Hebrews: The New Covenant Administration of Christ Max A Forsythe (c) Anno Domini 2003

From the Pulpit at Pilgrim's Rest Presbyterian Church in America

A Permanent Mediator
For the Lord’s Day:  the 14^th of December 2003

Hebrews 7: 23-25

“The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever.  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. ”

Introduction:  I know that I have been using several different monetary models and metaphors to illustrate the arguments for the superiority of Christ over the Old economy.  With the hope of not overly repeating myself, let me give one more such example.  One of the limitations of any paper currency is the truly limited duration for which it will last.  Of course, like good books printed on non-acidic paper with the proper ink – four hundred to five hundred years is a possible life span, but that is without much ongoing use.  The paper we have in circulation lasts at most seven years if it is used consistently, and that is a generous number.  But suppose you have a fire and your mattress account goes up in smoke?  Unless you have at least a third or better quarter of a note left – it will be just your tough luck!

However, if you have hidden away in a lock box any real silver or gold coin – heat may melt that coin somewhat – but still you will have the necessary ounces to have recast in a new and viable form.  Thus, any precious metal coins have a much longer life-span.  We are still digging up funds from antiquity on shore and under the sea.  And the tombs of kings have long been looted for the precious metals that can be melted down and recast in more modern and usable form.  Time was – in the Middle Ages, when the wealthy would have their gold and silver turned into candle sticks, silver ware or changed back into expendable form.  Of course, we must understand the actual limitations of the monetary molecules – they too can be consumed and mixed with ash and smoke if the fire be hot and long enough.  Nothing after all in this old world is absolutely permanent unless it comes from the imperishable heavenly world.

It is to this end that John Owen argues our three points for today:  the author “shows first the state of the Levitical priests because of their mortality; second, the condition of Christ’s priesthood because of his immortality; and third, the results that stem from Christ’s priesthood being forever.”

Development:  And this first fact of mortality is precisely the argument of our author here regarding the superiority of Jesus Christ as priest to the countless generations of priests in the houses of Aaron and Levi.  F.F. Bruce well notes:  “It has already been pointed out that our Lord’s indissoluble life makes it possible for Him to fulfil to the letter the words ‘Thou art a priest for ever’.”  Bruce goes on to argue that even a dynasty of priests must be difficult to continue indefinitely.  “In generation after generation the high priest died and his office passed to another, until in all (so Josephus reckons) eighty-three high priests officiated from Aaron to the fall of the Second Temple in AD 70.”  But there it all ended within the Lord’s providence and higher purpose!

John Brown warns us that “this constant change of priests, occasioned by death, showed ‘the weakness and unprofitableness’ of the Jewish priesthood; that it was of a temporal and worldly nature, subject to the law of mortality, and did not extend its influence to the concerns of ‘the world to come;’ and that all that depended on it was in a state of imperfection and mutability.”

And sadly, we have not even considered the viability of the long series of priests being able to maintain and correct doctrine beyond the mere formality and decorum of the ongoing sacrifices?  The prophets witness to the fact that even as all Israel was not saved – so too were there scandalous priests in the generational mix, with the last generations even participating in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.  However, ill advised their own personal preference in that matter may be – it seems to be a necessary and historic responsibility that the sacrifice of the real and true Lamb of God would fall into their hands.  At the very least, they did use hired mercenaries to do the ugly deed of crucifixion.  And in the last hour of that action, even the Roman officer in charge realized who the Lord Jesus Christ really was in fact!

And please, there is nothing anti-Semitic in so identifying their responsibility in the performance of that sacrifice – God the Father had ordained this from the foundation of the world.  And while the last generation of Jewish leaders were indeed culpable in the death of Christ – they in their God given roll were only representing the will and purpose of every son of Adam.  And with this final sacrifice, there was and remains no real purpose for any continuation of the Old Covenant ministry.

The second fact addressed here in our passage today is the eternity of our great High Priest:  Jesus Christ.  The fact of the immortality of Christ’s person is not necessarily proved here in this passage, but the correctness of that doctrine is certainly a bedrock assumption to be built upon.  We have only to return to the first chapter of Hebrews to be reminded that the person of Christ is, was and always will be eternal.  Later on in our study we shall come across the grand refrain that “Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever.”

