Letter to the Hebrews Volume 72

 Jesus Christ is now Seated @ the Right Hand of Majesty Part 2

Hebrews 8:2-3 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this Man have somewhat also to offer.  KJV Note: CEV=Contemporary English Version

During the days of the Hebrew people wandering in the wilderness for 40 years, Moses was given by God the Father a pattern to build a Tabernacle, that is, the place of worship for the Hebrew people where they would meet with God. Then they were required by God to offer up sacrificed animals to cover their sin before God the Father in that Tabernacle or place of worship, just as God the Father had shown must be done in the very beginning when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, as it is written here, "Then the LORD God made clothes out of animal skins for the man and his wife. The LORD said, 'These people now know the difference between right and wrong, just as we do. But they must not be allowed to eat fruit from the tree that lets them live forever.' So the LORD God sent them out of the Garden of Eden, where they would have to work the ground from which the man had been made. Then God put winged creatures at the entrance to the garden and a flaming, flashing sword to guard the way to the life-giving tree." (Genesis 3:21-24) (CEV). The clothes of animal skinned used to cover Adam and Eve from the shame of their nakedness before one another was the result of the Lord God slaying and shedding the blood of animals to cover their sin against Him. The writer of Hebrews now details to us that our High Priest Jesus Christ that has gone into heaven (as Man) is there ministering on our behalf in the true Tabernacle which is heaven, as it is written here, "A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man." (Hebrews 8:2) (KJV). The little English phrase 'a minister' at the very beginning of this verse is translated by the Greek word leitourgos which implies priestly ministry in the temple. The English word 'sanctuary' is translated by the Greek word hagion which means 'the holy places'; the Holy of Holies. Here the heavenly sanctuary is meant. When the writer of Hebrews declares these words in the last part of this verse, 'and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man', he means the new glorified body of our Lord, Master, and Savior in heaven right now is the true Tabernacle that is now in heaven. Here is what JFB Commentary had to say of the true Tabernacle, "Through His glorified body as the tabernacle, Christ passes into the heavenly 'Holy of Holies,' the immediate immaterial presence of God, where He intercedes for us. This tabernacle in which God dwells, is where God in Christ meets us who are 'members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.' This tabernacle answers to the heavenly Jerusalem, where God's visible presence is to be manifested to His perfected saints and angels, who are united in Christ the Head; in contradistinction to His personal invisible presence in the Holy of Holies unapproachable save to Christ."

Next the writer of Hebrews makes the analysis between the earthly Levitical high priest of the Hebrew people who were required by God the Father to offer gifts and sacrifices and that this requirement also pertains to Christ Jesus our Lord as well, as it is written here with these words, "For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this Man have somewhat also to offer." (Hebrews 8:3) (KJV). This is what makes our Lord Jesus Christ a minister of the heavenly Sanctuary because the gift that He has offered up to God the Father in the holy of holies in heaven is His Blood that He shed for the sins of we His elect saints and for the whole world on the Cross at Calvary. Christ gift is His Blood and His sacrifice was Himself for sin, as it is written here by the Apostle John, "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." (1 John 1:7) (KJV) and also these words from the same Apostle, "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own Blood;" (Revelation 1:5) (KJV). Here is what JFB Commentary had to say of Christ offerings of gifts and sacrifices, "He does not offer again His once for all completed sacrifice. But as the high priest did not enter the Holy Place without blood, so Christ has entered the heavenly Holy Place with His own blood. That 'blood of sprinkling' is in heaven. And is thence made effectual to sprinkle believers as the end of their election (1 Peter 1:2). The term 'consecrate' as a priest, is literally, to fill the hand, implying that an offering is given into the hands of the priest, which it is his duty to present to God. If a man be a priest, he must have some gift in his hands to offer. Therefore, Christ, as a priest, has His blood as His oblation to offer before God." Here also is what Matthew Henry had to say of Hebrews 8:3, "The tabernacle which was pitched by man, according to the appointment of God. There was an outer part, in which was the altar where they were to offer their sacrifices, which typified Christ dying; and there was an interior part within the veil, which typified Christ interceding for the people in heaven. Now this tabernacle Christ never entered into; but, having finished the work of satisfaction in the true tabernacle of His own body, He is now a minister of the sanctuary, the holy of holies, the true tabernacle in heaven, there taking care of His people's affairs, interceding with God for them, that their sins may be pardoned and their persons and services accepted, through the merit of His sacrifice. He is not only in heaven enjoying great dominion and dignity, but, as the High Priest of His Church, executing this office for them all in general, and every member of the Church in particular."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Letter to the Hebrews Volume 71

 Jesus Christ is now Seated @ the Right Hand of Majesty Part 1

Hebrews 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an High Priest, who is set on the Right Hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the heavens; KJV Note: CEV=Contemporary English Version

Jesus Christ came to the earth for one specific reason and that was to make an offering to God the Father for humanities sin. Christ has done just this and the writer of Hebrews now declares to us that upon accomplishing His one and only mission, He is now exalted (as Man) to the highest place of honor, as it is written with these words, "Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an High Priest, who is set on the Right Hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the heavens;" (Hebrews 8:1) (KJV). Jesus Christ is Mankind's representative in heaven before the Throne of God the Father. He (Christ) is the Prototype human being, that is, He is the standard, typical or perfect example of Mankind, therefore, He is now through the preaching of the Gospel of Grace and through the Power of God the Holy Spirit making many brethren and sisteren as declared to us by the Apostle Paul again with these words, "For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." (Romans 8:29) (KJV).  The Man that was required to satisfy the justice of God the Father needed to be a completely sinless man in order for the justice of God the Father to be satisfied. Perfection is what God the Father requires from all of His creation, that includes Mankind, however, when Adam disobeyed Him in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:11-17) he passed on to all human beings that would come from him a sin nature that is callous, corrupt, and contentious to the will of God. This sin nature cannot be restored, renovated, or repaired, therefore, the only solution for we sinful human creatures is to have a Man stand in between us and God the Father who is Perfect, that is, without any sin. When each one of us sinful human beings accepts the only Sacrifice for sin to God the Father and that being the shed Blood of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ on the Cross at Calvary, then we are given a second nature, that is, a new nature (this is what it means to be born again (John 3:3-8)). Now God the Father does not see our old sinful nature we were born with into the human family (it is still there), but now He sees Christ Nature within us which is why the Apostle Paul wrote these words to the Corithian Church in his second letter to them saying, "We know what it means to respect the Lord, and we encourage everyone to turn to Him. God Himself knows what we are like, and I hope you also know what kind of people we are. We are not trying once more to brag about ourselves. But we want you to be proud of us, when you are with those who are not sincere and brag about what others think of them. If we seem out of our minds, it is between God and us. But if we are in our right minds, it is for your good. We are ruled by Christ's love for us. We are certain that if One Person died for everyone else, then all of us have died. And Christ did die for all of us. He died so we would no longer live for ourselves, but for the One who died and was raised to life for us. We are careful not to judge people by what they seem to be, though we once judged Christ in that way. Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between Himself and us, and He has given us the work of making peace between Himself and others. What we mean is that God was in Christ, offering peace and forgiveness to the people of this world. And He has given us the work of sharing His message about peace. We were sent to speak for Christ, and God is begging you to listen to our message. We speak for Christ and sincerely ask you to make peace with God. Christ never sinned! But God treated Him as a sinner, so that Christ could make us acceptable to God." (2 Corithians 5:11-21) (CEV).

