Day 49- Jesus, Our High Priest

The Gospels describe what Jesus did for sinful mankind. Hebrews describes what Jesus is doing for us now. In the Gospels, Jesus was a suffering servant preparing His body for death; He was The Lamb, our Sacrifice. In Hebrews, He is now always making intercession to God on our behalf; He is our High Priest. Knowing what Jesus did for you in His life, death and resurrection is the foundation of your salvation. Knowing what He is doing now will empower you to live for Him until He comes back.

READ: Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:9-10,14-18; 4:14-16; 5:7-9; 9:11-28; 12:1-3; 13:11-14

Major Events

The author, likely Paul or Barnabas, writes to Christians with a Jewish background

Major Topics

Sins
High Priest
Salvation
Redemption
Blood
Suffering
Propitiation
Melchizedek
Heavenly Tabernacle
Old Covenant
New Covenant
Prayer
Intercession

The Major Teachings from Today's Readings of Hebrews

Jesus suffered as a man and can identify with us as our merciful and faithful High Priest.

Hebrews 2:10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.
Hebrews 2:17 Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
Hebrews 5:7 In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.

Jesus' death provided redemption for the sins of mankind and He is the only source of eternal salvation.

Hebrews 5:9-10 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, 10 being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 9:15 For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.
Hebrews 9:26 Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

Jesus, our High Priest, entered the Holy Place in heaven and offered His own blood on the altar once for all.

Hebrews 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
Hebrews 9:11-12 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
Hebrews 9:24 For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;

The work of salvation is completed through the blood of Jesus who now sits at the right hand of God.

Hebrews 1:3 .... When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Hebrews 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus, our Faithful High Priest, will appear a second time for the salvation of those who eagerly await Him.

Hebrews 9:28 so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.

Questions for Reflection

How does it encourage you to have Jesus as your High Priest?
How does it feel to know Jesus suffered as a man and can identify with our pain?
How did suffering to the point of death give Jesus insights into obedience?
What areas of your life do you need to approach Jesus and ask for mercy and grace?
How would it change the way we live if we kept in mind the fact we all will be judged?

Digging Deeper

David Guzik commentary Hebrews 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 12, 13

Curious Christians

Who was the High Priest Melchizedek?

Living the Lesson

Here is where the Holy Spirit has opportunity to bring great revelation and transformation in your life--in reflection and obedience to what you have been reading and studying in God's Word today. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how you can respond in obedience to the devotion today. Use the following questions to prompt you.

Is there a...

SIN to confess?
PROMISE to claim?
ATTITUDE to change?
COMMAND to obey?
EXAMPLE to follow?
PRAYER to pray?
ERROR to avoid?
TRUTH to believe?
SOMETHING for which to praise God?