Getting Job-ed
We seldom think of needing someone to mediate between us and God. In America, we’re taught that people are generally all good and not really that bad. This shows our lack of understanding of the distance between us and an infinitely holy God. It is understood that Jesus held (and holds) three offices: Prophet, Priest, and King. However, the most important office in regard to the relationship between God and man is Christ’s role as Priest. The following is a paper written for Belhaven University entitled Jesus, Our High Priest. This is part 2 of 2:
Jesus’ Earthly Priesthood
During Jesus’ earthly ministry, He proves to succeed in His office of priesthood where the earthly priests had failed. (30) Jesus blesses the people through various healings and exorcisms (Matthew 8:16, 15:30; Luke 4:40, 6:18). Jesus declared the paralytic man’s sins were forgiven and proved that authority by healing him (Matthew 9:1-8). This showed Jesus’ authority as the priest to provide purification for His people. (31) Jesus taught the crowds with authority in the synagogue (Matthew 13:54). (32) Jesus prayed and interceded for His followers, even for the people that nailed Him to the cross (Luke 22:31-32, John 17, Luke 23:34). (33) He interpreted the law correctly (Matthew 5:21-32). Jesus also succeeded in guarding and purifying the temple where the priests had failed to do so (Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-18). (34)
Jesus, Our Atoning Sacrifice
Just as the most important role of the Old Testament priests was to provide sacrifices on behalf of the people, (35) the most important act Jesus did was provide the sacrifice for His people. The atoning sacrifice of Christ is the centerpiece of all human history－the past was pointing forward to it and the future points back to it (Hebrews 9:12). (36) By Jesus going to the cross as our high priest, He didn’t have to make sacrifices for Himself because He was holy and without blemish (Hebrews 7:26-28). Unlike any other high priest in history, Scripture identifies Christ as the “…Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 ESV). Jesus came as the priest that also offered Himself as the sacrifice－not only is He the only priest that was perfectly holy, but He is also the sacrifice that is holy and perfect (Hebrews 10:12).
Why did the atonement have to occur in this way? It was the only solution to satisfy the wrath of God. Romans 3:23-26 ESV makes this distinction (emphasis added):
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
The atonement was not letting mankind off of the hook in regard to the consequences of their sins, for this would diminish the value of the holiness and justice of God. The atonement was God providing Himself the sacrifice that would truly satisfy the wrath of God－His own Priestly Son. The Old Testament sacrifices and priesthood were pointing forward to what Christ would do on the cross as our Priest－ to be the truly all-satisfying atoning sacrifice for His people. (37)
Jesus Ministering as Our High Priest
Hebrews 9:11-14, 23-25 states that Christ entered the heavenly Holy of Holies and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, He presented the only sacrifice that would satisfy the wrath of God in the presence of God Himself. (38) The curtain in the temple tore from top to bottom, meaning the way to God was opened by Christ’s atonement. (39) This act allows mankind to “draw near” to God (Hebrews 10:19-22 ESV). The atonement was not just for the good of people but rather essentially purchasing a people through His atonement so that His people would be to the praise of His glorious grace (Romans 3:21-26, Ephesians 1:3-14, Isaiah 48:9-11). (40)
Once Jesus entered God’s presence as our sacrifice, He sat down at the Father’s right side (Hebrews 10:12). Whereas the priests never sat in the temple because work was always to be done, Christ’s work satisfied God and the work of the sacrificial priesthood was fulfilled in Christ. (41) Jesus was the reality that the Old Testament priesthood was pointing to. (42) Jesus continues to intercede on behalf of His people at the Father’s side forever (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:17-25). (43) As Jesus is both truly God and truly man, He continues to faithfully represent us to the Father by interceding on our behalf. (44)
But How Was Jesus Qualified as a Priest?
