Hebrews 5:1-10
Christ's Priestly Activity
Pastor Martin expounds the doctrine of Christ's priestly activity, primarily drawing from the book of Hebrews, particularly chapters 5, 7, and 9. He argues that Christ's work of redemption is inseparably linked to his office as a God-appointed priest, whose primary function is Godward action to put away sin and secure access to God. Martin emphasizes that Christ's oblation (sacrifice) and intercession are fundamental, inseparable ingredients of his priestly work, performed for identical objects and securing the same end. The sermon concludes by highlighting how denying the definite design of the atonement fractures Christ's priestly work, weakens its efficacy, and undermines the ground of assurance for believers.
Primary Texts
Topics
Outline 8 sections · 71 min
- Introduction: The Extent of the Atonement and Christ's Priestly Function 0:04
- Proposition 1: Christ Functions as a God-Appointed Priest 2:24
- Proposition 2: The Primary Function of a Priest is Godward Action 17:42
- Proposition 3: Oblation and Intercession are Inseparable Priestly Ingredients 26:35
- The Paradoxical Unity of Atonement and Intercession 43:12
- Christ's Priestly Blessing and Ongoing Intercession 54:04
- Consequences of Denying the Definite Design of the Atonement 58:26
- Conclusion: The Profound Truths of Christ's Priesthood 65:00
Key Quotes
“And we must never allow anyone to say, or even our minds to think, that Christ, being conceived of his priest, is just some kind of an analogy. No, no. It is a substantial official capacity in which he accomplishes the work of redemption.”
“It is simply gazing on the atonement, or rather the atoner, as clothed in the priestly robes with which the Father has adorned him. And we refuse to strip him of those robes and to contemplate him in any other light.”
“It looks and acts God-ward. Its immediate object is God. While it deals with the things of God, it deals with them not in their aspects towards man, but in their bearings on God Himself, on God's sovereignty and character and claims and law. Its object, we repeat, is God.”
“The essence of the intercession is atonement, and the atonement is essentially an intercession.”
“You see, our salvation does not, does not rest upon some general influence that Christ exerts upon the Father in Heaven. It is an influence rooted upon the bloodletting of Calvary. And the bloodletting of Calvary has no influence apart from the priest who presents its virtue in the presence of the Father.”
“Saying in essence, Father, here are the living reminders of that which I willingly bore for my people and for my sake give them all the blessings secured and promised in that eternal covenant of redemption.”
“It fractures what in the whole structure of the Biblical notion of priesthood must never be fractured. Oblation and intercession are simply two aspects of the one act of putting away sin.”
“But my salvation as it relates to Christ is a matter of debt. It is a matter of debt. Christ is fulfilled. My salvation is contracted in the covenant of redemption on behalf of his people and therefore all that he procures from me is a matter of debt to him.”
Applications
All listeners
- Never think of Christ's work of redemption separated from his official capacity and functions as a priest.
- Gaze on the Atoner as clothed in the priestly robes with which the Father has adorned him, refusing to strip him of those robes or contemplate him in any other light.
- Consider the consequences of denying the definite design of the atonement, as it fractures Christ's priestly work, weakens its efficacy, and undermines assurance.
- Come boldly with confidence and freedom to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find salvation, rooted in what Christ has won and secures.
- Prayerfully absorb this wonderful teaching of the word of God concerning the death of Christ as the death of him who was in the office of a priest, and feed your soul upon the great reality of it.
- Hope, pray, and labor for better things in the days to come, ensuring that congregations, wives, and children cut their teeth in infancy upon these central truths of scripture.
A full transcript is available on the tab. 137 paragraphs, roughly 71 minutes.
Introduction: The Extent of the Atonement and Christ's Priestly Function
Well, we return today to this very crucial issue, a subheading under the general doctrine of the atonement, the question, for whom did Christ die? And the way in which I've couched the question at the beginning of each lecture has been to ask the question in this manner, did Jesus Christ die for all men indiscriminately and distributively, or for some men specifically and exclusively? I find that the most helpful way to state the question when we deal with what is commonly called the extent of the atonement. Now, our approach has been...
...to consider the death of Christ for sinners in its related categories of biblical truth.
Since the doctrine of Christ's atonement comes to us in Scripture with a vital relationship to these other categories, it is proper for us to consider it in its own biblical setting. Now, thus far we've looked at the death of Christ for sinners in two of its related biblical categories. Starting with the outer circle, we considered the death of Christ in relationship to what is called theologically the covenant of redemption, that inter-trinitarian arrangement on behalf of the salvation of sinners. And then we considered the next circle, the doctrine of the death of Christ as it relates to the subject of Christ's relationship to his people, or... ...the doctrine of union with Christ.
And we spent a couple of weeks on that subject, and now we come this morning to the third related category of biblical truth, apart from which no discussion of the atonement of Christ is at all adequate. Namely, the doctrine of Christ's atonement in relationship to his position and function as a priest. So that's our subject this morning. The extent of the atonement in relationship to Christ's position and function as a priest.
Proposition 1: Christ Functions as a God-Appointed Priest
In order to think our way through this vital aspect of biblical truth, I'll lay before you several propositions, each one forming the block upon which the other ones will rest. So we have three propositions. I shall state the proposition, then we shall look at the biblical proof or demonstration of the proposition. And then finally some implications of those propositions as they stand together.
Alright, proposition number one. In accomplishing the work of redemption, our Lord Jesus Christ functions in the official capacity of a God-appointed priest. Now, I'll run that by again. In accomplishing the work of redemption, our Lord Jesus Christ functions...
...and that's a present tense...
...and that's a present tense...
...verb purposefully...
...functions in the official capacity of a God-appointed priest.
