May I turn in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 2? Hebrews chapter 2. Remember the book sets forth the supremacy of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is greater than the prophets, He is greater than the angels, He is greater than Moses, He is greater than the Aaronic priesthood, He is the Supreme Lord of heaven and earth, King of kings and Savior of His church.
And here specifically we're going to be looking at Hebrews 2, 16 to 18. And in this context, he is setting forth the superiority of Christ over the angels. He's given definitive biblical proofs in chapter 1. He gives some application at the beginning of chapter 2.
And in the midst, he sets forth the authority of Christ over the world to come. And in the section that we are dealing with, it indicates His incarnation, the fact that He took on flesh, He took on humanity, in order to save His people from their sins. And verses 17 and 18 are key in the book, because they introduce us to that whole idea of the high priesthood of Jesus Christ, which will be developed in so much detail in chapters 5 to 10. That's sort of the context where we hope to look tonight, specifically those few verses that I mentioned.
So I'll begin reading in chapter 2, verse 1. Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will. For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels.
But one testified in a certain place, saying, What is man that you are mindful of him, or the son of man that you take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels and have crowned him with glory and honor and set him over the works of your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him.
But now we do not yet see all things put under him, but we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that he by the grace of God might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare your name to my brethren. In the midst of the assembly, I will sing praise to you.
And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, here am I and the children whom God has given me. Inasmuch then, as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same. that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were in all their lifetime subject to bondage. For indeed he does not give aid to angels, but he does give aid to the seed of Abraham.
Therefore in all things he had to be made like his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God. to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself has suffered, being tempted, he is able to aid those who are tempted. Amen. Well, let us pray and ask the Lord's help.
Father, give us grace now as we approach Holy Scripture. We pray that we would understand the Lord Jesus Christ more accurately and that it would encourage our hearts and strengthen us and build us up. Certainly He is a glorious Lord and a wondrous Savior. We pray for the ministry of Your Holy Spirit now that He would grant us illumination, that You would grant us the ability to receive the things that You have for us, and we ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Introduction: The Incarnation in Context
Well, as I said, what is introduced here in verse 10 and following is the incarnation. Highlights the reality that the Lord Jesus Christ became man. And specifically here in verse 14, notice, "...inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same." That means flesh and blood. And then again in verse 17, "...therefore in all things he had to be made like his brethren." In the book of Romans chapter 8 verse 3, it tells us that he came in the likeness of sinful flesh.
It doesn't mean he had sin, it means he took on flesh. We saw this several weeks ago in John 1.14. The Word became flesh and tabernacled or dwelt among us. Philippians 2 indicates the same thing, that though being in the form of God, he did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but he became a man, he became obedient to death, even the death of the cross.
And so the incarnation is highlighted here specifically in verse 14. It is stated as fact. Then in verse 14, the destruction of the devil is given. He himself likewise shared in the same, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil.
And then in that, there is the benefit of the release of his people. Verse 15, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. That brings us then to consider verses 16 to 18.
Christ as Covenant Mediator
I want to look at two broad categories. First, in verse 16, his role as mediator. This is closely associated to the priestly office of Christ. It is as high priest that Jesus serves as covenant mediator.
And I thought it would be good for us to sort of unpack verse 16 and see the significance of that. So we have the role of covenant mediator, verse 16, and then the office of high priest in verses 17 and 18. Again, there's a lot of overlap, but I want to make sure we get verse 16 before we move on into verses 17 and 18. Notice, in verse 16, he does not take the nature of angels.
Here the Old King James Version is a better or a more accurate translation than what we find in the New King James. I'm not sure how the ESV or the NIV render it, just because I didn't check that prior to our service this evening. But if you look at verse 16, the New King James reads, He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. That's not the focus or the idea of this particular passage.
In verse 18, it speaks of Him giving aid. It speaks of Him giving help. It speaks of Him coming to the rescue of those who have need for Him. But as the New King James margin renders it, or as the old King James renders it, it should be, for verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
In other words, it is another reference to the idea of the incarnation. It isn't that he does not give aid to the angels, it's that he does not take on their nature. He did not come as an angel to redeem angels, but rather he came as a man to redeem man. This speaks of the reality of the Incarnation and it speaks of the reality of His pre-incarnate glory.
