Jesus Is Better!

¹⁶ Jesus became a priest, not by meeting the physical requirement of belonging to the tribe of Levi, but by the power of a Life that cannot be destroyed….  ²⁴ But because Jesus lives forever, His Priesthood lasts forever. ²⁵ Therefore He (Jesus) is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through Him. He lives forever to intercede (petition, mediate) with God on their behalf. ²⁶ He is the kind of High Priest we need because He is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven. ²⁷ Unlike those other high priests, He does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They (other high priests) did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when He offered Himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins. ²⁸ The Law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the Law was given, God appointed His Son with an oath, and His Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever. Hebrews 7:16, 24-28, New Living Translation 2nd Edition

In Hebrews chapters 7 through 10, the unknown author of Hebrews explains why Jesus is BETTER than the Old Testament priesthood and Old Testament system of gifts and sacrifices. The Lord Jesus’ coming brought a BETTER or new covenant relationship between His Father, the living LORD God of heaven and earth, and ALL PEOPLE (e.g., see Hebrews 7:22; Hebrews 8:13). During His public ministry, the Lord Jesus announced His coming to earth was NOT to destroy nor cancel the Law of Moses and the Prophets but to fulfill the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17; see also Luke 24:25-27, 44-47; Romans 3:31). The Lord Jesus proclaimed like His Father the living LORD God that until heaven and earth pass away the Law and the Prophets will continue until the Law and the Prophets’ purposes are achieved and fulfilled at His Second Coming – Eschaton or End of the Age (Matthew 5:18; see also Psalm 119:89; Isaiah 40:8; Isaiah 55:11; Luke 16:17).

With the Lord Jesus’ first coming, the living LORD God appointed His Son our only perfect and eternal High Priest (Hebrews 7:15-16; see also Hebrews 3:1; Hebrews 7:11, 15, 17, 21, 24, 26; Hebrews 8:1; Hebrews 9:11). As our GREAT High Priest, the resurrected Jesus lives and reigns FOREVER (Hebrews 7:17, 20-21, 24-25, 28, see also Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 5:6, 10; Hebrews 6:20; 1 Peter 2:22). Now, the old system of priesthood based on the Levitical family lines with its various gifts and sacrifices have been set aside and canceled by the living LORD God because of His Son Jesus appointment as High Priest and Jesus’ final sacrifice to save the world from sin (Hebrews 7:11, 18, 25, 27; see also Romans 7:4-6; Romans 10:4; 2 Corinthians 3:7-11; Galatians 3:23-25; Hebrews 10:9-10).

Sadly, the old system did not work to remove our sins and declare us right with God permanently (Hebrews 7:11; Hebrews 9:9; see also Romans 3:20; Hebrews 10:11). This old priesthood system with its gifts and sacrifices were weak, powerless, and faulty for permanently saving and removing people’s sins (Hebrews 7:11-12, 18; Hebrews 8:7; see also Romans 8:3). Even more, the old priesthood system with its gifts and sacrifices never made anyone permanently right and reconciled with God (Hebrews 7:18-19; see also Galatians 2:16; Hebrews 9:9; Hebrews 10:1).

Under the old system, the sacrifices and gifts only temporarily cleansed the people’s sins (see Hebrews 9:13; Hebrews 10:4; e.g., see, Leviticus 16:14-16; Numbers 19:2, 17-18). Under the old covenant, the priest stood and ministered before the living LORD God day after day, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices again and again, which were powerless and weak to took away one’s sins and bring permanent forgiveness (Hebrews 7:27; Hebrews 10:1, 4, 11; see also Micah 6:6-7; Romans 8:3; Hebrews 5:1; Hebrews 9:9). Essentially, the old priesthood and sacrificial system were only a copy, shadow, and a foretaste of the BETTER things to come with our Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 8:5; Hebrews 9:11; Hebrews 10:1; see also Exodus 25:40; Colossians 2:17).

However, the living LORD God has provided a far BETTER hope, BETTER promises (covenant), and BETTER Priesthood through His Son Jesus (Hebrews 7:19, 22, 28; see also Hebrews 8:6). First of all, the Lord Jesus Christ makes EVERYONE acceptable, perfect, and righteous with His Father, the living LORD God, through faith in Him (Hebrews 7:19; see also Romans 3:24, 28; Romans 5:1; Ephesians 2:5, 8-9). Through our faith in Jesus, ANYONE, not just priests, can now draw near to the living LORD God of heaven and earth and find God’s grace and mercy (Hebrews 7:19, 25; see also John 14:6; Hebrews 4:16).

