CHRIST A MERCIFUL HIGH PRIEST - Robert Murray Mcchene

“For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto his brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He himself hath suffered, being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted.”—HEB. 2:16–18.

Doctrine—Christ a merciful High Priest.

I. The sovereign mercy of Christ in becoming man.—“For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham.” We read of two great rebellions in the history of the universe—the rebellion of the angels, and the rebellion of man. For infinitely wise and gracious purposes God planned and permitted both of these, that out of evil He might bring forth good. The first took place in heaven itself. Pride was the sin by which the angels fell, and therefore it is called “the condemnation of the devil.” “They kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation.” “God spared them not, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.” The next fall took place upon earth. Satan tempted, and man fell,— elieved the devil rather than God, and so came under the curse: “Thou shalt surely die.” Both of these families came under the same frown—under the same condemnation; both were condemned to the same “everlasting fire.” But the glorious Son of God resolved, from all eternity, to die for sinners. Now, for which of the two shall He die? Perhaps the angels in heaven would long that He should die for their once brother angels. The angelic nature was higher than that of man. Men had fallen deeper into sin than the rebel angels. Will He not die for angels? Now, here is the answer: “Verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham.” Here is sovereign mercy passing by one family and coming to another. Let us wonder and adore the sovereign mercy of Jesus.

(1.) Do not be surprised if Jesus passes many by. The Lord Jesus has been riding through our country in a remarkable manner, seated on his white horse, and wearing many crowns. He has sent out many arrows and pierced many hearts in this place, and brought many to his feet; but has He not passed many by? Are there not many given up to their own hearts’ lust, and walking in their own counsel? Be not surprised. This is the very way He did when He came to this earth; He passed the gate of hell. Although his bosom was full of love and grace, although “God is love,” He felt it not inconsistent to pass fallen angels by, and to come and die for men. And so, though Jesus is love still, yet He can save some, and leave others to be hardened. “Many widows were in Israel in the time of Elijah the prophet; but unto none of them was Elijah sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Zidon, unto a woman that was a widow.” And many lepers were in Israel at the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

(2.) If Christ has visited your soul, give Him all the glory. “Not unto us, Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory.” The only reason why you are saved is the sovereign compassion of Jesus. It is not that you are better than others, that you were less wicked, of better dispositions, more attentive to your Bible. Many who have been left have been much more blameless in their life. It is not that you have sat under a peculiar ministry. God has made the same ministry a means of hardening multitudes. It is the free grace of God. Love God for ever and ever, because He chose you of his own free will. Adore Jesus, that He passed by millions, and died for you. Adore the Holy Ghost, that He came out of free sovereign mercy and awakened you. It will be matter of praise through eternity.

(3.) If Christ is now visiting your soul, do not trifle with Him. Some persons, when Christ begins to knock at the door of their heart, put Him off from time to time. They trifle with their convictions. They say, I am too young yet, let me taste a little more pleasure of the world: youth is the time for mirth; another time I will open the door. Some say, I am too busy; I have to provide for my family; when I have a more convenient season I will call for Thee. Some say, I am strong and healthy; I hope I have many years to live; when sickness comes, then I will open the door. Consider that Christ may not come again. He is knocking now: let Him in. Another day He may pass by your door. You cannot command convictions of sin to come when you like. Christ is entirely sovereign in saving souls. No doubt, many of you have had your last knock from Christ. Many of you that were once concerned are not so now; and you cannot bring it
back again. There is no doubt a time in every man’s life, when, if he opens the door, he will be saved; if he does not, he will perish. Probably this may be that time to many of you. Christ may be giving last knocks to some to-day.

II. Christ made like us in all things.—Christ not only became man, but it behoved Him to be made like us in all things. He suffered, being tempted.

