We See Jesus

Uplook – December 2020 — Grace & Truth Magazine

“We See Jesus”
Jesus In Hebrews

We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. —Hebrews 2:9 NKJV

The Epistle to the Hebrews is about the Lord Jesus, His person and His work. The name “Jesus” occurs 14 times in this wonderful epistle, including the one time it refers to Joshua, who led Israel into the Promised Land (4:8 KJV , JND ).

In this article we intend to consider eight points about Jesus from the epistle. The number eight in Scripture represents a new beginning. This is emphasized by the numerical value of the name of Jesus in Greek, IESOUS, which is 888. We note, too, that in Hebrew His name is Yeshua, meaning “Yahweh is salvation.” It was given before His virgin conception and birth (Mt. 1; Lk. 1).

1. Jesus Is Jehovah And Man
Hebrews 1 presents the greatness of the Lord Jesus as being Jehovah Himself. The mystery of the Trinity and of the eternal Son who came into this world as a perfect Man are both linked to the blessed mystery that Jesus is Jehovah God, or YHWH. This four-letter word is God’s Hebrew name and was not spoken by the Jews because of their fear of blasphemy – a wrong conclusion from Exodus 20:7.

Let’s remember that the Father sent His Son, who was born of a woman (Gal. 4:4) the mystery of the incarnation (Jn. 1:14,18). Hebrews 2 emphasizes Jesus’ greatness in manhood and shows that He is higher than the angels, even though angels are higher than human beings in the order of creation. Yet, Jesus was made a little lower than the angels – who cannot die – when He suffered on the cross and died. This shows how great the grace of God is toward us.

“A little lower” also means “a little while,” namely between His dying and His resurrection. Now He is the Man exalted in heaven and above all angels! The despised Jesus of Nazareth humbled Himself and became obedient to death – even the death of the cross (Phil. 2:8) – but is now crowned with glory and honor.

All true believers may see Him in this way through faith and the Holy Spirit, whom we received when we believed. “We see” implies that we have free access to the throne of God where Jesus is now seated, and our seeing and musing on Him will continue forever, as will our worship. On earth He was seen in fashion as a Man who humbled Himself before God exalted Him (vv.8-11).

A definite link exists between His humiliation and God’s answer in giving Him His present position in the glory. His work was sufficient for all to be saved and it shows the extent of God’s grace manifested in Jesus, who is God (Mt. 1:20-23), for all who believe.

2. Jesus As Apostle And High Priest
“Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession” (Heb. 3:1 NASB). In Judaism, all Israelites belonged to one specific nation on earth and for this earth, set aside by God for Himself. John the Baptist identified Jesus as “the Lamb of God” in John 1 (vv.29,36), and the chapter clearly shows that He is Israel’s Messiah. God publicly declared Him as His Son (Mt. 3:17); however, His own people did not recognize Him. They rejected Jesus despite the many miracles He did, proving He had come to fulfill God’s prophecies. Nevertheless, the Messiah, who had been cast out on earth, was received by God in heaven. This is the special theme of Hebrews, showing Christ’s greatness as God and Man.

All who accept Him in faith are blessed to see Him at God’s right hand in the highest. This privilege is linked with God’s powerful, heavenly calling, through which we believers called from among Jews and Gentiles have been led out of this present world. We are in it but no longer of it. All such believers belong to a new company of “sheep,” as the Lord explained in the parable of the good Shepherd (Jn. 10). He has linked the believers with Himself in heaven, and they are set apart for God in this world as holy brethren. “We see Jesus” (Heb. 2:9 NKJV) implies being constantly occupied with Him, which fits the charge to “consider Jesus.”

Who is He? He is God’s Apostle, sent by God from heaven with the authority to represent Him. He is also His High Priest, who represents us now before God in heaven. Here on earth, we recognize Him with both functions. It is also a matter of our public identification with Him even though He has been rejected on earth. We confess Him as Apostle and High Priest. We will not hide the fact we belong to Him nor try to compromise His greatness. No, we acknowledge Him down here while we look up to Him there.

3. Jesus As Forerunner And King
Hebrews attracts our eyes to Jesus in heaven, attaching us to Him who is the forerunner and High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek (6:20). This epistle addresses our responsibilities as believers, but its main burden is to draw our attention and hearts to Him. By presenting Him as the great Forerunner, an important and intimate link is shown between the believers here and Christ in heaven. Because our Forerunner has entered, He opened the door for others to follow Him, already now in spirit and later with glorified bodies. Jesus represents an entirely new order that did not yet exist under Moses and Aaron, or among the people of Israel in general.