Best of all, the resurrected Jesus Christ saves completely, permanently, once and forever, ALL who repent and come to His Father, the living LORD God, through wholehearted faith in Him (Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 10:12; see also Luke 24:47; John 14:6; Acts 2:38; Acts 5:31; Acts 13:38-39). Truly, salvation is found in no one else other than Jesus our Lord and Savior (e.g., see Matthew 1:21; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; Acts 10:43)! Essentially, the Lord Jesus became the Source of salvation now and for all eternity for EVERYONE who REPENT and TURN AWAY from sin and TRUST and OBEY Him (Hebrews 5:9; see also Acts 20:21, 24; Acts 26:15-18, 20, Romans 6:1-2, 11, 13; 1 Corinthians 15:34; Titus 2:12; 1 Peter 2:24). Even more, the Lord Jesus assures all believers (disciples) who call on His Name in REPENTANCE and OBEDIENCE permanent forgiveness of sins with His Father, the living God (e.g., see Luke 8:21; Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; Acts 4:12; Acts 5:31; Acts 10:34-35; 43; Acts 13:38-39). Through our continual faith and obedience, Jesus Christ gives EVERYONE salvation FOREVER (e.g., see Hebrews 7:27; Hebrews 9:12). As God who became flesh – Divine, the Lord Jesus guarantees our forgiveness, reconciliation, and acceptance with His Father, the living God, when we trust and believe in Him (e.g., see John 1:1-2, 4, 12-13, 14; John 3:15-17, 36; John 14:6; Acts 10:43).

The Lord Jesus our Savior died and gave His life for ALL PEOPLE to bring God’s salvation (restoration, redemption, and renewal) both now and for eternity for all who believe and trust in Him (e.g., see Matthew 20:28; Romans 4:25; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, 17-18; Hebrews 9:28). The living LORD God of heaven and earth was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself and no longer counting people’s sins against them through faith in His Son (e.g., see 2 Corinthians 5:19). The living LORD God made His Son Jesus, who never sinned, to become our perfect sacrifice and offering for our sins, so that we could be made right with Him through our faith in His Son Jesus (e.g., see Romans 8:3; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 3:5).

Therefore, the Lord Jesus is exactly the kind of High Priest ALL PEOPLE need (see Hebrews 7:26). The Lord Jesus is holy, pure, and blameless, and unstained by sin and sinners (Hebrews 7:26, 28; see also Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22). Consequently, the living LORD God has given His Son, the resurrected Jesus, the place of highest honor in heaven (Hebrews 7:26; see also Hebrews 4:14).

As the sinless sacrifice, the Lord Jesus never needs to offer the daily blood of animal sacrifices, as other priests did, to cover over first their own sins and then the sins of the people (Hebrews 7:27; see also Hebrews 5:3). Under the old system, the Law appointed high priests who were limited by human weaknesses and sins, and these men could not keep themselves from doing sin and wrong (Hebrews 7:28; see also Hebrews 5:2). The resurrected Jesus finished and ended all such sacrifices, once and for all, when He entered the heavenly Tabernacle (Tent of Meeting) and sacrificed Himself for our sins and the sins of the whole world once and forever (Hebrews 7:27; see also John 1:29; Hebrews 9:12, 28; 1 Peter 2:24). The Lord Jesus as our High Priest offered Himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time (see Hebrews 10:12, 14). Through our faith in the Lord Jesus’ sacrifice, we as believers are declared holy (sanctified), righteous, and perfect in His Father’s eyes (Hebrews 5:9; Hebrews 10:10, 14; see also e.g., 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Because Jesus died once for all, He brought the priesthood and sacrificial system to an end (e.g., see Hebrews 7:18-19). Through His sacrificial death, Jesus brought in a better covenant – new covenant – for the permanent forgiveness of sins (e.g., see Matthew 26:28; Luke 22:20).

However, the living LORD God has appointed His Son Jesus, who is perfect and sinless, as our GREAT High Priest FOREVER (Hebrews 5:5-6, 9-10; Hebrews 6:20; Hebrews 7:17, 21, 24; 28; see also Psalm 2:7; Psalm 110:4). At His resurrection from complete death on Easter, the Lord Jesus ascended to the great and perfect Tabernacle in heaven to become our High Priest at the throne of grace FOREVER (e.g., see Isaiah 9:7; Hebrews 1:2; Hebrews 4:14-16; Hebrews 7:21, 28; Hebrews 9:11). Since the resurrected Jesus lives forever, He is always at His Father’s right hand making continual intercessions before His Father for us and to remind His Father the living God that He has paid for our sins with His precious blood (Hebrews 7:25; see also Mark 16:19; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 9:24; 1 John 2:1). No Old Testament priest ministered to God forever because each priest died and surrendered the office to his successor (e.g., see Hebrews 7:23-24). However, the Lord Jesus did not appoint Himself as High Priest, but He was appointed by His Father, the living LORD God of heaven and earth – Yahweh – by His oath (Hebrews 7:17, 21, 28; see also Hebrews 5:5-6, 9-10).

