Brethren, it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did this once for all when he offered up himself. Indeed, the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect for ever. Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the sanctuary and the true tent which is set up not by man but by the Lord.
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In Hebrews, Paul makes it abundantly clear that the purpose of the priesthood is the salvation of God’s believing people. If that is the purpose that the Christian has in this life then it is imperative that the person seized with this responsibility, namely the priest, is without stain or spot. The Levitical priesthood was undertaken by mortal, sinful and flawed men who inherited their office from their fathers. As sinful men under the law they also had to be purified in accordance with the law so could undertake said religious office. Accordingly, the quality of their sacrifice was proportionate to their exact following of the law. Therefore, the law itself becomes key and it is the following of the law that determines whether the priestly sacrifice is acceptable to God. In this way godliness is reduced to a clear set of legal principles.
This is no longer an appropriate basis to determine the high calling of a priest. If indeed the priestly calling was based upon and carried out by a mere mortal then it is subject to human weakness and the sacrifice of the priest is in a sense, a sacrifice for his failings and not for the people.
A high priest, over and above and beyond any immortal is required for this purpose. A priest from the beginning will continue to the end, an alpha and Omega if you will. This demands that the high priest is holy, sinless and undefiled. The only person capable of undertaking this highest of callings is the Son of God. The priesthood of the Son of God is unchanging and unchangeable. During our lifetime it calls us to repentance through forgiveness and mercy. It does not call us through the stricture of the law but rather through the person of Christ himself, who through his saving sacrifice made peace between man and God. Through Christ, man is now saved, he has a counsellor and mediator before the Father who is perfect man and perfect God.
The Levite priesthood had to sacrifice daily due to them being mere mortals and as mere mortals, sinful. On the other hand the sacrifice of Christ is and will remain unique. The reason for that is that Christ only needed to subject himself to the cross once. Notice that Christ became high priest as a direct result of his crucifixion. During his earthly ministry Christ was teacher, miracle worker and prophet – the Priest was not one of his functions. He did not administer any liturgical mysteries but now through the sacrifice of himself he shows the greatest liturgical mystery by giving to us the means of salvation through his body and his blood.
It is at this point that Paul now seeks to bring his argument to a head. He declares forcefully that we have such a high priest and, as high priest, he is seated at the right hand of the Father. The fact that he is at the right hand of the Father is confirmation of his high priesthood. You will recall that the sons of Zebedee requested that they sit on the left and right hand of the Son. Christ responded by informing them that those positions are not for him to give but they are for those for whom they have been prepared. Christ himself, being on the right hand of the father takes his natural place which has been assigned to him before the beginning of the world. You see, everything has an order and that order is determined by each person, and their actions. Simply put, if you desire to be first you must be slave of all. After all you’re doing no more than following Christ. For the Son of man came not to earth to be served as king but to serve as servant, his ultimate act of service being the giving of his life as a ransom for many.
Having as exemplar, Christ, we now understand that just as he was the great high priest, we need to imitate that priesthood and as perfect offering we need to also consecrate ourselves as an offering to God. So how do we do that? Well, we know that we are all called to a royal priesthood by Peter. That means that we are obliged to spread the word of God in clear, unambiguous and precise terms. It is not enough to say that you believe in God – for even the devils themselves believe in God – and tremble. We must have a clear understanding of our faith. All roads do not lead to Christ. For if they did, then there would be no such thing as heresy because it doesn’t matter what you believe because Christ understands and forgives all. The trouble with this proposition is that because you believe in everything you believe in nothing. It is at the intercept of right teaching and right works that you will find Christ.
The Christ you will find seated at the right hand of the Gather is perfect God who also, after 40 days after His resurrection ascended to heaven, taking his human flesh. Therefore Christ as priest is seated in the execution of the liturgical service and as seated, demonstrates the timelessness of his holy office, unlike mere priests who serve before the altar upright. In order to reinforce the difference between the old and new, Paul refers to Christ as being a minister of the Sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched (not man). This tabernacle, according to Paul, is not made by human hands but rather called in to being by God. Now there is the true type of sanctuary made ex nihilo. Not built by human hand but rather by the Word of God. The Word of God is perfect therefore the temple itself is perfect and the person who serves as high priest is perfect. It is the love of God that seeks to give to man what man earnestly desires, and what he desires is to be at one with God.
