Between the Lines

Jesus is….

Savior, Lord, Redeemer, Lamb, Shepherd, King, God, Friend, Mediator, Light, Rock, Teacher, Bread of life, The Vine.

• Hebrews talks about Jesus being our High Priest.
• Why does it matter that we know about Him as our High Priest?

We need someone to go to God for us (a mediator).

We can know during our everyday life that He has our back.

What did the High Priest do?

               Entered the most Holy of Holies to atone for the sins of the people with a sacrifice.

               Was a mediator between man and God.

Who is He? And What does He do For Us?

Hebrews 7:24-27

Who is He?

Hi-lite

• :24 “continues forever” and “unchangeable priesthood”
• :26 “High Priest”, “fitting for us”, “holy”, “harmless”, “undefiled”, “separate from sinners”, “higher than the heavens.”           

What does He do for Us?

• :25 Circle “Therefore” and draw an arrow to verse 24.
• :25 Hi-lite in another color “able to save to the uttermost”, “lives to make intercession for us.”
• :27 Underline “does not need daily”, “to offer up sacrifices”, “for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.”

Romans 8:34 Our intercessor (someone who confers with or entreats).

• Circle the question mark.
• Hi-lite “Christ who died”, “risen”, “at the right hand of God”, “makes intercession for us”.
• Underline “makes intercession for us.”

Hebrews 8:1-3

• Underline “this is the main point” and put a note in the margin saying, “refers to chapter 7.”

Who is He?

• Circle “We have such a High Priest.”
• Hi-lite “seated at the right hand of the throne”, “minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle”, “appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices”, “have something to offer.”
• Next to “have something to offer” write “Himself!”

Hebrews 4:14-16 (previously marked verse 16)

Who is He?

• Hi-lite “passed through the heavens” (not mortal man), “Jesus the Son of God”, “tempted in all points like we are”, “without sin.”

What does He do for us?     

• Underline “we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses.”

What do We do?

• Circle “Let us.”
• Underline “hold fast our confession.”  To Hold fast means don’t let go or discard, keep carefully and faithfully.

Hebrews 10:19-22

• Circle “therefore” and draw an arrow to verse 18.

Who is He?

• Hi-lite “High Priest over the house of God.”

What does He do for us?

• Underline “a new and living way which He consecrated for us,” (Consecrated to be renewed, dedicated, inaugurated, initiated)

What do We do?

• Circle “let us.”
• Hi-lite in another color “draw near”, “true heart”, “full assurance of faith.”                          

Hebrews 2:17-18

• Circle “therefore” and draw an arrow to verse 16.

Who is He?

• Hi-lite “made like His brethren”, “merciful and faithful High Priest”, “He Himself has suffered, being tempted.”

What does He do for us?

• Hi-lite in another color “make propitiation for the sins of the people” (propitiation means a covering or appeasement), “able to aid those who are tempted.”

Hebrews 5:5-10

• Hi-lite “Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: “You are my son”, “called by God as High Priest.”

Who is He?

• Underline “the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,”
• Put a bracket around verse 7 and 8 and write in the margin “Jesus the man.”

Hebrews 9:11-15

• Underline “for this reason”(verse 15) and draw an arrow to verse 11.
• Hi-lite “Christ came as High Priest”, “with His own blood”, “the blood of Christ”, “cleanse your conscience from dead works”, “He is the Mediator of the new covenant.”
• Circle “receive the promise.”
• Notice what is eternal: Underline “eternal redemption”, “the eternal Spirit”, “eternal inheritance.”
• Circle “if” and write “then” over the word “how much more.”

Note about “the eternal Spirit” in verse 14 from Coffman’s Commentary, Hebrews 9:1, Studylight.org.

“The eternal Spirit” is that divine element of the life of Christ, distinct from the human nature which he assumed.

The argument here is that Christ’s offering is superior to that of the old covenant by the same measure which values the blood of a man more than that of an animal; yes, even more, in that Christ was not merely a MAN, but the holy and perfect God-man himself. There are other points of superiority. Whereas animals were sacrificed without their consent, Christ consented to be the victim for man’s sins. Animals were offered by others; Christ offered himself. Moreover, the wonderful offering of Christ was by the purpose and consent of the eternal Spirit, not the Holy Spirit as usually understood, but the pre-existent, eternally divine Spirit of Christ himself which he had before the world was, and which during his earthly ministry was conjoined with his human nature. This distinction between the flesh of Christ and his Spirit appears in three other New Testament references, Romans 1:3-4; 1 Timothy 3:16; and 1 Peter 3:18.

A Sacrifice for Our Sins

Hebrews 9:24-26

• Circle “for”, this is explaining the verses that came before.
• Hi-lite “not that He should offer Himself often”, “He then would have had to suffer often”, “He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.”
• Circle “once.”
• Underline “not” and “every year with blood of another.”
• Put brackets around “now to appear in the presence of God for us.”

Hebrews 10:10-12

• Underline “every priest”, “ministering daily”, “offering repeatedly”, “same sacrifices.”
• Hi-lite “which can never take away sins.”
• Circle “but” (notice the contrast).
• Circle “this Man.”
• Hi-lite in another color “offered one sacrifice for sins forever.”
• Where is our High Priest now?  Underline “sat down at the right hand of God.”

Hebrews 13:8

• Hi-lite the whole verse.

Colossians 2:9-10 -We are complete in Him.

• Hi-lite “you are complete in Him.”
• Underline “in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;”

Having a High Priest was key in the spiritual life of the Hebrew. It was a foreign concept to the Gentiles. The Hebrews writer helps in understanding the concept and makes Christ’s death so much more meaningful. The idea of Christ as a sacrifice makes no sense unless we have some understanding of the Old Testament worship.