Austin Bible Church
Our high priest, Jesus Christ was the One priest instead of many that came before Him. His is an eternal service instead of limited service. His is an unchangeable order instead of a changeable order. As Church Age believer-priests, we are in union with Him and share all that He is. Heb. 7:23-24.
“The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently.” (Hebrews 7:23-24, NASB)
Jesus Christ brings eternal deliverance instead of temporal deliverance. Our Lord has sovereign credentials instead of earthly credentials. He is “holy, innocent, undefiled” instead of the Old Testament priests who had to first offer sacrifices for their own sins, then for the sins of the people. Heb. 7:25-26.
“Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens;” (Hebrews 7:25-26, NASB)
Jesus Christ is the One sacrificed for all instead of many in the Old Testament. Heb. 7:27.
“who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.” (Hebrews 7:27, NASB)
The Aaronic priesthood was founded on the Mosaic Law. The priesthood of Jesus Christ is based on the priesthood of Melchizedek and the New Covenant. Jesus Christ, our high priest, is seated at the right hand of God the Father in the place of highest honor in the heavenlies. Heb. 7:17; Heb. 8:l-2.
“For it is attested of Him, "YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK."” (Hebrews 7:17, NASB)
“Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.” (Hebrews 8:1-2, NASB)
The purpose of the high priest is described in Hebrews 8:2-5. He is a minister in the sanctuary, the holy place. Our Lord is a minister of the true tabernacle, a dispenser of gifts, the giver of sacrifices, and above all else because of His one sacrifice on the Cross for all mankind. Heb. 10:12.
“a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer. Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, "SEE," He says, "THAT YOU MAKE all things ACCORDING TO THE PATTERN WHICH WAS SHOWN YOU ON THE MOUNTAIN."” (Hebrews 8:2-5, NASB)
“but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD,” (Hebrews 10:12, NASB)
The quality of our Lord’s position as our high priest is described in Hebrews 8:6. Our Lord Jesus Christ has a more excellent ministry because it is based on better promises, His person, and His work on the Cross.
“But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises.” (Hebrews 8:6, NASB)
The position of our high priest Jesus Christ is described in Hebrews 10:12-13. He is seated at the right hand of God the Father as our high priest and our advocate. He will remain there until the Rapture of the Church.
“but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET.” (Hebrews 10:12-13, NASB)
In 1 Peter 2:6, we have the celebrityship of Jesus Christ (parenthetical). “For this is contained” is the present active indicative of περιέχω (periechō) and means to encompass or enclose. “I lay in Zion a choice stone, a precious corner stone” refers to Jesus Christ, David’s son, a foundation stone that holds two corners together of a building. The “precious corner stone” is positional and is the most valuable stone.
“For this is contained in Scripture: "BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."” (1 Peter 2:6, NASB)
A high priest is one who represents himself and others before God. The high priest was always a man and ordained for men. Heb. 9:7; Heb. 5:1.
“but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.” (Hebrews 9:7, NASB)
“For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins;” (Hebrews 5:1, NASB)
In Hebrews 3:1, “the Apostle” represents our Lord’s rank and “High Priest” represents His work.
“Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession;” (Hebrews 3:1, NASB)
“He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house. For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house.” (Hebrews 3:2-3, NASB)
There were many priests in the Old Testament, but only one high priest per tenure. Aaron was the first, then his eldest son and so on. Moses was never a high priest, but he was the greatest grace man of the Old Testament dispensation. Heb. 3:4-6.
“For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.” (Hebrews 3:4-6, NASB)
Because all Church Age believers were placed into union with Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit at salvation, we are royalty and priests forever. Jesus Christ is our High-Priest. Heb. 5:5.
“So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, "YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU";” (Hebrews 5:5, NASB)
We represent ourselves before God as royal priests. Therefore, we are not to lean on others in the spiritual life or to be counseled by others, but to lean on our own priesthood in the filling of the Holy Spirit so we can grow spiritually and fulfill the plan of God for our lives.
The Uniqueness our High Priest
Jesus Christ is the only high priest to be both perfectly sinless mankind and perfect eternal and undiminished deity in one person forever. Therefore, His priesthood is both eternal and superior to all human high priests of the Old Testament. Heb. 7:20-21; Heb. 7:24.
“And inasmuch as it was not without an oath (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him, "THE LORD HAS SWORN AND WILL NOT CHANGE HIS MIND, 'YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER'");” (Hebrews 7:20-21, NASB)
“but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently.” (Hebrews 7:24, NASB)
Jesus Christ is the only high priest to ever be qualified to offer Himself as a sacrifice for sins of mankind. All other high priests offered animal sacrifices pointing to the future Messiah who would offer Himself for sin. Our Lord’s priestly sacrifice included redemption, propitiation, and reconciliation. Heb. 9:26-27; Heb. 10:10; Heb. 10:14.
“Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,” (Hebrews 9:26-27, NASB)
“By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Hebrews 10:10, NASB)
“For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:14, NASB)
Jesus Christ as our high priest was the first to have the unique spiritual life of the Church Age that used the filling of the Holy Spirit to empower His unique spiritual life. Our Lord was continually filling of the Holy Spirit from birth. He remained sinless His entire life on earth and thus became the perfect substitute for mankind on the Cross. In the dispensation of the Church Age, all believers are royal priests because we are in union with Jesus Christ forever.
Jesus Christ is the only high-priest who provides eternal life for those who believe in His atoning work on the Cross. John 3:16.
“"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, NASB)
Jesus Christ is the first high priest and the only priest to be resurrected. Our Lord functions as our high priest in His resurrection body, seated at the right hand of God the Father in the third heaven. He makes intercession for every believer as our High Priest. Heb 7:25.
“Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25, NASB)
Jesus Christ as our High Priest is the minister of spiritual things. Heb 5:1.
“For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins;” (Hebrews 5:1, NASB)
Jesus Christ was appointed by God to a priesthood of a higher order than the Levitical priesthood and according to the order of Melchizedek. Heb. 5:5-6; Heb. 5:9-10; Heb. 7:1.
“So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, "YOU ARE MY SON, TODAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN YOU"; just as He says also in another passage, "YOU ARE A PRIEST FOREVER ACCORDING TO THE ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK."” (Hebrews 5:5-6, NASB)
“And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 5:9-10, NASB)
“For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,” (Hebrews 7:1, NASB)