Guarantor

Hebrews 7:20-28
20And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, 21but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever.’” 22This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. 23The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, 24but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. 26For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. 27He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. 28For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

As the concept of Jesus as our permanent High Priest is expanded, the writer of Hebrews uses a word that we find only in this passage throughout the entire New Testament.

ἔγγυος egguos; (a security); under good security, guarantee.

Jesus is the only one able to absolutely guarantee our salvation.

There are three things that catch our attention in this remarkable assertion. By means of his oath God gives “Jesus” as “a guarantor” for the delivery of his blessings to humanity. In the ancient world it was common for a wealthy person to offer some of his assets as legal collateral on behalf of a friend or client for a debt or the fulfillment of a contract. If that friend or client defaulted, his sponsor, who had made the guarantee, would be legally bound to make up for what was lacking. But here we have a remarkable reversal of that! God does not demand a guarantee from his people to ensure their service without default, but instead provides the risen Christ Jesus as a guarantee of what he pledges to give to them. And even more remarkably, he does not offer something that belongs to Jesus, but Jesus himself as his guarantee to them. And all that under oath! Jesus guarantees God’s “better covenant” with his people in the new dispensation.
Kleinig, J. W. ©2017. Hebrews. (p. 362). Saint Louis, MO: CPH.

My mind cannot help but flow back to Genesis 15 where God enters into a Covenant with Abraham through the river of blood created by the sacrifice of the animals. In that scene we find that God alone walks through the blood, both for Himself and for humanity (represented by Abraham). In that moment, God took responsibility for both sides of that contract because we were never going to be able to fulfill our share of the agreement. Now, in Hebrews we find Jesus acting as the permanent guarantor of our salvation and displaying that role for eternity as the Great High Priest. There is the list in 7:26b of the five characteristics that make Jesus a suitable High Priest.

  1. holy
  2. innocent
  3. unstained
  4. separated from sinners
  5. exalted above the heavens

All of these characteristics are fulfilled flawlessly, and forever by Jesus. In that perfection is our peace and security. As such, Jesus now resides in the heavenlies, interceding on our behalf with the Father. When seen as a whole, our outlook is completely positive and peaceful. May we embrace that every moment of every day.

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