Christ As High Priest Interceding Now

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Joseph

I have always understood this topic to mean that Jesus took his blood, and once and for all eternity offered it on the mercy seat in heaven. Not that he continues to do so, or that he lays prostrate praying for us 24/7, but that the offering stretches forth to cover all of time. The intercession being made is that offering that continues to be there available for all who would come, hence His Priesthood continues through his one time offering.

I have repeated this before on the other thread, but I am not saying anything similar to the idea that Jesus offers His blood forever instead of once. He offered it ONCE. But He intercedes in an ongoing manner. He does not LAY prostrate before God either. lol. He SITS on the throne as Priest, if one wants to split hairs.

His priesthood is not speaking about an intercession that is simply involving a sacrifice that is open until the end. That is not active intercession. There is actual interceding occurring.

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

Nothing in Brother Blumes posts insinuated in the least that His death & resurrection aren't enough.

Exactly. His Death and resurrection cover everything we'd ever need. But the intercession that continues on until today and through tomorrow refers to our application of that in our practical lives. And the intercession is BASED UPON and POINTS to the atonement, but takes it further into practical living.

[SDG]

As we continue this disussion it may prove important to define some terms:

1. mediator

Greek: mestises [3319]

1. one who intervenes between two, either in order to make or restore peace and friendship, or form a compact, or for ratifying a covenant
2. a medium of communication, arbitrator

Used 6 times in KJV, NASB and translated as mediator.

For this reason He R347 is the mediator R348 of a new R349 covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called R350 may receive R351 the promise of the R352 eternal inheritance.

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Intercession

Gr. Entugchano [1722, 5177]

1. to light upon a person or a thing, fall in with, hit upon, a person or a thing
2. to go to or meet a person, esp. for the purpose of conversation, consultation, or supplication
3. to pray, entreat
4. make intercession for any one

Found 5 times in KJV and NASB ... translated as makes intercession ... also plead and appeal.

Hebrews 7:25 Therefore He is able also to save forever * those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

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3. advocate -

Gr : parakletos [3875]

1. summoned, called to one's side, esp. called to one's aid
2. one who pleads another's cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate
3. one who pleads another's cause with one, an intercessor
   1. of Christ in his exaltation at God's right hand, pleading with God the Father for the pardon of our sins
4. in the widest sense, a helper, succourer, aider, assistant
   1. of the Holy Spirit destined to take the place of Christ with the apostles (after his ascension to the Father), to lead them to a deeper knowledge of the gospel truth, and give them divine strength needed to enable them to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the divine kingdom

KJV (5) - advocate, 1; comforter, 4;
NAS (5) - Advocate, 1; Helper, 4;

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;

[SDG]

Originally Posted by mfblume

Exactly. His Death and resurrection cover everything we'd ever need. But the intercession that continues on until today and through tomorrow refers to our application of that in our practical lives. And the intercession is BASED UPON and POINTS to the atonement, but takes it further into practical living.

My remarks about the resurrection and death sufficing are said with the knowledge that many 3 steppers believe our salvation is not complete until re-enact HIS DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION ... this topic of Christ's priesthood also lends itself to soteriological scrutiny.

[mfblume]

The Book of Hebrews is the source for all information about this issue. The third verse in the entire book lays it out clearly.

Heb 1: (2) Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (3) Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

His work of purging our sins is clearly involving His High Priestly duties. But it is easy to miss the fact that the second portion of the issue is not recognized as High Priestly duties as well.

...sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high

All of this can only be understood in light of the truth regarding His priesthood after the order of Melchisedek.

Melchisedek was a perfect type of Jesus' present ministry as High Priest, whereas Aaron's Priesthood simply fell short. Aaron only particpated in purging of sins, albeit only for a year, in atonement. But Aaron died, and Aaron's priesthood ended. However, Christ is foreshadowed more perfectly by Melchisedek.

Melchisedek was both king and priest at the same time. Zechariah foretold Christ's ministry as Priest WHILE SITTING ON THE THRONE. This shows there is a priesthood that occurs even now since Christ is still King on His throne. And it shows the priesthood after the orde rof Melchisedek DID NOT OCCUR WITH CHRIST until He sat down on the throne.

Now, opponents of this thought propose that Christ was acting as priest before He ever sat down on the throne. They point to the death and resurrection. That is not the case. HE WAS SACRIFICE THEN. NOT PRIEST.

Zec 6:13 KJVR Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

Hebrews said that Christ purged our sins and sat down on the throne of majesty on high. This is referring to His Priesthood after the Order of Melchisedek. There is no record of Melchisedek's death, nor genealogy, when genealogy was EVERYTHING in Aaron's Levitical priesthood. This starts to point us in the right direction as to the nature of the priesthood.

Heb 7:1-3 KJVR For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; (2) To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; (3) Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.

Since Christ continues past His death on into His priesthood, Aaron's priesthood fails to typify Him. Aaron's priesthood could only bring redemption and continue until Aaron's death, but Christ ever liveth to make intercession for us!

Heb 7:25 KJVR Wherefore 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.

