As we continue thinking about Christ’s ascension, the Book of Hebrews draws our attention to another aspect of His return to heaven and enthronement at the Father’s right hand. In several passages, we learn that the ascension marked the inauguration of Christ’s high priestly ministry.
In Hebrews 4:14–16, the ascension is expressed as passing through the heavens: “We have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God” (v. 14).
Furthermore, since He assumed a full human nature and lived in our kind of world, Jesus experienced temptation just as we do. The grand difference is that He never yielded to His temptations. He was without sin.
One who sympathizes
Nevertheless, having experienced temptation, our heavenly High Priest can “sympathize with our weaknesses” (v. 15). That moves Him to help us in our times of weakness and need.
A further result of Christ’s ascension and His priestly ministry on our behalf is confidence in prayer. This passage also exhorts, “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (v. 16). So in addition to help in times of weakness and need, the ascension of Christ connects with us at the point of prayer.
Christ’s ascension is also part of our Christian hope. As He is, so we will be. Joined by faith to Him, we also look forward with certain hope to going where He has gone. However turbulent life may become, our hope is a sure anchor.
One who intercedes
When we continue reading in Hebrews and come to chapter 7, we find how verses 25 and 26 elaborate further about our ascended and enthroned High Priest. Now permanently in the presence of the Father, He makes intercession for us. Christ’s intercession ministry enables us to “come to God through Him” and to be saved “to the uttermost” (v. 25).
Hebrews 9:24 emphasizes again the fact that in His ascension “Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself.”
Having returned to heaven, our High Priest appears “in the presence of God for us.” This imagery enlarges slightly to suggest a high priest who becomes our heavenly defense attorney by representing us before God.
With such representation, no charge can be brought against us that can stand up in God’s court. As it were, the scars in His hands and feet become eloquent testimony that He has already borne our judgment, allowing us to go free for all eternity.
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