CHRIST, OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST.
By John O. Corliss
The word “priest” is of very ancient origin, and signifies a prince or minister. The necessity for a priesthood is founded in sin. Having violated the law of the Most High, and so denied themselves access to His presence, men have invariably felt the necessity of some intercessory power before that holy tribunal to which they no longer dare approach. The object in securing such an arrangement is to provide, in the presence of God, a representative who may there offer acceptable prayer and praise, with their proper accompaniments of sacrifice. The office of priest also includes, under some circumstances, the mission of representing God to the beclouded minds of men. Before the development of the Hebrew nation, we read of Melchizedek, who was “priest of the most high God.” Gen. 14:18. But it is gathered that, even tho this man held an exalted office as principal priest, others acted as priests in a lower capacity, tho they were not organized into a caste. It seems that these included the chief, or head, of each family, and descended with the birthright to the first-born son. But after Israel came out of Egyptian bondage, God chose to relinquish His claim upon the first-born, and so transferred the priesthood to a certain tribe, which had its origin in Levi. The first one to be called in this line was Aaron, who was made head director of the entire order, by virtue of which was established the title of high priest among men. The work of a high priest being made to include the offering of gifts and sacrifices, it was necessary for Christ to have an offering of this nature with which to carry forward His work in the heavenly priesthood. Heb. 8:3. This He fully provided thru the richest gift conceivable, which was nothing less than the sacrifice of Himself. By this gift His blood became a priceless remedy, by which stains of guilt might be washed from sinful hearts. Eph. 5:2; Heb. 9:14. Being then raised from the dead, to sit at the right hand of the Majesty in the heavens (Eph. 1:20; Heb. 8:1), He entered an “unchangeable priesthood,” and became the heavenly Representative of no one needy nation alone, but of every individual, in every nation, for whom His life had been sacrificed, even of an entire race (Heb. 2:9). He was therefore constituted the “Captain” of our salvation (verse 10), and the “High Priest” of our profession (Heb. 3:1), being the “Author of eternal salvation” to those who obey Him (Heb. 5:9). Christ did not become a high priest in the order, or line, of Aaron. This was impossible, because Aaron belonged to the tribe of Levi, and Christ was born of the tribe of Judah. In the earthly succession no one could be a priest who was not of the tribe of Levi. Then, again, the benefits of the Aaronic priesthood were only temporal, because typical, and were confined to those connected with the Hebrew nation, either by birth or adoption, whereas the benefits of Christ’s ministration were to extend to every nation. The first could not make the applicant perfect, hence was weak and unprofitable. Heb. 7:11, 18; 10:1. The heavenly High Priest must therefore be in the fullest sense “Priest of the most high God,” in order to make reconciliation for the sins of all the people. Heb. 2:17. He therefore became a priest “after the order,” or in the line, of Melchizedek. Heb. 6:20. In all the ministration of the earthly priests, their continued offerings had no virtue by which to remove sin. But the one offering made by the Son of God is able to perfect those who set themselves apart for this purpose. Heb. 10:11–14. Then there is consolation in the thought that, no matter how long we may live, our cases will not have to pass into the hands of another and strange priest, because the one to whom we had first intrusted them has died. No; His is an unchangeable priesthood, and so continues forever. For this reason He is able to press our cases to a successful issue, no matter how long a time they may cover because of our indefinite continuance in life. This makes it certain that He is able to save “to the uttermost” those who come to God thru Him. Heb. 7:23–25. But, as our everlasting Captain in the plan of salvation, His voice must be heard and His word obeyed by every one who would be certain of success; for the reason that, being the Author, or Cause, of eternal salvation, He fully understands our needs, and is therefore eminently worthy to be recognized as our heavenly Chief and victorious Leader.