Proof of that proposition? I have two lines of proof. Number one, he is specifically designated a priest. And secondly, his work is described as consisting in priestly functions.
First of all, then, he is specifically designated a priest. Charles Hodge, in his excellent but brief treatment of this subject in his book on the atonement, points out that in the book of Hebrews, Christ is called priest six times, and high priest, or great priest, twelve times. Now, I would refer you to just a couple of these references in the book of Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 3 and verse 1.
In this particular passage, the people of God are called upon to consider Christ... ...in a very self-conscious manner, in terms of his official capacity as a priest.
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider... ...give careful attention to...
...the apostle and high priest of our confession, even Jesus.
We are to consider our Redeemer as a priest. Chapter 4 and verse 16. Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, etc.
Here we are enjoined to draw near to the throne of grace on the basis of our, not only our understanding, but our present faith in the reality of Christ's official capacity as a high priest. So our proposition that in accomplishing the work of redemption, the Lord Jesus Christ functions...
...in the official capacity of a God-appointed priest is demonstrated by this designation of him as a priest.
Now, that he was officially appointed to this position is the teaching of chapter 5, verses 5 and 6. We could back up to verse 4. No man taketh the honor unto himself, but when he is called of God, even as was Aaron. If the function of a priest is to stand between the people and God, to gain access to God on behalf of the people, then it's obvious that no man can take this upon himself.
It is only God who can dictate the terms by which men are able to approach him. And so the writer says, No man takes this honor to himself, when he is called of God, even as was Aaron. So Christ also glorified not himself to be made a high priest, but he that spake unto him, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee, as he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Now, the point of the writer is that Christ comes to this capacity and function of a priest, by divine appointment.
And we read further that it was with an oath that he came to this position. Hebrews chapter 7, verses 20 through 22. That it was by the making of an oath, something that was not true even in the Levitical order. Verse 20, Inasmuch it is not without the taking of an oath, for they indeed have been made priests without an oath, but he with an oath, by him that saith of him, the Lord swear and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever.
And the writer goes on to demonstrate then, because he entered his official capacity as priest, with even greater solemnity than the Levitical priests. They did not come to that capacity by oath. They came by divine prescription and appointment, but not without oath. Christ came with an oath, which further buttresses the supremacy of his office as a priest.
So then, the first proposition, that in accomplishing the work of redemption, Christ functions in the official capacity of a God-appointed priest, is proven by the specific designation of him as a priest. He is called priest. Now notice, it does not say that he is like a high priest, or like a priest after the order of Melchizedek. There you would have nothing but two types, a Noranzi type.
You would have all shadows and no substance. God does not say, Thou art like a priest. He says, Thou art a priest. So that the Old Testament priesthood, whether the Melchizedekian priesthood or the Levitical priesthood, were foreshadows, or were foreshadowings, of this substantial priest, the true priest, who would minister in the true sanctuary, even our Lord Jesus Christ.
And we must never allow anyone to say, or even our minds to think, that Christ, being conceived of his priest, is just some kind of an analogy. No, no. It is a substantial official capacity in which he accomplishes the work of redemption. And that brings us to the second proof of Proposition 1.
His work is described as consisting in priestly functions. Not described in terms of things that have analogies in priestly function, but as true priestly functions. Now, in a very real sense, this aspect of the proof takes within its compass much of the entire book of Hebrews, particularly chapters 7 through 10. And in these chapters, there are several major strands of emphasis.
Let me mention them, and then we'll demonstrate them briefly. There are similarities of appointment and function between the old priesthood and Christ's functions as a priest. Another strand of emphasis is the supremacy of Christ's appointment and function, and thirdly, the finality and the efficacy of Christ's priestly function. That there are similarities of appointment and function is the emphasis of the first few verses of chapter 5 in Hebrews.
For every high priest, having said that Christ is our high priest, in chapter 4, 14 and following, then he says, for every high priest being taken from among men, is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sin, who can bear gently with the ignorant and the erring, etc. And then he goes on to show that there are similarities then between the appointment of Aaron and his successors, and the appointment of Christ. Chapter 8, verses 1 through 3. Again, we have these similarities.
Now, in the things which we are saying, the chief point is this. We have such a high priest, who sat down in the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched not man for. Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, wherefore it was necessary that this high priest also have somewhat to offer. You see the emphasis?
He's saying that as there was a substantial and real priesthood with real priestly functions in the old economy, so Jesus Christ has a true and substantial priesthood with bona fide priestly functions in his priesthood. So there are similarities of appointment and function. But then a second strand that comes through is that there is a supremacy of appointment and function. And this comes through in such passages as chapter 7, verses 20 through 24.
Jesus has become the surety of a better covenant. They indeed have been made priests many a number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing. But he, because he abideth forever, hath his priesthood unchangeable. Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession from him.
Now the point he's making is not that it is not a bona fide priestly activity. But it is an activity that has supremacy over the function of previously appointed priests. In the functions of priesthood, they die. Therefore, a cast of priests must be established.
It will be the Levitical line, it will be of the house of Aaron that the chief priests are appointed. But he says, because Christ has a supreme priesthood, there is this supremacy in terms of his ability to abide forever, not to abide beyond the functions of a priest, but he is qualified to carry on this continual priesthood, because death does not have this power over him. He ever liveth to make intercession for them. But you notice that the supremacy is within the precincts of priestly function.
He ever lives to make intercession, that is to do, the bona fide activity of a priest. And then that third strand of emphasis is on the finality and the efficacy of his priestly function. And you find it in such passages as 9.26.
