2-Minute Theology - TRINITY BIBLE CHURCH

The Priesthood of Christ: Part 4 - Christ's Fourth Qualification

1/27/2021

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · The Priesthood Of Christ: Part 4 - Christ’s Fourth Qualification

Jesus fulfilled all four prerequisites to be the high priest of believers.

So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, You are My Son, Today I have begotten You; just as He says also in another passage, You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek. In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. - Hebrews 5:5-10

First, like Aaron, Jesus was appointed by God to be a High Priest.

Second, like Aaron, Jesus was human.

Third, like Aaron, Jesus was sympathetic.

Fourth, like Aaron, Jesus made offerings and sacrifices. The phrase having been made perfect references Jesus’ act of offering Himself as a sacrifice. On the cross, Jesus offered Himself as the sacrifice for sin. The term perfect (teleióō) comes from the same root word translated as It is finished — teléō (cf. John 19:30). The term teleióō means to bring something to its completed end. The term also has a moral sense as it means to cleanse from sin thoroughly. Applied to Christ, it means that when Jesus completed the path of suffering and remained obedient to the Father that He was proven fit to be the Savior and High Priest of God’s people.

The Priesthood of Christ: Part 3 - Christ's Second And Third Qualifications

1/27/2021

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · The Priesthood Of Christ: Part 3 - Christ’s Second And Third Qualifications

Hebrews 5:14 lays out four requirements for a person to serve as high priest. First, a high priest must be human. Second, a high priest must make offerings and sacrifices. Third, a high priest must be sympathetic. Fourth, a high priest must be appointed by God. Jesus fulfills all four prerequisites to be the believers’ high priest.

So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, You are My Son, Today I have begotten You; just as He says also in another passage, You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek. In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. - Hebrews 5:5-10

First, like Aaron, Jesus was appointed by God to be a High Priest.

Second, like Aaron, Jesus was human. The phrase in the days of His flesh covers Jesus’ life from Incarnation until Ascension. Jesus’ humanity was fully displayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, as stated in the phrase, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears. His prayers and supplications were offered with loud crying (ischurós kraugḗ) and tears. Loud crying (ischurós kraugḗ) is an outcry from someone who is under severe emotional strain. Such severe emotional strain demonstrates Christ’s humanity.

Third, like Aaron, Jesus was sympathetic. Jesus learned obedience from the things which He suffered means that He learned what obedience to God costs — suffering.

Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. - Philippians 2:8

Though God omnipotent, Jesus in His flesh had to learn about the human condition. To be a High Priest, Jesus had to experience the suffering of death. By experiencing such suffering, Jesus became, from humanity’s standpoint, a compassionate or sympathetic High Priest.

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin - Hebrews 4:15

The Priesthood of Christ: Part 2 - Christ's First Qualification

1/23/2021

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · The Priesthood Of Christ: Part 2 - Christ’ First Qualification

For Jesus to serve as High Priest, he had to fulfill all four prerequisites of Hebrew 5:1-4. According to Hebrews 5:5-10, Christ met all four qualifications.

So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, You are My Son, Today I have begotten You; just as He says also in another passage, You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek. In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. - Hebrews 5:5-10

First, like Aaron, Jesus was appointed by God to be a High Priest. The phrase so also Christ compares Jesus’ High Priestly appointment to that of Aaron’s. Christ did not glorify Himself means that the High Priestly office was not something that Jesus sought for Himself. Paul quotes Psalm 2:7 — You are My Son, Today I have begotten You -- to remind the reader that Jesus became a priest at His resurrection. Today refers to the day Christ was enthroned. He then quotes Psalm 110:4 — You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek — to show that God the Father appointed Jesus before His incarnation to be a priest forever. Jesus is designated (prosagoreúō) or given the title, High Priest, by God.

The Priesthood of Christ: Part 1 - It's Purpose and Prerequisites

1/23/2021

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · The Priesthood Of Christ: Part 1 - It’s Purpose And Prerequisites

The office of the Levitical high priest was tasked with a twofold representation ministry. On one hand, he represented God to the people. Such representation was accomplished primarily through teaching God’s Word. On the other hand, the high priest was to represent the people to God. This task was accomplished by making atonement for the sins of the people (i.e., the Day of Atonement).

