we are tempted, yet without sin.” That distinction in character is very strong between the two persons between the two orders of priesthood. Aaron was a sinner; our priest was not a sinner. No man ever convicted him of sin.

Then Aaron died and could not continue to live to intercede for the people, but this priest ever liveth to make intercession for his people.

We now take up the general superiority of the New Covenant, and it embraces items 10-12 of the analysis, only in expounding this I will follow a more orderly and logical method than we have in the analysis. This section extends from Heb 8:5-13:16 , and it even includes one verse of Heb 7 .

So far, our exposition has had to do with the person and most of the offices of the Mediator of the new covenant, but here we contrast the covenants themselves. Notwithstanding the previous statements of the elements of the Sinaitic covenant, we must restate them here briefly in order to clearness in this exposition. The old covenant is set forth in Exo 19:1-24:11 , and consists of three distinct elements:

1. The Decalogue, or God and the normal man.

2. The fundamental principles of civic righteousness, or God and the theocratic nation.

3. The altar, or God and the sinner, or the law of the sinner’s approach to God.

From the first and second elements are derived a part of Numbers, and all of Deuteronomy; from the third element, God and the sinner, or the law of the altar, are derived the last 16 chapters of Exodus, the whole of Leviticus, and a part of Numbers.

Our first question now arises: What are the faults of the old covenant, for our text says that God found that old covenant faulty? If we know what the faults are, we can then ‘ consider the superiorities of the new covenant. Evidently the one supreme fault of the first and second elements, that is, the moral code and the national code, was the inability of a fallen, sinful people to keep the law, as a way of life for the individual, or a way of life for the nation. The reason is that the moral element was written outside of the people and on tablets of stone; they had no internal personal knowledge spiritual knowledge of the law. So written, it discovered sin and condemned sin, but there was nothing in it to overcome this inability and render the obedience efficacious. The normal man Adam before his fall, and his descendants could have kept the Decalogue if he had not fallen and corrupted their nature derived from him, could have constituted a successful theocratic nation. But after the fall no lineal descendant from I Abraham, nor circumcision of the flesh, could impart a new nature.

And now what the faults of the third part of that covenant that is, the Levitical code the last three chapters of Exodus, the whole of Leviticus, and a part of Numbers? The faults of that element were:

1. It was in whole and in all its parts but a shadow merely of heavenly things to come; in its nature and in its intent it was only transitory and educational.

2. The lack of intrinsic merit in the expiating sacrifices to atone for sin.

3. The emptiness of its nonexpiatory sacrifices arising from the want of the heart back of them.

4. Conforming to it could never relieve the conscience from the sense of sin, guilt, and condemnation, and give peace and rest.

5. The repentance of the sinner on human go-betweens, or third parties in making offerings, and in the administration of cleansing ordinances, the limitation of one fixed place to meet God, and the further limitation of set times in which to meet God that is, the sinner could not for himself directly approach God at all times, in all places, and in all emergencies.

From these faults what our text declares necessarily and inevitably followed, to wit: “They continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.” Their whole national history is but the record of a series of breaches of the covenant on their part, and of God’s disregard of them on his part. They broke the covenant first in the very shadow of Sinai, before its tablets were completed, in the matter of the golden calf. They broke the covenant again at Kadesh-barnea, and the whole generation of adults were disregarded and perished. They broke the covenant again throughout the period of the judges, and at the close of that period their rebellion culminated in the rejection of God as King, and in the demand for a human monarchy. After that monarchy was established, the ten tribes broke the covenant at the very start in erecting the calves to worship at Dan and Bethel, and kept on breaking it without cessation until they perished. The Judah part of the monarchy, while more faithful than the ten tribes, repeatedly broke the covenant, and finally, at the downfall of the monarchy by Nebuchadnezzar, they were swept away. The hierarchy which, through the clemency of Persia, succeeded the monarchy and continued throughout the Grecian and Roman supremacies, repeatedly violated the covenant, and the culmination of their rebellion was in the days of our Lord when they rejected him and killed the Prince of Glory, bringing upon themselves the terrible denunciation in Matthew 21-23 the gravest judgment that was ever assessed against a people. This on account of the faults in that covenant. In every period of their probation they broke it and disregarded it.

This review of the faults enables us to sum up in one sweeping, inclusive generality the superiority of the new covenant, to wit: Our text says, “It was enacted on better promises,” so that our next question arises: What are these better promises? Here it is all important to make no mistake. If we do not discern these better promises clearly and retain them permanently in our hearts, we will utterly fail to master the priceless lessons of this book. Notwithstanding the importance of discerning and retaining these promises, what a sad thing it is, that if the preachers of Christendom were called up and asked to state what these better promises are, probably not more than one in a hundred could give them correctly, and three-fourths of so-called Christendom have never seen them. I will give them to you in the next chapter.

QUESTIONS

1. Hebrews is an exposition of what covenant, and what Old Testament book in particular?

2. Where is the record of the old covenant, and what are its constituent elements?

3. What subsequent parts of the Pentateuch developed from each of these elements?

4. What are the elements of the law of the sinner’s approach to God, and what the particulars of each?

5. What do we find as to the sanctuary, the victims of sacrifice, the mediator, the times and the work of the high priest under the old covenant?

6. Why does the author of the letter to the Hebrews discuss the tabernacle of Moses and not the Temple of Herod?

7. In what respects are Aaron and Christ alike?

8. In what particulars is Christ greater than Aaron? (See analysis.)

9. Who was Melchizedek, and how does he illustrate the order of Christ’s priesthood?

10. What are the fault of the first and second elements of the old covenant?

11. What are the faults of the third element of the same covenant?

12. From these faults what necessarily and inevitably followed, and what particular illustrations of this in the history of Gods people, Israel?

13. Sum up in a sweeping generality the superiority of the new covenant and show its importance.

Fuente: B.H. Carroll’s An Interpretation of the English Bible

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.

Ver. 14. We have a great high priest] Who by a new and living way will bring us into the rest above mentioned. A great high priest Christ is, because, 1. Real, not typical; 2. Eternal, and needed not succession, as Aaron; 3. Entering (not into the holy places made with hands, but) into heaven itself, Heb 9:23 .

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

14 16 .] Hortatory conclusion of this second course of comparison (see summary at ch. Heb 3:1 ); taking up again by anticipation that which is now to be followed out in detail, viz. the High Priesthood of Jesus . This point is regarded by many (e. g. Bl., De W., Lnem., Thol., Hofm., Schrb. ii. 1. 44, after Beza, who says: “Hinc potius oportuerat novam sectionem aperiri”) as the opening of the new portion of the Epistle: but on account of its hortatory and collective character, I prefer regarding it, with Ebrard, as the conclusion of the preceding: being of course at the same time transitional, as the close connexion of ch. Heb 5:1 with our Heb 4:15 shews. It is much in the manner of the Writer, to anticipate , by frequently dropped hints, and by asserting that, which he intends very soon to demonstrate .

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

14 .] Having therefore ( refers rather to the whole exhortation than to the : see Delitzsch) a great High Priest (the fact of this being Christ’s office is as yet assumed : see above ch. Heb 2:17 ; Heb 3:1 ; and Philo cited in note there: but now with more points of contact with what has been already said; e. g. Heb 4:10 , where the . has close connexion with the High Priest entering within the veil. , as in ch. Heb 13:20 , : answering very much to the use of , in St. John, , : one archetypal High Priest, one above all) passed through (not “ into ,” as E. V., Calvin, al.: see below) the heavens (as the earthly high priest passed through the veil into the holiest place, so the great High Priest through the heavens to God’s throne (on this, and its bearing on the Lutheran doctrine of Christ’s ubiquity, see Bleek, Tholuck, and Delitzsch in loc.): cf. ch. Heb 9:11 ; with reference also to Heb 4:10 , the entering of Jesus into His rest. In this fact, His greatness is substantiated. On , plur., see on ch. Heb 1:10 . “Per clos intelliguntur omnes cli, qui inter nos et Deum sunt interjecti: nempe et tota aeris regio, qu etiam clum in scriptura vocatur, et cli in quibus sunt sol, luna, cterque stell ac mundi luminaria, quibus omnibus Christus sublimior est factus, infra Heb 7:26 ; Eph 4:10 . Post hos omnes est clum illud, in quo Deus habitat, immortalitatis domicilium, quod ingressus est pontifex noster, non supergressus.” Schlichting. Thl. gives another expansion of the reference of this clause which may also have been intended: , , . , ), Jesus the Son of God (certainly not so named in this connexion without an allusion to the above mentioned. We cannot conceive that even a careful ordinary writer would have used the same name of two different persons , so designating the second of them, without intention. At the same time, there is no reason for supposing that such an allusion exhausts the sense of the weighty addition. It brings out the majesty of our High Priest, and justifies at the same time the preceding clause, leading the mind to supply ‘to God, whose Son He is.’ Besides which, it adds infinite weight to the exhortation which follows), let us hold fast (not as Tittmann, al., “lay hold of:” it is the opposite to , ch. Heb 6:6 ; , Heb 2:1 . On the genitive, see reff. In ch. Heb 6:18 , the aor. gives the sense ‘ lay hold of ’) the confession (viz. of our Christian faith: not merely of Christ’s ascension, nor merely of Christ as our High Priest: cf. ch. Heb 3:1 and not, and ch. Heb 10:23 , which gives more the subjective side, here necessarily to be understood also. See also ch. Heb 3:6 .

Corn. a-Lapide gives a beautiful paraphrase: “Agite Hebri, persistite in fide Christi, ad requiem in clis properate: esto cli longe a nobis absint, facile eos conscendemus et penetrabimus, duce Christo, qui eos penetravit, eosque nobis pervios fecit, dummodo confessionem, i. e. professionem, scilicet fidei et spei nostr, constanter retineamus”).

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Heb 4:14 . “Having then a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” resumes the train of thought started at Heb 3:1 , where the readers were enjoined to consider the High Priest of their confession. But cf. Weiss and Kbel. is now added, as in Heb 10:21 , Heb 13:20 , that they may the rather hold fast the confession they were in danger of letting go. The is explained and justified by two features of this Priest: (1) He has passed through the heavens and entered thus the very presence of God. For . . cannot mean, as Calvin renders “qui coelos ingressus est”. As the Aaronic High Priest passed through the veil, or, as Grotius and Carpzov suggest, through the various fore courts, into the Holiest place, so this great High Priest had passed through the heavens and appeared among eternal realities. So that the very absence of the High Priest which depressed them, was itself fitted to strengthen faith. He was absent, because dealing with the living God in their behalf. (2) The second mark of His greatness is indicated in His designation . , the human name suggesting perfect understanding and sympathy, the Divine Sonship acceptance with the Father and pre-eminent dignity. . . “Our confession” primarily of this great High Priest, but by implication, our Christian confession, cf. Heb 3:1 .

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Heb 4:14-16 (fuller literary unit to Heb 5:10)

14Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Heb 4:14 “a great high priest” The author first mentions Jesus as high priest in Heb 3:1-6. After the warnings and exhortations of Heb 3:7 to Heb 4:13, he now returns to the topic. This same pattern is followed in the warnings in Heb 5:11 to Heb 6:12 and in the discussion of Jesus’ priestly functions in Heb 6:13 to Heb 10:39. See Special Topic at Heb 2:17.

Hebrews is the only book in the NT that calls Jesus the “high priest.” The author’s comparison of the Mosaic covenant and the new covenant continues. This would have been hard for the Jewish people to accept and understand. Jesus was not of the priestly tribe of Levi. However, Jesus is called “a priest” in Heb 1:3; Heb 2:17-18; Heb 3:1. In the OT the Messiah is referred to as priest in only two contexts: Psalms 110 and Zechariah 4, both of which have both royal and priestly aspects.

“who has passed through the heavens” This is in the perfect tense. Jesus has passed through the heavens (whether there are 3 or 7), He returned to the Father’s presence, and the result of His coming (incarnation) and going (ascension) remains. Therefore, believers can now, through His agency, also pass through the heavens. In Gnostic thought, the heavens are angelic barriers (aeons), but in the OT they are

1. the atmosphere where birds fly

2. the windows of heaven where rain comes from

3. the starry heavens of the sun and moon

4. the very presence of God

There has been much discussion by the rabbis as to whether there are three or seven heavens (cf. Eph 4:10; 2Co 12:2). This phrase was also used by the rabbis to describe the heavenly tabernacle, which fits this context best (cf. Heb 9:23-28).

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE HEAVENS AND THE THIRD HEAVEN

“Jesus” It is possible that this is a typological play on Jesus as the new Joshua. Their names are exactly the same (i.e., Joshua – Hebrew; Jesus – Aramaic). The author of Hebrews alludes to the Exodus material extensively. As Joshua brought God’s people into the rest of the Promised Land, so too, will Jesus bring them into heaven.

“the Son of God” This is both an OT divine title applied to Jesus of Nazareth and also the author’s continuing emphasis on Jesus as “son” (cf. Heb 1:2; Heb 3:6; Heb 5:8; Heb 7:28). It is not by accident that the humanity and deity of Jesus are emphasized together (cf. Eze 2:1 human; Dan 7:13 divine). This is the main pillar of NT truth about the person of Christ (cf. Joh 1:1; Joh 1:14; 1Jn 4:1-6).

