The
writer of Hebrews declared “every
high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices” and it was a
“necessity that this man have
somewhat also to offer” as
he referred to Jesus. In chapter eight and
verse two of Hebrews the writer tells about
“priests that offer gifts according to the law”
where we read:
For if he
were on earth, he should not be a priest,
seeing
that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
The
verse begins, “For if he were on earth, he should not be
a priest,...”. The writer
began with the words, “For if he were”
which means “even as, indeed, because, seeing then, verily and
therefore if Jesus certainly and sincerely was” “on
earth” or “upon the arable
land, ground and inhabited country, territory and region”, “he
should not be” which means
“Jesus would not even be” “a priest”
which refers to “one who offers sacrifices and is busied with
sacred rites”. If Jesus was on the earth only rather than being in
heaven, He would not even be a “priest”.
The
verse goes on to say, “...seeing that there are priests
that offer gifts according to the law:”. The
writer continued with the words, “seeing that there are”
or “being as there have come
to be” “priests”
which means “ones who offer sacrifices and are busied with sacred
rites”, “that offer gifts”
or “who bring, carry and put forth offerings and presents”
“according” or
“after, throughout and along” “to the law”
which means “the rule producing a state approved of God”. There
were “priests” on
the earth who presented “offerings”
after the “rule of the law”.
When
we meditate upon these words in Hebrews, we see the superiority of
Jesus who was our “heavenly priest” rather than just an
earthly one. The “priests” who were commissioned by “the
law” on earth offered “gifts and sacrifices” just as the
“law” of God required, however, Jesus presented the
“perfect eternal sacrifice” when He became our “great high
priest” in heaven. Because Jesus became not only our “priest”
in heaven, but also our perfect sacrifice, our salvation is assured
as we believe in, trust in, rely upon and cling to Him.
Next
time the writer shares how the priests were there to “serve
unto the example and shadow of heavenly things”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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