Melchisedek's lack of record of death is a type of Christ's never ending priesthood. Christ EVER LIVETH IN ORDER TO MAKE INTERCESSION. His intercession was not solely through his death! It CONTINUES ON today! But it is not for redemption, since that is already our's. He intercedes now, and is High Priest on the throne NOW, for victory in day to day living AFTER we are saved.

People WHO COME TO HIM NOW are able to be saved to the uttermost BECAUSE HE LIVES NOW AS INTERCESSOR for them. If He was only intercessor for them at his death, we would not read of Him EVER living to make intercession, and we would not read that this is the reason people who COME TO HIM NOW can be saved to the uttermost!

Bro Alicea,

Ths next verse speaks of the same thing that saving to the uttermost speaks about.

Heb 6:18-20 KJV That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: (19) Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; (20) Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

Entrance into the most holy place is entering practical victory in our lives. We all are more than conquerors just because we're in Christ. But not very many enjoy that practically. Entrance into the most holy place is a picture of entering this actual victory in our daily living.

Hebrews 8 also mentions this practical victory status. It speaks about Christ's priesthood in the better covenant in contrast to Aaron's. Aaron's priesthood only got people so far and it was due to the law associated with that priesthood. Every where we look in Hebrews, we see the transcendency of grace and our covenant. But people miss the aspect of full and practical victory in our daily living.

Heb 8: (6) But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. (7) For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. (8) For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: (9) Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. (10) For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

The failure of LAW was that it did not empower the people TO CONTINUE. They failed. They could not live up to law. That is what it means when we read "they continued not in my covenant".

And since that was the problem with Law, and that was its FAULT, when we read that God would INSTEAD write His law into our hearts, we must realize that writing it into our hearts is the REMEDY for the failure.

That is what "saving to the uttermost" means as well, Dan.

One thing all are also missing, is that Aaron could not DWELL in the holiest as Priest. Christ does DWELL there as PRIEST. People are dropping off the aspect of His priesthood when they regard Christ as dwelling in glory now. They just view Him as God in that. But the context teaches that HE IS STLL PRIEST in the holiest and DWELLS THERE. I would say this is pointing to Him being Priest while on the throne. He SITS ON THE THRONE THAT IS REPRESENTED BY THE ARK'S MERCYSEAT.

Hebrews 10 mentions the fact that Christ's single offering has perfected forever those who are sanctified. We are complete in Him. But this needs to come out into our behaviour. And that cannot happen unless we GET this truth in our hearts and realize the impact it is saying. Here is where our CONSCIENCES require purging.

His blood paid for it all, but people who struggle and are self-defeating do not have their consciences purged. Their unnecessary guilt causes them to not even considering living up to what I am proposing we can live up to, as one of many examples. Hebrews 10 is repeating the emphasis of the fullness of Christ's work in order to encourage our faith and get us out of this self-defeating mode caused by lack of understanding. SO THAT OUR CONSCIENCES CAN BE PURGED.

Once we get the confidence that these truths about His single offeirng for sin are trying to give to us, we will ENTER THE HOLIEST WITH BOLDNESS. Now, this refers to more than our standing with Christ.

Is everyone entering the throneroom with boldness? NO! Why? Their consciences are still EVIL. Hebrews calls a conscience that destroys the victory in people's hearts, by making them think such things as "I am no good," an "evil conscience. It contradicts the truths of who we are since our salvation. So it is evil. It needs to be purged by TRUTH.

Heb 10:1-2 KJV For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. (2) For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

Heb 10:18-23 KJV Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. (19) Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, (20) By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; (21) And having an high priest over the house of God; (22) Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. (23) Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised

Brother, people WAVER today. They lack full assurance. Their hearts are not sprinkled from an evil consience. Their evil consciences taint and mar their hearts and rob them of faith and confidence that they can live powerfully right now.

His priestly intercession revolves around THESE NEEDS.

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

My remarks about the resurrection and death sufficing are said with the knowledge that many 3 steppers believe our salvation is not complete until re-enact HIS DEATH, BURIAL AND RESURRECTION ..

The bible clearly designates that these things are applied to us especially in water baptism. Baptism is not a work that causes self to do something to exalt self. It is death of our entire old lives. That is diametrically opposite to works to save us.

. this topic of Christ's priesthood also lends itself to soteriological scrutiny.

Exactly. It is a GREAT MISSING LINK between salvation and practical Christian living.

[mfblume]

Dan, and others,

Hebrews is full of truth about what itself calls the "MEAT" of the Word... and that Meat has to do with Christ as Priest after the Order of Melchisedek.

Practically speaking, it is entirely an issue of using our faith. The book spends chapters before it even GETS TO THE POINT of the present piresthood. And it is dealing with how we can have confidence in Him. The writer, let's say Paul (although we do not know who it was), spends so much writing solely on how much greater Jesus is than angels, prophets, Moses, Aaron and even Law! He speaks first a lot about how Christ defeated and destroyed the devil who had the power of death, and suffered so that we could more easily put trust and confidence in Him since we realize He knows what it is like to suffer as we do.

All this is necessary to lead up to the practical things we should do.

