The Title Jesus In The Letter To The Hebrews

by W. Bunting, Ayr | Category: The Title Jesus In The Letter To The Hebrews | Feb 1970

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into

the holy place by the blood of Jesus" (Hebrews 10.19).

In the past the high priest entered into the holy place year by year with blood not his own, but our High Priest, through His own blood, entered in once and for all into the holy place. The blood of Christ is referred to in the previous chapter where we find the words, "How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Hebrews 9.14). He has completed the work of atonement and on the basis of His work God has removed, or remitted, our sins. In the verse under consideration it is the blood of Jesus that is referred to, and this is the basis of our boldness to enter the holy place. The word boldness (Gk. parrhesia) is defined by Dr Young as "free utterance".

"Looking unto Jesus the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12.2).

The choice of the title Jesus in this passage is surely significant. It is associated with the days of His flesh and with His shame and sorrow. We rejoice that it is the same One who is now exalted, having sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

In the previous chapter we have the long list of men and women of faith who gripped the word, or promises of God, and lived their lives for Him. They form a great cloud of witnesses, and in the light of their example we are exhorted to "Lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12.1). In the word patience we have the thought of steadfast endurance or fortitude of the runner. The writer then brings before us the greatest example of all, "Jesus the Author and Perfecter of our faith". If we are to complete the race successfully our whole attention must be focused on Him. The word Author here signifies the chief leader, and the Perfecter speaks of the finisher or completer. He turned not back from the path which meant shame and sorrow, and finally the Cross. He is our great Example. In His case the joy set before Him seems to be summed up in the words, "He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied" (Isaiah 53.11).

"And to Jesus the Mediator of a new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better than that of Abel" (Hebrews 12.24).

A mediator is one who forms a connecting link for the purpose of reconciliation. Moses acted as mediator at Mount Sinai. When the people of Israel saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and heard the voice of the trumpet they trembled. "And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear:

but let not God speak with us, lest we die" (Exodus 20.19).

In two other passages the writer to the Hebrews refers to the Lord in His work as mediator. "But now hath He obtained a ministry the more excellent, by how much also He is the Mediator of a better covenant, which hath been enacted upon better promises" (Hebrews 8.6). Note the phrases " a ministry the more excellent", "better covenant", "better promises".

Looking back at Israel's experience at Mount Sinai we see that even the mediator Moses said, "I exceedingly fear and quake". On the other hand there are eight statements describing where we have come to, and the seventh is "To Jesus the Mediator of a new covenant". How thankful we should be for the truth contained in the words, "There is one God, one Mediator also between God and men, Himself Man, Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2.5).

"Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us therefore go forth unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach" (Hebrews 13.12, 13).

Golgotha, the place of the skull, where Jesus was crucified, was nigh to the city of Jerusalem. Today there may be some disputation as to the actual site of the crucifixion, but we know that He suffered without the gate. In the previous verse reference is made to the fact that "the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned without the camp" (Hebrews 13.11). The connexion seems to be with the day of Atonement when "the bullock of the sin offering, and the goat of the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall be carried forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung" (Leviticus 16.27). It is important to observe that the title used in the particular verse we are considering is Jesus, and the purpose for which He suffered without the gate was that He might sanctify, or set apart, His people through His own blood. We are exhorted to find our rightful place outside the camp, bearing His reproach.

In our examination of these nine passages in which the title Jesus is used we may have failed to bring to light other reasons for the choice of that name. This is the title of His humiliation. It brings before us Him, who, though He was God, stooped to become Man in order that He might accomplish the great plan of redemption. We are brought back to the message of the angel of the Lord, "Thou shalt call His name JESUS; for it is He that shall save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1.21).

We have observed how rare is the use of the name Jesus in the letters of the New Testament, and when it is used the purpose is that we may know Him in the special character in which that name reveals Him. It is regrettable to hear those who should know better using the name Jesus indiscriminately. We should observe the apostle Peter's great declaration on the day of Pentecost, "Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom ye crucified" (Acts 2.36), How seldom are men prepared to accord Him the title of Lord Jesus and yet we are told to "do all in the name of the Lord Jesus" (Colossians 3.17). It is the name that speaks of His authority in resurrection. The name which appears at the end of most of the epistles, and which might be described as His full official title, is "The Lord Jesus Christ".

W. Bunting, Ayr | Feb 1970
The Title Jesus In The Letter To The Hebrews