311. Faithful High Priest
Hebrews 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved 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.
Jesus was made in every way a human being like us so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest to represent us before God. The promise is that He made reconciliation for the sins of the people. The role of the High Priest was to speak to God for the people, to be a mediator between man and God, to pray for the people, and finally, to reconcile the people with God. Jesus was anointed by the Spirit to fulfill all of these roles for our sake.
The High Priest in the OT made sacrifices for the people to bring them to God. In the case of Jesus, however, Jesus is both the priest who makes the sacrifice and the victim who is sacrificed. Jesus, as priest, sacrifices Himself; He is the sacrificial lamb. By His sacrificial death on the cross Christ reconciled all people to God.
Jesus accomplished this completely once, and only once, for all time and for all sins ever for all people. He does not, cannot, and will not make another sacrifice, since the one sacrifice is sufficient for all. Jesus continues as our High Priest today and every day continually reminding us (and reminding the Father, by the way) that He absolutely died for all our sins, and reminding us of our reconciliation with God. He guarantees God’s love for us; it is absolute, unconditional, and forever.
But there is more: on the basis of His once-for-all sacrifice we can pray in Jesus’ name before the Father and we can be sure He hears us. And even more, on the basis of His one time intercession Jesus Himself continually intercedes for us, pleading on our behalf, and overcoming all the Enemies of our souls. These troubles are constant, showing up like little foxes in the garden, and we need a constant High Priest interceding for us on the ground of His eternal Sacrifice. We need it; we have it.