What qualifications did Jesus have to prove eligibility for priesthood? It is true that Jesus did not descend from the Levitical/Aaronic lineage to qualify for priesthood (Matthew 1:1-17, Luke 3:23-38). (45) But this fact does not disqualify Him from priesthood. First, priests existed before the Aaronic priesthood (Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jethro). Secondly, David prophecies that there would be a change to the order of priesthood. Psalm 110:4 ESV states, “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.’” David makes Psalm 110 clear that this is messianic prophecy and was written after the Aaronic priesthood was initiated (Psalm 110:1). (46) The Messiah that was to come would be both King and Priest of His people who does and descend from the lineage of Aaron (Psalm 2:7, Hebrews 7:11-28, Psalm 110:2). Psalm 110 alludes to a change in the order of priesthood, in which a Priest would serve as the long-awaited mediator between God and man in the heavenly realm. (47) Just as the priests of the Old Testament, Jesus was designated by God for priestly service and maintained His loyalty to God (whereas the earthly priests failed to do so at times, Hebrews 5:4-10). (48)
Implications for Christians Today
What are the implications for followers of Christ that seek to become more like Him? Obviously, one cannot recreate the act of atonement achieved by Christ. (49) Yet followers of Christ have been given examples of how to serve as priests with our lives on earth: representing God to the people through teaching/correction; interceding on behalf of our friends, families, and even our enemies; discipling others through their walk in sanctification. Just as Jesus, our High Priest, bears with us in our weakness, we are called to bear the struggles of the world to help them come closer to God. (50) We are called to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20), taking God’s image and pressing the borders of His kingdom to the ends of the earth (Genesis 1:26-28) in order to grow the kingdom of priests that Christ’s followers are being made into (1 Peter 2:9).
Conclusion
In conclusion, we have observed that Jesus held and currently holds the office of priesthood. It would be difficult to dispute that the most important office that Christ held (and holds) in relation to mankind is His role as the Priest. The purpose of this paper was to examine how the Old Testament priesthood was pointing forward to Christ’s priesthood, how Christ fulfills the office of priesthood, and briefly discuss how Christ’s office of priesthood transposes to His followers today. The study of Jesus’ office of priesthood is incredibly impactful and upholds the supremacy of Christ to His followers.
Footnotes
30. Belcher, Prophet, Priest, and King: The Roles of Christ in the Bible and Our Roles Today, 90.
31. Tim Mackie, “Jesus the Royal Priest,” accessed June 5, 2023, https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/jesus-the-royal-priest/
32. Belcher, Prophet, Priest, and King: The Roles of Christ in the Bible and Our Roles Today, 94.
33. Belcher, Prophet, Priest, and King: The Roles of Christ in the Bible and Our Roles Today, 95.
34. Mackie, “Jesus the Royal Priest.”
35. Belcher, Prophet, Priest, and King: The Roles of Christ in the Bible and Our Roles Today, 76.
36. Piper, “Our High Priest is the Son of God Perfect Forever.”
37. John Piper, “TULIP Session 7: Limited Atonement,” accessed June 15, 2023, https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/limited-atonement-session-7
38. Belcher, Prophet, Priest, and King: The Roles of Christ in the Bible and Our Roles Today, 101.
39. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, 770.
40. Frame, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief, 903.
41. Belcher, Prophet, Priest, and King: The Roles of Christ in the Bible and Our Roles Today, 101.
42. Piper, “Our High Priest is the Son of God Perfect Forever.”
43. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, 770.
44. Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, 771-772.
45. Belcher, Prophet, Priest, and King: The Roles of Christ in the Bible and Our Roles Today, 85.
46. Piper, “Our High Priest is the Son of God Perfect Forever.”
47. Belcher, Prophet, Priest, and King: The Roles of Christ in the Bible and Our Roles Today, 86.
48. Third Millenium Ministries, “We Believe in Jesus Lesson 4: The Priest.”
49. Sproul, “The Father as Prophet, Priest, and King.”
50. Third Millenium Ministries, “We Believe in Jesus Lesson 4: The Priest.”
Bibliography
Belcher Jr., Richard, Prophet, Priest, and King: The Roles of Christ in the Bible and Our Roles
Today, (New Jersey, P&R Publishing Company,2016).
Frame, John, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief, (New Jersey, P&R
Publishing Company, 2013).
Grudem, Wayne, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, 2nd ed., (Michigan,
Zondervan, 2020).
Mackie, Tim, “Jesus the Royal Priest,” accessed June 5, 2023, https://bibleproject.com/explore
/video/jesus-the-royal-priest/
Piper, John, “Our High Priest is the Son of God Perfect Forever,” accessed June 07, 2023,
https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/our-high-priest-is-the-son-of-god-
perfect-forever
Piper, John, “TULIP Session 7: Limited Atonement,” accessed June 15, 2023,
https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/limited-atonement-session-7
Sproul, R.C., “The Father as Prophet, Priest, and King,” accessed June 1, 2023, https://www.
ligonier.org/learn/conferences/holiness-01-national/the-father-as-prophet-
priest-and-king
Sproul, R.C., “Question and Answers #2: Baucham, Nichols, Sproul, Sproul Jr., and Thomas,”
accessed June 10, 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drtmCuUJdwM
Third Millenium Ministries, “We Believe in Jesus Lesson 4: The Priest,”
accessed June 2, 2023, https://thirdmill.org/seminary/lesson.asp/vid/131
