The Finished Word

Jesus is the High Priest of the Heavenly Sanctuary “made without hands” foreshadowed by the Tabernacle in the wilderness . Jesus is our glorious High Priest who serves in the “ True Tent pitched by the Lord and not man ,” the greater tabernacle and place of worship foreshadowed by the religious structures and rituals of Israel. The Son of God has become our “ priest forever ” who ministers for us “ at the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens ” – (Hebrews 8:1-2).

Jesus is the High Priest of the greater sanctuary “made without hands” foreshadowed by the Ancient Tabernacle . Jesus is the High Priest who serves in the “ True Tabernacle pitched by the Lord and not man ” and foreshadowed by the religious structures and rituals of Ancient Israel.  The Son of God has become our “ priest forever ” who ministers for us “ at the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens ” – (Hebrews 8:1-2).

Having achieved the purification of sins, Jesus sat down at the right hand of God, where he now intercedes for us as our faithful High Priest . A key point of the  Letter to Hebrews  is Christ’s victory over sin for his people and his consequent exaltation to the “ right hand ” of God as their High Priest. Jesus secured what none of his predecessors could ever do. Through his “ once for all ” sacrifice, he “ achieved the purification of sins ” and “ sat down ” in the “ true and greater Tabernacle ” where he now intercedes for us.

God has spoken His definitive word in His Son. All previous words given by the prophets were preparatory, promissory, and partial . The  Letter to the   Hebrews  encourages us not to abandon Jesus when difficult times come. It does so by emphasizing the superiority of what God has done in His “ Son .” The Word “ spoken ” in Jesus is superior to the earlier revelations provided “ to the fathers in the prophets .” The Letter compares the Levitical system with its incomplete rituals to the “ better ” priesthood and “ once for all ” sacrifice of the “ Son ,” Jesus Christ.

In John’s Gospel, Jesus is the true Tabernacle where the presence and glory of God dwell. Unlike the ancient structure with its inner sanctuary that only the high priest could enter, and only once each year on the Day of Atonement, His glory is manifested in Jesus Christ for all men to see forevermore. No longer is His presence limited by physical walls, geographic boundaries, or the calendar. In the Nazarene, the Father and Creator of all things is worshipped anywhere and anytime, only now “ in spirit and truth .”

Jesus inaugurated the superior New Covenant through his Death and Resurrection, rendering the old covenant obsolete  – Hebrews 8:6-13. The definitive “ Word ” that God has spoken “ in the Son ” surpasses all past revelations made in “ the prophets ,” including Moses, the Great Lawgiver. Only Jesus “ achieved the purification of sins ,” therefore, he “ sat down ” at the right hand of God as our Great High Priest and instituted the long-promised “ New Covenant .”

Foundational to the  Letter to the Hebrews  is the appointment of Jesus as our High Priest, and this was due especially to his obedience “ unto death ” whereby he achieved the “ purification of sins .” In his sufferings, he was “ perfected ,” and in his resurrection, God vindicated his sacrifice by seating him at the “ right hand of the Majesty on High ,” where he now sits enthroned interceding on our behalf. The stress is not on his position as the Royal Son, as true as that is, but on his priestly status and ministry for his people.