14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Hebrews 4:14-16
I used to work as a software developer. My main task is to design and create software applications for clients. Sometimes I work alone or with a team based on the project size and the budget. Before releasing the software, we programmers send it to the quality control department. They sent back to us with a report and we programmers must fix the errors listed on the report. After fixing the bugs, we ask them to test it again and we get another testing report. Until unless it is not approved by the quality control team, we cannot release the application. Even after its release, many times we will get errors. So as a developer, our main task is to design, create, and fix the mistakes of software.
Earthly High Priests
The author of the Hebrews calls Jesus as a Great High Priest. Who are these high priests and what they do? The high priest office started with Aaron (Exodus 28-29) and God established it. As we all know that Aaron was the brother of Moses. Then Eleazar, Aaron’s son, next Phinehas, Eleazar’s son, … then Eli, Ahimelech… the high priest position goes all the way to the New Testament. We can see Annas (Luke 3:2; John 18:13, 24; Acts 4:6), Caiaphas (Matt. 26:57; John 18:13), and Ananias (Acts 23:2; 24:1). There are three levels of priesthood. The highest level is hight priest, then priests, they assist the Hight priest, then Levites, they help the priests. In the Mosaic or Levitic institute, there is only one high priest.
The Most Holy Place
In the holy tent, or in the temple, there are two rooms. The first room is called a holy place and the second room is called holy of holies or the most holy place or the inner sanctorium. High priests do have specific tasks. People are not allowed inside the holy place, only priests and Levites were allowed. But only the high priest can enter into the holy of holies on the Day of Atonement once a year (Leviticus 16:1-25).
What is Atonement?
Atonement is an animal sacrifice ransomed the sinner from the death which the sinner deserved. The animal became the believer’s substitute and lost its life in order for the sinner to live. On the day of atonement, once a year, the high priest enters into the most holy place and sacrifices for the whole nation and for himself.
Mosaic High Priests vs Jesus the High Priest
| Levitical High Priests | Reference | Jesus the High Priest |
|---|---|---|
| many in number | Hebrews 7:23–24 | one |
| temporary | Hebrews 7:23–24 | permanent and eternal |
| sinners who had to offer sacrifices for their “own sins” | Hebrews 7:26–27 | holy, innocent; offers sacrifice only for others |
| had to sacrifice “daily” | Hebrews 7:27 | sacrificed “once for all” |
| offered sacrificial animals | Hebrews 7:27; 9:11–14 | “offered up himself” |
| entered the holy places through a man-made tent and by means of the blood of goats and calves | Hebrews 9:11–12 | entered the holy place of the presence of God and by means of his own blood |
What makes Jesus a Great high priest?
First of all, He passed or gone through the heavens, which reminds us that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God the Father (Hebrews 1:3). Not only that His high priest role united with his position as God’s unique son. High Priests who existed before they died, but He is a permanent, heavenly, and eternal High Priest.
Second, Jesus sympathizes with our weaknesses since he is fully human and tempted in every aspect, but never gave in for temptations and remained sinless. He experienced humanness without any compromise on his obedience (Hebrews 2:14-18). The readers of this book are familiar with abuses of High Priesthood in Jerusalem. Unlike them, Jesus is truly the Holy High Priest.
Next, we can approach God with confidence toward the throne of grace. Here the throne of grace implies the presence of God. The ark of the covenant is symbolized as God’s throne in the Old Testament (2 Samuels 6:2; Psalms 80:1; 99:1; Is. 37:16). The ark was unapproachable, secluded in the most holy part of the temple, which even the high priest could approach only once a year. Hight Priests entered into the holy place by the means of the blood of goats and calves. In the next chapter Hebrews 5, it becomes very clear that Jesus entered the holy place of the presence of God by offering Himself as a sacrifice and shed His sinless blood. Other high priests have to sacrifice every day, but Jesus sacrificed once for all.
HIGH PRIEST OFFICE HOLDERS
Aaron (Exodus 28-29)
Eleazar (Numbers 3:4; Deuteronomy 10:6)
Phinehas (Joshua 22:13-32; Judges 20:28)
Eli (1 Samuel 1:9; 2:11)
Ahimelech (1 Samuel 21:1-2; 22:11)
Abiathar (2 Samuel 20:25; 1 Kings 2:26-27)
Zadok (1 Kings 2:35; 1 Chronicles 29:22)
Azariah (1 Kings 4:2)
Amariah (2 Chronicles 19:11)
Jehoiada (2 Kings 11:9-10, 15; 12:7, 9-10)
Azariah (2 Chronicles 26:20)
Uriah (2 Kings 16:10-16)
Hilkiah (2 Kings 22:10, 12, 14; 22:4, 8; 23:4)
Seraiah (2 Kings 25:18)
Joshua (Haggai 1:1, 12, 14; 2:2, 4; Ezra 3; Zechariah 3:6-7; 4:14; 6:9-15)
Eliashib (Nehemiah 3:1, 20)
Simon the Just (Sirach 50:1-21)
Onias III (1 Maccabees 12:7; 2 Maccabees 3:1)
Jason (2 Maccabees 4:7-10, 18-20; 4 Maccabees 4:16)
Menelaus (2 Maccabees 4:23-26)
Alcimus (1 Maccabees 7:9)
Jonathan Maccabee (1 Maccabees 10:20; 14:30)
Simon Maccabee (1 Maccabees 14:20, 23)
John Hyrcanus (1 Maccabees 16:23-24)
Annas (Luke 3:2; John 18:13, 24; Acts 4:6)
(Joseph) Caiaphas (Matthew 26:57; John 18:13)
Ananias (Acts 23:2; 24:1)
Takeaway
Sometimes, I wonder what if there is software, we install it only once, with no more errors and no future updates, a perfect application. In our lives, we are anxious and confused with uncertainty in our lives and the problems we are facing. For example, I have no clue about the current COVID-19 scenario, when will the life back to normal and I never cracked the code of developing perfect software either. We are always looking for a perfect solution.
But the truth is we know that we have the high priest Jesus, who is the perfect, sinless, heavenly and compassionate, most importantly, he seated beside the throne of God and mediates and prays to His Father for us. In that confidence, we can approach God anytime and enjoy Him amidst our weaknesses, disobedience, anxieties, failures, and various needs.
In the Old Testament, believers were not allowed to enter the holy place. But We Christians have the privilege to approach God anytime through Jesus. Christ has opened full access to all his followers (Hebrews 10:19-20).
Once again, we have the eternal, holy, and compassionate High Priest Jesus, who is also God’s lamb. God bless you all, Amen!