SERIES: The Careful Considerations of Our Christian Confession
Hebrews 3:1-6; 7-17; 3:18--4:11; 4:11-13; 4:14---5:11
The Hebrews writer pressed upon his audience to deeply/profoundly consider the aspect of their Christian confession concerning Jesus as their Apostle & High Priest.
The Hebrews writer pressed upon his audience to further consider the intricacies of their Christian confession.
Christians, tempted by tradition, are encouraged toward a deeper/further consideration of their Christian confession.
What barriers/tendencies do Christians, tempted toward tradition(traditionists), face in their Christian confession?
5 Challenges traditionists must face/reckon with in their Christian confession.
A—A challenge traditionists face in their Christian confession is acceptance of a...GREATER / LESSER STEWARDSHIP(3:1-6) Faithfulness
B—A challenge traditionists face in their Christian confession is acceptance of a...SINGULAR / DIVIDED HEART(3:7-17)
C—A challenge traditionists face in their Christian confession is acceptance of a...PERMANENT / TEMPORARY REST(3:18--4:11)
D—A challenge traditionists face in their Christian confession is acceptance of a...FULL DISCLOSURE / SECRECY(4:11-13)
Tiger Woods--John Edwards--Jesse James, etc.
E—A challenge traditionists face in their Christian confession is acceptance of a...PERFECT vs. an Earthly PRIESTHOOD(4:14--5:11)
Last time in Hebrews, we looked at...
D— The challenge of choosing ...
FULL DISCLOSURE vs. SECRECY(4:11-13)
Today’s Consideration is...
E— The challenge of choosing ...
PERFECTION(PRIESTHOOD) vs. IMPERFECTION(4:14—5:11)
OR
The CHALLENGE of CHOOSING a PERFECT PRIESTHOOD/Mediator
—Hebrews 4:14—5:11
Attention:
Representative/Go-between who fails.
Our trips to car dealerships to buy:
A new Chrysler, Town & Country in Jax, FL
Jerome—mislead us from the get-go.—Make, Model, Wheels, Stereo
&:
A Used Nissan in Salisbury, NC—passing prices back & forth on sheets of paper—What’s up with that?
Neither of these were reliable mediators in getting us a car.
Need:
Why would I want to choose Jesus when I can go to the church building, walk up to the priest, share my concerns with him directly, & receive his blessing?
The practical aspects of Catholicism are of this genre/ilk/stripe. The religion(approaching Jesus) takes precedence over the relationship(with Jesus).
The writer to the Hebrews set before his audience a deeper/further consideration of a Perfect Priesthood.
Christians, tempted by tradition, are encouraged toward a deeper/further consideration of a Perfect Priesthood.
What challenges do Christians, tempted toward tradition(traditionists), face in the consideration of a Perfect Priesthood?
6 Challenges traditionists must face in their confession of a Perfect Priesthood.
1—The challenge of choosing a Perfect Priesthood is accepting
The Priest’s PATH(:14)
Explanation:(:14)Travel
:14—“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.”
See 3:1—As a result of our possessing for our own, a “High Priest” of such “great” stature & station, then we are compelled to, thru our own power, take possession(to ourselves) of that “confession” we have made in Christ.
This High Priest is none other than the only One who has Himself “passed thru the heavens” of which there are three recognized. 1st—atmosphere, 2nd—outer space(universe), & 3rd—God’s abode. God’s abode is not those places where only His glory dwells(encompassing all three realms) but where He Himself dwells—This being the true Holy of Holies.
This three-layered existence of the heavens is patterned in the layout of the tabernacle & temple—Courts--Holy Place--Holy of Holies(Mercy Seat).
His passing thru the heavens means He has perfectly represented our need & its solution as mankind’s redeemer before God the Father Himself.
The priest “taken from among men”(5:1) passes thru the mere pattern that is the Temple complex. He enters the Holy Place(built by human hands) & enters the Holy of Holies(built thusly). Therefore his so-called ‘path’ is limited only to earth & is earthly & the created, but is NOT heavenly & creat-ing.
What a statement of short-sightedness by those who trust in the material representations of such overwhelming greatness & inconceivable power.
