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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
High Priest is only one of the many titles applied to Jesus: Messiah, Savior, Son of God, Son of Man, Friend of Sinners, etc. Each one focuses on a particular aspect of who He is and what that mean...
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Ezekiel Kimosop
Supporter
Priesthood is an institution that was central to the spiritual lives of the Jewish people. Its ministry was required regularly and it operated under the Levitical law and in the order of the descendants of Aaron who were appointed priests. What does it mean that Jesus is our High Priest? The priesthood of Jesus is more clearly portrayed by the writer of Hebrews. Jesus completed the requirements of priesthood even though he was from the tribe of Judah. He serves in the order of Melchizedek and not Levi for the following reasons. I have nine reason from my study of the Book of Hebrews which I can advance in support of Jesus' office of High Priest, beside his being King and Prophet at the same time. First, Jesus priesthood has no beginning or end. His true ancestry rests with God who ordained him High Priest (Heb 7:3) Secondly, he serves under an oath unlike the Levitical priests who were merely appointed under their order of ancestry (Heb 7:20) Thirdly, unlike under the Levitical priesthood, Jesus was both the sacrifice and the priest. He gave his body and blood as an offering to seal our redemption through the forgiveness of the Adamic sin and his blood is always available to us for remission of sins forever (1 John 1:7-10). Fourthly, Jesus is of a priestly order which is greater order than Aaron's. His appointment is eternal and hence the eternity of his priesthood (Heb 7:24). Fifthly, Like Melchizedek, Jesus combines the High Priesthood and the Kingship, discharging the functions of both offices with divine authority (Heb 7:1-2) Sixth, the covenant by which Christ’s Priesthood operates is a much better and wide covenant than the Mosaic Covenant whose scope was limited to the Jews. Jesus’ Priesthood is universal and touches the Jew and the Gentile alike (Hebrews 7:22) Seventh, the Levitical priests served with human imperfection, and were therefore limited in righteousness because of their human sinfulness. Jesus is the perfect priest who is sinless and hence makes the perfect atonement for the saints. He need not make atonement for himself for in his humanity he was without sin (2 Cor.5:21). Finally, Jesus did once what the Levitical priest did every year without end. There is no further sacrifice required under Jesus’ priesthood. He has accomplished it once and for all for us (Heb 10:14).
Andrew Osakue
Supporter
Jesus being our high priest also means that now since He has entered into the holy of holies, he is there interceding for us. He has died in our stead to fulfill the law that apportioned death penalty for all sinners. Since we are not immediately perfected, it means that we can some times fall into sin on our way to perfection, therefore He is right there before the Father pleading on our behalf because we have believed in what he did for us at Calvary, while the enemy the devil is accusing us. Therefore, He is still standing in the gap between us and our holy God. This is what actually gives us the boldness to approach the throne of grace for mercy in times of need. Isn't that a wonderful function He is performing for us over there in heaven? The victory at Calvary will not be complete without the priestly function of interceding on our behalf.
Meluleki Maphosa
Supporter
The concept that Jesus is our High Priest is more clearly explained in the Book of Hebrews. Paul was writing this letter to a people very familiar with these concepts from their religious experience. To you and me this concept must raise the question that you are raising now. Even more questions begin to emerge such as temple, sacrifice, day of atonement, sacrificial lamb etc. These questions will only lead us to a deeper searching of the scriptures. Each Christian must study prayerfully the OT temple practices because God sought to use these practices as practical lessons to His people on how He saves them from sin. The way God saves us from sin has not changed since Adam sinned in Eden that day. The High Priest in the OT times represented Jesus. On the Day of Atonement he would enter the Holy of Hollies with the blood of the lamb and collect all the confessed sins of the congregation of Israel on himself. In simple terms people sinned and confessed their sins through the sacrificial system all year long and these sins were "parked" in the temple. On the appointed day the high priest would enter the temple and carry all the confessed sins. He would then come out carrying the sins and transfer them on to an appointed goat destined for eternal distruction in the desert. Again here we see God trying to translate infinitely deep and eternal truths about salvation into human terms and language to make us understand. The process of salvation and final destruction of sin is far deeper than can be explained and understood in human terms. Paul tells us in Hebrews that Jesus being our High Priest has not entered the heavenly temple with the blood of animals but His own blood. In effect what Paul is saying is that Jesus was both the sacrifice and the High Priest. We can only understand this by looking higher than the shadows or symbolism of the ancient temple practices. However even if we may not fully understand the intricacies of the salvation process we have this confidence that Jesus died for our sins, He carried our sins on the cross just like the High Priest of old would do in the temple. Furthermore when our sins are banished from the temple in heaven they will be destroyed for ever. Other significant issues about the High Priest to note were His attire and the description of Jesus in Revelation. Studying the OT Sanctuary will help modern day Christians develop a deeper and intelligent relationship with their Savior. It will also help in understanding prophecy and the times in which we live.
Jeffrey Johnson
Supporter
What does it mean that Jesus is our High Priest? That Jesus is our High Priest means He is the sole and perfect mediator between God and humanity, who, unlike the Old Testament priests, offered Himself as a once-for-all, sufficient sacrifice for sins and now lives eternally to intercede on behalf of believers, providing them direct and confident access to God's presence. When Jesus died, the veil in the temple that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple was torn, symbolising that His sacrifice opened a direct and living way for all believers to enter God's presence, an access previously restricted to the high priest alone. Earthly high priests were mortal and had to be replaced; their priesthood ended with their death. Jesus, however, has an unchangeable and permanent priesthood because He was resurrected and lives forever. This ensures His ongoing, constant intercession for those who come to God through Him. In light of the apostle Paul's inspired remarks, it shows that Jesus Christ and his redemptive work on behalf of humanity were typified by Israel's high priest and the animals used in the ceremony. In his letter to the Hebrews, Paul shows that Jesus Christ is the great antitypical High Priest. (Heb 5:4-10) The apostle also indicates that the high priest's entry into the Most Holy one day a year with the blood of sacrificial animals foreshadowed the entrance of Jesus Christ into heaven itself with his own blood, thus to make atonement for those exercising faith in his sacrifice. Of course, Christ, being sinless, did not have to offer a sacrifice for any personal sins, as did Israel's high priest.—Heb 9:11, 12, 24-28. The Bible book of Hebrews points out that Jesus Christ, since his resurrection and entry into heaven, is "a high priest according to the manner of Melchizedek forever." (Heb 6:20; 7:17, 21 Paul applied the terms "apostle" and "high priest" to Jesus. An "apostle" is someone sent forth and here relates to God's means of communicating with humanity. A "high priest" is one through whom humans can approach God. These two provisions are essential to true worship, and Jesus is the embodiment of both. He is the one sent from heaven to teach humanity the truth about God. (John 1:18; 3:16; 14:6) Jesus is also the one appointed as the antitypical High Priest in God's spiritual temple arrangement for the forgiveness of sin. (Hebrews 4:14, 15; 1 John 2:1, 2) Conclusion: Jesus is in heaven, continually interceding on behalf of those who believe in him. When we feel the weight of guilt or accusation, Jesus's high priestly ministry is actively working on our behalf. Jesus is unique because he is both a King and a Priest, a role that was not allowed in the Old Testament. This will enable him to focus on both our relationship with God and our actions in his kingdom, making us both righteous before God and good in his kingdom. Jesus is our high priest in the order of Melchizedek, meaning his priesthood is eternal rather than temporary, as with the Levitical priesthood. The book of Hebrews argues that his priesthood is superior because it is based on his unique, sinless life and his one-time sacrifice.
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