II. The priestly office
In contrast to the prophet who addresses the congregation in God’s name, the priest appears before God as spokesman and representative of God’s people. In the OT, this sacred office was carefully protected, perhaps more so than any other (cf. notably the severe punishment of King Uzziah for infringing on sacerdotal prerogatives, 2 Chron 26:16-21).
Undoubtedly this feature was meant to impress upon Israel the great majesty and holiness of God who could not be approached, except by those whom He had specifically approved. From the time of the Sinaitic legislation only Aaron and his descendants were admitted to the sacerdotal office (Exod 29:9; 40:15), and permitted to enter the Holy Place. Only the high priest was allowed to approach God in the Holy of Holies (Heb 9:3), and that once a year and after a bullock had been slaughtered as a sin offering for himself (Lev 16:11). As the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews points out, these restrictions were fraught with the important lesson that the OT priesthood was still imperfect, and that God’s people must be looking expectantly to one who can represent man without being himself entangled in sinfulness, one whose appearing before a Holy God is not merely temporary, but perennial. The somewhat enigmatic OT passages concerning Melchizedek (Gen 14:18-20; Ps 110:4) may have given substance to these aspirations. They were certainly interpreted by the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews as foreshadowing the priesthood of Jesus Christ (Heb 7), a priesthood that is sinless (7:26-28), permanent (7:24, 25, 28), and grounded in a divine oath (7:20-22).
Accordingly, the sacrificial language has an important place in the NT, but it is arresting that Christ is expressly referred to as a priest only in Hebrews.
There are two major ways in which Christ performs His sacerdotal office; oblation and intercession, to which a word may be added about healing.
A. Oblation. It is a very salient feature of the NT that the death and resurrection of Christ have a place of sing. prominence in all the strata of its teaching (cf. V. Taylor, The Atonement in New Testament Teaching [1940], pp. 72f.). This fact does in no wise minimize the significance of His life and teaching, but it marks an emphasis which no serious student of the NT can afford to ignore. The oblation of Christ involves two basic relations: Christ as the spotless victim; and Christ as the perfect offerer. In this article obviously the latter must receive primary consideration, but a brief paragraph on the former is needed as well, since Christ as Great High Priest offered Himself (Heb 7:27; 9:14).
1. The victim. Certain NT designations of Christ manifest with great clarity the connection of His work with the practice of OT sacrifices. He is called “the Lamb” more than a score of times in the Book of Revelation; the Lamb of God (John 1:29), our Passover (1 Cor 5:7). Moreover there are many passages referring to the blood of Christ (Matt 26:28; Acts 20:28; Eph 1:7; Heb 9:14; 1 Pet 1:18, 19; etc.) or where He is represented as a sacrifice (Eph 5:2; Heb 9:26, 28; 10:12; etc.).
In this connection the sinlessness of Jesus (John 8:29, 46; 2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; 7:26; 1 Pet 2:22; 1 John 3:5; etc.) is in striking parallel to the OT prescription that the victims be without blemish (Exod 12:5; Lev 4:3, 23; etc.).
The precise purpose of the Biblical sacrificial institution has been the object of intensive discussion. It is not necessary to insist that all the forms of sacrifice were exclusively intended for the expiation of sin, but the expiatory, or more specifically propitiatory, strain is a very prominent feature of the Scriptural representation. Elaborate efforts to dispense with this element have been put forth (C. H. Dodd, F. N. Hicks, O. C. Quick, V. Taylor, and others), but the explanations advanced appear contrived and incapable of giving to the NT message the kind of impact that it has had through the ages and still has today. What won the hearts of men since the days of the apostles is the good news that by His oblation Christ has wiped out the sins of those who believe in Him. It is this great truth which makes all other sacrifices superfluous so that animal sacrifices of all sorts are stopped wherever Christianity is accepted.