Here is what Alexander MacLaren had to say of Hebrews 8:1, "‘We have a high priest who' - to translate a little more closely - 'has taken His seat on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.' 'Majesty' is a singular expression or periphrasis for God. It is used once again in this letter, and seems probably to have been derived by the writer from the Rabbinical usage of his times, when, as we know, a certain misplaced, and yet most natural, reverential or perhaps superstitious awe, made men unwilling to name the mighty name, and inclined rather to fall back upon other forms of speech to express it. So the writer here, addressing Hebrews, steeped in Rabbinical thought, takes one of their own words and speaks of God as the 'Majesty in the heavens'; emphasising the idea of sovereignty, power, illimitable magnificence. 'At the right hand' of this throned personal abstraction, 'the Majesty,' sits the Man Christ Jesus. Now the teaching, both of this Epistle to the Hebrews and of the whole New Testament, in reference to the state of our exalted Lord, is that His Manhood is elevated to this supreme dignity. The Eternal Word who was with the Father in the beginning, before all the worlds, went back to 'the glory which He had with the Father.' But the new thing was that there went, too, that human nature which Jesus Christ indissolubly united with divinity in the mystery of the lowliness of His earthly life. An ancient prophet foretold that 'in the Messianic times there should spring from the cut-down stump of the royal house of Israel a sucker which, feeble at first, and in strange contrast with the venerable ruin from which it arose, should grow so swiftly, so tall and strong, that it should become an ensign for the nations of the world; and then, he adds, 'and His resting-place shall be glory.' There was a deeper meaning in the words, I suppose, than the prophet knew, and we shall not be chargeable with forcing New Testament ideas upon Old Testament words which are a world too narrow for them, if we say that there is at least shadowed the great thought that the lowly manhood, sprung from the humbled royal stock, shall grow up as a root out of a dry ground, without form or comeliness, and be lifted to find its rest and dwelling-place in the very central blaze of the divine glory. We have a High Priest who, in His Manhood, in which He is knit to us, hath taken His seat on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. Then, again, remember that whilst in such representations as this we have to do with realities set forth under the symbols of time and place, there is yet a profound sense in which that session of Jesus Christ at the right hand of God proclaims both the localisation of His present corporeal humanity and the ubiquity of His presence. For what is 'the right hand of God'? What is it but the manifestation of His energies, the forthputting of His power? And where is that but everywhere, where He makes Himself known? Wheresoever divine activity is manifested, there is Jesus Christ. But yet, though this be true, and though it may be difficult for us to hold the balance and mark the dividing line between symbol and reality, we are not to forget that the facts of Christ's wearing now a real though glorified body, and of His visible corporeal ascension, and the promise of a similar visible corporeal return to earth at the end of the days seem to require the belief that, above all the heavens, and filling all things, as that exalted manhood is, there is yet what we must call a place, wherein that glorified body now abides. And thus both the awful majestic idea of omnipresence, and the no less majestic idea of the present localisation in place of the glorified Christ, are taught us in the text. And what is the deepest meaning of it all? What means that majestic session at 'the right hand of the throne'? Before that throne 'angels veil their faces.' If in action, they stand; if in adoration, they fall before Him. Creatures bow prostrate. Who is He that, claiming and exercising a power which in a creature is blasphemy and madness, takes His seat in that awful presence? Other words of Scripture represent the same idea in a still more wonderful form when they speak of 'the throne of God and of the Lamb,' and when He Himself speaks from heaven of Himself as 'set down with My Father on His throne.' If we translate the symbol into colder words, it means that deep repose, which, like the divine rest after creation, is not for recuperation of exhausted powers, but is the sign of an accomplished purpose and achieved task, a share in the sovereignty of heaven, and the wielding of the energies of deity - rest, royalty, and power belong now to the Man sitting at the right hand of the throne of God."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Letter to the Hebrews Volume 70

 The Absolute Necessity for a New Priesthood Part 9

Hebrews 7:27-28 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for His own sins, and then for the people's: for this He did once, when He offered up Himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the Word of the Oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore. KJV

The facts we just learned from the writer of Hebrews in the previous verse of Christ Nature, His Nontoxicity, and His Noncorruptibility leads us directly into the reality of this very next verse that states this, "Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for His own sins, and then for the people's: for this He did once, when He offered up Himself." (Hebrews 7:27) (KJV). The fact that our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ is the One and Only Unique Man who has ever lived in human history being God and Man simultaneously places Him far above all the previous Hebrew men who held the office of priesthood in the Hebrew Nation. When the writer here declares these words, 'Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for His own sins, and then for the people's', He means that we know that as the God/Man our Lord Jesus Christ was and is perfect and sinless in all word, thought, and deed, therefore, He never needed to offer up any sacrifice for His sins because there never were any, however, all of the previous Levitical priest sinned daily just as did the Hebrew people and needed to have their sins atoned for by offering up a blood sacrifice before the Throne of God in the tabernacle, as it is written for us in Exodus, "Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar; two lambs of the first year day by day continually." (Exodus 29:38) (KJV). In contrast, when the writer of Hebrews declares these words, 'for this He did once, when He offered up Himself', he means that our Lord Jesus Christ offered up Himself as a Perfect Sacrifice (The Lamb of God) for humanities sin, as it is written for us with these words by the Apostle John, "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." (John 1:29) (KJV).