He's contrasting. We could back up to verse 24. For Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands like in pattern to the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us. And yet that he should offer himself often as the high priest entereth into the holy place year by year with blood not his own, else must he have suffered since the, often have suffered since the foundation of the world.
But now, once at the end of the ages, hath he been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. So the emphasis upon the finality and the efficacy is strong in this section, but it is finality and efficacy within the orbit of priestly function. You see, the finality and efficacy does not leave him out of the priestly function. It is finality and efficacy within the priestly function.
So our first proposition, I trust, is amply demonstrated in accomplishing the work of redemption. Our Lord Jesus Christ functions, present tense, in the official capacity of a God-appointed priest. Alright? The point of all this detailed instruction, then, in the book of Hebrews, particularly these chapters from which I have quoted, is to establish the reality, supremacy, and finality of Christ's work as a priest.
Now, the proposition being established, we must then never think of Christ's work of redemption separated from this category within which it inseparably comes to us. The writer to Hebrews describes the work of redemption as the work of Jesus Christ in the official God-appointed capacity and functions of a priest. Now, if, then, the work of the cross comes to us inseparably joined to that category, do you see how we do violence to that work if we ever contemplate it apart from that category? For instance, when the President of the United States, Gerald Ford, makes a decision relative to the disposition of a number of troops, he does so as Commander-in-Chief of the armies of the United States, a position which he has by virtue of his appointment to the office of the Presidency. Now, how foolish it would be to discuss the disposition of so many divisions of troops to Central Europe on the part of Gerald Ford,
and to divorce it from the very framework within which he made that decision and expressed that disposition, namely, Commander-in-Chief of the armies of the United States. Well, likewise, if everything that Christ did upon the cross he did in the official capacity of a priest, appointed to the priesthood by the Father, and if all that he does now he does in the official capacity of a priest, then how stupid it is, how tragic it is, any adjective you want to use, to divorce that work and any questions concerning that work from this position within which or from which he accomplishes that work. So this approach that I'm suggesting is not the result of running out to find a specious argument for constricted views of God's grace. It is simply gazing on the atonement, or rather the atoner, as clothed in the priestly robes with which the Father has adorned him. And we refuse to strip him of those robes and to contemplate him in any other light.
Proposition 2: The Primary Function of a Priest is Godward Action
All right? Now, Proposition 2. It's built upon from the first. The primary function of a priest was that of Godward action, calculated to put away sin and to secure access to God for those on whose behalf he acted.
Now I'll run it by again. The primary function of a priest was that of Godward, G-O-D dash W-A-R or you may want to make it into one word, Godward action, calculated, this was the end in view, to put away sin, and secure access to God for those on whose behalf he acted. The primary function of a priest was that of Godward action, calculated to put away sin and secure access to God for those on whose behalf he acted. Now, proof of that proposition? We might turn to the Old Testament and see this abundantly demonstrated in the types and shadows of the Levitical priesthood. However, the writer to the Hebrews gives us a succinct statement on the whole issue in Hebrews 5 and verse 1.
And this is one of the most critical passages on the whole subject of the priesthood of Christ. Hebrews 5 and verse 1. For every high priest being taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. Now, notice some of the strands of emphasis in this text.
The key idea is expressed in the words ta pros ton theon. Some of you may know them in Greek. The things, the things, pros, towards, ton, theon. Things, towards, that have concern with reference to in the direction of God.
So that the concern of a priest, if we may visually conceptualize it, is indicated by the direction of his face. His face is toward God, toward the veil, toward the mercy seat, toward the altar. His back is towards the people. Now, he is appointed for men, he is coming out of the people on behalf of the people, but his concern is the things toward God.
If we may draw a contrast, the prophet has his back toward God and his face to the people. His ear has heard the voice of God and he says, thus saith the Lord. That's the posture of a prophet. To speak in the name of God to the people.
The posture of the priest is 180 degrees, the other way around. His back is toward the people. Having come out of the people, on behalf of the people, his face is towards God. And all of his activities have as their primary concern sacrifices for sins.
And the gifts and sacrifices have reference to sins. And in a sense, even the thank offerings are thank offerings of pardoned sinners, or sinners for whom sin has been passed over. Now, Hugh Martin has an excellent paragraph on this very matter and I quote from him now, page 28 in his section on atonement and priesthood. The action which he takes, speaking of the priest, has God for its object.
Priesthood and all its direct and immediate actings are directly and immediately toward God. He is ordained in things pertaining to God. And then he quotes this phrase from the Greek, tapros tontheon. The whole aspects and bearing of priesthood are towards God.
It looks and acts God-ward. Its immediate object is God. While it deals with the things of God, it deals with them not in their aspects towards man, but in their bearings on God Himself, on God's sovereignty and character and claims and law. Its object, we repeat, is God.
It propitiates God. It intercedes to God. It satisfies God's justice. It pacifies God's wrath, that is, the activities of the priest.
It secures God's favor. It seals God's covenant love and gives effect to God's eternal purpose and grace. Herein it is conspicuously distinguished from the prophetic and kingly offices of our Lord. These, in their several actings, have not God for their immediate object, but mainly the souls of His people.
Christ executes the office of a prophet by revealing to us and this is a quote from the Shorter Catechism, by His word and spirit the will of God for our salvation. Christ executes the office of a king in subduing us to Himself, in ruling and defending us. And when His kingly office takes wider action, it is in restraining and conquering all His and our enemies. There is no possible excuse, therefore, for confounding the sacerdotal, that is, the priestly office with either the prophetic or the kingly.