In summary and to make clear why Jesus is BETTER, the writer of Hebrews explains that the resurrected Jesus Christ is our GREAT High Priest (Hebrews 8:1; see also Hebrews 2:17-18; Hebrews 3:1). The resurrected Jesus lives in heaven at the place of greatest and highest honor at the right hand of His Majestic Father, the living LORD God – Yahweh (Hebrews 8:1; see also Mark 16:19; Ephesians 1:20; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3; Hebrews 8:1; Hebrews 12:2; 1 Peter 3:22). In heaven, the resurrected Jesus ministers, petitions, and intercedes for faithful believers to His Father in the heavenly Tabernacle (Hebrews 8:2; see also Romans 8:34; Hebrews 4:14; Hebrews 9:24). The heavenly Tabernacle is the true place of worship built by the Lord and not by human hands (Hebrews 8:2; see also Exodus 33:7; Hebrews 9:11).

And since every high priest of God is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices, the resurrected Jesus must make an offering too (Hebrews 8:3; see also Hebrews 5:1). The sacrifice of the resurrected Jesus offers far BETTER than those provided by the earthly priests (see Hebrews 8:4). With His own blood — not the blood of goats and calves, the Lord Jesus entered the Most Holy Place in the heavenly Tabernacle once for all time and secured all faithful believers’ redemption, righteousness, and deliverance not temporarily as the old system but FOREVER (Hebrews 7:27; Hebrews 9:11, 24; Hebrews 10:10; see also Acts 20:28; Romans 4:25; 1 Corinthians 6:20). The Lord Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection purchased our salvation FOREVER (e.g., see Romans 5:6, 8; Galatians 2:20). For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Jesus Christ offered Himself to His Father the living LORD God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins once and for all (Hebrews 9:14; see also Ephesians 5:2).

Importantly, the living LORD God has given His Son the resurrected Jesus a BETTER and new covenant (testament, agreement, or promises) that He makes available to ALL PEOPLE through faith in His Son Jesus (Hebrews 7:22; Hebrews 8:6; see also Luke 22:20). This new covenant contains BETTER and more wonderful promises than the old covenant that is mediated by the Lord Jesus (Hebrews 7:22; Hebrews 8:6, 8, 13; Hebrews 9:15; see also 1 Timothy 2:5). The new covenant with the living LORD God mediated by His Son Jesus is not a covenant of written laws, but of the eternal Holy Spirit that brings our new life and righteousness (Hebrews 8:8, 13; e.g., see Jeremiah 31:31-34; John 3:3-8, 15-17, 36; John 6:63; Romans 7:6; 2 Corinthians 3:6, 8-9; 2 Corinthians 5:17).

Through our faith in Jesus, the transforming ministry of the Holy Spirit writes God’s laws in our minds and hearts and gives us new desires and help want to obey the LORD God (Hebrews 8:10; see also Philippians 2:12-13). Under God's new covenant, the living LORD God’s eternal Law is written on our minds and hearts by His Holy Spirit and no longer on external wooden tablets (Hebrews 8:10-11; see also Jeremiah 31:31-34). Now, the Holy Spirit activates our internal hearts, minds, and motives that not only makes us want to obey God but HELPS us to obey God and His righteous laws. Even more, under the new covenant, the living God promises to be merciful and permanently forgive our wrongdoings and remember our sins no more (Hebrews 8:12; see also Hebrews 10:17)!

In the first covenant (Old Testament) between God and His people, there were rules, ordinances, and regulations for worship and there was a sacred Tent (also called Tabernacle) down here on earth where the living God dwelt amongst His people (Hebrews 9:1; see also Exodus 25:8). The living LORD God instructed His servant Moses on Mount Sinai to designed and construct the earthly Tabernacle exactly as the heavenly Tabernacle (Hebrews 8:2, 5; see also e.g., Exodus 25:8-9, 40; Exodus 26:30; Exodus 27:8; Exodus 39:32, 42-43; Numbers 8:4; Acts 7:44). The sacred Tent was later replaced by the Temple built by Solomon (First Temple) (see 1 Kings 5:1-9:10; 2 Chronicles 2-7). Then Solomon’s Temple was destroyed by the Babylonians (see 2 Kings 25:817), and then the Jews returning from Babylonian exile rebuilt the Jerusalem Temple  (Second Temple) (see Ezra 6:14-16).

Inside the Tabernacle and later the Temple, there were two rooms separated by large and heavy curtains that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (Hebrews 9:2; see also Exodus 26:1, 33). The first one room was called the Holy Place (sanctuary), and the Holy Place contained the golden candlestick and a table with special loaves of holy bread upon this table (see Hebrews 9:2). Then, there was a curtain, and behind the second large and heavy curtain was a room called the Holy of Holies – the Most Holy Place, Holiest of all (Hebrews 9:3; see also Exodus 26:31-33; Exodus 40:3, 21). Inside the Holy of Holies, there were a golden incense-altar and the golden chest, called the Ark of the Covenant (Hebrews 9:4; see also Exodus 26:31-33; Exodus 40:3, 21; Revelation 11:19).

