In last week's article we looked at Jesus
in light of the Prophet who was to come (Deut. 18:15-19). In this
study, we will study Jesus in his role as priest. While the prophets
represented God to humanity, the priests represented humanity to God.
It was the priest who entered into the presence of God on behalf of
the people. However, throughout human history there could not be found
a priest who could perfectly fulfill this role-until Jesus Christ.
This was the case because no human could perfectly represent humanity
to God. God is perfect and holy (Hab. 1:13), but humanity is im-perfect
and sinful. Therefore, a need existed for one who could perfectly
represent humanity to God. That need was met in Jesus, the perfect
Priest. Consider three aspects of Jesus' priesthood that makes him
the perfect Priest.
Perfectly Qualified
Jesus is perfectly qualified to represent humanity
to God because he is both man and God. Jesus is perfectly divine.
He reflects the glory of God. "No man hath seen God at any
time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father,
he hath declared him" (Jn. 1:18). Jesus Christ is "the
image of the invisible God" (Col. 1:15). Jesus' divinity is
testified by the fact that his place is at the right hand of God.
"Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image
of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power,
when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand
of the Majesty on high" (Heb. 1:3). In addition to being perfectly
divine, Jesus, when he came in the flesh, was perfectly human. He
partook of the same "flesh and blood" as all of us (Heb.
2:14). He grew physically and mentally like all humans must (Lk.
2:40, 52). He experienced the same emotions and weariness that we
so often experience (Heb. 5:2, 7). Jesus, the perfect Priest, knows
exactly what we go through in the human experience, even to the
point of being tempted with sin. "For we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but
was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin"
(Heb. 4:15). "Yet without sin" is what sets Jesus apart
from all other human beings. Indeed, Jesus is perfectly qualified
to be the perfect Priest.
Perfect Priesthood
Jesus' priesthood is perfect. His priesthood is not
like the Levitical priesthood, but rather it is similar to the Melchisedec
priesthood. "Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even
Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec"
(Heb. 6:20 cf. Ps. 110:4). Melchisedec was "the priest of the
most high God" to whom even Abraham gave tithes (Gen. 14:18-20;
Heb. 7:1-2). Melchisedec is described as being "without father,
without mother, without decent, having neither beginning of days,
nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest
continually" (Heb. 7:3). The purpose of this description is
not to show that Melchisedec was some superhuman person created
explicitly for Abraham to offer him tithes, but rather to emphasize
the nature of his priesthood (cf. "abideth a priest continually").
His priesthood was unbroken by human genealogies. The Bible says
nothing about Melchisedec's genealogy. He stands alone, yet he was
"the priest of the most high God"! This is in contrast
to the Levitical priests, whose priesthood was absolutely dependent
upon genealogies. Jesus' priesthood, like that of Melchisedec's,
is not dependant upon His genealogy, for He was of the tribe of
Judah and could not serve as priest under the Levitical system (Heb.
7:14). The priesthood of Jesus is eternal "But this man, because
he continueth for ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood" (Heb.
7:24). Unlike the Levitical priests, death cannot touch Christ (Rev.
1:18). Unlike the Levitical priests, Jesus was (and is) perfect
(Heb. 7:26). Therefore, Jesus' priesthood is perfect.
Perfect Priestly Service
Jesus provides the perfect priestly services. Jesus is both the
Priest and the Sacrifice (Jn. 1:29). He has done what no other priest
could possibly do. "For Christ is not entered into the holy
places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into
heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: nor
yet that he should offer himself often...but now once in the end
of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of
himself" (Heb. 9:24-26). Jesus, upon His own perfection, is
able to save all who come to him. "Whereof he is able also
to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing
he ever liveth to make intercession for them....So Christ was once
offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him
shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation"
(Heb. 7:25; 9:28). No other priest can do what Jesus did! Jesus
provides the perfect services.
Like with the priests of old, the only way this Priest can help
us is if we follow God's instructions concerning him. Unlike the
priests of old, this priest can truly and eternally represent us
before God. "It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen
again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession
for us" (Rom. 8:34). Will we bring our lives to Him, as a "living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God" (Rom. 12:1)?
©Brian Kenyon
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