Chapter Twenty Two - The Ascension and Present Ministry of Christ
Up to this point we have emphasized the work that Jesus Christ accomplished on earth. But His ministry to believers did not stop after His ascension. Jesus Christ entered Heaven to take His rightful place as Lord not only of the church, but of the entire universe. His position as our high priest means a great deal to our Salvation and Sanctification, and even now He is preparing an eternal place for us. These present ministries of Christ will be the central focus of this lesson.
This chapter, divided into six major divisions, is a careful study of the doctrine of the ascension of Christ:
We will examine the ministry of Christ during the period between His resurrection and His ascension;
We will examine the theological significance of the ascension of Christ;
We will examine the doctrine of the exaltation of Christ;
We will discuss the high priestly ministry of Christ;
We will discuss Christ as the head of the church; and
We will discuss Christ is preparing a place for believers.
1. THE MINISTRY OF CHRIST DURING THE PERIOD BETWEEN HIS RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION (40 DAYS)
The activities of our Lord during the period between His resurrection and His ascension are not always accorded the place of importance they deserve. It will be our aim in this section to indicate the main purpose of His actions and appearances during those forty momentous days.
1.1 An Evidential value
His primary objective was to provide His disciples with incontrovertible evidence that death had not held its prey. "He shewed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs" (Acts 1:3). He lingered long enough on earth to satisfy His followers of the truth of His resurrection, and they were not easily convinced. They had been "slow of heart to believe" (Luke 24:25) that the tomb was indeed empty, so He provided them with impressive proof of His survival.
The phrase "many infallible proofs" signifies the strongest proof of which a subject is capable. The very fact that the disciples were not in the least credulous and had to have their doubts thoroughly removed is in itself proof of the most convincing kind that Jesus did rise and appear to them as Scripture records. And they were so completely convinced that they never doubted again.
Although it was at great cost and often against their personal interest, they bore courageous testimony to the resurrection, simply because their experience and observation compelled them to do so. He presented them with the signs of bodily identity in the scars in hands and feet and side - an evidence of identity that would be accepted in any court of law (John 20:27).
1.2 An Explanatory Value
The passage in Acts 1:1-8 is obviously a greatly condensed summary of Jesus' instructions to the men to whom He was entrusting the evangelization of the world. Luke, guided by the Spirit, has preserved for us the following important themes around which His teaching revolved:
He gave a hint as to the nature of His kingdom in
verses 3 and 7. His appearances, disappearances, and re-appearances were
designed to impress on them the fact that His kingdom was "not of this world"
(John 18:36). They were anticipating a nationalistic kingdom of earthly glory. "Lord,
wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?" (Acts 1:6). Jesus would
have them learn that henceforth their relationship with Him would be entirely on a
spiritual basis. They must divest themselves of the idea of an immediate defeat of Rome
and establishment of a Jewish kingdom. The timing of that event was God's concern, not
theirs (Acts 1:7).
He indicated the nature of the apostolic mission.
"Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and
unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8). His program was clearly defined and
explicit. The word of their witness was to extend from Jerusalem as the centre in
ever-widening circles until it had reached earth's remotest bound. The witness was to be
as far as possible synchronous in each of the spheres mentioned. It should be noted that
our Lord did not say, "First Jerusalem, then Judea and then Samaria," but
"both Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and the uttermost part of the earth." They
were not selfishly to hug their own spiritual privileges and blessings.
He revealed to them the source of their power for such a stupendous, mind-stretching enterprise. As He unfolded His plan, they might well have protested, "Who is sufficient for these things?" (2 Corinthians 2:16). He revealed to them the source of their power beforehand: "Tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high" (Luke 24:49). He reminded them again of His provision: "Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you." He was not going to leave them dependent on merely human resources for what was clearly a superhuman task.
1.3 An Evangelistic Value
Most of our Lord's post-resurrection appearances had some relation to the extension of His kingdom. He desired to infuse His followers with the missionary passion that blazed at white heat in His own breast. The enterprise to which He was calling them extended to every nation, every community, every creature in the whole world (Matthew 28:20).
Notice the keynote of His conversations with His disciples in the following occasions:
When He appeared to the ten, His
commission was, "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you" (John
20:21). He invested them with the same authority as He had received from the Father. They
were to be missionaries under His orders, even as He had been a missionary under His
Father's direction. In the same interview He banished their fears by bestowing His peace,
and imparted to them the Holy Spirit.
