Hebrews 5: Christ, Greater than Aaron
CHRIST – GREATER THAN AARON
HEBREWS 5:1-14
APPLICATION: REALIZE THE COST OF CHRIST'S SACRIFICE THAT QUALIFIED HIM TO BECOME THE AUTHOR OF YOUR ETERNAL SALVATION.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE BELIEVERS IN JEHOVAH GOD AND IN HIS SON, OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST, AND IN HIS HOLY SPIRIT, THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO WORSHIP.
BELIEVERS CAN WORSHIP ON THE BASIS OF RITUAL REQUIRING EACH BELIEVER TO FOLLOW AND FULFILL ACTIONS THAT MUST BE PERFORMED EACH TIME OF WORSHIP OR GOD CAN BE WORSHIPPED FROM THE BASIS OF SPIRIT & TRUTH, AS JESUS TAUGHT.
FROM OVER 3500 YEARS AGO, THE JEWS HAVE ALWAYS WORSHIPPED FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF RITUAL.
WE CAN RECALL THAT AS WE RECENTLY STUDIED THROUGH THE BOOKS OF EXODUS, LEVITICUS, & NUMBERS, WE FOUND OVER 1,000 VERSES OF “THOU SHALT” & “THOU SHALT NOT”.
ALL MY STRONG AND CLOSE JEWISH FRIENDS BOTH HERE AND IN ISRAEL HAVE ALL CONFIDED IN ME THAT THEIR LIVES WERE MISERY IN THEIR YOUNGER YEARS AND WERE LIVES OF FRUSTRATION LATER AS IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP THE LAW.
DIDN'T PAUL TEACH US THIS AND TRY TO TEACH THEM THIS THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO?
AFTER PETER THE CHURCH THAT DEVELOPED INTO THE ROMAN CHURCH HAS ALSO CONSISTENTLY LEANED ONTO RITUAL IN WORSHIP.
IN ORDER TO SEEM DIFFERENT FROM THE JEWS, THE ROMAN CHURCH DECIDED AROUND THE YEAR 200 TO CALL IT “TRADITION” RATHER THAN RITUAL.
FOR OVER 1800 YEARS THEY HAVE ALWAYS CLAIMED THAT TRADITION IS AS IMPORTANT AS SCRIPTURE IN THE WORSHIP OF GOD.
WE SHOULD GIVE THANKS FOREVER FOR MEN LIKE MARTIN LUTHER WHO STOOD AGAINST THIS LONG HELD POSITION AND PREVAILED AGAINST THE MOST POWERFUL CHURCH ON EARTH WITH TWO SIMPLE STATEMENTS (AMONG OTHERS):
SOLA SCRIPTURA - ONLY SCRIPTURE
EVERY MAN HIS OWN PRIEST - OUR ACCESS IS DIRECT TO GOD AFTER THE VEIL WAS SPLIT BY THE WORK OF CHRIST AT CALVARY.
OUR LESSON TODAY, TAKEN FROM HEBREWS 5, BRINGS US THE MESSAGE THAT JESUS CHRIST WAS GREATER THAN GOD'S CHOSEN PRIEST FOR THE HEBREW WANDERERS, WHICH WAS AARON.
THE PRIESTHOOD DID NOT BEGIN WITH AARON.
THERE WERE PRIESTS BEFORE HIM AND WE WILL STUDY THE GREATEST EXAMPLE IN CHAPTER 7.
BUT GOD CHOSE TO BESTOW UPON THE TRIBE OF LEVI THE HONOR OF SERVING THE HEBREW NATION AS ITS PRIESTHOOD.
THE LORD LIMITED THE ACCESS TO THE TABERNACLE TO THE LEVITE PRIESTS AND HE LIMITED THE ABILITY TO SHED AND SPREAD THE BLOOD OF ATONEMENT FOR SIN TO THE LEVITICAL HOLY MEN, BOTH FOR THE PRIEST HIMSELF AND FOR THE PEOPLE.
THIS ISSUE OF SIN DWELLING WITHIN THE LEVITE PRIESTS IS OF HIGH IMPORTANCE AS WE STUDY WHY JESUS WAS HIGHER AND BETTER THAN AARON OR ANY OTHER LEVITE PRIEST.