Here is what Dr. John Gil had to say of Hebrews 7:27, "They did on the day of atonement; see Leviticus 16:6 upon which place the Jews make the same remark the Apostle does here; 'he (the high priest, they say) offers sacrifices for the sins of the people, for his own, 'first', 'and afterwards for the sins of the people': which was one reason of the imperfection and insufficiency of their sacrifices; but Christ needed not to offer for His own, nor could He, for He had none of His own; what He had was by imputation; wherefore He only needed to offer, and He only did offer, for the sins of the people; not of the Jews only, but of the Gentiles also, even of all God's covenant people; nor did He need to do this daily, as they did; they offered sacrifice daily, the common priests every day, morning and evening, and the high priest on a stated day once a year, on the day of atonement: for this He did once, when He offered up Himself; and in this also He differed from them; they offered not themselves, but what was inferior to themselves, and what could not take away sin, and, therefore, was repeated; but Christ offered Himself, His whole human nature, soul and body, and both as in union with His Divine Nature; and this being offered to God freely and voluntarily, in the room and stead of His people, was acceptable to God: hereby justice was satisfied; the law fulfilled; sin taken away, and complete salvation obtained; so that there never was since any need of His offering again, nor never will be; which shows the perfection and fulness of His priesthood, and the preference of it to the Levitical one."

Finally, the writer concludes his discourse of marking out the clear, complete, and concrete difference in the weak Levitical priesthood of mortal Hebrew men to the strong eternal Priesthood of our Lord Jesus Christ with these words, "For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the Word of the Oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore." (Hebrews 7:28) (KJV). In the first part of this verse the writer of Hebrews is referring to Aaron and his priesthood being established by God through the Law given to Moses on Mount Sinai, that is, a mountain peak in the southern Sinai Peninsula (7,500 feet high); it is believed to be the peak on which Moses received the Ten Commandments. The English word 'infirmity' is translated by the Greek word astheneia which means feebleness (of body or mind); by implication malady; moral frailty: weakness. In other words, despite the perfection of the Law of God the Levitical priest were imperfect just as all men and women born into the human family are during every era and generation (Romans 3:10-19). The 'Word of the Oath' the writer of Hebrews again refers to is that word spoken by God the Father through King David in the entire Psalm 110, but specifically in verse 4, "The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The LORD shall send the Rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule Thou in the midst of Thine enemies. 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. The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. The Lord at Thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of His wrath. He shall judge among the heathen, He shall fill the places with the dead bodies; He shall wound the heads over many countries. He shall drink of the brook in the way: therefore shall He lift up the head." (Psalms 110:1-7) (KJV). When the writer of Hebrews says, 'maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore', he means that Jesus Christ is now the One and Only Hebrew/Jewish Priest for the rest of time and all of eternity, but not only is He Priest of the Jews, but also of the entire Gentile world as well. The little English phrase 'who is consecrated' is translated by the Greek word teleioō which means to complete, that is, (literally) accomplish, or (figuratively) consummate (in character): - consecrate, finish, fulfil, (make) perfect.

Here is what Dr. John Gill had to say of Hebrews 7:28, "Every word has an emphasis on it, and shows the difference between Christ and these priests: they were many; they were made priests by the law, the law of a carnal commandment, which made nothing perfect, and was disannulled; they were men that were made priests by it, and could not really draw nigh to God, and mediate with Him for themselves, or others, nor atone either for their own or others' sins; and they were men that had infirmity, not natural and corporeal, for they were to have no bodily blemishes and deficiencies in them, but sinful ones; and especially such were they who bore this office under the second temple, and particularly in the times of Christ and His Apostles. That word which had an oath annexed to it, which declared Christ an High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, was since the law of the priesthood of Aaron; for though Christ was made a Priest from eternity, yet the promise which declared it, and had an oath joined to it, was afterwards in David's time, Psalms 110:4 and this word of the oath maketh the Son; not a Son, but a Priest; publishes and declares Him to be so: Christ, though a man, yet He is not mere Man; He is the Son of God, and as such opposed to men; and therefore is not the Son of God as Man; and this shows that He was a Son before He was a Priest, and therefore is not so called on account of His Office; and it is His being the Son of God which gives lustre and glory to His Priestly Office, and virtue and efficacy to His sacrifice and intercession, and gives Him the preference to all other priests: who is consecrated for evermore; or 'perfected', or 'perfect'; He is perfect in His obedience and sufferings, in His sacrifice, and as He is now in heaven, in complete glory; the law made men priests that did not continue, but Christ is a Priest for evermore, and absolutely, perfect."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Letter to the Hebrews Volume 69

 The Absolute Necessity for a New Priesthood Part 8

Hebrews 7:26 For such an High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;  KJV Note: CEV= Contemporary English Version

Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for sin is our propitiation, that is, His death was the atonement or the compensation for all our sins and wrongdoing eternally before the Throne of God the Father, therefore, we find next the writer of Hebrews giving a detailed narrative of why He alone was and is the High Priest needed to the replace the Levitical Hebrew high priest, but also the High Priest for the entire Gentile world of humanity as well, as it is written here in Hebrews 7:26, "For such an High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;" (Hebrews 7:26) (KJV). The idea (to many skeptics or people who don't believe in God or that He even exist) that He (God) became a Man sounds more like a fantasy novel to them than the absolute reality it truly is, however, to those of us who have been redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ it is not fantasy or fiction or folly, but it is our assurance, our authority, and our affirmation that we have a God the only God who not only loves us enormously, but also wanted to become just like those whom He created (who had drifted away from Him and His love because of Adam's disobedience) in order to sympathize with our human condition becoming our overcomer and deliverer for us of our greatest fear and that being death, as it is written for us by this same writer of Hebrews way back in Chapter 2 with these words (remember them), "We are people of flesh and blood. That is why Jesus became one of us. He died to destroy the devil, who had power over death. But He also died to rescue all of us who live each day in fear of dying. Jesus clearly did not come to help angels, but He did come to help Abraham's descendants. He had to be one of us, so that He could serve God as our merciful and faithful High Priest and sacrifice Himself for the forgiveness of our sins. And now that Jesus has suffered and was tempted, He can help anyone else who is tempted." (Hebrews 2:14-18) (CEV).