Now, you see the point that is being made. And we must keep that in mind that when we turn to contemplate the death of Christ in general, or more particularly the question for whom did Christ die, He did that work of oblation with reference to His priestly function which finds us His face towards God. His face towards God, His face on behalf of His people. Hebrews 9.24 is another key text that brings this concept into sharp focus. Hebrews 9.24 For Christ entered not into a holy place made with hands like in pattern to the truth, but into heaven itself, now notice the next two phrases, now to appear before the face of God for us. Appearing before the face of God who pair for on behalf of us.
And of course the us is a specifically a identified group of people as He goes on in this very context nor yet that He should offer Himself often as the high priest entered into the holy place year by year with blood not His own, else must He have often suffered since the foundation of the world. But now once at the end of the ages hath He been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself and inasmuch as it is appointed unto men once to die and after this cometh judgment, so Christ also having been once offered to bear the sins of many shall appear a second time apart from sin to them that wait for Him unto salvation. So that the consummation of redemption is viewed as rooted in the work that He accomplished in the once for all sacrifice in His appearing in the presence of God for His people who shall be found at the last day as waiting for Him not unto judgment but unto salvation. So that the compass of the priestly work is very very plainly stated in this passage to be those who actually come into the possession of redemption in all of its glorious provisions. Well we have two propositions now. Proposition one, in accomplishing the work of redemption our Lord Jesus Christ
Proposition 3: Oblation and Intercession are Inseparable Priestly Ingredients
acts in the official capacity of a priest. Proposition two, the primary function of a priest is Godward action calculated to put away sin and secure access to God for those on whose behalf He acts. Now proposition three, the fundamental ingredients of priestly action are oblation and intercession performed for the identical objects and securing the same end. The fundamental ingredients of priestly action are oblation and intercession performed for the identical objects and securing could use the word identical again the identical end or results. Fundamental ingredients of priestly action are oblation and intercession performed for the identical objects and securing the same end. Now the proof of this well in the Old Testament ritual we could see many examples of this. Where the slaying of the victim upon the altar
and the presentation of the blood before the veil or on the annual day of atonement within the veil that blood actually sprinkled upon the mercy seat. These were not to be regarded as two separate and distinct functions. They were separate elements of one basic function namely the putting away of the sin of the people. Now the sin had to be put away by the offering up of blood.
Now there could be no offering of blood without the slaying of the victim and the gathering of the blood. But in a real sense you see the oblation the actual slaying of the victim and the gathering of the blood could never be regarded as an end in itself. It was a means to the end that it might be presented at the appointed place where God says there I will meet with you and commune with you from above the mercy seat. And this is made abundantly clear in the day of atonement ritual as outlined in Leviticus 16.
Let me refer you to that passage just briefly. Some of you may not be familiar with this so I don't want to assume it and yet many of you may be so I don't want to be tedious in going over the details. But in verse 9 we have the direction of God concerning the setting apart of the animals that will be used in the ritual. And Aaron shall present the goat upon which the lot fell for Jehovah and shall offer him as a sin offering but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazel shall be set alive before the Lord to make atonement for him to send him away for Azazel into the wilderness.
And then verses 11 through 14 we have Aaron presenting the bullock of the sin offering for himself. He must first of all make atonement for himself and for his own house. That's why the writer to Hebrews says the priest had to offer up sacrifices for themselves and then for the people. The priest himself must be cleansed.
Now notice how this is to be done. He shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself and he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small and bring it within the veil and shall put the incense upon the fire before Jehovah. The incense gathered up from the altar where the animal had been slain is brought in now within the veil and then that I'm sorry the coals from off that altar and then the incense is placed upon those coals that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony that he die not and he shall take of the blood of the bullock what blood? of the bullock that was slain you see upon that altar and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat on the east and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle the blood with his finger seven times you see how God is underscoring the fact that there is an organic relationship between what happens within the veil with the cloud of incense and the sprinkling of the blood and what happened the other side of the veil in the actual slaying of the animal lest any should think that what happened outside the veil had distinct significance of itself God says no I want you to take some of the very coals from this side of the veil and I want you to take from the other side of the veil so that the incense that ascends up
as the type of the intercession that incense has no reality apart from that altar outside the veil unless you have hot coals the incense won't burn the only thing that can release the incense is the coals from the altar and likewise the blood that is to be sprinkled upon that is the blood that was shed upon that altar you see what God was doing? God was showing them that these activities of the priest though because they are in type and shadow had for the sake of illustration to be divided up the same way you could not have in the slain victim the idea of the removal of sin so you had to have two ghosts one that would be sent off in the wilderness to show that the sins were taken from the people put out of sight taken far from them but God is saying by means of this picture that you must never regard the activities of oblation and intercession as two distinct entities in themselves no the intercession draws its significance from the oblation and the oblation has its significance as it flows into the intercession you see it? yes or no? alright I don't want to labor the point beyond what is necessary but when we get hold of that and see its application to the work of our Lord it just opens up a whole new dimension of appreciation for the death of Christ now what was the whole end of this business then of oblation intercession and presentation
well the whole end was the putting away of sin chapter 16 verse 30 and on this day shall atonement be made for you to cleanse you from all your sins shall ye be clean before the Lord verse 34 and this shall be an everlasting statute to you to make an atonement for the children of Israel because of all their sins once in the year alright proof then of this assumption or this assertion this proposition that the fundamental ingredients of priestly action are oblation and intercession performed for the identical objects Aaron his household the nation of Israel securing the same end that is atonement the putting away of sin now in the Lord Jesus the antitype these two functions are inseparably joined in his official capacity as priest his work of oblation in which he himself becomes both offerer and offering something you could never have in the Old Testament type one of the household of Aaron had to slay the bullock and offer it the limitations demanded two distinct personality and then the animal but in the Lord Jesus he is able to be both offerer
priest and offering the lamb that takes away the sin of the world and in that work of oblation and subsequent intercession in Christ both things are inseparably joined and let's look at three key texts not in the book of Hebrews and then we'll turn to Hebrews where we have it taught with unmistakable clarity 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John 1 John of an interceding priest. It carries with it perhaps more legal connotation. But notice, we have an advocate with the Father. We have one, Jesus Christ the Righteous, whose presence at the right hand of the Father materially affects the problem of sin in the life of a believer.