To the seven on the sea of Tiberias (John
21:1-2) He issued the symbolic command to those whom He had said were to become fishers of
men, "Cast the net on the right side of the ship," Thus teaching them that only
as much of their service as was Christ-directed would be successful in taking men alive.
At the same time He instructed Peter - and incidentally the others - in the art of feeding
both the sheep and the lambs of the flock.
To the disciples on the mountain in Galilee
(Matthew 28:16-20) Jesus outlined His program of world evangelization. "Go ye
therefore, and teach all nations ... teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have
commanded you: and, Io, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." Here
was a command both universal and individual, binding on all His followers in all ages.
To the eleven at Jerusalem (Luke 24:44-53) Jesus enjoined that "repentance and remission of sins should be preached among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye shall witnesses of these things." He followed this at once with the command to tarry in Jerusalem until they had received the enduement of power that alone would enable them to encompass the staggering commission He had given them.
So on each occasion when He met His disciples, the great burden of His heart found expression. Only by their loving obedience could they enable Him to "see of the travail of His soul, and ... be satisfied" (Isaiah 53:11).
The matters of which Jesus made no mention are equally striking and significant in our materialistic and computerized age. The financial problem which bulks so largely in our calculations was not even mentioned. Methods of organization, structure of the church, type of church buildings were alike ignored. But great emphasis was laid upon utter and absolute abandonment to His leading and devotion to His person as the motive power of evangelistic endeavor.
1.4 An Eschatological Value
Throughout all our Lord's conversations there was the underlying assumption that this evangelistic thrust was not to continue forever. It would lead to a glorious consummation. "Till I come" was the time factor that Jesus used in speaking to Peter (John 22:21). He promised His presence "unto the end [for consummation] of the age" (Matthew 28:20).
Those statements limited the scope of evangelistic opportunity to the period between our Lord's ascension and His second advent. Since that is so, we should seize with both hands such opportunities of reaching "every creature" in our generation as still remain.
2. THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST
The ascension of Christ refers to His going back to Heaven in His resurrection body. The ascension was closely linked to, and the logical outcome of, the resurrection. No more fitting climax could have been conceived for such a life as Christ lived. When He ascended, not a claim of God on mankind was left unsettled, and not a promise left in uncertainty. The spectacular method of His departure from earth was entirely consonant with the miraculous achievements of His life and work.
2.1 Objections to the Ascension of Christ
Modern criticism objects to the reality of the ascension mainly on the following two grounds:
They argue that our knowledge of the universe excludes the
belief that Heaven is a definite place above and beyond the stars. But Scripture does not
indicate where Heaven is, even though it represents it as a place as well as a state.
Heaven is where God dwells, where the angels and the spirits of just men are, and where
Christ went in a true body. Such a body must occupy space. The angels, not being infinite,
cannot be present everywhere; they must be in some definite place. Likewise Christ said,
"I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2).
They argue that a tangible body is not adapted to a superterrestrial abode. But this is ignoring the fact that the stars and the planets are superterrestrial, and yet they are material. Paul says, "There are also Heavenly bodies and earthly bodies" (1 Corinthians 15:40). Admit the bodily resurrection of Christ, and the question of Jesus' bodily departure from this earth is not difficult. In fact, the bodily ascension of Christ is a necessary historical presupposition to belief in His bodily return, since He is to come back to earth as He went away, and to belief in our own bodily resurrection, since we shall be like Him.
2.2 The New Testament Teachings
The New Testament abundantly teaches that Christ ascended to Heaven after His resurrection. Matthew and John do not narrate the fact of the ascension. The story of the ascension of Christ is specifically described only three times:
With simple brevity Mark wrote, "So then after the
Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into Heaven, and sat on the right hand of
God" (Mark 16:19).
"And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted
up His hands and blessed them. And it came about that while He was blessing them, He
parted from them" (Luke 24:50-51).
Luke adds a further touch in addition to the words at the head of this chapter, "And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight" (Acts 1:9).