Who is this High Priest Jesus Christ who became us? First, the writer of Hebrews here in Hebrews 7:26 declares Jesus Christ 'holy' and this English word is translated by the Greek word hosios meaning that He is pure from sinful defilement and perfectly answering God the Father's will in reverent piety (this is not true of any other human being past, present, or future). Here is what Alexander MacLaren says about Jesus Christ being 'Holy', "'He is holy'; that is to say, not so much morally free from guilt as standing in a certain relation to God. The word here used for 'holy' has a special meaning. It is the representative of an Old Testament word, which seems to mean 'Devoted to God in love.' And it expresses not merely the fact of consecration, but the motive and the means of that consecration, as being the result of God's love or mercy which kindles self-surrendering love in the recipient. Such is the first qualification for a Priest, that He shall be knit to God by loving devotion, and have a heart throbbing in unison with the Divine Heart in all its tenderness of pity and in all its nobleness and loftiness of purity." Second, the writer here in Hebrews 7:26 declares Jesus Christ 'harmless' and this English word is translated by the Greek word akakos which means not bad, that is, (objectively) innocent or (subjectively) unsuspecting: - harmless, guileless, free from malice and craft. Here is what Alexander MacLaren says about Jesus Christ being 'harmless', "The priest we need must, in relation to men, be harmless - without malice, guile, unkindness; a Lamb of God, with neither horns to butt, nor teeth to tear, nor claws to wound, but gentle and gracious, sweet and compassionate; or, as we read in another place in this same letter, 'a merciful High Priest in things pertaining to God.'" Third, the writer here in Hebrews 7:26 delcares Jesus Christ 'undefiled' and this English word is translated by the Greek word amiantos meaning unsoiled, that is, (figuratively) pure: - undefiled; not defiled by stain contracted from others, in relation to men. Temptation, to which He was exposed, left no trace of evil in Him. Here is what Alexander MacLaren says about Jesus Christ being 'undefiled', "The priest that we men, spattered and befouled with the mire and filth of sin, which has left deep stains upon our whole nature, need, must be one 'undefiled,' on whose white garments there shall be no speck; on the virgin purity of whose nature there shall be no stain; who shall stand above us, though He be one of us, and whilst 'it behoves Him to be made in all points like unto His brethren,' shall yet be 'without blemish and without spot.'"

Fourth, when the writer of Hebrews declares our Lord Jesus Christ to be 'separate from sinners', he means that even though He is still Man and God both simultaneously, He is no longer among us here on the earth, but rather separated from us by His exaltation by God the Father to His Right Hand, as it is written here, "After the Lord Jesus had said these things to the disciples, He was taken back up to heaven where He sat down at the right side of God." (Mark 16:19) (CEV) and as it is wrtten here, "But Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice that is good forever. Also while He was on the earth, He was seperate from sinners in the fact that He never sinned once in word, thought, or deed which made Him the unique, that is, the radically distinctive and without equal Man ever to live in human history. Now He is sitting at God's right side;" (Hebrews 10:12) (CEV) and lastly as it is written here, "Christ is now in heaven, where He sits at the right side of God. All angels, authorities, and powers are under His control." (1 Peter 3:22) (CEV). Christ has been lifted above His brethren here on the earth physically, but He is with each and every one of us spiritually through God the Holy Spirit who is not only with each one of us who have been born again, but He dwells within us (John 14:17).

Fifth, when the writer of Hebrews declares that our Lord Jesus Christ is 'made higher than the heavens', he means that He passed through the heavens as not only God, but as Man also, just as this same writer of Hebrews declared for us earlier in Chapter 4 with these words, "We have a great High Priest, who has gone into heaven, and He is Jesus the Son of God. That is why we must hold on to what we have said about Him. Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because He was tempted in every way that we are. But He did not sin! So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help." (Hebrews 4:14-16) (CEV). He (Jesus Christ) the God/Man is the perfect Man and Human and we are the imperfect men and women and this is why each and everyone of us need Him to stand in our place before the Throne of God the Father who is of such pure eyes that He cannot look upon evil (Habakkuk 1:13).

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Letter to the Hebrews Volume 68

 The Absolute Necessity for a New Priesthood Part 7

Hebrews 7:25 Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them. KJV

The writer of Hebrews now continues, or carries on, and also confirms the oath God the Father made through King David in Psalms 110:4 and that being that the Priesthood of our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ is not just an everlasting one, but it is first and foremost for the sinners on the earth who have already and will during anytime further in human history come to His Cross in repentance and faith. Jesus Christ is God come down from heaven, but He is for humanity God our Savior, as written for us by the Apostle Paul to Brother Titus with these words, "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:13-14) (KJV). With this point, premise, and preface being declared we now find the writer of Hebrews expounding to us (I believe) the thing that is the highest honor for our Lord Jesus Christ and the thing that gives Him His greatest joy, as it is written here, "Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them." (Hebrews 7:25) (KJV). Because Jesus Christ is High Priest alone and forever, He is the only One that can restore, reconcile, and return sinful man into a right relationship with God the Father (who was rebelled against by all of humanities Father Adam). Salvation from sin and evil is not a right for the 'good' human beings (because none of us are good), as it is clearly written for us by the Apostle Paul with these words, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." (Romans 3:10-12) (KJV), but salvation is for any sinner who reconizes their lost sinful state or condition and comes to the Cross of Jesus Christ with nothing of value from themselves and pleads for mercy to be granted based solely upon what Jesus Christ has done in their place taking on their sin and suffering their punishment on the Cross satisfying the justice of God the Father eternally. The English word in Hebrews 7:25 'uttermost' is translated by the Greek word pantelēs which means full ended, that is, entire completion: perfectly, in any wise or utterly. The little English phrase 'to make intercession' is translated by the Greek word entugchanō which means to chance upon, that is, (by implication) confer with; by extension to entreat (in favor or against): - deal with, make intercession or intervention, that is, our Lord Jesus Christ identifying Himself with the sinful human beings that He died for on the Cross at Calvary. In other words, salvation through Jesus Christ (which is the only salvation offered to sinful humanity John 14:6) is not something that a sinner gets and then may lose at some point, but here in Hebrews 7:25 the writer of Hebrews squashes all notion of this argument by declaring the Eternal Son of God/God the Son ever lives to make intercession for us, that is, always declaring us to be His and intervening on our behalf when we are maligned maliciously before the Throne of God the Father by our perpetual accuser (the devil Revelation 12:10). Just like a baby born into a particular human family will always be a part of that family, so is it with all of us who are truly born again into God's Heavenly Eternal family through the Blood of the Lamb (our sacrifice for sin) Jesus Christ.

