Hebrews 7:18-28

Our Better Hope

What it says:

Heb 7:18  For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
Heb 7:19  For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
Heb 7:20  And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:
Heb 7:21  (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)
Heb 7:22  By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
Heb 7:23  And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
Heb 7:24  But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
Heb 7:25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Heb 7:26  For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
Heb 7:27  Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
Heb 7:28  For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

What it means:

Heb 7:18  For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.

Define: Verily – (arhaic) truthfully, certainly, confidently, admittedly, frankly, honestly

Define: Disanulling – make void, cancellation (literally or figuratively), put away.

There is a disannulling of what?  The commandment going before

Why was the commandment disannulled? Because of the commandment's weakness and unprofitableess

Define: Weakness – flaw, fault, failing, limitation, disadvantage, drawback, difficulty, frailty, feebleness, powerlessness,

We are familiar with the flesh being weak. The Levitical priests could never really completely or permanently remove the sins of the people so they had to repeat the sacrifices and rituals over and over again, year after year.

Define: Unprofitableness – not helpful or useful, unbeneficial, a losing battle, unsuccessful

Heb 7:19  For the law made nothing perfect,

Define: Perfect – without faults, complete and whole, lacking nothing essential, excellent or ideal

What was made perfect by the law? Nothing.

Sermon Bible Commentary: The imperfection of the law appears in these three points especially—

(1) The temporary forgiveness of sin;

(2) Access unto God was not perfected under the old dispensation;

(3) They had not received the Holy Ghost as an indwelling spirit.

The law made nothing perfect. For perfection is true, substantial, and eternal communion with God through a perfect mediation, and this perfect mediation we have obtained in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The temporary forgiveness of sin; What the law did not make perfect was the people’s hearts. They could have forgiveness of their sins, but when they sinned again, they had to make another sacrifice. What God wanted was obedience, not more and more sacrifices. He allowed the sacrifices to help them, but it never really seemed to change their hearts completely -- which appeared to make the law unprofitable. God wants our hearts.

Access unto God was not perfected under the old dispensation; meaning the people still could not go into God directly. The veil in the temple did not allow them entrance unto Him. Only the High Priest could go behind the veil once per year on the Day of Atonement, and only through the offering of a sacrifice and the cleansing rituals that were required.

They had not received the Holy Ghost as an indwelling spirit. Even the priests did not have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them, unless God decided to do so. He did fill some of His holy people with His spirit, but it was not available to everyone.

but the bringing in of a better hope did;

Define: Better – superior by comparison, improved, enhanced, surpassing

Define: Hope – expectation, optimism, faith, hopefulness, trust, anticipate, look forward to

What is the better hope?

1Ti_1:1  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;

God is our Saviour and He provided our Lord Jesus Christ specifically to save us. Jesus is our better hope!

1Pe_1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Jesus provided all three things which the law lacked!

(1) The eternal forgiveness of sins;

(2) Access unto God; (the throne of Grace)

(3) The gift of the Holy Ghost as an indwelling spirit.

Joh_17:23  I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

1Co_3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

“By the which” refers to what? By our better hope, Jesus Christ, we may draw near to God. We may go boldly to the Throne of Grace because Jesus Christ has provided the way for us. He was the Obedient One who not only offered Himself as the sacrifice, but who lived His life in obedience to God. Hallelujah!! 

Psa 91:14-16  "Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation."

Psalm 91 is also a Psalm of the Messiah. The words spoken above describe the relationship that Jesus enjoyed with the Father. It also describes what is now available to us, too!! Praise the Lord!! The “long life” which satisfies the Saviour is Eternal!!

Heb 7:20  And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:

Jesus was not made a priest without an oath – He was made a priest by the oath of God.

Heb 7:21  (For those priests were made without an oath;
But the Levitical priests were made priests without an oath – they were made priests by their birth right under the law.

but this with an oath by him that said unto him,
The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)
Heb 7:22  By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

By so much more than what the Levitical Priests had! Remember these were “priests” to be respected and obeyed… yet … the oath of God contained in the quoted Messianic prophecy, and His blessing on Jesus Christ, to whom He gave the power to be raised from the dead, clearly “trumps” being born in a certain family.

Define: Surety – security, indemnity, insurance, exemption from penalties, guarantee, warranty, deposit, collateral (In finance, a surety, surety bond or guaranty involves a promise by one party to assume responsibility for the debt obligation of a borrower if that borrower defaults. The person or company providing this promise is also known as a "surety" or as a "guarantor".[1] -- Wikipedia)

Define: Testament – proof: something that shows that something else exists or is true; covenant between God and humankind; evidence, witness, testimony, demonstration, tribute, verification, authentication

Jesus Christ is our guarantee of a much better covenant!

JFB: surety — ensuring in His own person the certainty of the covenant to us. This He did by becoming responsible for our guilt, by sealing the covenant with His blood, and by being openly acknowledged as our triumphant Savior by the Father, who raised Him from the dead. Thus He is at once God’s surety for man, and man’s surety for God, and so Mediator between God and man.

Heb 7:23  And they truly were many priests,

There were thousands, of Levitical priests over the years, dutifully performing the sacrifices, but there was, even among them, only one high priest each year. But the years added up to many many hundreds of high priests.

because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:

Why did the Levitical priests not remain priests forever? Once those priests died, they were no longer priests. Just the same as when a woman’s husband dies, she is no longer bound to him.

Heb 7:24  But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

Since Jesus lives an eternal life, His priesthood is also eternal. Hallelujah!! Because Jesus’ life is everlasting and unchanging, so is his priesthood eternal and immutable.

Heb 7:25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him,

Define:  Save – rescue someone, recover, salvage, bail out, revive, resuscitate

Define: Uttermost – most remote, to the highest degree, farthest, utmost, outermost, furthermost, farthest away, extreme

Them who do what? Them that come unto God by Jesus.

