Hebrews 3:1
Part 4 –
Wherefore . . . Christ Jesus
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; (Hebrews 3:1)
This is the 4th part of our outline. The Holy Spirit has taken us up beyond the clouds, and now He is going to present to us the glory of the Son of God, Christ Jesus. This is a subject that all the children of God love, the subject of our Savior, Christ Jesus. But for the writer and the reader it is easy to let our minds run hither and yon through the scriptures looking upon the Son of God in His glory. This verse in Hebrews 3 has lifted us into a new realm. The Spirit of God is presenting us to Christ, He presents us first to the Lord Jesus as His holy brethren without doubt, without spot, and without blemish. The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is made up of His holy brethren. He sees us in this special light as a reflection of Himself. He does not draw from us, but we draw light from Him. And we are presented to Christ Jesus by God the Father as holy brethren with a heavenly calling. The primary work of the Spirit of God is to glorify and magnify the Person of Christ Jesus in our hearts and souls.
When we understand (as much as we can being on this earth) the working of the Godhead, we see God the Father giving us to His Son. We see the Son of God upon His sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection presenting us back to God the Father as glorified beings in Himself. The Spirit of God is given to us to magnify the glory of Christ within us that we not only are taught all the beauties of Christ by the Spirit of God, but the Spirit of God takes up the shepherd’s nature of the Son of God to correct us and guide us through this life.
The Lord Jesus, therefore, has presented us to God and Father and because of the finished work of Christ, God the Father has received us into His bosom. He sees us as the Spirit of God sees His Son.
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1)
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:2)
For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)
When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)
In Colossians Chapter 3, the Holy Spirit wants us to consider our relationship in Jesus Christ. It is the Holy Spirit who is directing us to take our eyes off the earth and set the eyes of our heart and soul and our affections on Christ Jesus in heavenly places. We are to see the Son of God in the glow of heavenly light. We are a new creation in Christ Jesus. My soul and spirit have been severed from this world in Christ, although He is in heavenly places, I have been brought into His very Person. And He has through creation of this new creature come to dwell in me. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; (2 Corinthians 5:18)
To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:19)
Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20)
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
As the holy brethren, we have a new relationship with our Creator. He has called us out of darkness and created us to be conformed unto His own image. Our heart strings should be singing of Him in heaven, and not singing of the things of this earth. He is the same Creator who created heaven and earth. He is the Creator and God of the Psalmist of Israel. (Psalm 104) As we read this Psalm the glow of heaven shines in the face of Jesus Christ; however, if you will not trust the Holy Spirit of God to open the door of your heart and soul and let the Son of righteousness come in you will not see this glory, or the beauties of Christ.
In the Gospel of John, the Lord of glory, Jesus Christ builds a relationship and closeness to those who He has chosen out of this world. So much so that He indwells the very beings that He has called, and these are the holy brethren.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. (John 15:4)
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:5)
If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. (John 15:6)
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. (John 15:7)
Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. (John 15:8)
As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.(John 15:9)
This is the witness of the Son of God to us that He indwells us. There is no other relationship on earth that is this close: whether it be mother or father, brother or sister, wife or friend, there is no relationship as close as the Son of God living in a child of God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20) This wonderful truth is given to us as one of the fruits of our salvation. If you do not have this indwelling of the Spirit of God in Christ Jesus, then make it so. For the call of God goes throughout the whole world, the Word of God resounds in every corner of the earth. And the message is Come unto me, this is the message of Christ, the anointed one of God.
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11:29)
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:30)
To answer the call of the Savior, one must see the majesty of who He is. Not only His majesty and attribute in heaven, but His majesty that was revealed to man in His humility and suffering on the cross of Calvary. Man would not see the majesty, but the Spirit of God opens the eyes of the heart and soul, and as He is high and lifted up in His glorious majesty it was the humility of His majesty that acquired His great glory. We are not holy brethren because we decided to be, it was the heavenly calling of God that made us so in Christ Jesus through His suffering and death on the cross of Calvary. The heavenly calling begins with God. Man would like to think that he can take on the mind of God and make his own decision, but the heavenly calling is not left to man, it is all of God and originates from His throne in heaven. (John 1:12)
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (John 1:12)
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:13)
At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. (John 14:20)
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. (John 14:21)
These verses from the Gospel of John brings forth a divine anomaly that man without the Spirit of God cannot understand. The Spirit of God speaks a divine language, and that divine language glorifies the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Even though He takes words from the scriptures, the Spirit of God gives not only the interpretation, but the reflection of the glories of Christ. And if one has not the Spirit of Christ, then he is blind to all these glories.
