A Different Image of Christ

Dear Faith Family,   

"...Christ appeared as a high priest of good things..."
(Hebrews 9:11)



What does it mean that Jesus is our "high priest"? Jesus as Lord, or King, I get. He's the One that I submit to, whose reign ensures my living. Jesus as Savior, Messiah, I also get. He's the One who rescues, God's anointed, whose actions ensure my reconciliation. Jesus as Prophet, the Word, I also get. He's the One who forms and upholds life, whose way of life must become my way of living. Yet, Jesus as Priest, if I am honest, feels more foreign to me. 

Perhaps Jesus as priest is less of a mystery to certain Christian traditions; however, growing up in a Protestant, specifically Baptist tradition, the concept of needing much less having a priest was as distant as the Jewish temple system. The idea of priests was archaic, an old way of doing things that had its time but whose time had passed. 

And yet, as Psalm 133 contended, the concept and necessity of the priesthood are essential to our faith, faithfulness, and delight. So, where can those like me go to help us understand and experience the weight and wonder, the majesty and mysteries of Jesus as our "merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God" (Hebrews 2:17)? The clue is in the quotes! 

"The Letter To The Hebrews" is all about the priestly work of Jesus, and the implications for us as "a royal priesthood" (1 Pet. 2:9), "made into a kingdom and priests of our God" (Rev. 5:10) through the offering of our lives to his will and way (Rom. 12:1-2). In this letter, we discover what Jesus alone could and has done for us, and why, as well as what Jesus continues to do for us and through us. 

As you might have guessed, we'll be walking through Hebrews together over the next few months, a journey we began this past Sunday. This week, before we get too far into the details of this "most magnificent" and "most difficult book," I invite you to do three things: 


Envision your merciful and faithful high priest of good things, "After making purification for sin, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high..." Allow the images of Jesus in your mind and heart to lead your lips into confession and praise. 

"Since we have a great high priest...Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession...[and] with confidence draw near to the throne of grace..." (Hebrews 4:14,16) 



Love you, faith family. God bless. 

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*In the Orthodox Tradition, icons (like the one above) are used to aid in contemplation and prayer. These images are not relics; that is, they are not considered holy in themselves, nor are they worshiped. Instead, they help stir imagination towards prayer by offering a reflective image based on the story of the Scriptures. Each element in the icon is meant to make us think of something from the story of the Scriptures, compelling us through our eyes and minds to consider (in this image) the weight and wonder, majesty and mystery of Christ Jesus as our great high priest.