How Christ Relates to the Church : Our Great High Priest

CHURCH ARTICLE | Wayne Goff | Franklin, North Carolina

The book of Hebrews presents Jesus Christ as our Great High Priest.

“Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house” (3:1-2)

In order for Jesus to be High Priest from the tribe of Judah, there had to be a change in the law. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is that last will and testament which establishes Him as the High Priest over the church today. He is both King and Priest!

As Mediator, Jesus Christ, the High Priest, represents man to God. He speaks on our behalf when we go to the Father in prayer asking for the forgiveness of our sins, for help in strengthening us, and for other blessings. “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (4:16). Without the blood of Jesus Christ to take away our sins (Ephesians 1:7), we would have no avenue of forgiveness and no right to “come boldly” to the Father. We would be forever lost in sin. But Jesus offered Himself one time for all time to take away sin, Hebrews 9:11-12. Imagine what our lives would be like if we had no recourse for sin. Imagine being lost forever, as Paul said, “having no hope and without God in the world,” Ephesians 2:12. Yet, that is what every unbeliever faces — a life without God, and without any valid hope of going to heaven!

We also know that Jesus Christ is the only One capable of offering Himself as our sacrifice for sins!

“But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; … But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption,” (9:7, 11-12).

He is “the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world,” John 1:29.

Furthermore, Jesus Christ leads us to heaven as our great “Forerunner,” Hebrews 6:20. That is, He shows us the way by coming down to earth, living life as a man, dying on the cross, and then being resurrected never to die again — leading the eternal path toward heaven — and we simply follow in His footsteps! He is the “firstfruits” (1 Corinthians 15:20) of all who will die in hope of eternal life, and to be resurrected unto that eternal life just as Jesus Christ has done. His example and path-blazing shows us the way and gives us confidence to do the same thing. We “hold fast our confession” (4:14) because we have faith and hope.

Jesus aids us in coming to God because He has lived the earthly life we all live now. He understands everything we go through and intercedes on our behalf.

“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (4:15).

He ever lives for us, not to condemn us, but to save us when we are unable to save ourselves.

Unlike the earthly priests of the Jewish system, Jesus was called by God to be High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” 5:10. What Melchizedek was in type, Jesus Christ became in reality! Jesus is greater than Abraham (7:1-2, 4-10), without parents (7:3), and hence eternally existent as God, and thus our eternal High Priest, 7:3! We never have to worry about losing Him. He will ever and always be in heaven. We may always access Him through prayer. There was never a high priest like this before, and there will never be another one in the future! Jesus is truly the way, the truth, and the life in coming to the heavenly Father!

“And having a High Priest over the house of God, 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. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (10:21-23).

Notice what the Hebrew writer encourages to do: (1) draw near with a true heart fully assured; (2) have a clean conscience because Christ’s blood has cleansed it; (3) hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, because there is no need to doubt, worry, or fear! This pretty much describes the life of the Christian, a life lived with faith, hope, confidence and trust. A day never goes by that we don’t need the help of our great High Priest. There is never a day we live that Jesus does not see, hear and care about. He ever lives, and He ever sees, and He ever helps. How wonderful a great High Priest is He!?

Finally, Jesus is “Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected” (8:1-3), the church. This is the place where you and I gather to provide a spiritual habitation of God, Ephesians 2:21-22. We blend our hearts together in true worship. We share the same mutual love and admiration for Jesus Christ. We humbly worship in song, prayer, the Word, giving, and commemorating His life, death and resurrection until He comes again. Dear readers, never grow weary or discouraged because you can ever look to Jesus as the Author and Finisher of our faith. He will not fail us. Let us not fail Him!

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July 2024 | GROW magazine