Epistles

Sunday, 9 December 2018

…a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. Hebrews 8:2

Here we have words which are debated among scholars. Further, translations are just as confusing concerning the proper rendering of certain words. First, the thought in this verse is connected to the previous verse, so they should be seen together –

“Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, ² a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.”

We see now that Christ is “a Minister.” In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, the word is often used when speaking of an officiating priest. Corresponding to that, Christ is our High Priest. It is He who officiates on our behalf. Next, it says that this ministry is “of the sanctuary.” The Greek word is a plural noun. It can speak of either a place, meaning the Most Holy Place, or it can speak of the holy things of the tabernacle. In the case of the Most Holy Place, the plural is given as a majestic plural, so some translations say “the Holy of Holies.” It is a title of eminence.

It is the Most Holy Place which is being spoken of here, rather than the holy things. In the Old Testament, there was a mishkan, or tabernacle, which was then covered by the Tent of Meeting. The two are not synonymous. Christ is a minister of the tabernacle where the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place are located. And that is where the “true tabernacle” is. Again, there is a missing of the true intent. It should say, “the true Tent.” The Greek word is skéné. It signifies a tent. Translations of the Old Testament are often not consistent in the translations of these two things, and so there is a confusion when coming into New Testament terminology. Remembering that the Tent covers the Tabernacle will help one understand the symbolism. One can think of the Oval Office in the White House as the tabernacle, and the White House itself as the tent. One is inside the other.

What is seen in the Old is a representation of what was coining in Christ. It pictures His two natures; humanity and deity. The tabernacle was hidden from sight, enclosed in the tent. Christ’s deity was hidden, enclosed in His humanity. At times, such as in Numbers 14, the radiance of His deity would shine forth –

“And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tent of meeting unto all the children of Israel.” Numbers 14:10 (ERV)

This is akin to the glory of the Lord radiating out from Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. And so what we are seeing here is the ministry of Christ, in the heavenly realms. He is the minister within the Godhead (His deity) which is in His Tent (meaning His glorified body) “which the Lord erected, and not man.” Though Christ’s humanity came through Man, what He now ministers in is glorified and not an earthly body. This is what is also promised to those who follow after Him as is noted by Paul –

“For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” 2 Corinthians 5:1

There, Paul uses the term skénos, a tent. Our house shall be a tent which is, like Jesus, not made with hands, but is provided for by God. It will be an eternal dwelling where we can fellowship with God, because of Christ, forever.

All of this symbolism is derived from shadows and pictures in the Old Testament concerning what was coming in Christ in the New. We can only speculate on the nature of the meeting which took place in the Most Holy Place between Moses and the Lord when he went in to receive the law. However, we can know certain things. In Exodus 25, the Lord told Moses –

“And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel.” Exodus 25:22

Then, in Numbers 7 we read –

“And when Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with him, then he heard the Voice speaking unto him from above the mercy-seat that was upon the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim: and he spake unto him.” Numbers 7:89 (ERV)

Also in Exodus, we read this –

“Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. ³⁵ And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of meeting, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.” Exodus 40:34, 35 (ERV)

God really did manifest Himself between the cherubim which overshadowed the ark. There He spoke with Moses directly. Later, His presence really was manifest in the Most Holy Place in the tabernacle – so much so that Moses could not enter the tent at all. God’s presence was manifest at only a small point above the ark, and yet His glory radiated so much that it made Moses’ face shine, and it also actually overwhelmed the priests who ministered in the temple in Jerusalem (see 1 Kings 8:10, 11). Imagine the glory which radiates from the heavenly tabernacle where Christ Jesus now ministers on our behalf.

Life application: Understanding theology properly is hard work. It is mentally tiring at times, but it is necessary to understand what is being said. Very particular words are used in books like Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. They are words which are often mistranslated. They are also left unread and unstudied by many people, and so we then have misunderstandings of what is going on in the New when explanations about Christ are given. But those explanations, as we see, bear directly on what we will also be like when we receive our glorified bodies. Too often, people run ahead with their notions about our future state, and they miss the finer points which are actually discussed in type and shadow in the Old Testament. Be studious, pay attention to even the hard books of Scripture, and your doctrine will be far better off because of it.

How absolutely awesome You are, O God of eternity! We truly praise You for Jesus – He alone is able to stand and minister in Your glorious presence, interceding for us. On our own, we would simply perish at the sight of Your Majesty. Surely, You are worthy of praise for the giving of Christ Jesus so that we could have Your glory revealed to us through Him, while He ministers to You for us! Hallelujah and Amen.

