Quote of the Week: Phillips

Another quote from Richard Phillips this week.  I rarely (if ever) post two weekly quotes in a row from the same source, but this section of Hebrews is such an inspiring, challenging, comforting passage that I couldn't resist following up last week's quote with another one from Hebrews, by Phillips.  I highly recommend this commentary for anyone who wants to do a group or individual study of the Book of Hebrews.

When we turn to the other great problem we face, our terrible weakness, the intercession of Jesus Christ is equally effective. It was Christ’s intercession that upheld the faith of Simon Peter when he denied our Lord three times. “Simon, Simon, “ Jesus told him in advance, “Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.” (Luke 22:31-32). As Jesus prayed for the disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane, surely he prays now for us at the right hand of God: “Holy Father protect them by the power of your name (John 17:11).

What about our difficulty in prayer? Many of us struggle with prayer because we are spiritually weak. Here, too, Jesus intercedes on our behalf, sending the Spirit to our aid. Paul writes, “the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” (Romans 8:26) Therefore we can have confidence in prayer despite our weakness. . .What sets Christianity apart is a living Savior, who not only puts away our sin forever, but sends us power from heaven. What matters most for Christian, therefore, is not what we are doing, not the spiritual power we are supposedly working up, but the wholly effective and powerful ministry of Jesus Christ who lives and ministers forever as our great High Priest.

Richard Phillips, Hebrews, Reformed Expository Commentary