“let us hold fast our confession” This is a present active subjunctive. This is the continuing emphasis on the need for perseverance (cf. Heb 2:1; Heb 3:6; Heb 3:14). We must balance our initial decision (cf. Joh 1:12; Joh 3:16; Rom 10:9-13) with ongoing discipleship (cf. Mat 7:13-27; Mat 28:19-20; Eph 1:4; Eph 2:10). Both are crucial! Faith must issue in faithfulness! For a discussion of the term “confession,” see note at Heb 3:1.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE NEED TO PERSEVERE

Heb 4:15 “sympathize with our weakness” A. T. Robertson gives another possible alternative translation, “suffer with our weakness” (cf. Heb 2:17-18). Jesus never had a sin nature and never yielded to sin, but He was exposed to true temptation because of mankind’s sin.

“tempted” The term (peiraz) has the connotation of “to tempt with a view toward destruction” (cf. Heb 2:18; Heb 3:9; Heb 11:37). It is a perfect passive participle, which emphasizes a finished state by means of an outside agent, such as the tempter. This term is a title for Satan (“the one tempting”) in Mat 4:3 (also notice Mar 1:13). See Special Topic at Heb 2:18.

“in all things as we are yet without sin” Jesus is both fully God and fully human, and yet He understands us! However, He does not participate in fallen mankind’s rebellion and independence from the Father (i.e., the innocent, sinless One, cf. Heb 2:17-18; Heb 7:26; Luk 23:41; Joh 8:46; Joh 14:30; 2Co 5:21; Php 2:7-8; 1Pe 1:19; 1Pe 2:22; 1Pe 3:18; 1Jn 3:5).

Heb 4:16 “Therefore let us draw near” This is a present middle (deponent) subjunctive, which emphasizes the subject’s continual involvement, but with an element of contingency. This is a technical term in the Septuagint (LXX) for a priest approaching God. In Hebrews this term is used of fallen mankind’s ability to approach God because of Jesus’ sacrifice (cf. Heb 4:16; Heb 7:25; Heb 10:1; Heb 10:22; Heb 11:6). Jesus has made His followers a “kingdom of priests” (cf. Exo 19:5-6; 1Pe 2:5; 1Pe 2:9; Rev 1:6).

“with confidence to the throne of grace” The term “confidence” means “freedom to boldly speak.” We have freedom, and therefore, boldness, to approach the very presence of God through Jesus Christ (cf. Heb 10:19; Heb 10:35). This is similar to the symbol of the torn veil of Herod’s Temple in Jerusalem on the day that Jesus died (cf. Mat 27:51; Mar 15:38; Luk 23:45). Through Jesus, sinful people can come before a holy God where they receive mercy and grace, not condemnation.

“to the throne of grace” This may be a circumlocution for God, like the use of the passive voice. The author of Hebrews views heaven as a spiritual tabernacle (cf. Heb 9:11; Heb 9:24), but also a heavenly throne (cf. Heb 1:8; Heb 4:16; Heb 8:1; Heb 12:2).

“to help in time of need” The context speaks of warnings against not holding fast our confession. God will surely help us in times of trials and temptations (1) through Jesus and (2) by His own character.

Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley

Seeing . . . have = Having therefore.

High Priest. See Heb 2:17.

passed into = passed through. Same word as in 1Co 10:1; 1Co 16:5. Compare Heb 7:26. Eph 4:10.

heavens. See Mat 6:9, Mat 6:10.

Jesus. App-98.

Son of God. App-98.

profession. See Heb 3:1.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

14-16.] Hortatory conclusion of this second course of comparison (see summary at ch. Heb 3:1); taking up again by anticipation that which is now to be followed out in detail, viz. the High Priesthood of Jesus. This point is regarded by many (e. g. Bl., De W., Lnem., Thol., Hofm.,-Schrb. ii. 1. 44,-after Beza, who says: Hinc potius oportuerat novam sectionem aperiri) as the opening of the new portion of the Epistle: but on account of its hortatory and collective character, I prefer regarding it, with Ebrard, as the conclusion of the preceding: being of course at the same time transitional, as the close connexion of ch. Heb 5:1 with our Heb 4:15 shews. It is much in the manner of the Writer, to anticipate, by frequently dropped hints, and by asserting that, which he intends very soon to demonstrate.

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Heb 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.

Why should we let it go? Jesus has triumphed, he has entered into the glory on our behalf, the victory on our account rests with him; therefore let us follow him as closely as we can. May he help us, just now, if we are in the least dispirited or cast down, to pluck up courage, and press on our way!

Heb 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.

How this ought to draw us to the Saviour, that he was made like unto ourselves; that he knows our temptations by a practical experience of them; and though he was without sin, yet the same sins which are put before us by Satan were also set before him.

Heb 4:16. 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 have a Friend at court; our Bridegroom is on the throne. He who reigns in heaven loves us better than we love ourselves. Come, then, why should we hesitate, wherefore should we delay our approach to his throne of mercy? What is it that we want at this moment? Let us ask for it. If it is a time of need, then we see clearly from this verse that it is a time when we are permitted and encouraged to pray.

This exposition consisted of readings from Heb 4:14-16; Hebrews , 5.

Fuente: Spurgeon’s Verse Expositions of the Bible

Heb 4:14. , having) The exhortation begins in the same way, ch. Heb 10:19, Heb 12:1.-, therefore) He resumes the proposition which he had laid down, ch. Heb 2:17.-, great) for He is the Son of GOD, higher than the heavens. He is called absolutely in Hebrew phraseology, a High Priest, ch. Heb 10:21 : but here the Great High Priest, greater than the Levitical high priest.-) who has passed into, not merely has entered the heavens: ch. Heb 7:26.-, let us hold fast) From. ch. Heb 3:1 to ch. Heb 5:3, there are four points explained by Chiasmus, inasmuch as they contain the doctrine and practical application, the practical application and the doctrine. Look back again, I request, at the summary view (Synopsis) of the epistle.

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

Heb 4:14-16

ENCOURAGEMENT TO PERSEVERE IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE,

AND TO APPROACH WITH CONFIDENCE THE THRONE OF

GRACE, DRAWN FROM THE EXALTED POSITION AND THE

SYMPATHETIC LOVE OF JESUS, AS THE HIGH PRIEST OF

OUR CONFESSION

Heb 4:14-16

Heb 4:14 —Seeing then that we have a great high priest,-The main discussion of Christs priesthood is to be found in what follows to the close of the eighth section. (10: 18.) But in the first three sections there is enough said of him to warrant the conclusion that we have a great High Priest who has gone up through the heavens into the Holy of holies, there to appear in the prespice of God for us. And hence it is that the Apostle makes this the ground of another earnest exhortation to his Hebrew brethren to hold fast their confession.

The title high priest (hiereus megas) occurs first in Lev. 21 : 10, where it is used to designate Aaron and his successors, upon whose heads the anointing oil was poured, and who were severally consecrated to put on the holy garments. The corresponding word in the New Testament (archiereus) is used to designate (1) the High Priest proper; (2) the deputy of the High Priest; (3) anyone who had ever borne the office; and (4) the head of each of the twenty-four courses of the priesthood. (1 Chron. 24.) But here, as well as in Heb 2:17 Heb 3:1 Heb 5:5 Heb 5:10 Heb 6:20 Heb 7:26 Heb 8:1 Heb 9:11 Heb 9:25, it refers to Christ, who, as a Priest upon his throne (Zec 6:13), is ever ready to receive and bless those who come unto God by him. The adjective great (megas) is used here, not in its technical sense, as it often is, to distinguish Aaron and his successors in office from Priests of the common order, but in its proper sense to denote the real, personal, and official greatness of Christ, who, as our author shows, is superior even to the angels, as well as to Moses and all the Priests of the Old Covenant.

Heb 4:14 —that is passed into the heavens,-More literally, who has passed through (dieleluthota) the heavens. That is, through the aerial and sidereal heavens, on his way to the Heaven of heavens, the Most Holy Place, not made with hands; where, as a Priest, Christ offered his own blood once for all, and then sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Heb 1:3) ; a minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not men (Heb 8:2).

Heb 4:14 —Jesus the Son of God,-These words are added by way of explanation, to denote more definitely the power, glory, and dignity of our great High Priest. He is not of the house of Aaron; but he is the Son of God, by whom all things were created, and for whom all things were created; the brightness of the Fathers glory and the express image of his person. See notes on Heb 1:2-3 Heb 1:8.

Heb 4:14 —let us hold fast our profession.-Rather, our concession (homologia). See note on Heb 3:1. As Jesus is himself the subject of this confession (Mat 16:16), we cannot renounce it without renouncing him also as our Savior. And to renounce Christ is to seal forever our own condemnation (Heb 6:4-6) : for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved (Act 4:12).

Heb 4:15 —For we have not a high priest which can not, etc.-Our High Priest is not only great in power, glory, and majesty, having in his hands all authority in Heaven and on Earth (Mat 28:19), but he is also full of love and compassion for us. See notes Heb 2:17-18.

Heb 4:15 —but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.-What is meant here by our Saviors being tempted ? On this point Ebrard very justly remarks as follows: Being tempted is, on the one hand, something different from being seduced; and, on the other hand, it is something different from mere physical suffering. He who is seduced, stands not in a purely passive relation, but with his own will acquiesces in the will of seducer; but he who is tempted, is, as such, purely passive. This, however, is not merely physical passivity; headache, as such, is no temptation. But there is a moral obligation lying upon every man, not to let himself be mastered by his natural affections, which in themselves are altogether sinless, but rather to acquire the mastery over them. . . . That a poor man loves his children, and cannot bear that they perish of hunger, is in itself a natural and sinless affection ; but let him be so placed as that, without danger of discovery, he could steal a piece of money, then that natural affection becomes to him a temptation. Now it is quite clear that a man may in this way find himself in a situation of being tempted, without its being necessary to suppose that there is therefore an evil inclination. The poor man may be a truly honest Christian man; the temptation is there; the thought is present to his mind in all the force of a natural affection, If I were at liberty to take this gold, how I might appease the hunger of my children; but at the same time he has an immediate and lively sense of his duty, and not a breath of desire moves him to take the gold. He knows that he dare not do this: it is a settled thing with him that he is not a thief. … So it was in reference to the temptation of Christ. He was tempted in every respect, in joy and sorrow, in fear and hope, in the most varied situations, but without sin; the being tempted was to him purely passive; purely objective. No inclination to evil ever defiled his pure spirit. The lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life, had no place in his affections. And hence, though tempted by the Devil through all the avenues and natural desires of the human heart, he was still without sin.

Heb 4:16 —Let us therefore, etc.-Since it is true that we have a great High Priest who has gone up through the heavens, even into the very Heaven of heavens; and since it is also true, that though so highly exalted he nevertheless sympathizes with us in all our temptations, trials, and afflictions, we should on their account all be encouraged to approach the Throne of grace with confidence. It is generally thought that the Apostle here makes allusion to the Mercy- seat, on which rested the Shekinah, the visible symbol of Gods presence in the ancient Tabernacle. And this is most likely true, if in connection with the Mercy-seat be taken also the Ark of the covenant. But it should be observed that the golden lid of the Ark is, in no part of the inspired word called a throne. Its Hebrew name is simply kapporeth, which means a lid or cover; and its Greek name is hilasterion, a propitiatory. This lid could not therefore, in any proper sense, be called by itself a throne of grace. But the whole Ark, including the lid, was a symbol of Gods throne. (Jer 3:16-17.) And hence the allusion of the Apostle here is, not merely to the Mercy-seat, but to the entire Ark, from the lid of which, sprinkled as it was with blood once every year (Lev 16:14-15), God was pleased to make known his gracious will to the people (Exo 25:22). Any reference, however, to the Ark of the covenant in this connection, is merely for the sake of illustration, for there can be no doubt that by the Throne of grace is here meant the Throne of God; which in 8: 1, is called the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; because from it the infinitely Majestic One gives his laws and mandates to the universe. But it is here, withequal propriety, called also the Throne of grace; because from it God dispenses grace, mercy, and peace, to all who come to him and ask for help in the name of Jesus. For being justified by faith, we can now, through our Lord Jesus Christ, approach God as our Father, feeling fully assured that if we ask anything according to his will, he will hear and answer us. (1Jn 5:14.) See also Mat 7:7-11; Joh 14:13 Joh 15:7 Joh 16:24. How very reasonable, then, is the exhortation that we should approach the Throne of grace with confidence (parresia), so that we may obtain mercy and find grace for seasonable help. That is, for such constant help as our trials and circumstances require. And hence we are encouraged to pray always; to pray without ceasing; and to be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving to let our requests be made known unto God. See Eph 6:18; Php 4:6; 1Th 5:17.

Commentary on Heb 4:14-16 by Donald E. Boatman

Heb 4:14 –Having then a great High Priest

Christ has two relationships, enabling man to come to God through Him:

a. An Apostle sent to teach, cf. Heb 3:1.

b. A Priest:

1. This Priest has proven His character by His teaching.

2. This Priest has proven His love by His death.

3. This Priest has proven His superiority by passing through the heavens.

Christs high priesthood met the argument of the critical Jew:

a. They could not say, You have no tabernacle, no sacrifice, no city, no high priest. We have indeed !

b. The title high priest occurs first in Lev 21:10 :

1. There it is used to designate Aaron and his successors.

2. We have a High Priest in heaven itself, not in an earthly tabernacle.

Heb 4:14 –Who hath passed through the heavens

Only Christ has done this:

a. He lived in heaven, and passed through the heavens to earth.

