Help lines. Great in theory. A nightmare in practice.
Generally speaking, I don’t ring them. Poor Kath, my wife, does that. But I see the results of her having been 6 hours on the phone trying to work out some problem with our internet or phone contracts.
The company with which you have a contract, let’s call them Widget Pty Ltd. They set up a helpline. Good, you think. But you realize that it is simply a set of telecommunication hurdles.
You ring, and listen to all the swish advertising with the music background and professional voice over. Then you get the automated voice over message then says. ‘Thank you for ringing Widget’s Help Line. If you wish to purchase a widget, press 1. For our latest wiz bang offer, press 2. To recharge your account by putting money into ours, press 3. To speak to one of our sales representatives to buy something else we sell, press 4. For all other enquiries, including why the thing you paid hundreds of dollars for doesn’t work, or why whatever you’re ringing about is really your problem not ours, and we really can’t help you anyway, and you are on your own because we are located in another country, and you checked that box on the internet form that says you agree with whatever terms we impose upon you, then please hold for our first available customer service operator. Your call is really important to us and will be placed in a queue, and may be recorded for training purposes.’
More elevator music. And as you put away the thought that you might simply be a guinea pig to some novice phone operator, the minutes mount, and your arm becomes fused to your head. And then, the phone starts ringing, and you get someone on the phone that you cannot really understand, who has what to you is an unpronounceable name that you’ve not heard before, and they ask you a series of questions. You have to spell your name, give your date of birth, your mother’s maiden name, and please type your unique 15 digit pin number into your keypad. And after jumping those hurdles, the operator says in a heavy accent. Thank you, how can I help today? And you give your problem. And they say. ‘Oh, sorry I’m not technical support. I’m sales. I transfer you.' And then the phone line drops out, and you get the beeps of death.
Or, you get, 'I’m sorry. I don’t have authority to refund your money. I will transfer you to my supervisor.' Then beeps of death.
So you ring again, go through the whole process, and end up with a new operator, hoping that this time you will talk to someone who can help or you get transferred successfully.
I’ve played up the disaster of helplines a bit. But problems like this have happened.
Wouldn’t it be different if you could ring the company. And there on the end of the line was your brother. He is the owner of the company. He knows you, and speaks in a familiar accent. Not only is he sympathetic, he is powerful. He’s a ‘can do’ man. He can and will fix the problem easily.
Friends, you and I have such a helpline, when it comes to God. You have Jesus, your brother, to whom and through whom you have direct access to God.
So far, the author to the Hebrews has shown that Jesus is better than Angels, better than Moses, better than Joshua. He now wants to show Jesus is a better Priest than Aaron. Jesus is the best possible high priest you could ever have.
In about 1400BC, at the time of Moses, God set up the Old Testament Priesthood. These Priests were from the tribe of Levi, Moses’ tribe. And the High Priest was Aaron, Moses’ brother. And when Aaron died, the High Priest was one of Aaron’s sons.
The job of the Priest was to represent God’s people in the tabernacle (or, later, the temple). Much of their ministry involved showing that the people couldn’t easily get close to God. You went to the Priests because you had a problem in your relationship with God. You had sinned, or became ritually unclean, or had some other problem, many of which came about through the normal course of life. And you could only come to the Priest a particular way. It was costly and expensive to approach them. You had to bring the right sacrifice, when that was required. And before they could represent you, they had to offer sacrifices for their own sins, because they were sinful like you. Moreover, they kept dying, and needed to be replaced. Some of them even died doing the work of the Priests. God set up the Priesthood that way. He set it up to help his Old Testament people. That way, their sins could be dealt with. But by setting up the Levitical Priesthood, God educated his people about their sins and about him. And in so doing, he also educates us, on whom the fulfilment of the ages has come.
The Old Testament Priesthood to Reality is as a Model Railway is to the City Rail Network. It is a game of monopoly as to our real estate market. The Old Testament Priesthood, established under Moses, was never the optimal arrangement. God set it up, but with a certain ‘in built obsolescence’. It was only a temporary arrangement. And it had certain inbuilt inefficiencies.
There was an earlier priest in the Bible. 2000 years before Christ, and 600 years before Moses and Aaron, God had established another Priest: Melchizedek. Let me read for you Genesis chapter 14 verses 18 to 20:
Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” (Genesis 14:18-20 NIV)
Melchizedek was a priest who was also a King. A King protected you from your enemies. But a Priest fixed up your relationship with God. And Melchizedek was both. He was a King and a Priest. He ruled Jerusalem, the ancient city that David would capture 1000 years later. Jerusalem would become God’s city, where God put his name and temple.
