Jesus was our great high priest

JESUS WAS OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST
EDITED BU GLENN PEASE
Hebrews 4:14 14Therefore,since we have a great high
priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of
God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
A Summons To Steadfastness
Hebrews 4:14
W. Jones
Seeing then that we have a greatHigh Priest, etc.
I. THE DUTY TO WHICH WE ARE SUMMONED. "Letus hold fastour
confession,"i.e. ofthe Christian faith.
1. Dangerof renouncing this confessionis implied. We have already pointed
out that these Hebrew Christians were in considerable peril in this respect.
This danger arises
(1) from oppositionfrom without; or
(2) from subtle solicitation, which is more to be dreaded than opposition; or
(3) from negligence onour part.

2. Effort to retain this compressionis enjoined. "Let us hold fast our
confession."This includes:
(1) Perseverancein the Christian faith; a resolute cleaving to Jesus Christas
our Saviorand Lord.
(2) Perseverancein the Christian fellowship; associationwith Christian
people; frequenting Christian assemblies.
(3) Perseverancein the Christian practice;the continued embodiment of
Christ's precepts in the life and conduct. This demands effort; e.g. watching,
praying, believing, working.
II. THE MOTIVE BY WHICH WE ARE STRENGTHENED.These Hebrew
Christians were encouragedto hold fast their confessionbecause theyhad in
Jesus Christ a perfectHigh Priest. The preeminence of his priesthood is
adduced as a motive to their perseverance, andto ours.
1. He is pre-eminent in his office. "A greatHigh Priest." As Alford expounds,
the "one archetypalHigh Priest - One above all."
2. He is pre-eminent in his access. "Who hath passedthrough the heavens."
The Jewishhigh priest passedbehind the veil into the most holy place;but the
greatHigh Priest has passedthrough "the planetary heavens, the heavens of
the fixed stars and the angels," unto the very presence and throne of God.
"He is gone," says Ebrard, "into the dwelling-place in space of the absolute,
finished, absolutelyundisturbed revelationof the Father." And he is there as
our Representative, andas our Forerunner. This implies the perfection of his
work upon earth (cf. Hebrews 1:3; Hebrews 9:12, 24-26).
3. He is pre-eminent in his Person. "Jesusthe Sonof God." Jesus, the gracious
and sympathetic Saviorof men. "The Son of God," supreme in dignity,
authority, and power. Here, then, is a motive to strengthen us to "hold fast
our confession." Ourgreat High Priest is perfect; he knows our difficulties
and temptations; he sympathizes with us; he succors us; he is now in the
presence ofGod on our behalf; "he ever liveth to make intercessionfor us,"
Let his sympathy and help inspire us to fidelity and perseverance.- W.J.

Biblical Illustrator
A greatHigh Priest.
Hebrews 4:14-16
Our greatHigh Priest
D. C. Hughes, M. A.
I. PRACTICALFEATURES OF OUR LORD'S PRIESTHOOD.
1. It is an argument for steadfastnessin the Christian life.
(1)The factthat Christ is our Priest (ver. 14).
(2)That heaven is the sphere of the exercise ofHis priesthood.
2. It is an encouragementto the faith of the believer.
(1)Becauseofthe sympathy of our greatHigh Priest (ver. 15).
(2)BecauseofHis personal experience of temptations.

(3)BecauseofHis sinlessness.
(4)Believing prayer under such circumstances cannotbe denied,
II. OUR LORD'S PRIESTHOOD CONFORMED TO THE GENERAL
LAWS OF PRIESTHOOD.
1. The priest must be taken from among men (Hebrews 5:1).
2. The priest was ordained to offer sacrifices to God.
3. The priest was ordained to be ready to sympathise with the unfortunate and
wretched(Hebrews 5:2).
4. The priest was not self-appointed (Hebrews 5:4).
5. But the change in the order of priesthood in our Lord's case is most
suggestive andsignificant. It implies —
(1)Perfection(Hebrews 7:11-19).
(2)Perpetuity (Hebrews 7:20-25).
(3)That Christ alone could meet such requirements (Hebrews 7:26). Lessons:
1. The priesthood of Christ implies Divine qualities.
2. The sphere of the priesthood of Christ ensures the finished work as
Redeemer.
3. The priesthood of Christ guarantees all-sufficientsympathy, assistance, and
ultimate salvation.
(D. C. Hughes, M. A.)
Jesus Christ, the MediatorbetweenGod and man
J. Crowther.
I. THE NECESSITYTHERE IS FOR A MEDIATOR BETWEEN GOD AND
MAN.

1. This is clear, if we considerthe circumstances in which our first parents
placed themselves.
2. It is implied in the Divine institution of sacrifices andof the order of
priesthood.
3. It is expresslytaught in Holy Scripture.
4. It is confirmed by the almostuniversal practice of heathen nations.
II. THE SUFFICIENCYOF JESUS CHRIST TO SUSTAIN THIS
IMPORTANT CHARACTER.
1. His greatness.
2. His goodness.
III. THE PARTICULAR MANNER IN WHICH WE, AS INDIVIDUALS,
ARE TO DERIVE THE BENEFITS DESIGNED TO BE CONVEYED BY
THE MEDIATION OF OUR LORD. "Let us come to the throne" — in other
words, let us come to God — to Him who sits upon the throne. This implies, of
course, a previous conviction of our being separatedfrom God, and of the
necessityofour return.
(J. Crowther.)
Encouragementto hold fast
D. Dickson, M. A.
1. He giveth them a direction for entering into their rest; to hold fasttheir
profession;that is, in faith and love to avow the doctrine of Christ.(1) Then he
that would enter into rest must be steadfastin maintaining and avowing the
true religion of Christ.(2) He who quitteth the professionof the truth of Christ
taketh courses to cut off himself from God's rest. For if we deny Christ He
will deny us.
2. He commandeth to hold fastour profession. Then —(1) God will not be
pleasedwith backsliding, or coldness, orindifference in matters of religion,

because this is not to hold it fast; but to take a loose hold, which is the ready
way to defection.(2)There is danger lest our adversaries pull the truth from
us.(3) The more dangerwe foresee, the more strongly must we hold the truth.
3. The encouragementwhich He giveth to hold fast is, We have Christ a great
High Priest, &c. Then —(1) As we have need of threatening, to drive us to
enter into God's rest, so have we need of encouragementsto draw us
thereunto.(2) All our encouragementis from the help which we shall have in
Christ, and that is sufficient.(3) Christ is always for us in His office, albeit we
do not always feelHim sensibly in us.
4. He calleth Christ a greatHigh Priest, to put difference betwixt the typical
high priest and Him in whom the truth of the priesthood is found. Then what
the typical high priest did in show for the people, that the greatHigh Priest
doth in substance for us; that is, reconcilethus to God perfectly, blessethus
with all blessings solidly, and intercedeth for us perpetually.
5. He affirmeth of Christ, that He is passedinto heaven; to wit, in regard of
tits manhood, to take possessionthereofin our name. Then —(1) Christ's
corporalpresence is in heavenonly, and not on earth, from whence He is
passed.(2)Christ's corporalpresence in heaven, and absence from us in that
respect, hindereth not our right unto Him, and spiritual having or possessing
of Him.(3) Yea, it is our encouragementto seek entry into heaven, that He is
there before us.
6. He calleth Him Jesus the Son of God; to lead us through His humanity unto
His Godhead. Then no rest on the Mediatortill we go to the rock of His
Godhead, where is strength and satisfactionto faith.
(D. Dickson, M. A.)
Christ a greatHigh Priest
J. Burns, D. D.
I. THE PRIESTLYDIGNITYOF JESUS. "Seeing,then, that we have a great
High Priest."

1. Christ is a Priest. The term signifies one who ministers in holy things. The
priests under the law were distinguished as follows —
(1)They were appointed of God.
(2)Separatedto their office and work at a peculiar time.
(3)Consecratedwith the washing of waterand anointing oil.
(4)Had peculiar apparel and ornaments; the robe, the mitre, and the breast-
plate.
(5)They taught the people.
(6)Offered sacrifices.
(7)And burned incense before the Lord. It will easilybe seenbow strikingly all
these exhibited the characterand work of Jesus.
2. Christ is a High Priest. Now the high priest was distinguished from the
other priests —
(1)As he was appealedto on all important occasions, anddecided all
controversies.
(2)He offered the greatannual sacrifice.
(3)He only entered into the holiest of all once a year.
(4)He offered the annual intercessoryprayer, and came forth and blessedthe
people in the name of the Lord.
3. Christ is the GreatHigh Priest. Now Jesus is infinitely greaterthan the high
priests of old.
(1)In the dignity of His person. He is the Son of God, Heir of all things, Lord
of all.
(2)In the purity of His nature. "Holy, harmless, and separate from sinners."
"Without spot."

(3)In the value and efficacyof His sacrifice. An equivalent for the world's
guilt. Only once offered, and for all sins.
(4)In the unchangeable perpetuity of His office. "A priest for ever." "An
unchangeable priesthood" (Hebrews 7:24). He had no direct predecessor, and
He shall have no successor. "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for
ever."
II. HIS HIGH EXALTATION. "Who is passedinto the heavens."
1. The place into which He is exalted. "The heavens." Representedofold by
the holiestof all. Describedby Jesus as His Father's house.
2. The manner of His exaltation. "He passedinto the heavens."
(1)According to His own predictions.
(2)While in the actof blessing His disciples.
(3)Visibly, and with greatsplendour.
3. The great end of His exaltation.
(1)To enjoy the rewards of His sufferings and toils (Philippians 2:6, 8, 9).
(2)To appear before God as the intercessorofHis Church.
(3)To carry on His mediatorial designs. Hence, He is to subdue His foes,
prolong His days, see His seed, and witness the travail of His souluntil He is
satisfied.
(4)To abide as the Mediator betweenGod and men to the end of the Christian
state. Now God only treats with us by and through Jesus. And He is the only
way of accessto the Father (John 14:6; Hebrews 9:28).
III. THE PRACTICAL INFLUENCE THIS SUBJECT SHOULD HAVE
UPON US. "Let us hold fast our profession."
1. The professionreferred to. It is a professionof faith and hope in Christ, and
of love and obedience to Him.

