FRIDAY September 26, 2025

A Faithful High Priest

For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.
Hebrews 2:16-18

The word aid here, refers to Jesus securing our redemption. Only mankind can experience redemption; angels cannot be redeemed. In Scripture, Abraham is known as the father of the Jewish nation; but as Christians, we, too, are of the seed of Abraham:

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith (Galatians 3:13-14).

Romans 11:11 tells us that ... salvation has come to the Gentiles. The great plan of salvation has existed since before the foundation:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world... (Ephesians 1:3-4).

Jesus became like His brethren––human. He experienced human pain and suffering and identified with our weaknesses and temptations. Yet as God, He remained sinless and became a merciful and faithful High Priest through His atonement for our sins on the Cross.

Jesus made propitiation for us. The word propitiation refers to the mercy seat in the Temple where the high priest sprinkled the blood of a lamb to make atonement––a covering for the people’s sins. Who is our High Priest? Jesus. He atoned for our sin once and for all!

If we cannot claim to live sinless lives, then the only thing that can keep us from despairing before a holy God is that we have an Advocate in heaven and He pleads our case not on the basis of our perfection but of His propitiation.
~John Piper~

For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!