Daily Writing

Thursday, 7 February 2019

…and having a High Priest over the house of God, Hebrews 10:21

Here the author builds upon what he has been saying. We can boldly enter the Holy Places because of the blood of Jesus (10:19). This is in “a new and living way which He consecrated for us” (10:20). And that is “through the veil” (10:20) which is His flesh. He now adds to that with, “and having a High Priest.” The Greek does not read “High Priest.” Instead, it uses the word megas, or “great.” Thus, He is the “Great Priest.” It is true that He is the High Priest, however, the author purposefully uses this term (also used in Hebrews 4:14 with a different connecting word).

This then is most probably referring to the prophecy of the Great Priest from Zechariah 6, and it seems that this is a purposeful connection to that verse by the author. In that passage, it says –

“‘“Take the silver and gold, make an elaborate crown, and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. ¹² Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, saying:

“Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH!
From His place He shall branch out,
And He shall build the temple of the Lord;
¹³ Yes, He shall build the temple of the Lord.
He shall bear the glory,
And shall sit and rule on His throne;
So He shall be a priest on His throne,
And the counsel of peace shall be between them both.”’” Zechariah 6:11-13

In verse 11 of that passage, Joshua is called ha’kohen ha’gadol – “the priest, the great.” There is prophesied in that passage a uniting of the offices of King and High Priest. This is realized in Christ Jesus, and this seems to be what the author has on his mind. Christ is not just “a high priest,” but He is the “Great Priest.” It is He who (as Zechariah prophesies) “shall build the temple of the Lord.” In the Bible, and in both Testaments, the term “house of God,” is frequently used to speak of the temple of the Lord. It is this same term which is now used by the author to reveal the authority with which Christ rules. He is “a Great Priest over the house of God.”

A description of Jesus as the Great High Priest is described in glorious detail in Revelation 1 –

“Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, ¹³ and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. ¹⁴ His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; ¹⁵ His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; ¹⁶ He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.” Revelation 1:12-16

The symbolism is rich in this account as it shouts out Christ’s glory – both His humanity and His divinity. The lampstands were used in the temple for illumination. That He is “like the Son of Man” indicates His humanity. The garment reaching down to His feet reflects His status as our High Priest. The golden band replaces the woven band of the earthly high priest and reveals His deity and also the eternality of the office. The snow-like head and hair indicate His absolute purity and divine glory. The eyes like a flame of fire are what read into our very thoughts and minds. The feet like fine brass represent his permanence and authority to judge. His voice like the sound of many waters reveals his deity and authority to proclaim God’s word. The seven stars in His hand speak of His sovereign authority over the angels of the churches. The sharp two-edged sword reflects the authority of His words and their ability to “judge the thoughts and attitudes of the heart;” and His countenance like the sun shining in its strength is indicative of the glory of God which shone in the sanctuary as seen in the Old Testament.

Life application: The risen Christ, Jesus, is our Great Priest! Although much of the Old Testament symbolism concerning priestly matters is not used by Paul (in earlier epistles) during the Gentile-led church age, that is because the Gentiles had less need to understand those roles which the Hebrews would be fully aware of. However, even Paul’s words show that Christ fulfills all of the priestly roles for us, in this dispensation, as the high priest of Israel did for the people of Israel under the Old Covenant. There is one atoning Sacrifice, there is one Mediator between God and man, etc. And those things are handled by Jesus in His death, burial, resurrection, and continued mediation. If you wonder if your prayers to God actually make it to His ears, don’t worry. If you are in Christ, they do. He is, even now, tending to your needs before the Father.

Lord God, it is so wonderful to know that we do not have the need for an earthly priest to minister for us before You. Rather, we have Jesus, the Great Priest of the New Covenant who fills every role necessary to bring us to You once again, and to mediate for us in Your presence. We have absolute surety in Christ that our needs before You are met perfectly. Hallelujah and Amen.

Wednesday, 6 February 2019

…by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, Hebrews 10:20

The verse is connected to the previous one. Together, they read –

“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,”

The words here, “a new and living way,” are incorrect. There never was a way for us to enter. Only the priests could do so in an earthly sanctuary, and theirs was only prefiguring the true access. Now there is “a way, new and living.” There is one way and only one way to enter, and that is through Christ.

With this understanding, and with the small, but major correction, it is seen that, “by a way, new and living,” is speaking of entering the Holiest. Only the priests could enter into the holy places, and only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place, only once a year on the Day of Atonement, and only with blood. But that was not into heaven. It was only a type and shadow of what Christ would do. Now, because of Christ, those who believe in Him may boldly enter covered in His blood. Which is the “way, new and living.”

Shed blood signifies death, and yet, the verse here says the way is “living.” This is because His shed blood not only fulfilled the Old Covenant, but it established the New Covenant –

“Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.’”

Thus, it is a way “which He consecrated for us.” It is the death of Christ Jesus which allows us full and unfettered access to God once again. The same word, translated here as “consecrated,” was translated in verse 9:18 as “dedicated.” These are its only two uses in Scripture. The word signifies, “advancing to a new sphere (dimension) of reality.” It is Christ who makes this possible for us, and it is “through the veil, that is His flesh.”

