Greater

 

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to the confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.” Hebrews 4:14-16

For centuries, the Israelite nation had a high priest who served in the tabernacle/temple offering both gifts and sacrifices on behalf of the people, who also had the responsibility of offering the yearly atonement sacrifice for the nation. A high priest was required to follow all of the regulations set out for the priests as well as having some additional guidelines. Being a high priest came with many rules and commands.

With Jesus’ arrival though, all those rules and commands are shattered- or rather fulfilled and completed.  So let’s take a look at how Jesus’ priesthood is better/greater.

Old Covenant: Priests are from the tribe of Levi; high priests from the house of Aaron.
New Covenant: Jesus is of the tribe of Judah, the house of David. For this reason, He could not be a priest according to His earthly lineage. Instead He is described as a priest in the order Of Melchizedek. Melchizidek was a priest who met with Abraham. Melchizidek did not become a priest through his lineage but through the “power of an indestructible life.´(Hebrews 7:16) Melchizidek is also described as the King of righteousness and the King of Salem (translated to King of Peace). So if Jesus is a High Priest in the order of Melchizidek, we can assume He also gained this title through the power of His indestructible life as well as carrying the titles King of Righteousness and King of Peace.

Old Covenant: A high priest had to ceremonially cleanse himself before he could enter the Holy of Holies in order to offer the yearly atonement sacrifice.
New Covenant: Jesus does not need to ceremonially cleanse Himself because He is already pure and perfect- without sin.

Old Covenant: A high priest would have to regularly offer sacrifices for himself, to cover the sins he had committed. His sin would mean that sacrifices would continue to be required.
New Covenant: Since Jesus was without sin, He did not have to make any sacrifice for Himself. Therefore His sacrifice was utterly a gift of grace and redemption and the perfect atoning sacrifice, making it a sacrifice once for all. No other sacrifices are now needed.

Old Covenant: A high priest would only serve for his lifetime. New high priests would be designated when the last one passed away. There was therefore a continual cycle of high priests.
New Covenant: Jesus’ reign is eternal, therefore no further high priests could ever be needed.

Old Covenant: God, due to His holy nature, had to be kept separate from the people and so His mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant was kept in a separated room called the Holy of Holies within the Tabernacle/Temple. Only the high priest could enter and then only once a year after being ceremonially cleansed.
New Covenant: Jesus’ sacrifice granted us the opportunity to approach God personally, tearing down the heavy curtain that separated God from the people forever. (Matthew 27:51)

With the fulfillment of these old covenant practices, Jesus was able to usher in a new covenant- not based on rules and commands but on forgiveness and a restoration of fellowship through Jesus Christ. It is for this reason that Jesus has become our Great High Priest, the only One who could offer the one sacrifice we all needed and make a way for us to enter into the very presence of God. Jesus freed us from a covenant of laws offered only to a few and replaced it with one better, full of fellowship and grace which is available to all. I, for one, cannot thank God enough for that.

Further reading:
Leviticus 21, Hebrews 7-9

 

Lord,
I must admit I don’t often think about Your role as my Great High Priest, at least not in those terms, but I am so thankful You became our Great High Priest. And unlike any high priest before, You not only offered up the sacrifice that would offer salvation for all, but You were the sacrifice. The perfect lamb offered on my behalf in order to redeem me. I pray that I would live each day walking in the grace and gratitude of this incredible gift and do my part to share it with others.