December 11 A READ HEBREWS 5–7
Christ, Superior to Aaron
OVERVIEW
At the center of Israel’s life was its worship in the Tabernacle and, later, in the Temple. Crucial to that worship was the priesthood, beginning with the high priest, Aaron, and his sons. But the Lord Jesus Christ is a superior Priest because he belongs to a superior order: the order of Melchizedek, the king-priest (see Genesis 14:18-20). Melchizedek came before Aaron, and his priesthood was a timeless one without beginning or end. In the same way, Christ is an eternal Priest who died once for all time as the eternal sacrifice for sin. These difficult truths, the writer of Hebrews admits, require maturity to grasp but are life-changing in their impact.
MY DAILY WALK
Complete the following sentences:
• The priest’s job was to . . .
• The priest’s job was never finished because . . .
• The priest acted as a bridge builder between a holy God and sinful humanity by . . .
One of the doctrines recaptured and reemphasized in the Reformation was the priesthood of the believer. Each Christian, as a member of the body of Christ, is given the role of a priest (1 Peter 2:9), serving under Jesus Christ, the great High Priest, by praying for others (1 Timothy 2:1) and showing others what true worship is all about (1 Peter 2:9).
Now put your name in place of “the priest” in the three statements above, and complete them again:
• My job is to . . .
• My job is never finished because . . .
• I am to act as a bridge builder between holy God and sinful humanity by . . .
THE TRUE MEANING OF THE GOSPEL IS NOT WHAT A PERSON SAYS ABOUT IT, BUT HOW IT CHANGES HIS OR HER LIFE.
INSIGHT
A Kingly Priest | Heb. 5:10
Melchizedek’s name (5:10) means “king of justice.” He came to Abraham as the king of Salem (or “peace,” from shalom), and he brought bread and wine for Abraham to eat and drink. Hints of the Messiah are so visible in Melchizedek that some commentators believe this ancient priest-king was actually the pre-incarnate Christ.
INSIGHT
High Marks for a High Priest | Heb. 7:4
The writer to the Hebrews lists these identifying marks for the high priest (7:4): (1) He was a man chosen by God. (2) He represented humankind to God. (3) He offered gifts and sacrifices to God on behalf of humankind. (4) He exercised compassion for people in his ministry for God (see 5:1-4).
1Every high priest is a man chosen to represent other people in their dealings with God. He presents their gifts to God and offers sacrifices for their sins. 2And he is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because he himself is subject to the same weaknesses. 3That is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as theirs.
4And no one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an honor. He must be called by God for this work, just as Aaron was. 5That is why Christ did not honor himself by assuming he could become High Priest. No, he was chosen by God, who said to him,
“You are my Son.
Today I have become your Father.*”
6And in another passage God said to him,
“You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.”*
7While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. 8Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. 9In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. 10And God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.
A Call to Spiritual Growth
11There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. 12You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word.* You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. 13For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. 14Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.