Dr. Barclay with Something to Think About - HE SAT

 HE SAT

Perhaps the most important person in the hierarchy of the Jewish religion, during the time of the Old Testament, was the High Priest. He was the leader of the religion as well as being a powerful political figure. It was he who was in charge of the temple and of the sacrifices and who, once per year, entered the Holy of Holies to make amends for the sins of the people. He was considered the intermediary between the people and God and was someone whose work never seemed to be completed.

In the New Testament, Jesus is considered to be the High Priest for His followers. Hebrews puts it this way: “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.” (Hebrews 4:14)* It goes on to say: “For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

This means that while Christ, as our high priest, had all the feelings and emotions that we have, He remained free from sin. This is unlike the high priests in Old Testament times who continually had to make intercessions for their own sins before they could do so on behalf of their people. Frequently, year after year, he would have to make sacrifices to cover his own misdoings before making similar reparations on behalf of the Jewish nation. It is no wonder he remained so busy keeping up with the needs of his followers.

This perhaps explains why, in all the furnishings in the temple, there was no chair, no place to sit, no place to rest himself, but instead he had to constantly remain standing to continue to perform his priestly duties. “…the priests went always into the first tabernacle…But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people” (Hebrews 9:6-7). “For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices…” (Hebrews 8:3).

But Christ came as “an High Priest of good things to come…by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us…And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” (Hebrews 9:11-12,15) “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many” (Hebrews 9:28). 

The high priest had to repeat his work many times and over many years but Christ did it once, and as He said: “It is finished” (John 19:30). Then He “…sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12).

Isn’t it nice to know that everything has been done for us and we just have to accept it? There really is nothing more you have to think about.

*All scripture is from KJV