Jesus – Fully God, Fully Man

TODAYS MESSAGE IS TAKEN FROM HEBREWS 2:1-18.

VERSE 1 SAYS: Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

CHRISTIANS MUST GUARD AGAINST INATTENTION AND NEGLECT OF GOD’S MESSAGE THAT HE GAVE US THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.

IN CHAPTER TWO OF HEBREWS GOD GIVES US A WARNING AGAINST DRIFTING AWAY. JESUS CHRIST IS MUCH MORE SUPERIOR TO THE ANGELS AND WE MUST GIVE HEED JESUS MORE THAN ALL THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN.  CHAPTER ONE OF HEBREWS WE ARE REMINDED THAT JESUS IS NOT ONLY SUPERIOR TO ANGELS, BUT THAT HE IS THE SON OF GOD.  IF WE DO NOT LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY TO THE TRUTH WE HAVE HEARD IN GOD‘S WORD, WE MAY DRIFT AWAY FROM IT.

listentogodTHE SCRIPTURAL FACT OF JESUS’ SUPERIORITY OVER THE ANGELS HAS LIFE-CHANGING APPLICATION, AND NOW WE MUST CONSIDER THAT APPLICATION.  WHAT WE MUST DO IS TO GIVE MORE EARNEST HEED TO THE WORDS OF JESUS. IT’S EASY TO THINK THIS EXHORTATION TO GIVE THE MORE EARNEST HEED IS DIRECTED TO UNBELIEVERS; BUT IT IS SOMETHING “MATURE” CHRISTIANS MUST BE CHALLENGED WITH ALSO.

WE CAN BECOME DESENSITIZED TO THE GLORY OF JESUS’ MESSAGE, THINKING WE KNOW IT ALL, BUT WE NEVER WILL IN THIS LIFE. GIVE THE MORE EARNEST HEED HAS NOT ONLY THE IDEA OF HEARING CAREFULLY, BUT ALSO IN DOING WHAT WE HAVE HEARD. IF NOT WE WILL DRIFT AWAY. DRIFTING IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS QUITE AUTOMATICALLY WHEN WE ARE NOT ANCHORED TO ANYTHING SOLID; IF WE ARE NOT “ANCHORED” IN THE SUPERIORITY OF JESUS, WE WILL DRIFT WITH THE CURRENTS OF THE WORLD,  THE FLESH, AND SATAN.
doasgodsays
WE DO NOT HAVE TO DO ANYTHING TO SIMPLY DRIFT AWAY. MOST CHRISTIAN REGRESS COMES FROM A SLOW DRIFTING, NOT FROM A SUDDEN DEPARTURE.

drft-awayAN UNGODLY FARMER DIED, AND LEFT HIS FARM TO SATAN. THE COURT,  DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT.  HOW DO YOU GIVE A FARM TO SATAN?  THE JUDGE DECIDED, THE BEST WAY TO CARRY OUT THE WISHES OF THE DECEASED IS TO ALLOW THE FARM TO GROW WEEDS, THE SOIL TO ERODE, AND THE HOUSE AND BARN TO ROT. THE BEST WAY TO LEAVE SOMETHING TO SATAN IS TO DO NOTHING. WE CAN LEAVE OUR LIVES TO SATAN THE SAME WAY, DO NOTHING, DRIFTING WITH WHATEVER CURRENTS WILL DRIVE US.

VERSES 2-4 EMPHASIZE HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE IF WE NEGLECT SO GREAT A SALVATION?

For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

THE MESSAGE GOD DELIVERED THROUGH ANGELS HAS ALWAYS PROVED TRUE.  THE PEOPLE WERE PUNISHED FOR EVERY VIOLATION OF THE LAW AND EVERY ACT OF DISOBEDIENCE. WHAT MAKES US THINK THAT WE CAN ESCAPE IF WE ARE INDIFFERENT TO THIS GREAT SALVATION THAT WAS ANNOUNCED BY THE LORD JESUS HIMSELF? IT WAS PASSED ON TO US BY THOSE WHO HEARD HIM SPEAK. GOD VERIFIED THE MESSAGE BY SIGNS AND WONDERS AND VARIOUS MIRACLES AND BY GIVING GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHENEVER HE CHOSE TO DO SO.

