Such a high priest became us - Such a high priest was in every respect suitable to us, every way qualified to accomplish the end for which he came into the world. There is probably here an allusion to the qualifications of the Jewish high priest: -

1. He was required to be holy, ὁσιος, answering to the Hebrew חסיד chasid, merciful. Holiness was his calling; and, as he was the representative of his brethren, he was required to be merciful and compassionate.

2. He was to be harmless, ακακος, without evil - holy without, and holy within; injuring none, but rather living for the benefit of others.

3. He was undefiled, αμιαντος answering to the Hebrew באל מום baal mum, without blemish - having no bodily imperfection. Nothing low, mean, base, or unbecoming in his conduct.

4. He was separate from sinners, κεχωρισμενος απο των ἁμαρτωλων. By his office he was separated from all men and worldly occupations, and entirely devoted to the service of God. And as to sinners, or heathens, he was never to be found in their society.

5. Higher than the heavens. There may be some reference here to the exceeding dignity of the high priesthood; it was the highest office that could be sustained by man, the high priest himself being the immediate representative of God.

But these things suit our Lord in a sense in which they cannot be applied to the high priest of the Jews.

1. He was holy, infinitely so; and merciful, witness his shedding his blood for the sins of mankind.

2. Harmless - perfectly without sin in his humanity, as well as his divinity.

3. Undefiled - contracted no sinful infirmity in consequence of his dwelling among men.

4. Separate from sinners - absolutely unblamable in the whole of his conduct, so that he could challenge the most inveterate of his enemies with, Which of you convicteth me of sin? Who of you can show in my conduct the slightest deviation from truth and righteousness!

5. Higher than the heavens - more exalted than all the angels of God, than all created beings, whether thrones, dominions, principalities, or powers, because all these were created by him and for him, and derive their continued subsistence from his infinite energy.

But how was a person of such infinite dignity suitable to us! His greatness is put in opposition to our meanness. He was holy; We, unholy. He was harmless; We, harmful, injuring both ourselves and others. He was undefiled; We, defiled, most sinfully spotted and impure. He was separate from sinners; We were joined to sinners, companions of the vile, the worthless, the profane, and the wicked. He was higher than the heavens; We, baser and lower than the earth, totally unworthy to be called the creatures of God. And had we not had such a Savior, and had we not been redeemed at an infinite price, we should, to use the nervous language of Milton on another occasion, "after a shameful life and end in this world, have been thrown down eternally into the darkest and deepest gulf of hell, where, under the despiteful control, the trample and spurn, of all the other damned, and in the anguish of their torture should have no other ease than to exercise a raving and bestial tyranny over us as their slaves, we must have remained in that plight for ever, the basest, the lower-most, the most dejected, most under-foot and down-trodden vassals of perdition." Milton on Reformation, in fine.

such.

Hebrews 7:11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood...

Hebrews 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest...

Hebrews 9:23-26 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these...

Hebrews 10:11-22 And every priest stands daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins...

became.

Hebrews 2:10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory...

Luke 24:26,46 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory...

holy.

Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are...

Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God...

Exodus 28:36 And you shall make a plate of pure gold, and grave on it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

Isaiah 53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence...

Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Ghost shall come on you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you...

Luke 23:22,41,47 And he said to them the third time, Why, what evil has he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him...

John 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father has not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

John 14:30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world comes, and has nothing in me.

Acts 3:14 But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted to you;

Acts 4:27 For of a truth against your holy child Jesus, whom you have anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles...

2 Corinthians 5:21 For he has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

1 Peter 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

1 Peter 2:22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 3:5 And you know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.

Revelation 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things said he that is holy, he that is true, he that has the key of David...

made.

Hebrews 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power...

Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

Hebrews 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest...

Hebrews 12:2 Looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame...

Psalm 68:18 You have ascended on high, you have led captivity captive: you have received gifts for men; yes, for the rebellious also...

Matthew 27:18 For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.

Mark 16:19 So then after the Lord had spoken to them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

Ephesians 1:20-22 Which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places...

Ephesians 4:8-10 Why he said, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men...

Philippians 2:9-11 Why God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name...

1 Peter 3:22 Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.

Revelation 1:17,18 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand on me, saying to me, Fear not; I am the first and the last...

Twenty-Fifth Day for More Conversions
WHAT TO PRAY.--For more Conversions "He is able to save completely, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession."--HEB. vii. 25. "We will give ourselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the word.... And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied exceedingly."--ACTS vi. 4, 7. Christ's power to save, and save completely, depends on His unceasing intercession. The apostles withdrawing themselves from other work to give themselves continually to prayer was followed …
Andrew Murray—The Ministry of Intercession

Waiting on God
Psalms 62:5.--My soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from Him. The solemn question comes to us, "Is the God I have, a God that is to me above all circumstances, nearer to me than any circumstance can be?" Brother, have you learned to live your life having God so really with you every moment, that in circumstances the most difficult He is always more present and nearer than anything around you? All our knowledge of God's Word will help us very little, unless that comes to be the question …
Andrew Murray—The Master's Indwelling

Christian Standing and Christian Progress
PHILIPPIANS iii. 12-16 Christian exultation--Christian confidence--"Not in the flesh"--"In Jesus Christ"--The prize in view--No finality in the progress--"Not already perfect"--The recompense of reward--What the prize will be In a certain sense we have completed our study of the first section of the third chapter of the Epistle. But the treatment has been so extremely imperfect, in view of the importance of that section, that a few further remarks must be made. Let us ponder one weighty verse, …
Handley C. G. Moule—Philippian Studies