Jesus as a Priest

Hebrews 4:14-16

New Living Translation (NLT)

Christ Is Our High Priest

14 So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. 15 This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. 16 So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.

In the Old Testament we read time and time again of man’s inability to follow God’s Law. We see this clearly in the cyclical events in the book of Judges, and also in a long era of kings, idolatry, sin, and disregard for God’s law.

Before Jesus, a priest acted as an intercessory to God. Priests were required to make animal sacrifices for the sins of God’s people. There were countless sacrifices for sin because sin was never ending. God sent Jesus to be our Savior from our inability to be completely devoted to our Heavenly Father.

Jesus was a declared a Priest from the line of Melchizedek and not form Aaron. This was a much higher line of Priesthood because there was no record of a beginning or an end of Melchizedek and as we discover Jesus does not have a beginning or an end either. Earthly priests were and are flawed, they succumb to human nature and must ask forgiveness. Jesus is perfect. Even though he was tempted by his human nature just as we are, He never sinned.  He remained perfect despite temptation, thus making him even more worthy of his position as High Priest.

With Jesus as High Priest the sacrifices of earthly priests became unnecessary. Jesus willingly became the Ultimate and Eternal Sacrifice. In his priesthood, Jesus became our one and only intercessory to the Father. Now, we only have to pray in His name and our prayers will be heard. Without Jesus as High Priest, our salvation would be hopeless because of our inability to completely submit to our Heavenly Father. Only through His mercy and love were we given this opportunity for salvation through his Son, Jesus.

Works Cited

Baker. God’s word. S.l: Baker Books, A Division O, 2009. Print.

Longman, Tremper, and David E. Garland. The expositor’s Bible commentary. Grand Rapids,     Mich: Zondervan, 2006. Print.