Although these are the only detailed references to the episode, a lot of other New Testament books make reference to it:
Though John does not narrate the fact of Christ's bodily return to Heaven, he represents Christ as having clearly predicted it when He said, "What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where He was before?" (John 6:62) or again, "I go unto Him that sent me" (John 7:33).
See also John 20:17; cf. 13:1; 15:26; 16:10, 16f., 28.
The psalmist wrote, "Thou hast ascended on high ... thou hast received gifts for men" (Psalm 68:18), Paul applies it to Christ (Ephesians 4:8).
Paul spoke of it (Ephesians 4:8-10; Philippians 2:9; 1 Timothy 3:16).
Peter spoke of it (1 Peter 3:22).
The writer to the Hebrews (Hebrews 4:14).
It is evident, therefore, that the early church regarded the ascension as a historical fact. It is a matter of surprise that so small a body of literature centers on this amazing and important event, especially as it has such far-reaching implications for the Christian. W.H. Griffith Thomas rightly claims that the ascension is not only a great historical fact of the New Testament, but a great factor in the life of Christ and Christians, since it is the consummation of His redemptive work.
2.3 The Manner of the Ascension
It was of tremendous importance that our Lord's final departure from earth should not be a mere vanishing out of their sight, as He did at Emmaus. This would result in uncertainty as to whether or not He might again appear. Accordingly, the ascension took place, not at night, but in broad daylight. "While they beheld" He rose from their midst, not because He must do so to go to His Father, but in order to make the act symbolic and intelligible to them.
Significantly, it was not at Bethelehem, or the Transfiguration mount, or even Calvary that the event took place, but at Bethany, the place of His sweetest earthly fellowship."On the chosen spot, at the chosen moment, the little church being gathered round Him, His extended hands still overshadowing their heads in blessing, and they watching the order of His going - so did He leave them. He went up into Heaven in the entireness of His well-known visible Person, the same aloft as below."
This appearance and disappearance of the risen Christ is represented as an episode as real and objective as His other appearances during the forty days. Those appearances were calculated to assure His disciples that He had conquered death and hell and was recognized as God's Messiah. The ascension was intended to convince them that they need not expect Him to appear again. No other mode of departure would have left the impression this did. The period of transition had ended, and they need no longer remain in suspense. He left His own in the very act of blessing. For this He had come, and blessing He departed, not as condemning judge but as compassionate friend and High Priest, with hands outstretched.
2.4 The Necessity for the Ascension
An ascension such as the gospels record was essential for a number of reasons. It is not a marginal doctrine of Scripture. As J.G. Davies puts it, "If it is through the ascension that Jesus entered upon the office of Son of Man, became no longer Messiah designations but Messiah indeed, and received the regal dignity and title of 'Lord,' then the ascension belongs not to the periphery, but to the heart and substance of the gospel."
It was essential for these reasons among others:
The nature of our Lord's resurrection body
necessitated it. Such a body would not be permanently at home on earth. He
must depart, but by glorification rather than by mortal dissolution.
The unique personality and holy life of our Lord
demanded an exit from this world as remarkable and fitting as His entrance into it.
If a miraculous exit was granted to sinful men such as Enoch and Elijah, how much
more to the sinless Son of God?
His redemptive work required such a consummation.
Without it, it would have remained incomplete for it rests on four pillars - incarnation,
crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. The ascension was a complete and final
demonstration that His atonement had forever solved the problem created by man's sin and
rebellion. Only thus could He be constituted Head of the church (Ephesians 1:19-23).
The gift of the Holy Spirit was dependent on His
glorification. "The Holy Spirit was not yet given; because that Jesus
was not yet glorified," was John's comment on the Lord's promise of the Spirit (John
7:39).
It enabled the disciples to give to the world a satisfactory account of the disappearance of Christ's body from the tomb.
To question the historicity of the ascension would be to thrust the whole drama of redemption into the realm of myth.
2.5 The Significance of the Ascension for Christ Himself
The significance of the ascension for Christ Himself were as follows:
To Him the ascension came as the culminating divine
assurance that the work He had come to do had been completed to the entire
satisfaction of the Father, to whose right hand He had now been exalted. "The right
hand of God" is metaphorical language for divine omnipotence. "Sitting"
does not imply that He is resting, but reigning as King and exercising divine omnipotence.