Lest anyone question the identity of this High Priest, it is “Jesus” who is Himself, “the Son of” the very “God” of the third heaven.
Recognizing the truth of Jesus’ High Priesthood, we thus have encouragement to “hold fast” our Christian “confession.”
“High Priest”—arciereuv—Strong—The high-priest (literally, of the Jews, typically, Christ); by extension a chief priest:-- Chief (high) priest, chief of the priests....Thayer—1)‘He above all others was honored with the title of priest, the chief of priests. It was lawful for him to perform the common duties of the priesthood; but his chief duty was, once a year on the day of atonement, to enter into the Holy of Holies (from which the other priests were excluded) & offer sacrifices for his own sins & the sins of the people, & to preside over the Sanhedrin, or Supreme Council, when convened for judicial deliberations. According to Mosaic law, no one could aspire to the high priesthood unless he were of the tribe of Aaron & descended from a high priestly family; & he on whom the office was conferred held it till death. But from the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, when the kings of Seleucideae & afterwards the Herodian princes & the Romans arrogated to themselves the power of appointing the high priests,the office neither remained vested in the pontifical family nor was conferred on any for life; but it became venal, & could be transferred from one to another according to the will of civic or military rulers. Hence it came to pass, that during the one hundred & seven years intervening between Herod the Great & the destruction of the holy city, twenty eight persons held the pontifical dignity.
2) The high priests, these comprise in addition to one holding the high priestly office, both those who had previously discharged it & although disposed, continued to have great power in the State, as well as the members of the families from which high priest were created, provided that they had much influence in public affairs.
3) Used of Christ because by undergoing a bloody death he offered himself as an expiatory sacrifice to God, & has entered into the heavenly sanctuary where he continually intercedes on our behalf.’
“Passed through/Gone thru”—diercomai—1) To go through, pass through—1a) To go, walk, journey, pass through a place, 1b) To travel the road which leads through a place, go, pass, travel through a region; 2) To go different places. Strong— To traverse (literally):-- Come, depart, go(about, abroad, everywhere, over, through, throughout), pass (by, over, through, throughout), pierce through, travel, walk through.
“Heavens”—ouranov—N-Accusative Plural Masculine—1) The vaulted expanse of the sky with all things visible in it—1a) The universe, the world, 1b) The aerial heavens or sky, the region where the clouds & the tempests gather, & where thunder & lightning are produced, 1c) The sidereal or starry heavens; 2) The region above the sidereal heavens, the seat of order of things eternal & consummately perfect where God dwells & other heavenly beings.
“Hold fast/Hold firmly to”—kratew—1) To have power, be powerful; 2) To get possession of; 3) To hold.
“Confession/Profession/Profess”—omologia—1)Profession—1a) subjectively: Whom we profess to be ours, 1b) objectively: Profession [confession] i.e. what one professes[confesses]. Strong—Acknowledgment:-- con- (pro-)fession, professed. From—omologew—To assent, i.e. Covenant, acknowledge:-- Con- (pro-)fess, confession is made, give thanks, promise.
Argumentation:
Job 9:32-33—““For He is not a man, as I am, That I may answer Him, And that we should go to court together. Nor is there any mediator between us, Who may lay his hand on us both.”
Job complained that there there was no one to represent his plight before God.
*1Tim. 2:5-6—“For there is one God & one Mediator between God & men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time,”
Jesus “is the Mediator of the new covenant”(Heb. 9:15; 12:24) & the “Mediator of a better covenant”(Heb. 8:6).
Mat. 7:13-14—““Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate & broad is the way that leads to destruction, & there are many who go in by it. “Because narrow is the gate & difficult is the way which leads to life, & there are few who find it.”
Jn. 10:7-9—“Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves & robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, & will go in & out & find pasture.”
Jn. 14:6-11—“Jesus said to him[Thomas], “I am the way, the truth, & the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; & from now on you know Him & have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, & it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, & yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, & the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father & the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.”