There is some relationship between his advocacy and my sin. Now, what's the basis of that advocacy? And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. So, propitiation and advocacy are joined together as the ground of the consolation of the sinning sin.
See it? They're brought together into an inseparable relationship. You find a similar emphasis in Romans 8.34.
This is the closest thing to an illusion to the priesthood of Christ in the book of Romans. You have an illusion in chapter 5. There may be one or two others, but this is the closest. There is no explicit teaching on the priesthood of Christ in the book of Romans, but this is the closest.
Romans 8 and verse 34. The apostle is rising to a climactic statement of the tremendous confidence he has in the triumphs of grace in his life and in the lives of the people of God. And he hurls this question, into the face of the entire moral universe, in verse 34. Who is he that condemneth?
Who can condemn one who is in Christ? Who can lay anything to the charge of God's elect? Now he's going to tell us the basis of that confidence. It is Christ Jesus that died.
Oblation. Yea, rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession, for us. Then he asks the next question, in the light of these realities, who shall separate us from the love of Christ? So you see, he brings together the functions or the work of oblation and intercession as being the grounds of a Christian's confidence as he thinks of the problem of sin that would otherwise condemn him.
His confidence that he will not be condemned is rooted not alone in the oblation. Now that's...
That's the point I want to make. But it finds its climactic expression in the intercession. It is Christ that died, yea, rather, who is raised, who is seated, who intercedes. And it's in an understanding of that work of intercession, which is a priestly function, that his confidence finds, we might say, its strongest of reference.
All right, now the clear teaching of Hebrews, that these two functions of oblation, oblation and intercession are joined together in the person and work of our Lord, Hebrews chapter 7.
Then I'm going to read a rather extensive quote from Hugh Martin that stretched my head and after it got stretched and then I began to understand what he was saying, warmed my heart and increased my appreciation for the work of the Savior. Hebrews 7,
the strand of emphasis here, of course, is that Christ is entered with greater dignity, as we mentioned, as we mentioned before in verses 20 and following. Those priests did not enter their office with oath. They were officially anointed and recognized, but not with oath, but Christ enters His office, as it were, carried into it by the oath of the Father. The Lord hath sworn and will not repent thou art a priest forever.
By so much also, verse 22, hath Jesus become the surety of a better covenant. They indeed have been made priests in number because by death they are hindered from continuing, but He, because He abideth forever, hath His priesthood unchangeable. Wherefore also He is able to save to the uttermost, that is, to the consummation completely. He is able to accomplish every one of His saving designs for those that draw near unto God through Him, seeing, now notice where the emphasis falls, He ever liveth to make intercession, for them.
The emphasis here falls upon the priestly function of intercession which secures a completed salvation. Carrying right on then, verse 26, for such a high priest became us, holy, guileless, undefiled, separate from sinners, made higher than the heavens, who needeth not daily like those high priests to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins, remember what Aaron had to do, and then for the sins of the people, for this he did once, for all, when he offered up himself. Now where is the emphasis? Upon the oblation.
Therefore in the mind of the writer to the Hebrews, it doesn't bother him to move from the intercession back to the oblation, both of which are witnesses of the perfect salvation procured by our great high priest. Now we turn to Hebrews chapter 9,
verses 11 and 12, notice where the emphasis falls. But Christ, having become a high priest of good things to come, to the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption. Here's the picture of the priest. The offering has been slain.
He's now entering into the inner sanctuary, to make the presentation, what we commonly call the intercession. And here the emphasis falls then upon Christ's activity in this realm, and it's entering into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption. On to verses 23 through 26 in this same chapter, it was necessary therefore that the copies of the things in the heaven should be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these, for Christ entered not into a holy place made without hands, like in pattern to the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear before the face of God for us. Nor yet that he should offer himself often as the high priest entereth into the holy place year by year with blood not his own, else must he have often suffered since the foundation of the world, but now, once at the end of the ages, hath he been made, manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. Now here, the phrase sacrifice of himself obviously refers to the oblation, and yet it's in a context in which he is appearing before the face of God for us, intercession. So oblation, intercession, it's as though the writer to the Hebrews almost uses the terminology interchangeably.
Now Hugh Martin, catching that,
opens up what I think is a tremendously significant vein of thought.
The Paradoxical Unity of Atonement and Intercession
And I'm going to read now this rather extensive quote and pause to make little exegetical comments on Hugh Martin as I go along. Yes, that's pages 59 and 60.
The other reference I should have given, general reference, along with 1 John 2, Romans 8, 34, was the Isaiah 53, 11. He bare the sins of many and made intercession for the transgressors. Yes? I want to know if you caught the reference in Romans 5, 8 and following, especially in verse 2.
Yes, much more being reconciled, be saved by his life. That was one of the other, what I would say, implicit references. Yes, that was one of the others in Romans. You might put that down as a parallel.
Romans 5, 10 and 11. If when we were enemies we were reconciled by his death, how much more should we be saved by his life?
All right, now, put on your thinking cap and try to follow as I read from Hugh Martin.
For this reason, we must proceed a step further. We have seen that neither Paul nor Isaiah nor John, having quoted these three verses, having spoken of the atonement, imagines these introducing a generically new thing when he introduces a reference to the intercession. They are, that is, atonement, intercession, they are, in their theology, manifestly most intimately related and, in fact, homogeneous. They flow into one.