Saturday, 8 December 2018

Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, Hebrews 8:1

Chapter 8 now brings in the main point which has been, and which continues to be, discussed. As the author says, “of the things we are saying.” He continues to speak about the matter at hand, but he is giving the main point of the discussion so that the words he continues to relay will be more fully grasped. This main point is that “We have such a High Priest.”

All of the things which have been relayed about the superiority of Christ’s priesthood over that of Aaron are found in Jesus. In Chapter 7, point after point in regards to this was made. But those points were not merely hypothetical ruminations. Rather, they were points which actually are realized in the priesthood of Christ Jesus. The matter has been presented, it has been proven, and what has been said is considered as settled, even if more detail is forthcoming.

It is these types of considerations which are realized in this chief point. But his words do not end with the fact that Christ is such a High Priest. Instead, he continues with an explanation of that fact by saying, “who is seated.” Being an aorist verb, it is better translated as, “who sat down.” The author has referred to Psalm 110:1 twice so far in his thoughts (in verse 1:3 and in verse 1:13). The words of the psalm said,

“The Lord said to my Lord,
‘Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.’”

In verse 1:3, he even spoke of it as an accomplished act with the words about Christ Jesus which said He “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” That thought has been explained and fully substantiated, and it is now realized as an indisputable truth concerning Him – He has sat down. But what is the significance of this act? It is explained by considering the actions of the priests under the Mosaic Covenant.

The majority of the furnishings and equipment mentioned in the construction of the tabernacle/temple are recorded in the book of Exodus. Nowhere was a chair authorized. This is true in both the tabernacle and later in the temple in Jerusalem. This is because the work of the priests was never finished. And this was true of all the priests, including the high priest. This continued on daily, and there was a tremendous amount of work to be accomplished as people came to sacrifice, again and again, for their sins. The high priest also conducted his ongoing duties as well. There is no time that the Law of Moses ever implied that the work would finally be finished and the rituals would cease. Rather, that could only come about through introduction of a New Covenant.

In contrast, Jesus performed His duty (His sacrifice), presented His blood, and sat down. The work is eternally finished! Not only did Jesus sit down, but He did it at “the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven.” Though He actively makes intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25), that is an act which is based on His finished work. Christ is not performing necessary rituals in order to effect atonement for His believers. Those things have been accomplished. Now, He does the things for us which are made possible through His completed work of atonement.

Life application: Because it is said that Jesus sat down at the “right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,” some will say this indicates a separation between the Father and the Son, thus denying the Trinity. But, the “right hand” is not a physical position; it is the position of all authority. This is seen, for example, in Exodus 15:6 –

“Your right hand, O Lord, has become glorious in power;
Your right hand, O Lord, has dashed the enemy in pieces.”

Being at the right hand of God means that Jesus is the One who has all authority in heaven and on earth. The Godhead is three Persons in one Essence. Christ is a member of that Godhead. We are to accept the Trinity as a fundamental truth concerning the nature of God.

Jesus sat down! His work is complete and never to be repeated. Our Lord will never again face the agony of the cross, and we need never again fear that our failings will separate us from God. In Christ Jesus, we are eternally secure. His blood has taken our guilt away! Hallelujah and Amen!

Friday, 7 December 2018

For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever. Hebrews 7:28

This is the final verse of Chapter 7. Before completing the chapter, the author provides another contrast between those high priests under the law and Jesus, the High Priest of the New Covenant. The previous verses showed other clear contrasts between the two as well. They were imperfect; He is perfect. They required a sacrifice for their own sins; He required no sacrifice, but instead became the perfect sacrifice. And further, His sacrifices was “once for all.”

Now, the author finishes this thought with another such contrast. The law, meaning the Law of Moses, “appoints as high priests men who have weakness.” Although this may be referring to physical limitations, such as frailty or the ability to get sick and die, it is more certainly referring to their sin-nature and their inability to withstand temptation. In contrast, in Jesus, there is an oath rather than the mandate of the law. This oath “came after the law.” In other words, it sets-aside the law entirely. This has already been stated, but the author is ensuring that we fully understand it. The Law of Moses is set aside by the entrance of the New Covenant.

This New Covenant appoints Jesus who “has been perfected forever.” As was noted before, this doesn’t mean Jesus went from a position of imperfection to one of perfection. Instead, He was and is the perfect, sinless, Son of God. What is perfected forever is our understanding of His perfection. Until Jesus died on the cross and was then raised to life, no one could have imagined His nature. He was thought to be merely a man who could be destroyed at the cross. But the very implement of His death became the point which confirms His perfection. By defeating the cross and being raised to life through the resurrection, all who realize the significance of what occurred can comprehend His perfection and eternality.

