Hebrews 7:23-25 – Jesus’ Priesthood Is Greater Than Aaron’s Part 4

Jesus’ Priesthood is Permanent: he is able to save completely

Session 20 – August 28, 2020 – Men’s Morning Hebrews Haverim

Our Men’s Haverim group is reading through and discussing the book of Hebrews during the months of August and September. For more information, see this blog post.

23 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

Hebrews 7:23-25 New International Version

Summary:

• The author of Hebrews continues his argument by pointing our two key differences between the priesthoods of Aaron and Jesus.
• First, there were many Levitical priests because they could only serve until death and were then replaced. Jesus lives forever, so his priesthood is permanent.
• Second, Jesus is able to completely provide salvation since he always intercedes for us.

Other Thoughts:

• The author is coming to his closing argument on Jesus’ superiority to Aaron.
• The description of the sacrifices to be made on the Day of Atonement are described in Leviticus 16. First, Aaron had to sacrifice a bull for his own sin, then a goat for the sin of the people, then pray over a live goat (the “scapegoat”) to take away the sins of the people. This ritual carried on through the high priests one after another since all of them died leaving another to be appointed. Jesus, however, lives forever and instead of sacrifices of bulls and goats, he intercedes for us.
• Jesus is an advocate for us (1 John 2:1), always interceding for us (Romans 8:34). On the night before his crucifixion, he prayed an intercessory prayer for us (John 17:9, 15).
• Jesus’ sacrifice was complete, where the sacrifice of animals by human priests could never be complete. We need to put our faith in Jesus because he completed the sacrifice needed for our salvation and now is interceding for us in all things. Too often we want to put our faith in things that don’t last or will let us down: finances, family, politics, church, sports, relationships. Where we put our faith is very important.
• Are you putting your faith in what’s permanent and complete, or in things that are only temporary and incomplete?