But this is not all. Scripture warrants us to affirm something more than a very intimate connection between these two. That does not exhaust the scriptural representation and, indeed, it seems impossible to exhaust the profound truth on this point without betaking ourselves to the language of paradox. Nor need that excite surprise, for in all the more profound departments of thought, the occurrence of paradox is an evidence of accuracy rather than of error.
Christ is truly God, as much God as though he were never man. He is as truly man as though he were never God. That's the paradox that is the truth concerning the person of Christ. That's the point he's making.
The paradox to which we seem, in this case, to be driven would be something like this. The essence of the intercession is atonement, and the atonement is essentially an intercession. Or, perhaps, to put the paradox more mildly, the atonement is real. Real sacrifice and offering and not mere passive endurance because it is in its very nature an active and infallible intercession.
While, on the other hand, the intercession is real intercession, judicial, representative, and priestly intercession, and not a mere exercise of influence because it is essentially an atonement or substitutionary oblation once perfected on Calvary, now perpetually presented and undergoing perpetual acceptance in heaven.
Now, hang in there. Now, this will become evident if we can adduce one passage of Scripture which attributes the whole of our salvation to the atonement and another which attributes the whole of our salvation to the intercession. He's saying, now, if all our salvation is dependent on the intercession, then, obviously, the intercession must include the atonement. If we find another that puts the whole salvation on the shoulders of the atonement, it must be because its atonement, including, including the intercession.
And I think his point is a valid one. Like the passages that simply say, believe, they include that it's a penitent faith. Others that simply say, repent. It's a believing repentance.
For we know that involved in the saving complex of a true response to the gospel is repentance and faith. Now, the point Hugh Martin is making is if we can find a passage that says we're saved by the intercession, it must be intercession as the extension of atonement. If we find one that says saved by atonement, it must be atonement issuing an intercession so that we have oblation and intercession together as the one complex of priestly activity which secures the redemption of the people of God. Well, he finds such passages, and I've already read them to you.
Hebrews 10, 14. By this one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. Their perfection rests upon the what? The one offering.
The one offering. Yet we read in Hebrews 7, 25 their perfection rests upon the perpetual intercession. Wherefore he is able to save to perfection to the uttermost them that come unto God by him seeing he what? Ever liveth to make intercession.
Well, is the perfection of salvation dependent upon the one offering or upon the perpetual intercession? Well, Hugh Martin's point would be you don't make an either or choice. In saying it rests upon the one offering, it is the one offering in this biblical category of a priestly function that has no significance apart from intercession. The shedding of the blood was a means to the end of presentation.
And the presentation had no significance apart from the valid offering up of an innocent victim.
Now that's the point that he's making that just bristles with theological implications. You see, our salvation does not, does not rest upon some general influence that Christ exerts upon the Father in Heaven. It is an influence rooted upon the bloodletting of Calvary. And the bloodletting of Calvary has no influence apart from the priest who presents its virtue in the presence of the Father.
You see it? And the two are wonderfully joined together. Alright? Then he goes on to say, On reading these utterances of inspiration, it is natural or rather inevitable to ask, If our salvation even to its perfection is secured by the one offering, what need of the intercession?
And if our salvation even to the uttermost is secured by the intercession, what need of the atonement? How, on what principle can the offering and the intercession thus apparently mutually exclude and ignore each other? The answer is that apparently they mutually exclude each other because they do really mutually and reciprocally include each other. The offering by which alone we are perfected is not the passive endurance or suffering of the cross, but that active priestly offering of the cross which is prolonged without suffering unto the function of the intercession.
You see, the point he's making is that our salvation does not rest upon Christ as it were being the innocent victim at the hands of his Father who just passively endured the wrath of God. No, he's saying upon the cross it was a priestly action. And as Christ is both offering and offerer, he is willingly giving up himself to the Father. He is willingly placing himself upon the altar.
He is willingly taking upon himself the wrath of God against human sin. And what is the intercession? But the continuous expression of that very willingness as he now presents himself before the Father on behalf of his people. Saying in essence, Father, here are the living reminders of that which I willingly bore for my people and for my sake give them all the blessings secured and promised in that eternal covenant of redemption.
Well, I don't know what that does for you, brethren, but that's more than I can bear. To think that we have such a salvation as this, the intercession by which we are saved even today, and to the uttermost is just the perpetual presentation of the continual burnt offering of Calvary, which is an active offering, subsists in perpetuity and belongs to eternity, while the suffering of the cross belongs to history and the past. What did John see when the vision was opened in heaven? He said, I saw a lamb as it had been slain in the midst of the throne.
Now, he doesn't bring that text in, but it flashed into my mind when I read this. See, the point Hugh Martin is making is that the agony and the suffering of that priestly work is limited to time and space. It is finished. That aspect of the work is done.
But the virtue of that offering and sacrifice is as presently before the Father now as the moment in which the Lord Jesus died upon the cross. For as in the typical dispensation, so in Christ, the antitype, the two altars of sacrifice and incense were combined and correlative instruments of official action to the priest in the one complete office of his priesthood. That was the point I was making. You see the coals from the one being brought to the other.
And they constituted component and indispensable factors of one complete act of sacrificial worship. The same functionary or office bearer, that is priest, transacted it both. He transacted for the selfsame person or persons the blood of the selfsame sacrifice that he had slain and offered on the one altar he sprinkled upon the horns of the other to dislocate or derange this coordination would be to negate his official action in its intrinsic importance to annihilate the gracious results of his priestly intervention and indeed to avert, to evert his office utterly. His action at the altar of atonement, was prerequisite to his approach to the altar of incense and the successful achievement which signalized his action at the latter, that is, he wasn't killed when he was there within the veil, revealed beyond the possibility of doubt the nature and efficacy of the services which he had accomplished at the former. While only in virtue of the two in their combination and synthesis was Aaron's priesthood a real priesthood at all. Oh, think of what it meant for an Israelite. There he is offering up the blood of that bullet where he can be seen.