2. This professionmust be maintained. Held fast, not abandoned. We shall be
tempted, tried, persecuted. Our professionmay costus our property, liberty,
lives. This professionmust be held fastby the exercise ofvigorous faith,
constantlove, and cheerful obedience.
(1)ForChrist's sake. Whose we are, and whom we serve.
(2)Forthe profession's sake;that Christ's cause may not be injured, and His
people castdown.
(3)Especiallyfor our ownsake. It is only thus we canretain Divine acceptance,
peace, joy, and the sure prospect of eternallife.Application:
1. Christ's example is the model of our steadfastness.
2. Christ's exaltationshould be the exciting attractionto steadfastness.
3. Christ's intercessionwillalways provide the grace necessaryto "our
holding fast our profession."
(J. Burns, D. D.)
Christ the Reconciler
H. W. Beecher.
This book presents an ideal of Christ as a reconciler. Ofwhat? It has been
said that man was reconciledto God. That is correct. Menare reconciledto
the law of God, but that is vagneness itself. Christis a reconcilerby revealing
to us what is the real interior nature of perfectness, andwhat bearing it has
upon imperfectness. The experience of noble souls is that discordprevails, and
that with the struggle there can be no peace. There may be peace by lowering
the ideal of our range of attainment, or by indifference and discouragement,
but not by vital stress and strife canmen have peace, when they are obliged
every day to see that they come short, not of the law in its entirety and purity,
but in their own conceptions in regard to single lines of conduct. Men all
around are resolving to do the right and are eternally coming short of it, and
then they say: "How under the sun am I going to face God! I cannotface my

neighbour." The reasonis, that your neighbour is not God. There is a view of
God that while it intensifies the motives for righteousness, encouragesmen
who are unrighteous, and brings about a reconcilaiationbetweenthese
constantly antagonising experiencesin the human bosom. It is to such that this
experience of Christ is presented. Jesus Christis the spotless High Priestwho
offered Himself once for all mankind. He came forth and lived among men,
and He knows what their tears and struggles are, whattheir temptations and
difficulties. Every faculty that is found in a human being was found in Christ,
and yet He was without sin. "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of
grace that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." Do
not come to a man who is conscious ofhis own infirmities, for he would not
help you; but come to that Being who is conscious ofabsolute purity, and from
whom you will gethigher sympathy and a quicker succour. The moral
perfectness ofChrist develops sympathy for the sinful. It needed something
like this in that age whenthe better men were the worstmen, men whose
righteousness was finishedoff by an enamelof selfishness,the men whose
temperance made them hate drunkards, the men whose honesty made them
hate men of slippery fingers, the men whose dried up passions made them
scornthe harlot, the men who had money enoughand abominated the tax-
gatherers. Christ does not set Himself up on a throne apart, and say, "I am
pure," but says that because He is perfect He has an infinite sympathy with
and compassionforthe sinful and fallen. The supreme truth that we need to
know is that God is determined to bring the human race on and up out of
animalism and the lowestforms of barbarism to the highestdegree of
intellectual and spiritual development. That is the eternalpurpose of God, and
in that greatwork He will dealwith the human family with such tenderness
and gentleness thatHe will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the
smoking flax, nor blow out the wick which He has just kindled, and He will
not stopuntil He brings forth judgment unto victory. I think sometimes that
the greatestattribute of God is patience, and one of the greatest illustrations
of patience of the same kind in men is that of the music Leacher, who takes a
boy to teachhim the violin, and hears him and bears with him through days,
and through weeks,and through months and through years, and then has to
take another and go right on the same way again. Or the artist who sees his
pupil smudging a canvas, and tries to teachhim the whole theory of colour,

and tries to develop his ideality. Any parent, teacher, musician, artist, or any
one else is obligedto go upon the theory God acts on — namely, that the
higher you are the more you owe, and cangive, to those who are lower;and if
you are going to be instrumental in bringing them up, you have gotto carry
their burthens and their sorrows and to wait for them, and be patient with
them. It is the law of creation, and if it is the law of creationin all its minor
and ruder developments among mankind, its supreme strength and scope for
beauty is in the nature of Himself. Look at the sun, the symbol of God. It
carries in itself all trees and all bushes, and all vines, and all orchards, and all
gardens. It sows the seedand brings the summer; and the outpouring of the
vital light and heat of the sun makes it the father of all husbandmen and all
pomologists. And yet God's nature is greaterthan that. He is the life of life;
He is the heart of hearts;He is the soul of souls;and the grandeur of His
endowments is the life of mankind. Castawayall the old mediaeval notions of
reconciliation, the mechanicalscheme of atonementand plan of salvation, and
all those lowerforms. They stand betweenyou and the bright light of the God
revealedin Jesus Christ, a God who has patience with sin because He is
sinless, who has patience with infirmity because He has no infirmities, who
has patience with weaknessand ignorance because He is supremely wise and
supremely strong. Our hope is in God, and our life ought to be godly. Though
we be faint or feeble, He will revive our courage and will give us His strength,
and it will not be in vain that we endeavour to serve the Lord.
(H. W. Beecher.)
Our greatHigh Priest
A. B. Bruce, D. D.
The first important word is the epithet "great" prefixed to the title High
Priest. It is introduced to make the priestly office of Christ assume due
importance in the minds of the Hebrews. As an author writing a treatise on an
important theme writes the title of the theme in letters fitted to attract notice,
so this writer places at the head of the ensuing portion this title, "Jesus the
Son of God the Great High Priest," insinuating thereby that He of whom he

speaks is the greatestofall priests, the only realpriest, the very ideal of
priesthood realised. The expression"passedthrough the heavens" is also very
suggestive. Ithints at the right construction to be put upon Christ's departure
from the earth. There is an obvious allusion to the entering of the high priest
of Israel within the veil on the greatday of atonement; and the idea suggested
is, that the ascensionofChrist was the passing of the greatHigh Priest
through the veil into the celestialsanctuary, as our representative and in our
interest. The name given to the greatHigh Priest, "Jesus the Son of God,"
contributes to the argument. Jesus is the historicalperson, the tempted Man;
and this part of the name lays the foundation for what is to be said in the
following sentence concerning His powerto sympathise. The title, "Son of
God," on the other hand, justifies what has been alreadysaid of the High
Priestof our confession. If our High Priest be the Son of God, He may well be
calledthe Great, and moreoverthere can be no doubt whither He has gone.
Whither but to His native abode, His Father's house? Having thus by brief,
pregnant phrase hinted the thoughts he means to prove, our author proceeds
to address to his readers an exhortation, which is repeatedat the close ofthe
long discussionon the priesthoodof Christ to which these sentencesare the
prelude (Hebrews 10:19-23). In doing so he gives prominence to that feature
of Christ's priestly characterof which alone he has as yet spokenexplicitly:
His powerto sympathise, acquired and guaranteedby His experience of
temptation (Hebrews 2:17, 18). It is noteworthy that the doctrine of Christ's
sympathy is here statedin a defensive, apologetic manner, "We have not a
High Priestwho cannot be touched," as if there were some one maintaining
the contrary. This defensive attitude, may be conceivedofas assumed over
againsttwo possible objections to the reality of Christ's sympathy, one drawn
from His dignity as the Son of God, the other from His sinlessness. Both
objections are dealt with in the only way open to one who addressesweak
faith — viz., not by elaborate or philosophicalargument, but by strong
assertion. As the Psalmistsaid to the desponding, "Wait, I say, on the: Lord,"
and as Jesus saidto disciples doubting the utility of prayer, "I sayunto you,
Ask, and ye shall receive," so ourauthor says to dispirited Christians, "We
have not a High Priestwho cannot be touched with sympathy" — this part of
his assertiondisposing ofdoubt engenderedby Christ's dignity — "but one
who has been tempted in all respects as we are, apart from sin" — this part of

the assertionmeeting doubt basedon Christ's sinlessness. To this strong
assertionofChrist's power to sympathise is fitly appended the final
exhortation. Speciallynoteworthy are the words, "Let us approach
confidently." They have more than practicalimport: they are of theoretic
significance;they strike the doctrinal keynote of the Epistle: Christianity the
religion of free access.There is a latent contrastbetweenChristianity and
Leviticalism. The contrastis none the less real that the expression" to draw
near" was applied to acts of worship under the Levitical system. Every actof
worship in any religion whatevermay be called an approach to Deity.
Nevertheless religions maybe wide apart as the poles in respectto the
measure in which they draw near to God. In one religionthe approachmay be
ceremonialonly, while the spirit stands afar off in fear. In another, the
approachmay be spiritual, with mind and heart, in intelligence, trust, and
love, and with the confidence which these inspire. Such an approachalone is
real, and deserves to be calleda drawing near to God. Such an approachwas
first made possible by Christ, and on this accountit is that the religion which
bears His name is the perfect, final, perennial religion.
(A. B. Bruce, D. D.)
Hold fast our profession.
Holding fast the Christian profession
H. Hunter.
I. THE NATURE OF THE CHRISTIAN PROFESSION.
1. A cordial assentto the whole of Scripture truth, and especiallythe
testimony which God has given of His SonChrist Jesus.
2. A professionof practicalconformity to the whole of God's revealed will.
3. The hope of eternallife and glory in heaven.
II. WHAT IS IMPLIED IN HOLDING FAST OUR PROFESSION?
1. That we actually have this profession.

2. A just sense ofits high value.
3. That we may be tempted to forsake it.
4. That we are calledto the regular, uniform, constantexercise ofit.
5. Perseveranceto the end.
III. THE MOTIVES TO THIS DUTY.
1. The person and characterof Him who is its object.
2. Christ's office and relation to us.
3. The security afforded againstour own weakness,and the malice of spiritual
foes.
(H. Hunter.)
Holding fast our profession
W. Cadman, M. A.
I. WHAT IS OUR PROFESSION?
1. Attachment to the personof Christ.
2. Dependence onthe work of Christ.
3. Devotednessto the service of Christ.
II. HOW IS THIS TO BE DONE?
1. By avowing in God's ordinances your attachment to the person, reliance on
the work, and devotedness to the service of Christ.
2. By a consistentlife.
(W. Cadman, M. A.)

Exhortation to steadfastness
J. Bunting, M. A.
I. THE EXHORTATION TO STEADFASTNESSIN OUR CHRISTIAN
PROFESSION. By"our profession"we are sometimes to understand that
which we profess, or the subject of our profession. In Hebrews 3:1, the term
evidently means the holy religion which we profess. But the term applies to
the actalso. This is its import in that other passage, "letus hold fast the
professionof our faith without wavering." There are in what is called "the
Christian world" two kinds of professors.
1. All nominal Christians. All who say that they are disciples of Christ; all
who wish it to be understoodthat they have embraced the faith. Such persons
may with propriety be exhorted to hold their professionfast: it is worthy of
being held fast. And yet, if we do venture to remind such persons of the
obligation arising from the very name they bear; if we point out any
inconsistencyin their conduct, the accusationis repelled with indignation, and
they tell us they make no professionof religion. Now this —(1) Is singularly
impudent and wicked. What would you think if the expressionwere applied to
sociallife, to the duties which belong to a parent, a husband, a child, a subject,
an honest man?(2) It is in most casesnottrue. They themselves, at other times,
deny it; and they would be highly affronted if they thought any one supposed
that they deny the Lord who bought them. They do call themselves Christians,
and hence they ought to be careful to live and act as such. But there are in the
world —
2. Those who profess to be Christians indeed. Now the professionof real
Christians is distinguished from that which is nominal by these three
marks.(1)It is Scriptural. He founds his belief on having discoveredthat it is
the infallible Word of God; and he receives nothing but what in his conscience
he believes to have this sanction, "Thus saith the Lord."(2) It is experimental.
I mean to say that every Christian has, in his ownexperience, an evidence of
the truth of the gospel. He has put its truths to the test: he has tried them in
his owncase, and found them to be sanctifying and saving.(3)It is practical.
That is, the truth professedis not belied, but is borne out and appealed to by

