“[T]hat he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God…”

Have you ever noticed that sometimes it’s the simplest, most mundane things that have the greatest significance?  That’s the way it is for this focus, Jesus being our high priest.  We’ll get to that shortly.

When we talk about priests, lots of things probably come to our minds.  One is that many, if not most, religions, both past and present, have religious leaders that are called priests.  Think Catholic priests, Buddhist priests, Druid priests, Hindu priests, Jewish priests, Baha’i priests, etc.  We even find a “holy” and “royal” priesthood mentioned in the New Testament (1 Peter 2:5, 9), which includes every believer.  Put that on your résumé the next time you’re looking for a job or wanting to teach Sunday School!

The primary job of a priest is to intercede between two parties.  In religion that usually means carrying out the duties of god/the gods/the spirits.  It doesn’t include intercession in the way we normally think of it because non-Christian gods tend not to be personal or have personality.  Thus it’s difficult to say in the least trying to intercede for a force or “higher power” or principle or lifeless idol.  In Christianity, however, it means interceding for mankind and God.  And they can only do this because of the work of their High Priest, Jesus.

In the Old Testament the high priest was above and responsible for all the other priests.  He oversaw priestly operations and did the things only a high priest could do, most notably, offer the yearly sacrifices for the sins of the Jewish nation.  Only he could enter the Tabernacle and go behind the veil with the blood of the lamb slain for the people.  Every detail had to be in order, all the way down to their attire and the smallest of details.  Death waited for those who cut corners or had a simple lapse of memory.  Other priests attending the high priest made sure that every detail was covered.

The book of Hebrews has much to say in numerous chapters about Jesus our High Priest.  We see the first mention of this title in 2:17-18: “For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.  Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”  Here intercession is front and center.  Jesus, “who, being in very nature God” (Philippians 2:6), was “made like his brothers.”  Right there we see his perfect capacity to be “the one mediator between God and men” (1 Timothy 2:5).  And he became “a merciful and faithful high priest.”  Faithful because he came “to fulfill [the Law and the Prophets]” (Matthew 5:17).  Faithful because he “went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness” (Matthew 9:35).  Faithful because in the garden he said, “Yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39).  Faithful because on the cross, Jesus said of those who crucified him, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).  His faithfulness to God (Hebrews 3:2) proved that “we have [a high priest] who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15) and qualified him to be merciful to his brothers.  And when they accepted his mercy, he made them priests under him as their high priest.

Now, what about this mundane/profound thing?  Here we go.  A priest serves by standing:  “Day after day every priest sands and performs his religious duties (Hebrews 10:11).  In contrast, Jesus’ most important high priestly work was on the cross.  After he arose, he ascended into heaven.  Entering the presence of the Father, he said to his Son, “Sit down.”  Sit down!  Mission accomplished!  “But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God” (v. 12).  What victory this simple act shouts!  This high priest’s work “is finished” (John 19:30)!  Our salvation complete, our priesthood realized, our family member status secured, our forgiveness granted, our destiny safe, our heavenly home waiting.

Our High Priest, now at the right hand of God, oversees and guides his priests to intercede for those who still have the life of breath within them.  As you serve God, are you standing or sitting?