 THE WORD SPOKEN THROUGH ANGELS IS A WAY OF DESCRIBING THE MOSAIC LAW, WHICH WAS RECEIVED BY THE DIRECTION OF ANGELS (ACTS 7:52-53). Which of the prophets did your ancestors fail to persecute? They killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers. You received the Law as ordained by angels, and yet you didn’t obey it!”

HERE THE WRITER IS SPEAKING TO THE JEWS WHO HAD RECEIVED GOD’S LAW. THE IDEA IS THAT THE LAW WAS DELIVERED TO MOSES BY THE HANDS OF ANGELS. (THE CONCEPT THAT ANGELS MEDIATED THE LAW IS FOUND IN DEUTERONOMY 33:2, ACTS 7:53, GALATIANS 3:19).

 THE MOSAIC LAW WAS STEADFAST AND STRICT. EVERY TRANSGRESSION AND DISOBEDIENCE RECEIVED A JUST REWARD. IT DEMANDED TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. IF WE MUST TAKE THE WORD WHICH CAME BY ANGELS SERIOUSLY, HOW MUCH MORE SERIOUSLY MUST WE TAKE THE WORD WHICH CAME BY THE SON OF GOD, WHO HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE GREATER THAN THE ANGELS? A GREATER WORD, BROUGHT BY A GREATER PERSON, HAVING GREATER PROMISES, WILL BRING A GREATER CONDEMNATION IF NEGLECTED.

THEREFORE, WE MUST NOT NEGLECT SO GREAT A SALVATION. THE WORD NEGLECT MEANS TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY, BUT TO IGNORE OR DISREGARD IT. THIS IS A WORD TO BELIEVERS, NOT TO THE UNSAVED. THE DANGER DESCRIBED IS NOT REJECTING SALVATION, THOUGH THE PRINCIPLE APPLIES, BUT NEGLECTING OUR SALVATION. HEBREWS WAS WRITTEN AS AN ENCOURAGEMENT AND WARNING TO DISCOURAGED CHRISTIANS, THOSE WHO NEGLECTED AN ABIDING WALK WITH JESUS. neglect-salvation

THIS WORD WAS SPOKEN BY JESUS, THEN CONFIRMED BY EYEWITNESSES, THEN CONFIRMED WITH SIGNS, WONDERS, MIRACLES AND GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVEN BY GOD.

THE WRITER CONFIRMS HE IS NOT A FIRST GENERATION CHRISTIAN. HE HAS HEARD THE MESSAGE SECOND-HAND THROUGH THE APOSTLES AND EYE-WITNESSES OF JESUS’ MINISTRY.

GOD CONFIRMS HIS WORD WITH VARIOUS MIRACLES, AND GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, BUT DOING IT ACCORDING TO HIS OWN WILL. JESUS SAID MIRACULOUS SIGNS WOULD FOLLOW THOSE WHO BELIEVE (MARK 16:17); IF THERE IS NO ELEMENT OF THE MIRACULOUS, ONE MAY QUESTION WHETHER THERE IS TRUE BELIEF IN JESUS OR IF THE WORD OF GOD IS TRULY BEING PREACHED. AFTER ALL, IS THE PREACHER GIVING ANYTHING FOR GOD TO CONFIRM?

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE SPIRIT BRINGS SUCH MIRACLES AND GIFTS ACCORDING TO HIS WILL. MIRACLES CAN NOT BE “WORKED UP” AND HYPED; MUCH DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE BY THOSE WHO DO NOT THINK ENOUGH MIRACLES ARE HAPPENING, AND WANT TO “PRIME THE PUMP” THROUGH THE ENTHUSIASM OF THE FLESH.

IT’S HARD TO SAY WHICH IS WORSE – THE DENIAL OF MIRACLES AND THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, OR THE FLESHLY COUNTERFEIT OF THEM. BUT SATAN DOES NOT CARE WHICH SIDE OF THE BOAT HE THROWS YOU OVER, JUST AS LONG AS YOU GET SOAKING WET!