What a contrast with the all too human order of Levitical priests?  Just as there are less honorable and gifted men in the long line of the American presidency, as well as in the crown heads over Great Britain and even in the High Priestly line of Israel, so on occasion much lesser men would attain any such office.  I am reminded of an aged deacon, who still remembered the first pastor who had led him to Christ.  He had continued to demonstrate the same affection to all the pastors who came afterwards, and it was only with some difficulty at the end of his life that he had to admit that there really were lesser men than that first one who had so vividly helped him focus his mind and heart on the Lord Jesus Christ.  In fact, he had to admit that there was at least one scoundrel who had served the pulpit and congregation to which he had devoted his life.  We have only to consider the lesser descendants of the Pilgrim churches who left everything every spiritual blessing behind in order to become Unitarian and Universalist!

This week, a commentator at WorldNetDaily posted an article entitled “The time of the elves is over.”  In it he compares the ending of Tolkien’s saga to the ongoing world order.  In his supposition: if the immortal elves of Tolkien’s can do so little to restrain evil, how much longer will the Lord allow the angelic hosts to contend with Satan’s minions?  Certainly the author’s theology may be faulted – but in raising the question, he does indeed demonstrate that it is only one who is “immortal, invisible and wise” who may at long last hold the salvation of God’s people in His hands.

F.F. Bruce encourages us with this observation:  Christ “would never have to hand [his priesthood] over to someone less well qualified to discharge its mediatorial functions.  Those who entrusted their cause to Him knew therefore that it was permanently secure in His hands.”

In the Gospel of John, the people come to the Lord of all the earth with this question:  “’We have hard from the Law that the Christ remains forever.  How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up?  Who is this Son of Man?’  So Jesus said to them, ‘The light is among you for a little while longer.  Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you.  The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.  While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.’” (John 12: 34-36a)

A little further on in the same chapter we read this:  “Many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.” (John 12: 42-43)

And so to this day, there are many who decline to believe that Christ exists beyond and above the temporal order.  They can conceive of only a human prophet, inspired perhaps – but expendable with the public announcement of any new prophets who may chance upon history.  Therein you have the many new religions who presume that mortality applies not only to themselves, but also to our own Christ.  The fading glory of the earth and the desires and wants of mere humanity still lead many to reject the One True God revealed eternally in Jesus Christ.

Application:  Our third point today is one that stands in eternity.  Precisely this is the impact of our last verse today.  “Consequently, [Christ] is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”   F.F. Bruce encourages us in the same vein:  “Those who have Christ as their high priest and mediator with God have in Him a Savior whose saving power is available without end, not liable to the mischances of mortal life.”

Raymond Brown shares a concept that the author who wrote about elves and angels needs to consider:  “The rabbis maintained that intercession on behalf of people was a ministry entrusted to the angels …  Here, yet again, Christ is portrayed as one who as priest exercises an intercessory role far superior to the angels in the Jewish tradition.  He intercedes for us meaningfully for, unlike the angels, he has first-hand experience of our trials.  He intercedes for us compassionately, for, unlike the angels, he knows exactly what we need.  He intercedes for us effectively, for, unlike the angels, he has the power to meet our need.”

And finally, we must consider the impact of the text as a whole.  F.F. Bruce again demonstrates the purpose of the text:  God “is no mediator in the ordinary sense, a go-between who places his good office at the disposal of two parties in the hope of bringing them to agreement.  He is the unique Mediator between God and man because He combines Godhead and manhood perfectly in His own person; in Him God draws near to men and in Him men may draw near to God, with the assurance of constant and immediate access.”

To this end, we must carefully consider the last line of our text where we read that Christ now lives to make intercession for us!  He is in heaven, He is at the right hand of God the Father, and He is praying for us day by day in order that we might do His will and demonstrate His life before the world.  This doctrine is also related by the Apostle Paul:  “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?  It is God who justifies.  Who is to condemn?  Christ Jesus is the one who died – more than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”  (Romans 8: 34-35)

Therefore, we may joyously conclude even as the Apostle urges us: to place our hope in Jesus Christ because He lives for us in heaven and there He prays for us day by day.  What better High Priest do we need than Him?  After all, the Old Covenant economy was concerned with sacrificing the blood of animals to atone for our sins.  That having been finally and permanently accomplished on the cross, now our Lord and Savior may attend to our daily work on His behalf and thereby He may rule of His Church, and His kingdom, world without end.  Amen.

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PREACHING RESOURCES

Brown, John.  A Geneva Series Commentary:  Hebrews.
Brown, Raymond.  The Bible Speaks Today:  The Message of Hebrews.
Bruce, F.F.  The Epistle to the Hebrews.
Owen, John:  Commentary on the Book of Hebrews.
The Holy Bible:  English Standard Version.

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