As Owen said, speaking against the Sassanians, which would be similar to Jehovah's Witnesses in our day or others that deny the deity of Christ, Owen says, if the words express that the Lord Christ assumed human nature, which necessarily infers His pre-existence in another nature. And so these things, by implication, are taught us. But what he is saying, he does not take on the nature of angels, but rather he takes on the nature of the seed of Abraham. In other words, he becomes man in order to redeem man.
I think it was Augustine, and I know certainly Calvin said it. I don't know if he was quoting Augustine or what. I think it's been ascribed or attributed to many different authors. But it's been well said that the Son of God became the Son of Man in order that the sons of man could become the sons of God.
And I think that is an accurate depiction of what we find in the Incarnation. And as well, secondly, with reference to this role of covenant mediator,
The Abrahamic Covenant and Mediation
the reference to Abraham is important here. As I'm sure you'll all remember, the Gospel of Matthew starts off by highlighting the reality that Jesus is the Son of Abraham and the son of David. That sets it in a covenantal context. God made a promise to Abraham that through him or in him, in his seed specifically, all the families, all the nations of the earth would be blessed. and the referent here to Jesus taking on the seed, or taking on the nature rather, of Abraham indicates his role as covenant mediator.
Philip Hughes says it this way, he says, the mention of Abrahamic ancestry here, however, denotes something more than that Christ was a Jew by birth. In taking to himself the seed of Abraham, he shows not only that he belongs to, but also that he is the fulfillment of the line of the Covenant. Thus, in saying that Christ took to himself the seed of Abraham, our author places the incarnation within the perspective of the Covenant. This is very crucial, very important.
Get these concepts, biblically and theologically, because it really helps you to understand the macro view to the Scriptures. It really is exhilarating and breathtaking when you see the unity of God in his redemptive purposes and that unity is expressed through his covenantal dealings. He goes on to say, he is the covenantal seed of Abraham and his people are one with him by spiritual incorporation into that same seed. without respect to race or culture. In Him they are the many sons who are being brought to glory, whom He is not ashamed to call brethren, the children God has given Him, delivered by Him from bondage and death.
Those namely, who having received Him and believed in His name, He has given the power to become children of God." So we need to appreciate the role of Christ as covenant mediator, taking on, giving aid, giving help, giving redemption to the seed of Abraham.
The Office of High Priest
Now notice, secondly, the office as high priest, verses 17 and 18. And here I'll quote another commentator, a man named Ellingworth. I think this just gives the gist of how it functions here in context. He says, this verse is the nerve center of the epistle, speaking specifically about verse 17. 17 is packed.
We'll hopefully unpack it tonight. But this verse is a nerve center of the epistle, summing up in its first clause the discussion since verse 10, the whole idea of incarnation, and announcing in the following subordinate clauses the author's two major doctrinal concerns. namely the high priestly status of Christ and his work in dealing with sins. Verse 18, linked with the present verse, indicates the author's complementary pastoral concern. So verse 17 introduces what is primary for the author in most of the rest of the epistle.
It is an opening up or an amplification of what he says here concerning the Lord Jesus as being a merciful and faithful High Priest. When you get to chapters 5 all the way to chapter 10, what is the argument, what is the development, what is the Apostle trying to highlight but this reality that Christ is our High Priest. So we'll look at this section under a few considerations.
Christ's Role as Priest
First, his role as priest. What does a priest do? I hope that everyone could say what a priest does. Remember, the prophet functions on behalf of God and speaks to the people.
He tells the people what God the Lord says. The priest functions toward God. He comes on behalf of the people. In the language of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, it asks the question, how does Christ execute the office of a priest?
Christ executes the office of a priest in his once offering up of himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, and to reconcile us to God, and in making continual intercession for us. That's what a priest does. He does two things. He offers sacrifice, and he intercedes.
That's his purpose. That's his function, that's his role, and this is precisely what Christ does for us. He offers up sacrifice, not like the Levitical priesthood. He doesn't use bulls, he doesn't use goats, he doesn't bring sheep, he doesn't bring birds, but rather he brings himself.
