[ Today's Readings ]
They worship in a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary
There was a pattern beforehand to set expectations and to start us in the right direction. It was a prelude and promise of things to come. But while they worship in a copy and shadow we are called to worship in Spirit and in truth (see John 4:24). The precursors all had to worry about themselves as well as their people. They had to offer sacrifices for their own sins as well as others because they are subject to weakness. But our high priest is different. He is holy. He is innocent. He is undefiled. This is how he can exist beyond the copy and the shadow in the true sanctuary and tabernacle.
The main point of what has been said is this:
we have such a high priest,
who has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne
of the Majesty in heaven, a minister of the sanctuary
and of the true tabernacle that the Lord, not man, set up.
Jesus gives us a better covenant and better promises than any that came before him, indeed, better than any that anyone else can give. He is at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven. He does not offer the old sacrifices. Instead he offers something of infinitely more worth. He offers himself. In the sanctuary he intercedes for us. This is already better than any earthly high priest. But the ultimate promise is that he will one day bring us to himself.
A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea.
No wonder the people follow him. They don't even understand this promise of Jesus yet. But they already sense that there has never been anything like this before.
He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases
were pressing upon him to touch him.
The people already sense that Jesus is real and powerful in a way about which the entire history of the world has only offered hints and glimpses. This reality is not something for the demons to tell. Indeed, it is not something they can tell without deflating it of its true depth of meaning.
And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him
and shout, "You are the Son of God."
He warned them sternly not to make him known.
What the demons cannot tell us is nevertheless what we are called to realize. Jesus is the Son of God seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven. He intercedes for us. He calls us to himself. Let us confidently approach the throne.
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