The doctrine of the ascension is therefore the divine affirmation of the absolute
sovereignty of Christ over the whole universe.
It was a divine vindication of His claims to deity
that had been disallowed by the Jews. He had claimed the right to ascend into
Heaven as His own prerogative. "No man hath ascended up to Heaven, but He that came
down from Heaven" (John 3:13). Henceforth He can again exercise those prerogatives
and dignities that He laid aside for our Salvation.
For the believer, our Lord's ascension has blessed
implications for us. Though physically remote, He is always spiritually near. Now
free from earthly limitations, His life above is both the promise and the guarantee of
ours. "Because I live, ye shall live also," He assured His disciples (John
14:19). His ascension anticipates our glorification and leaves us the assurance that He
has gone to prepare a place for us (John 14:2).
"His resurrection and ascension to Heaven involved
nothing less than the making of His humanity eternal in transfigured and glorified form,
even if in a manner wholly incomprehensible to us." It brings Him very near
to us as we remember that He carried His humanity back with Him to Heaven
(Hebrews 2:14-18; 4:14-16).
The ascension helped to clarify the nature of the
Messiahship to the apostles. They expected a Davidic king, whereas the
crucifixion presented them with a suffering Servant. Then the resurrection proclaimed a
king after all. The ascension further clarified the nature of His Kingship. The Kingdom of
Christ is indeed not of this world. He will reign, but it shall not be simply from an
earthly throne. His Kingdom will be glorified but it shall not be achieved through the
blood and steel of men. The Cross was the decisive and atoning conflict; the resurrection
was the proclamation of triumph; the ascension was the Conqueror's return with the
captives of war which issued in the enthronement of the victorious King.
"He led captivity captive" (Ephesians 4:8). His
ascension was His triumphant return to Heaven and indicated that the tyrannical
reign of sin is ended.
It was His divine inauguration into His Heavenly
priesthood, a subject treated in Section 4 of this Chapter.
3. THE EXALTATION OF CHRIST
The exaltation of Christ is the act of the Father by which He gave to the risen and ascended Christ the position of honour and power at His own right hand. The Scriptures likewise speak of Christ's exaltation. Luke mentions it several times (Acts 2:33; 5:31); Paul teaches it (Romans 8:34; Ephesians 1:20; Philippians 2:9; Colossians 3:1); the writer to the Hebrews mentions it (10:12); and Jesus Himself intimates it (Matthew 22:41-45; Revelation 3:21; cf. Psalm 110:1).
3.1 Things Embraced in the Exaltation of Christ
A number of things are embraced in the exaltation of Christ. Christ was "crowned with glory and honour" (Hebrews 2:9). This glory appears in His present "body of His glory" (Philippians 3:21). John saw Him in this body on the Isle of Patmos (Revelation 1:12-18). Both the glory and the honour are seen in His receiving a name that is above every name (Philippians 2:9). The Lord refers to His new name (Revelation 3:12; 19:12f., 16). With this new name went also His enthronement at the right hand of the Father (Matthew 28:18; Hebrews 10:12). Stephen saw Him standing there (Acts 7:55f.). Some day Christ will sit upon His own throne (Matthew 25:31).
In this act was included also, no doubt, His appointment as head of His body, the church (Ephesians 1:22). Now He directs the affairs of His church. He serves as high priest (Hebrews 4:14; 5:5-10; 6:20; 7:21; 8:1-6; 9:24), offering His own blood (1 John 2:1f.), and praying for the keeping and unifying of His own (Luke 22:32; John 17). Today, angels, authorities, and powers are all subject to Him (1 Peter 3:22). Indeed, all things have been put under His feet (Ephesians 1:22). In this sense, He is today King in a kingdom (Colossians 1:13; Revelation 1:9).
3.2 Results of the Ascension and Exaltation of Christ
The results of His ascension and exaltation may be treated together:
He is now not merely in Heaven, but is spiritually present
everywhere. He fills all (Ephesians 4:10). Thus He is an ideal object of
worship for all mankind (1 Corinthians 1:2).
He has "led captive a host of captives"
(Ephesians 4:8). This may mean that the Old Testament believers are no longer in
Hades, but have been transferred to Heaven. Clearly, the New Testament believer
goes directly into the immediate presence of Christ when He dies (2 Corinthians 5:6-8;
Philippians 1:23).