Illustration:
‘Not what you know but who you know’:
My position at Skidaway Institute of Oceanography(GA)/My undergraduate degree in Biology—no minor or training in oceanography—not even offered at my school!/
BUT—My Lab Supervisor—@ an industrial rubber hose plant in NC— had hired Scott as a chemist to formulate different kinds of rubber/Scott had a friend(TEB) who worked at Skidaway/Scott knew my desire to be in oceanography & put me in touch with TEB/TEB told his research professor Dr. Paffenhöfer/I was hired!/Many people held ocenaography degrees & sought such a position but the PATH made the difference/PATH
Application:
?You chosen the Perfection of the Priest’s PATH?
?Does Your Confession meet the challenge of a PERFECT PRIEST / Mediator?
2—The challenge of choosing a Perfect Priesthood is accepting...
The Priest’s TEMPTATION(:15)
Explanation:(:15)
:15—“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
The High Priest of Israel would not necessarily understand or be able to sympathize with an individual’s various weaknesses. & even if he did, he could not act on that sympathy because the High Priest must perform the letter of the law. The law made no real provision for the complications wrought by individual need.
We are all “weak” in some area which keeps us returning to sin.
In contrast to the fallible High Priest, Jesus is fully able to sympathize with our individual weaknesses. He has this sympathy as He Himself experienced the same temptations which are common to mankind.
Simply because one is “tempted” does not make one a sinner. Only upon entering into the sin does one become a sinner(Js. 1:13-15). Jesus was—though a man in every sense— truly “without sin.”
“Sympathize/Touched”—sumpayew—1) To be affected with the same feeling as another, to sympathise with; 2) To feel for, have compassion on. Strong—to feel "sympathy" with, i.e. (by implication) to commiserate:-- have compassion, be touched with a feeling of.
“Weaknesses/Infirmities”—asyeneia—1)Want of strength, weakness, infirmity. Feebleness (of mind or body); by implication, malady; morally, frailty:-- disease, infirmity, sickness, weakness.
“Tempted”—peiraw—1) To make a trial of, to attempt—1a) Taught by trial, experienced; 2) To test, to make trial of one, put him to proof—2a) His mind, sentiments, temper, 2b) In particular, to attempt to induce one to commit some (esp. carnal) crime, 2c) Tempted to sin. Strong—To test (subjectively), i.e. (reflexively) to attempt:-- assay.
“Sin”(See 5:1)—amartia—1) Equivalent to amartanw—1a) To be without a share in, 1b) To miss the mark,1c) To err, be mistaken, 1d) To miss or wander from the path of uprightness & honor, to do or go wrong, 1e) To wander from the law of God, violate God’s law, sin; 2) That which is done wrong, sin, an offence, a violation of the divine law in thought or in act; 3) Collectively, the complex or aggregate of sins committed either by a single person or by many. Amartia meant originally the missing of a mark. When applied to moral things the idea is similar, it is missing the true end of life, & so it is used as a general term for sin. It means both the act of sinning & the result, the sin itself. Strong—A sin (properly abstract):-- offence, sin(-ful).
Argumentation:
1Cor. 10:13-14—“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”
Ex. 23:9—““Also you shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the heart of a stranger, because you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”
Jn. 2:23-25—“Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, & had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.”
Jn. 8:45-46—““But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?”
2Cor. 5:20-21—“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
1Pet. 2:22—““Who[Christ] committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;”
Illustration:
Vesus fly trap/Attractant inside the traps/Insects like it/They actually taste it/Oblivious to the trap they focus on the taste/But the traps each have 6 hairs/If any 2 are triggered in succession it snaps shut/TEMPTATION
‘While my wife and I were shopping at a mall kiosk, a shapely young woman in a short, form-fitting dress strolled by. My eyes followed her. Without looking up from the item she was examining, my wife asked, "Was it worth the trouble you’re in?"—Drew Anderson (Tucson, AZ), Reader’s Digest/TEMPTATION
Application:
?You chosen the Perfection of the Priest’s TEMPTATION?
?Does Your Confession meet the challenge of a PERFECT PRIEST / Mediator?
3—The challenge of choosing a Perfect Priesthood is accepting
The Priest’s THRONE(:16).>.>.>.>.>.>.> 3—The challenge of choosing a Perfect Priesthood is accepting...
The Priest’s THRONE(:16)
Explanation:(:16)
:16—“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy & find grace to help in time of need.”
