"After making purification for sins." “The apostle says two things about the Messiah; one, which is the foundation of both, he takes for granted. First, he says what he did; he provided purification for sins; second, he says how he did this: he did it…after he… the basis for these things he assumes we know; that Christ was the great High Priest of the Church. The apostle’s readers knew well enough that this matter of purging sins belonged only to the priest.” Once again only the God-Man could make purification for sins, a goat would not suffice, any other man would not suffice, it must be the God-Man, Jesus.
“He sat down at the right hand of Majesty on high.” After Christ suffered the worst possible pain, humiliation, and loneliness possible (for our sake) on the cross, he sat down at the right hand of God. The act of sitting here is representative of Jesus’ work finished. That his sacrificial work was accepted, that his propitiatory work was complete, and that his expiating work was perfect. Therefore, because of this work, the office of priest was disbanded forever, because in Christ we find our Great High Priest, not in men.
So here is another way we can read this passage, "After making purification for sins. [After being beaten to a pulp. After being scourged 'till his back fluttered like ribbons in the wind. After having a crown of thorns shoved into his previously beaten skull. After being nailed to a tree he created by men he sustained. After having the sins of mankind laid on his shoulders. After the Father turned his face away. After dying. After rising. After crushing the Serpent's head.] He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high."
No comments:
Post a Comment