The Ark of the Covenant was completely covered on all sides with pure gold (Hebrews 9:4; see also Exodus 25:10-22; Exodus 30:1-5). Inside the Ark of the Covenant was the tablets of stone with the Ten Commandments of God, a golden jar with some manna (heavenly bread), and Aaron’s wooden cane that budded in the wilderness (Hebrews 9:4; see also Exodus 16:33-34; Exodus 25:16, 21; Exodus 40:20; Numbers 17:10-11; Deuteronomy 10:2, 5; 1 Kings 8:9, 21; 2 Chronicles 5:10). Above the Ark of Covenant were statues of angels called the cherubim (Hebrews 9:5; see also Exodus 25:17-19). The cherubim were the guardians of God’s glory, and their wings stretched out over the Ark’s golden cover, which is called the mercy seat (Hebrews 9:5; see also Exodus 25:18-22; Leviticus 16:2; 1 Kings 8:6-7).

Every year, the earthly priests went in and out of the first room without restrictions to perform their daily ministerial duties (Hebrews 9:6; e.g., see, Numbers 18:2-6; Numbers 28:3). However, only the high priest went inside the second inner room, the Holy of Holies and only one time a year on the Day of Atonement (Hebrews 9:7; see also Exodus 30:10; Leviticus 16:15, 34; Hebrews 10:3). On the Day of Atonement, only the high priest entered the Holy of Holies (Hebrews 9:7; see also Leviticus 16:11-19).  The high priest always entered the Holy of Holies with blood that he sprinkled on the mercy seat as an offering to God to cover his own mistakes and sins and the errors and unintentional sins of the people (Hebrews 9:7; see also Hebrews 5:2-3).

Under the old covenant system, the common people could never go into the Holy of Holies (see Hebrews 9:8). Also, under the old covenant system, the priests and the people offered their gifts and sacrifices to God, but these gifts and sacrifices never cleansed the people’s hearts (Hebrews 9:9; see also Hebrews 7:19). Moreover, the old system dealt only with various external rituals, ceremonies, and food restrictions (Hebrews 9:10; see also Leviticus 11).

However, the resurrected Jesus has now come as our GREAT High Priest with a good and better system (Hebrews 9:11; see also Hebrews 2:17). The resurrected Jesus went into that perfect heavenly Tabernacle not made with human hands (Hebrews 9:11; see also John 2:19). Inside the heavenly Tabernacle, the resurrected Jesus has provided a final sacrifice – His body – inside the Holy of Holies and sprinkled the mercy seat with His own blood (Hebrews 9:12, 24, 26, 28; see also Hebrews 7:27). With His own blood, the resurrected Jesus obtained believers’ eternal redemption (salvation) FOREVER (Hebrews 9:12; see also Romans 3:25).

As mentioned earlier in the old system, only the high priest could “draw near” to God, and that only once a year when he entered the curtained-off Most Holy Place (Hebrews 9:7; see also Exodus 30:10; Leviticus 16:11-19, 34; Hebrews 10:3). However, the Lord Jesus entered that inner room on our behalf (see Hebrews 6:20; Hebrews 9:11). Before ascending into the heavens, the Lord Jesus destroyed the veil or curtain that separated humanity from the living God and brought humanities’ peace and reconciliation with God through faith in Him (Hebrews 10:19-22; see also Romans 5:1-2). At Lord Jesus’ death, the massive thick curtain in the Temple was ripped in two that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (see Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45). The unknown author of Hebrews looked on the miraculously torn curtain in the Temple as symbolic representing EVERYONE’S immediate free access to the living LORD God made possible by Jesus’ sacrificial death on the Cross (Hebrews 9:11-10:22; see also Ephesians 2:15-16, 18). Therefore, EVERYONE can enter the Most Holy Place by our faith in the blood of Jesus, who has opened for ALL BELIEVERS a new and living way to His Father, the living LORD God of heaven and earth (see Hebrews 10:19-20).

Sadly, under the old system, the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of young cows could only temporarily cleanse a person’s body from sin (Hebrews 9:13; see also Hebrews 10:4). However, the sacrificial blood of the resurrected Jesus permanently cleanses our sins (Hebrews 9:14; see also Ephesians 5:2; Titus 2:14; 1 Peter 3:18)!

References

Disciple's Study Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 1988).

ESV Study Bible, English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008).

New Student Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1992).

Zondervan NIV Study Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008).

The Living Bible Paraphrase (Tyndale House, 1971).