When you are convinced someone REALLY CARES for you, then you can put total confidence in them to help you. This is what Paul was doing in the first several chapters. And then he leads us into the thought of how there is a rest after salvation in whcih we can enter.

So, we are to believe that Christ has opened for us absolute victory over anything, and must never act like the Hebrews who doubted they could enter Canaan (read chapter 3). The book is attempting to rid all such doubt and low expectations from our hearts, so we can actually believe God to bless us with strength to enter into this state of victory and power right now.

Chapter 4 tells us to mix the word we heard with our faith. And this is the labour verse 11 talks about that will cause us to enter this kind of state of rest and faith.

Heb 4:11 KJV Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

MANY PEOPLE HAVE NOT ENTERED THIS REST. Practical victory. Israel RESTED when they practically defeated the enemies of the land. The land was their's when they first left Egypt! We HAVE standing in Christ immediately upon salvation. BUT ENTERING THAT VICTORY and enjoying it is something else again.

As we look at God's offer for us to enter such a place of faith, many become scared like the Israelites at the borders of Canaan. They excuse themselves saying they simply do not have the faith yet. But God called that sort of thinking a wicked and evil heart of unbelief. We consider it a small thing and pass over such a claim from our own hearts without taking too much concern over it. But Hebrews says God does not look at it like that.

Heb 3:12-19 KJV Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. (13) But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (14) For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; (15) While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. (16) For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. (17) But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? (18) And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? (19) So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Practically speaking, the entire point is to believe we can have this victory, through gaining the confidence the book helps us have by speaking of how Christ is worthy of such confidence, and to rid ourselves of the carnal doubts that we simply cannot have this faith.

Hebrews is also stressing to us that ONLY THROUGH TOTAL OBEDIENCE and SELF SACRIFICE can we "follow" Jesus into this place of victory called the holiest of holies, while we still walk this earth. AGAIN, MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT THERE.

Jesus totally gave himself to ultimate obedience of sacrifice to become this high priest. And He is only effective, though, to those who LIKEWISE obey Him to the same degree.

Heb 5:8-9 KJV Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; (9) And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

The ultimate experiences we can have in this life are only reserved for those who are fully self-sacrificial and totally obedient to the Lord. So, again, practically, we must TRULY let go of all lusts and loves for the world, and for self, and FOLLOW JESUS into this domain of what Hebrews calls the Holiest, which is a state of totaly victory.

IT IS ALL ABOUT HIS PRIESTHOOD beyond more than sitting there for 2,000 years and pointing a finger back to the cross. What kind of intercession is that? lol

[mfblume]

Interesting words by Adam Clarke as to his opinion of the issue, just to expose us to the opinions that are out there:

The phrase εντυγχανειν τινι, to make intercession for a person, has a considerable latitude of meaning. It signifies,

1. To come to or meet a person on any cause whatever.
2. To intercede, pray for, or entreat in the behalf of, another.
3. To defend or vindicate a person.
4. To commend.
5. To furnish any kind of assistance or help.
6. And, with the preposition κατα, against, to accuse, or act against another in a judicial way.

...some of the ancients were of opinion that his continual intercession consists in the continual presentation of his humanity before his Father, because it is a continual declaration of his earnest desire of the salvation of men, and of his having, in obedience to his Father’s will, made himself flesh, and suffered death to accomplish it. See Rom_8:34 (note), note 3. This opinion is confirmed by the manner in which the Jewish high priest made intercession for the people on the day of atonement, and which was a type of Christ’s intercession in heaven. He made it, not by offering of prayers for them in the most holy place, but by sprinkling the blood of the sacrifices on the mercy-seat, in token of their death. And as, by that action, he opened the earthly holy places to the prayers and worship of the Israelites during the ensuing year; so Jesus, by presenting his humanity continually before the presence of his Father, opens heaven to the prayers of his people in the present life, and to their persons after the resurrection.”

[mfblume]

Wuest:

The word "intercession" is the translation of entugchano which speaks of intervention rather than merely intercession. It includes every form of Messiah's identifying Himself with humanity, and includes the idea of intercession. The writer speaks here of the present intercession of Messiah on behalf of believers, which is based upon and follows His once-for-all offering of Himself as the sacrifice for sin.

Wuest's Translation: But this (priest), because He abides forever, has the priesthood which is non-transferable, for which reason He is able to be saving those completely and forever who come to God through Him, being always alive for the purpose of continually making intercession for them.

Why require eternal life in order to contnually make intercession if the blood sacrifice alone is all the intercession is talking about? Why not END the manhood and the intercession as soon as the blood was finished being offered? I know this is what SOME believe occurred. But the scripture shwos the ongoing life was for the purpose of continually making intercession. This makes no sense if there is some relevance to the humanity continuing.

[SDG]

The failure of LAW was that it did not empower the people TO CONTINUE. They failed. They could not live up to law. That is what it means when we read "they continued not in my covenant".

And since that was the problem with Law, and that was its FAULT, when we read that God would INSTEAD write His law into our hearts, we must realize that writing it into our hearts is the REMEDY for the failure.

That is what "saving to the uttermost" means as well, Dan.

Wholeheartedly agree.