A Jesuit Catholic University
in Omaha, Nebraska, since 1878

[311] Heb 5:1-10 Ps 110:1, 2, 3, 4 Mark 2:18-22

Weekly Guide for Daily Prayer The Daily Reflections

Today's reading from Hebrews, we see Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilling the qualifications for the kind of high priest that we all need. The qualifications for human high priests were to mediate between men and God, to sympathize with his fellow sinners, and to be called by God to the office (5:1-4). Jesus perfectly fulfills and exceeds the qualifications for the high priest. He not only fills the requirements, but supersedes them by being a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Psalm 110:1 shows that the Son's exalted position is to sit at the Father's right hand in the place of sovereign rule. Psalm 110:4 shows that in this Messiah, the offices of King and Priest will be united. Jesus did not presume to take the office of high priest by his own authority, but God appointed him to this place. Hebrews 5:7-8 says, "The identification of Jesus, our high priest, with us: He prayed and learned obedience through what he suffered." 

So how does this all relate back to us? Jesus can sympathize with our weaknesses because he has been tempted in all things as we are, yet he was without sin. Unlike human priests, Jesus had no sin of his own. Jesus is our perfect high priest in that his prayers and obedience through his sufferings show that he can sympathize with us in our sufferings. Therefore, we should obediently persevere in hard times through prayer to him, our high priest. Jesus is the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him. To have faith is to obey Jesus. Those who truly believe in him live in obedience to him as Lord. We should be devoted to God and his will, no matter what the cost, just as Jesus was.