JESUS CHRIST THE GREATEST HIGH PRIEST

Dearly Beloved, JESUS CHRIST THE GREATEST HIGH PRIEST “Let us, then, hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we have a great High Priest who has gone into the very presence of God — Jesus, the Son of God” (Hebrews 4:14 TEV). Traditionally, a priest represents the people before the deities. He helps them to offer sacrifices to the deities. He is in charge of the shrine and other things pertaining to the worship of the deities. In the history of the people of Israel, the high priest, with the help of other priests and the Levites, performed these functions. Unfortunately, they were not perfect, and they could not represent the people well before the Almighty God. Nevertheless, the writer of the book of the Hebrews presented Jesus Christ as the greatest High Priest who surpasses all other high priests. This is one of the thrusts of the book. Jesus Christ qualified Himself to be a merciful and faithful High Priest by becoming a man (2:11-18) who is sympathetic with human weaknesses (4:15). Jesus Christ did not assume the office of high priest for self-glory (5:5), but He was called by God to the office, and not of the order of Aaron, but of Melchizedek (5:10). Jesus Christ had no need, as the sons of Aaron, to offer sacrifices for His own sins, and then for the sins of the people, for He had no sin (7:27-28). The other high priests offered animal blood that could never take sin away (10:1-4), but Jesus Christ offered His own blood (9:12) once for all (9:26; 10:10, 12). Because of their mortality, there were many priests with temporal priesthood (7:23); but the priesthood of Jesus Christ is an eternal priesthood because He lives forever (7:25). The priesthood of the other high priests was performed in an earthly model of the real sanctuary in heaven (8:5), but Jesus Christ is performing His ministry in heaven itself (4:14; 9:11), seated at the right hand of God (10:12). By His one offering, He has achieved His goal—the sanctification of His people. What a great High Priest! No wonder, anyone who accepts Him as his/her personal Savior and Lord – the only mediator between God and man (see 1 Timothy 2:5) – can come directly into the presence of God. There have been, and still are, many self-acclaimed mediators between God and man. None of them has the qualifications that distinguish Jesus Christ as the greatest High Priest. Therefore, they cannot save anyone who follows them. Who is your representative before God? Accept Jesus Christ today and have the boldness of meeting God now and hereafter. In His service, Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor). Prayer Point: Pray for people that have not accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour and Lord to be led to His saving knowledge.