In my last lecture, I showed you the only two points in which He was different from us. First, In being God as well as man. In the manger at Bethlehem there lay a perfect infant, but there also was Jehovah. That mysterious being who rode on an ass’s colt, and wept over Jerusalem, was as much a man as you are, and as much God as the Father is. The tears He shed were human tears, yet the love of Jehovah swelled below his mantle. That pale being that hung quivering on the cross was indeed man; it was human blood that flowed from his wounds; but He was as truly God. Second, In being without sin. He was the only one in human form of whom it can be said, He was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners; the only one on whom God could look down from heaven, and say, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Every member of our body and faculty of our mind we have used as the servants of sin. Every member of his body and faculty of his mind were used only as servants to holiness. His mouth was the only human mouth from which none but gracious words ever proceeded. His eye was the only human eye that never shot forth flames of pride, or envy, or lust. His hand was the only human hand that never was stretched forth but in doing good. His heart was the only human heart that was not deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. When Satan came to Him, he found nothing in Him. Now, in these two things it behoved Him to be unlike his brethren, or He could not have been a Saviour at all. In all other things it behoved Him to be made like us. There was no part of our condition that He did not humble himself unto.

(1.) He passed through all the terms of our life from childhood to manhood. First, He was an infant of days, exposed to all the pains and dangers of infancy. “Ye shall find the babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” Second, He bore the trials and pains of boyhood. Many a one, no doubt, would wonder at the holy boy in the carpenter’s shop at Nazareth. He grew in wisdom, and in stature, and in favour with God and with man. Third, He bore the afflictions and anxieties of manhood, when He began to be about thirty years of age.

(2.) He tasted the difficulties of many situations in life. The first thirty years, it is probable, He shared the humble occupation of Joseph the carpenter; He tasted the trials of working for his daily bread. Then He subsisted on the kindness of others. Certain women, which followed Him, ministered unto Him of their substance. He had not where to lay his head. Many a night He spent on the Mount of Olives, or on the hills of Galilee. Then He bore the trials of a gospel minister. He preached from morning till night, and yet with how small success! so that He could say, “I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought and in vain.” How often He was grieved by their unbelief! He marvelled at their unbelief. “Oh faithless generation! how long shall I be with you, how long shall I suffer you!” How often He offended many by his preaching! “Many said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?” “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with Jesus.” John 6:66. How often they hated Him for his love! “For my love they are my adversaries: but I gave myself unto prayer.” Ps. 109:4. How his own disciples grieved Him by their want of faith! “O ye of little faith, have I been so long time with you!” The unbelief of Thomas; their sleeping in the garden; forsaking Him and fleeing; Peter denying, Judas betraying Him!

(3.) What trials He had from his own family! Even his own brothers did not believe on Him, but mocked. The people of his town tried to throw Him over the rocks. What pain He suffered from his mother, when He saw the sword piercing her fond heart! how He said to John, “Behold thy mother!” and to his mother, “Behold thy son!” even in the midst of his dying agonies.

(4.) What trials from Satan! Believers complain of Satan, but they never felt his power as Christ did. What an awful conflict was that during forty days in the wilderness! How fearfully did Satan urge on Pharisees, and Herod, and Judas, to torment Him! What an awful hour was that when He said, This is your hour, and the power of darkness! What an awful cry was that, “Save me from the lion’s mouth!” (Ps. 22:22), when He felt his soul in the very jaws of Satan!

(5.) What trials from God! Believers often groan under the hidings of God’s countenance; but ah! they seldom taste even a drop of what Christ drank. What dreadful agony was that in Gethsemane, when the blood gushed through the pores! How dreadful was that frown of God on the cross, when He cried, “My God, my God!” In all these things, and a thousand more, He was made like unto his brethren. He came into our place Through eternity we shall study these sufferings.

1st, Learn the amazing love of Christ, that He should leave glory for such a condition.

2d, Learn to bear sufferings cheerfully. You have not yet suffered as He did.

III. The end—That He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest. —The work of Christ as an high priest is here laid down as twofold. First, To make an atonement for our sins. Second, To succour his people under temptations.

