Better than Aaron and the Priesthood
As we look deeper into Hebrews 5-9, the author of Hebrews focuses on the theme of “Jesus is Better” once again, with Jesus being better than Aaron and the Priesthood. In the Old Testament, a high priest would kill a lamb to offer it as a sacrifice to the holy God. In His role as High Priest, Jesus actually became the lamb, and therefore, the sacrifice on our behalf to the Father.
Jesus’ Priestly Order
Hebrews 8 states that if Jesus were on earth, He could not be priest, which begs the question: How is it possible for Jesus to be our High Priest? Jesus is of the tribe of Judah, not the tribe of Levi. Kings and prophets came from the line of Judah, but priests came from the line of Levi. However, Jesus did not come from the priestly Order of Aaron through the Levites, but rather from the Order of Melchizedek. Melchizedek serves as a type of Christ in the Old Testament. He was a king-priest, preceding the Order of Aaron. He was the founder of a priesthood greater than the Levitical priesthood.
Jesus’ Priestly Ministry
As High Priest, Jesus offers Himself as the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of us. His priestly ministry mirrors that which is seen in Leviticus 16. A priest would offer an animal sacrifice, enter the Holy of Holies to present it to the Lord, and then return to the people so that they would know that the Father accepted the sacrifice. In the same way, Christ appears three times as High Priest:
- He appeared when he offered Himself as the ultimate sacrifice through His death on the cross.
- He appears presently in the Father’s presence.
- He shall appear in the future when He comes again.
Practical Encouragement
Having Jesus as our High Priest is the ultimate comfort for us as believers. Earlier, in Hebrews 4:14-16, the author shows how we can come boldly to the throne of grace because our high priest has paved the way for us to do so. We will leave you with those verses to dwell on as you think about the wonders of our LORD Jesus Christ.
“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16, LSB)
Join us for the next and final session on the book of Hebrews, where we see how Jesus is Better than everyone!
This blog post captures the essence of Dr. William Varner’s study series on Hebrews. You may click on the video above to hear more insightful details about the preeminence of Christ in Hebrews. Dr. Varner is the chair of TMU Online Master of Arts in Biblical Studies and professor of Biblical Languages and Bible Exposition for The Master’s University traditional on-campus program.