He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. He says in John's Gospel, no one takes my life from me, I lay it down willingly. So the Lord Christ as priest offers the best by giving up himself to die on the cross. But as well the priest intercedes.
In Hebrews 7 and in Romans 8 it tells us this, for our benefit that Christ always lives to make intercession for his people. Does that encourage you? To make you happy to realize that someone at the right hand of God Most High is interceding for you? I love the way we see Christ in His current session according to the New Testament epistles.
What do we find in 1 John 2? The Apostle says, My little children, I write these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ our righteousness. or even Jesus Christ the righteous. Isn't that a glorious thought?
That when I sin, there's an advocate with the Father at the right hand. Now this doesn't make me emboldened to sin. This does not promote sin. This does not give me the attitude, why don't I just sin, so that grace may abound.
But as one who has remaining sin, as one who does not fully execute always the law of God, it is a blessing and a privilege that we have one pleading at the right hand of the Father on our behalf. And this is what the Apostle takes pains to demonstrate for us in this wonderful epistle. So his role as priest in sacrifice and intercession.
Christ's Identification with His Brethren
Secondly, it indicates his identification with us. Therefore, it's an implication in verse 17, based on everything that he's written, based on everything that he said, in all things he had to be made like his brethren. He identifies with us. He understands us.
He knows us. He has traversed this earth. He knows what it is to be a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He identifies himself completely with mankind by a true incarnation.
He is flesh. He is blood. He is fully man. He does sorrow.
He does eat. He does grieve. All those things that are true of man are true of our Lord Jesus, and this is what the author wants us to understand. That the role of the Incarnation, or the purpose of the Incarnation, wasn't simply so we'd have a nice, warm, fuzzy time in December, but rather He has done this in order to execute this particular function as a High Priest, which we'll look at in just a moment.
But He identifies with us. Again, Philip Hughes. It says, the son could not have represented men before God, offering as their high priest the sacrifice of himself on their behalf and in their place, had he not first become their fellow man. Representation requires identification.
You see, he had to do this in order to fully execute the demands of God's covenant. Representation requires identification. Accordingly, our author adds this further explanation, that the son assumed human nature so that he might become what otherwise he could not be, a high priest. By the incarnation he becomes man, but his becoming man is also the prerequisite for his becoming a high priest.
No incarnation, no high priestly office. No identification with our nature, no representation before the God of heaven and earth.
Christ's Character as High Priest
Thirdly, note his character as high priest. Verse 17, therefore in all things he had to be made like his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God." Isn't that beautiful? He is merciful toward sinners, and he is faithful toward God. That's what characterizes the Son of God in His high priestly office toward us.
We need mercy, don't we? Sinners stand in need of mercy. We stand in need of grace. And this is the descriptor of our, or the description of our High Priest.
He is merciful. He is kind. He is good. He is gentle.
He is most blessed. for His people. So He is merciful toward man, He is faithful in things pertaining to God. He always carries out the Father's will. He executed perfectly the demands of the covenant.
He fulfilled every obligation placed upon Him. He carried out the law of God. He never sinned, He never transgressed. He always conducted Himself faithfully before the Lord God Most High, so that when He goes to that cross, when He offers Himself up as a sacrifice, it is a perfect sacrifice.
And as He comes off the cross, as He goes into the tomb, as He rises on the third day, He's always faithful in everything He does, every step of the way, to His Father. Hughes again, and I'm leaning on Hughes because his commentary is rich in dealing with this office of Christ in terms of priest. He makes this observation, while it has frequently and rightly been pointed out that he was merciful with reference to human need and faithful with reference to divine requirement, it may also be said that mercy defines the motivation of his high priestly office and faithfulness its execution. I quite like that.
Mercy defines the motivation of his office and faithfulness defines its execution. Christ answers to the need of the seed of Abraham.
Christ's Function: Propitiation
And then fourthly, notice his function as high priest. Now certainly Christ satisfies or Christ does a lot of things when he serves as high priest. But there is one particular that is pointed out here in verse 17. Again, note the argument.