their conduct. Put these things together, and you will see how a real profession
is distinguished from that which is merely nominal, It is scriptural,
experimental, and practical:it is manifested by cheerfully doing, and patiently
suffering the will of God. Such a professionas this we are commanded to
"hold fast."
3. This command implies that we are in danger of renouncing our profession.
And this dangerarises from various causes. Satan, the greatfoe of God and
the gospel, "goesaboutas a roaring lion, seeking whomhe mar devour."
Infidels and their associateshaving apostalisedfrom the faith are aiming to
seduce others to their guilt. The world too is a foe: by its smiles it would often
allure, by its frowns it would often deter from steadfastness. Last, but not
least, are the foes of our own household; a heart that is deceitful, and which is
not fully renewed, will betray us into the hands of our outward enemies, so
that we shall lose our peace atthe last.
4. "Let us hold fast our profession," says the apostle. Be valiant for the
truth.(1) Hold fastthe simplicity of evangelicaldoctrine. Stand fastin one
spirit, "earnestlycontending for the faith once delivered to the saints."(2)
Hold it fast in an evangelicalexperienceofits blessings.(3)Hold it fastby the
practice of all that is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of goodreport.(4)
Hold fast by a public professionof the gospel, the truths in which you thus
believe — the privileges you thus profess to enjoy — the duties you profess to
exemplify. Thus give to every man "a reasonof the hope that is in you."
II. THE MOTIVE TO THIS DERIVED FROM HE PRIESTHOODOF
CHRIST. "We have a greatHigh Priest," greaterthan any under the law.
Many grounds of superiority to any who went before Him might be adduced.
1. Becauseofthe place in which He ministers. He is at the right hand of the
Majestyon high. He who is our Friend, the best Friend we ever had, who has
given us such tokens ofHis love and kindness, is in that place where best of all
He can serve our cause!Our High Priest cannever be at a loss for a place in
which to minister; He can never be at a loss for want of accessto His Father
and our Father, to His God and our God. He ever liveth to make intercession
where He can make it with the greatestcertainty of success.

2. Becauseofthe more substantialbenefits derived from the exercise ofHis
office. Aaron was God's high priest, but he was not a Saviour; his successors
were God's high priests, but they were not Jesus;they could not save from sin.
But Jesus our greatHigh Priestcan redeem from all iniquity; and " He is able
to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him." Greater —
3. Becauseofthe superior dignity of His original nature and character, "The
Son of God." As the Son of God He was sinless. There was no guilty spot upon
His soul, though He was made a sacrifice for sin. He, therefore, is all our own;
He was cut off for us, to finish our transgression, to make reconciliationfor
our iniquity. As the Son of God He is also necessarilyimmortal. Death could
never have had any claim on Him after He took our nature into conjunction
with the Divine, but by His own consent;He willingly laid it down, as an act of
infinite benevolence to that world, whose cause He sustained. As the Son of
God He can die no more, but liveth for ever. And oh, what a mercy in such a
dying world as this, where so many are takenawayfrom us, to be able to lift
up our eyes to heaven, and be able to commit our concerns to this immortal
and never-dying Redeemer!But wherein consists the force of all this as a
motive to steadfastness inthe Christian profession? Why —(1) Forthis reason
we ought to hold fast the professionof Christianity. It is the priesthood of
Christ that confers the crowning excellence onChristianity.(2) But perhaps
you sayyou have no intention to relinquish it; your only fear is that you shall
not be able to hold it fast. You feel such powerful temptations, you are
surrounded by so many adversaries, thatyou fear that in some dark and
cloudy day you shall become their prey. And so you would if you were left to
yourselves, if you depended on your own power. But you are not left to
yourselves, the Gospeltells you that you have a greatHigh Priest. You can
hold fast your profession:the priesthood of Christ renders this practicable.
(J. Bunting, M. A.)
Let us hold fast our profession
W. Jones, D. D.

Our High Priestis a mighty one, able to punish us if we shrink from our
profession, and of power to protect us from all our enemies if we stick to Him;
therefore let us hold last our profession. The doctrine professedby us; let no
enemies drive us from our profession, neither Satan, nor any of his
instruments. The Phariseesheld fast the traditions of their elders and would
not be removed from them (Mark 7:3). The Turks are wonderfully addicted to
Mahomet, he is a greatprophet among them, they will not let him go. And
shall not we hold the professionofthe Lord Jesus? Theyhold errors fast, and
shall not we the truth? The subject of their profession, counterfeitthings,
mere inventions of men, lies and fables. The subjectof our professionis Jesus
Christ the Son of God. Therefore us hold it fast;let neither the syrenicalsongs
of heretics and schismatics in the time of peace, northe blustering wind of
persecutionin the time of war pull us from our confession. Let us be faithful
to the death as the martyrs were;let house and land, wives and children,
liberty and country — yea, our lives — go before our profession. But this is a
hard matter; we have no strength of ourselves to hold it againstso many
strong and mighty enemies. Therefore letus all fear ourselves and fly to God
for strength, that it would please Rim so to strengthen us by His Holy Spirit,
that we may hold fast the professionof Christ and His gospelto the end:
"Hold that which thou hast, lest another take thy crown." We will hold our
money fastthough it be to gooduses, we will not part with that; but as for
religion, a number are at this pass, the, care not what becomes of it; let that go
whither it will, so we may sleepin a whole skin and keepthat which we have;
let come what religionthere will, we can be of any religion. Such turncoats
and timeservers shall never seta foot in the kingdom of heaven. If we hold not
our professionlastwe shall miss of the crown of eternal life.
(W. Jones, D. D.)
COMMENTARIES

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(14) All the chief points of the earlier chapters are brought togetherin this
verse and the next:—the High Priest (Hebrews 2:17; Hebrews 3:1); His
exaltation (Hebrews 1:3-4; Hebrews 1:13; Hebrews 2:9); His divine Sonship
(Hebrews 1; Hebrews 3:6); His compassiontowards the brethren whose lot He
came to share (Hebrews 2:11-18).
That is passedinto the heavens.—Rather,that hath passedthrough the
heavens. As the high priest passedthrough the Holy Place to enter the Holy of
Holies, Jesus “ascendedup far above all heavens,” andsat at the right hand of
God. This thought is developedin Hebrews 8-10.
Our profession.—SeeHebrews 3:1.
BensonCommentary
Hebrews 4:14. The writer of this epistle having spokenof the Author of the
gospel, as the Creatorof the world, as the Lawgiverin God’s church, as the
Conductor of the spiritual seedof Abraham into the heavenly country, the
rest of God, and as the Judge of the whole human race, now proceeds to speak
of him as the High-Priest of our religion, and to show that, as such, he hath
made atonement for our sins by the sacrifice ofhimself. This is the fourth fact
whereby the authority of the gospel, as a revelation from God, is supported.
See note on Hebrews 1:1. They who are acquainted with the history of
mankind, know that from the earliesttimes propitiatory sacrificeswere
offered by almost all nations, in the belief that they were the only effectual
means of procuring the pardon of sin and the favour of the Deity. In this
persuasionthe Jews more especiallywere confirmed by the law of Moses, in
which a variety of sacrifices ofthat sort, as well as freewill-offerings, were
appointed by God himself. And as the heathen offered these sacrifices with
many pompous rites, and feastedon them in the temples of their gods, they
became extremely attachedto a form of worship which at once easedtheir
consciencesand pleasedtheir senses. Wherefore,whenit was observedthat no
propitiatory sacrifices were enjoinedin the gospel, and that nothing of the

kind was offeredin the Christian places ofworship, Jews and Gentiles equally
were very difficultly persuaded to renounce their ancientworship for the
gospelform, in which no atonements appeared; and which, employing
rational motives alone for exciting their affections, was too nakedto be, to
such persons, in any degree interesting. Wherefore, to give both Jews and
Gentiles just views of the gospel, the apostle, in this passageofhis epistle,
affirms, that although no sacrifices are offeredin the Christian temples, we
have a greatHigh- Priest, even Jesus the Son of God, who, at his ascension,
passedthrough the visible heavens into the true habitation of God, with the
sacrifice ofhimself; and from these considerations he exhorts the believing
Hebrews in particular to hold fast their profession. Thento show that Jesus is
well qualified to be a High-Priest, he observes, thatthough he be the Son of
God, he is likewise a man, and so cannotbut be touched with a feeling of our
infirmities. On which accountwe may come boldly to the throne of grace, well
assuredthat through his intercessionwe shall obtain the pardon of our sins,
and such supplies of grace as are needful for us. These being the doctrines
which the apostle is to prove in the remaining part of this epistle, this
paragraph may be consideredas the proposition of the subjects he is going to
handle in the following chapters. And as his reasonings onthese, as wellas on
the subjects discussedin the foregoing part of the epistle, are all founded on
the writings of Moses andthe prophets, it is reasonable to suppose that his
interpretations of the passageswhichhe quotes from these writings, are no
other than those which were given of them by the Jewishdoctors and scribes,
and which were receivedby the people at the time he wrote. See Macknight.
Seeing then that we have — Greek, εχοντες ουν, having therefore. The apostle
refers to what he had affirmed, (Hebrews 1:3,) that the Son of God had made
purification of our sins by the sacrifice ofhimself, and to what he had
advancedHebrews 2:17, that he was made like his brethren in all things, that
he might be a merciful and faithful High-Priest; and to his having calledhim
the High-Priest of our profession, Hebrews 3:1. He had not, however, hitherto
attempted to prove that Jesus reallywas a high-priest, or that he had offered
any sacrifice to God for the sins of men. The proof of these things he deferred
till he had discussedthe other topics of which he proposedto treat. But having
finished what he had to say concerning them, he now enters on the proof of
Christ’s priesthood, and treats thereof, and of various other matters

connectedwith it, at great length, to the end of chap. 10. Theodoret, who had
divided this epistle into sections, begins his secondsectionwith this verse,
because it introduces a new subject. Indeed, the 5th chapter, according to our
division of the epistle, should have begun with this verse. A greatHigh-Priest
— Great indeed, being the eternalSon of God; that is passedinto the heavens
— Or, through the heavens, as the expressionδιεληλυθοτατους ουρανους,
literally signifies. The word heavens is takenin two senses:1st, Forthe palace
of the great King, where is his throne, and where thousands of the holy ones
stand ministering before him. This heaven the Lord Jesus did not pass
through but into, when he was takenup into glory, 1 Timothy 3:16. There he
is at the right hand of the majesty on high; and these heavens have received
him until the time of restitution of all things, 3:27. But by the heavens we are
sometimes to understand, 2d, the air, as when mention is made of the fowls of
heaven; and concerning them our apostle says, (chap. Hebrews 7:26,) that
Jesus is made higher than the heavens;he passedthrough them, and ascended
above them, into that which is called the third heaven, or the heavenof
heavens. The allusion is evidently made to the Jewishhigh- priest, and to what
he typically represented to the church of old. As he passedthrough the veil
into the holy of holies, carrying with him the blood of the sacrifices onthe
yearly day of atonement; so our greatHigh-Priest went, once for all, through
the visible heavens with the virtue of his own blood, into the immediate
presence ofGod. It is to be observed, the apostle calls Jesus, the Son of God, a
greatHigh-Priest, because in chap. 1. he had proved him to be greaterthan
the angels;and in Hebrews 3:1-4, to be worthy of more honour than Moses.
Let us hold fast our profession —
Our professedsubjectionto him and his gospel, notwithstanding our past sins,
the presentdefects of our obedience, and our manifold infirmities. The word
ομολογια,however, may be properly rendered, and probably was chiefly
intended to signify, confession;for it is required that we should make a
solemn declarationof our subjectionto the gospel, with prudence, humble
confidence, and constancy;for with the mouth confessionis made unto
salvation, Romans 10:10. The open acknowledgmentof the Lord Christ, of his
word and ways under persecution, is the touch-stone of all profession. This is

