Lesson 3: The True High Priest (Hebrews 4:14—5:10)
Lesson 3
The True
High Priest
(Hebrews 4:14—5:10)
Before you begin …
• Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal truth and wisdom as you go through this lesson.
• Read Hebrews 4:14—5:10. This lesson references chapter 4 in Be Confident. It will be helpful for you to have your Bible and a copy of the commentary available as you work through this lesson.
Getting Started
From the Commentary
The Hebrew Christians who received this letter were sorely tempted to return to the religion of their fathers. After all, any Jew could travel to Jerusalem and see the temple and the priests ministering at the altar. Here was something real, visible, concrete. When a person is going through persecution, as these Hebrew Christians were, it is much easier to walk by sight than by faith.
—Be Confident, page 59
1. Why does persecution make it more difficult to walk by faith? What are some of the provocations today’s Christians face that make them doubt God?
More to Consider: Before going any further, what would you say are the main arguments to prove the author’s assertions that Jesus’ role as High Priest is superior to Aaron’s?
2. Choose one verse or phrase from Hebrews 4:14—5:10 that stands out to you. This could be something you’re intrigued by, something that makes you uncomfortable, something that puzzles you, something that resonates with you, or just something you want to examine further. Write that here. What strikes you about this verse?
Going Deeper
From the Commentary
Aaron was a “high priest,” but Jesus Christ is the Great High Priest. No Old Testament priest could assume that title. But in what does our Lord’s greatness consist?
To begin with, Jesus Christ is both God and man. He is “Jesus, the Son of God.” The name Jesus means “Savior” and identifies His humanity and His ministry on earth. “Son of God” affirms His deity and the fact that He is God. In His unique person, Jesus Christ unites deity and humanity, so that He can bring people to God and bring to people all that God has for them.
—Be Confident, page 60
3. Why would the readers of Hebrews have any doubts about Jesus’ superior title? What sort of persecution or other challenges might they have been facing that caused them to wonder?
From the Commentary
These Hebrew Christians were tempted to give up their confession of faith in Christ and their confidence in Him (see Heb. 3:6, 14). It was not a matter of giving up their salvation, since salvation through Christ is eternal (Heb. 5:9). It was a matter of their public confession of faith.
—Be Confident, page 61
4. What are examples of a “public confession of faith” today? Why are Christians sometimes hesitant to publicly confess their faith?
From the History Books
Throughout history, there have been a number of religious movements that gave special importance to Jesus but did not see Him as both completely God and completely human. The Ebionites, an early Jewish-Christian community, believed that Jesus was not divine but became God’s Son at His baptism. Some of the Gnostics believed that Jesus was a human who became possessed by the Spirit of Christ during His baptism. And the Marcionites believed that Jesus was fully divine and not human at all.
5. What do you think led to these different interpretations of Jesus’ role in God’s plan for salvation? What happens to our understanding of salvation if Jesus is not fully divine? What happens if He is not fully human?
From the Commentary
The very existence of a priesthood and a system of sacrifices gave evidence that man is estranged from God. It was an act of grace on God’s part that He instituted the whole Levitical system. Today, that system is fulfilled in the ministry of Jesus Christ. He is both the sacrifice and the High Priest who ministers to God’s people on the basis of His once-for-all offering on the cross.
—Be Confident, page 63
6. What does the author of Hebrews tell us in 5:1–4 about God’s role in the Levitical system (the Jewish system of temple sacrifices)? What does he tells us in 4:16—5:10 about God’s role in Jesus’ ministry? Why might this have been difficult for the early Christians to understand?
From the Commentary
The reason Jesus Christ can be “a priest forever” is that He belongs to the “order of Melchizedek.” As far as the Old Testament record is concerned, Melchizedek did not die (see Heb. 7:1–3). Of course, because he was a real man, he did die at some time, but the record is not given to us.
—Be Confident, page 64
7. To us, Melchizedek may seem an obscure reference, but not to the first readers of this letter. Long before Moses, he was a Canaanite priest-king in a city that centuries later became Jerusalem (Gen. 14:17–20). Psalm 110:4 refers to him as if he were the head of an order of Jerusalem priests older than Moses’ brother, Aaron. How is Melchizedek a symbolic picture of Jesus Christ?
