Christ is our holy high priest—he offered himself, his offering was complete, he is the Mediator, and in him we can approach the Father. In his priesthood, Christ reveals his glory.

Source: The Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, 2011. 2 pages.

Christ’s Glory as Our Only High Priest

Fundamental for a consideration of the nature of what Christ accomplished in His incarnate state is the concept of sacrifice. The author of the book of Hebrews draws particular attention to it in his allusion to the role of the High Priest:

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.Hebrews 5:1

For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. Hebrews 8:3

Hebrews highlights several distinct aspects of this high priestly ministry.

First, instead of offering the “blood of bulls or of goats” as in the Levitical economy, Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice: “offered himself without spot to God” (9:13-14), thereby obtaining for us an eternal redemption. At the heart of the atonement lies the unmistakable love of God: the Father sends His own Son; the Son lays down His own life.

Second, this redemptive sacrifice needs no repetition; it is “complete” and “finished”: “who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself” (7:27);

Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.Hebrews 9:25-26

Any notion of a continual sacrifice (as indicated by the Roman Mass) is in flagrant contradiction to the completed nature of Christ’s sacrifice.

Third, in contrast with the Levitical practice, Christ sits in the Holy Place: “when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (1:3); “And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: but this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God” (10:11-12). There is a link between the work and exaltation of Christ. Having made purgation, He sat at the right hand (a place of honor and favor) of the Highest. This is regal, coronation language. Christ has entered into His Sabbath; He sat. His work is finished. On Yom Kip­pur, the High Priest had nowhere to sit. This High Priest went right to the holiest of places and sat – a symbol of the finished work of Christ.

Fourth, both the nature and the accomplishment of Christ as High Priest affords us confidence to approach God’s throne “with full assurance of faith” (10:22). From Christ’s atonement springs the cleansing from sin for those whom He represented. In Christ, we are law keep­ers and covenant keepers. He fully obeyed the terms of the covenant of works, which the first Adam failed to do. Our sins and our guilt are attributed to Christ; His benefits become ours. Justification, acceptance, adoption, sanctification, glorification – these are ours by virtue of our union with our Great High Priest who sits in heaven.

Fifth, as High Priest, Christ is both able and willing to help us in our ongoing battle against sin and temptation:

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 ... in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.Hebrews 2:17-18

Christ sympathizes with us, having Himself entered into all human experiences and emerged sinless. Yes, all experiences of temptation and suffering­ those of women, girls, men, and boys. The idea that Jesus was less than human is the spirit of antichrist (2 John 7). And such sympathy is energizing because, as John Murray writes, it “is nothing less than omnipotent compassion.”

Sixth, as High Priest, Christ intercedes for us: “he ever liveth to make intercession for them” (7:25). Christ intervenes in our interest from His throne in heaven. His sovereignty assures that the benefits He won are lavished upon us. You wish to know what He asks for us? Read John 17 and you will discover more than you can ever imagine. This is glory indeed!

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