The Perfect Priest – Hebrews 7:23-28

Do you like your doctor? I do not have a doctor here in Swartz Creek (yet). When we first moved to Kentucky, I obtained the services of a doctor. He is close to my age and I told him that I wanted to have a doctor with whom I could grow old. We do not like to change doctors.

That is something like how the Israelites were in the Old Testament when they had priests. How would you feel if you had to bring an animal sacrifice to a priest to offer for you and your sins while you knew that he himself was dishonest or immoral?

There are some examples of that. Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10). Eli’s sons (1 Samuel 2:27-36). Samuel’s sons (1 Samuel 8:3). The prophets frequently rebuked the priests of Israel.

For these and other reasons, we need a permanent, perfect, holy High Priest. He is Jesus Christ. “High priest” is mentioned 17 times in the book of Hebrews!

JESUS BECAME HUMAN TO BE PRIEST – 2:17:
In verse 9, the writer says that Jesus, being the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of God’s nature (1:3), was made a little lower than angels, that is, He became man “so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.”

JESUS IS SYMPATHETIC AS PRIEST – 4:14-16:
Verse 15 is so encouraging! We have a high priest who can sympathize with the feelings of our weaknesses! Jesus knows what it is like to be tempted! Jesus knows what it is like to have to control your thoughts! He knows what it is like to have to control your tongue. He knows what it is like to control your attitude. He knows what it is like to be tempted in all things as we are – yet without sin! No wonder Jesus can be our priest!

JESUS’ SACRIFICE IS ETERNAL – Chapter 7:
The point of chapter 7 in comparing Jesus to Melchizedek is largely to show that Jesus is eternal. Melchizedek is actually the very first man referred to as a priest in the Old Testament. Verse 3 says that, as far as the historical record is concerned, he had no father, no mother, no genealogy. No record of his birth, no record of his death. God put him into the historical record to serve as a pattern for the coming of the high priest, who would be a priest forever.

So, in 7:23-28, the Hebrew writer summarizes what he had been saying. The former priests, under the Law of Moses, had to be appointed often because they were prevented by death from continuing in their service. I lost my medical doctor when I moved to Michigan. But I did not lose my High Priest!

JESUS OFFERED THE PERMANENT SACRIFICE – HIMSELF – 9:11-14:
Chapters 8-10 are a trilogy on the sacrifice of Christ. The writer shows that animal sacrifices could never take away sins. Because of that, the Law of Moses needed to be done away. A new covenant had to be inaugurated based, not on the death of animals, but on the death of the High Priest Himself. “All things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness” (9:22).

HOW DO WE RESPOND TO THIS HIGH PRIEST?
We need to hear Him – Hebrews 2:1
We believe Him – Hebrews 4:3
We confess Him – Hebrews 3:1
We obey Him – Hebrews 5:9
We repent of our sins – Hebrews 6:6
We must be washed with pure water – Hebrews 10:22
We must remain faithful unto death – Hebrews 3:6

–Paul Holland