what we are to hold first, totis viribus, with our whole strength, as κρατωμεν
signifies, or with resolution, zeal, and firmness. See Revelation2:25;
Revelation3:12. This verse, therefore, contains the enjoinment of a duty, with
a motive and encouragementto the due performance of it. We have a great
High-Priest, therefore let us hold fast, &c.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary
4:11-16 Observe the end proposed: restspiritual and eternal; the rest of grace
here, and glory hereafter;in Christ on earth, with Christ in heaven. After due
and diligent labour, sweetand satisfying rest shall follow; and labour now,
will make that rest more pleasantwhen it comes. Let us labour, and quicken
eachother to be diligent in duty. The Holy Scriptures are the word of God.
When God sets it home by his Spirit, it convinces powerfully, converts
powerfully, and comforts powerfully. It makes a soul that has long been
proud, to be humble; and a perverse spirit, to be meek and obedient. Sinful
habits, that are become as it were natural to the soul, and rooteddeeply in it,
are separatedand cut off by this sword. It will discoverto men their thoughts
and purposes, the vileness of many, the bad principles they are moved by, the
sinful ends they act to. The word will show the sinner all that is in his heart.
Let us hold fast the doctrines of Christian faith in our heads, its enlivening
principles in our hearts, the open professionof it in our lips, and be subjectto
it in our lives. Christ executedone part of his priesthoodon earth, in dying for
us; the other he executes in heaven, pleading the cause, and presenting the
offerings of his people. In the sight of Infinite Wisdom, it was needful that the
Saviour of men should be one who has the fellow-feeling which no being but a
fellow-creature couldpossibly have; and therefore it was necessaryhe should
actualexperience of all the effects of sin that could be separatedfrom its
actualguilt. God sent his own Son in the likeness ofsinful flesh, Ro 8:3; but
the more holy and pure he was, the more he must have been unwilling in his
nature to sin, and must have had deeperimpression of its evil; consequently
the more must he be concernedto deliver his people from its guilt and power.
We should encourage ourselves by the excellence ofour High Priest, to come
boldly to the throne of grace. Mercyand grace are the things we want; mercy
to pardon all our sins, and grace to purify our souls. Besides ourdaily
dependence upon God for presentsupplies, there are seasons forwhich we

should provide in our prayers; times of temptation, either by adversity or
prosperity, and especiallyour dying time. We are to come with reverence and
godly fear, yet not as if draggedto the seatof justice, but as kindly invited to
the mercy-seat, where grace reigns. We have boldness to enter into the holiest
only by the blood of Jesus;he is our Advocate, and has purchased all our souls
want or can desire.
Barnes'Notes on the Bible
Seeing then that we have a greathigh priest - The apostle here resumes the
subject which had been slightly hinted at in Hebrews 2:17; Hebrews 3:1, and
pursues it to the end of Hebrews 10. The "object" is to show that Christians
have a greatHigh Priest as really as the Jews had; to show wherein he
surpassedthe Levitical priesthood; to show how all that was saidof the
Aaronic priesthood, and all the types pertaining to that priesthood, were
fulfilled in the Lord Jesus;and to state and illustrate the nature of the
consolations whichChristians might derive from the factthat they had such
an High Priest. One of the things on which the Jews mostvalued their
religion, was the fact that it had such a minister of religionas their high priest
- the most elevatedfunctionary of that dispensation. It came therefore to be of
the utmost importance to show that Christianity was not inferior to the Jewish
religion in this respect, and that the High Priestof the Christian profession
would not suffer in point of dignity, and in the value of the blood with which
he would approachGod, and in the efficacyof his intercession, when
compared with the Jewishhigh priest.
Moreover, it was a doctrine of Christianity that the Jewishritual was to pass
away;and its temple services ceaseto be observed. It was, therefore, ofvast
importance to show "why" they passedaway, and how they were superseded.
To do this, the apostle is led into this long discussionrespecting their nature.
He shows that they were designedto be typical. He proves that they could not
purify the heart, and give peace to the conscience.He proves that they were all
intended to point to something future, and to introduce the Messiahto the
world; and that when this object was accomplished, their greatend was
secured, and they were thus all fulfilled. In no part of the Bible canthere be
found so full an accountof the design of the Mosaic institutions, as in Hebrews

5-10 of this Epistle; and were it not for this, the volume of inspiration would
be incomplete. We should be left in the dark on some of the most important
subjects in revelation; we should ask questions for which we could find no
certain answer.
The phrase "greathigh priest" here is used with reference to a known usage
among the Jews. In the time of the apostle the name high priest pertained not
only to him who actually held the office, and who had the right to enter into
the holy of holies, but to his deputy, and to those who had held the office but
who had retired from it, and perhaps also the name was given to the head of
eachone of the twenty-four courses orclasses into which the priests were
divided; compare Luke 1:5 note; Matthew 26:3 note. The name "greathigh
priest" would designate him who actually held the office, and was at the head
of all the other priests; and the idea here is, not merely that the Lord Jesus
was "a priest," but that he was at the head of all: in the Christian economyhe
sustaineda rank that correspondedwith that of the great high priest in the
Jewish.
That is passedinto the heavens - Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 9:24. The Jewish
high priest went once a year into the most holy place in the temple, to offer the
blood of the atonement; see the notes on Hebrews 9:7. Paul says that the
Christian High Priesthas gone into heaven. He has gone there also to make
intercession, and to sprinkle the blood of the atonement on the mercy-seat;see
the notes at Hebrews 9:24-25.
Jesus the Son of God - Nota descendantof Aaron, but one much greater- the
Son of God; see the notes at Hebrews 1:2.
Let us hold fast our profession - see the notes at Hebrews 10:23;Hebrews
3:14; see the note, Hebrews 3:1. This is the drift and scope ofthe Epistle - to
show that Christians should hold fast their profession, and not apostatize. The
objectof the apostle now is to show why the factthat we have such a High
Priest, is a reasonwhy we should hold fastour professedattachmentto him.
These reasons -which are drawn out in the succeeding chapters - are such as
the following:

(1) We may look to him for assistance - since he can be touched with the
feeling of our infirmities; Hebrews 4:15-16.
(2) the impossibility of being renewedagainif we should fall awayfrom him,
since there is but "one" suchHigh Priest, and since the sacrifice for sin can
never be repeated;Hebrews 6:p>(3) The fact that all the ancienttypes were
fulfilled in him, and that everything which there was in the Jewish
dispensationto keeppeople from apostasy, exists much more powerfully in
the Christian scheme.
(4) the fact that they who rejectedthe laws of Moses diedwithout mercy, and
much more anyone who should rejectthe Sonof Godmust expectmore
certain and fearful severity; Hebrews 10:27-30.
By considerations suchas these, the apostle aims to show them the dangerof
apostasy, and to urge them to a faithful adherence to their Christian
profession.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary
14. Seeing then—Having, therefore;resuming Heb 2:17.
great—as being "the Sonof God, higher than the heavens" (Heb 7:26): the
archetype and antitype of the legalhigh priest.
passedinto the heavens—rather, "passedthrough the heavens," namely, those
which come betweenus and God, the aerialheaven, and that above the latter
containing the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon, &c. These heavens were the
veil which our High Priestpassedthrough into the heaven of heavens, the
immediate presence ofGod, just as the Levitical high priest passedthrough
the veil into the Holy of Holies. Neither Moses, nor even Joshua, couldbring
us into this rest, but Jesus, as our Forerunner, already spiritually, and
hereafterin actualpresence, body, soul, and spirit, brings His people into the
heavenly rest.
Jesus—the antitypical Joshua (Heb 4:8).
hold fast—the opposite of "letslip" (Heb 2:1); and "fall away" (Heb 6:6). As
the genitive follows, the literally, sense is, "Let us take hold of our profession,"

that is, of the faith and hope which are subjects of our professionand
confession. The accusative follows whenthe sense is "hold fast" [Tittmann].
Matthew Poole's Commentary
The excellencyof the greatgospelMinister beyond all others in respectof his
priestly office, especiallybeyond Aaron and the Levitical priesthood, is shown
by the Holy Ghost:. {Hebrews 4:14-5:11} It is introduced as the Spirit’s
counselto these Hebrews, from the premises, for their using of this High
Priest, in order to their reaching home to the rest of God, to whom and whose
professionthey ought to adhere, since he is so fit and so willing to give them
an entrance into it: compare Hebrews 2:17,18 3:1,6.
Seeing then that we have a greatHigh Priest; being therefore by the Spirit
through faith not only interestedby a common relation in him, but by a real
union to, and communion with him, as here described, a High Priest(Hebrews
2:11, and Hebrews 3:1) so greatas none was, or can equal him: all the high
priests on earth but imperfect types of him; above Aaron and all others;the
grand presider over all God’s worship, who had work peculiar to himself
above all; the supreme and universal Priestin heaven and earth, whose title
the Romanantichrist usurpeth, to him only due, Pontifex optimus maximus;
yet officiating always for us.
That is passedinto the heavens;he hath fulfilled his type, entering into the
holy of holiest in heaven, taking possessionof God’s rest, and purchasing an
entrance for us into it, and this after the removal of the curse, satisfactionof
the Divine justice for our sins, victory over all enemies that would oppose his
or our entrance by him, as sin, wrath, death, and the devil, and keeping
possessionofthis restfor us, Hebrews 9:23,24,28.
Jesus the Son of God; Jesus the Saviour of his people from all their sins, their
Emmanuel, Matthew 1:20,21,23,who being God the Sonby eternal

generation, was incarnate by taking to himself and uniting a true body and a
reasonable soul, being conceivedmiraculouslyby the virgin Mary from the
overshadowing ofthe Holy Ghost: in which nature, inseparably united to his
person, he fulfilled all righteousness, anddied a sacrifice forour sins, and rose
in our nature, and ascendedand entered into the holy of holiest in heaven, and
made atonement, and laid open the way to believers to enter God’s rest there.
Let us hold fast our profession;the entire religion of which Jesus is the
author, as opposite to that of the Jews in its principles and practical part of it,
Hebrews 3:1, is powerfully, strongly, and perseveringly to be held by his
without relaxation; in which if we follow him, cleave to him, and by him
labour to enter, we shall not come short of God’s rest, Hebrews 7:24,25:
where the Head is, there shall the body be also, John 14:2,3 17:24.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
Seeing then that we have a greathigh priest,.... That Christ is a priest, and an
high priest, has been observedalready, in Hebrews 2:1 but here he is called a
greatone, because of the dignity of his person, as follows, and the virtue of his
sacrifice;and because ofthe place where he now officiates as a priest, heaven
and with respectto the continuation of his priesthood; and likewise becausehe
makes others priests unto God; and this greathigh priest is no other than the
Word of God before spokenof: so the divine Logos, or Word, is often calleda
priest, and an high priest, by Philo the Jew (t). This greathigh priest believers
"have", and have an interestin him; he is called to this office, and invested
with it; he has been sent to do his work as a priest; and he has done the
greatestpart of it, and is now doing the rest; and saints receive Christ as such,
and the blessings of grace from him, through his sacrifice and intercession:
that is passedinto the heavens;he came down from thence, and offered
himself a sacrifice forthe sins of his people; and having done this, he ascended
thither again, to appearfor them, and to make intercessionfor them; whereby
he fully answers to his characteras the greathigh priest: and what makes him
more fully to appear so is what follows,

