Jesus’ complete sufficiency to save us was fully demonstrated in his perfect life. He was the only one capable of saving to the “uttermost” those who believe in him.  He lives eternally making intercession for us and our sins at this very minute and into eternity. His resurrection from the dead makes him the guarantor of our eternal security.  He lives forever, making intercession for us because he lived a perfect life. He was not infected by the sin of our fathers as we are. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. The temptations that trip us all up did not defile him. Pink writes, “He was never infected by the evils around Him. He touched the leper, and the leper was cleansed. He came into contact with death, and death was conquered. He was in the presence of the Devil for forty days, and was as spotless at the close as He was at the beginning of them.”[1] The writer of Hebrews turns to point out how appropriate it is for Jesus to reign in Glory forever because of his life on earth. Hebrews 7:26 says, “For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.”

When Pink comments on Hebrews 7:26, he follows the example of the author of Hebrews who interprets the Old Testament Christologically. He’s sees the presence of Christ in all its glory and recognizes that the Bible is truly all about him as Jesus said it was. This is how Pink handles Psalm 1. Commenting on the statement that Jesus is “separate from sinners,” Pink says that “…it gives a summary of what Christ was in Himself, emphasizing His uniqueness and demonstrating His fitness to officiate as Priest. He was the ‘Blessed’ Man of the first Psalm: He walked not in the counsel of the ungodly, stood not in the way of sinners, sat not in the seat of scorners…Though He lived amongst sinners, He was infinitely apart from them, in nature and character, motive and conduct. He was in the world, but not ‘of’ it. Thus was He qualified to act as Mediator between God and sinners.”[2]

The writer of Hebrews began his letter emphasizing the superiority of Jesus over prophets, angels, Moses, and the Law itself including the Levitical priesthood. The closing statement of this verse “exalted above the heavens” is the continuation of this truth. It’s not just the things mentioned earlier that Jesus was superior to! This helps understand Paul’s words in Philippians 2:9-11. He says, “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” But the author of Hebrews doesn’t say “in heaven.” He says, “above the heavens.” The Bible is all about Jesus. We need to take our eyes off of ourselves and look to Him only. Our writer will say just that later in Hebrews 12:2-3, “…looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

[1] Arthur Walkington Pink, An Exposition of Hebrews (Swengel, PA: Bible Truth Depot, 1954), 407.

[2] Arthur Walkington Pink, An Exposition of Hebrews (Swengel, PA: Bible Truth Depot, 1954), 408.