Because of the fact of Jesus’ sympathetic High Priesthood, those who would belong to Him have an incredible encouragement. All believers individually, can not only approach His “throne of grace,” but they are encouraged to come to it “boldly.”
The Throne of Grace is the very seat & origination(as a king’s edicts) where we “obtain” both “mercy” & “grace.” These are a “help” to anyone who has reached a point of real “need.”
Such “help” is a nautical term used of binding something tightly—as the mariners did on Paul’s trip to Rome to speak to Caesar, where the ship encountered such bad weather that they had to secure the hull with cables(Acts 27:17) to hold it together as long as possible. The cable or rope is considered the “help.”
“Mercy”(NOT giving me what I deserve (for failure)) is granted for the person who has crossed the line with God, & yet comes boldly to the throne.
They also simultaneously discover the “grace”(giving me what I do not deserve(good sense)) necessary to “help” them thru that “time of need.” The grace of this High Priest is a true & realistic aid to sinners.
“Boldly/Confidence”—parrhsia—Freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech; Free & fearless confidence, cheerful courage, boldness, assurance; The deportment by which one becomes conspicuous or secures publicity.
“Grace”—cariv—Good will, loving-kindness, favour; Thanks, (for benefits, services, favors), recompense, reward.
“Mercy”—eleov—Mercy, compassion; Sympathy, fellow-feeling with misery, mercy, compassion. Manifests itself chiefly in acts rather than words.
“Help”—bohyeia—Help. Strong—Aid; specially, a rope or chain for frapping(binding tightly) a vessel:-- Help.
“In time of need”—eukairov—seasonable, timely, opportune, convenient.
Argumentation:
King’s Power & Authority:
Esther 4:11—““All the king’s servants & the people of the king’s provinces know that any man or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put all to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live....””
Es 5:1-4—“Now it happened on the third day that Esther put on her royal robes & stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, across from the king’s house, while the king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house. So it was, when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, that she found favor in his sight, & the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther went near & touched the top of the scepter. And the king said to her, “What do you wish, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given to you--up to half the kingdom!” So Esther answered, “If it pleases the king, let the king & Haman come today to the banquet that I have prepared for him.””
Heb 10:19, 22—“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus,”....“let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience & our bodies washed with pure water.”
Rom. 8:14-17—“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, & if children, then heirs--heirs of God & joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”
Eph. 3:11-12—“according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness & access with confidence through faith in Him.”
Isa. 55:6-7—“Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.”
Mat. 7:7-11—““Ask, & it will be given to you; seek, & you will find; knock, & it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, & he who seeks finds, & to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”
Illustration:
Pet dog/Provide for its protection from weather, pests, etc./Does not bite the hand of its owner but goes to the owner when it needs to go out, needs water, food, etc./THRONE
The seat from which flows our existence.
Application:
?You chosen the Perfection of the Priest’s THRONE?
?Does Your Confession meet the challenge of a PERFECT PRIEST / Mediator?
4—The challenge of choosing a Perfect Priesthood is accepting
The Priest’s SACRIFICE(:5:1-3)
Explanation:(5:1-3)
:1—“For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts & sacrifices for sins.”
We are to come boldly to the throne & obtain the mercy & grace there because even the earthly pattern of high priest is a mediator bringing men to God. In particular he is called upon to offer both gifts & sacrifices which temporarily circumvent the path of the many sins(plural) in the sinner/offerer. The sacrifices were specific to the sins.
“Taken/Selected”—lambanw—Strong—To take (in very many applications, literally & figuratively [properly objective or active, To get hold of, accept, + be amazed, assay, attain, bring, X when I call, catch, come on (X unto), + forget, have, hold, obtain, receive (X after), take (away, up).
“Appointed/Ordained”—kayisthmi—) to set, place, put. Strong—To place down (permanently), i.e. (figuratively) To designate, constitute, convoy:-- Appoint, be, conduct, make, ordain, set.
“Gifts”—dwron—Strong—A present; specially, a sacrifice:-- Gift, offering.
“Sacrifices”—yusia—Strong—sacrifice (the act or the victim, literally or figuratively):-- sacrifice.