In this verse, the law is contrasted to the oath. The succession of high priests – coming, accomplishing their temporary duties, and then dying to be replaced by another – is contrasted to the Son who is forever. There is also the notion of the law coming, and then the oath coming afterward. As the oath came after the giving of the law, it means that the law must have an end. But as the oath speaks of “forever,” then the duties of the new High Priest are connected to His eternality. He is eternal, and His duties are forever.

Life application: It is Jesus who established the New Covenant (Matthew 26:28) in His own blood; it is Jesus who died on the cross, shedding that blood and satisfying the wrath of God; it is Jesus who was raised to eternal life; and it is Jesus who, even now, is at the right hand of the Father working on our behalf as we fall short of the law which He fulfilled. What perverse attitude would have someone go back to the Law of Moses and say, “Gee, I need to do the things of this law in order to be right before God”? He has already done those things! All one does with this attitude is to reject what Christ has done. It is a cosmic slap in God’s face. Stand on the grace of God which is found in Jesus Christ, and do not be led astray by false teachers who reintroduce an obsolete, annulled law.

Great are Your works, O Christ! Thank You for accomplishing that which no man has ever been able to do. In Your great mercy, You saved us from the debt we owe and from the curse of the law! No power of hell and no trick of the devil can ever steal us from Your magnificent salvation. All glory to You! Amen.

Thursday, 6 December 2018

…who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. Hebrews 7:27

This verse is a climax of the subject matter so far discussed over the past many verses concerning the superiority of Christ’s priesthood over that of Aaron. The author has been clearly contrasting this superiority over that of the high priests of old. He has highlighted many differences such as in their duties, genealogies, and length of service, but this verse takes us directly back to the requirements of the Levitical law. For example, in Leviticus 16:11, this was stated concerning the high priest –

“And Aaron shall bring the bull of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make atonement for himself and for his house, and shall kill the bull as the sin offering which is for himself.”

Even the high priest himself had to offer sacrifices for sin. The Day of Atonement sacrifice was once a year, however, he also had other required sacrifices for his own sin, if and when any arose. This is in complete contrast to Christ Jesus. As was seen in the previous verse, He is “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners,” and thus requiring no sacrifice for His own sin. As the author says of Him, “who does not need daily” to offer up sacrifices. Unlike Christ who needed no sacrifice, the high priest of Israel needed sacrifices for sin which he committed.

The term, “daily,” does not mean that he literally offered a daily sacrifice for his sin. Rather, what is described in this verse is one which covers the conduct of his daily life. The Day of Atonement occurred once a year on the tenth day of the seventh month. It was a mandatory sacrifice which covered the entire year. On this day, “those high priests,” meaning those of the line of Aaron, were “to offer up sacrifices.” This was a ritual that only the high priest could conduct. When he did, he had to offer up “first for [h]is own sins.”

Note: The verse now being reviewed is looking at this from Christ Jesus’ perspective, and so the word “His” is capitalized in this translation. However, this is given to show the contrast to that of Aaron. Christ did not have to offer up “for His own sins,” but the high priest under the Law of Moses did.

After offering for his sins, the high priest could only then offer “for the people’s” sins. This shows an inherent defect in the law. If the high priest had his own sin which required atonement, and that year by year, it shows that he was imperfect and he remained imperfect. Further, it shows that he could also not bring those, on whose behalf he ministered, to a state of perfection either. This is in complete contrast to Jesus who offered Himself, not a goat, and “this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.”

Here the superiority of Christ’s priesthood is put on prominent display. A goat is in a different category than a man. Hebrews 10:4 will show that what the high priest of Israel did each year was actually ineffectual. As it says there, “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.” And so we have 1) the high priest requiring atonement for sin; 2) the high priest required atonement for sin “daily” (meaning year by year); and 3) the offering for his sin could not actually take away the sin. In contrast, we have Jesus who 1) required no atonement for sin because He is sinless; 2) His sinless state is eternal and so He will never require atonement for His sin, making Him an acceptable offering for others who do bear sin; and 3) the offering of Himself is fully sufficient to take away sin – once and for all – for those who trust in Him.

Life application: The people of Israel were granted a temporary covering (atonement) for their sins each year on the Day of Atonement. In reading the Old Testament, we find the most egregious sins possible being recorded by the people. And yet, if they came to God in faith on this most sacred day, God would atone for those sins. And these things only looked forward to the more perfect and complete atonement offered through Christ Jesus. Be comforted that nothing you’ve ever done is too vile that it can’t be purified. When you look to the cross and accept what Jesus did on your behalf, you can never again be condemned for your wayward life. God has provided the ultimate atonement for you in the Person and work of Jesus Christ our Lord. Can we get an, “Amen!”