IN VERSES  5-9 WE ARE TOLD THAT JESUS IS HUMAN, BECAUSE GOD PUT THE WORLD IN SUBJECTION TO MAN, NOT ANGELS:

PSALM 8:4-9  What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and  whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

 THE FUTURE WORLD WE ARE TALKING ABOUT WILL NOT BE CONTROLLED BY ANGELS. SOMEWHERE IN THE SCRIPTURES IT SAYS, “WHAT IS MAN THAT YOU SHOULD THINK OF HIM, AND THE SON OF MAN THAT YOU SHOULD CARE FOR HIM? FOR A LITTLE WHILE YOU ARE MADE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS, AND CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR.

JESUS HAS GIVEN US AUTHORITY OVER ALL THINGS. WHEN IT SAYS “ALL THINGS,” IT MEANS NOTHING IS LEFT OUT. BUT WE HAVE NOT YET SEEN ALL OF THIS HAPPEN. WHAT WE DO SEE IS JESUS, WHO “FOR A LITTLE WHILE WAS MADE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS” AND NOW IS “CROWNED WITH GLORY AND HONOR” BECAUSE HE SUFFERED DEATH FOR US. BY GOD’S GRACE, JESUS TASTED DEATH FOR EVERYONE IN ALL THE WORLD.

IN CHAPTER ONE, THE WRITER TO THE HEBREWS DEMONSTRATED THE DEITY OF JESUS AND HIS SUPERIORITY OVER ALL ANGELS BRILLIANTLY FROM THE SCRIPTURES. NOW HE WILL DEMONSTRATE THE HUMANITY OF JESUS FROM THE SCRIPTURES, AND APPLY THE IMPLICATIONS OF JESUS’ HUMANITY.

IT IS SCRIPTURALLY WRONG TO THINK OF JESUS AS MERELY GOD OR MERELY MAN. IT IS WRONG TO THINK OF HIM AS 50% GOD, 50% MAN (OR ANY OTHER PERCENTAGE SPLIT). IT IS WRONG TO THINK OF HIM AS “MAN ON THE OUTSIDE” AND “GOD ON THE INSIDE.” THE BIBLE TEACHES JESUS IS FULLY GOD AND FULLY MAN, THAT A HUMAN NATURE WAS ADDED TO HIS DIVINE NATURE, AND BOTH NATURES EXISTS IN ONE PERSON, JESUS CHRIST.

fully-god-fully-man

THE FIRST FALSE TEACHING ABOUT JESUS ARISING IN THE CHURCH WAS NOT THAT HE WAS NOT GOD, BUT THAT HE WAS NOT REALLY HUMAN AND HE ONLY SEEMED TO BE HUMAN. THE HERESY WAS CALLED DOCETISM, COMING FROM THE GREEK WORD TO SEEM, GOD NEVER GAVE ANGELS THE KIND OF DOMINION MAN ORIGINALLY HAD OVER THE EARTH (GENESIS 1:26-30); ANGELS DO NOT HAVE DOMINION OVER THIS WORLD, OR THE WORLD TO COME.

 THE SCRIPTURE ASKS: WHAT IS MAN: THE QUOTATION FROM PSALM 8:4-6 SHOWS BOTH THE SMALLNESS OF MAN IN RELATION TO THE GOD OF CREATION, AND THE DOMINION THAT GOD HAS GIVEN MAN, EVEN THOUGH HE IS A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS. HE LEFT NOTHING THAT IS NOT PUT UNDER HIM: THE WRITER EMPHASIZES THE POINT: GOD HAS PUT ALL THINGS,  NOT SOME THINGS, UNDER SUBJECTION TO HUMAN BEINGS. HOW CAN JESUS RULE AND REIGN OVER THE WORLD TO COME IF HE IS NOT HUMAN? THEN GOD’S PROMISE TO PUT THE WORLD UNDER SUBJECTION TO MAN WOULD BE UNTRUE.

lower-than-angels

THE PROBLEMS AND SOLUTION ARE NOW DEALT WITH.  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. BUT NOW WE DO NOT YET SEE ALL THINGS PUT UNDER HIM: HOW CAN WE SAY THAT ALL THINGS ARE SUBJECT TO MAN? IT SEEMS TO BE AN UNFULFILLED PROMISE. BUT WE SEE JESUS: THE PROMISE IS FULFILLED IN JESUS, WHO IS LORD OVER ALL, AND THROUGH WHOM MAN CAN REGAIN THE DOMINION ORIGINALLY INTENDED FOR ADAM (REVELATION 1:6, 5:10; MATTHEW 25:21).