Here is what Dr. John Gill had to say of Hebrews 7:25, "Because He continues ever, and has an unchangeable Priesthood. This is to be understood not of temporal salvation, nor of providential favours, but of spiritual and eternal salvation; and includes a deliverance from all evil, here and hereafter, and an enjoyment of all good in this world, and in that to come: Christ was called to this work by His Father; He was promised by Him to do it, and was sent by Him to effect it, and has accomplished it; and this is the reason of His name Jesus, and was the end of His coming into this world, and which the Gospel always represents as such: this work required ability; here was a law to be fulfilled; justice to be satisfied; sin to be bore, removed, and atoned for; many enemies to engage with, and a cursed death to undergo: it was a work no creature, angels, or men, were able to undertake and perform; the priests under the law could not; men cannot save themselves, nor can any creature work out salvation for them: but Christ is able; as appears from the help His Father laid on Him, who knew Him to be mighty; from His own undertaking it, being mighty to save; and from His having completely effected it; and He must needs be able to do it, since He is the mighty God: and He is able to save to the uttermost; 'to the utmost perfection', as the Arabic version renders it; so as nothing can be wanting in the salvation He is the author of, nor anything added to it; or 'for ever', as the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, and Ethiopic versions render it; to the utmost of time, even to eternity, as well as to the utmost of men's wants: the persons He is able to save, are such that come to God by Him; Christ is able to save all the world, were it His will; but not His absolute power is designed by His ability, but that power which by His will is put into act; and reaches not to all men, for all are not saved; and those that are, are described by special characters, as here; they are such who come to God, not essentially considered, but personally, or in the person of the Father; and not as an absolute God, but as in Christ; not as on a throne of justice, but as on a throne of grace and mercy; not only as Christ's Father, but as theirs; and not only as the God of nature and providence, but as the God of grace: and this act of coming to Him is a fruit of His everlasting love; an effect of Christ's death; is peculiar to regenerate persons; takes in the whole service of God, especially prayer; is not local but spiritual, it is by faith; and supposes spiritual life, and implies a sense of need, and of God's ability and willingness to help: the medium, or mean, by which such come to God, is Christ. Man had access to God in his state of innocence, but sinning, was not admitted; there is no approaching now unto Him without a middle person; Christ is the Mediator, who having made peace, atoned for sin, satisfied justice, and brought in an everlasting righteousness, introduces His people into God's presence; in whom their persons and services are accepted, and through whom all blessings are communicated to them: seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them; Christ ever lives as God, He is the living God; and though He died as man, He is risen from the dead, and will not die again, but live for evermore; and He lives as Mediator and Redeemer, and particularly as a Priest; one branch of whose office it is to intercede for His people: this He does now in heaven; not by vocal prayer and supplication, at least not as in the days of His flesh; or as if He was supplicating an angry Judge; nor as controverting, or litigating, a point the court of heaven; but by the appearance of His person for them; by the presentation of His sacrifice, blood, and righteousness; by declaring His will, that such and such blessings be bestowed on such and such persons; and by recommending the prayers of His people, and removing the charges and accusations of Satan: the things He intercedes for are, the conversion of His that are in a state of nature; the consolation of distressed ones; fresh discoveries of pardoning grace to fallen believers; renewed strength to oppose sin, exercise grace, discharge duty, and bear up under temptations, and deliverance out of them; perseverance in faith and holiness, and eternal glorification; and He intercedes for these things; not for all the world, but for all the elect, even though transgressors; and He is very fit for this work, as the following verse shows; He is the one and only Mediator; and He is a very prevalent intercessor, He always succeeds; and He does this work readily, willingly, cheerfully, and freely; and all this proves Him to be able to save; for though the impetration of salvation is by His death, the application of it is owing to His interceding life; had He died and not lived again, He could not have saved to the uttermost; His life is the security of His people's, and He lives for them, and as their representative; the blessed, effects of which they constantly enjoy."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Letter to the Hebrews Volume 67

The Absolute Necessity for a New Priesthood Part 6

Hebrews 7:23-24 And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: But this Man, because He continueth forever, hath an unchangeable Priesthood. KJV

