Hebrews 5:1

Hebrews 5:1

Our High Priest

This opening verse of chapter 5 describes 3 facets of the high-priestly office. Firstly, these men had to be “selected from among the people.”  Their life, their devotion, their wisdom and their experience raised them above their contemporaries in the minds of the worshippers. Of course, as is the way of human successions, it became who you knew and how wealthy and influential you were! Politics got in the way – doesn’t it always? 

The role of High Priest was appointed to represent the people before God, thus the closer to the Lord a priest became, the better he could fulfil His calling. He was the go-between, the only man in the entire nation who had the right to approach the Lord God on behalf of everyone. Later in verse 4 we will see that there was another qualification, this calling must also come from God. What was the principal function of a High Priest? It was to offer gifts to the Lord and to offer sacrifices for sins. God has always been concerned about our sins and how these could be atoned for. 

Men (and women) are still elevated to these highest roles today, the Christian Church loves to have human dignitaries who fit the role, be it a pope or an archbishop and so on. The Bible does not teach this, there can only be one High Priest and He is human, but He is also God and His name is Jesus Christ. He was appointed by God, He was empowered by God, and no one has the right to stand in His place or to replicate His status or His function. God help those who think that they can take this role! The only ones who need a human High Priest are those who do not know the heavenly One! Christ is the head of the church. Colossians 1:18. It is to Him we look for leadership and example. The truth is that the church has become lazy, it’s so much easier to appoint others to do the job of intercession, to study and teach the Word and to carry out the work of caring for the masses and preaching to the lost. What has happened to the Biblical teaching that we are ALL priests and empowered to be God’s representatives in the world? That is why Jesus sent His Holy Spirit so that He is not some kind of antiquated, unapproachable, figure from history, He is our High Priest, and every believer has a role as a priest serving under Him. This is so clear from Scripture and yet few churches accept it.  He is alive! He is present! He is fulfilling His role, and He expects His people to fulfil theirs. Come on, wake up and start to take up your place as a functioning priest in the Temple of the Lord! 

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