JESUS, OUR SUPERIOR PRIEST
The Significance of the Priesthood of Christ
by Charles Coats
What does it mean when we say Jesus is our High Priest? There were High Priests in the Old Testament, so we are not unfamiliar with the concept of a High Priest. But, is there some greater significance to the priesthood of Christ as opposed to the Old Testament priests? Our understanding of this will greatly aid us in seeing how important it is to follow the New Testament and to obey Jesus.
God set Aaron as the first High Priest of the Jews (Exod. 28). The lineage of the High Priest carried on through the seed of Aaron. The High Priest was the spiritual leader of Israel and guided the worship of God. The High Priest could enter once a year into the Holy of Holies to offer a sacrifice for the people (Lev. 16). By the time of Jesus, the Jews had exalted the High Priest and believed they had the better system.
The book of Hebrews talks about several things which we as Christians have which are better than what the Jews in the Old Testament had. Note particularly Hebrews 8:6:
We also find beginning in Hebrews 5 a discussion of the better High Priest that we have in Jesus Christ. For this paper, it will be this subject that we will address.
Jesus Is a Priest After the Order of Melchisedec
Hebrews 5:6,10; 6:20; 7:11,17,21 all show that Jesus is a priest after the order of Melchisedec. But, who is this man? In order to find this out, we must go back to Genesis 14:18-20.
Melchisedec is identified to us as the king of Salem, and he is a priest of God (Gen. 14:18). We also see that he blessed Abraham (Gen. 14:19,20), and Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedec (Gen. 14:20). Melchisedec’s priesthood is different from Aaron’s in that Aaron’s priesthood required that the next high priest be a descendent of Aaron. Melchisedec’s priesthood did not require such a lineage (“without father, without mother” – Heb. 7:3).
All of the above happens after Abraham rescues Lot from the kings of the north. Upon Abraham’s arrival back in the south country, Abraham meets Melchisedec. These three short verses in Genesis 14 will be very important in our understanding of Jesus as our High Priest.
The Priesthood of Melchisedec Is Superior to Aaron’s
In Hebrews 7, the writer shows that Melchisedec’s priesthood is superior to Aaron’s. In verse 6, we see that Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedec, and that Melchisedec blessed Abraham.
Levi is mentioned here as having paid tithes to Melchisedec through Abraham. Tithes are paid to one greater. Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedec; Levi, being in the loins of Abraham (that is, a future child of the lineage of Abraham) paid tithes to Melchisedec. Therefore, Melchisedec was greater than Abraham, and he is also greater than Levi, because Levi paid tithes to him.
Melchisedec’s priesthood is shown to be better than Aaron’s because Aaron is a descendent of Levi, who is a descendent of Abraham, who paid tithes to Melchisedec. Melchisedec blessed Abraham, which in turn meant that Melchisedec had blessed Levi and Aaron. The less is blessed of the greater (Heb. 7:7).
The Priesthood of Jesus Is Superior to That of Aaron
As we have noted, Jesus is a priest after the order of Melchisedec and not after the order of Aaron. Since Melchisedec was superior to Abraham, Levi, and Aaron, then Jesus’ priesthood would be superior to Aaron’s.
A change in the priesthood was necessary because perfection was not in the Levitical priesthood (Heb. 7:11). We needed a High Priest who could bring perfection to mankind. To do this would require a perfect High Priest, which we have in Jesus (Heb. 4:14,15). Our High Priest, Jesus, does not have to continually offer sacrifices for the people, in that he offered himself once for all (Heb. 7:27; 10:10-12).
The priesthood of Aaron changed constantly due to death (Heb. 7:23). Jesus’ priesthood is an unchangeable priesthood (Heb. 7:24), because Jesus continues forever.
What about the Priesthood of Jesus?
The book of Hebrews teaches us several things about Jesus, our High Priest. These things show us how great a High Priest we have and that his priesthood is superior to all.
What is the Significance of Jesus as Our High Priest?
The Aaronic priesthood was an earthly priesthood, occupied by men who had to offer sacrifices not only for the sins of the people, but for their own as well. Jesus’ priesthood is a spiritual priesthood, not dependent upon any earthly lineage or kingdom. Jesus reigns in Heaven. Hebrews 8:4 helps us to understand that Jesus cannot return to Earth as some think he will, because if he does he can no longer be priest.
The change in the priesthood from the Aaronic priesthood to the priesthood of Christ necessitated a change in the law. The Old Law required that priests come through the tribe of Levi. Yet, Jesus was of Judah (Heb. 7:13,14). In order for Jesus to be priest, God put a new law into place. It is this law to which we are subject today. We cannot, and must not, try to use the Old Law for our guidance today. To do so would say that we do not believe that Jesus is our High Priest.
Because Jesus is our High Priest, we have the opportunity to be saved (Heb. 7:27). Jesus not only was the sacrifice, he was the one sacrificing. He gave himself that we might live. To deny Jesus as our High Priest is to deny our opportunity for salvation.
Conclusion
We have a superior High Priest who established a superior testament established on better promises. We have a High Priest who will lead us into the promised land of Heaven if we will only do his will.