Therefore, in all things he had to be made like his brethren. Incarnation. Identification is necessary for representation. If he's not incarnate, if he doesn't come in the likeness of men, he cannot serve as high priest.
But he does. He is made like his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God. Now notice the function that is spelled out here in verse 17. To make propitiation for the sins of the people.
Now, here is a beautiful word. If you've been with us any time, I would hope that you'd be able to define this word, to be able to explain this word. If your translation doesn't have this word here, get a different translation. There, I said it.
It's a rich, powerful, most excellent word. Propitiation presupposes wrath. Propitiation presupposes wrath, specifically divine wrath. Propitiation is the concept, propitiation is the reality, propitiation is that aspect of Christ's work wherein he takes in himself the wrath of God due to his people.
That's what propitiation means. You see, when we look at the Gospel, when we look at the New Testament records, when we look at the Old Testament documents, there is a rich vocabulary associated with our redemption. Some people say, well, that rich vocabulary is just too hard to understand, so we'll try and dumb it down and make it easy for everybody. I suggest that we take out our dictionaries and learn a little bit so that we can appreciate something about the rich vocabulary that is employed.
The word redemption, for instance, has the idea that presupposes bondage. Sinners are in bondage because of their sin. They're in bondage to the devil. They're subject to death.
And Jesus redeems us. He purges us out of that particular situation. Reconciliation. That presupposes that there is a breach between heaven and earth.
God is angry with sinners. and sinners are angry with God, and in reconciliation the Lord Jesus Christ brings the two together peaceably. Well, propitiation, as I've already mentioned, presupposes the wrath of God. The wrath of God justly hangs over the head of every sinner. The Apostle John writes it this way, in John 3.36, he says, He that believes the Son has everlasting life.
He that does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. That's your lot if you are outside of Christ. The wrath of God abides on you. Douglas Moos says God's wrath is the inevitable and necessary reaction of absolute holiness to sin.
In other words, when the Holy, Holy, Holy God Most High looks down upon man in sin, it is inevitable and it is necessary that there is absolute wrath over or targeting those who are engaged in that manner of sinful activity and rebellion. Robert Raymond says it this way, it is important to recognize that Christ's cross work had a Godward reference. You see, we oftentimes look at the cross, we focus at the cross, and we only think of its benefit for us. And now, that's not a bad thing, necessarily.
When we come to the supper, what are we thinking about? We're thinking about the Lord's purchase of us. We're thinking about salvation, free. We're thinking about propitiation.
We need to remember at the cross, though, there is a God-word reference. Romans 3 tells us that at the cross, God demonstrated His own righteousness. So back to Raymond. He says it is important to recognize that Christ's cross work had a God-word reference.
Indeed, if one reflects even for a moment on the sinful condition of the race vis-a-vis the holy character of God, it will become clear that it's God-word reference was the cross's primary reference. The Bible plainly teaches the doctrine of the wrath of God. You cannot escape that. I don't believe anybody here would have trouble with that.
Paul starts his gospel presentation He starts his opening up of the good news by highlighting the bad news. Paul starts Romans not with the love of God, not with the grace of God, not with the kindness of God, not with the mercy of God. He starts with the wrath of God. It is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth and unrighteousness.
It is that groundwork, it is that framework, it is that plight of man that bad news that sets the stage for 321 when he says, but now the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. He goes on to say, the Bible plainly teaches the doctrine of the wrath of God. It teaches that God is angry with the sinner and that His holy outrage against the sinner must be assuaged if the sinner is to escape His due punishment. It is for this reason that a death occurred at Calvary.
When we look at Calvary and behold the Savior dying for us, we should see in His death, not first our salvation, but our damnation being born and carried away by Him. And what's beautiful about this idea of propitiation is that on the cross, Jesus doesn't just deflect the wrath of God. He doesn't just stand up like Superman and the bullets bounce off of him. But rather, he takes the wrath of God.
He exhausts the cup of God's wrath. He drinks it down to the very dregs and satisfies divine justice in so doing. So you see the logical progression. In all things he had to be made like his brethren.