Glorious and most merciful God. You gave Israel temporary atonement, year by year, through the sacrifice of animals. But then You sent Jesus as a full, final, and forever sacrifice of Himself. In Him, we have the perfect sacrifice, and thus the perfect forgiveness for our wrongdoings. Thank You, O God, for Your unfailing love. It is evident in what You have done for us. Thank You for Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Wednesday, 5 December 2018

For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; Hebrews 7:26

The author just stated that Christ “is also able to save to the uttermost.” He then explained that with the words, “since he always lives to make intercession for them.” Now, he reveals the qualities that Christ possesses which make His saving of us to the uttermost possible. Understanding this, he begins with, “For such a High Priest was fitting for us.”

The implication is that anything less than what he will describe would render Christ unqualified to mediate for us. But because He possesses these qualities, He is wholly suited to the role of such a Mediator. The first quality is that He is “holy.”

The word used is not the same word used in verse 3:1 when speaking of the holy brethren to whom the epistle is written. Rather, it is a rare adjective which signifies something sanctioned by a higher (divine) law, and thus that which deserves godly respect. He is unaffected by the sin which weighs down Adam’s fallen race. There is no imperfection in our great High Priest and so His cross is completely able to remove our sin-debt once and for all.

The next word used is translated as “harmless.” It is a word used only here and in Romans 16:18. It signifies someone who is innocent even down to their very intentions. There is no desire at all to hurt or cause harm or grief in such a person. In Christ, there is no malice of thought. He doesn’t look at those who come to Him based on their past misdeeds, but on their acceptance of His accomplished work. Stated another way, His judgment concerning our salvation is not based on any negative thing we have done, but is based solely on the positive work that He has accomplished.

After this, He is described as “undefiled.” The word signifies “unstained,” and thus free from contamination. He is completely undefiled in thought, word, and deed. Because He is, His cleansing touch is able to purify us as well. When we call on Him in faith, He gives us His righteousness leading to holiness. At some glorious point in the future, we shall stand in the presence of God unaffected any longer by sin and its consequences.

He is also “separate from sinners.” It is debated if these words are connected to the previous word (undefiled), or to the following words (and has become higher than the heavens). Christ did, in fact, live among sinners as the gospels record, but He never participated in their sin. He remained wholly undefiled in His being. At the same time, He is now completely separated from us in this life. We are still in the fallen world, but He has gone into the heavens (which the Most Holy Place of the sanctuary represented) to minister for us. Because of this, it is probable that this is not specifically connected to either thought, but is a stand-alone thought which transitions between the two. He was separate, and He remains so now in another type of separation. Jesus is completely set apart from all defilement. This includes separation from those who have failed to call on Him. We cannot expect an eternal salvation for believers if we don’t expect eternal separation from unbelievers. God has given us the choice to choose life; to choose Jesus. If we neglect so great a salvation, only eternal condemnation can result.

The verse then ends with, “and has become higher than the heavens.” The thought is similar to that of Ephesians 4:10 –

“He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.”

The idea here is that His exaltation is higher than anything we can visibly see, and above any heaven we could ascend to. Thus, He sits at the right hand of God. In this, He can intercede directly to God on our behalf. The majesty of the heavens is nothing in comparison to the greatness of Jesus. We think of heaven as the ultimate prize, but the heavens were created along with the earth. The creation cannot equal the splendid majesty of the Creator, and heaven cannot match the glory of the Lord

In each of these, one can see the type which was given in the high priest of Israel as he mediated on the Day of Atonement. Christ is the Anti-type which corresponds to him, but in an infinitely more perfect way. What Israel’s high priest did under a law which could not save, Christ does through a covenant which can save to the uttermost.

Life application: If this verse doesn’t make you want to jump up and shout, you may need to get off the Xanax. When we come to Jesus we come to the very throne and glory of God. Think on who Jesus really is, and think on what He has really done. And then, go forth in praise of the splendor of His majesty!

Heavenly Father, help us never to set our eyes on any lesser prize than the ultimate glory – that of our precious, exalted, and magnificent Lord Jesus! Your word, again and again, admonishes us to fix our eyes, our thoughts, our hopes, and our hearts on Him. Give us the burning desire to do so. It is in His splendiferously wonderful name we pray! Amen.