As King, Melchizedek had authority and power to defend his people from their enemies around them. He was his people’s protector. As Priest, Melchizedek made sure they were in a right relationship with God. He was his people’s Mediator.
Let’s fast-forward a thousand years, from 2000 BC, the time of King Melchizedek, to 1000 BC, the time of King David. Israel now exists, lives in the promised land, and has become a great nation. Her capital is Jerusalem, the city where Melchizedek used to live, and which David recaptured. And Israel has a powerful ruler, King David, of the tribe of Judah.
And Melchizedek, the mystery man, the King who is Priest, is once again remembered and mentioned. For King David receives a prophecy from God, Psalm 110. And Melchizedek appears again in the Bible Storyline. His first appearance wasn’t just a one-off cameo. Now, he is recalled and serves as a pattern for a future King of Jerusalem, from the tribe of Judah. Let me re-read Psalm 110 verse 1. Verse 1:
The LORD Yahweh says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” (NIV)
God promised King David an eternal dynasty. A son from David’s body will sit on his throne forever. But here, David, the King, is a prophet. David in Psalm 110 is prophesying about his greater Son, whom he calls ‘my Lord’[1]. King David calls his descendant ‘my Lord’. So King David himself submits to his greater Son.
This Lord of David must sit at God’s right hand for a period of time. This Priest is a King. Not surprising, because he is the Son of David, he is a King. But then Psalm 110 verses 4 says he is not just a King. Verse 4:
The LORD Yahweh has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek”. (NIV)
Here we see that this coming King is also Priest. But he is also a ‘priest forever’.
Aaron and his sons were not Kings: that office belonged to David of the tribe of Judah. David and his sons were not priests: that belonged to Aaron of the tribe of Levi. But David, speaking by the Spirit, sees that his greater Son, the Messiah, will bring those two offices together. The Son of David, the Coming King, will also be a 'priest forever in the order of Melchizedek'. The Messiah will be an eternal Priest–King, superior to both David as King and Aaron as Priest. The Messiah will be King and so protect and defend his people. And he will be Priest and makes sure they are right with God.
What is a High Priest? Hebrews chapter 5 verse 1 tells us:
Every high priest is selected from among men and is appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. (Hebrews 5:1 NIV)
The High Priest is one who stands before God in a temple or sanctuary. He is appointed by God to represent God’s people before God (Hebrews 5:1). So the High Priest is an intermediary, a go-between, a representative. He is drawn from a people and acts for and on behalf of that people.
There are 3 things every High Priest must be.
First, the High Priest must be appointed by God himself (Hebrews 5:4-6). And both Aaron and Jesus were appointed by God.
Second, the High Priest must be one with the people he represents. A representative must be one of them. And that was true of both Aaron and Jesus.
And third, the High Priest must be a sympathizer. He must be able to deal mercifully and gently with his people. God has not put the High Priest there to condemn his people but to facilitate and embody God’s mercy.
But Jesus is a better High Priest. Jesus is much better than Aaron. Like Melchizedek, Jesus is both King and Priest, which is already better by far than Aaron.
But there are five reasons the author to the Hebrews gives. Five reasons that Jesus is the best priest you could ever want to have.
First, Jesus received a better appointment from God. Second, Jesus is better because he is blameless. Third, Jesus’ obedience and submission makes him better. In fact, they make him perfected. Fourth, Jesus is a better sympathizer. And fifth, Jesus has a better representation of his people because it is perpetual.
First, Jesus has a better appointment. We’ve already seen that a high priest must be appointed by God. They cannot take the honour on themselves. And so the Levitical Priests were commanded to be so by God.
However, Jesus was not just appointed. Jesus appointment as High Priest was sworn by an oath. Chapter 7 verses 20 to 22:
20 And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, 21 but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever.’”22 Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant. (Hebrews 7:20-22 NIV; compare verse 28)
A command can be temporary and rescinded. But not an oath. An oath cannot be rescinded. It is permanent. So Jesus’ High Priesthood is not just a temporary appointment, as the one Aaron and his Levitical Priests received. They were only appointed for the time of the Old Covenant, which has now passed. But God has sworn that the Messiah will be an eternal and everlasting Priest-King. Jesus is a Priest Forever. So Jesus’ High Priesthood is better than the Levitical Priesthood. Because Jesus will do it forever.
