We intercede for each other to share in ministry together and plead with God on behalf of our brothers and sisters, but we do not intercede with each other on the basis of our own righteousness that we give to each other. However, we can see in texts such as Romans 8:34 and 1 John 2:1 that Christ’s intercession for us is exactly that. No saint, living or dead, can intercede for us the way Christ does and must.

If you are a follower of Jesus, he is interceding for you right now.

When was the last time you paused to consider this? I’m persuaded that we do not give this important truth the attention that it deserves. Think about it: The risen Christ, the one to whom all authority in heaven and on earth has been given, is pleading with the Father on your behalf. Not only that, but he is pleading on the basis of his own person and work. The very life of the risen Christ is a plea for us. If we are united by faith to him, his ongoing life at the right hand of the Father is a form of intercession for us. Whether and how he brings each of our specific cases to the Father, our union with him means that he always stands in our place before the Father. This truth, when we recall it more, will fill us with tremendous confidence and hope.

As I’ve been reflecting on the intercession of Christ, I’ve taken my cue from John Bunyan, who wrote a devotional book on Hebrews 7:25, “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” Rather than simply repeating Bunyan’s insights, however, I want to step back and consider this amazing verse in its context to see the unique nature of Christ’s intercession; from there, we will consider the foundation of this intercession and its implications for us.

He Saves to the Uttermost

To see the glory of Christ’s intercession, first consider the argument of Hebrews 7:23–28. Verses 23 and 28 make the same essential point. Both verses contrast the priesthood under the old-covenant law and the priestly ministry of Christ in the new covenant. In verses 23–27, the author moves from the superiority of Christ’s priestly office to the result of his priestly work. In short, he is interceding for us; therefore, he is able to save us to the uttermost.

What does it mean to save to the uttermost? The word that the ESV translates “to the uttermost” (pantelēs) could have two different senses. It could mean something like “completely,” or it could mean “always.”

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