Incarnation is necessary. In order that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, in order to carry out that task of the high priestly office to make propitiation for the sins of the people. It truly is the most blessed word. It is found in Romans 3.25 1 John 2-2 and 1 John 4-10.
I give you those texts for your further reflection in your closet or in your family altar, certainly things to consider with reference to our Lord. But before we move on from His function as High Priest,
Definite Atonement and Particularity
notice the particularity involved, the specificity Verse 17, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. He's highlighting particular sins and he's highlighting particular people. It's not just this general atonement view. It's not just thrown out there and Christ died.
If you happen to want to activate it, well then you by your faith make it good. That's not the case at all. When Jesus came to do his work, to die for his people and to rise again, they were indeed his people. He can speak of all those whom the Father has given me.
Matthew 1.21, another text that highlights the particularity of the work of Jesus Christ. You shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins. It's not a nebulous kind of salvation from some kind of sin. Every breach of God's law, every commandment you trampled, every lack of conformity unto His will, Jesus Hate it all!
It is particular, it is specific, it is definite atonement. We are not dealing with a universal or an indefinite or a hypothetical atonement. This is an affront to the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ. If you understand a word like propitiation, you must side with a definite atonement.
He doesn't take the wrath of God for undefined nebulous people that may never flip the light switch on. but rather he takes the wrath of God for all those whom the Father has given him." It's truly blessed. It's truly wonderful. It is unfortunate that in that schematic of Tulip, so many people struggle with the El. Apart from the El, we're all damned to hell forever and ever.
If Christ does not definitively atone, if Christ does not render up a propitiation, if He does not exercise redemption for a specific group of people, no man will ever be saved. It is the linchpin of the entire scheme that Christ comes to save His people from their sins, and 2.17 in the book of Hebrews makes that abundantly clear. He makes propitiation for the sins of the people. Matthew 20.28, the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to do what?
To give His life a ransom for many. He does it specifically, He does it particularly, He does it definitively to exercise that ransoming of the people whom the Father had given Him. In His high priestly prayer in John 17, it is abundantly clear that this Christ goes to the cross not for some undefined nebulous group of people that may or may not decide for Him, but He goes to the cross for those whom the Father has given Him. The priestly prayer opens up in verse 1.
Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven and said, Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You. As You have given Him authority over all flesh, Christ has comprehensive sovereignty. Christ has comprehensive authority.
Christ exercises that over all flesh. But notice this subset that continues on. You have given Him authority over all flesh that He should give eternal life to as many as you have given Him. So out of this all flesh, there is this group that the Father has given to Him.
It is these that Jesus intercedes for. Notice in verse 9. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours." Do you see that?
Do you see the particularity? Do you see the definitiveness? Do you see the exclusivity? He says, I don't pray for the world.
I do not pray for them, but rather I pray for those whom you've given me out of the world. Why do people not have a problem with particular intercession? But when it comes to particular atonement, they get all kinds of nuts. Well, it could never be the case that Jesus only died for the elect.
That is absolutely positively the case. Jesus died for the elect, to secure their salvation, to bring many sons to glory, and to do this for the honor of His Father and for the good of His people. Truly is a most amazing thing.
Christ's Ability to Aid the Tempted
And then the last statement that we need to consider is verse 18. So we've seen his role as priest, his identification with us, his character as high priest, his function as high priest. And then verse 18, as Ellingworth says, it is some pastoral reflection, it is some pastoral sensitivity and application to the people. It is his ability to aid his people.
Verse 17 highlights Christ's work in its relation to God. Verse 18 highlights or shows the effect of his work in relation to believers. Verse 18, for in that he himself has suffered, being tempted, he is able to aid those who are tempted. There's a doctrine called the impeccability of Christ.
The impeccability of Christ means that Christ could not sin. So some people see the temptation of Christ as spurious. Well, if he's God, and he's man, and he's got the power of the Holy Spirit, and he's a sinless being, his temptation wasn't really legit. It wasn't really the real deal.
