High Priest Forever

The Letter to the Hebrews begins by stressing the superiority of the “ word spoken in the Son ” over all previous revelations “ spoken in the prophets .” This includes the Great Lawgiver himself, Moses, the greatest of the prophets, and it indicates the fundamental weaknesses of the Levitical priesthood and its sacrificial system. The previous words from the prophets were true but partial and preparatory. However, now, “ upon the last of these days ,” God has “ spoken ” with great finality in one who is His “ Son .”

Jesus of Nazareth is the one who unveils the plans and mysteries of the Almighty, and only he is qualified to reveal the nature of the “ unseen God .” In him, all the promises of God find their fulfillment. He is the key that unlocks the Hebrew Scriptures and fulfills prophecy. This principle is presented explicitly in the opening paragraph of Letter to the Hebrews and pictorially in the Book of Revelation when Jesus is pictured as the “ Lamb .”

Chapter 2 picks up the term “ salvation ” from the end of Chapter 1 and applies it to the definitive “ word ” that God is now speaking in one who is a “ Son .” In Jesus, He has revealed the “ word of salvation ” in this new era (“ upon these last days ”). And God Himself confirmed this word with “ signs, wonders, and mighty works ” wrought by His Spirit, this message that began with His Son, and subsequently, was attested to and preached by the apostles – (Hebrews 2:1-4).

The Letter to the Hebrews highlights several aspects of the Son of God, especially his priesthood and sacrificial death. In doing so, the stress falls on the permanence of his priestly office, and the non-repeatable nature of his sacrifice. In his death, he “ achieved the purification of sins ,” and therefore, he now intercedes “ forevermore ” for his people as their faithful and sympathetic High Priest. Moreover, his unique sacrifice dealt with sin permanently, “ once-for-all .”