Christ's Priestly Blessing and Ongoing Intercession
Then he goes where he can't be seen. And you say, does God accept what he brings? He's taken the coals with tongs, put them in a bowl. He has the bowl with the blood of the offering.
He goes in. Is God going to pass over our sins for another year? Will God be pleased with what he's doing out of sight?
He comes back out a live man and they know that what happened here was accepted there and has resulted in the raised hands of blessing. And I believe it's significant the final posture in which the visible church saw our Lord was what posture? You read the last words of Luke. And as he parted from them he lifted up his hands.
Have you ever caught that in Luke's account? Look at it. Luke chapter 24 verse 50 And he led them out until they were over against Bethany and he lifted up his hands and blessed them. And it came to pass notice now not after he blessed them but while he blessed them he parted from them and was carried into heaven.
Our Lord departed with his hands raised in priestly blessing.
He was slain upon the altar when he offered up himself upon the cross. His resurrection was the Father's witness to the acceptability of the sacrifice made and in symbolic and I believe that this is what we have here as a priestly action of our Lord. He wants his people to know that blessing is now their portion because sin is put away not only because something happened upon the altar but because the priest himself is going into the true sanctuary there to make this perpetual presentation of the virtue of his own sacrifice in the presence of the Father.
And so the fundamental ingredients of priestly action are oblation, and intercession, perform for the identical objects and securing the same ends. The Old Testament priest when he was offering up a sacrifice for himself and his household it included none but himself and his household but everyone within the orbit of the intention of his action. When he then began to act on behalf of the nation, the people, he acted on behalf of those people, not all the pagan nations around him, but he acted on behalf of them. He was the representative of the nation and he acted on their behalf securing the benefits of that particular priesthood.
And so when our blessed Lord upon the cross takes the position of both priest and offering, offerer and offering in those agonizing hours upon Calvary and then passes in to the true sanctuary in the language of Hebrews 9, ever living to intercede, there is question now that the true sanctuary of the Holy Spirit is not the sanctuary of the Holy Spirit but the sanctuary of the Holy Spirit of the Holy Spirit and the sanctuary of the Holy Spirit. Does he verbally intercede? Do we take a clue from John 17 and some theologians say no? Christ now in his exaltation does not need to make petitions.
That was part of his period of humiliation. Just his presence is the only plea the Father needs. Well, I wouldn't debate the issue except if we are going to stick with Scripture, I think we must say that there is a form of asking that is yet his portion. Ask of me and I will give thee and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
That's the language of Psalm 2. Now whether Christ actually verbally asks, that to me is impudent even to consider. I don't know what the interactions between the persons of the Trinity are but I believe I am warranted to conceive of it in the categories of Scripture. God accommodates himself to my weakness and I believe it is right for me to think of my Lord at the right hand of the Father who is leading not with the plea of doubt or uncertainty but the plea of covenant engagement that the Father would do in me everything Jesus Christ purchased to accomplish in me.
Consequences of Denying the Definite Design of the Atonement
And the plea is rooted in the reality of the presentation of himself before the Father and the virtue of all that he has accomplished for his people. Now do you see what happens when you come to the question at hand. Did Christ die? Did he die for all men indiscriminately and distributively the majority of which will never come to faith and repentance let alone to perfection?
Do you see the relationship of putting the cross in this category and its impingement upon that question? Consider the consequences of denying the definite design of the atonement. If we deny that Christ died specifically and exclusively for his own people see what you do to this grand teaching that we've considered this morning. The first tragic result is it fractures the two facets of the priestly work.
It fractures the two facets of the priestly work. It makes the oblation to go out and encompass all the world of mankind indiscriminately and then it takes the intercession and limits it only to those who ultimately believe. It fractures what in the whole structure of the Biblical notion of priesthood must never be fractured. Oblation and intercession are simply two aspects of the one act of putting away sin.
The second tragic result is it weakens the efficacy of his priestly work. His oblation then does not really put away sin and become the basis of authoritative intercession that applies all of the benefits of redemption to those for whom he was a sacrifice. It weakens the efficacy of the priestly work. We either have to say he actually made an oblation for some who never come to faith or he intercedes for some who never come to faith.
What efficacy is there? The whole language of Hebrews is that he is a true priest who accomplishes what he set out to do. He has put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. He doesn't say he's made putting away of sin possible, hypothetically available.
No, no. He has put away sin. Now that's strong language. He's actually put it away and his intercession actually secures the perfection of those for whom he intercedes.
And then the third tragic result of denying the definite design is it undermines the ground of assurance based upon his priestly work. The doctrine of Christ's priestly work according to the Apostle Paul in Romans 8 is the pinnacle point of assurance. Christ died, yea rather is risen, who is at the right hand of God who also intercedeth. Well you see if there's non-efficacy in the work of his priesthood then what ground is there for assurance?
In spite of his praying, in spite of his having put away sin by the oblation I may yet put myself out of the orbit of grace. What ground of assurance? If he died and intercedes as much for Judas as he does for Paul what ground of assurance is there? And so this is filled with wonderful truth that he has a high priest who has passed through the heavens Jesus the Son of God who has passed through the heavens infallibly to secure all the benefits procured by his oblation.
