“Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven” (Hebrews 8:1 ESV).
It is not unusual for a student to attend a course of study that seems to have little or no relevance to anything that takes place in the outside world. This inevitably leads to a common student lament: “When will I ever actually use what I am learning in this course?” That question may also reflect the view of some who have followed along with the challenging arguments put forth thus far in the Biblical book of Hebrews.
For instance, the author of Hebrews has spoken extensively regarding the Old Testament priesthood in earlier sections of this book. Hebrews chapter five detailed the Levitical priest’s basic responsibilities while Hebrews chapter seven discussed the priesthood of Melchizedek at great length. Given the demanding nature of these topics, some readers might be tempted to ask, “What’s the point?”
Our author may have had that question in mind here in the opening verse of Hebrews chapter eight. You see, these challenging subjects have been building to the conclusion we see here in Hebrews 8:1.
For example, the basic role of an Old Testament priest involved serving as God’s representative before the people and the people’s representative before God. Because of this, an average Israelite could not simply enter the tabernacle to offer a sacrifice. Instead, an authorized priest presented a sacrificial offering to God on his or her behalf.
With that foundation in place, the author of Hebrews transitions to a new thought by effectively stating, “here is a summary of everything we have said up to this point” in verse one. That summary is presented in a straightforward manner: in Christ, we have the ultimate priestly representative.
Unlike the Levitical priests, this priest is not someone who must offer a sacrifice for Himself before He can approach God on our behalf. Instead, we have a high priest who ministers for us in heaven from a position of authority “…at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven.” This priest will never commit a sin, can never die, and will always be there to intercede on our behalf.
This is the most important of all the points our author has made thus far. While the preceding arguments may have been difficult to follow, the summary is not: “Jesus, the ultimate priestly mediator, is interceding on our behalf.”