Audio restored with Diffio. Diffio processed the original archive recording to reduce noise and produce a cleaner listening version; the original stays available.
Speech quality score (model-estimated, SCOREQ): before 3.47 → restored 4.70
Use the player's Original switch to compare.How Diffio restores old speech recordings
Hebrews chapter two verse seventeen. Wherefore, in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted. Chapter three. Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him that appoint- appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honor than the house. For every house is builded by some man, but he that built all things is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after. But Christ as a son over his own house, whose house are we. If we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end, the Lord will bless the reading of his word.
Uh, today we want to concentrate on those last two verses of chapter two before we move into chapter three, For you will notice, of course, that in chapters three and four we moved away from the subject matter of the priesthood of Christ and dealing with other matters that the reader, the writer felt necessary to deal with, with his particular readership. But in verse seventeen and eighteen, we have some very important teaching in relation to the Lord Jesus Christ. Notice the word wherefore in verse seventeen indicates to us that in verse sixteen it stated that the Lord was not going to take up the cause of angels, but he would take up the cause of the seed of Abraham.
Wherefore, in order to take up the cause of the seed of Abraham, we now have these two verses, verses seventeen and eighteen. In verse seventeen, the writer brings before us three very important truths. He brings before us, first of all, the incarnation of the Lord Jesus. Then he would focus our minds upon the death of the Lord Jesus. And thirdly, the ascension of the Lord Jesus. So verse seventeen does have within its context, no, some very important teaching in relation to the Lord Jesus in his incarnation, his death, and his ascension.
And therefore, verse seventeen tells us, wherefore it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren. Now, it's a very interesting statement, because that gives us a different aspect of the incarnation of the Lord Jesus to what we would have in chapter four of, uh, this epistle. For in chapter four we read this, that he was tempted in all points like unto us. But verse seventeen is not dealing with that side of his incarnation. The Lord Jesus in incarnation actually taking up true manhood so that he, when he came into the world, was possessed of spirit, soul, and body.
And now as a real man, a true genuine man, he can take up the cause of the seed of Abraham, which he goes on now to describe for us. But the second thing he wants to focus our minds upon is the death of Christ. For we read that he might make reconciliation for the sins of the people. So we have the incarnation with this purpose in view, that he might make reconciliation for the sins of the people. Now, you will remember I've said before that the word reconciliation in this statement is unfortunate, simply because you cannot reconcile, sins cannot be reconciled unto God.
See, sins are so abhorrent to God that it cost God one in whom is no sin to take away our sins. So you cannot reconcile sins unto God. We do learn from the Lord's teaching in Matthew chapter five, reconciliation has to do with people. For if thy brother have ought against thee, leave thy gift at the altar and go and be reconciled unto your brother. So reconciliation really has to do with people and not with sins. That's why so many translations would alter the word from reconciliation to propitiation.
That is the work of the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross at Calvary. And so we find that this, this word propitiation is a slightly different way in which it's used in the New Testament. For instance, in one John chapter four, we, we read of the word propitiation there in relation to now God who's, uh, who having loved us, he sent forth his son, the propitiation for our sins. Propitiation in that context, against the background of God's love, is linked with a person, the Lord Jesus, sent forth by God the Father, that he might be the propitiation for our sins.
When we come to Romans chapter three, we find that God has set forth the Lord Jesus Christ as a propitiation through faith by his blood. And there is not so much propitiation linked with a person, but rather with a place. Because there the word could be translated, whom God has set forth a mercy seat. That's where propitiation, of course, was made, or the application of it is seen when the blood was sprinkled upon the mercy seat in the tabernacle of old. But here in verse seventeen, it's not no propitiation linked with the person, nor with the place, it's the actual work actually accomplished by Christ on the cross.
He actually accomplished the work of propitiation. That is, such was the character and the value of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ, it has eternally satisfied God in relation to every demand of his throne. And so we find that here in this verse, the Lord Jesus Christ, he became incarnate that he might become, uh, actually a high priest, a merciful and faithful high priest, making propitiation for the sins of his people. Now, it's very interesting to observe this, that having made propitiation for the sins of his people, linked with that is this great truth of the Lord Jesus Christ being a merciful and faithful high priest.
And because we say propitiation was made by Christ on the cross at Calvary, sometimes it's thought, because of what says in this verse, he must have been a priest on the cross when he made propitiation for the sins of the people. But that is not so. On the cross, he did the work. He made propitiation. But now, as a merciful and faithful high priest, notice, in things pertaining to God. So the priesthood of Christ now in verse seventeen is in relation to things pertaining to God. So having introduced us to the incarnation and to his death, we now find in ascension the Lord Jesus Christ is now in heaven, arisen and a living man, who is a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God.