1. Php 2:5-11.

2. 1Co 10:4 : -they (the Israelites) drank of a spiritual rock that followed them: and the Rock was Christ.

b. He lived on earth, and then passed through the heavens to heaven:

1. Ascension: Act 1:9.

2. Stephen: Act 7:56.

3. Peter Act 2:34-36 : seated.

c. He now works in heaven, and will pass again from heaven:

1. 1Th 4:13-18.

2. Act 1:11 : -Jesus-shall so come in like manner as ye beheld him going into heaven.

The Jewish high priest could pass only into the holy of holies on the great day of Atonement:

a. We have one who passed through the veil of skies.

b. Heb 8:1-2 is very good: -sanctuary which the Lord pitched.

Heb 4:14 –Jesus the Son of God

This identifies our High Priest. He is not of the lineage of Aaron, but of the house of God.

Heb 4:14 –let us hold fast our confession

Mat 10:32 : Our confession is in a Person: That confession gives us a profession.

a. It is a work of evangelism:

1. We are saved to serve.

2. We are won to win.

3. We were told to tell.

b. It is a way of life:

1. To renounce Christ is to seal our condemnation: Heb 6:4-6; Act 4:12 : In none other is there salvation.

2. Because of His human experience, let us draw near. Heb 4:15-16.

Heb 4:15 –For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities.

He is a sympathetic, compassionate High Priest, who can be touched with our feelings. Heb 2:17 : Wherefore it behooved Him in all things to me made unto His brethren.

He is successful as a High Priest:

a. Jesus stands by us in temptation. Rev 3:10.

b. His sacrifice is complete. Heb 9:26 : But now once at the end of the ages hath He been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

Heb 4:15 –our infirmities

Infirmities is a word that may be taken in various senses:

a. 2Co 12:10 suggests what might be included.

b. Probably the feeling of the soul should be included, such as fear, sorrow, dread of death.

Since He was made in the likeness of our sinful flesh, we know that he knows our feelings.

Heb 4:15 –but one that hath been in all points tempted as we are

Christs threefold temptation gives us the major threats of the devil:

a. Food-satisfy the physical.

b. Pinnacle of temple-to extend the mercy of God to selfishness.

c. Kingdom-lust for power-rulership.

Heb 4:15 –yet without sin

Describe your mother and her virtues, but you cant use this expression.

Other verses tell us that He was perfect:

a. 2Co 5:21 : Him who knew no sin, He made to be sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

b. 1Jn 3:5 : And ye know that He was manifested to take away sins; and in Him is no sin.

Jesus was tempted without falling into sin, but this is not true of any other.

Heb 4:16 –Let us therefore draw near with boldness

Because of the kind of High Priest we have, we should have courage to approach Him:

a. He is not a medicine man to Whom we have to bow and feel like a helpless creature.

b. Because of His love, we should come without hesitation.

c. His experience with this life gives us encouragement. Boldness here is not brazen, but confident.

Heb 4:16 –unto the throne of grace

The history of the throne of grace is interesting:

a. The ark was a symbol of Gods grace. Jer 3:16.

1. The lid was sprinkled with blood once a year. Lev 16:14-15.

2. Here was the mercy seat. Lev 16:2; Num 7:89; Exo 25:22.

3. Now we approach God through Jesus Christ Who sits at His right hand.

The throne of mercy is Gods, but Christ is our access to God. Eph 2:18.

Heb 4:16 –that we may receive mercy

We have to make the approach, for God has done His share:

a. We must not be cast down with a sense of misery.

b. Since all have sinned and fallen short of Gods grace, we need grace and mercy.

Only God gives mercy:

a. The devil gives death, not life, and beyond this, he makes people unmerciful.

1. Hitler listened to no pleas of men.

2. Men possessed of the devil are unkind, unforgiving. God has mercy only for those who merit it:

a) Look at these verses:

1) Heb 10:27 : -fearful expectation of judgment.

2) Heb 10:31 : -a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

b. If we fail to come to God for mercy, we should not expect it in the judgment.

Heb 4:16 –and may find grace to help us

Observe why Christ can give us help which is superior to that of the priest of the old covenant:

a. The priest under the old system had to make atonement for his own sins. Heb 5:2-3; Heb 7:26-28; Heb 9:7.

b. They were after the order of Aaron. Heb 7:11; Heb 7:11-17; Heb 8:4-5.

c. The old was made without an oath. Heb 7:20-22.

d. Theirs was temporary. Heb 7:23-24.

e. They offered oftentimes the same kind of sacrifices. Heb 9:25-26.

Heb 9:28; Heb 10:11-12. Heb 10:14.

f. They entered into the holy of holies every year, Heb 9:7-12.

g. Christ lives to make intercession, Heb 7:25.

Heb 4:16 –in time of need

Three great needs of man in the spiritual realm:

a. We are in need when saddened. Joh 14:1-4.

b. We are in need when tempted. 1Co 10:13; Heb 2:18.

c. We are in need at death, Psalms 23.

Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount said God would also care for our physical needs.

Summary-Exhortation

1. There is a throne of grace where God and man may meet.

2. The mercy place has the atoning blood of the Lamb of God.

3. We must come by faith. Faith and action must be mixed.

4. We may approach in boldness, confidence.

5. God still dwells with His people.

Summary – Warning

1. Faithfulness forfeited is a forfeit of eternal rest.

2. We cannot trifle with Gods words, We must act today.

3. The great aim of life is to labor for the rest.

Study Questions

656. Christ is earlier described as an apostle. Where is He here?

657. What is the difference between the two works?

658. What has Christ done to prove that He is a great high priest?

659. When was the title of high priest first used? See Lev 21:10.

660. What has Christ done that no other priest could do as far as the heavens are concerned?

661. What time of passing through is referred to here?

662. When will He pass through again?

663. What would the heavens be in type in relationship to the old system?

664. With what term does Paul identify our High Priest?

665. Since this is all true, what exhortation does he have for us?

666. What is our confession?

667. What do we confess concerning this Person?

668. Does this confession amount to a profession?

669. What can be said of our High Priest as far as sympathy is concerned?

670. How does this verse compare with Heb 2:17?

671. What does the word infirmity mean?

672. Discuss Pauls bearing of infirmities, 2Co 12:10.

673. What is meant by touched with the feeling of our infirmities?

674. Do pain, sorrow, suffering help one to be understanding of others?

675. Is God able to be more sympathetic since Christ lived in the flesh?

676. What three categories of temptation did Jesus face?

677. How were the three so all-inclusive?

678. Was He tempted at other times?

679. Can you describe the most beautiful character whom you know with the expression without sin?

680. Is this a teaching limited to this verse? Cf. 2Co 5:21; 1Jn 3:5.

681. Have you noticed that with the great exaltation of Christ there is an exhortation to man? What is it in Heb 4:16?

682. Do heathen people come boldly to their priests?

683. Does boldness allow brazenness and presumption?

684. What is meant by boldness?

685. What was the place of mercy in times past? Cf. Jer 3:16; Lev 16:2; Lev 16:14-15.

686. What is our throne of grace? Cf. Eph 2:18.

687. What do we receive when we approach the mercy seat?

688. For whom does God have mercy?

689. Is God always merciful? Cf. Heb 10:27; Heb 10:31.

690. If we do not come to His mercy seat now, should we expect it at the judgment?

691. What is the purpose of grace which we may find there?

692. Could the Old Testament priest help?

693. When is man in need? What are his problems?

694. Is Christ able to help?

Commentary on Heb 4:14-16 by Burton Coffman

DIVISION III

CHRIST IS A BETTER HIGH PRIEST

Heb 4:14 –Having then a great high priest who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. (Heb 4:14)

The author introduces in this verse the theme of Jesus as the great high priest and proceeds to elaborate the reasons of great superiority over any other. Jesus’ passing “through the heavens” contrasts with Aaron’s merely passing beyond certain enclosures in the tabernacle; nor should people be careful to determine just how many heavens Jesus passed through, if three or seven, according to the Hebrew speculations about such things; because, as a matter of fact, Jesus Christ has ascended far above “all heavens” (Eph 4:10), as Paul said; and a little later in this epistle it is said that Christ is made “higher than the heavens” (Heb 7:26). On the plurality of heavens, Bruce wrote that “the plural `heavens’ as regularly used in the New Testament and the Septuagint, reflects the Hebrew word use in the Old Testament, which is always plural. What is emphasized here is his transcendence.”[10] The holding fast of the believer’s confidence corresponds with what was written earlier in Heb 3:6; Heb 3:14. Throughout Hebrews, the weight of responsibility for faithfulness is made to rest upon the diligence and alertness of the believer himself; and he is repeatedly admonished to hold it fast, to glory in it, and to exhort others constantly to the same effect. He is not to be passive at all, but active in claiming the promised redemption. This verse, with the ones preceding and following it, reveals the Christian’s great high priest as doing three things that Aaron could not do. He entered God’s rest, ascended far above the heavens, and came to the very throne of grace itself.

ENDNOTE:

[10] James Macknight, Apostolic Epistles (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, 1960), p. 526.

Heb 4:15 –For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are and yet without sin.

Far from feeling that our great high priest, so far removed above the heavens, is, from so vast a separation, incapable of proper sympathy for suffering and tempted Christians, the believer is invited to see that Jesus the Son of God knows all about human problems, even temptation, and that he is thereby qualified to provide the utmost sympathy and understanding for human weakness.

COULD CHRIST HAVE SINNED?

Regarding the temptation of Christ, the question inevitably appears as to the possibility, even, that Jesus could have sinned; but there seems to be no satisfactory explanation of how any person, even the Son of God, could be tempted to do anything impossible for him to do. Without the possibility of yielding to sin, how can there, in fact, be any such thing as temptation? To be sure, this is an old theological battleground. Irving was expelled from the Presbyterian communion as heretical, because he held to the theoretic peccability of Christ.[11] Barmby’s learned defense of the position that it was impossible for Jesus to have sinned is as follows:

That Christ in his original human nature, partook of all the affections of humanity – hope, fear, desire, joy, grief, indignation, shrinking from suffering, and the like – is apparent, not only from his life, but also from the fact that his assumption of our humanity would otherwise have been incomplete. Such affections are not in themselves sinful; they only are so, when, under temptation, any of them become inordinate, and serve as motives for transgression of duty. He, in virtue of his divine personality, could not through them be seduced into sin; but it does not follow that he could not, in his human nature, feel their power to seduce, or rather the power of the tempter to seduce through them, and thus have personal experience of man’s temptation. St. John says of one “born of God” that he “doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God” (1Jn 3:9). What is thus said of one “born of God” may be said much more, and without any qualification, of the Son of God, without denying that he too experienced the power of temptation, though altogether proof against it.[12]

Interesting and convincing as Barmby’s view is, there is much to be said on the other side of the issue; but, in advocating the view that Jesus could have sinned, there is no intention to reflect in any way against the purity and holiness of the Master, so beautifully mentioned by Milligan thus:

No inclination to evil ever defiled his pure spirit. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life had not place in his affections. And hence, though tempted by the devil through all the avenues and natural desires of the human heart, he was still “without” sin.[13]

However, it should be remembered that Christ had taken upon himself the handicap of human flesh, even the blood of harlots and Gentiles; and, as a man, Christ certainly had the capability of doing wrong if he had elected to do so; and absolutely no logical refutation appears in any of the writings seen on this subject that can explain how any person can be tempted to do that which it is impossible for him to do. If one may hazard a conjecture as to the greatest temptation of Christ, it was likely an impulse to call the whole thing off, abort his mission of redemption, call for the legions of angels, overwhelm his enemies with destruction, and consign the human race to oblivion, a fate fully deserved; and that just such a temptation did occur is seen in Christ’s mention of the twelve legions of angels (Mat 26:53). Only his great eternal love for people enabled our Lord to forego such a termination of his heavenly mission. This whole field of thought is clouded with the veil through which we see “darkly” (1Co 13:12); dogmatism is certainly out of place, and none is intended here.

People may exclaim, “How could Christ be tempted in all points, since he had no child, did not grow old, never married, was not in business, etc., and therefore did not pass through every situation that produces temptation in men?” Such a question overlooks the fact that the basic elements of temptation are actually very few in number; and, just as all of the melodies ever written can be broken down into a few notes of the musical scales, all human temptation resolves into three basic principles, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life (1Jn 2:16), Christ, of course, being thoroughly tempted and tested in all of these areas and yet without sin.

[11] F. F. Bruce, op. cit., p. 85.

[12] J. Barmby, op. cit., p. 114.

[13] Ibid.

Heb 4:16 –Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace that we may receive mercy, and find grace to help us in time of need.

The throne of grace is the throne of God; and certain reflections on that subject are appropriate: (1) the existence of such a thing as God’s throne reveals that the universe is a controlled and governed entity and that there is a center of power and authority, called here “the throne of grace.” The universe is, therefore, not like a clock left to run down. God is upon the throne. (2) The government of all things is personal. Not a computer, but a throne; not blind senseless matter, but a person; not merely law, but the will of One on the throne – that is the concept of universal government explicit in this mention of the throne. (3) Such a throne, with its undergirdings of righteousness and justice, already mentioned in Heb 1:8-9, reveals the antagonism between God and evil, showing that eternal justice will prevail infinitely throughout the whole universe. (4) That throne’s being called here a “throne of grace” makes the control center appear as a source of mercy for fallen and sinful man, being called also “the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Rev 22:3). How wonderful, from this vale of sorrow and death and sin and shame, to lift the thoughts of the spirit toward that throne where the Lamb, or sacrifice, is seated and clothed with the mantle of total authority!

