From today’s MP epistle reading:
15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying,
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them
After those days, says the Lord:
I will put My laws upon their heart,
And on their mind I will write them,”
He then says,
17 “And their sins and their lawless deeds
I will remember no more.”
18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.
19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh …
At the Last Supper Jesus encourages His disciples, preparing them for the trying days ahead. “I go to prepare a place for you. … that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going” (John 14:1-6). A perplexed Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” Where are you going? By what way? If we don’t know where you are going how can we know the way? Jesus answered, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:1-6). How could the disciples have conceived of so marvelous the “new and living way” which was inaugurated by Jesus?
Jesus is the new and living way … Jesus opened the way for us into God’s presence through His death, resurrection. and ascension into heaven as our forerunner (Hebrews 6:19). Jesus is the present, living way, He who ever lives to make intercession for us (7:25).
Jesus is the new and living way through the veil, that is, through His flesh … The veil is an allusion to the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies (Exodus 26L31-33). In the Old Covenant the High Priest alone could enter the Holy of Holies but one day a year, the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16:16,34). The veil symbolized that the way to God was still blocked, that sinful mankind was excluded from God’s presence.
At Jesus’ death this veil was torn from top to bottom signifying that in and through Jesus the way into God’s holy presence is now open, that we are no longer excluded. In Jesus Christ we have confidence to draw near to God in the full assurance of faith.
In light of the momentous truths of Jesus person and work as our great High Priest, Hebrews exhorts us apply these truths to our daily lives. Our faith is not just to be professed, it must be put into practice.
Therefore let us draw near to God …
with a sincere heart, a heart with singleness of purpose
in full assurance of faith
with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience
our bodies washed with pure water
** Ezekiel 36:25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Let us …
hold fast the confession of our hope
consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds
not forsaking our assembling together
JSH+