high priest

Kneel Day 7 On Our Behalf: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out On Our Behalf!

The Questions

1) What is the “new and living way” inaugurated by Jesus? (verse 20)

2) How are our hearts sprinkled clean and our bodies washed in pure water? (verse 22)

3) How do we hold onto the confession of our hope without wavering? (verse 23)

Hebrews 10:19-23

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have boldness to enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus— 20 he has inaugurated for us a new and living way through the curtain (that is, through his flesh)— 21 and since we have a great high priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water. 23 Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful.

Original Intent

1) What is the “new and living way” inaugurated by Jesus? (verse 20)
In Hebrews 10:20, we are told Jesus’ blood has made a new and living way to enter the sanctuary of God. Before Jesus’ death on the cross, the high priest sacrificed an innocent animal every year to atone for the sins of God’s people. (Leviticus 16) Because of Jesus, people have a “new and living way” to access the Father. When the sinless Savior took our sin upon Himself, He redeemed our lives and reconciled all who believe in Him back to God. We are no longer separated from God but can come boldly to His throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16) through the “new and living way” of Jesus. Andrew Murray suggests “Christ’s death was something entirely and essentially new, and so also His resurrection life; a life out of death, such as never had been known before. This new death and new life constitute the new and living way, the new way of living in which we draw nigh to God.” The reason Jesus came to earth and sacrificed His life was so we could live an abundant life (John 10:10) in communion with God (1 Corinthians 1:9). His death made a way for us to draw near to our righteous God without the hindrance of our sin. As David Guzik points out, “Now under the New Covenant we have access because of the perfect sacrifice of the sinless Son of God, and it is as if the living, resurrected Jesus ushers us into the throne room of God.” We can remain in God, and He remains in us (John 15:4-8), because Christ’s work on the cross brings us into relationship with God.

2) How are our hearts sprinkled clean and our bodies washed in pure water? (verse 22)
In the Old Testament, priests sacrificed an animal and sprinkled its blood on the altar to signify cleansing and payment for sin. They would also wash themselves, signifying holiness, before wearing tabernacle garments to make the sacrifice. (Leviticus 16:4) Kenneth Wuest explains how the “high priest would sprinkle the blood of the sacrificial animal seven times on the ground as he approached the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies.” (Leviticus 16:14) The author of Hebrews references this in writing, “Let us draw near [to God] with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed in pure water.” (Hebrews 10:22) It is Jesus, our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14), who cleanses us from sin through the blood sacrifice He made for us at the cross. We are sprinkled clean and washed pure by His blood. Some, like David Guzik, suggest this passage also references water baptism. “With the perfect cleansing available to us, described in terms of promises of the New Covenant in the Hebrew Scriptures (hearts sprinkled) and the Christian practice of baptism (bodies washed), we can draw near to God in a way never available to someone under the Old Covenant.” Jesus’ sacrifice made a way for us to have a vibrant relationship with the living God! Andrew Murray asserts, “The blood [of Christ] has put away the thought of sin from God; He remembers it no more forever. The blood puts away the thought of sin in me too, taking away the evil conscience that condemns me.” What an incredible reality, that we can commune with the Holy God who frees our conscience from evil and sprinkles our hearts clean, free of condemnation! (Romans 8:1)

3) How do we hold onto the confession of our hope without wavering? (verse 23)
The author of Hebrews 10:23 admonishes readers to “hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since he who promised is faithful.” According to Chuck Swindoll, this letter was written to “Jewish Christians in Rome, who were struggling under Nero’s persecution and were considering moving back toward the Mosaic Law. The writer to the Hebrews showed these Jewish Christian believers that, though they were faced with suffering, they were indeed following a better way . . . and they should persevere.” It can be hard to stay committed to biblical beliefs when doing so incurs mistreatment from others. It can be easy to waver, or even fall away, from truth when following Christ becomes difficult. This verse tells us that, because God is faithful and keeps His promises, we should hang on with hope without faltering. R.C. Sproul explains, “The faithfulness of His Word and His activity through history give us the basis for our hope and confidence that God will do all that He promises. Because of this faithfulness, we too must be faithful to Him.” God’s Word tells us all Christians will face persecution (2 Timothy 3:12), but the hope we are holding onto in the promises and Person of Jesus is worth any persecution we face for following Jesus. In fact, the Bible calls those who are persecuted blessed for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. (Matthew 5:10) God grants us the grace (John 1:16) to be faithful to Him as He shows faithfulness to us in all situations.

