THE APOSTLE AND HIGH PRIEST
Thursday – Aug 24, 2017
Welcome back to this wonderful Bible Study from the Book of Hebrews. God is so good. Do you ever feel like this racoon hanging on for dear life? Of course, all of us who call Jesus Lord know exactly what I am talking about. Fortunately, we have the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus who are way smarter than our spiritual adversaries. This racoon is climbing up one leg of the deer feeder we had in Texas to steal corn. Not a whole lot unlike the devil who comes but to steal, kill, and destroy. Now let’s turn to our Bible Study text.
Hebrews 3:1-3 (KJV)
1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.
We are not just called to make Heaven our home but to obey our calling in the Kingdom of God, the body of Christ, which comes from Heaven. As sons of God we are called to promote the family name and enlarge the Kingdom. As we study our text we are asked to “consider the Apostle and High Priest”. The word ‘consider’ is interesting. According to The Complete Word Study Dictionary – New Testament synonyms include: to learn thoroughly or consider accurately; to perceive fully; discern; to apprehend, comprehend, or perceive. However, the one antonym given is: to disobey. So, considered as a whole we should conclude that not only are we to learn thoroughly and accurately about our Apostle and High Priest, Christ Jesus but we are to obey (antonym of disobey) the Apostle and High Priest, Christ Jesus. It seems to me that we could accurately substitute the word ‘obeying’ in place of ‘consider’. To obey the Word of God is loving God.
An apostle is one who is set apart, one who is sent out, a messenger, and an ambassador. Jesus (the Word) was set apart from God to come into the earth as a very special messenger indeed. He was not only set apart but sent out with a message of reconciliation (message of an ambassador) to God. He not only spoke the message but He was the message. He was the lamb of God that paid the price of all sin and removed the sin barrier providing a path back to fellowship with God for each of us. The same fellowship that Adam had in the beginning is now available to each one of us.
As we look at the recorded lives of other apostles in Scripture like Paul we see that an apostle comes with messages of edification, clarification of doctrine, illumination of sin in the Church, and correction. Apostles at the time of Jesus and beyond to this very time are appointed by Jesus and are His special ones set aside to bring a message and a reconciliation of various factions in the Church to God. The one being sent is of lesser rank than the one sending. So, Apostles as we see them in the Bible and today are of a lesser rank than Jesus just as Jesus in the role and rank of Apostle was inferior to the Father. An interesting point you may have already thought about is this mixing of apostle and ambassador. Every Christian is an ambassador for Christ but we would not all be considered Apostles. Apostles are sent by God to various Churches and if authentic (the apostle) are to bring correction and realignment with the mission of Heaven. An ambassador would not be sent to bring correction in doctrine or to the leadership of the Church.
Now what about Christ Jesus as High Priest? Notice there is a little word inserted between Priest and Christ that being profession. The Greek word transliterated to English is homologia according to Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary. I think you will recognize that this is a compound word with ‘homo’ meaning ‘same’ and ‘logia’ meaning ‘word’. Our take away message from this is that when we are saying what He says then we get the full force of His Apostleship, His work as our High Priest, and as Christ Jesus in our lives. And remember this is in the context of our obeying (Bible love) the Apostle, the High Priest, and obeying Christ Jesus. The word ‘Christ’ includes the leadership, the direction, the teaching, the gifting of the Holy Spirit. Remember, the sons of God are led of the Spirit of God. Those who are led by others spurning the Holy Spirit are not sons but little children. They may think they are doing a bang-up job for God when in reality they are rebellious little children.
The High Priest function starting with Aaron (Moses’ brother a Levite) is explained in some detail in the Pentateuch especially Leviticus the sixteenth chapter. Priests from among men perform duties or ministry before God on the behalf of other men. In the Tabernacle and later in the Temple the High Priest would sacrifice an innocent animal and take its blood to the mercy seat in the Most Holy Place for his sin, those of his family, other Levites, and for the people. There was also a scapegoat and Jesus was certainly our scapegoat. He took our punishment in our place. Jesus allowed Himself to be made sin for the joy set before Him. His innocent blood and the Words of His testimony brought Him out of Hell by the Hand of Justice having paid the price of sin (spiritual and physical death). His sacrifice that day like with the priests of old blotted out all the sins laid upon Him unjustly simultaneously blotting out all of our sins. The sins laid upon Jesus that day at Calvary were our sins since He was sinless. The only sin that sends a person to Hell is the rejection of the Holy Spirits calling us to Christ. Sin subsequent to salvation is discussed in 1 John the first chapter. Christ confirmed the New (Blood) Covenant that day, obtaining an eternal redemption for all who will receive it. As we end for today let’s take a moment to meditate the following passage.
Hebrews 5:1-6 (KJV)
1 For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:
2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.
3 And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.
4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Until our next publication, I speak blessing into your life right now, receive it in the name of Jesus, confess it, and walk it out with thanksgiving.
Numbers 6:24-26 (KJV)
24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
CONTACT E-MAIL: pastordavidwood@gmail.com
MAILING ADDRESS: 3 Rosswood Green Lane, Unit Two, Oakland, Maine 04963
