The writer of the inspired book of Hebrews, in the Bible, demonstrates how Jesus Christ is superior to the angels and all other prophets. Jesus is superior even to Moses who is the greatest of the Jewish prophets and through whom God gave the Law.
Jesus is not only a prophet, but also our High Priest – the One who has given the ultimate sacrifice for sin on our behalf, and who intercedes for us before God’s throne. After warning us not to turn away from Christ through unbelief, the writer tells us why Jesus is qualified to be our High Priest. In chapter 4, verse 14 through chapter 5, verse 10 he writes, “Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our
confession. For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need. For every high priest, being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. The high priest can deal gently with those who are ignorant and going astray, because he himself is also surrounded with weakness. Because of this, he must offer sacrifices for sins for the people, as well as for himself. Nobody takes this honor on himself, but he is called by God, just like Aaron was. So also Christ didn’t glorify himself to be made a high priest, but it was he who said to him, “You are my Son. Today I have become your father.” As he says also in another place, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” He, in the days of his flesh, having offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears to him who was able to save him from death, and having been heard for his godly fear, though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered. Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation, named by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.”
This passage gives at least three reasons why Jesus is qualified to be our High Priest. The first reason is that Jesus can sympathize with us. In other words, He understands the temptations we experience and exactly how we feel. He knows our weaknesses and understands the struggles and the pressures we face.
The reason Jesus can sympathize with us is that He has experienced the same temptations and struggles that we do. The gospel records tell us that He experienced poverty and hunger. He was tempted with great riches and power. At least once, people wanted to make Him their king. He faced prejudice, contempt, ridicule, misunderstanding and betrayal. More than once, people tried to kill Him. He suffered injustice. He was condemned on false charges. He was mocked and beaten. Ultimately, He was executed even though He was totally innocent. In short, there is nothing we could go through that Jesus has not already experienced. The difference is that we succumb to our temptations while Jesus never did. He never sinned.
What effect does this have upon us? Even though Jesus is sinless, we can come to Him with confidence knowing that He understands us. We can expect Him to help us in our struggles and to deal with us mercifully because He knows what we are going through.
Another consequence of Jesus’ remaining sinless is that He can represent us before God. We cannot present our requests to our Holy God because we are sinners and God cannot tolerate sin. We already saw in Hebrews, chapter 1 and verse 3 that Jesus is seated at God’s right hand. Through Jesus we can present our petitions to God even though we are sinners and God will listen because of Jesus’ righteousness.
Another reason Jesus is qualified to be our High Priest is that God has appointed Him to that position. No one has the right to declare himself a priest. On his own no one has the right to bring an offering or sacrifice for someone else’s sin before God. But God, Himself, selected Jesus to be our High Priest. Because God selected Him, as we shall see later on in the book of Hebrews, Jesus was able to present the perfect sacrifice for sin. If we give ourselves to Christ and become His followers, God will accept His sacrifice on our behalf.
What makes Jesus’ appointment different from that of other priests? Under the Law of Moses, many people became priests. However Jesus did not become a priest under that system. Instead, God appointed Him as High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. The book of Hebrews will discuss what this means in great detail in later chapters.
A third reason Jesus is qualified to be our High Priest is that He submitted to God’s will. Jesus did not want to suffer. He did not want to die, even though His death was necessary for our salvation. Just before His crucifixion Jesus prayed, “…My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39 NIV) It was because Jesus submitted Himself to God’s will, even though it meant He had to suffer, that God exalted Him to the position of High Priest.
Our text says that Jesus prayed “…to him who was able to save him from death, and having been heard…” How can this be? How can we say that God heard Jesus’ prayer to be saved from death when there is no question that Jesus was crucified and buried? The answer is found in the Scripture which says, “But God raised him from the dead,” (Acts 13:30 NIV) Yes, Jesus did die, but God also heard His prayer to be spared from death. God raised Him from the dead, and death has no longer has any hold on Him. Now He lives forever. We too can share in Jesus’ victory over death if we follow Him.
Verse 9 says that Jesus had to be made perfect. What does this mean? Though Jesus was sinless, He was not qualified to become our Savior and High Priest until He had suffered. He first had to overcome temptation and demonstrate His obedience. It was His suffering which perfected Him for the role to which God called Him.