Sympathetic High Priest
The priesthood of Jesus is a key subject of the Book of Hebrews. He has become the “merciful and faithful high priest” who intercedes for “his brethren.” This topic is anticipated in the Letter’s opening paragraph by declaring that the Son “achieved the purification of sins,” and therefore he “sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high,” where he now intercedes for his people as the “High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”
In its
second chapter, the Letter describes his qualifications for the priesthood. It begins
by citing the eighth Psalm that celebrates the “crowning of man with glory
and honor” - (Hebrews 2:5-9).
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| [Photo by Josh Applegate on Unsplash] |
Originally, the passage referred either to Adam’s loss of the original glory that he received at the creation or to God’s plan for man to be filled with glory, a plan that was thwarted by Adam’s sin. The original Psalm is not about an individual Messiah but the intended rule of humanity over the creation.
CROWNED WITH GLORY
The role of man in the “coming habitable
earth” is to fulfill the original mandate to “take dominion over the
earth.” Prior to the death and resurrection of Jesus, humanity failed to fulfill
that role.
In the clause, “not yet do we see
all things subjected to him,” the term “not yet” indicates that the
promised subjection will be achieved for humanity by the Son (“Whom God has
appointed heir of all things”). But for now, his followers see him “sitting”
at God’s right hand.
Like Adam, Jesus was “made a little
lower than angels,” but unlike the first man, he was “crowned with glory
and honor” because he endured “SUFFERING AND DEATH” on behalf of his
“brethren.”
Moreover, his death was quite “fitting,”
and the very reason for which he was “crowned with glory.” His suffering
“completed” or “perfected” him, and his subsequent appointment as
the high priest of his people resulted from his FAITHFULNESS IN DEATH.
The Letter portrays his exaltation as
something achieved in his human life. He BECAME superior to the
angels, “having gone beyond them.”
Logically, this last statement means that
at one point he was NOT superior to the angels. But God did exalt him because
of his obedience (“You loved righteousness and hated lawlessness, for this
cause has God anointed you with the oil of exultation beyond your partners”).
HIS HUMAN DEATH
The next paragraph presents the reason why his
death means hope and mercy for humanity. Having purposed to grant His children glory,
it became “fitting” to “complete” or “perfect” their champion
through suffering because he and humanity are “all from one” - (Hebrews
2:10-13).
The Greek verb rendered “perfect” means
to “complete, accomplish, finish; to bring to an end.” The idea is not moral
perfection but bringing something to its intended conclusion. This sense is
confirmed by the later application of the same verb to Jesus - “And BEING
COMPLETED, he became the author of everlasting salvation for all those who obey
him.”
Through his death, Jesus qualified as our high
priest. The term “suffering” has his death in view since God determined
that he “SHOULD TASTE DEATH FOR EVERY MAN” - (Hebrews 5:9).
And now, Jesus is “sanctifying”
believers. Because he shares the same human nature, he calls them “brethren.”
This stresses his solidarity with them and anticipates the later statement that
they are sanctified “through the offering of the body of Jesus.” Three
citations from the Old Testament are placed on his lips to emphasize his
kinship with his “brethren” - (2
Samuel 22:3, Psalm 22:22, Isaiah
8:17-18, Hebrews 10:10).
FELLOWSHIP OF BLOOD AND FLESH
Having established his qualifications,
Jesus is now presented as the high priest who intercedes for his Church. He has
participated fully in the nature and sufferings common to all men, and
therefore, his priestly intervention on behalf of his “brethren” is
characterized by FAITHFULNESS and COMPASSION.
- (Hebrews 2:14-18) – “Seeing, therefore, the children have received a fellowship of blood and flesh, he in like manner, took partnership in the same, in order that through death he might paralyze him that held the dominion of death, the Devil, and might release these, as many as by fear of death were all their lifetime liable to bondage. For not surely of angels is he laying hold, but of Abraham’s seed he is laying hold. Whence he was obliged in every way to be made like the brethren, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the things of God, to expiate the sins of the people. For in that he suffered when tested, he is able to give succor to those who are being tested.”
The phrase now applied, “FLESH AND BLOOD,”
is a Semitic idiom used for human mortality – MAN IN HIS MORTAL STATE. Since
believers are subject to death, he “partook” of the same nature and fate.
The Devil had the “dominion” of
death or kratos, and in the Greek language, this is a strong word that
means “hold, power, force, dominion.” The English term “tyranny” best
captures the sense. Paradoxically, through his own death, Jesus invalidated the
“tyranny” of Satan, and now, he is “laying hold of” the “seed
of Abraham.” This clause alludes to a passage in the Book of Isaiah:
- “But you, Israel, my servant Jacob whom I have chosen, the SEED OF ABRAHAM my friend, you whom I have laid hold of from the ends of the earth, and called from the corners thereof, and said to you: You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you away” - (Isaiah 41:8-9).
Because he endured the same sufferings as
his fellows, he is well equipped to help them when they are “tested.” Under
discussion is not so much humanity in general, but the followers of Jesus in
particular, and that explains the term “seed of Abraham.”
SOLIDARITY WITH MEN
The Son was obliged to be made like his
brethren “IN EVERY WAY.” For him to become the “merciful and faithful
high priest,” it was necessary to have the same nature and experiences
as them.
Solidarity with humanity is mandatory for
the office of the High Priest since he represents men before God, therefore, he
must be one with them. Under the Levitical code, faithfulness was vital
to the proper performance of the priestly service - (1 Samuel 2:35, Hebrews
8:3).
As our high priest, Jesus expiates
the sins of his people (hilaskesthai). The Greek term rendered “sins”
is in the accusative case since it is the direct object of the verb hilaskesthai
or “expiate.” And what he “expiated” were the sins that separated
men from God. More specifically, he removed the uncleanness, the stain caused
by sin that left men unclean and defenseless in the presence of God. Thus, Jesus
“achieved the purification of sin.”
The passage presents four reasons why it
was necessary for him to receive the same sentence of death as humanity. First,
to experience death on behalf of others. Second, to bring God’s “many sons
to glory.” Third, to achieve victory over the Devil and liberate believers
from the tyranny of death. And fourth, to qualify him as the faithful and
compassionate high priest of his “brethren.”
Unlike Adam and all other men, Jesus did
not violate the commandment of God, and so he was without “blemish.” But
in all other respects, he was as human as the next man. Because he suffered as
all men do, only “apart from sin,” he became qualified to be our “faithful
and sympathetic high priest.”
