Thursday, July 2, 2009

Short Thoughts for Today

In Hebrews 5:5-6 we read, "So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, "THOU ART MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN THEE"; just as He says also in another passage, "THOU ART A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK." On the one hand we find the author pointing out a likeness that was shared by Christ and the Old Testament priests regarding their priesthood. On the other hand the writer begins to explain the uniqueness of Christ's high priesthood that he will expound on later.

We already saw that the high priest was called by God and that he did not take the honor unto himself. In like manner, Christ also "did not glorify Himself" but had become high priest at the will of God. This might seem somewhat confusing for us who know Christ to be God Himself and struggle to understand the mystery ofthe Trinity. But it is consistent with other scripture. He did not act independently of the other two persons of the Godhead. The Father, the Spirit and the Son were in harmonious agreement with His coming and with His role as high priest.

We read time and again that Jesus came to do the will of His father in Heaven. We read that He didn't even speak on His own initiative but spoke only the things of His father. He was declared "A PRIEST FOREVER" by the Holy trinity. No, He did not glorify Himselfbut we can rejoice that He has been glorified and that one day we will see Him "face to face in all His glory"

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