“Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren — that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God — to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” Heb.2:17
We cannot ever spend too much time meditating on Christ as our Substitute! It is in its truth — the holy glory of the gospel that we love. The debt that we owed — and were unable to pay — required of Him to become like unto us — in all things.
Sin stained everything about us. Nothing was left uncorrupted by it! Because of sin
— we are totally depraved — and in need of total deliverance. He.4:15 says that Jesus “…was in all points tempted like as we are — yet without sin.” His one life of sinless perfection — lived in a worldly environment of Satanic temptation — took the place of all our failures! And, this is precisely what it took for Him to be our Savior.
He had to sustain — no — He had to actually become — the curse of the law on our behalf. Gal.3:13 tells us that “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law — [lit.] having become a curse for us.” Vs.14 goes to reveal that this had to done in order “…that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ — that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” His being our Surety gave us access to the Holy Spirit — of faith to believe. Praise His Name!
He.9:11-12 says, “but Christ being come an High Priest of the good things to come — by a greater and more perfect Tabernacle — not made with hands — that is to say, not of this building [or, not of this creation] — neither by the blood of goats and calves — but by His own blood He entered in — once for all — into the holy place — having obtained eternal redemption for us.”
All these things — and more — He is to us — for us — so that He, Himself, can be qualified to be “…a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God.” Whatever things God has demanded for our eternal deliverance — including death, which is the very wages of sin — Jesus has done it all — Jesus has paid it all! We, who are His people — the sheep of His pasture — according to Eph.1:3 have been “blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places — in Christ”– our heavenly High Priest. And, we hear His voice — and we follow Him — and He gives unto us eternal life — and we shall never, ever perish. Praise His Name! [Jn.10:27-28]
And finally, Jesus is made like unto us His brethren — His family — that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in the things pertaining unto God on our behalf -in order to make reconciliation for our sins. This word is actually — propitiation! He is Himself — before holy God — our approval for God’s acceptance! This means that He — our Substitute/High Priest — is the righteousness of God for us — apart from the law — and because of Him “we need no other argument, we need no other plea.”
For Christ’s Glory Only!
John Carpenter
