“For this is the kind of high priest we need: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.” (v. 26)

There are a lot of ways that a lot of people like to speak about Jesus, popularly.

Popularly, people emphasize just how relatable Jesus is, how “like us” He is, and how approachable He is.

Is Jesus relatable, like us, and approachable? Yes.

But He is also holy. Jesus is pure and innocent and given. And He is sovereign, exalted.

The whole point of this chapter’s priestly comparisons is to magnify Jesus, to exalt Him, and to elevate Him. Jesus’ ministry—His atoning sacrifice on the cross—isn’t like that of any human priest, because Jesus Himself isn’t really like them. His lineage, His investiture, and His office are all superior and ultimate. Yes, Jesus was humbled and emptied of heaven to take on our flesh, but not in a way that diminishes His utter authority.

Cherish the fact that His work permits us to draw near to Him. But don’t relegate Him to mere relatability.

— Tyler