In today’s text, the Lord Jesus is once again called a “great” priest (Heb. 10:21; cf. 4:14). Thus, twice in this epistle Christ’s priesthood is called “great.”

Hebrews is an epistle of superlatives and uses the word “great” to describe Christ. It also uses the word “better” on several occasions to show the superiority of His priestly ministry in contrast with the weakness, unprofitableness, and fallibility of the Aaronic system. In the previous chapters, we read about the Lord’s priesthood for our infirmities as sojourners in the wilderness, but now we see Him as priest in connection with our worship. Through Him, we can approach as worshipers through the “new and living way.” The word here for new is not the common word, but it literally means “freshly slain.” It is an ever-vital, effectual approach to God based on Christ’s one sacrifice; it is described as “living,” in contrast to the dead forms of the Jewish system.

In that system, there was a “calling to mind” of the people’s sins every year (v. 3). The only other occasion in the New Testament the word for calling to mind is used is in 1 Corinthians 11:24. It is translated there as “remembrance.” For those under the Jewish system, it was a remembrance every year that their sins were not removed; but for us it is not a “calling to mind” of our sins at all, but calling Him to mind. We are exhorted here not to forsake “the assembling of ourselves together” (v. 25). May we value this approach to the holy of holies through the “new and living way” more and more!