He is able to save to the uttermost
Sat, 12 November, 2005: Today’s Bible readings.
23 The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
26 For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27 He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. 28 For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.
The author to the Hebrews is teaching us that Jesus Christ is our great High Priest. The problem is that Jesus Christ was not from the tribe of Levi. He was not eligible to be a priest; He was from the tribe of Judah. And so the author explains for us the importance of Psalm 110:4 where the Psalmist says: The LORD has sworn
and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”
Jesus is the fulfillment of Psalm 110. He is the Priest in the order of Melchizedek. He is the Priest who is holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, He doesn’t need to offer any sacrifice for Himself.
What do we learn from this?
We can have a great confidence in our salvation. Our High Priest continues forever. He saves to the uttermost all those who come to Him in faith. What a great comfort that is.
Where is Christ in this passage?
Our great High Priest is not like the priests of the Old Covenant. They offered animals for their own sins, and then for the sins of the people. They were sinners themselves, and they would die and have to be replaced by a new priest who likewise was a sinner and would die and need to be replaced. It was a perpetual cycle of killing animals and replacing high priests.
But that cycle ended with the new priesthood of Jesus Christ. As the great High Priest in the order of Melchizedek, and also the perfect sacrifice, He offered Himself for His people. His one sacrifice saves to the uttermost. We no longer have to bring the endless string of animals that only pointed to the Perfect Sacrifice to come.
And as Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead and lives even now as our great High Priest, He allways lives to make intercession for us.