HOW MANY THINGS WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND ARE PUT INTO PROPER FOCUS IF WE WILL ONLY SEE JESUS! THE ANSWERS TO LIFE’S MOST PERPLEXING QUESTIONS ARE NOT QUESTIONS OF “WHY?” THOUGH WE OFTEN TORTURE OURSELVES ASKING “WHY?” THE GREATEST ANSWER IS A WHO – JESUS CHRIST! THIS PROMISE OF DOMINION COULD ONLY BE FULFILLED THROUGH THE HUMILITY (A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS) AND SUFFERING (THE SUFFERING OF DEATH) OF JESUS, WHO DEFEATED THE EVIL ADAM HAD INTRODUCED INTO THE WORLD – WHICH WAS DEATH (ROMANS 5:12).

GOD GAVE MAN DOMINION OVER THE EARTH, BUT MAN FORFEITED HIS POWER (NOT HIS RIGHT OR AUTHORITY) TO TAKE THAT DOMINION THROUGH SIN, AND THE PRINCIPLE OF DEATH TOOK AWAY THE POWER TO RULE. BUT JESUS CAME, AND THROUGH HIS HUMILITY AND SUFFERING, DEFEATED THE POWER OF DEATH, AND MAKES POSSIBLE THE FULFILLMENT OF GOD’S PROMISE THAT HUMANS WILL HAVE DOMINION OVER THE EARTH – FULFILLED BOTH THROUGH JESUS’ OWN DOMINION, AND THE RULE OF BELIEVERS WITH HIM. (REVELATION 20:4)

power-over-deathIN VERSES 10-13 WE KNOW JESUS IS HUMAN, BECAUSE HE CALLS US BRETHREN.

For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.

IT IS RIGHT THAT GOD–WHO MADE EVERYTHING AND FOR WHOM EVERYTHING WAS MADE–SHOULD BRING HIS CHILDREN INTO GLORY. THROUGH THE SUFFERING OF JESUS, GOD MADE HIM A PERFECT LEADER, ONE FIT TO BRING THEM INTO THEIR SALVATION.child-of-godJESUS AND THE ONES HE MAKES HOLY HAVE THE SAME FATHER. THAT IS WHY JESUS IS NOT ASHAMED TO CALL THEM HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS. FOR HE SAID TO GOD, “I WILL DECLARE THE WONDER OF YOUR NAME TO MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. I WILL PRAISE YOU AMONG ALL YOUR PEOPLE.” HE ALSO SAID, “I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM.” AND IN THE SAME CONTEXT HE SAID, “HERE I AM–TOGETHER WITH THE CHILDREN GOD HAS GIVEN ME.” NOT ONLY WAS IT NECESSARY – IT WAS FITTING FOR THE SOVEREIGN GOD – FOR WHOM ARE ALL THINGS AND BY WHOM ARE ALL THINGS TO BE MADE PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERINGS IN THE TASK OF BRINGING MANY SONS TO GLORY.

GOD COULD HAVE ENGINEERED A WAY TO SAVE US THAT DID NOT REQUIRE THE SUFFERING OF THE SON OF GOD; BUT IT WAS FITTING FOR JESUS TO SAVE US AT THE COST OF HIS OWN AGONY. THIS IS THE ULTIMATE ILLUSTRATION OF THE FACT THAT REAL LOVE, REAL GIVING, INVOLVES SACRIFICE. AS DAVID SAID, NOR WILL I OFFER . . . OFFERINGS TO THE LORD MY GOD WHICH COSTS ME NOTHING (2 SAMUEL 24:24).

