“For it is clear that He does not reach out to help angels, but to help Abraham’s offspring. Therefore, He had to be like His brothers in every way, so that He could become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:16-17 HCSB)
Hebrews 2:17 marks the first appearance of a concept that will assume greater prominence later in the book of Hebrews: Jesus’ role as high priest. In the New Testament era, a Jewish priest held parallel roles in representing God to others and others to God. A priest was also responsible for administrating the various offerings to atone for the individual and corporate sins of the people.
The “high priest” served as the central human figure in this sacrificial system. The high priest was the only person permitted to enter the innermost part of the Temple (or the Most Holy Place) once a year to make a sacrificial offering for the sins of the nation. He ministered there behind a great veil that separated the Most Holy Place from other portions of the Temple.
However, Matthew 27:50-51 tells us that this veil was split in two from top to bottom upon Jesus’ sacrificial death. This indicated that access to God now was freely available through Christ. Thus, it was no longer necessary for a human priest to act as a mediator. Instead, Jesus became our high priest in bridging the gap between God and humanity through His atoning death on the cross.
Before we examine that subject in greater detail, we first come to an important term: propitiation. This word refers to the satisfaction of God’s justice and the appeasement of His righteous anger towards those who have broken His laws. One source offers a brief, but comprehensive explanation of this Biblical doctrine…
“There are only four passages in the New Testament where the word propitiation is used in particular connection with the atoning work of Jesus on the cross (Rom. 3:25; Heb. 2:17; 1 John 2:2; 4:10). However, the concept of propitiation is pervasive. It is a personal idea (someone must be propitiated) that means more than the impersonal notion of expiation, which means to take away or remove something (as in sin and guilt).
To propitiate someone is to ‘appease or pacify his anger.’ Propitiation, then, necessarily presupposes anger that needs to be appeased. When the death of Christ is described in propitiatory terms, it is the holy wrath of God against sin that is in view. Jesus propitiates God by substituting Himself in the place of sinners and enduring divine wrath that justly should be unleashed on them.” (1)
(1) Parsons. Burk. John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology © 2008 by Burk Parsons [pg. 163]