WHAT DO THE FIRST VERSES OF CHAPTER FIVE TEACH US ABOUT THE LEVITE PRIESTS?
HE MUST BE TAKEN FROM MEN, MEANING THAT HE MUST BE OF THE NATURE OF THOSE FOR WHOM HE ACTS AS SPIRITUAL LEADER.
HE IS A PUBLIC OFFICIAL, MEANING HE IS “ORDAINED OF MEN”.
HE MUST NOT COME BEFORE GOD EMPTY HANDED, MEANING HE MUST BRING GIFTS AND SACRIFICES.
HE WAS NOT EXEMPT FROM THE INFIRMITIES OF MEN.
HE WAS CHOSEN BY AND APPROVED OF GOD.
AS DEVOTED AND AS HONORED AS THE PRIESTS OF MOSES CHOSEN AS A FAMILY TO SERVE GOD AND HIS PEOPLE, HEBREWS 5 TEACHES US THAT JESUS CHRIST WAS AND IS FOREVER GREATER THAN AARON AND ALL THE LEVITICAL PRIESTS WHO CAME AFTER AARON.
AARON WAS THE HIGH PRIEST, AS WERE THOSE WHO SERVED AFTER HIM BUT JESUS WAS APPOINTED BY GOD TO SERVE FOREVER AS THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST.
WHAT DOES SCRIPTURE TEACH US ABOUT WHERE THE GREATNESS OF OUR ETERNAL GREAT HIGH PRIEST COMES FROM?
IT COMES FROM SEVEN CLEAR TEACHINGS THAT GRANT THE FULL EVIDENCE OF HIS GREATNESS:
FROM THE DIGNITY OF HIS PERSON:
HE IS NOT ONLY THE SON OF MAN BUT IS ALSO THE SON OF GOD. HEBREWS 4:14:
“SEEING THAT WE HAVE A GREAT HIGH PRIEST, THAT IS PASSED INTO THE HEAVENS, JESUS THE SON OF GOD...”
FROM THE PRURITY OF HIS NATURE:
HE IS WITHOUT SIN. HEBREWS 4:15:
“FOR WE HAVE NOT AN HIGH PRIEST WHICH CANNOT BE TOUCHED WITH THE FEELING OF OUR INFIRMITIES; BUT WAS IN ALL POINTS TEMPTED LIKE AS WE ARE, YET WITHOUT SIN”.
HE IS HOLY. HEBREWS 7:26:
“FOR SUCH AN HIGH PRIEST BECAME US, WHO IS HOLY, HARMLESS, UNDEFILED, SEPARATE FROM SINNERS, AND MADE HIGHER THAN THE HEAVENS...”
FROM THE HIGHEST ORDER HE IS SAID TO OCCUPY.
THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK. HEBREWS 5:6:
“AS HE SAITH ALSO IN ANOTHER PLACE (PSALM 110), THOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHIZDEK.”
FROM HIS SOLEMN ORDINATION.
WITH AN OATH. HEBREWS 7:20-21:
“AS INASMUCH AS NOT WITHOUT AN OATH HE WAS MADE PRIEST:FOR THOSE PRIESTS WERE MADE WITHOUT AN OATH, BUT THIS WITH AN OATH BY HIM THAT SAID UNTO HIM, THE LORD SWARE AND WILL NOT REPENT, THOU ART A PRIEST FOREVER AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK”.
FROM THE MOST EXCELLENT SACRIFICE HE MADE.
HIMSELF WITHOUT SPOT. HEBREWS 9:14:
“HOW MUCH MORE SHALL THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, WHO THROUGH THE ETERNAL SPIRIT OFFERED HIMSELF WITHOUT SPOT TO GOD...”.
FROM THE PERFECTION OF HIS ADMINISTRATION.
ALL DIVINE JUSTICE IS SATISFIED IN HIM. HEBREWS 7:11:
“IF THEREFORE PERFECTION WERE BY THE LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD, (FOR UNDER IT THE PROPLE RECEIVED THE LAW),WHAT FURTHER NEED WAS THERE THAT ANOTHER PRIEST SHOULD RISE AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK, AND NOT BE CALLED AFTER THE ORDER OF AARON?”
FROM THE ETERNAL NATURE OF HIS OFFICE.