GOD’S LOVE FOR US HAD TO SHOW ITSELF IN SACRIFICE, AND WHAT COULD GOD SACRIFICE UNLESS HE ADDED HUMANITY TO HIS DEITY AND SUFFERED ON OUR BEHALF? JESUS WAS MADE PERFECT THROUGH SUFFERINGS. IT IS NOT THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING LACKING IN HIS DEITY, BUT ONLY IN HIS EXPERIENCE. THIS IS HOW GOD IN HEAVEN KNOWS SUFFERING, BY EXPERIENCE. gods-loveTHE POINT IS THAT IT WAS FITTING FOR THE FATHER TO DO THIS, IN THE SENSE THAT IT PLEASED THE LORD TO BRUISE HIM (ISAIAH 53:10) FOR THE SAKE OF BRINGING MANY SONS TO GLORY. THEREFORE, WE ARE SANCTIFIED BY ONE WHO HAS BEEN SANCTIFIED. WE ARE ALL OF THE SAME HUMAN FAMILY, SO JESUS IS NOT ASHAMED TO CALL THEM (THAT IS, US) BRETHREN. HE COULD NOT BE OUR BROTHER UNLESS HE WAS ALSO HUMAN LIKE US. JESUS IS NOT ASHAMED TO CALL US BRETHREN. BUT ARE WE ASHAMED TO OPENLY SAY THAT WE BELONG TO JESUS? WHO SHOULD BE MORE EMBARRASSED?

VERSES 14-16 SPEAKS OF  WHAT JESUS DID AS OUR BROTHER

BECAUSE GOD’S CHILDREN ARE HUMAN BEINGS, MADE OF FLESH AND BLOOD.

Christ shared man’s mortal nature, that by His dying men might be freed from death Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

JESUS ALSO BECAME FLESH AND BLOOD BY BEING BORN IN HUMAN FORM. FOR ONLY AS A HUMAN BEING COULD HE DIE, AND ONLY BY DYING COULD HE BREAK THE POWER OF SATAN, WHO HAD THE POWER OF DEATH. ONLY IN THIS WAY COULD HE DELIVER THOSE WHO HAVE LIVED ALL THEIR LIVES AS SLAVES TO THE FEAR OF DYING.

WE ALL KNOW THAT JESUS CAME TO HELP THE DESCENDANTS OF ABRAHAM, NOT TO HELP THE ANGELS. FOR JESUS TO TRULY FULFILL THE ROLE OF “ELDER BROTHER” FOR THE FAMILY OF THE REDEEMED, HE HAD TO TAKE ON FLESH AND BLOOD. HE HAD TO ENTER INTO THE PRISON TO FREE THE CAPTIVES. THROUGH DEATH HE MIGHT DESTROY HIM WHO HAD THE POWER OF DEATH, THAT IS, SATAN.

SOME TAKE THIS AS MEANING THAT JESUS DESTROYED SATAN’S “RIGHT” TO RULE OVER MAN, WHICH WAS PRESUMABLY GIVEN TO HIM IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN THROUGH ADAM’S REBELLION. THE IDEA IS THAT JESUS TOOK AWAY SATAN’S “RIGHT” TO RULE BY ALLOWING SATAN TO “UNLAWFULLY” TAKE JESUS’ LIFE ON THE CROSS, AND SATAN’S “UNLAWFUL” ACTION AGAINST JESUS FORFEITED HIS RIGHT TO RULE OVER MAN.

IN THIS THINKING, THE END RESULT IS THAT SATAN HAS NO RIGHT OVER THOSE WHO COME TO GOD THROUGH JESUS’ WORK ON THE CROSS. SINCE DEATH ONLY HAS DOMINION OVER THOSE WHO ARE BORN SINNERS OR WHO HAVE SINNED (ROMANS 5:12), SATAN HAD NO “RIGHT” TO TAKE THE LIFE OF JESUS, WHO HAD NEVER SINNED NOR WAS BORN A SINNER . BY THIS THINKING, SATAN COMMITTED  MURDER, WHICH IS ACCORDING TO HIS NATURE (JOHN 8:44).

