Hebrews 7:25

‘Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost those who continually draw near to God through him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them.’

And as a result of the fact that He lives eternally (‘wherefore’) He is able to save utterly in every way, both to the uttermost length of time and to the uttermost extent, those who continually draw near to God through Him (compare Hebrews 4:16). And this is precisely because He lives continually, because He ever lives, for this very purpose of making intercession for them. He ever speaks for them. He ever pleads for them as their representative. He ever points to His sacrifice for them. He is an eternal priest Who when called upon can and does intercede for His own throughout all time and beyond.

An example of such intercession can be found in John 17:0 where Jesus interceded for His disciples in preparation for what they must shortly face, that they might be kept from evil and sanctified in the truth; and also in the case where He said to Peter, ‘I have prayed for you that your faith shall not fail’ (Luke 22:32). So does He now continually intercede for His own that our faith will not fail.

Note the clear contrasts given which reveal the superiority of Christ’s priesthood, revealing a better power, a better hope, a better covenant and a better priesthood.

1) Our new priest is made ‘not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless (or ‘indissoluble’) life’ (Hebrews 7:15-17). Thus He has the power of endless and vivifying life, rather than simply giving written commandments.

2) There is a disannulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and unprofitability, and a bringing in as a result of a better hope by which we draw near to God (Hebrews 7:18-19). A new hope and better approach to God has been introduced.

3) Because the one superior priesthood was made with an oath while the other was not, ‘By so much also has Jesus become the surety of a better covenant’ (Hebrews 7:20-22). We have a better covenant guaranteed by the victorious representative Man Himself.

4) The levitical priests have indeed been made priests many in number, because that by death they are hindered from continuing, but He, because He abides for ever, has His priesthood unchangeable’ (23-24). Our one Priest is permanent and unchangeable.