The Epistle To The Hebrews - Executable Outlines

-- Thus a high priest would need to be well acquainted with the “human condition”
Mark A. Copeland
[The parallel between high priests in the OT and Jesus as our High Priest does not hold true in every
minute detail (e.g., He 7:26-27). But certainly in the most fundamental ways Jesus has the qualities to
be our High Priest, as we now consider...]
II. CHRIST’S QUALIFICATIONS AS HIGH PRIEST (5-8)
A. DIVINELY APPOINTED... (5,6)
1. Christ was Divinely called to serve as High Priest, just as Aaron was
2. As evidence of His calling, two Messianic prophecies are offered...
a. His position as God’s Son - cf. Psa 2:7
b. His appointment as a priest after the order of Melchizedek - cf. Psa 110:4
-- As God’s Son, sitting and ruling at the right hand of God (cf. Psa 110:1-3), His calling
as a priest is only natural
B. SYMPATHETIC BECAUSE OF HIS OWN SUFFERINGS... (7,8)
1. While “in the days of His flesh”, Christ...
a. “offered prayers and supplications with vehement cries and tears”
b. He prayed “to Him who was able to save Him from death”
c. He was heard “because of His godly fear”
2. That Jesus would have “godly fear” and offer such prayers provides insight into the extent of
His temptations and sufferings in the flesh- cf. also He 2:18; 4:15
3. Even though He was God’s Son, by the things which He suffered “He learned obedience”
- what does this mean?
a. Certainly He knew obedience as the Son of God
b. Perhaps it means He came to know what obedience involved as one “in the flesh” (i.e.,
the challenge of obedience in the midst of suffering, temptations, etc.)
-- Through His suffering, Jesus certainly understands the “human condition” which qualifies
Him to serve as High Priest
[Qualified by virtue of His calling and His compassion to be a High Priest, what kind of High Priest is
Christ? The next two verses introduce two themes that will be developed much further later on...]
III. CHRIST’S CALLING AS OUR HIGH PRIEST (9,10)
A. “THE AUTHOR OF ETERNAL SALVATION...” (9)
1. “Perfected” by virtue of His sufferings “in the flesh”, He has become the “author” of eternal
salvation
a. The word “author” comes from aitio, meaning literally, “cause”
b. Later, we will see how Christ is the “cause” of our salvation - cf. He 7:24-27
2. But for now, note that He is the cause of salvation for “all those who obey Him”
a. Is obedience necessary for salvation? Consider these verses:
1) Jesus will bring vengeance on those who have not obeyed the gospel - 2 Th 1:7-9;
cf. 1 Pe 4:17-18
2) Paul sought to bring about the “obedience to the faith” among all the nations - Ro
1:5; 16:25-26
a) But not all had obeyed the gospel - Ro 10:16
b) Yet he was grateful for those who had - cf. Ro 6:17,18
Sermons From Hebrews 38