In this connection, Melchizedek without human father or mother is introduced as a type of the eternal Son, as the one who blessed Abraham (Gen. 14:18-20). This means that he was higher than Abraham, because the lower is blessed by the “better” (Heb. 7:7). It was hard for a Jew to accept that someone could be greater than Abraham, but Melchizedek was, who blessed God on behalf of Abraham, bringing Him the right kind of response.

The rejected Jesus, who was cast out by His own people, is truly God, “the Same, yesterday, today, and forever” (13:8). He “is over all, God blessed forever” (Rom. 9:5 JND) and, as a Man, ascended on high (Eph. 4:10). The term “order” refers to something that God has fixed or established in heaven, which man on earth could never do. “Forever” contrasts with the Old Testament order, where the priests were replaced generation after generation. Jesus, the Forerunner, is also the great Melchizedek, God forever blessed! Jesus is the King of Righteousness as well as the King of Peace (see Heb. 7:2). How great He is!

4. Jesus Our Surety
“Jesus became surety of a better covenant” (v.22). The old covenant could not bring perfection – things that would last forever. Instead, it was marked by weakness, and God demonstrated its insufficiency in many ways. ultimately setting it aside. The main reason for this failure was who and what man is in himself, sometimes called “the old man.” However, God introduced a new order of things, linked to a new Man, our Lord Jesus Christ. He cannot fail, and therefore this new order attached to Him cannot fail either. Hebrews makes this abundantly clear. All true Christians are linked with Christ.

In the world to come the new covenant will be established with Israel, and all will be linked to Jesus the Messiah. Hebrews shows that the Lord Jesus is the new Priest who lives forever, according to the order of Melchizedek. Even though He came from the tribe of Judah, from which tribe no priest ever came, He is priest forever (a keyword in Hebrews). In connection with Him, everything is good or better, fresh, new and stable. That is why Hebrews 7 introduces Jesus as the One who is the “Guarantor of a better covenant” (v.22 ESV), its Surety, and who cannot fail. The old covenant failed, but the new covenant is better with no possibility of failure. Therefore it is called “eternal” (13:20).

The surety that comes with Jesus implies that His work was complete and sufficient, and therefore cannot be replaced. The numerical value of the name Jesus (888), mentioned earlier, adds a special dimension to this sufficiency. The number 8 is linked to a new order, as for instance, Psalm 8 is often quoted in the New Testament in relation to Jesus. What Christ has accomplished and established brings surety and guarantees a better order which cannot fail. What relates to Christ is not only good – which is true – but better in contrast to the old. The old was good as given by God, yet it needed to be set aside.

5. Jesus Provides Free Access To God
In a very remarkable way Hebrews presents the greatness of our Lord Jesus Christ in His person and work. Chapters 8–10 focus on the greatness of His work and its results, and how to respond to it. Hebrews is a study in contrasts between the Old Testament God-given sacrifices on the one hand, and the once-for-all and supreme sacrifice of Christ on the other. The sacrifices of the first order needed to be repeated all the time, whereas Christ’s sacrifice was once, sufficient forever, never to be repeated.

Also, with the sacrifice offered on the great Day of Atonement, the high priest was able to enter the holy of holies. This was only once a year, while the people remained outside. However, based on Christ’s sacrifice the entrance to God has been opened not only for Him but also for the people who belong to Him, believers taken from among Jews and Gentiles. “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus ...” (10:19 KJV). Since the day of Pentecost and until the rapture, all belonging to this called out, heavenly company enjoy this free access, with all the privileges attached to it. Now God can be approached at any time for prayer, praise and worship.

This boldness did not exist in the Old Testament. The only exception was Moses, who had the privilege of entering the holiest at any time (Ex. 25:22). In this respect Moses was an exception to the rule, illustrating what believers enjoy today. Boldness implies confidence in God, who will not reject us because of Christ’s completed and accepted work. It also means true liberty, that of sons who may come into God’s presence as worshipers, for His pleasure, at any time. Hebrews 10 is a passage that contrasts the value of animal sacrifices, offered according to God’s instructions, and the preciousness of Christ’s blood, shed once for all.

6. The Veil Is Rent: Looking Unto Jesus
This epistle draws our hearts to Christ, as we see Him exalted at God’s right hand. He started and finished the work of redemption, which no one else ever could do. Now He is seated at God’s right hand. No other priest ever could sit down because the work was never finished. Therefore, a priest sitting on a chair was in a wrong condition, as was Eli (1 Sam. 4:13). But Christ glorified God on earth, finished the work, ascended on high and sat down. As a Man He was invited by God to come up and sit down, and we may look “unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2 NKJV).

