“For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26).
The author of Hebrews has painstakingly demonstrated the superiority of Jesus’ priestly ministry throughout this chapter. Here in Hebrews 7:26, he now reminds us that Jesus is a person of superior character as well. Unlike other groups or individuals who claim to provide access to God, Jesus is someone who is holy, faultless (Phillips), incorrupt (CEB), set apart from sinners (NIV), and holds the highest place of honor in heaven (NLT).
These characteristic qualities are worthy of a closer look…
- Holy. “Holiness” describes Jesus as someone who is morally perfect and free of anything that may be wrong, corrupt, or impure (see Isaiah 6:1-5).
- Harmless. This indicates that Jesus is a person who holds no malicious intent. He is void of evil (1) and completely lacking in the negative characteristics of guile or fraud. (2)
- Undefiled. This word conveys the idea of purity or something that is free of contamination. (3) Other words and concepts that define this quality include ” unstained,” ” unsoiled,” ” clean,” “faultless,” and ” untainted by evil.” (4)
- Separate from sinners. This characteristic may seem difficult to reconcile with the Biblical description of Jesus as “…a friend of tax collectors and sinners” (Luke 7:34). It may also seem to conflict with the objection raised by the religious leadership of Jesus’ day: “This Man receives sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:2). Yet even while Jesus spent time with sinful human beings, He did not condone, share, or encourage their sinful behavior. Perhaps the best response to this objection is found in Jesus’ commonsense observation from the Gospel of Mark: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Mark 2:17).
- Higher than the heavens. In the words of one commentator, “Jesus, our great High Priest, has ‘ascended up far above all heavens’ (Ephesians 4:10). Yet the heavens seem to stretch out infinitely… The only one who could ever be ‘higher than the heavens’ is the One who created the heavens.” (5)
Finally, the New Testament epistle of 1 John integrates these characteristic qualities with a fitting description of Jesus’ priestly ministry: “Everyone who sins is breaking God’s law, for all sin is contrary to the law of God. And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins, and there is no sin in him” (1 John 3:4-5 NLT).
(1) G172 akakos Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers https://studybible.info/vines/Guileless%20(without%20Guile)
(2) G172 akakos Thayer’s Greek Definitions https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g172/kjv/tr/0-1/
(3) G283 amiantos Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers https://studybible.info/vines/Undefiled
(4) “Undefiled” Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary General Editor Ronald F. Youngblood, Copyright © 1986, 1995 by Thomas Nelson Publishers.
(5) Institute for Creation Research, New Defender’s Study Bible Notes (Hebrews 7:26) https://www.icr.org/bible/Hebrews/7/26/