Topic: Jesus, the High Priest

Hebrews 4:14, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.”

To hold fast your confession is a call to not give up your faith because Jesus is the Son of God our testimony before God the Father.

You see, Jesus is not only your Priest—the one who cares for you and goes to God on your behalf; and Jesus is not only your High Priest—the head of all priests; Jesus is your GREAT High Priest! No other priest in the Bible was ever called GREAT. Only Jesus. And that’s because He far surpassed any High Priest in Israel’s history.

Only the High Priest could enter the holiest place in Israel’s Temple. It was called the Holy of Holies. It was separated from the rest of the temple by a thick curtain. It contained the Ark of God (the place where God chose to reveal His presence) so no one dared to even look at it, much less be in the same room with it. It was too dangerous! Some of those who had touched the Ark in the past didn’t live to talk about it.

Only the High Priest could go into the Holy of Holies once a year and only with the blood of an animal sacrifice to cover for his own sins and the sins of the Israelite people. Even then, the other priests tied a rope around his waist long enough for the other end of it to stick out from under the curtain. That way, if the High Priest died while in God’s presence, the other priests could pull him out without having to risk their own lives. Being a High Priest in Israel was an awesome responsibility and an awesome privilege.

However, Jesus has done much better than that. He didn’t go into a man-made temple on earth. He went into Heaven itself. And He didn’t bring with Him the blood of an animal sacrifice. He brought His own shed blood. He didn’t go to an Ark which only represented God’s presence. He went into the very presence of God Himself.

Jesus truly is the Great High Priest because He is the Son of God Himself, going into the very presence of God Himself, bringing His own shed blood to cover for the sins of the whole world (not just the Israelite people). Jesus truly is the Great High Priest, and He is YOUR Great High Priest if you have surrendered your life to Him.

So don’t quit. Hold fast your confession. Hang on to faith in Jesus for He is better than any earthly priest.

See you Sunday!

Dr. Scott Kalle