Next the writer of Hebrews here makes for us the clear, complete, and certain distinction of those men who made up the Levitical priesthood as descendants of Aaron with the Priesthood that is our Lord Jesus Christ and that being the Aaronic priesthood consisted of Mortal men who each died at some point during their earthly dwelling and never returned from the dead, therefore, we now read these words from the writer of Hebrews, "And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:" (Hebrews 7:23) (KJV). The English phrase 'they were not suffered' is translated by the Greek word kōluō which means to estop, that is, prevent (by word or act): - forbid, hinder, keep from, let, not suffer, withstand. In other words, Mortal man (no matter who they are or how high their earthly status or position) is not able to stop or prevent their death from happening, it is inevitable, therefore, with the constant change of high priest among the Hebrews brought about different ideas, ideology, and even made some into idols which caused chaos, confusion, and conflict among the Hebrew people and caused so many heavy burdens to be attached to the worship of God that were impossible for the Hebrew people to adhere to, as our Lord Jesus Christ rebuked them of that very thing with these words, "Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to His disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers." (Matthew 23:1-4) (KJV). Here is what Dr. John Gill had to say of Hebrews 7:23, "There were many common priests at a time; and though there was but one high priest at a time, yet there were many of them in a line of succession from Aaron down to the Apostle's time. The Jews say, that under the first temple eighteen high priests ministered, and under the second temple more than three hundred: this shows the imperfection of this priesthood, since it was in many hands; no one continuing and being sufficient to execute it; but Christ is the One and Only High Priest; there is no other, nor is there any need of any other: the reason why there were so many under the law was, death has a power to forbid a long continuance in this world, and no man does continue long here: death puts a stop to men's works, and to the exercise of their several callings; no office, even the most sacred, exempts from it; no, not the office of high priests: these were but men, sinful men, and so died; and their discontinuance by reason of death shows the imperfection of their priesthood: there was another reason besides this which the Apostle gives, why the high priests were so many, and especially about this time; and that is, the office was bought for money, and men that would give most were put into it: hence there were frequent changes; the Jews themselves say, they changed every twelve months."

However, the God/Man Jesus Christ died once on the Cross (for the sins of the entire world) and rose again or resurrected from the dead and in so doing ushered in a new life for mankind, an eternal life with a new glorified body that comprised flesh and bone and which would never be subject to death anymore, therefore, we read these next words from the writer of Hebrews, "But this Man, because He continueth forever, hath an unchangeable Priesthood." (Hebrews 7:24) (KJV). Because our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ will never die, then, He is the singular High Priest forever with no successor ever to replace Him. The English word 'continueth' is translated by the Greek word menō a primary verb which means to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy): - abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand. The little English phrase 'an unchangeable' is translated by the Greek word aparabatos (used this one time only in the New Testament) meaning not passing away, that is, untransferable (perpetual): - unchangeable. Jesus Christ testified to the early disciples when He appeared to them (after His Resurrection) with these words as documented for us by the Gospel writer Luke, "And as they thus spake, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And He said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself: handle Me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have. And when He had thus spoken, He shewed them His hands and His feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, He said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And He took it, and did eat before them. And He said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me. Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on High." (Luke 24:36-49) (KJV). The most wonderful thing for me and for everyone who is born again and belongs to our Lord Jesus Christ is that we will have a glorified body like unto His when we are with Him in heaven forever, as it is written, "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." (1 John 3:1-2) (KJV). Here is what Dr. John Gill says of Hebrews 7:24, "Though He died, death did not forbid Him to continue, as it does other men; He was not forced to die, He died voluntarily; and He continued but for a small time under the power of death; besides, His death was a branch of His Priestly office: so that He not only continued in His divine nature, which still had the human nature in union with it, but He continued in His office as a Priest, and quickly rose from the dead; and the virtue of His sacrifice always remains, and He Himself ever lives as an intercessor: wherefore He hath an unchangeable Priesthood; which will never be antiquated, and give place to another; nor does it, or ever will it pass from Him to another, for it is needless, seeing He lives, and no other is sufficient for it; and it would be injustice to pass it to another; the glory of it is due to Him; and this is matter of comfort to the saints, that He sits a Priest upon His throne, and that His Priesthood always continues."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…


 

Letter to the Hebrews Volume 66

 The Absolute Necessity for a New Priesthood Part 5

Hebrews 7:20-22 And inasmuch as not without an oath He was made priest: (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by Him that said unto Him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek:) By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. KJV

It was the singular, sincere, and solemn oath of God the Father as declared by King David in Psalms 110:4 (which we detailed in the Volume 65) that made our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ a High Priest forever. The oath of God through King David testifies to the superiority of Christ's Priesthood above all the others, therefore, we find the writer of Hebrews stating this fact with the following words, "And inasmuch as not without an oath He was made priest:" (Hebrews 7:20) (KJV). There was never any oath taken by God the Father to any of the priest who came from the loins of Aaron (Moses's brother), for God the Father never declared to Aaron (or any of his descendents) that his priesthood would continue on the earth indefinately. Here is the way Adam Clarke summed up Hebrews 7:20, "'The Apostle's reasoning here is founded on this, that God never interposed His oath, except to show the certainty and immutability of the thing sworn. Thus He sware to Abraham, Genesis 22:16-18, that in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed; and to the rebellious Israelites, Deuteronomy 1:34-35, that they should not enter into His rest; and to Moses, Deuteronomy 4:21, that he should not go into Canaan; and to David, Psalms 89:4, that his seed should endure forever, and his throne unto all generations. Wherefore, since Christ was made a Priest, not without an oath that he should be a Priest forever, after the similitude of Melchizedek, that circumstance showed God's immutable resolution never to change or abolish His Priesthood, nor to change or abolish the covenant which was established on His Priesthood; whereas the Levitical priesthood and the law of Moses, being established without an oath, were thereby declared to be changeable at God's pleasure.' This judicious note is from Dr. Macknight."

The writer of Hebrews goes on further to make the point of distinction between those men of the Levitical priesthood and the Priesthood of the Man Christ Jesus as he continues his thought from verse 20 with these words, "(For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by Him that said unto Him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek:)" (Hebrews 7:21) (KJV). The Lord God appointed Aaron and his sons after him to the office of priesthood in Exodus Chapter 28, but He never declared that his priesthood would be an everlasting one. The Lord God only declared, detailed, and described the holy garments that Aaron and those after him would wear in order to be acceptable in God's presence, as written with these words, "And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office." (Exodus 28:4) (KJV). When the writer says, 'The Lord sware and will not repent', he simply is saying that God the Father promises solemnly by the oath taken that Jesus Christ is the Eternal High Priest and that He will not change His mind regarding this fact. Here is what Adam Clarke had to say of Hebrews 7:21, "The Levitical priest, were made without an oath, to show that the whole system was changeable, and might be abolished. The Everlasting priesthood of Christ, with an oath, to show that the Gospel dispensation should never change, and never be abolished. God the Father, that said unto Him - the promised Messiah, Psalms 110:4, The Lord sware, to show the immutability of His counsel, and will not repent - can never change His mind nor purpose, Thou art a Priest forever - as long as time shall run, and the generations of men be continued on earth. Till the necessity of the mediatorial kingdom be superseded by the fixed state of eternity, till this kingdom be delivered up unto the Father, and God shall be all in all, shall this priesthood of Christ endure."