Jesus, the Son of God: the former of these names signifies a Saviour, and
respects his office; the latter is expressive of his dignity, and respects his
person; who is the Son of God in such sense as angels andmen are not; not by
creation, nor adoption; but by nature; not as man and Mediator, but as God,
being of the same nature with his Father, and equal to him; and it is this
which makes him a greathigh priest, and gives virtue and efficacyto all he
does as such: wherefore,
let us hold fastour profession:of faith, of the grace and doctrine of faith, and
of Christ, and salvationby him, and of the hope of eternal life and happiness;
which being made both by words and deeds, publicly and sincerely, should be
held fast; which supposes something valuable in it, and that there is danger of
dropping it; and that it requires strength, courage, and greatnessofmind, and
an use of all proper means; and it should be held without wavering;for it is
goodand profitable, it recommends the Gospel;and it has been made publicly
before witnesses;and not to hold it fastis displeasing to God, and resentedby
him: and the priesthood of Christ is an argument to enforce this duty, for he is
the high priest of our profession;he has espousedour cause, andabode by it;
he has bore witness to the truth of the Gospelhimself; he prays for the
support of our faith; he pities and succours;and he is passedinto the heavens,
where he appears for us, owns us, and will own us.
(t) Alleg. 1. 2. p. 76. De Profugis, p. 466. & de Somniis, p. 597.
Geneva Study Bible
{5} Seeing then that we have a greathigh priest, that is passedinto the
heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us {k} hold fast our profession.
(5) Now he compares Christ's priesthood with Aaron's, and declares evenin
the very beginning the marvellous excellencyof this priesthood, calling him
the Sonof God, and placing him in the seatof God in heaven, plainly and
openly contrasting him with Aaron's priests, and the transitory tabernacle. He
expands on these comparisons in later passages.
(k) And let it not go out of our hands.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary
to Hebrews 10:18Hebrews 4:14 to Hebrews 10:18. The author has, in that
which precedes, comparedChrist with the angels and then with Moses,and
proved the superiority of Christ over both. He applies himself now to a third
point of the comparison, in that he institutes a comparisonbetweenChrist and
the Levitical high priests, and developes on every side the exalted characterof
His high-priesthood above the Levitical high-priesthood, with regard to His
person, with regard to the sanctuaryin which He fulfils His office, and with
regard to the sacrifice presented. The copiousness ofthis new dogmatic
investigation—whichis subservient to the same paraenetic aim as the
preceding expositions, and therefore opens with an exhortation of the same
nature with the former ones, and is presently interrupted by a somewhat
lengthy warning-paraenetic interlude—is to be explained by the greater
importance it had for the readers, who, in narrow-minded over-estimate of
the temple cultus inherited from the fathers, regardedthe continued
participation in this cultus as necessaryfor the complete expiation of sin and
the acquiring of everlasting salvation, and, because they thought nothing
similar was to be found in Christianity, were exposedto an imminent peril of
turning awayfrom the latter and relapsing entirely into Judaism. Compare
the explanation alreadygiven by Chrysostom, Hom. 8. init.: Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐδὲν
ἦν (sc. in the New Covenant)σωματικὸνἦ φανταστικόν, οἶονοὐ ναός, οὐχ
ἅγια ἁγίων, οὐχ ἱερεὺς τοσαύτηνἔχωνκατασκευήν, οὐ παρατηρήσεις νομικαί,
ἀλλʼ ὑψηλότερα καὶ τελειότερα πάντα, καὶ οὐδὲντῶν σωματικῶν, τὸ δὲ πᾶν ἐν
τοῖς πνευματικοῖς ἦν, οὐχ οὕτω δὲ τὰ πνευματικὰ τοὺς ἀσθενεστέρους
ἐπήγεταο ὡς τὰ σωματικά, τούτου χάριντοῦτονὅλονκινεῖ τὸν λόγον.
The transition to this new sectionis formed by Hebrews 4:14-16.
Hebrews 4:14. The introductory phrase: ἔχοντες οὖν ἀρχιερέα, presupposes
that the author has already had occasionto speak ofJesus as ἀρχιερεύς. We
are therefore led back for οὖν to Hebrews 2:17, Hebrews 3:1. But, since there
is further added to ἀρχιερέα the qualification μέγαν and διεληλυθότα τοὺς

οὐρανούς, and thus also these characteristicsmust be presupposedas known
from that which precedes, we have consequentlynot to limit οὖν, in its
backwardreference, to Hebrews 2:17, Hebrews 3:1, but to extend it to the
whole disquisition, Hebrews 1:1 to Hebrews 3:6, in such wise that (logically,
indeed, in a not very exactmanner) μέγαν, διεληλυθότα τοὺς οὐρανούς glances
back in general to the dignity and exaltedness of the person of Jesus, as
describedin these sections.
Erroneouslydoes Delitzschsuppose that by means of οὖν the exhortation
κρατῶμεντῆς ὁμολογίας is derived as a deduction from Hebrews 4:12-13.
Such opinion would be warrantedonly if, with the omissionof the participial
clause, merely κρατῶμενοὖντῆς ὁμολογίας hadbeen written. Forsince
κρατῶμεντῆς ὁμολογίας has receivedits own justification in the prefixed
ἔχοντες κ.τ.λ., apart from that which immediately precedes, it is clearthat, in
connectionwith Hebrews 4:14, there is no further respecthad to the contents
of Hebrews 4:12-13. It is not therefore to be approved that Delitzsch, in order
to make room for the unfortunate reference to Hebrews 4:12-13, will have οὖν
logicallyattachedto the verb κρατῶμεν, insteadof the participle, with which
it is grammatically connected, and to which, as the most simple and natural,
the like passage,Hebrews 10:19 ff., also points. What laboured confusion of
the relations would Delitzschrequire the readerto assume, whenhe is called
to regard ἔχοντες κ.τ.λ., as being at the same time a recapitulation of that
which has been said before, and continuation of the argument; and yet, spite
of all this, to look upon κρατῶμεντῆς ὁμολογίας as a deduction from Hebrews
4:12-13!In any case, the connectionassertedby Delitzsch to exist between
Hebrews 4:14 and Hebrews 4:12-13 : “the word of God demands obedience
and appropriation, i.e. faith, not, however, as merely a faith lockedup within
the breast, but also a loud Yea and Amen, unreserved and fearless confession,
ὁμολογία frommouth and heart, as the echo thereof,” is in itself a baseless
imagination; because the before-demanded πίστις and the here demanded
ὁμολογία are by no means distinguished from eachother as a minus and a
majus, but, on the contrary, in the mind of the author of the epistle are
synonyms. It results that οὖν stands in a somewhatfree relation to the
foregoing argument, consequentlymust not at all be takenas, strictly

speaking, anillative particle, with which that which precedes is first brought
to a close, but as a particle of resuming, which, in the form of a return to that
which has already been said before, begins a new section.
μέγαν] does not in such wise appertain to ἀρχιερέα that only in combination
with the same it should form the idea of the high priest (Jac. Cappellus,
Braun, Rambach, Wolf, Carpzov, Michaelis, Stuart), but is indicative of the
quality of the high priest, and means exalted, just as μέγας, Hebrews 10:21, in
combination with ἱερεύς. Comp. also Hebrews 13:20.
As the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews represents Christ the Son of God,
so also does Philo (De Somn. p. 598 A, with Mangey, I. p. 654)representthe
divine Logos as ὁ μέγας ἀρχιερεύς. Comp. ibid. p. 597 (I. p. 653):Δύο γάρ, ὡς
ἔσικεν, ἱερὰ θεοῦ, ἓν μὲν ὅδε ὁ κόσμος, ἐν ᾧ καὶ ἀρχιερεὺς ὁ πρωτόγονος
αὐτοῦ θεῖος λόγος, ἕτερον δὲ λογικὴ ψυχή, ἧς ἱερὺς ὁ πρὸς ἀλήθειαν
ἄνθρωπος.
διεληλυθότα τοὺς οὐρανούς]elucidatorydemonstrationof μέγαν. Wrongly is
it translated by Luther (as also by the Peshito):who has ascendedup to
heaven; by Calvin, Peirce, Ernesti, al.:qui coelos ingressus est. It canonly
signify [Piscator, Owen, Bengel, Tholuck, Stuart, al.]: who has passedthrough
the heavens, sc. in order, exalted above the heavens (cf. Hebrews 7:26;
Ephesians 4:10), to take His seatupon the throne of the Divine Majesty(i. 3,
13). Allusion to the high priest of the Old Covenant, who, in order to make
atonement for the people, passedthrough the courts of the Temple, and
through the Temple itself, into the Most Holy Place. Comp. Hebrews 9:11.
Ἰησοῦν τὸν υἱὸντοῦ θεοῦ]emphatic appositionto ἀρχιερέα μέγανκ.τ.λ., in
which the characterizationof Jesus as the υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ (Hebrews 1:1;
Hebrews 1:5, Hebrews 6:6, Hebrews 7:3, Hebrews 10:29)serves anew to call

attention to the dignity of the New TestamentHigh Priest. Quite mistakenare
Wolf and Böhme in their conjecture that the objectin the addition of τὸν υἱὸν
τοῦ θεοῦ is the distinction of Jesus from the Joshua mentioned Hebrews 4:8.
For the mention of Joshua, Hebrews 4:8, was, as regards the connection, only
an incidental one, on which accountthere also not even a more precise
definition was given to the name.
κρατῶμεντῆς ὁμολογίας]letus hold fast(Hebrews 6:18; Colossians 2:19;2
Thessalonians 2:15;wrongly Tittmann: lay hold of, embrace)the confession.
ὁμολογία is not, with Storr, to be referred speciallyto the confession ofChrist
as the High Priest, but to be takenin generalof the Christian confession. The
expressionis here too used objectively, as Hebrews 3:1, of the sum or subject-
matter of the Christian’s belief.
Expositor's Greek Testament
Hebrews 4:14. Ἒχοντες οὖν … “Having then a greathigh priest who has
passedthrough the heavens, Jesus the Sonof God, let us hold fast our
confession.”οὖνresumes the train of thought startedat Hebrews 3:1, where
the readers were enjoined to considerthe High Priestof their confession. But
cf. Weiss and Kübel. μέγαν is now added, as in Hebrews 10:21, Hebrews
13:20, that they may the rather hold fastthe confessionthey were in dangerof
letting go. The μέγαν is explained and justified by two features of this Priest:
(1) He has passedthrough the heavens and enteredthus the very presence of
God. Forδιεληλ. τ. οὐρανούς cannotmean, as Calvin renders “qui coelos
ingressus est”. As the Aaronic High Priestpassedthrough the veil, or, as
Grotius and Carpzov suggest, throughthe various fore courts, into the Holiest
place, so this greatHigh Priesthad passedthrough the heavens and appeared
among eternalrealities. So that the very absence ofthe High Priest which
depressedthem, was itself fitted to strengthenfaith. He was absent, because
dealing with the living God in their behalf. (2) The secondmark of His
greatness is indicated in His designationἸησοῦντὸν υἱὸν τ. Θεοῦ, the human
name suggesting perfectunderstanding and sympathy, the Divine Sonship
acceptancewith the Father and pre-eminent dignity. κρατῶμεντ. ὁμολογίας.