Boldly people are commanded to approach the throne of grace. Why? Man’s very nature, in the person of Christ, is seated there. He has tasted every temptation, passed through every sorrow. He knows! Out of his loving heart there flows an eternal tide of love, sympathy, and understanding of humankind, suffering the dreadful trials of their probation; and he eagerly anticipates the entry of his beloved children into the joy of their Lord (Mat 25:23), demanding only that they love him (Joh 14:15), and able to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by him (Heb 7:25).

Westcott provided an excellent summary of the thought of this text, thus:

The minds of the writer and readers are full of the imagery of the Levitical system, and of the ceremonial of the high-priestly atonement; and the form of the exhortation suggests the grandeur of the position in which the Christian is placed, as compared with that of the Jew; “let us therefore,” trusting the divine power and human sympathy of Jesus the Son of God, “draw near,” as priests ourselves in fellowship with our High Priest – and not remain standing afar off as the congregation of Israel – “to the throne of grace,” no symbolic mercy seat, but the very center of divine sovereignty and love.[14]

[14] R. Milligan, New Testament Commentary (Nashville: Gospel Advocate Company, 1962), Vol. Hebrews, p. 148.

[15] Brooke Foss Westcott, The Epistle to the Hebrews (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1965), p. 108.

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

In the close of this chapter the apostle gives us a summary improvement of all the foregoing discourses and arguings contained in it. Especially he insists on a double inference unto the practice of those duties which, by his former reasonings, he had evinced to be incumbent on all professors of the gospel. And these are two; the one more general, with respect unto that great end which he aims at in the whole epistle; the other containing an especial means conducing unto that end. The first is expressed in the 14th verse (Heb 4:14), the other in those two that do ensue. The first is, that we should hold fast our profession; which is now the third time mentioned, Heb 3:6; Heb 3:14, and here, besides sundry other times in terms equivalent. The latter consists in our application of ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ, our high priest, for help and assistance, to enable us so to do; for this is a great and difficult duty, which, without especial supplies of grace, we are not able to discharge.

Unto this twofold duty there is likewise proposed a double encouragement. And in these, various motives, reasons, and directions are included respectively. The first of these encouragements is expressed Heb 4:14, consisting in sundry particulars, all tending unto our furtherance under the great duty of holding fast our profession unto the end. The other in Heb 4:15, wherein on many grounds we are assured of the assistance which we do stand in need of; unto the use and due improvement whereof we are exhorted, Heb 4:16.

Moreover, in these words the apostle makes a transition from what in general he had discoursed on unto the handling of that wherein his great design lay, which he had now fully made way for. And this was destructive to the life and soul of Judaism. Having, therefore, Heb 3:1, affirmed that Jesus Christ was the apostle and high priest of our profession, he first undertakes the former. Therein he positively declares that he was the apostle, legate, and ambassador of God, to reveal and declare his will unto the church. And because this was the office of Moses of old with respect unto the church of the Jews, in the giving of the law, he makes a comparison between them; which, as it was necessary in his dealing with the Hebrews, who adhered unto, and extolled, yea, almost deified Moses, so it gave him occasion to express much of the excellency of Christ in that office, as also to declare the true nature of the missive or apostolical office of Moses, that undue apprehensions thereof might not keep them off from believing the gospel, or cause them to backslide after they had professed it. From his discourse to that purpose he educeth all his arguings, reasonings, and exhortations unto faith, obedience, and permanency in profession, which ensue in that and this chapter unto these verses. Having therefore discharged that work, and confirmed the first part of his proposition, namely, that the Lord Christ was the apostle of our profession, and applied that truth to his present purpose, he returns to the other part of it, namely, his being our high priest also. And this was the principal thing which he aimed at in the didactical part of the whole epistle. This, therefore, he pursues from hence unto the end of the 10th chapter. The nature of the priesthood of Christ; his excellency and preference above Aaron, as vested with that office; the nature of the sacrifice that he offered, with the end, use, and efficacy of it; and, on occasion hereof, the nature of the typical priesthood, sacrifices, and law of old, are the subject of his glorious discourses. And this ocean of spiritual truth and heavenly mysteries are we now launching into. And therefore do we most humbly implore the guidance and conduct of that good and holy Spirit, who is promised unto us to lead us into all truth; for who is sufficient for these things?

In these verses, then, the apostle makes a transition unto, and an entrance upon his great design. But whereas his direct scope and aim was to prevail with the Hebrews, and all others in the like condition with them, that is, all professors of the gospel, unto permanency and stability in faith and obedience, he doth here, as elsewhere, fill up his transition with insinuations of duties, attended with exhortations and encouragements unto the performance of them. And this is the only useful way of teaching in all practical sciences. The principles of them are to be accompanied with instances, examples, and exhortations unto practice, wherein their end consisteth. And in so doing, the apostle plainly declares what we ought to be intent upon in our learning and consideration of the truths of the gospel. The end of them all is to teach us to live unto God, and to bring us to the enjoyment of him; therefore to the furtherance of our faith and obedience are they continually to be applied.

Fuente: An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews

Division III. Chaps. 4:14-10:39 The Priesthood of the Heavenly Sanctuary Superior to that of Aaron, Resting on the Better Sacrifice of Christ Jesus

Subdivision 1. Chaps. 4:14-7:28

The Enthroned Priest, after the Order of Melchisedec, though of the Pattern of Aaron

We are now to consider the Priesthood of Christ, a precious and wondrous theme meaning much for all believers during His present session at Gods right hand in Heaven, but something into which Jewish believers could enter with peculiar interest because of their former relationship to the earthly sanctuary and the high priesthood of Aaron and his sons.

There are those today who deny utterly Christs priestly service on behalf of the Church. They say (to use the exact language of one of the teachers of this school), Christ is not my High Priest; He is a High Priest for Israel, not for the Church which is His Body. All believers now are part of the High Priest and it will be our place to intercede for Israel by and by. What an absurd obsession must he be laboring under who can use such language! Christ, the Head of the Body, the Church, is one aspect in which our blessed Lord is presented in the Word, but Christ as the High Priest is another aspect altogether. As members of the Body we are seen in a peculiar relationship to Him which does not involve the thought of failure or infirmity. But as a pilgrim people passing through a sinful world, we have a Great High Priest ever representing us before God in Heaven and ministering to our needs as they arise from moment to moment. To rob the Christian of this blessed truth is to leave him poor indeed. But that teaching is just part of an ultra-dispensational system which is soul-withering in the extreme, and occupies its votaries with fine distinctions that are often thoroughly unscriptural, instead of with Christ Himself and His work on our behalf.

The division upon which we now enter, extending from ver. 14 of chap. 4 to ver. 39 of chap. 10, is by far the largest part of the epistle, and, as already intimated, it opens up to us a vast system of precious truth, namely, the Priesthood of the heavenly sanctuary, a Priesthood far superior to the Aaronic system, not only because of the more excellent character of the Priest Himself, but because of the infinitely better sacrifice upon which it rests, the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all upon the cross for our sins.

Properly speaking, priesthood has to do with the heavens. Our blessed Lord was anointed to fulfil three offices-those of Prophet, Priest, and King. While to a certain extent these offices overlap, yet generally speaking we may say that He was Prophet on earth, He is Priest in Heaven, and He will reign as King when He returns in glory. This, however, is not to deny that He was just as truly the King when He presented Himself to Israel in the days of His flesh. He was rejected in that special character when they exclaimed, We have no king but Caesar, thus fulfilling the expression in the parable, We will not have this man to reign over us. And so too it was as High Priest that He lifted up His eyes unto Heaven and offered that wonderful intercessory prayer recorded in John 17. And as High Priest, fulfilling the type of the great day of atonement, He offered Himself to God as a sacrifice on our behalf. Then, too, we see Him in the role of Prophet when, on Patmos Isle, He appeared to the beloved apostle and gave him a marvelous revelation concerning things which must shortly come to pass.

The high priest of the Old Testament must of necessity be a man, one who could enter into the trials of his brethren, and so our Lord Jesus has already been demonstrated to be true Man as well as very God, that He might thus enter practically into all the sorrows and difficulties of His people. This is emphasized for us in the first section of the present division.

Section A. Heb 4:14-16; Heb 5:1-10.

The Man in the Glory, our 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. 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. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of, grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 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: 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. And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not Himself to be made an High Priest; but He that said unto Him, Thou art My Son, today have I begotten Thee. As He saith also in another place, Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. 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; though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; and being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him; called of God an High Priest after the order of Melchisedec.

I have quoted the entire passage in order that we may not lose sight of the connection of its various parts. First observe that in Heb 4:14 our Lord is spoken of as a Great High Priest, great in the dignity of His Person and in the perfection of His character. He has passed into (or, literally, through) the heavens, as the high priest of old, having sacrificed at the altar, passed through the court and the Holy Place into the Holy of Holies. So our blessed Lord, having died upon the cross, has passed through the lower heavens surrounding this earth which we call the atmosphere, in which the birds fly, which are often spoken of as the birds of the heavens; on through the stellar heavens, the created universe stretching through apparently illimitable space; up and on into the Heaven of heavens, the immediate dwelling-place of God, where He has taken His seat as Man upon the eternal throne. There He sits exalted, Jesus the Son of God, the entire title speaking most blessedly of His humanity and divinity. In view of His session there at Gods right hand, we are encouraged to hold fast our confession. It is generally recognized that this is a better translation than profession, as in the A. V. We may profess what is not true. We confess what is real.

Our High Priest then is not One whose heart is indifferent to our circumstances; not One who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He is as truly human as we, and in the days of His flesh He was tempted in all points like ourselves, though apart from sin. The expression, yet without sin, has frequently been taken to mean, yet without sinning, as though it simply implied that He did not fail when exposed to temptation, but the exact rendering would be sin apart. That is, His temptations were entirely from without. He was never tempted by inbred sin as we are. He could say, The prince of this world cometh and hath nothing in Me. When we are tempted from without, we have a traitor within who ever seeks to open the door of the citadel to the enemy. But it was otherwise with Him. If any ask, How then could His temptations be as real as ours? let us remember that when temptation was first presented to Adam and Eve, they were sinless beings, but being merely human, they yielded and plunged the race into ruin and disaster. Christ was not only innocent but holy, for He was God as well as Man.

Tempted in all points means of course that appeals were made to Him by Satan from the three standpoints whereby alone any of us can be tempted: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Tempted on these three points, Eve capitulated completely. She saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food -the appeal to the lust of the flesh; it was pleasant to the eye-the appeal to the lust of the eye; and a tree to be desired to make one wise-the appeal to the pride of life. She failed on every point. To our Lord in the wilderness the same appeals were made. Make these stones bread-an appeal to fleshly desire; he showed Him all the kingdoms of earth in a moment of time-the lust of the eye; then in the suggestion that our Lord should cast Himself down from the pinnacle of the temple to be borne up by angels before the wondering eyes of the populace, we have the appeal to the pride of life. But He met every suggestion of evil by the Word of God. And now as the enthroned Conqueror, He sits exalted on the right hand of the Majesty on high, interceding for us, and we are bidden to come boldly unto the throne of grace there to obtain mercy because of failure, and find suited grace for seasonable help when exposed to temptation.

Fuente: Commentaries on the New Testament and Prophets

Christ Our High Priest

“We have a great high priest!” We have no earthly priest, because we need none. Our great High Priest is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He is seated in the heavens. And he has made every believing sinner a priest unto God in him, a priest to offer up spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise continually, sacrifices made acceptable to God through the merits of his blood and righteousness.

A Great High Priest

The Lord Jesus Christ, whom we trust, is a great High Priest. Our Redeemers greatness is spoken of both with respect to his essential person and with respect to his priestly work. Here is his greatness.

His Solitariness — Christ is our great High Priest because he is our only Priest. His solitariness is his greatness. There is only one Priest and Mediator between God and men; and Christ is that Priest. All men on earth who pretend to be priests are imposters.

His Sacrifice — Christ is our great High priest because his sacrifice alone can atone for sin alone. He alone has that to offer which God can and will accept for the atonement of our sins. His own lifes blood is that by which he has obtained eternal redemption for us.

His Intercession Our great High Priest prays for us distinctly. He said, I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me (1Jn 2:1-2; Joh 17:9-11; Joh 17:13; Joh 17:15; Joh 17:17; Joh 17:20-26).

Our High Priest

Not only is the Lord Jesus Christ the Great High Priest, he is ours! — Seeing then that we have a Great High Priest. What a blessed declaration! This Great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ, is mine. The Lord is my Shepherd; and the Lord is my Priest! He is our great High Priest by the decree and gift of his Father, by his own, voluntary assumption of our cause, and by our union of faith with him.

A Priest in Heaven

Our great High Priest has passed into the heavens (Heb 10:10-14; Rom 8:33-39). That means that his sacrifice has been accepted. Because he has risen from the dead, passed into the heavens and taken his rightful place upon the throne of grace, we are assured that all the sins of his people, which he bore in his body upon the cursed tree, are forever put away and can never be imputed to us. Our High Priest in heaven is our security and our assurance of everlasting, immutable, indestructible acceptance with God.

Divine and Human

He who is our Great High Priest is Jesus, the Son of God. He is “Jesus” who came here as a man on an errand of mercy, to save his people from their sins (Mat 1:21). And he is “the Son of God,” God the Son, God manifest in the flesh, who is able to save to the uttermost all who come unto God by him (Heb 7:24-28).