Four prerequisites are laid out for the priesthood in Hebrews 5:1-4.

For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. - Hebrews 5:1-4

First, a high priest must be human — every high priest taken from among men. As previously stated, the priest represents man to God — appointed on behalf of men. In order to do that, he must be human. The term every (pás) indicates that this principle applies to all priesthoods.

Second, a high priest must make offerings and sacrifices — gifts and sacrifices for sins. The high priest was responsible for offering sacrifices for the people and for himself.

Third, a high priest must be sympathetic — deal gently. Deal gently (metriopathéō) means to show graciousness. A priest must show graciousness towards the ignorant (agnoéō) - those lacking in knowledge of sin and the misguided (planáō) - those who are deceived by sin. The reason for showing graciousness is because a human priest is subject to the same weaknesses (asthéneia) or faults as those to whom he ministers.

Fourth, a high priest must be appointed by God — he is called by God. God specifically called Aaron (and his descendants) to serve as high priest.

The Ascension of Christ: Part 3 - The Second Ascension

1/20/2021

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · The Ascension Of Christ: Part 3 - The Second Ascension

The second ascension of Christ occurred forty days after the resurrection.

So then, when the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. - Mark 16:19
While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. - Luke 24:51
And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. - Acts 1:9

This ascension was fulfillment of Psalm 110:1 — sit at My right hand. The ascension marked the end of Christ’s earthly ministry. With His earthly ministry ended, the time of His humiliation was over. His glory, that was previously veiled, was no longer veiled.

Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. - John 17:5
As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; […] And he said, Who are You, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, - Acts 9:3, 5

Once ascended into Heaven, Christ began His new work as the believer’s High Priest.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. - Hebrews 4:14-16

As High Priest, Christ continually makes intercession for believers.

who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. - Romans 8:34

The Ascension of Christ: Part 2 - The Holy Spirit and Christ's Gifts

1/20/2021

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · The Ascension Of Christ: Part 2 - The Holy Spirit And Christ’s Gifts

Following His first ascension, Christ appeared the evening in the upper room, He commissioned the Apostles to their future ministry. John 20:21-23 states, “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” Immediately, this reception of the Holy Spirit sparks debate. Did not Christ command the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the coming of the Holy Spirit? Yes, He did. Did the Holy Spirit come on the Day of Pentecost? Yes, He did. What then is this giving of the Holy Spirit? It was a unique gifting of the Holy Spirit’s ministry to the Apostles for the preparation of those things which would transpire on the Day of Pentecost, namely the founding of the Church. This giving of the Holy Spirit was similar to the Holy Spirit’s Old Testament ministry, which explains the transformation of the disciples between the Resurrection and the Day of Pentecost.

Paul sheds further light on the gifts of Christ when he says, “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11). The He in Ephesians 4:11 refers to Christ Himself as the giver of these gifts. The disciples in the upper room that evening were equipped to be apostles, prophets, evangelist, and pastor-teachers. Scripture itself testifies that these gifts were foundational to the Church.

for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. - Ephesians 4:12-13

The Ascension of Christ: Part 1 - The First Ascension

1/16/2021

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · The Ascension Of Christ: Part 1 - The First Ascension

On the first day of the week, following the Passover, the women came to Christ tomb and found it empty. When they saw Him, they fell at His feet and worshipped Him. He responded by telling them, “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father…” (John 20:17). Christ’s command to not touch Him till He ascended is troubling in light of the fact that eight days later He commanded Thomas to touch Him and His ascension was still some thirty-two days off. Was Jesus referring to another ascension? In short, yes, He was.

According to Isaiah 42:6-7, Christ descended into Sheol/Hades “to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house.” Paradise was, in a sense, a prison to those saints who died before Christ’s death and resurrection. Ephesians 4:8 states that “when he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.” Paul’s statement in Ephesians 4:8 is a quote from Psalm 68:18, a victory song of David. When a conquering general returned from battle, he triumphantly paraded through his hometown with his prisoners in tow and bearing gifts. When Christ ascended into Heaven on the heels of His resurrection, He returned triumphantly to His home with His prisoners (i.e., the saints of Paradise) and bore gifts unto men.