That is, the things pertaining to God is his great work of propitiation for the sins of the people. And so the writer wants us to have clearly before our minds that it is on the cross propitiation was made, but it's made good to you and to me by a man that's now alive, living on the throne of God. And the one who is living on the throne of God is actually a merciful and faithful high priest in that very thing that actually concerned God himself. So then what we understand would be this. See, all the demands of the throne of God, as far as we're concerned, have been met.
And those throne, those demands of the throne of God have been met in the propitiatory sacrifice of the Lord Jesus. But it's been made good to you and me by the Lord Jesus Christ, now on the throne of God, as a merciful and faithful high priest. So we could put it this way, see all that the Lord Jesus Christ ever did in his life, and all that he ever procured by his death upon the cross has now been made good to us by the Lord Jesus Christ living, a man upon the throne of God who is a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God. That seems to be the important teaching of verse number seventeen, priesthood in relation to God.
When we come to verse eighteen, now we find that priesthood as it has its effect in relation to us. For the Lord Jesus, he suffered being tempted. Now that's very, a very real statement, and one that ought to, you know, encourage us to realize that when the Lord Jesus was here, he felt the full force of Satan's power in temptation. Let me remind you, for forty days and forty nights, the Lord Jesus was tempted of the devil, according to Mark's gospel. And then we find in Matthew's gospel, we have those last three temptations.
And in those last three temptations, the Lord Jesus being unhungered, he felt the full force of the power of temptation. And when he was confronted with that con- with temptation in the wilderness, he suffered. That is, because of his holy nature. To be faced with temptation was suffering unto him. But what is so encouraging for us is this, because when he was here, he felt the full force of the power of temptation that the devil would bring upon him, now upon us in our day. We have one in heaven who understands, who's actually felt the full force of Satan's power in temptation, and for him it was suffering.
But having suffered by that experience of temptation, he now is able to succor those that are being tempted and that being tempted of the devil. So the great value of the work of Christ in heaven, in relation to propitiation, that has met our need in relation to the demands of the throne of God. Eternally satisfied are those demands in that work of Christ. But we are in the wilderness, like the Lord was. This world, as the hymn writer says, is a wilderness wide. And whilst we're in this world, you see, we are being tempted.
That's the language that the writer uses in the present tense. Who being tempted is able to succour those who are being tempted. What I liked about that verse is this. No, God doesn't remove the temptation. And so, all the time we're in this world, we're faced with temptation. That is, we're faced with different trials, and those trials could lead to, lead us into temptation. But all the while that we're faced with trials in this world, we have one in heaven, a merciful and faithful high priest who understands that we are being tempted day by day by the devil.
He understands it, and therefore he's able to succor those that are being tempted. And the importance of these two verses that ends chapter two is just this. You see, our needs in relation to the throne of God has been met, and our needs as being believers in the world, a wilderness world, are being met, and it's all in the same person, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is for us a merciful and faithful high priest whilst we're in this world. And so concludes chapter two. It's very interesting that having concluded with the priesthood of Christ in chapter two, he does not take up that subject until we get to verse fourteen of chapter four.
So we got these chapters, chapter three and chapter four, where the writer seems to be digressing from the subject of the priesthood of Christ to bring before his readers, now, very important truth in their situation. For remember, they were under pressure, and the greatest pressure they were under was the pressure from their fellow Jews to go back to the things of Moses. Go back to the law, go back to all that was given them through Moses by God. That was the pressure they were under. Now, in these first six verses of chapter three, the writer is actually going to introduce us to Moses, and he's going to show to us that in the Lord Jesus Christ, there is one who has greater glory than that of Moses.
But before we get to that verse, again he says, wherefore. That is, against the background of what has been revealed to us of the glory of the Son of God in chapter 1 and the glory of the gr- of the Son of Man in chapter two, wherefore, now consider him. That is, contemplate him. Now spend time seriously thinking about him. And so the wherefore links the Lord Jesus Christ now with what has been revealed as to his glory in chapters one and chapter two. But notice, will you not, how the writer describes his readers?
Wherefore, holy brethren. That's taking us back, of course, into verse eleven of chapter two: For he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all out of one. Sanctification has that great truth of holiness imbo- embedded in it. Now, says the writer, wherefore holy brethren? You see, they, he looks upon them as his brethren. But, you know, we're so likely to be found criticizing one another. But just remember always, even when we're tempted to criticize, criticize one another, what we are to God.