Here the symbolism of the veil which stood between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place in the Sanctuary is explicitly said to prefigure Christ Jesus. Understanding this, it makes this veil, or paroket, an amazing study. It is well worth the time to watch this video from the Superior Word, to discover what is being pictured in it in relation to the coming Christ – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJvNjczxFNc

One can see in this the humanity and the deity of Christ. The veil, His body, is what allows access into God’s presence. As the veil concealed the glory of God behind it, so Christ’s humanity concealed that same glory. This is evident from the account of the Transfiguration. In the rending of the veil, meaning His body, access to the glory of God is obtained.

Life application: For a short explanation of the symbolism of the veil, we can look at two accounts of it in Scripture –

“You shall make a veil woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen. It shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim. ³² You shall hang it upon the four pillars of acacia wood overlaid with gold. Their hooks shall be gold, upon four sockets of silver. ³³ And you shall hang the veil from the clasps. Then you shall bring the ark of the Testimony in there, behind the veil. The veil shall be a divider for you between the holy place and the Most Holy. ³⁴ You shall put the mercy seat upon the ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy. ³⁵ You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand across from the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table on the north side.” Exodus 26:31-33

And another time the curtain is mentioned –

“And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.
⁵¹ Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split,” Matthew 27:50, 51

The curtain of the temple restricted access to the Most Holy place. Just as the curtain was torn open when Christ died, so access to the throne of God was restored to fallen man through the body of Jesus. We need look for no other explanation. The Bible tells us the wonderful story. Trust that access has been granted, and also be sure that it is only through Christ that access is so granted.

Lord God, thank You for the restored access to Your glory which was lost so long ago when we turned away from You in Eden. Now — through Christ – a way, living and new, has been opened up for those who will simply accept it. Christ’s body was torn so that we can come to You again. What a marvelous wonder You have accomplished for Your people. Thank You for Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Tuesday, 5 February 2019

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, Hebrews 10:19

With the doctrinal aspect of the epistle concluded, the author now begins his words of exhortation and encouragement. The words in this verse and the next few are very similar to those found in Hebrews 4:14-16. After having given so much theological instruction on the supremacy of the work of Christ, he once again restates his thoughts. In other words –

1) “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace.” (4:16)
2) Here is how and why that is possible (intervening chapters and verses)
3) “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus.” (10:19)

The word, “Therefore,” sums up every chief and supporting thought to be found which explains what is now stated. The statement was made, the case justifying it was presented, and now the case is restated to complete the thought as a close to the presentation.

The Hebrews (and any Gentile who has placed His faith in Christ as well) have been given the information necessary to understand why they, who once were forbidden to go beyond a certain point in the sanctuary under pain of death (Numbers 3:38, etc), were now not only allowed to enter the Holy Places (the word in Greek is in the plural, and it signifies the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place), but rather to have boldness in doing so.

The word “boldness” is one which indicates “freedom of speech,” and thus, “confidence.” There is no holding back, but that which is desired is to be freely obtained. As this is a word referring especially to “boldness in speech,” the idea that one gets is not a literal entering into the Holy Places, but a confident appeal to God who is in the Holy Places, as if we literally enter and speak to the Lord, just as Moses did – face to face (see Exodus 33:11). And, just as the priests of Israel presented the incense daily before the veil, which would then waft through the veil and into the presence of the Lord, so our prayers go through the veil (which is Christ). The symbolism shows that our prayers, because of Christ Jesus, are being transmitted directly to God through Him, and this is because it is “by the blood of Jesus.”

The term is more rightly translated as, “in the blood of Jesus.” We do not carry the blood of Christ into the Most Holy Place, but – like the symbolism of the high priest of Israel – the High Priest Jesus presented the blood, and all who come to Christ are symbolically presented with Him. This is explained, for example, in Ephesians 2 & 3 –

“For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.” Ephesians 2:18

“…in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.” Ephesians 3:12

The Body has been offered, the Sacrifice has been made, and the blood has been accepted; atonement is realized for those who – by faith – come to God through Christ. We are covered by the blood, and thus we are “in” the blood that has been offered.

Life application: The over-arching theme of the book of Hebrews is “greater than.” Jesus is greater than the angels. Jesus is greater than Moses. Jesus is greater than Aaron, etc. An underlying theme, however, is “boldness.” The word, in one form or another, is used multiple times in the book as a reminder that believers are completely safe, completely secure, and can be completely at rest in what Jesus has done for us. And this did not come about, nor does it come about, by our efforts under the law. It came about solely by Christ’s efforts in fulfillment of the law and in the establishment of the New Covenant in His blood. It is all about JESUS!

Glorious God Almighty, when we were weak and without hope in this world, You sent Christ Jesus to do what we could never do – to obtain that which was out of reach, and to provide that which could not be granted in any other way. He has loosed the chains of bondage, and He has led us to Your glorious presence once again. All hail what You have done through Jesus Christ our Lord. All hail the Name above every name. All hail JESUS! Amen.