Then you see the language of the writer to Hebrews becomes meaningful. Let us therefore come boldly with confidence with freedom to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find salvation because that obtaining is rooted in what Christ by his oblation has won for me and by his intercession secures for me. Romans 8.32 He that spared not his own son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
See, when I begin to understand my salvation it is all a matter of debt. You got that? My salvation and all that is involved in it is with reference to me a matter of grace. It is something I do not deserve and no facet of it is deserved by me.
Paul says I am what I am by the grace of God. But my salvation as it relates to Christ is a matter of debt. It is a matter of debt. Christ is fulfilled.
My salvation is contracted in the covenant of redemption on behalf of his people and therefore all that he procures from me is a matter of debt to him. And what a wonderful thing when we understand salvation by grace and salvation by debt. And the two stand or fall together. You see, if I introduce any notion that somehow Christ is not merited all that is necessary is grace plus my repentance grace plus my something else you see.
But when I understand the biblical teaching of salvation it is all of grace to me and all of debt to him. And it is all of grace to me because it is all of debt to him. Blessed be God for such a savior and for such a salvation. I read yesterday and I want to give you a little bibliography in closing.
Conclusion: The Profound Truths of Christ's Priesthood
I read a sermon by Thornwell on the priesthood of South Carolina Bob. And he said on memorable occasions like these he said I like to take fundamental gospel truths and impress them on the minds of the hearers and I thought what a privileged bunch they were to have heard things that here I am considered middle age in a few years and just beginning to examine as it were the fringes of such wonderful things. And I trust that God will so burn these truths in your congregations and your wives and children whoever you influence will as it were cut their teeth in infancy upon these truths that are so central to scripture. And I said to Mr. Fisher yesterday when we met to talk and to pray I said where in the world have I been all my life? It's something so central to the teaching of the book of Hebrews. No one's ever opened it up to me.
No one's even tried to open it up to me. And all the consolations I've been robbed of and all those that I've robbed my people of have been restricted views. Well, we can't go back and relive the past but we can sure hope and pray and labor for better things in the days to come and I trust that you men will prayerfully absorb this wonderful teaching of the word of God concerning the death of Christ as the death of him who was in the office of a priest. And feed your soul upon the great reality of it.
And the point that Thornwell makes in that book that is so profound is that he had obviously just been contrasting with an in-depth study the emphasis of Romans with the emphasis of Hebrews and his basic thesis is this. It's volume 2 pages 263 to 290. Thornwell's works 263 to 290. His thesis is this.
That the main lines of emphasis in Romans are upon the legal aspects of our salvation. That if God is to be just and the justifier of sinners then someone must meet all the demands of law and God is ordained that in our federal representative the Lord Jesus that should be done. And from Heaven. Romans 5 12 to 21.
But the point he makes is that we could assume from the book of Romans that our assurance standing at this point in time looking up into the face of a holy God with the problem of our cloud of sin that our assurance is primarily or exclusively based upon though there are these hints in Romans 5 and a little hint in Romans 8 but the dominant emphasis is that there upon the cross and the wrath upon his own son he was made a propitiation and now through faith in his blood God is both just and justifier of him that hath faith in Jesus so that the primary focus of our faith and contemplation would be upon the past act in which the Lord Jesus put away sin. However, he says what the book of Hebrews does is to supplement this by showing us that all the virtue of that past act is not efficacious before God as he would speaking humanly look back upon the death of his son but rather at his own right hand is our high priest presently ministering in the sanctuary of God making as it were eloquent in the presence of God in the present moment all the virtue of that oblation and so the language is having then a great high priest let us draw near you see so that it brings it all to the most intimate personal realm
of communion and fellowship with Jesus Christ as our present priest well I just found that to open up whole new dimensions and you forgive me if I'm rambling now but my own mind has just been so triggered by this and I think that's a I think it's a bona fide contrast don't you Don that he's making not a contradiction but a wonderful synthesis and then it underscored again what we had said as we get involved in the training situation in Romans and in Hebrews right I agree you see and then to see that two-fold emphasis being brought together for the benefit of the people of God alright the rest of the bibliography oh in volume 10 or you may have the old edition that originally came out that's just the death of death and the death of Christ and you'll have to look up the chapter that deals with this but in volume 10 it's pages 179 to 200 and he not only deals with the concept of the death of Christ as a bona fide aspect but also as a bona fide act of priesthood but then he deals with the objections to the arguments based on his intercession and he takes the objection that some take the verse well Jesus prayed for people who weren't converted when he said Father forgive them for they know not what they do some of those things and when Owen's done answering the objectors I wouldn't want to be one of the objectors
I think I'd go home with my tail between my leg if not cut off alright and then I'm going to find out where we can get hold of Hugh Martin on the atonement that is being reprinted by one of the Scottish printing houses I believe it doesn't have Hodge's book in front of it this is the two books Hodge on the atonement and Hugh Martin page 23 to 87 and then Hodge's work on the atonement pages 83 to 88 just five pages between Hodge's and Hugh Martin pages but some very good biblical materials so Owen volume 10 179 to 200 Hugh Martin on the atonement 23 to 87 Hodge 83 to 88 Thornwell volume 2 263 to 290
This transcript was generated by automated speech recognition and may contain errors. It is provided for study and reference only; the audio recording is the authoritative source.
Passages Expounded
This passage introduces Christ's divine appointment as a high priest and defines the Godward nature of priestly function.
This section details the supremacy and unchangeable nature of Christ's priesthood, emphasizing his perpetual intercession and once-for-all sacrifice.
This chapter contrasts the Old Testament sacrifices with Christ's perfect sacrifice and his entry into the heavenly sanctuary to appear before God, linking oblation and intercession.
Texts Expounded
Also Referenced
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