Everyday Application

1) What is the “new and living way” inaugurated by Jesus? (verse 20)
Recently at church, our fancy printer for checking kids into class wasn’t working, so I told parents we were “kickin’ it old school” using ink pens and stickers instead of technology. Of course, “old school” is relative; when I was a child, kids were simply dropped off without official security measures. Everybody knew everybody else and the street where they lived. The “new system”, even with a downgrade to markers and stickers, was still better than the “old system” I’d grown up under. In relating with God, Jesus has given us a “new system” described in Hebrews 10:20 as “the new and living way” which is immeasurably better than the old system. Instead of relying on a priest to temporarily atone for our sins through animal sacrifice, we can freely access God because Jesus took our sins upon Himself once and for all. (1 Peter 2:24) We don’t need to worry about not measuring up, or working to atone for the impossible debt our sins have incurred, because Jesus paid the debt-price (1 Corinthians 6:20) to cleanse us from “all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Dan Cruver describes what it’s like for us to “enter the sanctuary through the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19) when he writes, “Our confidence to enter is not based upon what we’ve done or not done but upon what Christ has done through the shedding of His own blood. Our confidence is based upon the work of Christ.” There is much freedom in knowing my salvation does not rely on what I do or fail to do. My righteousness before God is because of Jesus’ righteousness; all I need to do is accept His love and mercy made available through the “new and living way”! (John 3:16)

2) How are our hearts sprinkled clean and our bodies washed in pure water? (verse 22)
I was saved from my sin-debt at age 5, so the idea of being made clean and whole didn’t resonate with me as deeply then as it does now. Since then, I’ve grown in understanding of my sin, its offensiveness to the Holy God, and my deep need for a Saving God to cleanse me. There are numerous sermons, songs, books and movies describing the blood of Jesus washing us because it’s a life-altering experience. Hillsong United’s song, Clean, declares, “The highest Name has set me free/Because of Jesus My heart is clean.” In her song, “Clean,” Natalie Grant sings, “There’s nothing too dirty/that you can’t make worthy/You wash me in mercy/I am clean/ Washed in the blood of your sacrifice/Your blood flowed red and made me white/My dirty rags are purified/I am clean.” When your life has been tinged with the guilt and shame of sin, being delivered from the heaviness of condemnation is whole-life-liberating. Only the blood of Jesus, shed for us, cleanses us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:7) and frees us from sin and death (Romans 8:2). According to author Liz Curtis Higgs, “God doesn’t just clean us up, fix us up, straighten us up. He recreates us in the image of His Son. He starts from scratch. He makes us new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17) In Christ, we become “a new being” (Good News Bible), “a new person” (New Living Translation), “a new creature altogether” (Amplified Bible), and have “a fresh start” (The Message Paraphrase).” This freedom is available to all who choose to turn from their sin and trust Christ to pay their sin-debt! Being made new, clean and free, stirs us to share this Good News with everyone!

3) How do we hold onto the confession of our hope without wavering? (verse 23)
I’ve always been inspired by Christians whose lives demonstrate a life that “hold(s) on to the confession of our hope without wavering, since He who promised is faithful.” Corrie Ten Boom was a Christian Dutch woman who hid Jews from the Nazis in the Netherlands during World War II. “In concert with her religious beliefs, her family experience, and the Dutch resistance. Her defiance led to imprisonment, internment in a concentration camp, and loss of family members who died from maltreatment while in German custody” (encyclopedia.ushmm.org) Though she and those she loved suffered much, she was still able to say, “In darkness God’s truth shines most clear”. (Corrie Ten Boom) She held onto the unwavering hope she had in Christ and the truths of the Scriptures in her darkest hours, then emerged to share that hope with others around the world. There are stories from all over the globe like this one, of people holding fast to Jesus in the face of intense struggle. The recent coup in Myanmar left people fleeing into the jungles for survival, but hope persists for those displaced Christians. Lindy Lowry reports, “Like so many situations where God’s people are pressed on every side (2 Corinthians 4:8,) faith continues to survive in persecution. Our local partners [in Myanmar] report that increasing numbers of people are turning to Jesus for their hope.” In Nigeria, Boko Haram has harassed Christians who refuse to convert to Islam, yet “many Nigerian Christians forgive their persecutors, and some even share the gospel with militants” (persecution.com) Stories like these remind me that holding on to my hope in Christ without wavering is important because it keeps me connected to God’s promises and it encourages others who may be struggling.

What do YOU think?! Share Here!
Missing the connection to our other Journey Study?
Catch up with On Our Behalf!

Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

Share What You’ve Learned!
Pray Together!
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Our Current Study Theme!

This is Kneel Week Two!
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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

Memorize It!