He has entered upon His priestly ministry in Heaven
(Hebrews 4:14; 5:5-10; 6:20; 7:21; 8:1-6; 9:24).
He has bestowed spiritual gifts upon His own
(Ephesians 4:8-11). These are both personal gifts to individuals (1 Corinthians
12:4-11) and gifts to His church (Ephesians 4:8-13).
He has poured out His Spirit upon His people (John 14:16; 16:7; Acts 2:33), is giving repentance and faith to men (Acts 5:31; 11:18; Romans 12:3; 2 Timothy 2:25; 2 Peter 1:1), and is baptizing believers into the church (John 1:33; 1 Corinthians 12:13).
These are the results of His ascension and exaltation. It is evident that we cannot stop with the death of Christ, important as that is, if we are to have a complete redemption; the physical resurrection, ascension, and exaltation of Christ must also be historical facts.
4. CHRIST, OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST
From the dawn of human history man has craved a priest or mediator who would represent him to God. Among men there is a universal sense that there is a God who has been offended by man's wrongdoing and who must be appeased. From earliest days an instinctive feeling has been expressed that the one who can do this must be someone capable of compassion for human frailty, and yet who possesses special influence with God. The patriarch Job lamented, "There is no umpire between us, who might lay his hand upon us both" (Job 9:33).
This universal desire resulted in the creation of orders of priests who, men ardently hoped, would be able to mediate with God on their behalf. It can confidently be affirmed that human priesthood reached its zenith in Judaism, but the story of the Jewish priesthood only serves to reveal how tragically it failed those who pinned their hopes to it. It is only in Christ, the ideal High Priest, that this deep and hidden yearning of the human heart finds complete fulfillment.
4.1 Christ's Qualifications As High Priest
The writer to the Hebrews clearly sets out the necessary qualifications for a Jewish High Priest. "For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity" (Hebrews 5:1-2).
It will be noted that the two great essentials were:
Fellowship with man. He must be linked to
other men by the ties of a common humanity. He must be "taken from among men."
In no other way would he be "able to have compassion" on those whom he was to
represent. The idea behind the words "deal gently with" has been expressed as
"able to have a moderated feeling toward" the ignorant. That is, he would be
neither too lenient nor too severe. Sympathy and compassion are of the essence of the idea
of priesthood.
There must be authority from God. But merely human qualities were not sufficient for an office that demanded so delicate and demanding a relationship. The high priest must be "appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God" (Hebrews 5:1). He cannot be self-appointed. "No man taketh this honour unto himself" (Hebrews 5:4). His is a divine appointment.
Does Christ satisfy these requirements?
Indeed He does. In order to help the race of which He had become part, He was made "in all things ... like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God" (Hebrews 2:17). And in order that this identification might be complete, He came not as a king, but as a workingman. He experienced the "pinch of poverty and the cark of care." He knew the heights of popularity and the depths of rejection. He was indeed "taken from among men."
He also received His authority from God. "So also Christ glorified not Himself to be made an high priest, but He that said unto Him, Thou art my Son" (Hebrews 5:5). He was not self-elected, but God-appointed.
Further, He was morally and spiritually qualified to exercise this ministry. The High Priest who "ever liveth to make intercession" for us is "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens" (Hebrews 7:25-26). He faithfully fulfilled His whole duty to God. He was entirely without guile. He was stainlessly pure. Although experiencing the full blast of human temptation, He was morally separate from human sin. Because He conquered temptation and emerged sinless, He was exalted to the right hand of God.
4.2 The Basis for this Priesthood
Hebrews 4:14 states: "Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the Heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession." The writer sees Jesus' ascension as being analogous to the passing of the Jewish high priest into the Holy of Holies where the blood of the sacrifice was offered on the mercy seat in the Old Testament.
Jesus thus functions effectively as our high priest, because propitiation (satisfaction for sin) has been made (Hebrews 2:17), and He has "obtained eternal redemption" for His people (Hebrews 9:12). By the merits of this once-for-all sacrifice He intercedes for us.
4.3 His Capabilities As High Priest
Three statements are made in the Hebrews letter in this connection:
He is able to succor.
He is able to sympathize.
He is able to save.