AN UNCHANGEABLE PRIESTHOOD. HEBREWS 7:24:
“AND THEY TRULY WERE MANY PRIESTS, BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT SUFFERED (PERMITTED) TO CONTINUE BY REASON OF DEATH.”
1-3
VERSES 1-3 TEACH US THAT THE PRIEST IS APPOINTED TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE IN MATTERS RELATING TO GOD, AND TO OFFER GIFTS AND SACRIFICES FOR SINS (THEIR OWN AND THOSE OF THE PEOPLE).
THE PRIEST IS ABLE TO DEAL GENTLY WITH THOSE WHO ARE IGNORANT AND GOING ASTRAY, SINCE HE HIMSELF IS SUBJECT TO WEAKNESS.
THE WORD TRANSLATED HERE AS “IGNORANT” MEANS LITERALLY TO ERR OR SIN THROUGH A MISTAKE.
REMEMBER THIS JUDGMENT IS UNDER THE LAW OF MOSES.
REMEMBER THAT THE LESSER POSITION OF THE LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD IS REVEALED HERE BECAUSE THE PRIEST HIMSELF NEEDED REMISSION.
4-6
A PRIEST MUST BE CALLED OF GOD JUST AS MOSES AND AARON WERE CALLED.
CHRIST DID NOT TAKE THE HONOR UPON HIMSELF BUT IT WAS GIVEN TO HIM WHEN GOD SAID IN PSALM 2:7:
“YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BECOME YOUR FATHER”
AND HE ALSO SAYS IN PSALM 110:4:
“YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER, AFTER THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK”
AARON, THE BROTHER OF MOSES, WAS ASSIGNED THE POSITION OF HIGH PRIEST BY GOD. ONLY THE DESCENDANTS OF AARON WERE ALLOWED TO BE PRIESTS UNDER THE LAW.
NUMBERS 3:10:
“APPOINT AARON AND HIS SONS TO SERVE AS PRIESTS; ANYONE ELSE WHO APPROACHES THE SANCTUARY MUST BE PUT TO DEATH”.
NOTICE THAT GOD ASSIGNED THE POSITION TO JESUS OF “GREAT HIGH PRIEST” AND THIS ACTION WAS NOT AN EXTENSION OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE LEVITES, BUT WAS OF A VERY DIFFERENT AND MUCH HIGHER ORDER.
WE LOOK AGAIN AT PSALM 110 WHICH IS SAID TO BE THE MESSIANIC PSALM, AND SEE ITS FIRST VERSE TEACHES:
“THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND...”
7
DURING THE DAYS OF THE MINISTRY OF JESUS ON EARTH, HE OFFERED UP PRAYERS AND PETITIONS, AND HE WAS HEARD AND IN ALL WAYS SHOWED HIS REVERENCE FOR AND SUBMISSION TO THE WILL OF HIS FATHER.
IN ANOTHER POWERFUL PSALM, 16:9-10 WE ARE TAUGHT:
“MY HEART IS GLAD AND MY TONGUE REJOICES; MY BODY ALSO WILL LIVE IN HOPE, BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT ABANDON ME TO THE GRAVE, NOR WILL YOU LET YOUR HOLY ONE SEE DECAY”.
PETER TEACHES US IN ACTS 2:31 THAT THIS REFERENCE IS TO THE RESURRECTION.
8
WE CAN SEE FROM HIS PRAYER IN THE GARDEN WHEN HE PRAYED “...NOT MY WILL BUT THINE BE DONE...” JESUS BECAME EXPERIENCED IN OBEDIENCE UNTO THE END.
JOHN 6:38 TEACHES US:
“ FOR I HAVE COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN NOT TO DO MY WILL BUT TO DO THE WILL OF HIM WHO SENT ME”.
WE MUST KEEP IN MIND THAT CHRIST, WHILE FULLY GOD, TOOK UPON HIMSELF THE NATURE OF A SERVANT AND WAS DESCRIBED BY PAUL IN PHILIPPIANS 2:6-8 :
“AND BEING FOUND IN APPEARANCE OF A MAN, HE HUMBLED HIMSELF AND BECAME OBEDIENT TO DEATH – EVEN TO DEATH ON A CROSS”.
9-10
JESUS BECAME THE SOURCE OF ETERNAL SALVATION FOR ALL WHO OBEY HIM AND WAS DESIGNATED AS THE “GREAT HIGH PRIEST” ON THE HIGHEST ORDER.