A Touched Priest

This God -man, this man who is God, our great High Priest, is touched with the feeling of our infirmities. Because he is a Man who has endured all that men endure, and because his heart is ever toward us, our dear Savior, that God who rules the world, is touched by everything that touches us. As a loving father is touched by anything that touches his child, so our Savior is touched by that which touches us. If his people are persecuted, he is persecuted. If we endure disease, betrayal, bereavement, hunger, thirst, weariness, or any other thing which causes pain, we endure only that which he has endured before us and for us; and it touches him.

A Tempted Priest

He who is our Great High Priest was in all points tempted like as we are. No aspect of our Savior’s mediation is more difficult for us to fathom than his temptation. Yet, no aspect of his sufferings in this world is more comforting to his tempted people in this world. Do the lusts of the flesh seem to overwhelm your soul? Your Savior knows what you are going through. He has walked that path before you. Do the lusts of the eye seem to constantly pull at your very heart? Your Redeemer knows what you feel. He knows the struggle more keenly than you ever shall. He has been where you are. Does the pride of life seem to be your constant adversary? The Son of God, who sits upon his throne in human flesh, who intercedes for you in glory, knows what you feel. Not only does he know and feel what you are experiencing, he is able and willing to help you; and he will. He will never leave you, nor forsake you. He will carry you through your earthly woe and bring you at last into your (his) eternal inheritance.

Yet, none of these things would be of any value and benefit to our souls, were it not for this last thing. Yet without sin.

A Holy Priest

He who is our great High Priest is and must be altogether holy. No sinful man can make atonement for another mans sins. Aaron could never make reconciliation for the people. But Christ, our holy High Priest, that One whose very name is Holy and Reverend, is a Priest whose Sacrifice and intercession God himself must accept.

Let us take these thoughts with us through the day. Let these blessed assurances of grace arm our souls, as we face the trials and temptations that we must endue. It is upon the basis of Christ’s priesthood that we are given this admonition: — Let us hold fast our profession.

Perhaps you think, But I am weak and sinful, and my temptations are strong. Where can I find the strength to heed this admonition? The answer is found in Heb 4:16. — “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Fuente: Discovering Christ In Selected Books of the Bible

a great: Heb 2:17, Heb 3:1, Heb 3:5, Heb 3:6

that is: Heb 1:3, Heb 6:20, Heb 7:25, Heb 7:26, Heb 8:1, Heb 9:12, Heb 9:24, Heb 10:12, Heb 12:2, Mar 16:19, Luk 24:51, Act 1:11, Act 3:21, Rom 8:34

Jesus: Heb 1:2, Heb 1:8, Mar 1:1

let: Heb 2:1, Heb 3:6, Heb 3:14, Heb 10:23

Reciprocal: Exo 40:33 – hanging Lev 4:35 – and the priest shall make Lev 16:2 – that he die not Lev 16:13 – the cloud Num 35:25 – abide in it Psa 68:18 – ascended Psa 106:24 – they believed Jer 30:21 – and I Eze 46:10 – General Zec 6:13 – a priest Mar 15:38 – General Luk 1:10 – General Luk 1:19 – I am Joh 16:23 – Whatsoever Rom 4:25 – and was raised 1Co 15:2 – keep in memory Gal 4:6 – crying Gal 5:1 – Stand Eph 1:21 – principality Eph 3:12 – General Eph 4:10 – ascended Phi 4:1 – so Col 1:23 – ye continue 1Th 3:8 – if 2Ti 1:13 – Hold Heb 7:28 – maketh the Heb 10:21 – an Heb 10:35 – Cast Rev 2:25 – that

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

OUR HIGH PRIEST IN HEAVEN

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. 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. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Heb 4:14-16

In His Ascension our Lord entered heaven, not only as a King of Glory, but He entered the highest heaven on our behalf as our great High Priest. Almost the whole of the Epistle to the Hebrews deals with this matterthe entrance of our Blessed Saviour into the highest heaven. And in the Epistle you will note that we find there a sketch of the perfect priest, and how our Lord represents to us the Perfect Priest. The word intercession means to go between; our Lords intercession is a going between man and God, between man who has sinned and God against Whom man has sinned.

I. That intercession is of two kinds:

(a) There is the intercession of His simple presence, the fact that in heaven He bears our own nature, the nature of those who have sinned against the Eternal Father, that in His own hands, and feet, and side He bears the mark of that which He has endured for our salvation. The simple presence of His wounded human nature is a perpetual intercession on our behalf.

(b) Beyond that there is the actual pleading for us. He speaks for you and for me, One Who knows what we need, Who knows our own helplessness, and has made Himself our champion. That help is going on ceaselessly.

II. What are the fruits of His Priesthood?What does He obtain for us?

(a) Well, first of all, He obtains on our behalf mercy for our sins. It is an endless intercession, claiming on our behalf the Divine mercy of our Father and His forgiveness. So in the hymn we plead:

Look, Father, look on His anointed face,

And only look on us as found in Him.

(b) Then His intercession takes up into itself the imperfection of our own prayers and of our own works. The best that we can do is poor and worthless; but, caught up in the intercession of our great High Priest, the feeblest prayers have their value, and they prevail with our Father.

(c) Yet again, His intercession upon the throne of heaven pleads endlessly for us just the graces that we need for our daily lifegrace which will help us to outgrow our weakness and our faults, and grow in likeness to the perfect life of Jesus. Then there descends upon that intercession the rain of His grace, which shall help us to escape above ourselves, and to come nearer Jesus.

III. What is the consequence and fruit of all this?We have in the text, Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace. If the intercession of our Lord is to avail for us, if its fruit is to abound in us, then we must come to Him. There it all isthe immeasurable good of what Jesus has done and is doing on our behalf; but it awaits our claiming. Come, the Apostle says, and claim your share in the intercession of Jesus, in the merit of His life and His death. Come boldly to the throne of grace.

Rev. E. F. Russell.

Illustration

Some time ago a famous modern Jewish preacher, standing up in his pulpit and addressing a large crowd of his co-religionists, began his sermon in such words as these: I am the child of sorrow. We Israelites are all of us the children of sorrow. For we have no one to represent us now before the throne of God. The language is indescribably mournful; not less true than mournful. But we who believe in the Lord Jesus are not so unhappily situated. We have a great High Priest Who bears our names on His heart in the presence of God; Who carries on His shoulders the weight of our temporal and eternal interests. He is one Who has passed through the whole range of human experiences, and cannot but be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. And therefore we may approach Him boldly: the poor in their bitter poverty, the suffering in their agony, the bereaved in their loneliness, the young man in his temptations (for was not Jesus Himself a young man?), the business man in his sometimes terrible struggle to keep his footing and to preserve his honour intact; and the spiritual worker in his sad hour of failureall the sorrowful, and disappointed, and neglected, and despised, and anxious, and weary, and heavy-ladenand God knows how many such there are in the worldall, all may come and find room for themselves in that gentle and loving human heart of Jesus, ay, and find more than roomfind an unfailing supply of consolation and strength.

Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary

Heb 4:14. Jesus is a great high priest because he is the Son of God. Another item of His greatness is his entrance into the heavens or the place where God is, whereas the high priests of the Mosaic system entered into the buildings on earth, which were only the figures or types of the ones above. Paul uses this truth as a basis for our holding fast or firm to our profession of faith; not going back to Moses.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Heb 4:14. The following verses (Heb 4:14-16) might begin a new paragraph, and are closely connected with the fifth chapter; but on the other hand, Heb 4:14 looks back to the brief statement in chap. Heb 1:3, Heb 2:17, and Heb 3:1, and its hortatory form naturally makes it rather a completion of what precedes. It is, moreover, the authors manner to blend with admonitions, based on previous teaching, assertions of what he is about to prove.

It is a peculiarity of the Gospel that it seems now without a sacrifice and without a priest. The unbelieving Jews would naturally say, Your new religion is without the first requisite of a Divine system; you have no sacrifice and no high priesthow can sin be forgiven? who can intercede for you? The objection is answered in this passage: We have a High Priest, a great High Priest, transcending in personal and official dignity all that ever bore the name, for He is Jesus, the Son of God, each title implying His superiority. No doubt His sacrifice has ceased, and He Himself has passed through the heavens beyond clouds and stars, even into the heaven of heavens, to the very throne of God itself; just as the Jewish high priest on the day of Atonement offered sacrifices of expiation, entered into the holy place, and then through the second veil into the holiest of all, to sprinkle the blood of atonement and to burn incense, an odour of a sweet smell, a symbol of acceptance to Him who dwells between the cherubim. The objection that we have no sacrifice or priest is met by the Tact that our High Priest has completed His work on earth, and has gone, not into an earthly tabernacle, the image of the true, but into heaven to the throne of God itselfan evidence of the efficacy of His mediation and the means of perpetuating it. His entrance and His intercession there are really a perpetual oblation with the intimation of His will that the blessings He has gained be bestowed on them for whom He pleads. The exhortation is, therefore, that we hold fast our confessionwhat we have acknowledged as true and Christian faith, the word being used in a wider sense than in Heb 3:1.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Section 1. (Heb 4:14-16; Heb 5:1-10.)

The Priest called of God.

The first section then identifies for us the true Priest before God; and there are again three subsections here, the first of which introduces us to two fundamental conceptions in that which follows: a “Great High Priest who has passed through the heavens,” and the “throne of grace.” We may take the latter as characterizing the first subsection.

A “throne of grace” is now to Christians, happily, a very familiar thought. It is only here, however, that we have precisely this expression, although we have the thought in Romans; “Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life.” The blood upon the mercy-seat before God, to which the apostle also refers in the third chapter of Romans, -“A propitiation through faith by His blood,” -put there by the high priest once a year, when, on the Day of Atonement, he entered the holiest, -was the typical rendering of such a thought so far as in the old dispensation it could be rendered. The mercy-seat was the throne of Jehovah in Israel, where He dwelt between the cherubim. Literally, it was the “kapporeth,” or “propitiatory,” the blood being that which made propitiation for the soul, -the witness of divine righteousness, which, now being met by the blood of atonement, vindicated God’s grace in abiding among the people in spite of their sins.

All this was typical merely, a shadow, and nothing more. Israel could not really approach, as we know, to this throne of God, and the high priest only once a year, covered with a cloud of incense, and with the blood of atonement. For us the true sacrifice has been effected. The High Priest has passed through the heavens, the antitype to those holy places, and the throne of God is abidingly a throne of grace, to which, therefore, we are but giving honor when we come boldly to it for our need. This really implies for us the veil rent: for the throne of grace is in the holiest of all, and the rending of the veil is what has made for us a “new and living way” of approach there. The verses before us are, therefore, a real introduction to that which follows. It is the sympathy of the High Priest which we are here encouraged to reckon upon, and this is in connection with His being over the house of God. Thus we see how we are following on in one line of truth all through here. It reminds us of the words of the Lord in teaching us the consequences of His departure out of the world unto the Father: “If ye shall ask anything in My name, I will do it” (Joh 14:14).

How great an encouragement to know that upon the throne of God there is One who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and was “in all things tempted like as we are, sin apart”! Sin was to Him no temptation. There was nothing within that answered to it, except in suffering. There was and could be with Him no sinful infirmity; but He was true man, His divine nature taking nothing from the truth of His manhood, living a dependent life as we do, but with no callousness such as the flesh in us produces in a world everywhere racked with suffering from sin and out of joint, the trial of which He knew as no other could. In the garden He faced the awful cup with an agony that required angelic ministry to strengthen Him physically (in no other way) to sustain it. What a world it was for the Son of God to pass through! Has He forgotten it, or is He altered by being now out of it, and on the throne? No, but the very throne is characterized now as the “throne of the Lamb;” and for eternity will be the “throne of God and of the Lamb.”

How well furnished for us, then, is the throne of grace! But we may notice that the apostle here speaks of nothing but “mercy and grace to help in time of need.” Direct reference to any positive failure on our part is here omitted; and this is in the style of Hebrews, in which we find the believer, spite of all his weakness, as “perfected in perpetuity” by the precious blood which has been shed for him. This blood is here upon the mercy-seat, but the thought is therefore of nothing but the weakness which needs help. All sin has been already met.

This is only one side, it is true, of a subject such as this; and we shall find another when we turn to the first epistle of John. John gives us the subject of communion, and speaks of our relation to the Father. Paul here speaks of our relation to God as God. The mention of the Father at once assures us of a nearer relationship in which we stand to Him, and which cannot be broken. Sin, indeed, is only aggravated in its character by this very relationship, and communion is necessarily affected by the believer’s sin. Here, therefore, we have Christ in another character, as “an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous,” while, indeed, we are still reminded that He is the propitiation for our sins. But in Hebrews, as already said, we are seen as creatures before God, and here sin is not contemplated, just because it has been fully provided for. We come to “obtain mercy and find grace for seasonable help.” It is weakness that needs the Priest now. With regard to sin, the precious blood already shed has done all that can be done. The blood is upon the throne; and to that throne, whenever we turn to God, (if indeed, of course, there is true turning to Him,) we shall find an open door and a ready access.