4.3.1 He is able to succor
"In that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted" (Hebrews 2:18). Because He was truly man, our Lord was able to meet man on the plane of His human need. We are willing to aid those requiring help, but too often we have to mourn our inability to do so. Our High Priest knows no such limitations. It should be noted that Christ's ability to succor the tempted is grounded not in mere pity, but in costly propitiation. "It behoved Him ... to make reconciliation [propitiation] for the sins of the people" (Hebrews 2:17). It is because He thus suffered that He is able to succor.
4.3.2 He is able to sympathize
"We have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sinning" (Hebrews 4:15). He never condones or sympathizes with our sin, only with our weaknesses. He always condemns sin because it incurs judgment and breaks fellowship with God. As our advocate He keeps open the way of restoration of lost fellowship upon repentance and confession. Because He has borne the penalty and exhausted the judgment of our sin, He is able to cleanse us on sincere confession (1 John 1:9).
He does sympathize with our weaknesses. Sympathy is the ability to enter into the experiences of another as if they were one's own, and sympathy is deepest when one has suffered the same experience. Christ was "in every respect tempted as we are." He felt the grueling pressure of sin on every part of His nature, yet He emerged without yielding to its allurement. He can thus enter sympathetically into the suffering of those passing through the fires of testing.
4.3.3 He is able to save
"He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25). Since He lives for ever as our mediator and High Priest, He is "able to bring to final completion the Salvation of all who draw near to God." The present tense is used here, signifying "a sustained experience resulting from a continuous practice." The idea is therefore, "He is able to keep on saving those who are continually coming to God by Him."
Our High Priest is able to save us completely. There is no personal problem for which He has no solution, no enemy from whom He cannot rescue, no sin from which He cannot deliver - because He ever lives to make intercession for us.
4.4 His Intercession As High Priest
Since the writer to the Hebrews assures us that He is "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8), we can gain some light on this subject from His intercession when on earth. It will be noted that most of our Lord's recorded prayers were intercessory - offered on behalf of others. On only one occasion did He assert His own will, and then it was that His loved people should share His glory (John 17:24).
Two words are used of our Lord's ministry of intercession. The first refers to rescue by someone who happens upon another in need and helps then unsought. Our Lord's prayer for Peter is an illustration (Luke 22:31-32). Unknown to himself, Peter was about to face a tremendous spiritual crisis. His omniscient Lord knew it, however, and in the presence of His disciples said, "Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have you" - plural, all you disciples - "but I have prayed for thee" - singular - "that thy faith fail not." This was unsolicited intercession that anticipated a need of which the subject was unconscious. In the event, Peter failed the test, but his faith did not fail.
The second word, "advocate" (1 John 2:1), signifies one who comes to help in response to a call of need or danger, one who pleads our cause and restores us. So whether our need is conscious or unconscious, we have a great High Priest who "lives to make intercession for us."
4.4.1 His intercession is not vocal
His intercession is not vocal, an audible saying of prayers. When Aaron the first Jewish high priest made his annual appearance in the Holiest of All in the Tabernacle, he uttered never a word. The silence of the sanctuary was broken only by the tinkling of the golden bells on his garment. It was the blood he bore that spoke, not Aaron himself (Leviticus 16:12-16). It is the presence of our intercessor before the throne, bearing in His body the evidence of His suffering and victory that speaks for us.
The story is told of Amintas, a Greek soldier who was to be tried for treason. When his brother Aeschylus who had lost an arm in the service of his country heard this, he hastened to the court. As sentence was about to be passed, he intervened and holding up the stump of his arm cried, "Amintas is guilty, but for Aeschylus sake he shall go free." Even so does our High Priest and intercessor intervene on our behalf.
4.4.2 His intercession is personal
"Seeing if He ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25). It is His personal responsibility, which He does not delegate to angels or men. He is never so preoccupied as to be unable to care for our concerns. As on earth, so in Heaven He is still One who serves His creatures.
His intercession is in perpetuity - "He ever liveth to make intercession for them." He died on the Cross to obtain Salvation for us. On the throne He lives to maintain us in Salvation. It is in this sense that "we shall be saved by His [risen] life" (Romans 5:10). We could not live the Christian life for a day were it not that He lives to intercede for us.