The supreme value of this offering lies in the fact that this victim is not only a spotless human being, but that it is the God-man, the only Son of God, whose life is worth more than the whole created universe. There is no need, therefore, of a constant repetition in the oblation, but the sacrifice of Christ has been offered once for all on the cross of Calvary (Heb 7:27; 9:12, 25-28; 10:10, 12, 14). Even those who hold that there is a sacrificial significance in the Eucharist, do not think that the latter is the presentation of a different sacrifice, but insist that we have here a re-enactment of the one offering of Christ on the cross.
It is important to recognize the relation of Christ’s sacrifice to the Christian sacraments. It is true that there is considerable diversity of opinion concerning the meaning and effect of the sacraments, but whatever more may be involved, one can at least assert that in baptism the identification of the believer with Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection and the cleansing from sin through His blood are symbolized (Rom 6:3-7; 1 Pet 3:21); while in the Lord’s Supper the elements used are directly related to Christ’s sacrifice, to His broken body and shed blood, and the participation of the believer implies identification with Him (Matt 26:26, 28, etc.; 1 Cor 10:16; 11:26, etc.)
(In Matt 20:22, 23; Mark 10:38, 39 there is an arresting case of the use of the terminology of baptism and of the cup with reference to the death of Christ.)
2. The perfect offerer. The author of Hebrews emphasizes this aspect of the work of Christ, esp. in chs. 5-10. He stresses that one could not assume this office at will, but that only divine appointment would permit one to appear in God’s presence. This was true of Aaron and his descendants (Heb 5:4), as well as of Melchizedek and of Christ (5:5, 6, 10). The dignity of Christ’s priesthood is accentuated by the fact that it is sanctioned by a divine oath (7:20, 21, 28) as well as by the eminence of His Person. (He is exalted above others as a son is above a servant [Heb 3:3-6]; He, like Melchizedek, is greater than Abraham [Heb 7:4-10]; He is higher than angels [Heb 1:4; 2:9].)
Earlier forms of priesthood were handicapped by the fact that the priests were tainted by sin, while Christ is “holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens” (Heb 7:26; cf. 4:15; 5:3; 9:14 and other passages listed earlier). This freedom from sin has not caused a gap between Christ as priest and those whom He represents, for He has entered in full into our situation, even including temptation (2:14, 17, 18; 4:15; 5:2); He has become wholly accomplished for His office through His sufferings (2:10; 5:7-9).
Because of their human limitations, OT priests had constantly to repeat their ministrations; Christ by contrast has made an offering that is unique (cf. above under 1. Victim). Because of their subjection to mortality, OT priests inevitably passed away from the scene and new ones had to be appointed, but Christ’s priesthood is established for ever (6:20; 7:16, 17, 24, 25, 28).
Moreover the effect of OT sacrifices was only temporary but Christ has secured for His own “an eternal redemption” (Heb 5:9; 7:25; 9:12, 15). This feature should be kept firmly in mind by those who are inclined to quote the Epistle to the Hebrews to support the possibility of the final apostasy of some regenerate individuals (6:4-6; 10:26-29, etc.).
In keeping with the dignity of Christ, the sanctuary in which His priestly ministry is exercised is not marred by the weaknesses of the earthly scene, but it is marked by the majesty and perfection of heaven itself (4:14; 6:20; 8:2; 9:11, 24). There is, of course, a sense in which Christ performed His priestly office on earth in the days of His flesh (5:7), offering His own body as a sacrifice upon Calvary’s cross as the altar. What the author of Hebrews points out is that these earthly events do not exhaust the meaning of the transaction, but that there are cosmic implications which can be recognized fully only in the perspective of heaven, that is to say, in divine terms.
For the execution of His priestly work, it is apparent how Christ needs to be both divine and human. His deity qualifies Him to find acceptance with God and to perform a work of eternal significance and power. His humanity is essential to secure real contact with those whom He came to redeem, to make possible their identification with Him by virtue of His prior identification with them (2:14-18 and passim. One should consult on this topic Geerhardus Vos, “The Priesthood of Christ in the Epistle to the Hebrews,” The Teaching of the Epistle to the Hebrews [1956], pp. 91-114).
