It’s clear that
the Jewish people are loyal to the scripture of the Old Testament, so Paul
uses that to further confirm that Jesus really was who He said He was. Paul
explains, that if you believe what the Angels of the Lord said was TRUTH,
and Jesus is above angels, then, how can there be any doubt about Jesus’
Word?
We ought to pay closer attention to the things we’ve heard
(scripture and prophecy),
so that we don’t ever forget them.
Because if the Word spoken by angels was firmly believed,
and every transgression and disobedience
received a fair repayment of reward;
How shall we be excused,
if we ignore such great salvation;
which at the beginning
(in the times of the Old Testament)
began to be spoken by the Lord,
and was confirmed to us
(by Jesus through the New Testament)
by them that heard Him;
God also, showing them TRUTH,
with both signs and wonders,
and with different miracles,
and gifts of the
Holy Ghost
(after Jesus died, rose, and ascended),
according to His own will?
Whew! That’s a
long sentence. In short, this is the gist of it. If you believe in the
things the angels said and every sin gets it’s fair penalty, how do you
expect to be pardoned if you don’t believe in the
Grace that the Lord
spoke through the angels, then performed through Christ, and then confirmed
through the Holy Spirit?
Because God hasn’t put the angels in power over the world to come,
of which we speak.
But David testified, saying,
What is man, that you care about him?
Or the son of man that you visit
him?
Psalms 8:4-6
You made him a little lower than the angels;
you crowned him with glory and honor,
and did set him over the creations of your hands:
you have put all things in subjection under his feet.
Genesis 1:28
Because by giving mankind dominion over all things,
He left nothing that is not put under him.
But now we see not yet all things put under him.
But we see Jesus, who (while in the flesh)
was made a little lower than the angels in order to suffer
death,
crowned with glory and honor; so that He,
by the Grace of God should experience death for every man.
For it became (suited, pleased)
Him,
for whom are all things,
and by whom are all things,
in bringing many sons unto glory,
to make the captain of their salvation perfect through
sufferings.
For both He that makes holy (which is the Lord)
and they who are made holy (which are Christians), all
belong to God:
and for that reason, He is not ashamed to call them
brethren, saying,
I will declare thy name unto my brethren,
in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
Psalms 22:22
And again,
I will put my trust in Him.
Psalms 18:2
And again,
Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
Isaiah 8:18
Maybe Paul is
pointing out to the Hebrews that there’s a difference between quoting
scripture, and fulfilling prophecy. Jesus wasn’t just a copycat, He didn’t
just quote scripture, and He wasn’t just a prophet. He
was the fulfillment of
the prophecy that was spoken of in these scriptures.
Since then as the children were flesh and blood,
He also Himself became flesh and blood;
so that through death He might destroy him that had the
power of death,
that is, the
devil;
And rescue them who through
fear of death
were all their lifetime afraid.
Now Paul shows how the role of the high
priest, and the procedure of making reconciliation for the people was really
a shadow of what Jesus really did.
For truly He didn’t become like the angels;
but He became like the seed of Abraham (man, human, flesh
and blood).
Therefore in all things it was proper for Him
to be made like His brethren,
So that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest
in things pertaining to God,
to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
For being that He Himself has suffered being
tempted,
He is able to help them that are tempted.
In the Old Testament,
the high priest was the one who made reconciliation for the sins of the
people. So, Jesus was both, the high priest and the sacrifice. Also,
remember that the more special and pure something was, the better sacrifice
it was. If you read the Old Testament, generally, sacrifices were male
unblemished firstling lambs. Jesus was without sin. He was pure and
unblemished, even though He suffered temptation as we do. He was the only
perfect human being there ever was. And remaining perfect through suffering
and temptation, He was the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all mankind.
Be sure to come
back soon, as next time, Paul gives the Hebrews a little history lesson
about Moses, right here at Daily Bread.
