Hebrews 7:18-28

The Context and Purpose of Hebrews 7

The author of Hebrews presents Jesus Christ as superior to the Old Testament system. The audience faces pressure to return to that system, with its sacrifices and regulations that could never make anyone morally pure. These were meant for ritual purity, especially in the priesthood, with severe consequences—like tying a rope around the high priest's leg before entering the Holy of Holies, in case he died unclean.

The author compares the Old Levitical system to the New Covenant in Christ to aid our perseverance. In our human weakness, we may doubt our salvation or Christ's effectiveness. Yet Jesus, our high priest, sympathizes with our weaknesses because He experienced humanity yet prevailed flawlessly. These truths strengthen our faith and confidence in Christ, helping authentic believers persevere to the end.

This assists our sanctification and spiritual growth—a key concern in Hebrews, where the audience stalled at milk, needing aids like those in chapter 6. Tonight's text highlights an often-neglected element in preaching: Christ's intercession, essential to understanding atonement and salvation.

The Insufficiency of the Levitical Priesthood

For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and unprofitableness (for the law made nothing perfect); on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope through which we draw near to God.

The Levitical priesthood was insufficient, never intended to accomplish salvation. It wasn't weak in its purpose but useless for perfecting worshippers—meaning complete atonement, forgiveness, acceptance before God, and union with Christ.

Old Testament atonement (kafar in Hebrew) covered sins temporarily, restoring fellowship until the next sin required another sacrifice. Yom Kippur was the annual day of covering. The system reminded people of sin, acting as a schoolmaster leading to Christ—like a blueprint pointing to the New Covenant reality.

Priests were imperfect, offering sacrifices for their own sins first, hindered by death. The law could never perfect anyone; salvation is by faith alone, as Romans and Galatians emphasize.

Application for Today

For first-century Jews under pressure, this showed the Old system's imperfection. Today, though the temple is destroyed, parallels remain. Christianity isn't popular; youth often fall away (95% by college) because shallow faith doesn't root deeply.

Christ surpasses our pre-Christian idolatry and lawbreaking. False systems persist: Mormons claim priesthoods beyond Christ; Roman Catholics offer perpetual sacrifices, contradicting Christ's once-for-all offering (ephapax—once, excluding repetition). Some obsess over Jewish practices like dietary laws, ignoring Colossians 2.

The Superiority and Sufficiency of Christ's Melchizedekian Priesthood

And inasmuch as He was not made priest without an oath (for they have become priests without an oath, but He with an oath by Him who said to Him: “The Lord has sworn and will not relent, ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek’”); by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant. Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

Christ's priesthood is superior: sworn by God, permanent, enabling complete salvation for those who come through Him—because He always lives to make intercession.

For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.

The Sacrifice and Intercession of Christ

In the Old system, the high priest's work continued after sacrifice: taking blood into the Holy of Holies to intercede. Christ's intercession is often neglected, yet vital.

Christ's intercession harmonizes with atonement—ever-present reality of His completed sacrifice and our union with Him. He carries our names specifically before the Father (Exodus 28:29), securing the Holy Spirit (John 14:16).

Legally, as our advocate, He silences accusations:

Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. (Romans 8:33-34)

No condemnation for those in Christ (Romans 8:1).

His intercession aids sanctification, saving "to the uttermost"—highest quality and eternal duration (Hebrews 7:25; cf. Hebrews 2:9-11). It's His ongoing prayer ministry, as in John 17, praying specifically for His own: "I do not pray for the world, but for those whom You have given Me" (John 17:9). He prayed for Peter against Satan (Luke 22:31-32).

This comforts amid trials: Christ prays for you specifically, His intercession unfailing. It assures no wrath, pulls us from sin, conforms us to His image—making Him beautiful as we grasp sin's cost He bore.

Cling to this effective work: He saves to the uttermost.