Jesus’ sinlessness makes him a superior Priest. For a Priest as Mediator must not only be acceptable to us, and thus a sympathiser with us. To do us any good, the High Priest must also be acceptable to God. Only a sinless High Priest can be accepted by a God who hates sin. Only a Holy High Priest is acceptable to a Holy God. Chapter 7 verses 26 and 27:
26 Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 7:26-27 NIV)
The Levitical High Priests were sinners. So they could sympathise with their people for being sinners. But they had to continually offer sacrifices for their own sins.
But Jesus needs no sacrifices for his sins. Because Jesus doesn’t have any sins. He is holy, blameless, pure and set apart from sinners. So he is exactly what we need. He is our best representative because he is holy and sinless. He has no problem dealing with a holy God, because he is holy.
But not only was Christ sinless. Christ also learned obedience through his suffering. It is one thing to be pure, blameless and spotless. That means he is without sin. It is a step beyond to have been perfected and brought to maturity. To become our High Priest, Jesus had to suffer. We are not told that the Levitical Priests had to be brought to maturity through suffering. But Jesus had to suffer and reverently submit to suffering before he could become our High Priest. Let me read chapter 5, starting from verse 7. Verse 7:
During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. (Hebrews 5:7 NIV)
Jesus always submitted to his Father. So Jesus will always be heard by his Father. And the Father will always listen to his submissive and sinless Son speaking up for us. How much better is Jesus than Aaron, who was a sinner, like you and me. We have a High Priest with the Father who the Father will always listen to because of his reverent submission. Praise God. Chapter 5 verses 8 to 10:
8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 5:7-10 NIV)
Jesus was a son and sinless. But he still learned obedience through suffering. And as a result of his suffering he was perfected. He was matured and brought to completion.
In 1905, the Cullinan Diamond was discovered in South Africa. Uncut, it weighed 621 grams. It still ranks as the largest uncut diamond ever found. Do you know where it is now? It was given to King Edward the 7th on his birthday. It has now been split, cut and polished, and features in the Crown Jewels. The largest piece, the second largest diamond in the world, is set at the head of the Sceptre of the Cross, held by Queen Elizabeth II at her coronation. The second largest piece, the fourth largest diamond in the world, is set in the Imperial State Crown, worn by Queen Elizabeth II at her coronation.
The diamond had all of its qualities of purity and flawlessness before it was cut. But splitting, cutting and polishing the diamond by expert jewelers fitted it for the Crown Jewels.
Similarly, Jesus was flawless and sinless before he suffered. But the sufferings Jesus underwent, his beating, piercings, death, and ultimately being forsaken by his father, all these things fitted and polished him so that he could be our great High Priest.
But Jesus is also a better sympathizer. Hebrews chapter 4 verse 15:
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are —yet was without sin. (Hebrews 4:15 NIV)
Again, Hebrews chapter 2 verse 8:
Because he himself [Jesus] suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2:18 NIV)
Jesus can sympathise with us, even though he has not sinned. He can sympathise with us because, even though he has never sinned, he suffered while he was being tempted. He is both sympathetic and sinless.
In fact, not succumbing to temptation is actually a greater suffering than succumbing to it. He is more sympathetic because he suffered more. Jesus didn’t yield to temptation, not once, unlike us.
Consider two men being interrogated by torture. One gives in immediately. 'I’ll talk, I’ll talk.' The other resists the temptation and suffering to the point of death. Who learns more about temptation and the tricks? Who suffers more? Surely the one who resisted to death.
And so Satan unleashed all his evil cunning on tempting Jesus. For 40 days, Jesus was hungry and tired, and Satan threw every temptation his wicked mind conceived. No other human has been allowed to suffer such a wicked onslaught. So Jesus knows what it is to suffer when being tempted.
And Jesus offers better representation because it is continuous.
Don’t you hate by-elections. At least when Mr Howard lost the Federal election five years ago, he also lost his seat. No by-election. But recently we’ve seen it twice, in New South Wales and Queensland. A premier goes to a state election. Her party gets thumped. But because the Premier is in a safe seat, she hangs on. Then she resigns as party leader, and goes to the backbench. And a few months later, she announces her resignation from parliament. Rather than serve the whole term, she is off to do other things. And so we have to have a by-election in that seat. They do not continue in their representation.