“Our confession” primarily of this greatHigh Priest, but by implication, our
Christian confession, cf. Hebrews 3:1.
Cambridge Bible for Schools andColleges
14–16.Exhortationfounded on Christ’s High Priesthood
14. Seeing then that we have a greathigh priest] These verses referback to
Hebrews 2:17, Hebrews 3:1, and form the transition to the long proof and
illustration of Christ’s superiority to the Levitic Priesthoodwhich occupies
the Epistle to Hebrews 10:18. The writer here reverts to his central thought, to
which he has already twice alluded (Hebrews 2:17, Hebrews 3:1). He had
proved that Christ is superior to Angels the ministers, and to Mosesthe
servant of the old Dispensation, and (quite incidentally) to Joshua. He has now
to prove that He is like Aaron in all that made Aaron’s priesthood precious,
but infinitely superior to him and his successors, anda pledge to us of the
grace by which the true rest can be obtained. Christ is not only a High Priest,
but “a greatHigh Priest,” an expressionalso found in Philo (Opp. i. 654).
that is passedinto the heavens]Rather, “who hath passedthrough the
heavens”—the heavens being here the lowerheavens, regardedas a curtain
which separates us from the presence ofGod. Christ has passednot only into
but above the heavens (Hebrews 7:26). Transiit, non modo intravit, caelos.—
Bengel.
Jesus the Son of God] The title combines His earthly and human name with
his divine dignity, and thus describes the two natures which make His
Priesthoodeternally necessary.
our profession]Rather, “our confession,” as in Hebrews 3:1.
Bengel's Gnomen

Hebrews 4:14. Ἔχοντες, having) The exhortation begins in the same way, ch.
Hebrews 10:19, Hebrews 12:1.—οὖν, therefore)He resumes the proposition
which he had laid down, ch. Hebrews 2:17.—μέγαν, great)for He is the Song
of Solomonof GOD, higher than the heavens. He is calledabsolutely in
Hebrew phraseology, a High Priest, ch. Hebrews 10:21 : but here the Great
High Priest, greaterthan the Levitical high priest.—διεληλυθότα)who has
passedinto, not merely has entered the heavens: ch. Hebrews 7:26.—
κρατῶμεν, let us hold fast) From. ch. Hebrews 3:1 to ch. Hebrews 5:3, there
are four points explained by Chiasmus, inasmuch as they containthe doctrine
and practicalapplication, the practicalapplication and the doctrine. Look
back again, I request, at the summary view (Synopsis)of the epistle.
Pulpit Commentary
Verse 14. - To the interposed minatory warning of the three preceding verses
now succeedsencouragement, basedonthe view, which has been now a
secondtime led up to, of Christ being our greatHigh Priest, who can both
sympathize and succor. The passageanswers closelyin thought to the
conclusionof Hebrews 2, and might naturally have followedthere; but that,
before taking up the subject of Christ's priesthood, the writer had another
line of thought to pursue, leading up (as has been explained) to the same
conclusion. The οϋν at the beginning of ver. 14 either connects κρατῶμεν("let
us hold fast") with the verses immediately preceding in the sense, "The Word
of God being so searching and resistless, letus therefore hold fast," etc., - in
which ease the participial clause ἔχοντες, etc., is a confirmation of this
exhortation (so Delitzsch); or is connectedlogicallywith the participial clause
as a resumption of the whole preceding argument. Certainly the idea of the
participial clause is the prominent one in the writer's mind, what follows
being an expansionof it. And the position of οϋν suggeststhis connection. It is
to be observedthat, after the manner of the Epistle, this concluding
exhortation serves also as a transition to the subjectof the following chapters,
and anticipates in some degree what is to be set forth, though all the
expressions usedhave some ground in what has gone before. Having then a
greatHigh Priest who hath passedthrough the heavens, Jesus the Son of God,
let us hold fastour confession. The rendering of διεληλυθότα τοὺς οὐρανοὺς in
the A.V. ("is passedinto the heavens")is evidently wrong. The idea is that

Christ has passedthrough the intermediate heavens to the immediate
presence ofGod - to the sphere of the eternal σαββατισμὸς. In his use of the
plural, τοὺς οὐρανοὺς, the writer may have had in his mind the Jewishview of
an ascending series ofcreatedheavens. Clemens Alexandrinus, e.g. speaks of
seven:Απτὰ οὐρανοὺς οὕς τινὲς ἀρίθμουσι κατ ἐπανάβασιν. Cf. also "the
heaven and the heaven of heavens" (Deuteronomy10:14; 2 Chronicles 6:18;
Nehemiah 9:6), and "who hast setthy glory above the heavens" (Psalm8:1),
also "the third heaven," into which St. Paul was rapt (2 Corinthians 12:2). Cf.
also Ephesians 4:10, Ὁ ἀναβὰς ὑπεράνω πάντων τῶν οὐρανῶνἵνα πληρώσῃ
τὰ πάντα. The conceptionof the phrase is that, whateverspheres of created
heavens intervene betweenour earth and the eternaluncreated, beyond them
to it Christ has gone, - into "heavenitself (αὐτὸντὸν οὐρανὸν);" "before the
face of God" (Hebrews 9:24). From this expression, togetherwith Ephesians
4:10 (above quoted), is rightly deduced the doctrine of Christ s ubiquity even
in his human nature. For, carrying that nature with him and still retaining it,
he is spokenof as having passedto the regionwhich admits no idea of
limitation, and so as to "fill all things." The obvious bearing of this doctrine
on that of the presence in the Eucharistmay be noted in passing. (It is to be
observedthat "the heavens" in the plural is used (Hebrews 8:1) of the seatof
the Divine majesty itself to which Christ has gone. It is the word διεληλυθότα
that determines the meaning here.) The designation, "Jesus the Son of God,"
draws attention first to the man Jesus who was known by that name in the
flesh, and secondly to the "more excellentname," above expatiatedon, in
virtue of which he "hath passedthrough the heavens." The conclusionfollows
that it is the human Jesus, with his humanity, who, being also the Son of God,
has so "passedthrough." There may possibly (as some think) be an intention
of contrasting him with Joshua (Ιησοῦς, ver. 8), who won the entrance into the
typical rest. But it is not necessaryto suppose this; vers. 8 and 14 are at too
greata distance from eachother to suggesta connectionofthought between
them; and besides Ἰησοῦνoccurred similarly at the end of Hebrews 3:1,
before any mention of Joshua. The epithet μέγαν after ἀρχιερέα distinguishes
Christ from all other high priests (cf. Hebrews 13:20, Τὸν ποιμένα τῶν
προβάτωντὸν μέγαν). The high priest of the Law passedthrough the veil to
the earthly symbol of the eternalglory; the "greatHigh Priest" has passed
through the heavens to the eternal glory itself. As to ὁμολογίας, cf. on

Hebrews 3:1. In considerationof having such a High Priest, who, as is
expressedin what follows, canboth sympathize and succor, the readers are
exhorted to "hold fast," not only their inward faith, but their "confession" of
it before men. A besetting dangerof the Hebrew Christians was that of
shrinking from a full and open confessionunder the influence of gainsaying or
persecution.
Vincent's Word Studies
Hebrews 2:17, Hebrews 2:18 is now resumed. This and the following verse
more naturally form the conclusionof the preceding sectionthan the
introduction to the following one.
Greathigh priest (μέγαν)
Emphasizing Christ's priestly characterto Jewishreaders, as superiorto that
of the Levitical priests. He is holding up the ideal priesthood.
Passedinto the heavens (διεληλυθότα τοὺς οὐρανούς)
Rend. "passedthrough the heavens." Through, and up to the throne of God of
which he wields the power, and is thus able to fulfill for his followers the
divine promise of rest.
Jesus the Son of God
The name Jesus applied to the high priest is forcible as recalling the historical,
human person, who was tempted like his brethren. We are thus prepared for
what is said in Hebrews 4:15 concerning his sympathizing character.
PRECEPT AUSTIN RESOURCES
Hebrews 4:14 Commentary

Hebrews 4 Resources
Updated: Tue, 02/17/2015 -00:00 By admin
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Hebrews 4:14 Therefore, since we have a greathigh priest Who has passed
through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession
(NASB: Lockman)
Greek:Echontes (PAPMPN)oun archierea megandieleluthota (RAPMSA)
tous ouranous, Iesoun ton huion tou theou, kratomen (1PPAS)tes homologias;
Amplified: Inasmuch then as we have a greatHigh Priest Who has [already]
ascendedand passedthrough the heavens, Jesus the Sonof God, let us hold
fast our confession[offaith in Him]. (Amplified Bible - Lockman)
Barclay:Since, then, we have a high priest, greatin his nature, who has
passedthrough the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fastto our
creed. (WestminsterPress)
KJV: Seeing then that we have a greathigh priest, that is passedinto the
heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fastour profession.
NLT: That is why we have a greatHigh Priestwho has gone to heaven, Jesus
the Sonof God. Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him. (NLT -
Tyndale House)
Phillips: Seeing that we have a greatHigh Priest who has entered the inmost
Heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to our faith. (Phillips:
Touchstone)
Wuest: Having therefore a High Priest, a greatOne, One who has gone
through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us be holding fastour
confession. (Eerdmans)
Young's Literal: Since then we have a greathigh priest who has passed
through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.