In keeping with some critical views of the Scripture and of the development of religious ideas among the Jews, it often has been fashionable of late to deprecate priesthood and to view the whole priestly establishment of Israel as a corruption of the nobler outlook favored by some of the OT prophets. In the NT the designation of Christ as a priest and the ascription to Him of sacerdotal functions preclude endorsement of such positions. In keeping with the dominant orientation of the Bible as a whole, it is incumbent upon us to view the priesthood as a divinely initiated and sanctioned institution, evident well before the Mosaic legislation, articulated with great fullness and notable centrality in that legislation, and brought to its full bearing and significance in the work of Jesus Christ as the great mediator. Of course, there have been many unworthy priests in Israel’s history. Even the best priests have had some failings in their performance of the sacred office, not to speak of their private lives; and in some periods of history, notably at the time of Christ’s life on earth, certain abuses were apparently dominant in the priesthood, but this does not warrant a blanket condemnation of the institution as such, when the Scripture makes it so clear that it is a paramount need of mankind after the Fall and represents Jesus Christ as the perfect answer to that need.
B. Intercession. The verb ἐντυγχάνω, G1961, tr. “intercede,” means “to deal or transact with one person in reference to another” (W. Milligan, The Ascension and Heavenly Priesthood of Our Lord [1908], p. 151). The nature of the transaction is not indicated in this term, and the context must determine whether this is in a favorable, or unfavorable sense. With reference to Christ, the term is found in Romans 8:34 and Hebrews 7:25 where the phrase “for us,” “for them” leaves no doubt that the intervention is to the advantage of those concerned. In 1 John 2:1 Christ is named our advocate (parakletos) who has offered Himself for our sins, and in Hebrews 9:24 we read that Christ appears “in the presence of God on our behalf.”
This type of activity is in line both with certain OT priestly functions and with some ministrations of Christ in the days of His flesh.
The Aaronic high priest wore the names of the twelve tribes on his ephod and on his breastplate (Exod 28:11, 12, 21, 29, etc.), and it is not difficult to see in this arrangement a symbol of the priest’s representation before God of those for whom he stood.
The ceremonies involving incense (Exod 30:8, 27; etc.), may well be viewed as symbolic of prayer as well. This connection is intimated in Psalm 141:2; Revelation 5:8; 8:3, 4.
During the course of His ministry on earth our Lord frequently engaged in prayer. In a number of cases there is no express indication as to the contents of these prayers, but there are several vv. which record intercession for His own (Matt 19:13; Luke 22:31; John 17:9, 15, 20, etc. cf. also Mark 9:29; John 11:41, 42). In the sublime high-priestly prayer of John 17, the mood is so lofty that the conditions of our Lord’s earthly life are well nigh transcended, and we seem to be transported to the atmosphere of heaven where Christ appears at the right hand of God. Likewise John 14:16 introduces us to the intercessory ministry of Christ after the resurrection.
This ministry is expressly emphasized in Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25; 9:24; 1 John 2:1. It is also prefigured in passages like Isaiah 53:12. We are naturally led to ask the questions, What is the bearing of this intercession? What is the blessing requested? From whom is it implored and for whom? Interpreters appear to have been sometimes puzzled by these questions. Some matters, however, may be clarified at once. The one to whom the intercession is directed is surely the Triune God, represented, as is frequently the case, by the Father. It is doubtful that it is just one person of the Trinity in contrast to the other two.
The One who offers the intercession is Christ, the God-man, in His office of mediator, thus not merely as man, nor merely as God. This point is surely made amply clear in the Epistle to the Hebrews.