Now, we actually like it, how we can kick out our parliamentarians and get new ones. But from the point of view of the High Priest, this discontinuity is bad. Continuity of service is good, not bad, for a Priest. Another Priest has to be prepared and ordained. This is the argument of the author to the Hebrews. The Levitical Priests always had to be replaced. Thus the Levitical Priesthood is inferior. But not Jesus. No need for a replacement, because he lives forever. Chapter 7 verses 23 to 25:
23 Now there have been many of those [Levitical] priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. (Hebrews 7:23-25 NIV)
The Levitical Priests die because of their sin. But Jesus is a Priest forever, because he had no sin. He had an indestructible life, because he was sinless.
The Father has sworn Jesus is Priest forever. And the reverent and submissive Son is good for it. And his indestructible resurrection life proves it. Jesus rose from the dead and now lives forever. And now Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father. And he is there for our benefit, one of us, with the Father, interceding for us[2]. So he can never die in office, never be elected out, and never have a by-election because he gives up doing it. Jesus always lives to intercede for his people.
I can see three applications of the wonderful news that we have a great high priest, Jesus Christ.
First, pray. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence. Let us draw near to God in prayer. Our Lord Jesus, our great High Priest, is there for our sins and our help now. But tragically we don’t come to him nearly as much as we should. Your brother is in heaven, and you have a direct line for his help for your many needs.
Don’t think about your sins and unworthiness. Think about the worthiness of your great high priest. Ask the Father through Jesus to help you in your time of need. Ask for mercy and empowerment and help to deal with temptation. Ask for forgiveness of your sin. That is what the High Priest is there for – to deal with your sins. He is God’s embodiment of mercy. And your high priest is there for you, seated at the right hand of God, showing that his work is finished. Your sins are dealt with.
Second, stand firm. Hold unswervingly to the hope we profess. Hold firmly to faith in Jesus Christ, the only way to the Father. There is only one God and one mediator between God and man. There is only one name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved: Jesus Christ.
Don’t forsake Christ or think that there is some other way than Jesus. And don’t put in the way other mediators and advocates apart from Jesus. No Pope, No ‘Pontifex Maximus’[3], No Bishop, No Clergyman, No Holy Man, No Mary[4], No Saints, should stand in between you and Jesus Christ. Sure, living Christians should pray for each other to express their fellowship. But there are not High Priests. And we certainly shouldn’t expect dead Christians to have the attributes of omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence, that only God has. You don’t need any of these so called High Priests. for every believer is a priest. And you only have one High Priest, Jesus Christ, and He is in heaven, having sat down and finished his work of sacrifice. And he lives forever to intercede on your behalf. Now you have complete access to God through Jesus Christ. Go only to Jesus Christ, your High Priest.
Third, keep meeting together to encourage one another. Consider how you can spur one another to love and good deeds. Keep encouraging one another to hold to the faith in your great High Priest. We need each other.
Let’s pray.
Hebrews 7:3, 8 and 15 all share a difficulty, that of the seeming ‘immortal’ or ‘undying’ nature of Melchizedek. Is Melchizedek a soley human figure (while being superior to Abraham as King-Priest), or is he something more?
The HCSB Study Bible Notes on Hebrews 7:1-19 say this: ‘Melchizedek participated in the divine attributes of eternity, righteousness, peace and sovereignty. His eternality is evident in that he was a priest forever’: HCSB Study Bible, pg 2121.
Apart from the mistranslation of ‘forever’ in 7:3 (see below), if what is said is true, Melchizedek then must be included in the Godhead. Unless Melchizedek is an example of a Theophany or Christophany, the comments fall into the theological error of claiming Melchizedek is God. One more person needs to be admitted to the Trinity. Yet the author to the Hebrews never identifies Melchizedek with Jesus. They are only said to be like each other.
Hughes’ understanding is much better. ‘Melchizedek is not an eternally existent being who experiences neither birth nor death. The point is that these assertions apply to Christ, not to Melchizedek. The significance of the biblical silence is that it marks Melchizedek out as a type who in these respects resembles the Son of God, who alone exists everlastingly, from eternity to eternity. Surrounded by this silence, Melchizedek is the figure, but Christ is the reality’: P E Hughes, Hebrews, 248.
Hebrews 7:3 says: ‘Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, but made like the Son of God he [Melchizedek] remains a priest forever [lit, continuously; NASB: perpetually, the phrase is εἰς τὸ διηνεκές] (NIV)’.
