Jesus... our high priest

For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
Hebrews 7:26

The universal problem with mankind is that our sin separates us from a holy and just God. This has always been our problem. In the Old Testament, a necessary mediation between God and man took place in the sacrificial system. A priest would serve as the mediator, offering sacrifice and obeying the dictates of a holy God. The priest had to be God's choice (not man's), and had to even offer sacrifice for his own sins.

But in Jesus we have a great mediator because Jesus is both holy God and a sinless man. He came to be the sacrifice that forever would atone for sin. He is both priest and sacrifice. And His work ended the need forever to find a go-between in man for man because in love, He offered His life as the final and complete atonement. Now we can be at peace with God through trusting the sacrifice of Christ.

The passage describes our high priest as being holy. As God, that is the very essence of His nature. He is holy and distinct. He is innocent. He did not sin, yet took upon Himself via the cross all the sin of all the world of all time. He is unstained, yet by the stains of His blood, we are made clean. He is separated from sinners by a sinless life, yet able to identify with us because He was tempted like we are. And He is exalted above the heavens. He is the only priest worthy of worship because He is God. The Father was pleased with His sacrifice and has exalted His name above all names. It is at His name that every knee will bow in earth and in heaven.

Jesus is our high priest. Jesus is our sacrifice for sin. Jesus is our great God and Savior!


- Prepare your minds for action.
1 Peter 1:13