This verse emphasizes Christ’s personal greatness in the fact that He has sat down. It also implies that His work was completed and accepted by God. The path on earth, before it led Him up there, was one of suffering and shame. He endured all, even the unfathomable sufferings of the cross. This includes not only the physical sufferings and shame but, most of all, the sufferings of being forsaken of His God whom He had always honored. Christ set his face as a flint, focusing entirely on the work that He needed to complete, despising the shame.

God, righteous and holy, was fully satisfied when Christ cried out this one word, “Tetelestai” meaning “it is finished” or “paid in full.” The veil inside the holy place was miraculously torn from top to bottom (Mt. 27:51; Lk. 23:45), demonstrating God’s satisfaction. In this God has accepted many sons brought to glory (Heb. 2:10), who while on earth may look up to Him. Looking away from anything else sins, suffering and persecution to Him who finished the work for God’s glory, we know His place is now our place, and His joy our joy. We look up to Him and rely on Him, for He is now our great Leader.

7. The Mediator Brings Better Things
The greatness of the person presented in this epistle is summarized in one word: Jesus. He is the Key to everything in Hebrews, being the Essence of every doctrine exposed in it and the End/Goal of all God’s ways. He is the One who attracts us to Himself, now and forever. “Jesus, mediator of a new covenant; and to the blood of sprinkling, speaking better than Abel” (12:24 JND).

Hebrews, especially chapter 12, describes comparisons and contrasts between the old order tied to Moses and the new, linked to Christ. When man in general and God’s earthly people had failed completely, God revealed Himself in sovereign grace. His grace was not at all based on man’s merits or responsibility, but because of Christ’s finished work. God sent His Son, who was and still is despised, rejected and cast out. Yet, God’s purpose of sovereign grace was to be fulfilled, despite all human failure. This grace is seen in those who now approach God in the liberty of sonship, having free access to Him who is seated at God’s right hand. It will be seen when from heaven He will usher in a new order of things on earth and in this vast universe. Everything in this new order depends on Him, the Mediator between God and men (1 Tim. 2:5), and on His once-for-all sacrifice.

Abel’s blood was unjustly shed. It cries out for vengeance, and the holy and righteous God will be the Avenger. But Christ’s sprinkled blood speaks better and it emphasizes the glorious results brought by Him as the Mediator. Soon He will establish a new relationship with His earthly people, and blessings will flow to His people and to all the nations. His blood shows how great God is in His love, holiness and righteousness. It also draws all to Him (Jn. 12:32). What shall we say to these things? Our mouths have been opened to bring praise. In the world to come, all believers will praise Him; all enemies will bow before Him.

8. A New And Great Leader
Hebrews has only one theme: Jesus. Based on who He is and what He has done, the Lord Jesus has become our great Leader, forever. In the world to come, He will be the Leader of His earthly people and of all the nations. “Jesus ... that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate” (Heb. 13:12 NKJV). Our Leader today, Christ leads us through this world, a wide wilderness; while on our side, faith, submission and love for Him are all needed. He leads into the Sanctuary, the holy place, where we see Him crowned with glory and honor. Besides these two, He leads us outside the gate. Why? “The camp” was supposed to be holy and pure (Num. 5:1-4), but the Holy One of God was cast outside its gate, and the camp became a place on which God’s wrath was to be poured out. Initially, this took place in 70 AD, whereas the final judgment will occur after the days of grace, after the rapture (Dan. 9:27).

On the cross, Christ was the Sufferer of the great Day of Atonement and His work resulted in sanctifying God’s people. This applies to the believers today and to the restored Israel of the future. When He suffered “outside the gate,” Christ shed His own blood, not that of animals. He was the Sin-offering depicted in the animal sacrifices of which the blood was brought inside the holy place, but their bodies burned to ashes, outside the gate. The blood accepted by God inside implies that the believers are accepted there, but outside God’s judgment has been executed on the sinless One, our Substitute (2 Cor. 5:21).

However, those inside the camp are still under God’s judgment, wherefore there is safety in going out to Him, outside the camp. Today, Jesus is our Leader who leads true believers “outside the camp.” This applies to the camp once given by God but that rejected the Son of God. It also means that any man-made imitation religious camp is under God’s judgment. The only safety is with Him whether inside the holy place or outside the camp. This last implies bearing His reproach, as He is still rejected in this world (Heb. 13:13).

By Alfred Bouter