IN HEBREWS 2:10 WE KNOW HE “WAS MADE PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERINGS” (MEANING MADE COMPLETE) SO WHAT ABOUT US AS HIS FOLLOWERS?
HEBREWS 12:7 WILL TEACH US THE ANSWER: “ENDURE HARDSHIP AS DISCIPLINE: GOD IS TREATING YOU AS SONS. FOR WHAT SON IS NOT DISCIPLINED BY HIS FATHER?”
PAUL WRITES IN ROMANS 1:5:
“THROUGH HIM AND FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE, WE RECEIVE GRACE AND APOSTLESHIP TO CALL PEOPLE FROM AMONG THE GENTILES TO THE OBEDIENCE THAT COMES FROM FAITH”
HERE IS A GREAT TRUTH: OBEDIENCE COMES FROM FAITH.
WE WILL STUDY THE AMAZING CONSEQUENCES OF THIS TRUTH LATER IN HEBREWS 11, THE FAITH CHAPTER.
11
DULL OF HEARING REFERS TO BEING “SLOW TO HEAR” IN THIS VERSE, AS TAUGHT BY JAMES IN 1:19 WHEN HE SAYS:
“MY DEAR BROTHERS, TAKE NOTE OF THIS: EVERYONE SHOULD BE QUICK TO LISTEN”.
THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION. PERHAPS THEY ARE NOT TAKING THE TEACHING SERIOUSLY AND DO NOT INTEND TO APPLY IT TO THEIR LIVES. THIS SEEMS TO BE THE LESSON OF VERSE 11.
HAVEN'T EACH OF US SAID AT ONE TIME TO OUR CHILD:
ARE YOU LISTENING?
REMEMBER THE LESSON OF MATTHEW 13:14:
“YE SHALL HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND, YE SHALL SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE”.
12
ISN'T IS EXPECTED THAT AS CHRISTIANS MATURE IN THE FAITH THEY TAKE ON A TEACHING ROLE JUST AS PARENTS WHEN GROWN AND HAVING CHILDREN, TEACH THEM FROM THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE?
JESUS CLEARLY SEEMED TO EXPECT AS MUCH WHEN HE TAUGHT US IN LUKE 13:7:
“ FOR THREE YEARS I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR FRUIT ON THIS FIG TREE, AND HAVE NOT FOUND ANY. CUT IT DOWN.”
13-14
MANY CHRISTIANS SEEM TO WANT TO STAND IN HIS GRACE BUT DO NOT SUBMIT TO THE CHRISTIAN LIFE IN OBEDIENCE , DOING WHAT IS RIGHT, TAKING ON THE RESPONSIBILITES AS GIVEN IN SCRIPTURE.
A BELIEVER'S SPIRITUAL MATURITY IS REVEALED BY HOW THEY APPLY THE WORD TO THEIR OWN LIFE.
THE BLESSINGS OF THE WORD COME FROM ABOVE AND MUST BE GATHERED INTO OUR HEARTS AND USED AS SPIRITUAL FOOD.
REMEMBER WHAT EXODUS 16:20 TAUGHT US ABOUT ANOTHER BLESSING FROM ABOVE THAT WAS EXPECTED TO BE USED:
“MANNA NOT USED BREEDS WORMS”.
THE CENTRAL DESIGN OF HEBREWS IS THE PROOF THAT THE ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS SAVIOR WAS SUPERIOR TO THE CONTINUED EFFORT TO WORSHIP UNDER THE LAW.
THE CENTRAL GLORY OF ALL OF JUDAISM WAS THE PRIESTHOOD.
THE JEWS, WHO WERE REJECTING OF JESUS AND FOUND TO BE FILLED WITH UNBELIEF, ASKED OF THESE NEW EVANGELISTS WHO TOOK THE GOSPEL FORWARD AFTER PENTECOST:
YOUR FAITH IS DEFICIENT AS YOU LACK A PRIESTHOOD WHO CAN BY HIS WORK SHED THE BLOOD OF BULLS AND GOATS TO ATONE FOR YOUR SIN.