(1.) To make atonement.—This is the great work of Christ as our High Priest. For this it was needful that He should become man and die. Had He remained God alone in the bosom of his Father, He might have pitied us, but He could not have died for us, nor taken our sins away. We must have perished. Every priest in the Old Testament was a type of Jesus in this; every lamb that was slain typified Jesus offering up his own body a sacrifice for our sins.

Let your eye rest there if you would be happy. Those few dark hours on Calvary, when the great High Priest was offering up the amazing sacrifice, give light for eternity to the believing soul. This only will cheer you in dying. Not your graces, not your love to Christ, not anything in you, but only this—Christ hath died. He loved me, and gave himself for me. Christ hath appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

(2.) To succour the tempted.—All believers are a tempted people. Every day they have their trials; every time is to them a time of need. The unconverted are little tempted; they are not in trouble as others, neither are they plagued like other men. They do not feel temptations rising in their heart; nor do they know the power of Satan. Before conversion, a man believes as little in the devil as he believes in Christ. But when a man comes to Christ, then he becomes a tempted soul, “poor and needy, seeking water and there is none.”

He is tempted by God.—God did tempt Abraham; not to sin, for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man. Still, God always tries his children. He never gives faith but He brings his child into a situation where it will be tried. Sometimes He exalts him, to try if he will turn proud and forget God; sometimes He brings him low, to see if he will murmur against God. Blessed is the man that endureth temptations. Sometimes He brings them into a strait, where the trial is, whether they will believe in Him alone, or trust to flesh and blood.

The world tempts a child of God.—They watch for their halting. They love nothing better than to see a child of God fall into sin. It soothes their conscience to think that all are equally bad. They frown; they smile.

Their own heart is a fountain of temptation.—Sometimes it says, What harm is there in that?—it is a little sin; or, I will just sin this once, and never again; or, I will repent after and be saved.

Satan hurls his fiery darts.—He terrifies them away from Christ, disturbs them at prayer, fills their mind with blasphemies, hounds on the world against them.

Ah! believers, you are a tempted people. You are always poor and needy. And God intends it should be so, to give you constant errands to go to Jesus. Some may say, it is not good to be a believer; but ah! see to whom we can go.

We have a merciful and faithful High Priest. He suffered, being tempted, just that He might succour them that are tempted. The high priest of old not only offered sacrifice at the altar,—his work was not done when the lamb was consumed. He was to be a father to Israel. He carried all their names graven over his heart,—he went in and prayed for them within the veil. He came out and blessed the people, saying, “The Lord bless thee and keep thee. The Lord make his face shine,” etc. Num. 6:24–26.

So it is with the Lord Jesus. His work was not all done on Calvary. He that died for our sins lives to pray for us,—to help in every time of need. He is still man on the right hand of God. He is still God, and therefore, by reason of his divinity, is present here this day as much as any of us. He knows your every sorrow, trial, difficulty; every half-breathed sigh He hears, and brings in notice thereof to his human heart at the right hand of God. His human heart is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever; it pleads for you, thinks on you, plans deliverance for you.

Dear tempted brethren! Go boldly to the throne of grace, to obtain mercy and find grace to help you in your time of need.

Are you bereaved of one you loved? Go and tell Jesus; spread out your sorrows at his feet. He knows them all; feels for you in them all. He is a merciful High Priest. He is faithful too, never awanting in the hour of need. He is able to succour you by his word, by his Spirit, by his providence. He gave you all the comfort you had by your friends. He can give it you without them. He has taken away the stream that you may go to the fountain.

Are you suffering in body? Go to this High Priest. He is intimately acquainted with all your diseases; He has felt that very pain. Remember how, when they brought to Him one that was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, He looked up to heaven and sighed, and said, Ephphatha! He sighed over his misery. So He sighs over you. He is able to give you deliverance, or patience to bear it, or improvement by it.

Are you sore tempted in soul—put into trying circumstances, so that you know not what to do? Look up; He is able to succour you. If He had been on earth, would you not have gone to Him— would you not have kneeled and said, Lord, help me? Does it make any difference that He is at the right hand of God? He is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.