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Pause 3 Day 7 The Best Places

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Pause 3, Day 7

The high priest alone enters the second room, and he does that only once a year,
and never without blood,
which he offers for himself and for the sins the people had committed…

Only the high priest.
Only alone.
Never without blood.

God’s presence is too holy of a place to enter recklessly, carelessly, or without fearful awe.

The care that had gone into every single, ornately beautiful detail in handcrafting the Tabernacle of the Old Testament was immeasurable. The finest craftsmanship, the most intricate details, and the most precise tools available were prevailed upon to build the Tabernacle. The place where God’s presence dwelled and the place of shared community between God and His people was the very best place available to all of Israel.

No other place was as sacred, as ornate, or as fearfully held in awe as the tabernacle.

The author of Hebrews 9 uses the extremely familiar setting of the tabernacle and its specially designed articles to set the stage for the gospel.

From His heavenly throne, to the ancient tabernacle, to our very hearts,
He only dwells in the best places.

Jesus, the perfect High Priest,
the only perfect One,
interceded on our behalf in the presence of God,
as He offered up His own blood
in place of ours,
for complete forgiveness of our sin!

If you have surrendered yourself fully to Jesus, then the same God who met with the long-ago Israelites in a tent, the same One whose throne room is surrounded by angelic beings, is the very same One dwelling inside you through His Holy Spirit.

He only dwells in the best places, Sister!

Today's Invitation

1) Pull out your Bible and read Hebrews 9 fully through 3 times.

2) Each time, write down everything that pops out at you, makes you curious, or wonder “why?”. When you’re finished, go back through and you’ll be amazed at the new things the Spirit is leading you into knowing about Him!

3) Want to learn more about those intricate details and the heavy meanings God intended as He pointed ancient Israel towards the coming hope of the gospel?! Check out our Journey Theme, Tabernacle!

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Hebrews 9

Now the first covenant also had regulations for ministry and an earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tabernacle was set up, and in the first room, which is called the holy place, were the lampstand, the table, and the presentation loaves. 3 Behind the second curtain was a tent called the most holy place. 4 It had the gold altar of incense and the ark of the covenant, covered with gold on all sides, in which was a gold jar containing the manna, Aaron’s staff that budded, and the tablets of the covenant. 5 The cherubim of glory were above the ark overshadowing the mercy seat. It is not possible to speak about these things in detail right now.

6 With these things prepared like this, the priests enter the first room repeatedly, performing their ministry. 7 But the high priest alone enters the second room, and he does that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. 8 The Holy Spirit was making it clear that the way into the most holy place had not yet been disclosed while the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 This is a symbol for the present time, during which gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the worshiper’s conscience. 10 They are physical regulations and only deal with food, drink, and various washings imposed until the time of the new order.

11 But Christ has appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come. In the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands (that is, not of this creation), 12 he entered the most holy place once for all time, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow, sprinkling those who are defiled, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works so that we can serve the living God?

15 Therefore, he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called might receive the promise of the eternal inheritance, because a death has taken place for redemption from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. 16 Where a will exists, the death of the one who made it must be established. 17 For a will is valid only when people die, since it is never in effect while the one who made it is living. 18 That is why even the first covenant was inaugurated with blood. 19 For when every command had been proclaimed by Moses to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, along with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll itself and all the people, 20 saying, This is the blood of the covenant that God has ordained for you. 21 In the same way, he sprinkled the tabernacle and all the articles of worship with blood. 22 According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

23 Therefore, it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly things themselves to be purified with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model of the true one) but into heaven itself, so that he might now appear in the presence of God for us. 25 He did not do this to offer himself many times, as the high priest enters the sanctuary yearly with the blood of another. 26 Otherwise, he would have had to suffer many times since the foundation of the world. But now he has appeared one time, at the end of the ages, for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment— 28 so also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

How Does “Pause” Work?
1.Each day, Monday through Friday, for 2 weeks, we will provide you with an invitation to get away with the Savior. Each one is designed for you to engage with the Almighty in a deeper way and perhaps in a new way than you have been recently.

2. Having a journal is a must! You’ll want to take notes as you walk this special Journey of Pause.

3. Each week focuses on one or two passage of Scripture and we walk with you as you study and flesh these out for yourself. As you write your thoughts, read His Word, and pray, questions might come up. That’s Perfect! Ask a trusted fellow believer, a pastor, or send us an email as you work through them!

4. Jumping in at the middle? No problem! Here is the entire Journey Theme.

5. Connect with others on Facebook by visiting our GT Community Group!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Pause 3 Week Two!
Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme? Here’s a link to all past studies
in Pause 3!