THEREFORE, SINCE WE HAVE A GREAT HIGH PRIEST WHO HAS
PASSED THROUGHTHE HEAVENS, JESUS THE SON OF GOD:
Echontes (PAPMPN)oun archierea megandieleluthota (RAPMSA) tous
("the" = plural) ouranous Iesoun ton huion tou theou: (Hebrews 2:17; 3:1;
3:5,6) (Hebrews 1:3; 6:20; 7:25,26;8:1; 9:12,24;10:12;12:2; Mark 16:19;
Luke 24:51; Acts 1:11; 3:21; Romans 8:34) (Hebrews 1:2,8; Mark 1:1)
(Hebrews 2:1; 3:6,14;10:23)
OT PASSAGES QUOTED IN HEBREWS 4 - Click for complete list of OT
Quotations/Allusions
He 4:3 <> Ps 95:11
He 4:4 <> Ge 2:2
He 4:5 <> Ps 95:11
He 4:7 <> Ps 95:7, 8
KEY WORDS IN HEBREWS 4 - Click for complete list of Key Words in
Hebrews
Faith - He 4:2
Let us - He 4:1, 11, 14,16 (Click forall 12 "let us… " exhortations in Hebrews
in the NASB).)
CONSIDER JESUS
OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST
INSTRUCTION
He 1:1-10:18
EXHORTATION
He 10:19-13:25
REVELATION
He 1:1-10:18

RESPONSE
He 10:19-13:25
PRECEPTS
He 1:1-10:18
PRACTICE
He 10:19-13:25
DOCTRINE
He 1:1-10:18
DUTY
He 10:19-13:25
SUPERIORITY
of
CHRIST'S PERSON
He 1:1-7:28
SUPERIORITY
of
CHRIST'S PRIESTHOOD
He 8:1-10:18
SUPERIORITY
of the
CHRISTIAN'S PRACTICE
He 10:19-13:25
MAJESTY

OF CHRIST
He 1:1-4:13
MINISTRY
OF CHRIST
He 4:14-10:18
MINISTERS
FOR CHRIST
He 10:19-13:25
Christ
the
Son of God
He 1:1-2:4
Christ
the
Son of Man
He 2:5-4:13
Christ
the
High Priest
He 4:14-10:18
Christ
the
Way

He 10:19-13:25
This chart is adapted in part from Jensen's Surveyof the NT and Wilkinson's
Talk Thru the Bible
Irving Jensenwrites that…
The main theme of Hebrews may be statedthus: The knowledge and
assurance ofhow greatthis High PriestJesus is should lift the drifting
believer from spiritual lethargy to vital Christian maturity. Statedanother
way: The antidote for backsliding is a growing personalknowledge ofJesus
(He 2:1-note, He 2:3-note). (Jensen, I. L. Jensen's Surveyof the New
Testament:Searchand discover. page 418. Chicago:MoodyPress)
Bruce Wilkinson reminds us of the purpose of this epistle and the importance
of this middle section(He 4:14-He 10:18)to unequivocally establish the
greatness ofChrist's priesthood…
Many Jewishbelievers, having stepped out of Judaism into Christianity,
wanted to reverse their course in order to escape persecutionby their
countrymen. The writer of Hebrews exhorts them to “press on” to maturity in
Christ (He 6:1-note). His appealis based the superiority of Christ over the
Judaic system. Christ is better than the angels, for they worship Him. He is
better than Moses, forMoses was createdby Him. He is better than the
Aaronic priesthood, for His sacrifice was once forall time. He is better than
the Law, for He mediates a better covenant. In short, there is more to be
gained by suffering for Christ than by reverting to Judaism. Pressing onto
maturity produces testedfaith, self-discipline, and a visible love seenin good
works. (Wilkinson, B., & Boa, K. 1983. Talk thru the Bible. Page 453.
Nashville: T. Nelson)
The High Priesthood
of Jesus Christ
Heb 4:14-10:18

Observe in the Table that from Hebrews 4:14 through Hebrews 10:18 the
writer now focuses his arguments on The High Priesthoodof Jesus and
specificallyon the superiority of His priesthoodto the Aaronic priesthood.
ESV Study Bible summarizes the superior features of Jesus'priesthoodas
follows…
(1) Jesus’ability to sympathize with human need,
(2) His perfect holiness,
(3) His eternal callto the priestly order of Melchizedek (combined with his
eternal sonship),
(4) His initiating a new and better covenant,
(5) His ministering in the true heavenly tabernacle, and
(6) His presenting himself as a once-for-allsacrifice forthe salvationand
perfection of all his followers.
The writer pauses in the middle of this sectionto warn once more againstthe
danger of apostasy(He 5:11-6:12)and to express confidence in God’s
promises (He 6:13-20). (ESV Study Bible, The: English Standard Version)
The topic of the priesthood, which was alluded to briefly earlierbut is now
explained in earnest. One of the main arguments of the Epistle is that the
priestly work of Jesus is superior to that of the Levitical priesthood. He had
briefly alluded to Jesus'priesthoodof Jesus in (Hebrews 1:3-note; He 2:17-
Hebrews 2:17; He 2:18-note;He 3:1-note) as if he were preparing them for
this major argument.
Therefore (3767)(oun) is a term of conclusion, whichusually looks backward
but in this case looksforward. In other words, basedon the truth about Jesus'
greatpriesthood, the writer exhorts his reads to hold fast. Notice his charge
does not just say "Hold fast" but gives his readers the soul stabilizing truth of
God's Word to edify and equip them that they might be strengthenedby grace
to hold fast. We need to practice this same principle in our churches today --
we must continually give the saints the solid food of the pure milk of God's

Word, in order that their minds might be renewedto think rightly about this
present, fleeting life.
Holman Bible Commentary says that Heb 4:13 ends with a solemn thought
which should stimulate us to ask…
"Who can representguilty sinners before a God who sees everything?" This
leads to this next sectionon the high-priestly work of Christ (He 4:14, 15, 16,
etc) and its provision of mercy and help for wandering sinners.
Murray introduces this last sectionof Hebrews 4 "After his digression, in the
warning to the Hebrews not like their fathers with Moses, to harden their
hearts through unbelief, our writer returns to his argument. He had already
twice used the words High Priest (He 2:16, 3:1), and is preparing the way for
what is the greatobjectof the Epistle—the exposition of the heavenly
priesthood of the Lord Jesus, andthe work He has by it accomplishedfor us
(He 7:1-10:18). In this section(He 4:14-5:10) he first gives the general
characteristicsofthat priesthood, as typified by Aaron, and exhibited in our
Lord's life here on earth. In chaps, 1 and 2 he had laid the foundation of his
structure in the divinity and the humanity of our Saviour: he here first speaks
of Him in His greatness as a High Priestpassedthrough the heavens, then in
His sympathy and compassion, as having been tempted like as we are.
We have (2192)(echo)means they hold or possessJesus as theirHigh Priest.
Furthermore the present tense shows that they continually "possess" Him!
And even better He continually and forever possessesthose sheepwho are His
own! (Jn 10:27,28)Gloryto God in the highest! Take a moment and meditate
on majestic glory of our Great High Priestas you ponder the words of Isaac
Watts' hymn…
With joy we meditate the grace
Of our High Priest above;
His heart is made of tenderness,
His bowels**melt with love.
Touchedwith a sympathy within,

He knows our feeble frame;
He knows what sore temptations mean,
For He has felt the same.
But spotless, innocent, and pure,
The greatRedeemerstood,
While Satan’s fiery darts He bore,
And did resistto blood.
He in the days of feeble flesh
Poured out His cries and tears,
And in His measure feels afresh
What every member bears.
He’ll never quench the smoking flax,
But raise it to a flame;
The bruisèd reed He never breaks,
Nor scorns the meanestname.
Then let our humble faith address
His mercy and His power;
We shall obtain delivering grace
In the distressing hour.
Play - With Joy We Meditate the Grace by Isaac Watts
**Bowels = Old KJV term = centerof the feelings, affections, especially
compassion

Great(3173)High Priest - Israelhad many high priests, but they never had a
GreatHigh Priest. We have an absolutely unique GreatHigh Priest.
Vincent writes that greatemphasizes "Christ’s priestly characterto Jewish
readers, as superior to that of the Levitical priests. He is holding up the ideal
priesthood.
High priest (749) (archiereus from arche = first in a series, the leaderor ruler
+ hiereus = priest) (Dictionary articles - Easton's;ISBE)refers to the priest
that was chief over all the other priests in Israel. This office was establishedby
God through Moses instructions in the Pentateuch. The high priest functioned
as the mediator betweenJehovahand Israelperforming sacrifices andrituals
like other priests, but in addition acting to expiate the sins of the nation on the
annual Day of Atonement.
The irony is that the high priest Caiaphas was residing over the Sanhedrin
during trial of Jesus, the trial which would lead to His death and pave the way
for His eternal High Priesthood!
Eerdman's Bible Dictionary explains that "The high priest descendedfrom
Eleazar, the son of Aaron. The office was normally hereditary and was
conferredupon an individual for life (Nu 25:10-13). The candidate was
consecratedin a seven-day ceremonywhich included investiture with the
specialclothing of his office as well as anointments and sacrifices (Ex29:1-37;
Lev 8:5-35).
The high priest was bound to a higher degree of ritual purity than ordinary
Levitical priests. He could have no contactwith dead bodies, including those
of his parents. Nor could he rend his clothing or allow his hair to grow out as
signs of mourning. He could not marry a widow, divorced woman, or harlot,
but only an Israelite virgin (Lev. 21:10-15). Any sin committed by the high
priest brought guilt upon the entire nation and had to be countered by special
sacrifice (Lev 4:1-12). Upon a high priest’s death manslayers were released
from the cities of refuge (Nu 35:25, 28, 32). (Eerdman's Bible Dictionary)
Archiereus occurs only in the Gospels (Matthew - 25 times, Mark 21 times,
Luke 15 times, John 20 times), Acts 22 times and Hebrews (see below). The

references to the high priests in the Gospels andActs refers primarily to their
bitter opposition to Jesus Who the writer of Hebrews identifies as our
everlasting High Priest.
Clearly archiereus is a keyword in the book of Hebrews, and a review of these
17 verses reveals various characteristics(see underlined sections)ofJesus role
as the greatHigh Priest(some of the uses of high priest obviously do not refer
to Jesus but to the Jewishhigh priests).
Hebrews 2:17 (note) Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all
things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things
pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
Hebrews 3:1 (note) Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling,
considerJesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession.
Hebrews 4:14 (note) Since then we have a greathigh priest who has passed
through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
Hebrews 4:15 (note) For we do not have a high priest who cannotsympathize
with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are,
yet without sin.
Hebrews 5:1 (note) For every high priest taken from among men is appointed
on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and
sacrifices forsins;
Hebrews 5:5 (note) So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a
high priest, but He who said to Him, "Thouart My Son, TodayI have
begottenThee";
Hebrews 5:10 (note) being designatedby God as a high priest according to the
order of Melchizedek.
Hebrews 6:20 (note) where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having
become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 7:26 (note) For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest,
holy, innocent, undefiled, separatedfrom sinners and exaltedabove the
heavens;
Hebrews 7:27 (note) who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer
up sacrifices, firstfor His own sins, and then for the sins of the people,
because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
Hebrews 7:28 (note) For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak,
but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made
perfect forever.
Hebrews 8:1 (note) Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have
such a high priest, who has taken His seatat the right hand of the throne of
the Majestyin the heavens,
Hebrews 8:3 (note) For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and
sacrifices;hence it is necessarythat this high priest also have something to
offer.
Hebrews 9:7 (note) but into the secondonly the high priest enters, once a year,
not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the
people committed in ignorance.
Hebrews 9:11 (note) But when Christ appearedas a high priest of the good
things to come, He entered through the greaterand more perfect tabernacle,
not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;
Hebrews 9:25 (note) nor was it that He should offer Himself often, as the high
priest enters the holy place year by year with blood not his own.
Hebrews 13:11 (note) Forthe bodies of those animals whose blood is brought
into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside
the camp.
Vincent commenting on the adjective greatwrites that this picture
emphasizes…