HEBREWS GRANTS THE ANSWER TO ALL THAT UNBELIEF AND SKEPTICAL REJECTION IN VERSE 4:14:
“SEEING THEN THAT WE HAVE A GREAT HIGH PRIEST. THAT IS PASSED INTO THE HEAVENS, JESUS, THE SON OF GOD”.
NOW THAT WE HAVE HEARD THE EVIDENCE OF JESUS BEING FAR SUPERIOR TO AARON OR ANY OF THE LEVITICAL PRIESTS, LET'S REMEMBER THE VERSE WE NOTED IN THE BEGINNING, HEBREWS 1:3.
JESUS SAT DOWN.
IN THE TABERNACLE OF THE WILDERNESSTHERE WERE THREE SECTIONS:
THE OUTER COURT CONTAINING THE LARGE LAVER OF WATER FOR WASHING.
THE INNER MIDDLE ROOM, CONTAINING THE GOLDEN CANDLESTICK, THE TABLE OF SHEW BREAD AND THE ALTAR OF INCENSE.
THE INNER HIGH HOLY ROOM CONTAINING THE ARK OF THE COVENANT AND THE MERCY SEAT WHERE GOD WAS AND WHERE THE HIGH PRIEST WENT ONCE A YEAR TO BRING THE BLOOD OF ATONEMENT.
IN THE TABERNACLE, THERE WERE NO CHAIRS. THERE WAS NO PLACE FOR THE PRIEST TO SIT.
THE REASON FOR THAT WAS THAT THE WORK OF THE PRIEST WAS NEVER FINISHED.
HE WAS ALWAYS STANDING, NEVER SITTING, EVEN EATING THE SHEW BREAD STANDING UP, WORKING WITHOUT END.
THE SACRIFICE OF THE BULLS & GOATS WAS NEVER ENDING BECAUSE MAN FOUND IT NECESSARY TO KEEP THE SACRIFICES FLOWING AS SIN WAS FLOWING AS FAST AS THE SACRIFICE.
BUT WHEN JESUS MADE HIS ONCE AND FOREVER SACRIFICE ATONING FOR ALL SIN FOR ALL BELIEVERS FOR ALL TIME, HIS WORK WAS FINISHED AND HE SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD.
LET'S CLOSE BY REMEMBER ING THAT GOD'S PLAN TO PROVIDE THE GREAT HIGH PRIEST TO HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE WAS A FULFILLMENT OF HIS PROMISE TO THEM.
WHEN THE PRIESTHOOD BEGUN WITH AARON FAILED IN THE DAY OF ELI AND HIS SONS THE LORD DECLARED IN 1ST SAMUEL 2:35:
“AND I WILL RAISE ME UP A FAITHFUL PRIEST THAT SHALL DO ACCORDING TO THAT WHICH IS IN MINE HEART AND IN MY MIND: AND I WILL BUILD HIM A SURE HOUSE; AND HE SHALL WALK BEFORE MINE ANNOINTED FOREVER”.
THIS PROMISE WAS FULFILLED IN THE PERSON AND THE OFFICE OF JESUS CHRIST.
JESUS WAS SHOWN BY GOD HIMSELF TO BE THE ONLY ONE TO HAVE COME TO FILL THE OFFICE OF GREAT HIGH PRIEST BEGUN BY THE ONE TO WHOM ABRAHAM HIMSELF PAID TITHE, MELCHIZDEK.
THIS TYPE & SHADOW FROM THE BEGINNING POINTED FORWARD TO THE MESSIAH TO COME.
AND NOW THE HEBREWS THEMSELVES KNEW FROM THE TEACHING OF GOD'S CHOOSING THAT THE MINISTRY AND SERVICE OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF LEVI WAS TERMINATED.
THEIR PURPOSE WAS NO LONGER NEEDED.
WHEN THE SUBSTANCE ARRIVES, THE SHADOWS FALL AWAY.
FROM THAT MOMENT ONWARD NO VALUE EXISTED IN THE PRIESTHOOD OF LEVI.
AND HEBREWS 5:5 CONCLUDES OUR LESSON WHEN IT TEACHES US THAT “SO ALSO CHRIST GLORIFIED NOT HIMSELF TO BE MADE AN HIGH PRIEST”.
ALL GLORY TO THE FATHER AS ALL OF HIS LIFE AND MINISTRY TAUGHT US.
IF WE HAVE EARS, LET US HEAR.