2. The second subsection is a statement simply as to the high priest in Israel. It is important to keep it distinct as that. How far it applies to Christ we find as we go on, but in every type there is an element of dissimilarity, as there is of resemblance; and that because it is a type. How could there have been in Israel a high priest who never offered for himself? It would have falsified everything. And so with the veil; how could it have been rent under the legal system? But these exceptional contrasts have a purpose, therefore, and do not in the least hinder a careful, spiritual mind from finding Christianity in Leviticus. Of course it needs that we should have learned Christianity first from the New Testament. We should not go to Leviticus as a Jew would, and expect to find the unveiling of the truth of Christ. Moses has always a veil over the glory in his face; but it is there, we have not to put it there, and the veil for us is done away in Christ.

The high priest spoken of here is one taken from among men simply, from the common class of men. Such an expression could not be used of Christ, as ought to be clear. What follows makes it abundantly so. He is “appointed for men in things relating to God, that he might offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.” The sacrifices are thus his ordinary and necessary work, as we see; but we have not come to the application yet; and he is “able to exercise forbearance towards the ignorant and erring, since he himself also is clothed with infirmity.” Here is an infirmity which is not sinless, (as any infirmity that Christ knew necessarily was,) and this is definitely seen in what follows. He is obliged, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins (which Christ never did). “And no one taketh this honor to himself but as called of God, even as Aaron was.”

3. The third subsection gives us the fulfilment of the type in Christ, and here we have three parts: first, His calling, in which we find, also, the foundation of His priesthood; then His sufferings, even to death, and His deliverance out of it; and lastly, having been perfected, His greeting by God in resurrection as the royal Priest, Melchisedec.

(1) First, we have the call. The priest must be called of God; as was Aaron, so Christ. As moving only in obedience, He who had come simply to do the will of God in an already marked-out way, glorified not Himself to be made a High Priest, but received His call distinctly to that office. God’s recognition of the Son in manhood is quoted as that which was really this. He glorified Him as such who said to Him: “Thou art My Son; today have I begotten Thee.” The same form of citation is used in the seventh chapter, verse twenty-one: “He with an oath, by Him that said unto Him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a Priest forever.” The quotation, in the first place, is from the second psalm, which puts it in connection with His claim as Heir to the sovereignty of the nations. God’s Priest and King are one, and the two offices are founded upon the same personal qualification. Godhead and manhood united in Him constituted Him the true Mediator between God and men. We have seen Him taking flesh and blood for this purpose, “that He might be the First-born among many brethren;” and as the First-born is the Heir, so also has He the right of redemption. Thus He is Priest and King by the same title.

Now, if we look at the Gospels to find the open call for the priesthood, there ought to be really no doubt where it occurs. It is after His baptism by John that the Lord is first openly recognized as the Son of God by the Father’s voice from heaven; and the Spirit of God coming upon Him makes Him to be now in full reality the Christ, that is, the Anointed. It answers to the first anointing of Aaron alone, without blood (Lev 8:12). John then recognizes Him as the Son of God, as the sacrificial Lamb (Joh 1:29-34); for this blessed Priest is one with His offering: “He offered up Himself.” This, then, is our Lord’s call to the priesthood. The apostle confirms the fact by a more direct quotation, the force of which he takes up later: “Thou art a Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec.”

(2) Immediately now we are called to see Him in the white linen robe of the Day of Atonement. He is in that suffering in which, though Son of God, He had to learn the reality of the obedience which He had voluntarily undertaken. So intense is it that even He makes “supplication with strong crying and tears to Him that was able to save Him (not from death, which was impossible, but) out of death.” That prayer was heard in resurrection. But notice especially what the answer was based upon. “He was heard for His piety, as in the margin of the common version; or, “for His godly fear,” as in the revised. There is the white linen garment with which alone the sanctuary could be entered.

The priest is characterized, first of all, as the one able to draw near to God; and the first question involved, therefore, is, Is he such as can really draw near? Is he personally and entirely fitted to draw near to God? That is the question as to the offering: is it a perfect, unblemished one? That is the question as to the priest. Nothing but the white linen will do here. This is what the burnt-offering most strongly enforces. The offering is flayed and rigidly inspected; then the offerer brings it to God, nothing but sweet savor. It is what Christ is as no other offering (certainly not the sin-offering) develops it. Thus day and night the sweet savor of this must come up to God.

Here it is the priest who is spoken of, and it shows us why the garments of glory and beauty are not yet upon him: not because he is not yet the High Priest, but because atonement is in question, while the garments of glory and beauty show the acceptance of the work. Here he is being perfected, and, while personally nothing could perfect Christ, we have already seen that as Originator of salvation there must be perfecting. Thus, then, we see Him here. He is in the awful depths from which no other could have emerged, -where His feet alone could have found standing. There, being perfected by bearing the load that was upon Him, He becomes to those that obey Him the Author of eternal salvation.

(3) The being perfected is sometimes spoken of as if it were the same as being consecrated, but it should be plain that here there is a deeper meaning. We have already seen that the Originator of salvation was to be made perfect by sufferings; and we have had plainly the sufferings by which He is so. Then He is saluted of God, not merely a High Priest, but a High Priest after the order of Melchisedec. Ordinarily the distinction is not realized between the simple High Priest and the High Priest after this order. It is the same Person all through, and therefore it seems to be thought that this must necessarily follow; but His glories are displayed in due order, one following the other, and it is only in resurrection that He is saluted by God in this character. Notice that it is not exactly “called,” as before. He is “saluted.” The Priest has accomplished the fundamental work of His priesthood, and is held and acknowledged as having done so. The linen garments are now exchanged for the garments of glory and beauty. His priesthood now assumes manifestly the Melchisedec character; but we shall have, with the apostle, to break off here and take this up more fully in the seventh chapter.

Fuente: Grant’s Numerical Bible Notes and Commentary

Our apostle comes now to assert the priesthood of Christ, and to set forth the dignity and excellency of his office; from whence he encourages the believing Hebrews to perseverence and stedfastness in the profession of their faith in him.

Here note, 1. The eminency of the person, Jesus the Son of God; not by supernatural conception only, but by eternal generation also; this is the eminancy of that person who is superior to men and angels.

Note, 2. The excellency of his office, a priest, and high priest, a great high priest: not barely equal with Aaron, but superior to him, and infinitely above him, the universal supreme pontiff of heaven and earth, in comparison of whom all other priests, even the highest of them, were but shadows.

Note, 3. His relation to us, We have him; that is, special interest in him, making profession of obedience to him; and he is passed into the heavens, to open heaven to us, and to make intercession with the Father for us. This entrance of Christ’s into heaven, was shadowed forth by the high priest’s entrance into the holy of holies here on earth.

Note, 4. Our obligation to him, Let us hold fast our profession; that is, the profession of our faith in him, without wavering, with constancy and perseverance.

Learn hence, 1. That great oppostion, ever has been and always will be made unto the stedfastness of believers in their holy profession. The apostle’s exhortation plainly supposes opposition.

Learn, 2. That it is our duty, in the midst of all opposition, to hold fast our holy profession, without either apostatizing in the whole, or declining in parts of it. The glory of God is in the highest manner concerned in it, and assured destruction attends the omission of it, and that in a peculiar, terrible, and dreadful manner, Heb 10:29.

Learn, 3. That believers have great encouragement unto, and assistance in the stedfastness and constancy of their holy profession, by and from the priesthood of Jesus Christ: for as he is our High Priest, he knows our temptations, pities us under them, affords us actual help and relief against them, he interceding with the Father, that our faith may not fail, and that we may be kept the almighty power of God, through faith unto salvation.

Learn, 4. That Jesus Christ, our great High Priest, was the Son of God; and the necessity of his being so, did thus appear;

1. Before the entrance of sin there was no need of the office of priesthood between God and man: For every one was then in his own name to go to God with his worship, which would have been accepted according to the law of creation.

2. Sin being entered into the world, there was no more worship to be performed immediately unto God; two cannot walk or converse together, except they be agreed.

3. That the worship of God might be again restored in and to the world, it was indispensibly necessary that some one should interpose between sinners and the holy God; for should sinners approach him immediately in their own names he would be unto them a consuming fire.

4. No creature could undertake the office of being a priest for the church of God, which now consisteth all of sinners: neither the nature of the office, which was to interpose between God and sinners, nor the quality of the work, which is to make atonement for sin, would admit of it.

5. Jesus Christ therefore undertaking to be a Priest for sinners, it was necessary, he should be what he was, the very Son of God: which denotes he divine person and nature, and that our great High Priest was essentially and truly God: Seeing we have a great High Priest, even Jesus the Son of God let us hold fast our profession,

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

The High Priest Gives Strength to Continue to The Rest The strength of the foundation of the Christian’s confession is further indicated by the High Priest that is his. He is Jesus Christ the Son of God, who has already passed through the heavens and is in the ultimate place of glory, being with God. He is there to make intercession for His disciples ( Heb 4:14 ; Heb 7:25 ). He is a glorious High Priest who is loving, compassionate and understands the feelings and weaknesses with which people are confronted. He really understands temptation more fully than men since He met and overcame it ( Heb 4:15 ; Joh 8:29 ; Joh 8:46 ; Joh 10:32 ; 2Co 5:21 ; 1Pe 2:22 ; 1Jn 3:5 ).

For all the reasons previously mentioned, Christians should have no fear as they approach their High Priest and ask for help in a time of need. Under Moses’ law, only the priests could “draw near” to God. However, under the covenant of Christ, every believer is a priest and the way to the “throne of grace” is opened to all ( Heb 4:16 ).

Fuente: Gary Hampton Commentary on Selected Books

Heb 4:14. The writer of this epistle having spoken of the Author of the gospel, as the Creator of the world, as the Lawgiver in Gods church, as the Conductor of the spiritual seed of Abraham into the heavenly country, the rest of God, and as the Judge of the whole human race, now proceeds to speak of him as the High-Priest of our religion, and to show that, as such, he hath made atonement for our sins by the sacrifice of himself. This is the fourth fact whereby the authority of the gospel, as a revelation from God, is supported. See note on Heb 1:1. They who are acquainted with the history of mankind, know that from the earliest times propitiatory sacrifices were offered by almost all nations, in the belief that they were the only effectual means of procuring the pardon of sin and the favour of the Deity. In this persuasion the Jews more especially were confirmed by the law of Moses, in which a variety of sacrifices of that sort, as well as freewill-offerings, were appointed by God himself. And as the heathen offered these sacrifices with many pompous rites, and feasted on them in the temples of their gods, they became extremely attached to a form of worship which at once eased their consciences and pleased their senses. Wherefore, when it was observed that no propitiatory sacrifices were enjoined in the gospel, and that nothing of the kind was offered in the Christian places of worship, Jews and Gentiles equally were very difficultly persuaded to renounce their ancient worship for the gospel form, in which no atonements appeared; and which, employing rational motives alone for exciting their affections, was too naked to be, to such persons, in any degree interesting. Wherefore, to give both Jews and Gentiles just views of the gospel, the apostle, in this passage of his epistle, affirms, that although no sacrifices are offered in the Christian temples, we have a great High- Priest, even Jesus the Son of God, who, at his ascension, passed through the visible heavens into the true habitation of God, with the sacrifice of himself; and from these considerations he exhorts the believing Hebrews in particular to hold fast their profession. Then to show that Jesus is well qualified to be a High-Priest, he observes, that though he be the Son of God, he is likewise a man, and so cannot but be touched with a feeling of our infirmities. On which account we may come boldly to the throne of grace, well assured that through his intercession we shall obtain the pardon of our sins, and such supplies of grace as are needful for us. These being the doctrines which the apostle is to prove in the remaining part of this epistle, this paragraph may be considered as the proposition of the subjects he is going to handle in the following chapters. And as his reasonings on these, as well as on the subjects discussed in the foregoing part of the epistle, are all founded on the writings of Moses and the prophets, it is reasonable to suppose that his interpretations of the passages which he quotes from these writings, are no other than those which were given of them by the Jewish doctors and scribes, and which were received by the people at the time he wrote. See Macknight. Seeing then that we have Greek, , having therefore. The apostle refers to what he had affirmed, (Heb 1:3,) that the Son of God had made purification of our sins by the sacrifice of himself, and to what he had advanced Heb 2:17, that he was made like his brethren in all things, that he might be a merciful and faithful High-Priest; and to his having called him the High-Priest of our profession, Heb 3:1. He had not, however, hitherto attempted to prove that Jesus really was a high-priest, or that he had offered any sacrifice to God for the sins of men. The proof of these things he deferred till he had discussed the other topics of which he proposed to treat. But having finished what he had to say concerning them, he now enters on the proof of Christs priesthood, and treats thereof, and of various other matters connected with it, at great length, to the end of chap. 10. Theodoret, who had divided this epistle into sections, begins his second section with this verse, because it introduces a new subject. Indeed, the 5th chapter, according to our division of the epistle, should have begun with this verse. A great High-Priest Great indeed, being the eternal Son of God; that is passed into the heavens Or, through the heavens, as the expression , literally signifies. The word heavens is taken in two senses: 1st, For the palace of the great King, where is his throne, and where thousands of the holy ones stand ministering before him. This heaven the Lord Jesus did not pass through but into, when he was taken up into glory, 1Ti 3:16. There he is at the right hand of the majesty on high; and these heavens have received him until the time of restitution of all things, 3:27. But by the heavens we are sometimes to understand, 2d, the air, as when mention is made of the fowls of heaven; and concerning them our apostle says, (chap. Heb 7:26,) that Jesus is made higher than the heavens; he passed through them, and ascended above them, into that which is called the third heaven, or the heaven of heavens. The allusion is evidently made to the Jewish high- priest, and to what he typically represented to the church of old. As he passed through the veil into the holy of holies, carrying with him the blood of the sacrifices on the yearly day of atonement; so our great High-Priest went, once for all, through the visible heavens with the virtue of his own blood, into the immediate presence of God. It is to be observed, the apostle calls Jesus, the Son of God, a great High-Priest, because in chap. 1. he had proved him to be greater than the angels; and in Heb 3:1-4, to be worthy of more honour than Moses. Let us hold fast our profession

Our professed subjection to him and his gospel, notwithstanding our past sins, the present defects of our obedience, and our manifold infirmities. The word , however, may be properly rendered, and probably was chiefly intended to signify, confession; for it is required that we should make a solemn declaration of our subjection to the gospel, with prudence, humble confidence, and constancy; for with the mouth confession is made unto salvation, Rom 10:10. The open acknowledgment of the Lord Christ, of his word and ways under persecution, is the touch-stone of all profession. This is what we are to hold first, totis viribus, with our whole strength, as signifies, or with resolution, zeal, and firmness. See Rev 2:25; Rev 3:12. This verse, therefore, contains the enjoinment of a duty, with a motive and encouragement to the due performance of it. We have a great High-Priest, therefore let us hold fast, &c.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

ARGUMENT 3

THE TWO MEDIATORSHIPS:

THAT OF MOSES AND THAT OF CHRIST.

