Jesus is Our High Priest!

Often in my biblical seminars I ask the audience questions about the subject matter, in order to get a sense of where I should begin the presentation. Although my family does not like to be tested, I am the teacher and it is for the good of the class, therefore their objection is always overruled! Anyway, I seldom found a Christian who knew the simple meaning of the word Priest. As a biblical authority, I urge believers to understand everything they believe. We are children of light and the light of the world. Furthermore the Bible says, Study to show thyself approved unto God...rightly dividing the word of truth (2Tim 2:15).

I love to teach the Scriptures and to provide essential knowledge necessary for our faith. This is a very good time to treat the subject of priesthood, seeing as we are still in the Lent season preparing for the Easter celebration.

Although it is a familiar statement, very few understand why Jesus died on the cross for our sins. When Adam sinned in the Garden of Eden, God in his infinite mercy provided a way to restore us to Himself. In order to forgive sins, there had to be a sacrifice offered on behalf of the sinner; a shedding of blood, because there is life in the blood. This is how God set it up. Abel was taught to offer sacrifices to God, and when Cain killed him God raised up Seth and taught him of sacrifice. Even Abraham met a high priest named Melchzedek who taught him to tithe and to offer sacrifice. Abraham was even willing to sacrifice his son as an offering to God, but God provided a ram instead.

God was ready to deliver the Hebrews (the Old Testament believers) from the hands of task masters and from sin, and take them out of Egypt. So, He instructed Moses to install his brother Aaron as a high priest, and to continue the priesthood from their tribe, the Levites, until the advent of Jesus. God instructed Moses to have blood sprinkled on the doorsteps of every believer’s home so as to escape death. God said, “I will see the blood, and Passover,” because He alone understood the significance of the act. To offer sacrifice there had to be an altar, and eventually the Arc of Covenant was built as a symbol of the throne of God. Only the high priest could approach it to offer the sacrifice and to sprinkle the blood, on his behalf and the rest of the believers. When the Temple in Jerusalem was built, that is where the sacrifice was offered.

Now Jesus is our High Priest, yet He is totally different from the Leviticus priests.
1 - Jesus offered his blood as the ultimate (last) sacrifice on our behalf only.
2 - the Leviticus high priest offered the blood on his behalf first, because he also was a sinner and needed forgiveness, and then blood was offered on behalf of the people.
3 - the Old Testament high priests would die and new ones would replace them; but Jesus lives forever.
4 - Jesus was from the Tribe of Judah, and not a Levy, but was also called by God to serve.
5 - Jesus as our high priest has taken His offering to the Holy of Holies in Heaven; to the Holy presence of God and not to the earthly symbolic Temple.

Read in the Book of Hebrews, chapters 5, 6, and 7 for more information on Jesus!

In conclusion, the priest is the one who makes the sacrifice and the one who offers it. In the New Testament we are all priests, we offer ourselves as a living sacrifice and acceptable unto God (Ro 12:1). So thank you Christ for Easter, and for offering yourself once and for all, as a sacrifice on my behalf. Enjoy the meaning of Easter!