The point of ‘without father, without mother, without genealogy’ is not that Melchizedek is eternal. It is that the text doesn’t mention his genealogy, and thus it doesn’t matter, unlike the Levitical priesthood, which is entirely dependent on genealogy. The author observes that Melchizedek has no genealogical requirements stated in the Genesis account to be Priest. The author adopts an argument from the silence of Scripture. It is not that Melchizedek had no mother and father at all. It is that in the Genesis text he has no father and mother mentioned because no genealogy is given. This also is the meaning of μήτε ἀρχὴν ἡμερῶν μήτε ζωῆς τέλοςἔχων ('neither having beginning of days nor end of life'), which is not a statement of Melchizedek’s eternity, but that there is no genealogy and thus neither his father or mother are identified. Contrast this with Abraham, whose father is identified. Further, the text doesn’t say that Melchizedek ‘died’, as it does for Abraham. ‘Melchizedek is the only personage among the worshippers of the one true God whose ancestry and descendants receive no mention’: P E Hughes, Hebrews, 248ff.
Moreover, Hebrews 7:6 suggests that Melchizedek actual has a genealogy (even though it is not recorded in Scripture), but that it is different from the Aaronic priesthood, for it describes Melchizedek as the one not having a genealogy from them (ὁ δὲ μὴγενεαλογούμενος ἐξ αὐτῶν).
A very few have suggested that Melchizedek is an archangel, and thus the expressions in 7:3, 8 can be taken at face value. However, I think Hughes is right to say there is no likelihood to the speculation that Melchizedek is an archangel and thus subordinate to Christ. Melchizedek is seen by the Author to the Hebrews in a wholly positive light, whereas the Angels are depreciated when compared to the Son. Borland in his work on Christophany argues extensively that Melchizedek is not a Christophany: J A Borland, Christ in the Old Testament: Old Testament Appearances of Christ in Human Form (Mentor: Fearn, 1999), 139-147.
In the order of Melchizedek, there is no need for a regulation of ancestory, either before or after him, and no requirement of descending from Aaron. The Son of God is of the tribe of Judah and Moses said nothing of Priests from that tribe (Hebrews 7:13-14). However, it is fitting that the Priest-King of Psalm 110 should belong to the tribe of Judah, if he otherwise may. Psalm 110, of King David who is also Prophet, looks ahead to a King who is also Priest. The Priest in the Order of Melchizedek that David looks forward to is the Priest-King of the tribe of Judah, of the lineage of David. So Jesus’ genealogy is still important, but not in regard to the Levitical priesthood. Jesus has a mother, unlike Melchizedek‘s presentation in the Genesis account.
In verse 3, the phrase ‘made like the Son of God’ indicates that the direction of similarity runs from Melchizedek to Jesus; contrast verse 15, where the direction of similarity runs from Jesus to Melchizedek. Following Hughes, O’Brien, Guthrie and others, ‘made like’ (ἀφομοιόω) refers to the typologically similarity that Melchizedek shares with Jesus because of his presentation in Genesis, not his ontological being. The Genesis text presents Melchizedek in such a way that there are certain similarities to Jesus, and vice versa: P T O’Brien, Hebrews: Pillar, 249; D Guthrie, Hebrews: TNTC, 156ff.
The NIV, HCSB and other EVV’s translation ‘forever’ in the phrase ‘remains a priest forever’ (εἰς τὸ διηνεκές) in Hebrews 7:3 is a poor translation. The phrase should be continual or perpetual, as in NASB. The word elsewhere means ‘without interruption or continuous’. P T O’Brien takes it to mean that Melchizedek is a priest ‘for the duration of his appearance in the biblical narrative’ which is not said to have a beginning or end (though we believe it did have a beginning and end): P T O’Brien, Hebrews: Pillar, 250.
Verse 8 reads: In the one case, the tenth is collected by men who die (ἀποθνήσκοντες ἄνθρωποι λαμβάνουσιν); but in the other case, by him who is declared to be living (μαρτυρούμενος ὅτι ζῇ) (NIV). P T O’Brien takes this to be true only in ‘a limited and literary sense’: Hebrews: Pillar, 253. That is, in the Scripture, Melchizedek is never presented as having died, and is only ever presented as alive. What is true of Melchizedek in a literary sense (ie, not presented in Scripture as having died, and therefore Scripture witnesses he is alive), is true in an absolute sense of Jesus (ie, that he rose from the dead). Aquinas comments: ‘It is testified, in Scripture, that he lives, that is, no mention is made of his death, not because he did not die, but because he symbolizes a priesthood that abides eternally’: quoted in P E Hughes, Hebrews, 253.