For, says the writer, wherefore holy brethren. God sees us as sanctified. God sees us holy brethren. And then he says, partakers of a heavenly calling. And so we're not only holy brethren, we're partakers of a heavenly calling. That may take us back, of course, into that earlier verse in, in chapter two, when, uh, God is bringing many sons unto glory. And so we are not linked with the earth, rather we're linked with those who have a heavenly calling. The Apostle Paul, of course, would confirm that in Ephesians chapter two: For those who be quickened and raised, all those have been seated with Christ in the heavenly places.
And so we find that the writer is appreciating these believers, even though they're under pressure, even though among them there are those who are just mere professors, those who are real and true. He calls them holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling. Let me just stop for a moment. We sometimes fail to realize that we are a heavenly people, that we have received a heavenly calling. We're not seen by God as being, uh, a he- an earthly people, but a heavenly people. We've been brought in such nearness to God as being in the heavenly places.
And so the apostle or the writer here, writing of the apostle of the, of the Lord as the apostle, he first of all reminds his readers of what they are in the sight of God, how he values them. Now he says, wherefore consider the prophet and high priest, even Jesus. The word Christ is really omitted in this verse, as through- as throughout the book, because throughout Hebrews it's Jesus. Because, you see, it is Jesus that these people are being pressurized to give up. And so he said, now consider, now give serious thought to, contemplate Jesus.
You see, he is both prophet and he is high priest. So to consider him, first of all, as the prophet. Of course, you will remember that that's what the Lord Jesus Christ is in chapter one. Remember, a prophet was one who was sent forth by God. And in chapter one we find the Lord Jesus Christ as a son of God, sent forth by God, sent from heaven to earth, and he sent, he was sent from God unto men. And so says the apostle, or so says he of the Lord Jesus Christ as the apostle. He says, now consider him who is the apostle, one sent forth from God to men, and we're to consider him as to the glory of the Lord Jesus as the one who was sent forth.
Of course, this is nothing new, is it? In John chapter seventeen, the Lord Jesus Christ in his prayer unto the Father, he spoke of himself as being sent forth f- by the Father. And when you come to John chapter twenty, he says to those disciples in when he was in resurrection, as my Father sent me, even so send I you. So when the Lord Jesus Christ is presented to us as the apostle, it is as one who's been sent forth by God, from God, to men, from heaven and to earth. But he says also a prophet and high priest. And so we find he's not only presented to us as the prophet to be considered and contemplated, but also as high priest.
And yet, he does not continue that aspect of the work of Christ as our great high priest. He just mentions him, we're to consider him, but he's gone now from verse two down to verse six, he's going to introduce us unto Moses, who was, of course, the prophet sent forth by God. You recall, no doubt, how that God at the burning bush, he sent forth Moses to be the, the, the deliverer of his people. And so we find that what we have really leading up into chapter three, the truth concerning the Lord Jesus Christ has presented in Genesis, because in Je- in chapter two we find it was God's purpose that Adam, the first man, should be crowned with glory and honor and, uh, actually have dominion over the works of his hand.
And that's chapter two, but we see Jesus crowned with glory and honor. And then the book of Exodus comes before us when we find him who came to destroy him that had the power of death, even the devil. And that would take us, at least in picture, back to the book of Exodus and the Red Sea, when Israel saw their enemy actually destroyed, the enemy that had the power of death, destroyed in the waters of the Red Sea. And then, of course, the book of Leviticus, because he is a merciful and faithful high priest, and that's the development of truth in the book of Leviticus. And then the book of Numbers, well, of course, that's where we are in verse eighteen, the book of Numbers.
We're in the world, we're in the wilderness. We have it's the Lord's ministry to us whilst we're in the wilderness. But when we come to chapter three, it's more now the truth as presented to us in the book of Deuteronomy. For what we're going to find now in these verses, two great subjects are brought before us. First of all, we have the house of God, God's house, and then we have God's rest. These are the two things that are being dealt with here in chapter three. And what we find is this, that in verses one to six, it's all about God's house. From verse seven, right through to verse thirteen of chapter four, it's all about God's rest and the failure of the people to enter into that rest.