Pause 3 Day 3 Living Word & High Priest

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Pause 3, Day 3

It is a mercy to be cut by the Word of God.  
The beginning of Hebrews 4 is spent pleading listeners to not miss this opportunity of grace. Eternal rest is offered freely, but the offer will not last forever. Only while it is called today; only while breath is in our lungs do we still have the rich grace to be welcomed into His arms of rest.

The chapter closes with the sweetest of invitations to those who have entered His forever rest from the burden of working hard to attain our own salvation. The doors of Heaven’s throne room are flung wide as we are welcomed with lavish love into His presence where we are known and tenderly loved, cared for, and empathized with.

Sandwiched in the middle of these abundant graces, lies the sharpness of God’s Word, fueled by His own Spirit. His Words are alive, quick, and adept at its task of penetrating our souls and exposing our hearts. A pastor once shared, “if we allowed God’s Word to cut us more often, perhaps we would be spared the pain of greater discipline.”

Is His Word so precious to you that you hold it close enough to allow it to cut your heart and pierce the sins you love so dearly? Is it close enough to allowing His surgeon hands to heal you, and bring you life by His Spirit through the same Word?
It is a mercy to be cut by the Word of God.

Grab your Bible, a journal and pen,
and open your heart to bask in the presence of the Almighty!

Today's Challenge

1) Be a scribe and copy the precious words of Scripture down word for word. Make space in your journal to write down every word of Hebrews 4:12-16 today. And as you copy, lookup a cross reference or two as you come to them (they are the small letters next to certain words in your study Bible or online at www.biblia.com). As you write, think of the incredible gift it is to be invited into God’s presence through His word!

2) Choose one of these options to answer the invitation of going deeper into biblical community! 
a) Take a photo of your journal time this week and share it, or share a quote from it.
            b) Do a Facebook Live on the GT Community group and share how God has been working in you.
            c) Leave a comment here about it.
            d) Share something God has been showing you in a comment at the GT Community Group 
            e) Plan a coffee or lunch date with a friend and share what you’ve been learning and soaking in as you have hit Pause.
            f) Write a note of encouragement to a sister who has been through the nitty-gritty of real life with you. Let her know how deeply she has impacted your walk with Christ.
            g) For some of us, having a “2am friend” to build biblical community with is a new concept. If that’s you, this is an exciting, fresh place to be! Connect with our Facebook Community, send us an email, reach out to your local church body, seek out a small group and plug in! 

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
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Hebrews 4

Therefore, since the promise to enter his rest remains, let us beware that none of you be found to have fallen short. 2 For we also have received the good news just as they did. But the message they heard did not benefit them, since they were not united with those who heard it in faith. 3 For we who have believed enter the rest, in keeping with what he has said,
So I swore in my anger,
“They will not enter my rest,”

even though his works have been finished since the foundation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in this way: And on the seventh day God rested from all his works. 5 Again, in that passage he says, They will never enter my rest, 6 Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news did not enter because of disobedience, 7 he again specifies a certain day—today. He specified this speaking through David after such a long time:
Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. 9 Therefore, a Sabbath rest remains for God’s people. 10 For the person who has entered his rest has rested from his own works, just as God did from his. 11 Let us then make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall into the same pattern of disobedience.

12 For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 No creature is hidden from him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.

14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.

How Does “Pause” Work?
1. Each day, Monday through Friday, for 2 weeks, we will provide you with a simple challenge. Each challenge is designed for you to engage with the Almighty in a deeper way and perhaps in a new way than you have been recently.

2. Having a journal is a must! You’ll want to take notes as you walk this special Journey of Pause.

3. Each week focuses on one or two passage of Scripture and we walk with you as you study and flesh these out for yourself. As you write your thoughts, read His Word, and pray, questions might come up. That’s Perfect! Ask a trusted fellow believer, a pastor, or send us an email as you work through them!

4. Jumping in at the middle? No problem! Here is the entire Journey Theme.

5. Connect with others on Facebook by visiting our GT Community Group!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Pause 3 Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme? Here’s a link to all past studies
in Pause 3!

Tabernacle Day 7 Purpose & Pieces: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Purposes & Pieces!

The Questions

1) Who is the High Priest referenced and how did he “pass through the heavens”?

2) What “confession” are we to “hold fast to”?

3) Why is it significant that the High Priest has been tempted “in every way we are”?

Hebrews 4:14-16

 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in time of need.

