The Great High Priest

by TERRELL, J. D. | Category: Names And Titles Of The Lord Jesus | Nov 2005

We now come to the subject of the priesthood of the Lord Jesus. Immediately there come to mind the commanding words of Psalm 110, '"You are a priest forever"'. And there is perhaps no psalm in the entire Psalter which more clearly and explicitly speaks of the coming priestly One who is called 'my Lord' by David. Clearly it was central to God's eternal purpose for His Son that He should be a priest; and, as we shall see, a priest in very special and unique circumstances. The Old Testament scriptures furnish us with rich illustrations and types of Christ's priesthood.

The choice of the tribe of Levi as the priestly tribe of Israel was one with very far-reaching significance and consequences. They had to stand between men and God and, in the case of the High Priest, to enter the very presence of God on behalf of the people to carry out vital services there as their representative. These services were central to the continuing covenant relationship between God and His people. Not only were there precise instructions to Moses about their anointing with oil and marking with the blood of sacrifice, but the very clothing they wore must be in accord with the divine prescription. All of these things, linked to the multifarious tasks and functions of the priests, underlined the solemn importance God attached to their role as standing between Him, in all His untarnished holiness, and His people. This is, of course, most strongly evident in the case of the High Priest of Israel who, on the annual Day of Atonement entered the immediate presence of God in the inner sanctuary of the tabernacle or temple.

So the Old Testament priestly role-model for our Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest, and little wonder that He receives the extended title of 'Great High Priest' (Heb.4:14). In John 17:19, in the course of what is often referred to as the Lord's high priestly prayer for His disciples, anticipating His future heavenly office of High Priest, we have the remarkable words, '"For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth."' This marvel, the self-dedication and consecration of the Son of God for a perfect example to His own, and for His priestly service for them in heaven, finds its fuller exposition in the epistle to the Hebrews. This is the New Testament book uniquely dealing with the sanctuary service of the people of God, and the High Priestly service of Christ on their behalf.

Psalm 110 is a song of praise and promise to the triumphant Victor of Calvary. It opens with the command, '"Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool."' It speaks of 'the rod of His strength'; of 'the day of His power'; of 'the beauties of holiness'; and climaxes with, The LORD has sworn and will not relent, '"You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."' Now these last words open a remarkable vista of the unique high priestly ministry of Christ in heaven for, while much of the nature and content of the Lord's priestly function in heaven today derives from the priesthood of Aaron, its rank, or order, was very different. The secret of this lies in the words, 'according to the order of Melchizedek' and, as already stated, the textbook of this subject is the epistle to the Hebrews.

In Hebrews chapter 2 we read of the Lord Jesus that 'in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God'. This was the remarkable starting point of His qualifications for priestly office. The Lord Jesus was 'called of God' as we have seen from Psalm 110, which Psalm also confirms that He was made a priest by the oath of God. References to these points will be found in Hebrews chapters 5 and 7. Then we have His experience of temptation, offering up prayers in the days of His flesh, learning the cost of obedience through suffering, through which He was 'perfected', or made complete, in His preparatory experience for priesthood. He offered Himself a sacrifice and, in Hebrews chapter 4 we read, 'passed through the heavens.'

Let us pause and ask ourselves, "Who is this Person who has so totally and irrevocably dedicated Himself to the heavenly service of His people? Was not the suffering of the cross, to bring us eternal forgiveness and salvation more than enough to expect from the holy, spotless Son of God from heaven; enough to complete the work of Calvary; to revert to His rightful place above where He is so much better than the angels; and to await the day of the final redemption of His purchased possession, the Church, His Body, having sent the Comforter, the Spirit of truth, to be with His own?" No! Not so. He was also preparing Himself, consecrating Himself, for a rich and amazingly gracious ministry in heaven for a people on earth whom He has purchased with His own blood.

What is that ministry, that devoted service in which He is unfailing in heaven? From Hebrews 2 we learn that He succours, or helps, when we are tempted; He invites us to come near to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace. He actually appears before God making intercession for us. He ensures that we have access to all the benefits and blessings of the new covenant, and He presents our sacrifices of praise to God. In all of this He far excels the scope of the priestly services of Aaron and his sons for the people of Israel in the past, though in basic nature His work is similar.

But, as we have already noted, there is something else very special indeed about the priesthood of Christ. We remember the promise of Psalm 110, '"You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek"'. Herein lies the secret of the surpassing excellence of the priestly work of our Lord compared to all the priests of Israel's history. Not just a total contrast of quality compared with the shameful desecration of the priestly office by men like Annas and Caiaphas who dared to sit in judgement on God's Anointed. Something far greater. For in the Melchizedek role model three glorious principles were enshrined waiting to be fulfilled in our Great High Priest. First, His priesthood was superior to Aaron's to the point of perfection (Heb.7:26-28). Secondly, it was eternal. Thirdly, it joined together two offices, something hitherto strictly forbidden in Israel, though portrayed in Melchizedek, the offices of King and Priest. For God's Christ alone was the conjunction of these two roles reserved. His priesthood was more excellent than Aaron's; indeed perfect as we have seen. All of this because He was, in contrast to Aaron, sinless and lives in the power of an endless life. Like Melchizedek, He is God's King Priest and that forever.

The main references to many of these points are in Hebrews chapter 7. So much more could be said about our merciful and faithful High Priest, beautifully described in Hebrews 7:26 as holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners; about His sanctuary service for a sanctified, subject people today who strive to give expression to the truths of God's house with its high and holy privileges of worship in the holy place above. This we read of in Heb. 10:19-25, 'Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest ... by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God let us draw near ...' It is a contemplation rich in spiritual values, instructive about the glorious Person of the risen Lord; and draws the spirit very close to the deeply caring love and concern our beloved Lord has for His own. It whets our appetite for heaven where He is engaged in this amazingly gracious service; and, until that day, adds reassurance about our access to God through Him, both to get and to give: to get help, mercy and grace; to give worship and our sacrifice of praise.

TERRELL, J. D. | Nov 2005
Names And Titles Of The Lord Jesus