Title: The Source of Eternal Salvation
source of eternal salvation
high priest
The writer of Hebrews theologically explains how great Jesus is. In particular, he explains Jesus in a typological comparison with the characters of the Old Testament. Jesus is greater than the angels (1:4-2:18), greater than Moses (3:1-19), and greater than Joshua (4:1-13). Jesus is the perfect and eternal High Priest (4:14-7:28) that transcends all Old Testament persons, religious practices, and priests. Today's text also emphasizes the fact that Jesus is the eternal High Priest.
Here two Old Testament figures are presented in connection with the office of the high priest. One was Moses' older brother, Aaron, who served as high priest in Israel's wilderness days. Look at verse 4. “This honorable office is not earned by himself, but, like Aaron, by God’s calling.” The writer of Hebrews emphasizes that the high priesthood of Jesus was also given by God through the fact that the office of high priest was given by God.
Another Old Testament figure mentioned in connection with the office of high priest is Melchizedek. It is mentioned twice that Jesus was the very high priest of Melchizedek. One is verse 6 of the text quoting Psalm 110:4, and the other is verse 10, which is the conclusion of today's text. Shall we read verse 10? “Ordained by God as high priest to succeed the priesthood of Melchizedek.” Who the hell is Melchizedek? This name will be quite unfamiliar to the spare. If you follow today's text, it seems clear that he was the high priest, but there is no other explanation. This person is an important person in today's text, so it would be good to examine it a little more.
Melchizedek
According to Genesis 14:19, 20, Melchizedek blessed Abraham as follows. “O Most High God, who made the heavens and the earth, bless Abram. Praise be to the Most High God, who delivered your enemies into your hands.” After this prayer of blessing, Abraham gave Melchizedek a tenth of all that he had gone. Some take this verse as the biblical basis for tithing offerings, but this tale is much more fundamental than tithing.
It is said that Melchizedek was a priest who served “the Most High God.” Of course, the priests at this time are different from the high priests who exercised their authority in the temple in Jerusalem after a long period of history. In the time of Abraham, there was no temple and there was no law. Of course, Moses had no experience with God. At the time when Abraham, who was born in Ur of the Chaldeans, the birthplace of Mesopotamian civilization, settled in Canaan, the religious tradition of Judaism had not yet taken place. Still, the writer of Genesis describes this Melchizedek as a priest serving the God of Yahweh, whom Israel serves. Because the god Melchizedek worshiped was the Most High. That is, because God is the creator of the heavens and the earth. The God of Melchizedek and the God of Abraham were identical in that they were the creators of the world. What is important here is the fact that this Melchizedek was a priest of a universal religion before the formation of a certain religion called Judaism. It can be said that he was a priest on a cosmological level, transcending a specific religion.
Also, that Abraham received the blessing of Melchizedek means that he bowed his head to Melchizedek. Of the many kings who met Abraham, only one, Melchizedek, was the only one to whom Abraham bowed his head. Because Melchizedek was a priest who served the God who made this world, Abraham had no choice but to bow his head. The writer of Hebrews is now explaining the fact that Jesus Christ is the successor to the office of Melchizedek, where Abraham had to bow his head and accept the word of blessing. Jesus Christ is the High Priest to whom the Jews, descendants of Abraham, must bow their heads.
subject of atonement
However, if we compare the actual role of the high priest with the public life of Jesus, we can see that they are completely different. Jesus was born into a working family, not a priestly family. John the Baptist belonged to a priestly family. Jesus did not have the authority to perform sacrifices. Jesus spent more time in the midst of his secular life than in the temple associated with sacrificial life. Along the way with his disciples, he proclaimed the kingdom of God, cured diseases, and sometimes argued with the teachers of the law at the market, by the lake, and in the wilderness. After living like that for nearly three years, he finally died on the cross. It was the high priests who were most responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus. Judging from this, Jesus was the one who was attacked by them rather than the high priest. In what sense is the writer of Hebrews apologizing for Jesus as the High Priest, and that he is the universal and universal High Priest that goes beyond Judaism?
However, the high priests of Israel only wanted God's atonement through the sacrifice, but Jesus directly proclaimed the apology to the people. When there were so many people that it was difficult to move around, when people brought a paralyzed man before Jesus, even tearing the roof off, Jesus saw their faith and said, “Your sins are forgiven” (Luke 5:20). The reason Jesus was able to proclaim the forgiveness of sins was because he was in accord with the reign of God that had already come into reality. In this way, Jesus is the true High Priest in that he is the subject of atonement.
the perfect sacrifice
Second, the role of the high priest is to offer sacrifices. Animals such as cattle, sheep, and doves were offered at Israeli sacrifices. They sought atonement from God through the blood of animals sacrificed in place of humans.
But unlike the high priests who offered animals, Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice. Jesus' crucifixion is the ultimate sacrifice. Not only does this not make much sense to you, you may find it a bit cliche. The fact that Jesus was crucified is not in itself important. The cross is a result. To say that Jesus was a sacrifice means that he was completely submissive to God. Look at verse 6 of today's text. “Jesus was the Son of God, but he learned obedience through suffering.” When Jesus obeyed the word of God, it means that he was in harmony with the kingdom of God. No matter how good a person is, no matter how well-trained they are, they are not completely in harmony with God. Because your will works. In contrast, Jesus Christ was completely submissive. He was completely submissive to God's love, his plan of salvation, and his rule. As a result, he was crucified.
Jesus' obedience, resulting crucifixion, was the ultimate sacrifice. So we no longer have to offer sacrifices through animal blood. Jesus Christ is the self-sacrificing High Priest on a whole new level. He is our savior. He is the savior who makes us who are separated from the God who is perfect peace become one with God.
source of salvation
So the writer of Hebrews says in verse 9: “And after being made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.” Now, Jesus Christ did not stop at proclaiming God's salvation, but became the subject of salvation. What does this mean? How can Jesus be the basis of salvation and the subject of salvation? Isn't salvation a possible event only from God? The answer to this question lies in that Jesus became “perfect”. Being made perfect refers to his resurrection. The perfect, ultimate life is the resurrection. Perfect life, the resurrection, occurred to Jesus who was crucified through obedience consistent with the rule of God in an imperfect body just like ours. Now, to those who obey him, Jesus has become the source of eternal salvation.
I'll say it again. The Christian faith focuses only on what happened in Jesus Christ. To him we entrust our entire destiny, our present life and even after death. For those who live like this, Jesus is the source of eternal salvation.