Fitted For The Office

Hebrews 7:26-28

We occasionally see a woman wearing a dress, or a hair do that we speak of as becoming to her. It helps her look good. It accentuates attractive features, by the style and the color to make her look her most attractive. At the same time, it minimizes less attractive features, by concealing, or drawing attention away from them. Because each woman is different, what is very becoming on one may be quite unattractive on another. Some things are never attractive. To blindly follow what everyone else does will result in continually appearing at less than one’s best.

Jesus Christ is specifically fitted to serve as our high priest. He was completely human, even to the experiencing the fear of death, as Hebrews 4:15 says. “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

Before God, he makes us appear at our very best, even better than we are naturally. The law only made us aware of our guilt, it did not take away sin, providing only a way of acknowledging our culpability, and thus temporarily deferring judgment. Christ makes us righteous by faith in him, regardless of our sin.

“Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Romans 3:20-23)

What fitted him to do this was that he was completely human, and yet did not sin. II Corinthians 5:21 tells us, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” Unlike the Aaronic priests, He had no sin of his own, and could be righteous in him, having his righteousness.

“For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 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 7:26-27)

Those priests could never even get rid of their own sins. They continually were dealing with their own sin even before they were qualified to do anything for those who came to them. “For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” (Hebrews 10:1-4)

Christ did not have his own sin, and thus is never disqualified from his priestly duties. The law depended on frail human priests. God’s oath designated a priest who would never die or lose the priesthood because of sin. “For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.” (Hebrews 7:28)