Devotionals by Raul Ries

FRIDAY January 2, 2026

A Fitting High Priest

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.
Hebrews 7:26-27

As we return to our study in the book of Hebrews, the writer describes the divine character of Jesus as the absolute “Holy One” in His purity, majesty and glory. He is distinguished from sinners––those who require a change of heart and life. Jesus’ character is defined as harmless, which means “without guile or “fraud,” and “free from guilt,” literally “free of evil.”

Another character trait descriptive of Christ is undefiled, which means “unsoiled” or “free from contamination.” He is separate from sinners and has become higher than the heavens. Jesus has nothing to do with men's order––human statutes and laws––He is of God's holy order.

Therefore, there is no need for any type of animal sacrifices, as practiced in the Old Testament. The Jewish priests were earthly, but Jesus is heavenly. Notice that. Jesus never had to offer up sacrifices first for His own sins and then for the people's sins, as the earthly priests did, because He had no sin! Earthly priests were imperfect––they failed and sinned. As they were not perfect, they had to atone for their sins before they could even atone for the people’s sins.

This next statement is so important that I ask you to underline it in your Bible: “once for all.” Jesus sacrificed Himself on the Cross once and for all. No other sacrifices needed to be made for sin. That is it; it is a done deal. That is why Jesus is a fitting High Priest. He completed the task of our redemption. Hebrews 7:28 explains it to us so well: 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. May God help the unsaved to come to Jesus Christ because He, as a fitting High Priest, is the only One able to save them from their sins.

Jesus Christ is both the only price and sacrifice by which eternal redemption is obtained for believers.
~Jonathan Edwards~

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