4.5 The Implications of His Priesthood
Our idea of intercession is often associated with agonizing entreaty or tearful supplication. It is sometimes erroneously conceived as an endeavor to overcome the reluctance of God. But our High Priest does not appear as suppliant before a God who has to be coaxed into granting a divine blessing. He appears as our advocate, not to appeal for clemency but to claim justice for us - to claim what we are entitled to in virtue of His sacrifice on Calvary. He obtains this for us from a God who is "faithful and just to forgive us our sins" (1 John 1:9).
4.5.1 He receives and presents our prayers
How can our consciously imperfect prayers be acceptable to our holy God? The answer is in the above lines. Our High Priest receives our prayers and mingles with them the incense of His own merits. "Another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given to him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne" (Revelation 8:3).
Every prayer of faith presented by the Son who is always in harmony with the will and purposes of His Father becomes His own prayer and meets with the acceptance accorded to Him. Our prayers do not ascend alone, but steeped in His merits, and His intercession is always prevailing.
In view of all that precedes, it is small wonder that the writer of the Hebrews letter sums up his dissertation on the High Priestly ministry of Christ in these words:
"Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens" (Hebrews 8:1).
4.5.2 He offers sympathy
To "sympathize" does not imply leniency, but understanding. Having been tempted as we are, He understands the force of temptation. This encourages us to come to Him for help.
4.5.3 He offers mercy
"Mercy" means pity or forgiveness. Mercy and grace, both mentioned in Hebrews 4:16, are closely related, yet different. Mercy is God not giving us what we deserve (wrath), while grace is God giving us what we don't deserve.
4.5.4 He offers grace
Grace is God giving us what we don't have ourselves - spiritual strength and power - to do what we are not able to do ourselves - overcome sin. Jesus is a superior high priest, especially at this point, for no earthly high priest could offer more than sympathy and mercy through the blood of the sacrifice. This "grace" is the prevention of sin, while mercy is the remedy for sin.
4.5.5 He intercedes
Hebrews 7:25 explains the significance of our High Priest's intercession: "He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." This means that our ultimate Salvation is assured through the constant application to each of us the merits of the High Priest's own blood. When we "confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
The priesthood of Christ is illustrated in below diagram:
5. CHRIST, THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH
How decisions should be made in the functioning of the local church is a crucial matter today. Should decisions involve the whole congregation, the broad of elders, or the pastor alone? How should the members of the body of Christ get their directions from the head, Jesus Christ?
It is beyond the scope of this course to describe in detail how the problem manifests itself. Jesus Christ is the head of the church. Realizing this fact that may help us to take more seriously the questions posed above. There are three aspects to His headship.
5.1 Lordship
Lordship, or headship, means authority. Ephesians 1:20-23 tells us that God raised Jesus from the dead "and seated Him at His right hand in the Heavenly places, far above all true and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named ... and He put all things in subjection under His feet ... "
5.2 Direction
Headship implies direction. Leaders and laymen alike should saturate themselves in Biblical truths and principles. For example, how does the head of the church make known His will to the body? He does so through the written Word. Whether the decisions in the local church are made by the entire congregation or one member, all should be grounded in the teaching of Scripture, the written expression of the direction of our head, Jesus Christ. Likewise, all impulses or ideas among believers should be checked by Scripture to determine their validity.
5.3 Source
Jesus said, "apart from Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). This power is expressed through the Holy Spirit whom Jesus sent to dwell within believers. The Holy Spirit energizes the efforts of believers as they serve God in faith.
6. CHRIST, PREPARING A PLACE FOR BELIEVERS
6.1 Removing the Barrier of Sin
Jesus has entered Heaven "as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 6:20), and because of this "we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus ... having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water" (Hebrews 10:19-22).
6.2 Preparing an Abode
Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us (John 14:1-3). It is likely that this place is part of the New Jerusalem that will come down out of Heaven to the New Earth, and be the future and eternal dwelling place of the saints (Revelation 21:10-27).
7. REFERENCES AND RECOMMENDATION FOR FURTHER STUDY
Lectures in Systematic Theology, Chapter XXVI, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1992 Edition, by Henry C. Thiessen.
The Incomparable Christ - The Person and Work of Jesus Christ, Chapters 33-35, Moody Press, 1971 Edition, by John Oswald Sanders.