Mid-Week Lenten Vespers, March 9, 2016, 7 PM Central Standard
Bethany Lutheran Church
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
The Hymn #220 Jesus My Great High Priest
The Order of Vespers p. 41
The Psalmody Psalm 110
Psalm 110King James Version (KJV)
110 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
2 The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
4 The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.
5 The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.
6 He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.
7 He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall he lift up the head.
The Lection The Passion History
Hebrews
The Sermon – Jesus the Great High Priest
The Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
The Collect for Grace p. 45
The Hymn #660 I'm But a Stranger Here
The Hymn #660 I'm But a Stranger Here
Genesis 14:18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:
20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.
Hebrews 2:17King James Version (KJV)
17 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.
7 For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;
2 To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;
3 Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
Hebrews 4:14-16King James Version (KJV)
14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
Jesus Our Great High Priest
First we have the mysterious figure of Melchisedec, king of Salem. The name itself means King of Righteousness. Salem is the shorter name for Jerusalem - Jeru, place, Salem, peace.
So this Melchisedec brought bread and wine to Abraham and blessed him. That is an interesting turn of phrase, prefiguring Holy Communion. And this king of righteousness from Genesis, like Abraham, is a major figure in the Book of Hebrews.
The Book of Hebrews is a majestic work, with Greek more difficult than any other book in the New Testament. As I have mentioned before, Luther gave all the reasons why Apollo could be the author of Hebrews, and then referred to Paul as the author, meaning, I assume, it does not matter much.
Hebrews argues from the Old Testament examples that Jesus is the Son of God and also the great High Priest, fulfilling all Old Testament prophecies about sacrifice and making that sacrifice of Himself.
Salvation’s Giver, Christ, the only Son,
By His dear cross and blood the victory won.
Offered was He for greatest and for least,
Himself the Victim, and Himself the Priest.
By His dear cross and blood the victory won.
Offered was He for greatest and for least,
Himself the Victim, and Himself the Priest.
Victims were offered by the law of old,
Which in a type this heavenly mystery told.
He, Ransomer from death, and Light from shade,
Now gives His holy grace His saints to aid.
Which in a type this heavenly mystery told.
He, Ransomer from death, and Light from shade,
Now gives His holy grace His saints to aid.
The Atonement is the Gospel message - Christ dying for the sins of the world. Those who deny justification by faith invariably end up teaching salvation by works.
Because of this, though they deny it, they impose burdens on people and make forgiveness seem conditional on performing various obligations.
The Hebrews 4 passage is key for understanding how important the Human Nature in Christ is. He understands all our temptations and infirmities.