The Apostle Paul warns us and directs us to be separated from this world. The Apostle John also warns us of this present evil world. He describes our three chief enemies as: the world, the flesh, and the devil. The only relief is the Word of God and the indwelling of the Spirit of Christ in our hearts. In the day of loud voices, and the arcades of life, one must listen for the still small voice of Christ Jesus in your heart and soul. The Lord Jesus said If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. (John 15:19) These words apply to all His disciples or the holy brethren with the heavenly calling. It is quite evident that we, the children of God, are brought into the inheritance of Christ.
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: (Romans 8:16)
And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Romans 8:17)
For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)
This inheritance is not of this world. We (although on earth) are still gathered in His presence in heaven; yet, in this flesh, I must abide to do the will of my Father which is in heaven. By the Spirit of Christ dwelling in me, therefore, my will, the will of man is surrendered to the will of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. We are in one sense bond slaves to Christ: yet sons of God. As sons, we have perfect liberty in Christ, but as redeemed sons we would never want to be out of His care and grace. We serve in love, and no greater love than this that God laid down His life for His holy brethren. But this is not about us! It is about the divine Being who has scattered the stars in the sky. It is about the anointed of God, the Christ, the Messiah, the Great King, and the Lord of lords. He is the anointed of the Father. For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together. (Acts 4:27) The Apostle declares through the Spirit of God that God had anointed the Christ. He was the anointed one, and He is called in Acts 4:27 the holy child Jesus. Man would see this as being anointed at birth, but God in His infinite mercy and His divine will had anointed His child before the foundations of the earth. And the fulfillment of that anointing was the birth of that holy child, Jesus Christ. The holy child was anointed to be God’s Christ. The title ‘Christ’ means anointed one.
In our search for clarity in Hebrews 3:1, we not only have the anointed one, the Messiah, God’s Christ, but we have a title given to Him as Apostle. This would be from the divine side and if we considered the source, we would see in truth that there is no other Apostle, for this Apostle (the Lord Jesus Christ) was sent from heaven by God the Father.
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; (Isaiah 61:1)
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; (Isaiah 61:2)
This prophecy from Isaiah was given approximately 700 years before Christ, that the messenger of God would come as a preacher, or one that was sent which the word ‘apostle’ means ‘one who is sent.’ In the fulfillment of this prophecy, the Lord Jesus had been tempted of the Devil, and Christ had been ministered to by the angels of God. (Matthew 4:10) After this, Christ began to preach the gospel of the kingdom. He journeyed to Nazareth, and in Luke 4 we read the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy.
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. (Luke 4:16)
And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, (Luke 4:17)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, (Luke 4:18)
To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (Luke 4:19)
And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. (Luke 4:20)
And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. (Luke 4:21)
In verse 18 the Lord Jesus Christ affirmed that the Spirit of God was upon Him and that He has been sent, and here we have the ‘Apostle’ of Hebrews 3:1. He declared that He has come to preach the gospel of God to deliver those who were in the bondage of sin. He stated that ‘this day’ is the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah. Also notice that He does not complete verse 2 of Isaiah Chapter 61. He stopped on the note of grace. For this would become the day or time of grace. Verse 2 will be completed when He comes to rule as King of kings, and Lord of lords, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; This will be His day of vengeance against all the ungodly nations of the world. In this period of grace, however, that we are in now He was anointed and sent to preach the gospel of peace.
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. (John 14:27) As the Lord Jesus walked amongst the Israelites, He was both Apostle (which is teacher) and preacher of the gospel of peace. This confirms His Head Apostleship in Hebrews 3:1. He was anointed to preach the glad tidings, and this fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah. The combination of Apostle and High Priest of Hebrews 3 can only be through divine appointment. His Priesthood is given by His offering of Himself on the cross of Calvary as the Offeror and His divine appointment to the throne of grace. And from that throne He ministers to His own, the holy brethren.