Now, remember, he is true man. He is true humanity. When the Spirit drives him out to the wilderness, and he fasts for 40 days and 40 nights, and the devil comes along and says, change these rocks into bread, he's hungry, just like you and I would be. And this is the way I think I understand this whole idea of Christ's temptation.
It's not that he doesn't really enter in. It's that He exceeds anything that you and I even know. Let's just say for a moment, this represents, and if you're listening out there, I've got my hand in the air, this represents the threshold of temptation. You cross that temptation, up here you're in sin.
You and I cave in about here, don't we? We're probably done here. We get a millimeter off the grid, and we're, I'm sorry, we just cave. You ask me after 40 minutes, if I have power to change rocks into bread, I might just do it. 40 minutes, I'm really hungry.
We don't know anything about this type of temptation. The idea that he's impeccable, or the idea that he is sinless, the idea that he doesn't cross the threshold, does not diminish the reality of the temptation. If anything, it heightens it, it makes it more severe, and it makes it more difficult. We've never gotten into this 70 or 80% range.
We don't know what it's like. He withstood. He resisted every step of the way, so he felt the full weight and the burden of the temptation. One commentator puts it this way, he says, sympathy with the sinner in his trial does not depend on the experience of sin, but on the experience of the strength of the temptation to sin, which only the sinless can know in its full intensity.
Someone says, well, he just didn't really understand. He understood it a whole lot more than you and I do, because we cave down here. We don't know what it's like to withstand sin or to withstand temptation at that level. We just haven't been there.
He has. He has fully borne. He has fully entered in. And when He says, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted, there is really no excuse for us to fall down here.
We cry out to the Lord. We ask Jesus for help. We beg Him for His assistance. We pray for His Spirit.
John Owen says the great duty of tempted souls is to cry out unto the Lord Christ for help and relief. We don't do that! We cave! Well, the idea here, at least pastorally, in verse 18, based on the reality of the Incarnation, based on the office of His high priestly function, based on the fact that He's merciful and faithful in carrying it out, based on the fact that He made propitiation for the sins of the people, with reference to Monday morning, Tuesday morning, Wednesday afternoon, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or whatever difficulty you have, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
When you have a temptation, when you have a difficulty, when you have a trial, when you have a challenge, an assault on your faith, what are you supposed to do? You're supposed to cry to Christ. You're supposed to go to the Redeemer. You're supposed to go to the Savior.
That's what you would do when you have a high priest. You would go to him and you would say, pray for me. We do that horizontally, don't we? We have a close friend or we have a brother or sister.
We say, you know, I'm going through some struggles. I'm going through some trials. Would you please pray for me? This is the point of verse 18.
Owen hits the nail right on the head. The great duty of tempted souls is to cry out unto the Lord Christ for help and relief. Christ aids. His people, not only as man to men, but He aids people as Redeemer to the redeemed.
And we need to go to Him in that capacity of His high priestly role, and we need to plead with Him for help, aid, assistance, and the grace to resist those temptations that daily come our way. He aids us through forgiveness, He aids us through the power of His Spirit, He aids us through His sanctifying grace, He aids us through His Word, by His presence in our midst, all those things. Christ is a good, He is a merciful and a faithful high priest in things pertaining to God. In that, He Himself has suffered being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
So let us, by the grace of God, appreciate this role of Christ as our High Priest. Let us cry to Him, as Owen says, for help and for relief. And let us realize 1 John 2.2, and if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous. Go to Him, confess your sins, and He is faithful and just to forgive us.
That's blessed. That's our Christ. That is the One who came and lived and died and rose again on our behalf. Well, let us pray.
Closing Prayer
Our Father, we thank You for this, Your Word, and we thank You for the high priestly office of our Lord Jesus. God, certainly He is most excellent, most glorious and wondrous. We thank You for the Incarnation. We thank You for His executing the role as high priest with mercy, with faithfulness, We thank You for that work of propitiation, for taking in Himself the wrath of God that was due to us.
Father, help us to rejoice in this reality. Help us to cry out to Him for relief and help and aid in our times of temptation and distress, and cause us to know that He is for us, that He is always living to make intercession for His people. We thank You for this, Lord Jesus Christ, and it's in His name that we pray. Amen.