This argument is not only well authenticated in 3:1-6 and 4:14 to 5:10, but especially is it involved in the general consensus of the entire epistle. The old dispensation under the mediatorship of Moses was on the plane of justification, whose normal attitude is that of spiritual infancy or ecclesiastical minority, while the new dispensation is on the plane of entire sanctification, its normal attitude Christian perfection, its crowning glory the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and its legitimate status ecclesiastical adultage. During the period of her minority, the Church peregrinated but slightly beyond the limits of an isolated nation. On the arrival of her majority, she received the commission, Go disciple all nations, teaching them to observe all things which I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you alway. When Satan succeeded in derailing the Apostolic Church from the glorious doctrine and experience of entire sanctification, he dragged her down from the Delectable Mountains of full salvation, where she walked with Jesus in cloudless sunshine above mosquitoes and malaria, into the low grounds and malarious swamps of carnality and worldliness. Consequently, with an exception here and there, clergy and membership about the time of the Constantinian apostasy dropped back into the Mosaic dispensation. We must remember that Moses himself, with other patriarchs and prophets, lived and died in advance of his dispensation, having been gloriously sanctified at the burning bush, after a curriculum of forty years in Gods theological seminary the crags and precipices of Mt. Sinai. While the patriarchs and prophets of the former dispensation, with their supernatural faith, inspired by the Holy Ghost, looked through type and prophecy, received and appropriated the perfect work of Christ, thus triumphing in the glorious experience of entire sanctification, the body of the Church only entered it as nowadays in the article of death, thus forfeiting the victory, blessedness, glory and triumph a heaven in which to go to heaven. If the Christian Church had not retrogressed into the Mosaic dispensation, the Gospel would have flooded the earth like a shoreless ocean long centuries ago, and Jesus have come down on the throne of His glory, belting the globe with the splendors and triumphs of the millennial reign. This explains the almost universal antagonism of the popular clergy to the glorious experience of Christian perfection. They stand in the attitude of Moses, and want the people to follow them, as they followed Moses. In the dispensation of Christ we no longer follow Moses, but Jesus only. That is the reason why the Roman Catholics in all ages have done their utmost to keep the Bible out of the hands of the people. They are afraid they will become unmanageable. During the moonlit dispensation of type and symbolism the people needed mortal men like Moses to guide them through the darkness, but since the glorious Sun of Righteousness has risen on the world with healing on His wings we no longer need Moses and Aaron, but Jesus only. The truly sanctified man desires no following. His only effort is to get the people to follow Jesus.

In the Mosaic dispensation, Israel had twelve tribes. The Apostolic Church was a unit, and would ever so have remained if human rule had not superseded the Holy Ghost, dragging the Church down from the heights of spirituality and unanimity into the fogs of schism and ecclesiasticism. The unsanctified preacher at the present day is two thousand years behind the age, blundering along in the moonlight of the old dispensation.

14. While Moses was typical of Christ in his mediatorship, Aaron typified Him in his priestly office. So Moses and Aaron, in their respective capacities as leaders of Israel, are both forever superseded by Christ, who not only verified the typical characters of all His predecessors, completely expiating the sins of the whole world by the sacrifice of Himself, but has carried our glorified humanity into the very presence of God, where, fully and eternally accepted as our substitute, He ever liveth to intercede for the lost millions of earth. Let us hold fast our confession. This word confession is from homos, like, and logos, speech. Hence it means that we are to speak like God henceforth and forever. The speech is the exponent of the heart, and necessarily hypocritical if the heart is not like God.

15. Here the Holy Ghost certifies for our comfort that Jesus was tempted in all points as we are, but without sin. Satan with his utmost capacity tempted Jesus physically to satisfy His hunger; intellectually, to possess the whole world, and spiritually, to vitiate his faith by presumption in the leap from the pinnacle of the temple. So the devil will do his utmost to throw the lasso of his temptations around our physical appetites, and make us brutish; or our intellectual faculties, and make us worldly; or our spiritual experiences, and make us devilish. In all these assaults we have nothing to do but answer Satan in the language of Jesus when under the same temptation, and the victory comes.

16. Here we are importuned by the Holy Spirit to come boldly to a throne of grace, assuring us that we shall receive all needed help in every possible emergency.

1-3. Here we see the vivid picture of the Aaronic priest in his sacerdotal office ministering in the temple, offering sacrifices for the sins of the people. Meanwhile, it is absolutely necessary that he first offer sacrifices for himself, since he is encompassed with infirmity as well as the people. How decisive the contrast between Aaron, encompassed with infirmity, and Jesus, perfectly free from the slightest contamination of the violated law, and eternally triumphant over the world, the flesh and the devil. He is our Paragon. Inspired Paul says,

Having been made free from sin we have our fruit unto sanctification, and the end everlasting life. (Rom 6:22.)

Our great High Priest stands ready to wash us with His blood, and impart to us His own purity. An unsanctified preacher comes into an unsanctified church to hold a protracted meeting in order to get sinners converted. As I have observed on sundry occasions, they have to preach, pray and sing about ten days to get their own souls revived before they can do anything to rescue the perishing. The Aaronic preacher away back in the Mosaic dispensation has to pray and toil and work till he gets his own soul revived before he can help anybody else. I know this by sad experience, for I preached fifteen years unsanctified. Oh, what a contrast with sanctified people! They open the campaign with shouts of victory ringing from their lips. They do not need a protracted meeting to revive themselves, for they are already revived. Hence, in their first service they open their batteries on the devils works, and the salvation of the Lord is the normal order of every service.

4. This verse settles forever the divine call to the ministry. Without the call of God the most superb education is an essential failure.

5, 6. Gods call to the ministry is abundantly corroborated by the example of Christ Himself, whom God called and made a priest forever, after the order of Melchisedec.

7. This verse describes the memorable agony of Christ in Gethsemane. The clause, in that He feared, in the English should read, because of His piety. Of course He had no fear, as He was always free from sin. Many have been astonished over the terrible agony of Jesus in Gethsemane, especially contrastive with the heroic fortitude of the martyrs, who went joyfully and exultantly to the burning stake. The case is in no way parallel. The martyrs were free as angels, Jesus having carried all their burdens. No human being has ever been competent to sympathize with the Son of God in Gethsemane, because He there carried on His spotless soul the sins of a guilty world. His agony was homogeneous to torment. There His human will passed the terrible ordeal of consecration for Calvary, acquiescing submissively to His Fathers will, i.e., that He should redeem the doomed world by His vicarious sufferings and substitutionary death. We see Him come to the cross without a sigh or a groan, submissively and acquiescently bleed and die. Gethsemane solves the problem. There the battle was fought with the powers of darkness and the victory won. Whereas He was made perfect in His Messianic office and character by crucifixion, i.e., sanctified, to the redemptive scheme, He was fully consecrated in Gethsemane. He is our Paragon. When we perfectly submit to God in the Gethsemane of entire consecration, sanctification becomes easy and almost natural as breathing. The great trouble with seekers of sanctification is in consecration. They recoil from the terrible ordeals of Gethsemane. A preacher is convicted and proceeds to seek holiness. He soon enters the Gethsemane of consecration. The Holy Spirit holds up before his illuminated gaze ecclesiastical ostracism, humiliation, financial embarrassment, ejectment and decapitation. Then the bloody sweat breaks out and the bitter cup is presented to his lips. His courage fails, collapse follows and all is lost. Or, fortunately for him, grace prevails, and he says, O God, give me the front of the battle and the thickest of the fight; let me die in the war and be buried on the battlefield; anything and everything for Jesus sake. Then God turns on him a river from the heavenly ocean. He sinks, dies and floats, forever oblivious to his former troubles. Old friends have all skedaddled away, but God has given him more new ones than he knows what to do with, and they re a thousand times better than his old ones.

8. What a wonderful condescension for the Son of God to suffer the terrible agonies of Gethsemane and the tortures of Calvary! This was not only indispensable to the redemption of a lost world, but preeminently pertinent for our exemplification. We must all, like Jesus, learn obedience from suffering.

9. Being made perfect He became the Author of eternal salvation to all them that obey Him. The Greek word is the same for faith and obedience, and for unbelief and disobedience. This is positively confirmatory of the lexical synonymy of faith and obedience, and unbelief and disobedience, because true faith is always obedient and unbelief disobedient. Faith is the cause and obedience the effect. Unbelief is the cause and disobedience the effect. Hence you see the nonsense of imputing salvation to obedience, which is simply the normal fruit of justifying and sanctifying faith. You also see the pertinency of the Scriptural imputation of damnation to unbelief. This verse certifies that Jesus was made perfect by His crucifixion. Hence it follows as a legitimate sequence that He did not claim perfection in His Messianic office and character till He suffered crucifixion on the cross. This was His sanctification, the Gethsemane being His consecration. Therefore it follows as a logical sequence that we are all imperfect Christians till Adam the first is crucified. Jesus is our great Exemplar. We must follow Him to the manger and be born in utter obscurity, then to the cross and be crucified with Him (Rom 6:6), if we would ascend and live with Him in glory. Before Christ was crucified justification was the normal status of earthly saintship. Since He has been crucified and thus made perfect, Christian perfection, or entire sanctification, has become the normal status of Christian discipleship. What a deplorable pity to see the Christian world this day plodding along in the dispensation of Moses three thousand years behind the age, the preachers sitting in Moses seat jealous lest the rod of their clerical authority be broken by the sanctification of their members!

10. In chapter seven we give a full exegesis of Melchisedec.

Fuente: William Godbey’s Commentary on the New Testament

Heb 4:14-16. A short passage which sums up the pre vious argument, and prepares the way for the ensuing discussion of the high-priestly work of Christ. The readers are exhorted to be steadfast in the faith they have professed, knowing that they have a High Priest who ascended through the lower heavens into the very presence of God. And though He is so exalted He is in full sympathy with men, for He has endured our life of temptation, while remaining sinless. He is near to God and at the same time our brother man; so we can confidently make our approach to God through Him, and seek His forgiveness and His grace to help our needs.

Heb 4:14. through the heavens: according to Jewish conceptions there were seven heavens, the highest of which was the dwelling-place of God Himself (cf. the third heaven, 2Co 12:2).

Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible

Verse 14

The writer now proceeds to consider Christ under the figure of the High Priest of the new dispensation, as he had proposed at the commencement of the last chapter.

Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament

4:14 {5} Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us {k} hold fast [our] profession.

(5) Now he compares Christ’s priesthood with Aaron’s, and declares even in the very beginning the marvellous excellency of this priesthood, calling him the Son of God, and placing him in the seat of God in heaven, plainly and openly contrasting him with Aaron’s priests, and the transitory tabernacle. He expands on these comparisons in later passages.

(k) And let it not go out of our hands.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

Our "great High Priest" (Heb 2:17) has already proved faithful through suffering and is now in God’s presence where He intercedes for us (cf. Rom 8:34). Compare our "great salvation" (Heb 2:3). He is not just a priest serving on earth, like Israel’s high priests. He is our file leader (Heb 2:10), and we will follow Him through the heavens one day. This great High Priest is none other than Jesus, not an angel (Heb 1:4-14) or Moses (Heb 3:2-6). He is the Son of God (Heb 1:2).

"The picture of Jesus Christ as High Priest is the most distinctive theme of Hebrews, and it is central to the theology of the book." [Note: Fanning, p. 388.]

Notice that this verse does not say that since we have such a High Priest we will hold fast our confession. Perseverance in faith and good works is not inevitable, though perseverance in salvation is (2Ti 2:12-13). Since we have such a High Priest we must be careful to hold fast our confession. This verse concludes the exhortation to enter into our rest that began in Heb 3:12.

"The warning in Heb 3:1 to Heb 4:13 is inextricably related to the Exodus generation and the concept of rest. By referring to Moses’ and Christ’s faithfulness in the house of God, the writer exhorted his readers to remain faithful to their worship function in God’s house as believer-priests (Heb 3:1-6).

"The generation in the wilderness is an example of those who failed to be faithful and as a result experienced both temporal discipline and eschatological loss. A royal enthronement psalm (Psalms 95), with its past and present perspectives, was used as the basis for explaining Israel’s failure.