The first day of the week, after the Passover, is also significant. It is the Feast of First-fruits, when the High Priest presented the wave offering before God, thus dedicating the whole harvest to Him. On the first day of the week, after Passover, Christ presented Himself to the Father as the First-fruits offering. As the First-fruit offering, Christ gave notice of a more substantial harvest to follow, which includes the Church Age saints at the Rapture as well as the Old Testament saints and Tribulation saints at the Return of Christ. By presenting these Old Testament saints as a First-fruits offering to the Lord, they represent a more substantial harvest of Israelites, which Christ will harvest (i.e., save) at the end of the Tribulation.

The Resurrection of Christ: Part 3 - Proofs

1/16/2021

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · The Resurrection Of Christ: Part 3 - Proofs

There are serval proofs for the resurrection. First, the empty tomb is proof that Christ was resurrected. Though some might claim that Christ’s body was stolen, why was His body not later produced as proof that He was still dead? Furthermore, the tomb was sealed with a Roman seal and guarded by Roman soldiers. Had the body been stolen, the guards would have been charged with dereliction of duty and killed, but they were not.

Second, the empty linen wrappings are proof that Christ was resurrected. John entered the tomb, saw the linens, and believed.

And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. - John 20:6-8

The linens still retained the shape of the body that had been wrapped within it. However, the headpiece was rolled up by itself, which enabled John to see that there was no body in the linens.

Third, the post-resurrection appearances are proof that Christ was resurrected. The women saw Christ at the tomb, two disciples on the road to Emmaus, Peter, the Apostles, five hundred believers at one time, James the half-brother of Jesus, and Paul (cf. Matthew 28:1-10; Luke 24:13-35; 1 Corinthians 15:5-8). After Christ’s ascension in Heaven, He continued to appear (cf. Acts; Revelation).

Fourth, the transformation of the Apostles is proof that Christ was resurrected. Following Christ’s death, the Apostles were hiding in fear. Even when Christ appeared, they had doubts. After interacting with the resurrected Jesus, these men were changed. When they preached on Pentecost, they were men of courage and assurance.

The Resurrection of Christ: Part 2 - Prophecy

1/13/2021

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · The Resurrection Of Christ: Part 2 - Prophecy

The Old Testament prophesied Christ’s resurrection.

For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.- Psalm 16:10

There is a two-fold reference in this verse — Sheol and decay. The reference to not allowing His body to decay is a reference to the grave. This is a clear reference to the fact, that Christ would be bodily resurrected.

Sheol is the place of the dead. Originally, Sheol was composed of a Lower Compartment and Upper Compartment. The Upper Compartment, known as known as Abraham’s Bosom or Paradise is where the just went.

Oh that You would hide me in Sheol, That You would conceal me until Your wrath returns to You, That You would set a limit for me and remember me! If a man dies, will he live again? All the days of my struggle I will wait Until my change comes. You will call, and I will answer You; You will long for the work of Your hands. - Job 14:13-15

The Lower Compartment is where the wicked dwell.

For a fire is kindled in My anger, And burns to the lowest part of Sheol, And consumes the earth with its yield, And sets on fire the foundations of the mountains. - Deuteronomy 32:22

When Christ died, His soul and spirit entered into Paradise and then went over to Hell and preached to the imprisoned spirits in Tarturus.

And He said to him, Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise. - Luke 23:43
in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, - 1 Peter 3:19

That prophecy of Psalm 16 declares that Christ’s soul and spirit would not remain in the place of the dead. Furthermore, it foretells that His body would not undergo decay. Seventy-two hours after His death, Christ’s soul and spirit rejoined His body in the grave, from whence He was bodily resurrected from the dead unto life.

The Resurrection of Christ: Part 1 - Significance

1/13/2021

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · The Resurrection Of Christ: Part 1 - Significance

The resurrecation of Christ is the most significant event in redemptive history. The resurrection is significant because if Christ has not risen, then salvation is worthless.

Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. […] and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins… - 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

The resurrection is significant because it proves the Christ is the Son of God.

who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, - Romans 1:4

The resurrection is significant because it is proof that the Father accepted the Son’s work of redemption and atonement.

In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. - Hebrews 5:7

The resurrection is significant because it means that Christianity is ruled by a living God, unlike the other religions of the world.

When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. - Revelation 1:17-18