Monday, 4 February 2019

Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. Hebrews 10:18

The verse here, though seemingly subdued, is the culmination and high point of the entire section of the letter. It is also the last part of doctrinal instruction in the book. From here, the author will provide words of exhortation and encouragement on how to conduct one’s life based on the doctrinal nature of the items he has explained. And so to close out this section, he says, “Now where there is remission of these.” The word “remission” signifies forgiveness. The Greek word means “to send away.” In the sending away of their sins, there is pardon, release, and complete forgiveness of the sins and lawless deeds of the previous verse. The author has just said that, in the eyes of the Lord, they will be remembered no more.

As the sins are pardoned, then, obviously, “there is no longer an offering for sin.” What is being conveyed, again, is the “greater than” nature of the New Covenant over the Old. Under the Mosaic Law, sacrifices and offerings were constantly repeated. This brought back the memory of sin, and it continued to remind the people that they were sinful. However, under the New Covenant, the sins are forgiven – once and forever. There is no longer an offering for sin because there is no longer the imputation of sin. As Paul says –

“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19

Instead of a system of continuous sacrifices and unceasing guilt for sin, we have one Sacrifice and a word of reconciliation. What has been realized in the New Covenant is infinitely greater than that of the Old.

Life application: First century Jews who were considering a return to the temple and its sacrifices were being told, in certain language, that this move would be completely ineffective in improving their position with God. What would be the point? Their sins were already forgiven in Christ, and where these had been forgiven, there was no longer any sacrifice for sin; their return would be a useless gesture. The same is true with the Jews who are now coming to Christ. A temple will be rebuilt, but the exhortation is to fix the mind and eyes on Christ, not to be swept back into a useless, failed system of ineffectual sacrifices which reminded of sin. Instead, they are being implored to stay the course and to be freed from the memory of sin once and forever. So too are we now, in the dispensation of Grace, not to get caught up in observing the Law of Moses, in whole or even in part. We are to trust in Christ, rest in Christ, and be fully satisfied with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Never does the Bible ask us to blindly walk through this life. Instead, God asks us to use reason and to be fully versed in His word. Using our brains doesn’t demonstrate a lack of faith. Instead, it directs our faith to the narrow path of Jesus Christ. As Proverbs 14:12 says –

“There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.”

Choosing the right way is a responsibility we all bear.

Lord – a thousand religions on a zillion websites tell us they have the answer – that they are the path to You. But Lord, Your word says there is one Way and one Door. Protect us and keep us on that Way which leads to life. Help us to keep our thoughts and our eyes on Jesus – the Way, the Truth, and the Life! Amen.

Sunday, 3 February 2019

…then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Hebrews 10:17

The author has been once again loosely citing Jeremiah 31, which he already cited in Chapter 8. This is a portion of Hebrews 8:12. Placed side by side, they read –

8:12 – “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

10:17 – then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

As can be seen, 10:17 adds in the italicized words, “then He adds.” These are inserted by the translators and are not a part of the original, but they are inserted because they are explaining the difficult words of verse 10:15, which said, “But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before.”

Though disputed as to the meaning of those words, the translators here are making the logical assumption that, in the citation from Jeremiah, the Holy Spirit is witnessing to the reader of Hebrews (specifically, the Hebrew people to whom the epistle is addressed). Thus, verse 10:15 which says, “for after He had said before,” is referring to verse 10:16. The inserted words of 10:17 (“then He adds”) are then continuing the thought. Laying it out in bullets should help –

1) But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,
     – “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,”

2) Then He adds
     – “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

Thus the inserted words, “Then He adds,” are simply clarifying the otherwise difficult to understand words of verse 10:15. Understanding this, The entire thought is given to explain the supremacy of the work of Christ over the sacrifices and offerings of the Old Covenant. Under the Old Covenant, sacrifices and offerings only brought a reminder of sins, but they never actually took them away. However, in the offering of the body of Christ, and with the acceptance of that in the hearts and minds of the people of Israel, then “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

Life application: As a guide concerning what has been said, we can follow these thoughts to their logical conclusion (remember, the words have been speaking of Israel the people, but the words hold true for any who come to Christ) –

1) We have sinned. God is infinitely holy. Therefore, we stand condemned.
2) Deeds to gain the favor of God are insufficient because they come from what has been created. In other words, all is from Him and ultimately is His.
3) The Old Covenant sacrifices fell into the realm of things in creation and could never take away sin.
4) Jesus’ divine nature is not part of creation.
5) Jesus, being fully Man, gave Himself to pay our debt.
6) The payment, once rendered, is
     a) available
     b) acceptable
     c) all-sufficient
     d) eternal

Therefore –

God offers it; God accepts it; it is complete in scope; its effects last forever. This is why we can – with complete confidence – accept that He will never remember our “sins and lawless acts.”

Lord God, trusting in Your word is the most wonderful thing to our hearts. You have said we are forgiven by faith in Christ. Our hearts are grateful. You have said that our forgiveness means that we are saved from Your wrath. Our hearts are relieved. You have said that our salvation is eternal. Our hearts are overjoyed. Praise be to You, O God. Help us to not only trust Your word, but to keep on trusting it. We have surety of hope because of the word You have given. Hallelujah and Amen!