SO ALSO CHRIST
Hebrews 5:4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. 5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. 6 As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. 7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; 9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
1. In Hebrews 5:4-6 We see Christ divinely appointed to the High Priest’s office.
2. In Hebrews 5:7-9 We see that Christ perfectly executed that office!
In verses 5 & 6 we see that God spake to Christ. he that said unto him … As he saith also..
And in verse 7 we see that Christ spoke to God as a high priest. he had offered up prayers … was heard …
It was in the days of his flesh that this was done. John 11:35 Jesus wept. 38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. 40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
His work was for a specific time, and for a limited period. Galatians 4:4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 12:35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
The verses which the apostle sets forth in writing this Hebrews’ passage were both from the Psalms. Psalm 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 110:4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. From these verses the apostle reveals, by the inspiration and revelation of the Holy Spirit to himself, that the man, Christ Jesus is the only authorized agent to mediate between God and man in the high priest’s office! 1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
In fact, he begins this book by stating that the eternal Son of God is the exclusive spokesperson for the revelation of the mind and will of God. Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
And again, of these verses from Psalms we read of his resurrection in Acts 13:30-33: But God raised him from the dead: 31 And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people. 32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was made unto the fathers, 33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. For his resurrection proves that he was indeed the very Son of God! Romans 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
Then the following verse after Psalm 2:7 sets forth the Lord’s sovereignty over all flesh! Psalm 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Compare that verse eight with Matthew 28:18 and John 17:2. Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. John 17:2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
Christ’s being the only begotten of the Father, and having executed his office and ministry perfectly, the Father has placed all things under him, giving him absolute authority over all creation and all its populations! As that last listed verse reveals, He has complete power over all flesh as Sovereign Lord. And then it states that he has complete power to grant eternal life to those given him by the Father as Sovereign Lamb! For his redemption spanned the full limits of the Father’s election! John 17:9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. 10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
Now in our Hebrews 5:7 verse we read that the prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears of the Lord Jesus were to the Father who was able to save him from death. And then it states that this was heard in that he feared; But yet the Lord Jesus died! Then that was not what he was praying about! For we clearly read that if the Father hears us as we pray according to his will, we shall have the petition for which we ask. 1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
Isaiah 49:8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
Therefore we must understand that Christ Jesus was not praying concerning physically “dying,” but eternal “death!” Psalm 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Psalm 69:13 But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation. 14 Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. 15 Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me. 16 Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
Our Lord came into this world as the Lamb of God! See John 1:29 & Revelation 13:8. Therefore he was resigned to dying! For he intended to pay sin’s wages for us. But since it was not his own personal, committed sin, he trusted, by faith, that as soon as the Father was “satisfied,” the Son would be released from the grave and not see corruption! Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
John 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
Hebrews 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
Just as the believer is given eternal life and is said that he shall never see death, it doesn’t mean that he won’t physically die at the end of his days on earth! John 5:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
John 8:51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. 52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death.
In fact, those who live in sin, having no spiritual life in Christ, are said to be dead while they live! 1 Timothy 5:6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. Therefore many actively walk about with eyesight, appetite, and full body functions, who are dead in trespasses and sins! They have yet to be made alive spiritually! Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
In the ninth chapter of the Book of Hebrews the apostle connects the appointment of men to physically die once, to the singular death of the Lord Jesus in its being sufficient to put away sin forever! Hebrews 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many;
Hebrews 7:27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
Hebrews 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
Then in the last two verses of our context we see in Hebrews 5:8 an immediate effect upon our Lord’s person. For it is said that during these days of his flesh he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. Hebrews 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
The cross is the one common ‘equalizer’ for all the peoples of God throughout the ages! There is not only “one faith, one Lord, and one God and Father of us all,” but there is one experiential and effectual leveling agent for all the peoples of God. And that is the cross! It alone provides the ability to fit those who come from the east and the west, throughout the history of the world to sit down with Abraham! Matthew 8:11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. For the cross gives one and all common affiliation one with another, but especially with their Lord! THAT provides every individual believer their new song! Revelation 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
And then in Hebrews 5:9 we have another phrase which, at first may puzzle the human mind. For it states that there was a time when the Lord was made perfect. And that seems to indicate that there was a previous time when he was not perfect! – And that is true!
Of course he always has been the perfect, spotless, Son of God! Hebrews 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; So in what way is he not yet perfect?
There is that perfection in the classroom, with workbooks having been studied and learned. One can make a perfect grade on the written test. But it is not always the student with the highest classroom grade that turns out to be the best in the application of that head knowledge when the actual task must be accomplished.
Therefore we know that the Lord Jesus was the holy, perfect Son of God! But our verse does not address that truth! It concerns itself with the fact that the eternal, spotless Son of God was also made a perfect author of eternal salvation, not just by classroom knowledge, but in the actual experience of his sufferings!
He proved himself to be I AM! And not just to be I KNOW! For the spiritual essence of God is total, perfect activity! But the awareness of who God is, is seen in his creative work! Therefore what he does reveals who he is! And our Lord, having done the works that no other man has ever done, proves himself to be very God! John 10:37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. 38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.
But his greatest ‘work,’ was his cross work! For it was there that his perfect obedience proved him to be the perfect author of eternal salvation!
Pastor Gene Breed
July 6, 2017