The dispensation of the Mosaic law and the Levitical priesthood which is the Old Covenant God the Father made with humanity through the Hebrew Nation is now abolished through the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ and the perfect life He lived (satisfying the holiness of God) and the sacrificial death He underwent taking upon Himself the sins of the entire world (satisfying the punishment of God for humanities sin) and a New Covenant (a far better Covenant) has been ushered in as we read with these words from the writer of Hebrews, "By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament." (Hebrews 7:22) (KJV). The little English phrase 'a surety' is translated by the Greek word egguos (used this one time only in the New Testament) meaning (a limb); pledged (as if articulated by a member), that is, a bondsman: - surety. In other words, the miraculous birth, the selfless, sinless, and supernatural life of Jesus Christ along with His sacrificial death is the world's limb or pledge or guarantee of this New Covenant with humanity which is a far better Covenant because it is a covenant of grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ alone which gives every single sinner an opportunity to receive the free gift of salvation by doing nothing to earn it or to work for it, but only to accept it. Note: "A Word Picture for You to illustrate; Imagine that there was a giant warehouse that kept or stored a free Christmas gift from a person in a particular town who sent out letters of notification to every single person (man, woman, and child) and offered them their individual gift and all they had to do was say yes and their personal gift would be brought directly to each of them. This is what Jesus Christ has done for every sinner on the planet through His death, burial, and resurrection from the dead and His declaration of His Gospel through the men and women He has sent out into the world. It is just like the free Christmas gift offered, but only those who respond will receive it, that is, the gift of salvation and living eternally with Him in heaven (John 14:6)." Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of Hebrews 7:22, "There is a change in that covenant of which the priesthood was a security and the priest a surety; that is, a change in the dispensation of that covenant. The Gospel dispensation is more full, free, perspicuous, spiritual, and efficacious, than that of the law. Christ is in this Gospel covenant a surety for us to God and for God to us, to see that the articles be performed on both parts He, as surety, has united the divine and human nature together in His own person, and therein given assurance of reconciliation; and He has, as surety, united God and man together in the bond of the everlasting covenant. He pleads with men to keep their covenant with God, and He pleads with God that He will fulfil His promises to men, which He is always ready to do in a way suitable to His majesty and glory, that is, through a Mediator."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Letter to the Hebrews Volume 65

 The Absolute Necessity for a New Priesthood Part 4

Hebrews 7:18-19 For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. KJV

Again we find the writer of Hebrews simply with this next verse giving us another reference to the reality that the coming of the Messiah our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ and the Prophecy by King David of His eternal Priesthood in Psalms 110:4 and that the old Levitical priesthood and the Mosaic law which went hand and hand together must be now abnegated, annulled, and abolished forever in order to make way for the new and perfect way of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the accopaning Grace of God that comes with the Gospel, therefore, we read these next words from the writer of Hebrews, "For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof." (Hebrews 7:18) (KJV). The English word 'disannulling' is translated by the Greek word athetēsis meaning cancellation (literally or figuratively): - disannulling, put away. The English word 'weakness' is translated by the Greek word asthenēs meaning strengthless (in various applications, literally, or figuratively and morally): - more feeble, impotent, sick, without strength. The English word 'unprofitableness' is translated by the Greek word anōpheles which means useless or (neuter) inutility, that is, the quality of having no practical use. In other words, the Levitical priesthood and the Law were both void of power to make any person free from the guilt of their sin or to cleanse the sinners conscience. It was only given by God to lead the people to the Antitype meaning a person or thing represented or foreshadowed by a type or symbol; especially a figure in the Old Testament having a counterpart in the New Testament, that is, to the One (Jesus Christ the Messiah) who by His Blood could cleanse the conscience and free every sinner who comes to Him from the guilt and stain of their past tresspasses and sins and could renew the sinners mind giving him or her a new nature (John 3:5 & 2 Peter 1:4) and a desire to please Him not from fear of punishment exclusively, but more for love of the One/Jesus (John 14:15) who looked upon us in our wrechted, wrong, and worthless sinful state and still loved us so much that He stepped in at Calvary died in our place or in our stead for all our guilty rotten sin committed against Him, as it is written by the Apostle Paul with these words, "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:6-8) (KJV). Here is what Adam Clarke had to say of Hebrews 7:18, "There is a total abrogation, of the former law, relative to the Levitical priesthood. It had no energy; it communicated none; it had no Spirit to minister; it required perfect obedience, but furnished no assistance to those who were under it. No man was benefited by the mere observance of its precepts: it pardoned no sin, changed no heart, reformed no life; it found men dead in trespasses and sins, and it consigned them to eternal death. It was therefore weak in itself, and unprofitable to men."