What does this relationship between Melchizedek and Christ (who lived about two thousand years apart) tell you about how God has orchestrated every aspect of this history?
From the Commentary
You would think that one sinner would have compassion for another sinner, but this is not always the case. Sin makes a person selfish. Sin can blind us to the hurts of others. Sin can harden our hearts and make us judgmental instead of sympathetic.
—Be Confident, page 65
8. What are some examples of what Wiersbe writes above? How does the author of Hebrews describe Jesus’ compassion in contrast to this (4:15–16)? Why does Jesus’ sympathy make a difference in His priesthood?
More to Consider: Read Jesus’ Gethsemane prayer in Luke 22:42. What was He really praying? Why does the writer of Hebrews state that Jesus’ prayer was “heard”? How is this significant to his argument about Jesus’ unique priesthood?
From the Commentary
No matter what trials we meet, Jesus Christ is able to understand our needs and help us. We need never doubt His ability to sympathize and strengthen. It is also worth noting that sometimes God puts us through difficulties that we might better understand the needs of others, and become able to encourage them (see 2 Cor. 1:8ff.).
—Be Confident, page 67
9. Reread Hebrews 5:8–10. How does Jesus’ suffering and sympathy help Christians to have confidence in God?
From the Commentary
It would be foolish for anyone to return to the inferiorities of the old law when he could enjoy the superiorities of Jesus Christ. Then why were these Hebrew believers tempted to go back into legalism? Because they were not going on to maturity in Christ!
—Be Confident, page 69
10. In what ways have you seen the church today miss out on growing in maturity in Christ? Why do Christians stop growing in maturity? What are some ways to jump-start that maturity?
Looking Inward
Take a moment to reflect on all that you’ve explored thus far in this study of Hebrews 4:14—5:10. Review your notes and answers and think about how each of these things matters in your life today.
Tips for Small Groups: To get the most out of this section, form pairs or trios and have group members take turns answering these questions. Be honest and as open as you can in this discussion, but most of all, be encouraging and supportive of others. Be sensitive to those who are going through particularly difficult times and don’t press people to speak if they’re uncomfortable doing so.
11. How comfortable are you with publicly confessing your faith? In what circumstances, if any, are you uncomfortable about your faith? Why?
12. Have you ever shown a lack of compassion for another sinner? If so, what prompted that feeling? How does it feel to know that, because of His humanity, Jesus truly understands your circumstances? How can this build your confidence in Him?
13. What role does fear or doubt play in your ability to grow in maturity? What, if anything, have you found so far in Hebrews that helps you overcome fear or doubt?
Going Forward
14. Think of one or two things that you have learned that you’d like to work on in the coming week. Remember that this is all about quality, not quantity. It’s better to work on one specific area of life and do it well than to work on many and do poorly (or to be so overwhelmed that you simply don’t try). Remember also that Christ, your High Priest, is available to help you.
Do you need to build confidence in publicly acknowledging your faith or taking risks to serve Christ? Do you need to work on growing in maturity and trusting Jesus as High Priest? Be specific. Go back through Hebrews 4:14—5:10 and put a star next to the phrase or verse that is most encouraging to you. Consider memorizing this verse.
Real-Life Application Ideas: Spend some time exploring the role of the high priest in Jewish history. As you examine the role the high priest played in biblical times, consider how Jesus plays this role for you in everyday life. What does it look like to live a life of faith, trusting that Jesus has paid the price for your sins and is greater than any hardship you face?
Seeking Help
15. Write a prayer below (or simply pray one in silence), inviting God to work on your mind and heart in those areas you’ve previously noted. Be honest about your desires and fears.
Notes for Small Groups:
• Look for ways to put into practice the things you wrote in the Going Forward section. Talk with other group members about your ideas and commit to being accountable to one another.
• During the coming week, ask the Holy Spirit to continue to reveal truth to you from what you’ve read and studied.
• Before you start the next lesson, read Hebrews 5:11—6:20. For more in-depth lesson preparation, read chapter 5, “Pilgrims Should Make Progress,” in Be Confident.