After all, Moses, he led them out from Egypt, but he could not lead them into the land. Joshua, he led them into the land, but he could not give them rest. Solomon, he gave them rest, but he could not live to maintain that rest. And so the writer in chapter three is going to present to his readers this great truth that the Lord Jesus Christ is seen now in contrast to Moses. In chapter four, it will be in contrast to Joshua, but here it's in contrast to Moses. Notice what he says when he makes the, the contrast between the Lord Jesus Christ and Moses.
He doesn't bring out the failures of Moses. There were, of course, many failures recorded in Old Testament scripture in relation to Moses. He speaks about the glory of Moses, for he speaks now of the Lord Jesus, who has greater glory than the glory that actually obtained with Moses. And so we have then verse three, reading down and on, on of course, into verse six, but verse three— to verse two, Verse 2, for he who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house, for this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses. That's right. So you see, just as Moses was faithful, now says the, the writer, the Lord Jesus Christ, he is a, he's faithful, the one who appointed him, he's faithful.
And Moses, in his faithfulness to God, in relation to the house of God, we find there's a glory. And yet God's son has greater glory even than that of Moses. Now you see why he does that. The people are under pressure to go back to Moses. But, says the writer, see Jesus, he has greater glory, greater glory than Moses. Moses was faithful. The Lord Jesus was faithful. Moses had glory. The Lord Jesus Christ has far greater glory even than Moses. So verse three says. For this man was counted w- worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honor than the.
That's right, you see. He that buildeth the house hath more honor. Than the house. Than the house. And so the writer is going to develop this great subject of the glory of Jesus. Actually, uh, far more, uh, what should I say, outstanding than ever the glory that Moses had. And so we're introduced now to this subject of the house. Now, will you find, of course, in verses four, five, and six, we have the, the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ in relation to, what should I say, three uh, pictures in relation to the house of God. You see, in verse number four, he says, Every house is builded by some man, but he who, he that built all things is God.
He that built all things is God. And you remember back in chapter one, the world was made by him, and the world was made by him. I take it then in verse four that we have now the universe in view, that universe viewed now as a house, but not yet realized as it will be. For when there's a new heavens and a new earth, then God will dwell with man. And so I take it that in verse four we see that the Lord Jesus Christ is his deity that's been expressed. He who built all things is God. We've learned from chapter one that it was Christ the Son who built all things.
And so we have the, the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ established in verse four in relation to the universe that he brought into being. They were but the work of his hands. But then in verse five— And Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant for the testimony of those things which were. You see, when you come to verse five, it's now Moses, and it's the tabernacle. Not now the universe, it's the tabernacle. And we find that Moses is linked with the tabernacle. Tabernacle, of course, was was reared up by Moses. It was made, of course, by the people according to the blueprint given to them, even by God.
So the Lord Jesus Christ, in that sense, was the builder of the tabernacle. Moses just reared it up once it was built. But in that tabernacle, Moses was but a servant. The Lord Jesus Christ, of course, was head, was head over, he was over the house of God. And so we find that the contrast that the writer is making, the glory of Jesus, in contrast to the glory of Moses. Moses was a servant. The Lord Jesus Christ was son over the house. And after all, you see Moses in his position, he was there just for a testimony. And you remember, I think it's Deuteronomy, where Moses said to the people, a prophet shall the Lord God raise up unto you, like unto me, whom ye shall hear.
And so we find that Moses spoke of the prophet who would come, whose voice the people would hear. And so Moses spoke of, was a testimony of those things that should come. And then, of course, when we come to verse number six, it's not now the universe, it's the house of God. It's not now the tabernacle in which Moses was a servant, and he was there for a testimony. But now in verse six we have the church. For you see, he now speaks of the house of God, which house are we? And so we find in verse number six, we of this present day, we form the house of God. And so the writer, in the opening up of this next section to his letter, brings before the people.
Now the fact that the glory of Christ far transcends the glory of Moses. Moses was a servant in the house. The Son of God, Jesus, was over the house. And after all, we at this present time, we are the house of God, as we find cause referred to in the New Testament. And so you see, as we open chapter three, that's how it opens in the glory of the Lord Jesus in contrast to that glory that Moses had. And from then, from verse seven right through to verse thirteen of chapter four, he's going to sound another warning message unto the people, and using, of course, the background of Cadiz Barnea, when they could have entered in, but they refused to enter into the rest that God had provided for them.
So we'll leave it there, and then we can, on on our next study, we can just pick up from verse seven of chapter three and work it through chapter four until the writer picks up his subject again in verse fourteen of chapter four and develops once more the subject of the priesthood of Christ. Thank you.