Original Intent

1) Who is the High Priest referenced and how did he “pass through the heavens”?
Verse 14 continues by answering exactly who this High Priest is: Jesus Christ. The name “Jesus” meaning our Savior, and the title of “Son of God” signifying complete authority as God and Himself having the full nature of the Divinity. This is the Son of God who had been promised to come to earth centuries earlier through the prophets, and even hinted at as far back as the Garden of Eden. There is no question in the original hearer’s minds, Jesus Is God. The only God, the Great I Am, co-equal with God the Father and pre-existing with God the Father before Time itself began. The bold statement leaves zero room for any other conclusion or theory. Jesus wasn’t a “good man”, a “popular prophet”, or a “figment of imagination”. No, Jesus is the Son of God. The Messiah, the Savior of the world, who “passed through the heavens” by setting aside His rightful Glory, in order to come to us for one purpose: to reconcile us to Himself by becoming our High Priest.

2) What “confession” are we to “hold fast to”?
The “therefore” at the beginning of verse 14 links the full words in the first question to this phrase, “let us hold fast to our confession.” Because Jesus, the Son of God, has passed through the heavens and become our High Priest, we can confidently hold fast to our confession. The “confession” is clarified by a cross reference to Hebrews 10:23 which states, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” The confession is the same one Paul speaks of when he instructs non-believers to “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Romans 10:9-10) The author of Hebrews is encouraging his listeners to not turn away from the gospel they both confessed with their lips and believed in their hearts. Jesus alone can save us and keep our souls for all eternity; we are to guard that and keep it at our forefront.

3) Why is it significant that the High Priest has been tempted “in every way we are”?
Later in Hebrews 5:2, the author writes, “He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.” In my arrogance as a parent, sometimes (er, often…), I get greatly annoyed with the little owies and complaints and fringe injustices that my children want me to listen to. They want real compassion, they want someone on their side, they will even ask me things like, “Have you ever had a splinter go into you hand?” What they want to know is am I really “there with them”, or am I just so far superior that I could care less about their childhood aches and pains. What would be arrogance on my part, is something the Lord will never do to one of us as His children. Abuse? He’s experienced it. Disrespect? Yes. Injustice? Ridicule? Harsh words? Rejection? Abandonment? Loneliness? Fear? Stress? This High Priest who passed through the heavens came that He might be our High Priest, a very “with us” God, One who has experienced the highs and lows and everything in between that we have, yet was without sin, that He might fulfill His purpose, sacrificing His blameless self that we might have direct, unabated access to His Glorious Throneroom!

Everyday Application

1) Who is the High Priest referenced and how did he “pass through the heavens”?
I love finding the “gospel in a nutshell” in just a few short words scattered all throughout Scripture, and this verse doesn’t disappoint! Sometimes, we need to intentionally slow way down when we think about Jesus and God, and ask obvious questions, then allowing ourselves to wrestle with the answer. Not a “church-y” answer, but one that’s well though through, one we know exactly what every word in our response means. For example, consider if someone asked you the following questions. Take some time to slowly and thoughtfully write down your answers that involve more than a few words. Put some meat on the bone of what you believe! Consider if someone were to ask you: Who is Jesus? Why did He die? How can one man take away “all the sin” of the world? Why do Christians say that Jesus is God? Enjoy your time of discovery then share it with a friend, challenging them to do the same!

2) What “confession” are we to “hold fast to”?
It’s one thing to mentally understand what the author is saying in these verses and be able to follow his reasoning, but it’s quite another to put it into everyday, practical practice. When the cereal explodes from the minivan….we need the gospel at the forefront to remember that we are sinners just like our children, and we make plenty of bigger messes in our relationships and other areas, yet the High Priest intercedes on our behalf! When a spouse blows up over something you know you didn’t do and your first reaction is to jump to anger….we need to keep the gospel at the forefront. The gospel that says man’s anger never accomplishes the righteousness of God and that, if Jesus can stand in our place, though we woefully are undeserving, we can offer the same grace in a loving way.
The gospel, we need it every single day. We must immerse ourselves in it by daily reading His Word and connecting with the Lord through continual prayer. This is what the author means when he urges, “let us hold fast to our confession!”

3) Why is it significant that the High Priest has been tempted “in every way we are”?
How often do we easily fall into thinking, “I’m the only one like this. Only I struggle in this area. I’m alone.”? These are lies straight from the Enemy of our Souls and we must fight against them with Solid Truth. Truth that says we are never alone, we have been bought with a price, Jesus is “for us”, there is no condemnation or shame for those in Christ Jesus. These are truths to win a battle with! Take time to slowly think through the soundtrack that plays in your mind as you go through your day today. Where are you critical, performance based, without grace, and freely distributing negative words to yourself and others? Challenge yourself to fight back with truth. Arm yourself well with Scripture, and hold tightly to the glorious gospel, knowing you were bought with the precious blood of the High Priest who knows exactly what it’s like to be you!

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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