CHAPTER 6  The High Priest of the Kingdom of God

Jesus Christ is the High Priest of the Kingdom of Heaven. In the Old Testament, the High Priesthood was after the order of Aaron, who was of the tribe of Levi. There are both parallels and differences between the priesthood after the order of Aaron and the priesthood of Jesus Christ. In this essay, we will explore these parallels and differences between the two priesthoods.

First, the priesthoods are after two different orders. The priesthood in the Old Testament was as we pointed out after the order of Aaron. After the death of the High Priest, some male descendent of Aaron would become the High Priest. Thus, all the high priests in this order were male descendents of Aaron. The priesthood of Christ is after the order of Melchisedec. Melchisedec was a priest of God and met and blessed Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings. The order of Melchisedec is spelled out for us in Heb. 6:20-7:3: "Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually."

Christ, being a high priest after the order of Melchisedec, has no natural father or mother, he is not descended from anyone, he has neither beginning of days, nor end of life. He is the Son of God and abides as a priest continually. There is neither forerunner nor descendent of Christ. His priesthood is eternal, unlike the priesthood of Aaron which ended at his death and a new priest arose after his death.

The priests after the order of Aaron could not be kings. The kings were of the descendents of the tribe of Judah, whereas the priests were of the tribe of Levi. Christ as a high priest after the order of Melchisedec is also a King. Melchisedec's very name meant king of righteousness and he was king of Salem, which is king of peace. Christ is both the King of Righteousness and the King of Peace as well as our High Priest.

The High Priests after the order of Aaron were to have no physical deformities: Lev. 21:17 "Speak unto Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God. 18 For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, 19 Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded, 20 Or crookbacked, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken; 21 No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God. 22 He shall eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy, and of the holy. 23 Only he shall not go in unto the veil, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he hath a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the LORD do sanctify them."

The perfection of Jesus Christ is greater than the perfection of Aaron as we read in Heb. 7:26 "For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;" While Aaron did not have the physical deformities listed above, yet he was a sinner and was defiled with sin. In contrast, Christ is undefiled from sin and is separate from sinners.

The High Priests after the order of Aaron offered up sacrifices for sins daily, first for his own sins and then for the sins of the people. However, the sacrifices he offered never did do away with sin, but only brought them into remembrance. In contrast, our High Priest, Jesus Christ made one sacrifice for sins forever. The effects of his sacrifice are set forth in the following verses:

    1. Heb. 7:27 "Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself."

    2. Heb. 10:12 "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."

Therefore, by one offering Christ perfected forever the elect of God. The offerings of the priesthood after the order of Aaron never could satisfy God's divine justice for sin.

The High Priests after the order of Aaron had first to be anointed by some man before they could serve in the office of High Priest. In contrast, the Lord Jesus Christ was anointed by the Holy Ghost and anointed with the oil of gladness:

    1. Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,"

    2. Acts 4:27 "For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together,"

    3. Acts 10:38 "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him."

    4. Heb. 1:9 "Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows."

The High Priests after the order of Aaron went into the Holy Place in the Tabernacle and in the Temple to make their offerings. In contrast, the Lord Jesus Christ went into heaven itself into the very presence of God to make his one effectual offering to God: Heb. 9:11 "But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?"

The High Priests after the order of Aaron were to make intercession unto God on behalf of the people. Likewise, Christ as our High Priest makes intercession for us: Rom. 8:33 "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? 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." Unlike those after the order of Aaron who died and then after some time another high priest was anointed, there is no break in the priesthood of Christ for he "ever liveth" and maketh intercession for us.

Finally, the priesthood after the order of Aaron offered animal sacrifices according to the law. In contrast, Christ offered himself as the "lamb of God" to take away the sins of the elect world.