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The Priesthood of Christ

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The following has been adapted from the devotionals of F.E. Marsh, a new resource coming soon to the Blue Letter Bible!

Christ, as our Savior, speaks of His saving grace. Christ, as our High Priest, tells of our His sustaining grace. Christ, as our High Priest, is seen in the Epistle to the Hebrews, as the:

Deliverer, to assure.

Hebrews 2:15
“and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”

Helper, to sustain.

Hebrews 2:18
“For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

Sympathizer, to comfort.

Hebrews 4:15
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

Forerunner, to supply.

Hebrews 6:20
“where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”

Savior, to preserve.

Hebrews 7:25
“Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”

Watcher, to care.

Hebrews 10:21
“and since we have a great priest over the house of God”

Shepherd, to sanctify.

Hebrews 13:20
“Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant”

What about you? Can you think of any other ways that Christ and His sustaining grace is depicted in Hebrews? Leave it in the comments and be sure to cite the scripture reference!

Comments

  1. Hebrews 3:1 Holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your Thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. To resolve to be conformed to the mind of Christ in word and deed by being in the Holy scriptures and hearing of the Word of God. Having to cast down every imagination that exults itself against our Lord and Savior-to thrust those evil thoughts or intentions under the foot of His cross to be demolished. To think on His humility and the strength in His humility-in which we become partakers of His heavenly calling.

    • I did not intentionally combine my thoughts with the scripture-for some reason it printed that way when i submitted the comment.

  2. With assurance, I honestly believe that Jesus, as “the author and perfecter of (my) faith”, is truly the One by whom all of God’s graces are sustained. And we, the bride of Christ, are those that are “the joy set before Him”. Surely, any loving bridegroom anticipates with joy the day of His marriage, another gift of God’s grace.
    All quotations are from Hebrews 12:2 NASV.

  3. God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Hebrews 13:5-6 Thankyou Lord for such a devine grace of deliverance.

  4. Jesus Christ is also refered to as the high priest of our profession –>>>Hbr 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; I once heard a bible teacher named Derek Prince say no profession of faith no high priestly ministry.And again right here —>>Hbr 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens,* Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.

  5. Grace G5485
    Greek word (charis)

    — The divine influence upon the heart and it’s reflection in the life;
    including gratitude, acceptable, benefit, favor, gift, graciousness, joy liberality,
    pleasure, thanks, thanks worthy.

  6. Hebrews 10:5-10
    5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:

    “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,
    But a body You have prepared for Me.
    6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin
    You had no pleasure.
    7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—
    In the volume of the book it is written of Me—
    To do Your will, O God.’”
    8 Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), 9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

  7. Sacrifice, to perfect.

    (Hebrews 9:13-14)
    For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

    How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

  8. Psalms 110 foretells of the Priest Hood of Christ.

    Psalms 110: The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people [shall be] willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou [art] a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill [the places] with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.

    Hebrew 12 is one of my favorite Chapters. Here Paul talks about Jesus the Author & Finisher of our faith and encourages us on the chastening of God comparing it to our earthly Fathers that try to correct us when we do wrong to get us back on track. Then he encourages us to live increasingly Holy (it is a daily battle against the flesh but when we fall we have a mediator in Christ Our High Priest) “And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

    He is our fail-safe reconciler back to GOD the Father. It is only through The Blood of Christ that He sprinkles over us as High Priest that atones for our sins. “And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel.” While we are to Follow Peace in a progressive manner it is assuring to know when we fail we Have Christ.

    What a wonderful Gift of Grace from God our Father. AMEN AMEN AMEN!
    Antonio

  9. The Priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ was no new phenomenon when God used the author of the book of Hebrews to fully reveal the excellency of that office. The High Priestly work of Christ dates all the way back to the furthest reaches of human antiquity, all the way back to the days of Moses and Aaron when Almighty God gave the Levitical Laws in the Pentateuch. God spoke to His people in those days out of the tabernacle and through His servant Moses. In the 8th chapter of the book of Leviticus we have what may be one of the greatest portraits of our Lord’s mediatorial work found anywhere in the scripture. One cannot begin to understand the fullness of the revelation given in Hebrews until the Spirit of God has first illuminated our hearts to the picture found in the first few chapters of Leviticus. There we see Moses sanctifying Aaron for the work of that great office and therein is the key to understanding the divine design of the eternal redemption plan. Not only does God demand a spotless, sinless sacrifice, but He also demands that a Great High Priest mediate the blood that was shed. If Christ were to die on the cross and give His very life-blood so that the fallen sons and daughters of Adam and Eve could live in the power of a holy life and there would have been no Great High Priest to perform the mediation work of presenting that blood, then the blood would have been shed for nothing. But, thanks and praise be to the Lord God, Christ is not only my offering without blemish, but He is also my Great High Priest who has presented that same blood and sprinkled it upon the mercy seat. The All-Sufficiency of Jesus Christ is a glorious reality and let us be constantly aware of all that Christ is on our behalf.

    Sincerely In-Christ,
    Brother Sharp

    • Must reply, Excellent! The Sacrifice and the Priest all in one package and before any “New Messianic Age Revelation” was written …wonder if there is more? (rhetorical question). What say ye of Melchizedek Gen 14:18 HNV, Brother? That High Priest was before the Law.
      J.