"Hebrews 4 begins with an application to the present readers. Four times the text says that the promise of rest remains [i.e., is future] (Heb 4:1; Heb 4:6; Heb 4:9; Heb 4:11).

"The concept of rest in Heb 3:1 to Heb 4:13 includes (a) a historical sense related to the Exodus generation and Joshua (Psalms 95; Jos 21:44); (b) an eschatological sense related to the Exodus (Psalms 95); and (c) the sabbath rest related to the readers with its eschatological perspective (Gen 2:2-3; Heb 4:9).

"The readers’ entrance into this eschatological rest depends on their faithfulness in doing good works. As metochoi (’companions’) of Christ they must be diligent to receive eschatological reward (Heb 4:11-13) at the judgment seat of Christ. Failure to persevere may result in temporal discipline (Heb 12:4-11) along with the loss of future rewards and authority to rule with Jesus in the millennium." [Note: Oberholtzer, 578:196.]

"The reference to Jesus in his office as high priest in Heb 4:14 is not an afterthought, but the intended conclusion of the entire argument. The crucial issue for the community is whether they will maintain their Christian stance. The issue was posed conditionally in Heb 3:6 b, and more pointedly in Heb 3:14. It was raised again forcefully in Heb 4:14 in the exhortation to hold fast to the confession that identified Christians as those who had responded to the message they had heard with faith (cf. Heb 4:2). The ministry of Jesus in the heavenly sanctuary as a faithful high priest in the service of God gives certainty to the promise that God’s people will celebrate the Sabbath in his presence if they hold fast their initial confidence." [Note: Lane, p. 105.]

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

CHAPTER IV.

THE GREAT HIGH-PRIEST.

“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 in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help us in time of need. For every high-priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: who can bear gently with the ignorant and erring, for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity; and by reason thereof is bound, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. And no man taketh the honour 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.

Who in the days of His flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and having been heard for His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which He suffered; and having been made perfect, He became unto all them that obey Him the Author of eternal salvation; named of God a High-priest after the order of Melchizedek.”– Heb 4:14-16; Heb 5:1-10 (R.V.)

The results already gained are such as these: that the Son, through Whom God has spoken unto us, is a greater Person than the angels; that Jesus, Whom the Apostle and the Hebrew Christians acknowledge to be Son of God, is the representative Man, endowed, as such, with kingly authority; that the Son of God became man in order that He might be constituted High-priest to make reconciliation for sin; and, finally, that all the purposes of God revealed in the Old Testament, though they have hitherto been accomplished but partially, will not fall to the ground, and will remain in higher forms under the Gospel.

The writer gathers these threads to a head in Heb 4:14. The high-priest still remains. If we have the high-priest, we have all that is of lasting worth in the old covenant. For the idea of the covenant is reconciliation with God, and this is embodied and symbolised in the high-priest, inasmuch as he alone entered within the veil on the day of atonement. Having the high-priest in a greater Person, we have all the blessings of the covenant restored to us in a better form. The Epistle to the Hebrews is intended to encourage and comfort men who have lost their all. Judaism was in its death-throes. National independence had already ceased. When the Apostle was writing, the eagles were gathering around the carcase. But when all is lost, all is regained if we “have” the High-priest.

The secret of His abiding for ever is His own greatness. He is a great High-priest; for He has entered into the immediate presence of God, not through the Temple veil, but through the very heavens. In Heb 8:1 the Apostle declares this to be the head and front of all he has said: “We have such an High-priest” as He must be “Who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.” He is a great High-priest because He is a Priest on a throne. As the representative Man, Jesus is crowned. His glory is kingly. But the glory bestowed on the Man as King has brought Him into the audience-chamber of God as High-priest. The kingship of Jesus, to Whom all creation is subjected, and Who sits above all creation, has made His priestly service effectual. His exaltation is much more than a reward for His redemptive sufferings. He entered the heaven of God as the sanctuary of which He is Minister. For if He were on earth, He would not be a Priest at all, seeing that He is not of the order of Aaron, to which the earthly priesthood belongs according to the Law.[64] But Christ is not entered into the holy place made with hands, but into the very heaven, now to be manifested before the face of God for us.[65] The Apostle has said that Christ is Son over the house of God. He is also High-priest over the house of God, having authority over it in virtue of His priesthood for it, and administering His priestly functions effectually through His kingship.[66]

The entire structure of the Apostle’s inferences rests on the twofold argument of the first two chapters. Jesus Christ is a great High-priest; that is, King and High-priest in one, because He unites in His own person Son of God and Son of man.

One is tempted to find an intentional antithesis between the awe-inspiring description of the word of God in the previous verse and the tender language of the verse that follows. Is the word a living, energising power? The High-priest too is living and powerful, great and dwelling above the heavens. Does the word pierce to our innermost being? The High-priest sympathises with our weaknesses, or, in the beautiful paraphrase of the English Version, “is touched with a feeling of our infirmities.” Does the word judge? The High-priest can be equitable, inasmuch as He has been tempted like as we are tempted, and that without sin.[67]

On the last-mentioned point much might be said. He was tempted to sin, but withstood the temptation. He had true and complete humanity, and human nature, as such and alone, is capable of sin. Shall we, therefore, admit that Jesus was capable of sin? But He was Son of God. Christ was Man, but not a human Person. He was a Divine Person, and therefore absolutely and eternally incapable of sin; for sin is the act and property of a person, not of a mere nature apart from the persons who have that nature. Having assumed humanity, the Divine person of the Son of God was truly tempted, like as we are. He felt the power of the temptation, which appealed in every case, not to a sinful lust, but to a sinless want and natural desire. But to have yielded to Satan and satisfied a sinless appetite at his suggestion would have been a sin. It would argue want of faith in God. Moreover, He strove against the tempter with the weapons of prayer and the word of God. He conquered by His faith. Far from lessening the force of the trial, His being Son of God rendered His humanity capable of being tempted to the very utmost limit of all temptation. We dare not say that mere man would certainly have yielded to the sore trials that beset Jesus. But we do say that mere man would never have felt the temptation so keenly. Neither did His Divine greatness lessen His sympathy. Holy men have a wellspring of pity in their hearts, to which ordinary men are total strangers. The infinitely holy Son of God had infinite pity. These are the sources of His power to succour the tempted,–the reality of His temptations as He was Son of man, the intensity of them as He was Son of God, and the compassion of One Who was both Son of God and Son of man.

Our author is wont to break off suddenly and intersperse his arguments with affectionate words of exhortation. He does so here. It is still the same urgent command: Do not let go the anchor. Hold fast your profession of Christ as Son of God and Son of man, as Priest and King. Let us draw nearer, and that boldly, unto this great High-priest, Who is enthroned on the mercy-seat, that we may obtain the pity which, in our sense of utter helplessness, we seek, and find more than we seek or hope for, even His grace to help us. Only linger not till it be too late. His aid must be sought in time.[68] “Today” is still the call.

Pity and helping grace, sympathy and authority–in these two excellences all the qualifications of a high-priest are comprised. It was so under the old covenant. Every high-priest was taken from among men that he might sympathise, and was appointed by God that he might have authority to act on behalf of men.

1. The high-priest under the Law is himself beset by the infirmities of sinful human nature, the infirmities at least for which alone the Law provides a sacrifice, sins of ignorance and inadvertence.[69] Thus only can he form a fair and equitable judgment[70] when men go astray. The thought wears the appearance of novelty. No use is apparently made of it in the Old Testament. The notion of the high-priest’s Divine appointment overshadowed that of his human sympathy. His sinfulness is acknowledged, and Aaron is commanded to offer sacrifice for himself and for the sins of the people.[71] But the author of this Epistle states the reason why a sinful man was made high-priest. He has told us that the Law was given through angels. But no angel interposed as high-priest between the sinner and God. Sympathy would be wanting to the angel. But the very infirmity that gave the high-priest his power of sympathy made sacrifice necessary for the high-priest himself. This was the fatal defect. How can he bestow forgiveness who must seek the like forgiveness?

In the case of the great High-priest, Jesus the Son of God, the end must be sought in another way. He is not so taken from the stock of humanity as to be stained with sin. He is not one of many men, any one of whom might have been chosen. On the contrary, He is holy, innocent, stainless, separated in character and position before God from the sinners around Him.[72] He has no need to offer sacrifice for any sin of His own, but only for the sins of the people; and this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the Law makes mere men, beset with sinful infirmity, priests; but the word of the oath makes the Son Priest, Who has been perfected for His office for ever.[73] In this respect He bears no resemblance to Aaron. Yet God did not leave His people without a type of Jesus in this complete separateness. The Psalmist speaks of Him as a Priest after the order of Melchizedek, and concerning Christ as the Melchizedek Priest the Apostle has more to say hereafter.[74]

The question returns, How, then, can the Son of God sympathise with sinful man? He can sympathise with our sinless infirmities because He is true Man. But that He, the sinless One, may be able to sympathise with sinful infirmities, He must be made sin for us and face death as a sin-offering. The High-priest Himself becomes the sacrifice which He offers. Special trials beset Him. His life on earth is pre-eminently “days of the flesh,”[75] so despised is He, a very Man of sorrows. When He could not acquire the power of sympathy by offering atonement for Himself, because He needed it not, He offered prayers and supplications with a strong cry and tears to Him Who was able to save Him out of death. But why the strong cries and bitter weeping? Can we suppose for a moment that He was only afraid of physical pain? Or did He dread the shame of the Cross? Our author elsewhere says that He despised it. Shall we say that Jesus Christ had less moral courage than Socrates or His own martyr-servant, St. Ignatius? At the same time, let us confine ourselves strictly to the words of Scripture, lest by any gloss of our own we ascribe to Christ’s death what is required by the exigencies of a ready-made theory. “Being in an agony, He prayed more earnestly; and His sweat became as it were great drops of blood falling down upon the ground.”[76] Is this the attitude of a martyr? The Apostle himself explains it. “Though He was a Son,” to Whom obedience to His Father’s command that He should lay down His life was natural and joyful, yet He learned His obedience, special and peculiar as it was, by the things which He suffered.[77] He was perfecting Himself to be our High-priest. By these acts of priestly offering He was rendering Himself fit to be the sacrifice offered. Because there was in His prayers and supplications, in His crying and weeping, this element of entire self-surrender to His Father’s will, which is the truest piety,[78] His prayers were heard. He prayed to be delivered out of His death. He prayed for the glory which He had with His Father before the world was. At the same time He piously resigned Himself to die as a sacrifice, and left it to God to decide whether He would raise Him from death or leave His soul in Hades. Because of this perfect self-abnegation, His sacrifice was complete; and, on the other hand, because of the same entire self-denial, God did deliver Him out of death and made Him an eternal Priest. His prayers were not only heard, but became the foundation and beginning of His priestly intercession on behalf of others.

2. The second essential qualification of a high-priest was authority to act for men in things pertaining to God, and in His name to absolve the penitent sinner. Prayer was free to all God’s people and even to the stranger that came out of a far country for the sake of the God of Israel’s name. But guilt, by its very nature, involves the need, not merely of reconciling the sinner, but primarily of reconciling God. Hence the necessity of a Divine appointment. For how can man bring his sacrifice to God or know that God has accepted it unless God Himself appoints the mediator and through him pronounces the sinner absolved? It is true, if man only is to be reconciled, a Divinely appointed prophet will be enough, who will declare God’s fatherly love and so remove the sinner’s unbelief and slay his enmity. But the Epistle to the Hebrews teaches that God appoints a high-priest. This of itself is fatal to the theory that God needs not to be reconciled. In the sense of having this Divine authorization, the priestly office is here said to be an honour, which no man takes upon himself, but accepts when called thereunto by God.[79]

How does this apply to the great High-priest Who has passed through the heavens? He also glorified not Himself to become High-priest. The Apostle has changed the word.[80] To Aaron it was an honour to be high-priest. He was authorized to act for God and for men. But to Christ it was more than an honour, more than an external authority conferred upon Him. It was part of the glory inseparable from His Sonship. He Who said to Him, “Thou art My Son,” made Him thereby potentially High-priest. His office springs from His personality, and is not, as in the case of Aaron, a prerogative superadded. The author has cited the second Psalm in a previous passage[81] to prove the kingly greatness of the Son, and here again he cites the same words to describe His priestly character. His priesthood is not “from men,” and, therefore, does not pass away from Him to others; and this eternal, independent priesthood of Christ is typified in the king-priest Melchizedek. Before He began to act in His priestly office God said to Him, “Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” When He has been perfected and learned His obedience[82] by the things which He suffered, God still addresses Him as a High-priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

FOOTNOTES:

[64] Heb 8:4.

[65] Heb 9:24.

[66] Cf. Heb 10:21.

[67] Heb 4:15

.

[68] eukairon (Heb 4:16).

[69] Heb 5:1-2.

[70] metriopathein.

[71] Lev 16:6.

[72] Heb 7:26.

[73] Heb 7:28.

[74] Heb 5:10-11.

[75] Heb 5:7.

[76] Luk 22:44. The genuineness of the verse is not quite certain.

[77] Cf. Joh 10:18.

[78] apo ts eulabeias (Heb 5:7).

[79] Heb 5:4.

[80] timn (Heb 5:4); edoxasen (Heb 5:5).

[81] Heb 1:5.

[82] tn hypakon (Heb 5:8).

Fuente: Expositors Bible Commentary