Next the writer of Hebrews goes further to declare that the observance of the Mosaic law and the following of the Levitical priesthood made no one in the Hebrew Nation able to be in close relationship with God, for it only made them feel even more the distance that their sin placed them from God. However, through the Messiah (Christ) the Hebrew Nation and every Gentile now has an opportunity to come into a real and true relationship and fellowship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, as it is written with these words, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 2:5) (KJV). So, we find these words written by the writer of Hebrews detailing the unprofitable nature of the Mosaic law and the Levitical priesthood, "For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God." (Hebrews 7:19) (KJV). Even the Moral Law of God (the Ten Commandments) by themselves had no power inherent within them to give sinners a new life (2 Corinthians 5:17), the Moral Law was not given through Moses to make sinners better, but the Moral Law was given to be a mirror to show every sinner their filthiness before a Holy and Righteous God, as Paul declared concerning the law with these words, "Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression." (Romans 4:15) (KJV). The Mosaic Law nor the Moral Law did nothing to enable sinners to 'draw nigh' to God. This little English phrase 'draw nigh' is translated by the Greek word eggizō which means to make near, that is, (reflexively) approach: - approach, be at hand, come (draw) near, be (come, draw) nigh. However, now we see that 'in Christ' we have a 'better' 'hope' and the English word 'better' is translated by the Greek word kreittōn which means stronger, that is, (figuratively) better, that is, nobler: - best, better. The English word 'hope' is translated by the Greek word elpis which means confident expectation. So, the conclusion then is that the Levitical priesthood and the Mosaic law were not capable of cleansing the sinners guilty conscience nor giving a new nature, nor bringing the sinner close to God. The Moral Law of God (the Ten Commandments) were likewise not able to do those things as well, but Jesus Christ is the fulfillment, that is, He is the consummation of the whole Levitical priesthood dispensation and all of the Mosaic Law found in Genesis through Deuteronomy and the entire Moral Law having kept the Ten Commandments perfectly never sinning once in word, thought, or deed, therefore, He (Christ) and having a personal relationship with Him through the new birth (John 3:5-7) is the only way any sinner (no matter who you are, famous or unknown; King or Queen; President or Dictator) can be exceptable to God the Father, for when God the Father looks at me Clifford DeWayne Tate, Sr. He does not see my filthiness, but He sees my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and His perfection or perfectness, this is what it means to be saved by grace (Ephesians 2:1-10). Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of Hebrews 7:19, "The priesthood of Christ carries in it, and brings along with it, a better hope; it shows us the true foundation of all the hope we have towards God for pardon and salvation; it more clearly discovers the great objects of our hope; and so it tends to work in us a more strong and lively hope of acceptance with God. By this hope we are encouraged to draw nigh unto God, to enter into a covenant-union with Him, to live a life of converse and communion with Him. We may now draw near with a true heart, and with the full assurance of faith, having our minds sprinkled from an evil conscience. The former priesthood rather kept men at a distance, and under a spirit of bondage."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…

Letter to the Hebrews Volume 64

 The Absolute Necessity for a New Priesthood Part 3

Hebrews 7:15-17 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchizedek there ariseth another Priest, Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. For He testifieth, Thou art a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. KJV

The writer of Hebrews here in verse 15 is only expounding further the fact that Jesus Christ has come to abolish the old Levitical Priesthood and not only become the New Priest for all Hebrews, but for every other tribe on the earth, as it is written for us concerning this fact by the Apostle John with these words, "And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy Blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." (Revelation 5:9) (KJV). Also, as we declared in the last study/commentary, our Lord, Master, and Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed the law of ordinances and ceremonies and has made a new way as clearly pointed out for us by these two Scriptures, first, "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." (John 1:17) (KJV) and second, "I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain." (Galatians 2:21) (KJV). So this is why again we read these words from the writer of Hebrews just strongly reiterating what he wrote in Hebrews 7:14, "And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchizedek there ariseth another Priest," (Hebrews 7:15) (KJV). The Greek word the writer of Hebrews used in Hebrews 7:14 for the English word 'evident' was prodēlos which meant plain before all men, that is, obvious. However, the Greek word used here in Hebrews 7:15 for the English word 'evident' is katadēlos which means thoroughly clear or thoroughly evident or more abundantly evident. The writer is making a much stronger emphasis on the fact or the reality that not only did our Lord Jesus Christ come from a different Hebrew tribe (Judah) than that of all the other Hebrew priest who all came from the tribe of Levi, but He (Christ) being THE New Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek testifies to the unsatisfactory and unacceptable nature and character of the Levitical priesthood. Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of Hebrews 7:15, "Not that our Lord would spring out of Judah, but the point which he was endeavoring to establish that there must be a change of the priesthood, was rendered still more evident from another consideration. A strong proof of the necessity of such a change of the priesthood was furnished from the fact that the Messiah was to be of the tribe of Judah; but a much stronger, because 'as a priest' He was to be of the order of Melchizedek - that is, He was of the same rank with One who did not even belong to that tribe."

Now the writer of Hebrews makes another strong argument (for me) that our Lord Jesus Christ was Melchizedek who appeared unto Abraham all those thousands of years earlier by now again declaring the eternality of His Priesthood and His life, as written here in these next two (2) verses, "Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. For He testifieth, Thou art a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 7:16-17) (KJV). Melchizedek had no beginning of days nor was there any end of days recorded of this Man anywhere in Scripture, therefore, once again it is a testimony of the likeness of Christ and Melchizedek being one in the same. Christ is not an High Priest according to the Mosaic law which consisted of many man-made rules and traditions the Hebrew Priest established on their own without the command and blessing of God the Father. However, the mighty spiritual nature of the Gospel of Jesus Christ did not and could not come from or through the Levitical Priesthood or any of the individual Levi priest, but the fact is that the Gospel is inherent with the Power of God, as it is written for us with these words from the Apostle Paul, "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the Power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16) (KJV). This is why and only why any atheist, that is, someone who does not believe in God; someone who believes that no deities or no God exist, can here the Gospel of Grace which is the Gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-11) and be moved upon in their inner man or inner woman (by God the Holy Spirit) with the conviction of their own personal sin against God and the eternal consequences of their sin being eternal separation from God (Hell and Lake of Fire) and be saved or born again and then not only believe in God/Jesus, but love Him and declare His Name and Gospel everywhere they can. Here is what Adam Clarke had to say of these two (2) verses, "Appointed to this high office by God Himself, not succeeding one that was disabled or dead, according to that law or ordinance directed to weak and perishing men, who could not continue by reason of death. This is probably all that the Apostle intends by the words carnal commandment, for carnal does not always mean sinful or corrupt, but feeble, frail, or what may be said of or concerning man in his present dying condition. But after the power of an endless life - Not dying, or ceasing through weakness to be a Priest; but properly immortal Himself, and having the power to confer life and immortality on others. He ever lives, as Priest, to make intercession for men; and they who believe on Him shall never perish, but have everlasting life. For He testifieth - That is, either the Scripture, in the place so often quoted, or God by that Scripture. Thou art a Priest forever - This is the proof that He was not appointed according to the carnal commandment, but according to the power of an endless life, because He is a Priest forever; i.e. One that never dies, and is never disabled from performing the important functions of His office; for if He be a Priest forever, He ever lives."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…