JESUS ALLOWED SATAN TO BRUISE HIS HEEL SO THAT HE COULD BRUISE SATAN’S HEAD (GENESIS 3:15). THE PROBLEM WITH THIS APPROACH IS THAT WE KNOW SATAN DID NOT TAKE JESUS’ LIFE; HE LAID IT DOWN OF HIS OWN ACCORD, AND NO ONE TOOK IT FROM HIM (JOHN 10:17-18).

ONE MIGHT SAY SATAN IS GUILTY OF “ATTEMPTED MURDER” OVER SOMEONE HE HAD NO RIGHTS OVER, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO STAIN OF SIN ON JESUS. SATAN CERTAINLY WANTED TO MURDER JESUS, AND TRIED TO, AND IS GUILTY OF THAT.

THE FEAR OF DEATH RULES AS A TYRANT OVER HUMANITY. SOME TRY TO MAKE PEACE WITH DEATH BY CALLING IT THEIR FRIEND. BUT CHRISTIANS HAVE NO FEAR OF DEATH (THOUGH PERHAPS A FEAR OF DYING), NOT BECAUSE DEATH IS THEIR FRIEND, BUT BECAUSE IT IS A DEFEATED ENEMY WHO NOW SERVES GOD’S PURPOSE IN THE BELIEVER’S LIFE.

THE FATHER’S WORK IN JESUS WAS NOT FOR THE SAKE OF ANGELS IT IS FOR THE PEOPLE OF FAITH. SEED OF ABRAHAM HERE IS USED IN THE SENSE OF THOSE WHO ARE ABRAHAM’S CHILDREN INWARDLY, NOT ETHNICALLY (ROMANS 2:28-29, GALATIANS 3:7).

VERSES 17-18 TELLS US THAT JESUS IS OUR FAITHFUL HIGH PRIEST.

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. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.

(THE WORD SUCCOR MEANS TO HELP) IT WAS NECESSARY FOR JESUS TO BE IN EVERY RESPECT LIKE US, HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS, SO THAT HE COULD BE OUR MERCIFUL AND FAITHFUL HIGH PRIEST BEFORE GOD. HE THEN COULD OFFER A SACRIFICE THAT WOULD TAKE AWAY THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE.

SINCE HE HAS GONE THROUGH SUFFERING AND TEMPTATION, HE IS ABLE TO HELP US WHEN WE ARE BEING TEMPTED. IF JESUS WERE NOT LIKE US, HE COULD NOT BE OUR HIGH PRIEST, REPRESENTING US BEFORE THE FATHER AND MAKING ATONEMENT (PROPITIATION) FOR OUR SINS.  NEITHER THE DEITY NOR THE HUMANITY OF JESUS ARE NEGOTIABLE. IF WE DIMINISH EITHER HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO SAVE US.

THE HIGH PRIEST WORE A BREASTPLATE THAT HAD STONES, ENGRAVED WITH THE NAMES OF THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL, ON BOTH HIS CHEST AND HIS SHOULDERS. THE HIGH PRIEST WOULD THEREFORE BE IN CONSTANT SYMPATHY WITH THE PEOPLE OF GOD, CARRYING THEM ON HIS HEART AND IN HIS WORK (ON THE SHOULDERS).jesus-human

 BECAUSE JESUS ADDED HUMANITY TO HIS DEITY, AND HAS EXPERIENCED HUMAN SUFFERING, JESUS IS ABLE TO AID THOSE WHO ARE BEING TEMPTED, AND WHEN WE ARE SUFFERING. HE REALLY DOES KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING THROUGH! IT IS ASTONISHING: THERE IS A GOD IN HEAVEN WHO BY EXPERIENCE KNOWS WHAT I AM GOING THROUGH, AND CAN AID ME, NOT JUST FEEL BAD FOR ME! THIS IS THE MOST POWERFUL PRESERVATIVE AGAINST DESPAIR, AND THE FIRMEST GROUND OF HOPE AND COMFORT, THAT EVER BELIEVING, PENITENT SINNERS COULD DESIRE OR HAVE