Mat 11:27-28  All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

What does “ever liveth” mean? Living forever. Life eternal.

What does He continually do for us?  He makes intercession for us.

Define: Intercession – interceding, the action of pleading on someone’s behalf, attempt to resolve conflict or settle a dispute, prayer or petition to God on behalf of someone else, intervention, mediation, arbitration, negotiation

“Seeing he ever liveth”… seeing he has eternal life for the purpose of making intercession for us with God.

BBC: Because He lives forever He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God by Him. We generally understand this to refer to His work in saving sinners from the penalty of sin, but actually the writer is speaking of Christ's work in saving saints from the power of sin. It is not so much His role as Savior as that of High Priest. There is no danger that any believers will be lost. Their eternal security rests on His perpetual intercession for them. He is also able to save them for all time because His present ministry for them at God's right hand can never be interrupted by death.

The Savior removed the separation between God and man. He opened the veil. Our High Priest ever speaks for us who believe on Him. He saves the saints (us) from the power of sin!! We first come unto Jesus as Savior to rescue us and give us new life. Then we come unto Jesus as High Priest who intervenes for us continually before God. He walks with us, teaches us, renews us, and loves us continually. Always bringing us closer to the Father!! Hallelujah!

1Co 15:56-58 (NRSV)  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

BBC: 1Co 15:56   Death would have no sting for anyone if it were not for sin. It is the consciousness of sins unconfessed and unforgiven that makes men afraid to die. If we know our sins are forgiven, we can face death with confidence. If, on the other hand, sin is on the conscience, death is terrible—the beginning of eternal punishment.

The strength of sin is the law, that is, the law condemns the sinner. It pronounces the doom of all who have failed to obey God's holy precepts. It has been well said that if there were no sin, there would be no death. And if there were no law, there would be no condemnation. The throne of death rests on two bases: sin, which calls for condemnation, and the law which pronounces it. Consequently, it is on these two powers that the work of the Deliverer bore.

BBC: 1Co 15:57   Through faith in Him, we have victory over death and the grave. Death is robbed of its sting. It is a known fact that when certain insects sting a person, they leave their stinger imbedded in the person's flesh, and being thus robbed of their “sting,” they die. In a very real sense death stung itself to death at the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, and now the King of Terrors is robbed of his terror as far as the believer is concerned.

“The power of sin is the law”… but we are no longer under the law. We are under grace!!

Rom 6:13-14  No longer present your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as instruments of righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Gal 3:24-29  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.  For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Heb 7:26  For such an high priest became us,

Define: Became (past tense of become, becoming) – befitting, appropriate, attractively suitable, necessary

The NKJV says: “For such a High Priest was fitting for us,” – to be saved we needed a better high priest, one who could by the power in Him, save us from sin, death, and destruction, and deliver us through grace to forgiveness, everlasting life, and a new creation in Him. This Jesus Christ has done! Hallelujah!! And we, as believers, may depend on Him every day. Abide in Him and He will abide in you!

Joh 15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

Define or clarify the things that Jesus, our high priest is:

Holy – consecrated, dedicated, and set apart to God, devoted to the service of God, sanctified, free from sin, blessed, sacred, hallowed

Harmless – safe, risk-free, undamaging, nontoxic, inoffensive, innocent, blameless, above suspicion, pure, chaste, spotless, (Antonym: worldly, malicious, tainted)

Undefiled – untainted, untarnished, uncorrupted, undamaged, unpolluted; honorable, sanctified, respected

Separate from sinners  -- He is not joined to sinners.

Made higher than the heavens -- The highest place we know is the heavens above us -- and Jesus is higher than the highest height we can think of.

BBC: Christ's priesthood is superior to Aaron's because of His personal excellence. He is holy in His standing before God. He is harmless or guileless in His dealings with men. He is undefiled in His personal character. He is separate from sinners in His life at God's right hand. He has become higher than the heavens in His present and eternal splendor. It is fitting for us to have such a High Priest.

For perspective the Levitical high priests were not holy, they had sinned as other men sin. They were not always harmless or guileless, they sometimes used their office for personal gain. The righteous ones did not, but they were not all righteous and upright men of God. Any priest who sinned was defiled in his personal character, meaning, they were counted among the sinners, and therefore, they were not separate from sinners. They have all, every one, died the same death that all men die. But Jesus Christ has been made “higher than the heavens” – hallelujah!!

Heb 7:27  Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's:

How often did the Levitical high priests need to perform sacrifices? Daily.

For whose sin did they sacrifice? For their own sins and then for the people's.

for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

How many times did Jesus offer His perfect sacrifice?  Once, because that is all that is needed.

What did He offer up? He offered up himself.

Eph_5:2  And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Heb 7:28  For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity;

What is it that makes men high priests? The law.

What do the men who are high priests have? Infirmity

Define: Infirmity – ill-health, illness, sickness, frailty, weakness, shortcomings, imperfections, failings

but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

What is it that made the Son our High Priest? The word of the oath of God.

When was the oath made? Since or after the law had already been given.

Psa 110:4  The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.


What did the oath of God declare the Messiah to be? A priest for ever.

Define:  Consecrated – holy, sacred, sanctified, hallowed, set apart

For how long is Jesus consecrated? Evermore.

Gal 3:11  But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

Gal 3:13-14  Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

1Co_15:57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Reading our verses again:

Heb 7:18  For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
Heb 7:19  For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.
Heb 7:20  And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:
Heb 7:21  (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)
Heb 7:22  By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
Heb 7:23  And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
Heb 7:24  But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
Heb 7:25  Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Heb 7:26  For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
Heb 7:27  Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
Heb 7:28  For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.