Let’s look back into the Old Testament to the priesthood of Aaron under the law of God. Aaron is a type of the eternal Priesthood of the Lord Jesus. Aaron is only a symbol (being a man) under the law. He was anointed by Moses who is referred to in Hebrews 3:2 which we will cover at a later time. For now, we will look at Leviticus 8:12
And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to sanctify him. (Leviticus 8:12)
And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office. (Exodus 30:30)
Aaron was anointed to be the high priest, but his priesthood was only a type of the true priesthood, which is after the order of Melchisedec, (Hebrews 7) the priesthood that the Lord Jesus Christ now occupies. Let’s look at the prophecy in 1 Samuel 2:35
And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever. Through this prophecy we again see the eternal Priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ, and it is under His Priesthood that He is building His sure house, which house are we. (Hebrews 3)
Now we have the Apostle of our faith, the word Apostle is capitalized to show forth office and position of the Apostle, which is Jesus Christ. In the fulfillment of Isaiah 61 and in Luke’s gospel we have God affirming to us that He is anointed to preach the glad tidings. Aaron is given to us as a type of the Lord Jesus, and as a type of the priesthood of the Lord — the priesthood after the order of Melchisedec. (Hebrews 7) According to the prophecy of 1 Samuel 2:35 the Lord Jesus shall walk before his anointed for ever.
We have covered the Apostle and the High Priest, now let’s consider the Lord Jesus. As I said, the name ‘Christ’ means anointed. We also have the name given to God’s Son by the angel of God, and thou shalt call his name JESUS. The definition or the meaning of the name given by God through His angel means ‘Jehovah is salvation.’ In the name Christ we have ‘the anointed of God’ to be ‘Jehovah our salvation or Savior.’ This only scratches the surface of this tremendous verse, but let’s not finish here. The Holy Spirit will take the eyes of our soul and heart to see the grandeur of this verse in Hebrews 3. If we are to look upon the Holiness of the Lord Jesus, the Christ of God, we must be qualified as holy brethren. If we are to understand the depth and height and breadth of His love, we must have a heavenly calling. If we are in this position then the Holy Spirit can show us all the glories of our Apostle and High Priest of our profession and possession, Christ Jesus. He is the anointed of God the Father. (Hebrews 1:9) He is anointed here with the oil of gladness above His fellows. His fellows can be none other than the sons of God. When Aaron was anointed, the oil was holy oil, and his sons were also anointed with that same holy oil. Can we see in this relationship the sons of God coming into the anointing of the Lord Jesus by the indwelling Spirit of God.
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (1 John 3:2)
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:3)
When Aaron was anointed, his sons were anointed at the same time. They entered into the same anointing with the same holy oil. As we enter into the sufferings of Christ, is it not that we will suffer with Him? And because of the work of the Spirit of God we enter into the anointing of the man in heaven who has redeemed us unto our God. When we consider this anointing, we are anointed into His death, and by that we are anointed to a life forever more. In His priesthood, He anoints us with our priesthood. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. (1 Peter 2:9) By being holy brethren we are also a royal priesthood, and a holy nation unto our God. We are also a chosen generation, and that generation spans the entire Church age. Now, once more, in Hebrews 1:9, the Lord of glory, the Lord Jesus Christ is anointed with the holy oil of gladness above His fellows. We, as the sons of God, are those fellows; as the sons of Aaron stood by and saw the grandeur and majesty and the holiness of their father; so, we look at the Lord Jesus with a much greater glory than Aaron had. For the Lord Jesus holds the golden scepter of righteousness, and He upholds all righteousness with the word of His power. This power is projected by the Holy Spirit of God into our hearts so that our spirit sees Him as the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His Person.
We have in Chapter 3 the divine number of the Godhead. In Chapter 3, we see the Lord Jesus in three different lights: as the Apostle, as the High Priest, and as Christ Jesus. Each light, or possession or title, is beaming with His glory. In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word is established. On our side we are a witness by being the holy brethren, and our second witness is our relationship to heaven in our heavenly calling. When we see all these things it is only the Spirit of God who can give us definition and understanding. After the Spirit of God has qualified us, He says ‘bow your head, open your heart, and then consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession.’
Before we begin verse 2 of this wonderful chapter. Look at where God has placed us. He has taken us to the holy mountain. He has revealed His glory to our hearts and souls. We have gathered around Him as holy brethren with a heavenly calling. The Holy Spirit of God has broken the silence of heaven with the word ‘consider,’ and this word like a beam of light shines upon the Apostle and High Priest. As the disciples heard the voice of God the Father saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. We have been brought to the top of this holy mountain for a reason, and that is to see the brightness of His glory and the express image of His Person. And now the Holy Spirit of God, like God the Father above, is saying to our souls, hear ye him. Amen
© Copyright 2015, Michael Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the King James Bible. (KJB)