As Calvin says, ‘It is indeed certain that he [Melchizedek] descended from parents; but the Apostle does not speak of him here in his private capacity, one the contrary, he sets him forth as a type of Christ. He therefore allows himself to see nothing in him but what Scripture contains… Now, as the Holy Spirit in mentioning this king, the most illustrious of his age, is wholly silent as to his birth, and makes afterwards no record of his death, is not this the same thing as though eternity was to be ascribed to him?’: Comm Hebrews, 7:3; 22:157-8. Calvin rejects that Melchizedek was Christ, the Holy Spirit, or an angel. Melchizedek is only to be regarded as without parents, or without beginning of days or end of life, except in so far as Melchizedek is a type of Christ: Comm Hebrews 7:8; 22:162.
Verse 15 says that Jesus is another priest who arises in the order of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not according to a legal requirement concerning bodily descent but by the power of an indestructible life. It doesn’t say that Melchizedek had an indestructible life, but that Jesus has an indestructible life and is in the order of Melchizedek. So succession of this later priest, Jesus, is unnecessary. One might infer that if Jesus has arisen in the order of Melchizedek, perhaps Melchizedek’s priesthood has in reality ceased, though no beginning or end was given to Melchizedek explicitly by Scripture. Otherwise, why would there be a need for Jesus?
In conclusion, ‘There is, however, no more than a likeness between Christ and Melchizedek, a likeness which is suggested by the mysterious silence of the Genesis narrative concerning the birth and death and parentage and posterity of Melchizedek. Within this setting, the figure of Melchizedek is a semblance or shadow, a signpost pointing to someone greater than himself’: P E Hughes, Hebrews, 264.
[1] Note Mark 12:35-37, which says, ‘While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “How is it that the teachers of the law say that the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”’37 David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?”’ It is disappointing that the commentators Goldingay, Allen, and Broyles on Psalm 110 diverge from Jesus’ view of the authorship of Psalm 110. This is hardly a Christian approach to interpreting Scripture. Jesus says it was written by David (Mark 12:36ff), as does Peter (Acts 2:33-35; cf 5:30ff). The Author to the Hebrews likewise takes it as addressed to Jesus Christ the Son (Hebrews 1:13; 10:11). Jesus’ heavenly session fulfills the Psalm (Romans 8:34). Jesus is waiting for his enemies to be made his footstool, then he will return (1 Cor 15:25ff). Kidner’s exposition is more faithful to Jesus and the NT: Kidner, Psalms 73-150: TOTC, 391ff.
[2] For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence. (Hebrews 9:24 NIV)
[3] ‘The Encyclopædia Britannica says that Pope Leo I (440–461) assumed the title Pontifex Maximus, while other sources say Gregory I (590–604) was the first pope to employ the title in a formal sense or on the contrary that Pope Siricius (384–399) assumed the title. … The Roman title of "Pontifex Maximus" was rendered in Greek inscriptions and literature of the time as "ἀρχιερεύς" (literally, "high priest") or by a more literal translation and order of words as "ἀρχιερεὺς μέγιστος" (literally, "greatest high priest". The term "ἀρχιερεύς" in the Septuagint text of the Old Testament and is used in the New Testament to refer to the Jewish high priest. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church says that it was in the 15th century that "Pontifex Maximus" became a regular title of honor for Popes.’: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontifex_Maximus.
[4]Pope Leo XIII’s opening words in his Encyclical on the Rosary (1891) were, ‘The mightiest helper of the Christian people, and the most merciful, is the Virgin Mother of God.’ He also said, "O Virgin most holy, none abounds in the knowledge of God except through thee; none, O Mother of God, attains salvation except through thee; none receives a gift from the throne of mercy except through thee": accessed at http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Leo13/l13adiut.htm. According to the Church of Rome, ‘we also ask [the saints] to intercede before the Holy Trinity for us and for the whole world.’ Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, para 564. Mary and the Saints then seem omniscient and omnipresent to hear their many supplicants at once. But Scripture doesn’t say that we should pray to them, nor that they have these qualities. Our response to all this, is that we have Jesus Christ our Mediator, a merciful and faithful high priest, the one mediator between God and Man. The author to the Hebrews knows that we have come to the spirits of just men made perfect (Hebrews 12:23), but he never says we should pray to them. But he does say that we should frequently apply to Christ our High Priest.