Christ’s priestly characterto Jewishreaders, as superior to that of the
Levitical priests. He is holding up the ideal priesthood.
Jesus is not just any High Priestbut a GreatOne, our very own ("we have")
High Priest! What an incentive for endurance to those who have believed in
the Lord Jesus Christ. Seeing then that we have a greathigh priest with our
name on his breast and shoulders, let's hold fast our confession!
Spurgeon- All that Israelhad under the law we still retain; only we have the
substance, ofwhich they had only the shadow. “We have an altar from which
those who serve in the tabernacle do not have the right to eat” (Heb 13:10).
We have a sacrifice, which, being once offered, forever avails;we have one
“greaterthan the temple” (Matt 12:6), and he is to us the mercy seatand the
High Priest. Take it for granted that all the blessings ofthe law remain under
the gospel. Christhas restoredthat which He did not take away;but He has
not takenawayone single possible blessing of the law. On the contrary, He
has securedall to His people. I look to the Old Testament, and I see certain
blessings appended to the covenant of works, and I sayto myself by faith,
“Those blessingsare mine, for I have kept the covenant of works in the person
of my CovenantHead and Surety. Every blessing that is promised to perfect
obedience belongs to me, since I present to God a perfectobedience in the
person of my great Representative, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Every real
spiritual boon that Israelhad, you have as a Christian. Not only do we read
that there is a High Priest, but we read, “We have a high priest.” It would be a
small matter to us to know that such and such blessings existed; the great
point is to know by faith that we personally possessthem. What is the great
High Priestto me unless He is mine? What is a Savior but a word to tantalize
my despairing spirit, until I can saythat this Savior is mine? Every blessing of
the covenantis prized in proportion as it is had: “We have a High Priest.”
HIS DIVINE PASSAGE
Passedthrough (1330)(dierchomaifrom dia = through + erchomai= come or
go) means to go through, to traverse, to pierce through. The perfect tense
describes a past completed action(His passing through the heavens)with

present ongoing benefits and effects. The perfect tense thus speaks of
permanence of our Lord's passage.
The atoning work is done,
The Victim’s blood is shed;
And Jesus now is gone
His people’s cause to plead:
He stands in Heaven their greatHigh Priest,
And bears their names upon His breast.
He sprinkles with His blood (See comment)
The mercy-seatabove;
For justice had withstood
The purposes of love:
But justice now objects no more,
And mercy yields her boundless store.
No temple made with hands
His place of service is;
In Heaven itself He stands,
A heavenly priesthood His:
In Him the shadows ofthe law
Are all fulfilled, and now withdraw.
And though awhile He be
Hid from the eyes of men,
His people look to see

Their greatHigh Priestagain:
In brightest glory He will come,
And take His waiting people home.
Play - The Atoning Work is Done by Thomas Kelly
Vincent…
Through, and up to the throne of God of which he wields the power, and is
thus able to fulfill for his followers the divine promise of rest.
Our High Priestis in the very Throne Roomof God and ready to minister to
all who struggle with the pressures and problems of life on earth. Let us go
into His presence and lay our burdens at His feetfor He is a sympathetic
GreatHigh Priest.
The imagery of passedthrough suggeststhe Old TestamentDay of Atonement
when the high priest passedthrough the Holy Place of the Tabernacle, into the
Holy of Holies where the Shekinahglory cloud overthe Ark of the Covenant
and the Mercy Seatsymbolized the very presence of the Living God. The
Levitical high priest entered with a blood offering (Lev 16:12, 13, 14, 16) to
make atonement (or a "covering" = kapharwhich is related to the Jewish
name of this day = "Yom Kippur") for himself and all Israel. The passage of
the Jewishhigh priest was but a pale shadow of the passage ofour Great High
PriestWho on the basis of His perfect, once for all sacrifice ofHis own blood
passedthrough the heavens and into the Holy of holies, the Throne room of
God.
In summary, Jesus'priestly ministry is much better than that of the Jewish
high priests, for only one this one day of the year were they allowedto pass
through an earthly veil to enter the Holy of Holies. In contrast, our Great
High Priestpassedthrough the heavenly "veil" once for all time and into the
Throne Roomof God.
Spurgeon- He does not forget us now that He has passedthrough the lower
heavens into the heaven of heavens, where He reigns supreme in His Father’s
glory. He is still touched with a feeling of our infirmities. Though He has left

behind Him all pain, and suffering, and infirmity, He retains to the full the
fellow-feeling that His life of humiliation has developed in Him. Jesus has
triumphed, he has entered into the glory on our behalf, the victory on our
accountrests with him; therefore let us follow him as closelyas we can. May
he help us, just now, if we are in the leastdispirited or eastdown, to pluck up
courage, andpress on our way! Shall we desert him now that he has gone into
heaven to representus now that he has fought the fight, and won the victory
on our behalf, and gone up to heavenas our Representative? Godforbid!
Wuest - The word "through" is the clue that opens up the truth here which
shows that Messiahis better than Aaron. The latter as high priest in Israel,
passedthrough the court of the tabernacle, through the Holy Place, into the
Holy of Holies, which were all figures or types of realities. Messiahas High
Priestof the New Testamentpassedthrough the heaven of the clouds, the
heaven of the stars, into the heavenof heavens, the centralized abode of Deity.
Since Messiahpassedthrough the realities of which the tabernacle was only a
type, and Aaron passedthrough the things that were the types, Messiahis
better than Aaron.
David describes the scene in heavenand Spurgeon comments on the impact
that this glorious truth had on David's mindset…
Psalm11:4 The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD's throne is in heaven;
His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.
Spurgeoncomments on the effectof David's awarenessofJehovahin His holy
temple writing that…
David here declares the greatsource of his unflinching courage. He borrows
his light from heaven-- from the greatcentral orb of deity. The God of the
believer is never far from him; He is not merely the God of the mountain
fastnesses,but of the dangerous valleys and battle plains.
Jehovahis in His holy temple. The heavens are above our heads in all regions
of the earth, and so is the Lord evernear to us in every state and condition.
This is a very strong reasonwhy we should not adopt the vile suggestions of
distrust. There is One Who pleads His precious blood in our behalf in the

temple above (Ed note: Our GreatHigh Priest), and there is One upon the
throne Who is never deaf to the intercessionofHis Son. Why, then, should we
fear? What plots can men devise which Jesus will not discover? Satanhas
doubtless desired to have us, that he may sift us as wheat, but Jesus is in the
temple praying for us, and how canour faith fail? What attempts can the
wickedmake which Jehovahshall not behold? And since He is in His holy
temple, delighting in the sacrifice ofHis Son, will He not defeatevery device,
and send us a sure deliverance?
Jehovah's throne is in the heavens;He reigns supreme. Nothing can be done
in heaven, or earth, or hell, which He doth not ordain and overrule. He is the
world's greatEmperor. Wherefore, then, should we flee? If we trust this King
of kings, is not this enough? Cannot He deliver us without our cowardly
retreat? Yes, blessedbe the Lord our God, we can salute him as Jehovah
Nissi;in His Name we setup our banners, and instead of flight, we once more
raise the shout of war. (Ed note: So strengtheneddear saint, let us hold fast
our confessionamidst a ever deafening hostility and fierce hatred for genuine
followers of Jesus.)
An anonymous psalmist comforts us with the truth that…
Jehovahlooks from heaven. He sees allthe sons of men (Psalm 33:13)
Spurgeonwrites that…
The Lord is representedas dwelling above and looking down below;seeing all
things, but peculiarly observing and caring for those who trust in Him. It is
one of our choicestprivileges to be always under our Father's eye, to be never
out of sight of our best Friend (Ed note: Our GreatHigh Priest).
Vincent adds that Jesus has passed"Through, and up to the throne of God of
which he wields the power, and is thus able to fulfil for His followers the
divine promise of rest.
Heavens (3772)(ouranos - Vine feels is probably akin to ornumi = to lift or
heave) is one of 24 NT uses (click all uses of "heavens" - plural - in NT)) of
heaven in the plural.

All uses of heavens in the NT - Matt 3:16, 17;24:29; Mark 1:10, 11; 13:25;
Luke 21:26; John 1:51; Acts 7:56; 2 Cor 5:1; Eph 1:10; 4:10; Col1:16; Heb
1:10; 4:14; 7:26; 8:1; 9:23; 2 Pet 3:5, 7, 10, 12, 13;Rev 12:12
Regarding the term heavens there are at leastthree divisions (there is not a
complete consensus onthis however) -
(1) First heaven (the atmosphere)(In Acts 1:9, 10, 11 Jesus was "lifted up…
and a cloud receivedHim… into the sky… into heaven (and) will come in just
the same way as you [disciples]have watchedHim go into heaven.")
(2) Secondheaven (outer space)
(3) Third heaven (God’s abode; 2Cor12:2, 3, 4). (See discussionof Third
Heaven)
Jesus passedthrough the first two "heavens" to take His seatat the right
hand of His Father in the Third heaven, the dwelling place of God ("Our
Father Who art in heaven" - Matthew 6:9-note)
In the Old Testamentthe high priest of Israel passedthrough the courts and
veils into the MostHoly Place, but Jesus has passedthrough the heavens into
the very presence of God where He is seatedatthe right hand of His Father
(Hebrews 1:3-note), continually performing His functions as our High Priest
(eg, intercession, Hebrews 7:25-note).
In a parallel passagewe read
Therefore it was necessaryfor the copies (hupodeigma) of the things in the
heavens to be cleansedwith these, but the heavenly (epouranios)things
themselves with better sacrifices thanthese (animal sacrifices). ForChrist did
not enter a holy place made with hands (the Holy of holies in the earthly copy
of the heavenly Tabernacle), a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven
itself, now to appear in the presence of God for (for = preposition huper = on
our behalf, as our Substitute) us; (He 9:23; 9:24-note)
Heaven is a common theme in the book of Hebrews, which is fitting in view of
the greatconflictof suffering (see note Hebrews 10:32)they had endured.
Study the 10 uses of ouranos…

Hebrews 1:10 (note) - And, "YOU, LORD, IN THE BEGINNING LAID THE
FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH, AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE
WORKS OF YOUR HANDS;
Hebrews 4:14 (note) - Therefore, since we have a greathigh priest who has
passedthrough the heavens, Jesus the Sonof God, let us hold fast our
confession.
Hebrews 7:26 (note) - For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy,
innocent, undefiled, separatedfrom sinners and exalted above the heavens;
Hebrews 8:1 (note) - Now the main point in what has been said is this: we
have such a high priest, who has takenHis seatat the right hand of the throne
of the Majestyin the heavens,
Hebrews 9:23 (note) - Therefore it was necessaryfor the copies of the things in
the heavens to be cleansedwith these, but the heavenly things themselves with
better sacrifices than these.
Hebrews 9:24 (note) - For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands,
a mere copy of the true one, but into heavenitself, now to appear in the
presence ofGod for us;
Hebrews 11:12 (note) - Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as
goodas dead at that, as many descendants AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN IN
NUMBER, AND INNUMERABLE AS THE SAND WHICH IS BY THE
SEASHORE.
Hebrews 12:23 (note) - to the generalassembly and church of the firstborn
who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of
the righteous made perfect, (cp Philippians 3:20-note)
Hebrews 12:25 (note) - See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking.
For if those did not escape whenthey refused him who warned them on earth,
much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven.
Hebrews 12:26 (note) - And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has
promised, saying, "YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE
EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN ."

Jesus was our great high priest

Jesus was our great high priest

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Jesus was our great high priest