“A Faithful High Priest”

Sunday, May 11, 2025

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?

(Hebrews 2.1-3a)

A month ago we examined the first chapter of Hebrews (ISI VI.15, 4-13-25). It explored the contrast between God’s former messengers to his people, exemplified by angels, and his final communication with man, his own Son, who is far greater in every way. Of course, that exercise was all about getting to the next point, which is illustrated by the “Therefore” that begins the second chapter. That point is this: if God didn’t even tolerate his messages being ignored when the messengers were mere servants, he will be even more jealous for obedience when he sent his Son, his very Word in human form.

The author allows no chance for his audience to miss this point. Throughout the letter his favorite tactic is to introduce a theme, and then restate it several times, uncovering a new and important detail with each repetition, until the full picture is clearly visible. In the foregoing section, the theme was still the Son’s superiority, but the focus shifted to our part in the story. In the next, Jesus’ perfection as messenger and message is tied up with his becoming like us, dwelling in a body of flesh.

For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere,

“What is man, that you are mindful of him,

               or the son of man, that you care for him?

You made him for a little while lower than the angels;

               you have crowned him with glory and honor,

putting everything in subjection under his feet.”

(Hebrews 2.5-8a)

This is from Psalm 8, in which David marvels at God’s love for man. His point was that man is unworthy of the honor God has given. The author of Hebrews does not disagree; but he says David was also unwittingly prophesying about someone far greater than himself.

I saw in the night visions,

and behold, with the clouds of heaven

               there came one like a son of man,

and he came to the Ancient of Days

               and was presented before him.

And to him was given dominion

               and glory and a kingdom,

that all peoples, nations, and languages

               should serve him;

his dominion is an everlasting dominion,

               which shall not pass away,

and his kingdom one

               that shall not be destroyed.

(Daniel 7.13-14)

David meant “the son of man” in its most literal sense; God meant the Messiah. This was Jesus’ favorite title for himself. How odd for the Son of God, to instead call himself, “Son of Man”! But the prophets’ words anticipated an important detail—that God would become flesh, and in so doing would infuse David’s words with a meaning he could not have known: that by humbling himself to be born of a woman, Christ would magnify his glory all the more, and conquer all things.

At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

(Hebrews 2.8b-9)

We can tell that this conquest is a work in progress, because we have eyes that can see the world around us. It largely maintains its doomed, purposeless rebellion against God. Yet David’s words, and Daniel’s vision, will still come to pass—indeed, they are being carried out, this very moment! The Son of Man will reign forever and ever. There will be no end to his dominion. All will bow before him, either in this present life, or before his judgment seat, when the option to do it willingly has passed. Yet he is not content to wait and gloat when that time comes. He wants to rescue as many of us rebels as will respond to his invitation and flee “the ruler of this world” (Jn 12.31) to “take refuge in” the Son (Ps 2.12). He was even willing to share, and surpass our sufferings, brought on by our sins, despite his own holiness.

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers…

(Hebrews 2.10-11)

At last, the author has revealed the point toward which he’s been driving. This Son of God—who, as we went to some length to establish in the previous chapter, is greater even than awe-inspiring angels—joined us, the lower creation, deserving only of God’s wrath on account of our sins, in order to redeem us and make us sons of God, raising us up to sit beside him on his heavenly throne (cf. Re 3.21). Considering the length and complexity of that sentence, it’s no wonder it took so long to get us here! But there’s more, eleven chapters more. By presenting Jesus’ majesty and humility next to each other, the author has prepared us to understand an incredibly important element of Jesus’ role in his Father’s plan. It went largely unnoticed by the first generation of Christians, but it makes  the Old Testament accessible and valuable for Christians even today: Jesus is our high priest.

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.

(Hebrews 2.17)

Jeremy Nettles

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