“Sins”(See 4:15)—amartia
:2—“He can have compassion on those who are ignorant & going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness.”
The merely human high priest(taken from among men) has compassion upon those to whom he ministers as he possesses the same susceptibility to “weakness”(sin) as all other men. Such susceptibility/liability occurs across the board & is irrespective of office, calling or ability.
Christ had like compassion as He Himself was not ignorant regarding sin(see 2:14-18), but He neither went astray by its deception, nor was susceptible to the flesh’s “weakness” regarding sin against God.
“Compassion”—metriopayew—1) To be affected moderately or in due measure; 2) To preserve moderation in the passions, esp. anger or grief—2a) Of one who is not unduly disturbed by the errors, faults, sins of others, but bears them gently. Strong—To be moderate in passion, i.e. gentle (to treat indulgently):-- have compassion. From —metriwv—Moderately, i.e. Slightly:-- A little; & —payov—properly, Suffering ("pathos"), i.e. (subjectively) a passion (especially concupiscence):-- (inordinate) affection, lust.
“Ignorant”—agnoew—1) To be ignorant, not to know; 2) Not to understand, unknown; 3) To err or sin through mistake, to be wrong. Strong—Not to know (through lack of information or intelligence); by implication, To ignore (through disinclination):-- (be) Ignorant(-ly), not know, not understand, unknown.
“Astray”—asyeneia—Strong—Feebleness (of mind or body); by implication, Malady; morally, frailty:-- Disease, infirmity, sickness, weakness.
“Subject”—perikeimai—To lie all around, i.e. inclose, encircle, hamper (literally or figuratively):-- be bound (compassed) with, hang about.
:3—“Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins.”
Since the high priest is himself subject to weakness(:2), he too is required to offer “sacrifices for” his own sins as he does “for the people.”
“Required”—ofeilw—To owe (pecuniarily); figuratively, To be under obligation (ought, must, should); morally, to fail in duty:-- Behove, be bound, (be) debt(-or), (be) due(-ty), be guilty (indebted), (must) need(-s), ought, owe, should.
“Offer”—prosferw—1) To bring to, lead to; 2) To be borne towards one, to attack, assail.
Argumentation:
1Jn. 3:16—“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
1Jn. 4:9-11—“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
The gift received from Christ on our behalf is the propitiation(satisfaction) for sins by the perfect human life.
Jn. 15:13—““Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
Rom. 5:7-9—“For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”
Eph 5:2—“And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”
Heb. 9:26—“.....but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.”
Our Response:
Rom. 12:1—“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”
Gal. 2:20—““I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Illustration:
‘Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence. Their conviction resulted in untold sufferings for themselves and their families:
—Of the 56 men, five were captured by the British and tortured before they died.
—Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.
—‘Two lost their sons in the Revolutionary Army.
—Another had two sons captured. Nine of the fifty-six fought and died from wounds or hardships of the war.
—Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships sunk by the British navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts and died in poverty.’
—‘At the battle of Yorktown, the British General Cornwallis had taken over Thomas Nelson’s home for his headquarters. Nelson quietly ordered General George Washington to open fire on the Nelson home. The home was destroyed and Nelson died bankrupt.’
—John Hart was driven from his wife’s bedside as she was dying. Their thirteen children fled for their lives. His fields and mill were destroyed. For over a year, he lived in forest and caves, returning home only to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later, he died from exhaustion.
Application:
?You chosen the Perfection of the Priest’s SACRIFICE?
?Does Your Confession meet the challenge of a PERFECT PRIEST / Mediator?
CONCLUSION:
Visualization:
Our car dealership experiences.
Jerome in Jax—mislead us from the get-go.—Make, Model, Wheels, Stereo
&:
Passing prices back & forth on sheets of paper in Salisbury, NC
Action:
The challenge of choosing a Perfect Priesthood is accepting...
1—The Priest’s PATH(:14)
2—The Priest’s TEMPTATION(:15)
3—The Priest’s THRONE(:16)
4—The Priest’s SACRIFICE(:5:1-3)
Presented 09/26/2010pm to:
Needmore Baptist Church
1620 Mt. Vernon Rd.
Woodleaf, NC 27054