The blessing sought can scarcely be a favor that God would be reluctant to grant and that is wrested away from Him on the ground of personal privilege. It is here that one must note with care the close connection between the atonement and the intercession of Christ. These are distinct, but inseparable aspects of the priestly work of Christ, and they appear in conjunction in a number of crucial texts (e.g. Isa 53:12; Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25-27; 9:24-28; 1 John 2:1, 2). Perhaps no one has articulated this connection between oblation and intercession as carefully as Hugh Martin in his great book on The Atonement (1870, pp. 96-160). In the light of this relationship we may feel some confidence in asserting that the primary purpose of the intercession of Christ is to provide a continued application of the merits of His life and death for those whom He has redeemed, so that they are sheltered from the righteous wrath of a Holy God and, viewed through the interposition of Christ, their covenant head, they are in a position to receive the full measure of the blessings which flow from His redeeming activity (cf. Eph 1:3-11).
If we are correct in this basic understanding, the intercession of Christ might be compared to a filter which absorbs rays which would be deadly for us, and at the same time would enable God to look at us through Christ, as covered by His interposition (justification). This type of illustration may help us to grasp the importance of having an eternal high priest and an eternal redemption. It is only “in Christ” that these blessings are ours and this relationship needs to be sustained in order for us to continue to enjoy the benefits. It is of great importance here to safeguard the close unity between the forensic and the recreative aspects of Christ’s redemptive work. Failure to give sufficient attention to the forensic aspect is at the foundation of the onesided views of the Socinians in the 16th cent. and more recently of W. Milligan and B. F. Westcott. Conversely those who view the intercession of Christ exclusively in terms of justification are falling short of the full amplitude of His gracious ministration.
We might conclude that the object of Christ’s intercession is the full measure of the manifold graces which He has secured for His own. While the most eminent of these are the benefits of salvation, Romans 8:32 permits us to feel confident that nothing that we need is excluded from His intercessory concern. (Cf. also John 14:13; 15:7; 16:23, etc. as well as Jesus’ prayers during His life on earth.)
What a comfort for the believer, besieged by ills of various sorts and burdened by a sense of his own weakness and unworthiness, to think of the perpetual intercession of Christ on his behalf! This is the precise point of the Scriptures which speak of this theme.
If the question be raised for whom Christ does intercede, the answer appears to be given clearly in the words of John 17:9: “I am not praying for the world but for those whom thou hast given me, for they are thine.” This Scripture seems to teach that the intercession concerns mainly those who are encompassed in God’s saving purpose. In some instances these may be alive at the time of the prayer, although not yet brought consciously into the circle of the redeemed (cf. Luke 23:34). In John 17:20 the prayer concerns men who are not even alive at the time. The magnitude of Christ’s mind and heart transcends in His intercession the limits of time and space that usually circumscribe us.
And so in keeping with His supreme majesty the great mediator intercedes constantly (Heb 7:25) and effectually (John 11:42), securing for His own the full measure of the blessings which He purchased for them by the blood of the cross.
C. Ministry of healing. In the OT, the priests had certain medical responsibilities (Lev 13 and 14; cf. Matt 8:4; Luke 17:14; etc.), and while they had no special power to effect a cure, they were those appointed by God to safeguard public health.
This aspect of the priesthood may find its supreme expression in the healing ministry of Jesus Christ. The prophecy of Isaiah 53:4, “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows,” is interpreted by Matthew to have reference, at least in part, to Jesus’ healing activity (Matt 8:17).
B. F. Westcott has a classification of gospel miracles (Introduction to the Study of the Gospels [1896], pp. 466-469) which shows that out of thirty-four miracles of Jesus related with some detail in the gospels, twenty-five were miracles of healing (this includes three cases of resurrection and six cases of exorcism). Thus the work of Christ could well be characterized by Matthew as “teaching...preaching...and healing every disease and every infirmity among the people” (Matt 4:23 cf. Matt 14:36; Mark 6:56; Luke 4:18; Acts 10:38; etc.).
Christ delegated to His disciples some share in this work (Matt 10:1; cf. also Mark 16:18; Acts 5:16, and James 5:14, 15). Faith healing may be viewed as an extension of Christ’s priestly office.