Hebrews 4:14-5:10.   A couple of days ago we saw Jesus compared to both an apostle and a high priest.  In today’s reading we see the whole High Priest thing brought up again.  Yesterday’s reading ended with a warning; we need to take advantage of the offer God has made before it is too late.  We need to accept his free offer of a new relationship through Jesus, today.  And we need to not think we can fool God, he knows what we really think.  Not accepting Jesus has the serious consequence of an eternity separated from God.

Many people want to reject God and Jesus because they think God cannot relate to them.  “God doesn’t know what I feel, what I want, what will make me happy.”  In today’s reading we see that, since Jesus lived a human life he can relate to us.  But he is also the “son of God”, he is actually the same “stuff” God is, he is God (See Hebrews 1:8-10 where Jesus is called both God and Yahweh (v. 10 via the quote)).   So Jesus can relate to us (Hebrews 4:15) and he also has the power to take care of our sins (Hebrews 2:17).

Remember this book was originally written to Jewish believers, many of whom had been priests.  As priests they would look to the High Priest as a sort of boss.  Here in chapter 5 we see the author encouraging them that they are still faithful, they are following the ultimate high priest.  In verses 1-4 we see that the Priest was a man, that his job was to represent men before God, that he can sympathize with those people because he too fails, that he needs to offer sacrifices for himself, and that his job was given to him by God (he didn’t earn it).  In the same way in verses 5-10 we see the similarities, and a few differences, of the kind of priest Jesus was.   He also was appointed to the job by God the Father (See “Three or One?”).  In verse 6 we see that Jesus is not a priest because he was born in the family of Levi (which he was not) but that he is a specially selected priest like the Old Testament character Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18).  Melchizedek was not only a priest but he was also a king (of Jerusalem way before it became a part of the land of Israel).  That’s interesting because if you read through Isaiah with us you might remember that the Messiah or Christ would ultimately be a king on the throne of David (See also Hebrews 1:8).  By bringing up Melchizedek the author makes it clear that it is God who decides who is a priest.  Melchizedek lived in the time of Abraham and received offerings from Abraham, the grandfather of Levi.

In verses 7-9 we see Jesus performing the function of a priest by representing us before God.  He prayed for us and cried for us.  And his prayers were answered because of his obedience.  Although he was the Son of God he submitted himself to the plan that God had to save us.  Jesus would pay the price for us all.  Because he practiced obedience or submitted to the plan, the plan was fulfilled, sin was paid for.  When some translations say the “He became perfect” it means that he fulfilled his part of the plan.  The word perfect means to fill up or complete.  Because the plan was “filled up” Jesus became the source of eternal life for all will similarly submit to the plan, we need to give in to Jesus as the only “way” to God (John 14:6).

Verse 10 repeats Jesus’ credentials, he is a special High Priest appointed directly by God.  Later the author of Hebrews will revisit Melchizedek so I won’t say more here.  Jesus deserved the respect of the Hebrew Christians and of those who had been priests.  Because of who Jesus is and what he has done we can all approach the throne of God with confidence (Hebrews 4:16).  According to 1 Peter 2:9 we are all priests (it’s interesting that Peter uses “royal” in describing us too).  And notice in Hebrews 4:16 that not only can we approach God with confidence we need to.  Jesus not only provided a way to have peace with God we are encouraged by him to come near.  In the story of the “prodigal son” (Luke 15:11-32) we see that the father (a picture of God) wasn’t really interested so much in the lost money but in having his son back.  God is serious about having a relationship with each one of us, Jesus was not just about settling up our debt but in bringing us close to God.  We need to not neglect so great a salvation and come near to God today and everyday through Jesus.

God it is amazing to me that you love me.  We are nothing, animated dirt, but you love us.  We offend you but you love us.  You are amazing.  Thank you for Jesus, thank you for life, thank you for telling me your story.  Help me live a story for you that responds with a fraction of the love you have for me.