The words for ‘priest’ in Scripture (Hebrew kōhēn; Greek hiereus, archiereus) occur almost 900 times — 740 in the Old Testament, 151 in the New.

It may seem strange to us today, but in the Bible priesthood does two things: it maintains the distinction between the perfect holiness of God and the corruption of human beings, and it expresses the necessity of mediation between the holy God and sinful humanity.¹Dana M. Harris, ‘Priest,’ in DNTUOT, 625. In this section, I am indebted to Harris’ survey of priesthood in the Old Testament (625-628) and the New Testament (628-30). More fully, see Beeke, Reformed Systematic Theology, 2:988-1110; Robert Letham, The Work of Christ (IVP, 1993), 105-196; idem, Systematic Theology, 545-583; Vos, Reformed Dogmatics, 456-536.

He is both the Priest and the sacrifice. He offers himself.

He Kept the Rules

The Lord Jesus Christ affirmed the God-given legitimacy of both temple and priesthood at every stage of his life.

It began with his presentation at the temple as a small child (Luke 2:22-40). It continued when he insisted that those he healed observe the necessary priestly regulations (Matt 8:1-4; Mark 1:40-44; Luke 17:11-14), and as he himself complied with the temple tax (Matt 17:24-27).

And Then Exposed the Distortions

Beyond formal observance, Christ’s words and works displayed a priestly character throughout his public ministry — and time and again he exposed the distortions of priestly attitudes prevalent in his day.

He restored the unclean to cleanness without becoming unclean himself (Matt 15:1-11; Mark 7:1-23; Luke 8:40-48). He interpreted God’s law with true authority (Matt 5:17-48; Luke 24:27). He defined the true purpose of the Sabbath (Matt 12:1-13; Mark 2:23–3:6; John 5:16-18). And he demonstrated the nature of true spiritual and economic justice (Matt 21:12-17; Mark 11:12-19; John 2:13-22).

Taken together, these acts pointed toward his ultimate intention: to rebuild the temple and renew a genuine priesthood (John 2:19).

Which Got Him Killed

Just as many religious authorities rejected Christ’s prophetic office, the priesthood of his day opposed his teaching on the nature and purpose of priesthood — both generally and regarding his own priestly mission (Matt 16:21; 21:23-27; Mark 8:31; Luke 20:1-19; John 11:45-47).

His claims and deeds provoked such antagonism that they played a critical role in his arrest and trial before the Sanhedrin, Caiaphas the high priest, and Annas, who then sought the death penalty against him (Matt 26:57-68; Mark 14:53-65; John 18:12-24).

The apostles later suffered similar persecution, and even martyrdom, at the hands of the priestly hierarchy (Acts 4:1-22; 5:17-42; 6:8–7:53) — though happily, some priests were converted (Acts 6:7).

Two Phases

To speak of Christ as Priest is to say that he represents mankind before God.

His high priestly service began with his earthly work as sacrifice, advocate and intercessor, and it’s on the basis of that finished work that he now appears before God in heaven on our behalf.

His crucifixion had a priestly character and was the necessary prerequisite for everything that followed. ‘His sacrificial death is integral to his identity and activity as high priest … Without it the latter would not and could exist. … [H]is once-for-all sacrifice for sin is the final and consummate reality.’

Yet the New Testament places particularly great emphasis ‘on the phase of Christ’s priestly work that begins with the ascension, on Christ as presently a high priest in heaven.’²Gaffin, ‘Priesthood of Christ,’ 52, 55.

Sacrifice accomplished on earth; intercession continuing in heaven. That two-phase shape is expounded most clearly in Hebrews — though Hebrews doesn’t stand alone. The same priestly pattern surfaces across the New Testament’s wider witness (Matt 20:28; 26:28; Mark 10:45; John 1:29; 10:11; Eph 5:2, 25; 1 Tim 2:5-6; Titus 2:14; Rev 1:5).

Two Differences From Every Priest Before Him

The priestly imagery of the Old Testament is taken up by the New and applied to the work of Jesus. But there are at least two significant differences between the work of the Old Testament priest and the priestly work of Jesus.

First, as Hebrews 9 points out, Jesus’ sacrifice is of a different character. It is once-for-all: ‘But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself’ (Heb 9:26).

Second, that very same verse indicates the other difference: he is both the Priest and the sacrifice. He offers himself.³Thompson and Doyle, ‘The Work of Christ,’ 5. On Christ’s Person and office in the introductory part of Hebrews, see John Webster, ‘One Who is Son: Theological Reflections on the Exordium to the Epistle to the Hebrews,’ in Richard Bauckham ed., The Epistle to the Hebrews and Christian Theology(Eerdmans, 2009), 69-94.

Remain with the strangeness of that. Every priest in Israel’s history stood between God and the people holding something else — a lamb, a goat, a bull. Christ stands there holding nothing, because he is what is being offered.

The customary division of his priestly work follows accordingly:

Atonement — John 1:29; Matthew 26:28; Romans 3:25-26; Ephesians 5:2; Hebrews 9:11-28; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 3:18; 1 John 1:7; 2:2.

Intercession — John 17; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:23-25; 1 John 2:1.

Where It Leads

This once-for-all, self-offered sacrifice is not where Christ’s priestly work ends. It’s what grounds his ongoing ministry in heaven.

As Richard Gaffin clarifies, Christ’s appearance in heaven involves two decisive aspects: his permanent presence — presenting himself alive in the heavenly sanctuary, at God’s right hand, in the efficacy of his finished, once-for-all sacrifice for sin — and his perpetual intercession there, based on that self-sacrifice.

In the heavenly sanctuary Christ is ‘able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them’ (Heb 7:25).⁴Richard Gaffin, ‘The Priesthood of Christ: A Servant in the Sanctuary,’ in Jonathan Griffiths ed., A Perfect Saviour: Key Themes in Hebrews (Inter-Varsity Press, 2012), 61.

The sacrifice is finished. The priesthood is not.

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• 1
  Dana M. Harris, ‘Priest,’ in DNTUOT, 625. In this section, I am indebted to Harris’ survey of priesthood in the Old Testament (625-628) and the New Testament (628-30). More fully, see Beeke, Reformed Systematic Theology, 2:988-1110; Robert Letham, The Work of Christ (IVP, 1993), 105-196; idem, Systematic Theology, 545-583; Vos, Reformed Dogmatics, 456-536. ↩︎
• 2
  Gaffin, ‘Priesthood of Christ,’ 52, 55. ↩︎
• 3
  Thompson and Doyle, ‘The Work of Christ,’ 5. On Christ’s Person and office in the introductory part of Hebrews, see John Webster, ‘One Who is Son: Theological Reflections on the Exordium to the Epistle to the Hebrews,’ in Richard Bauckham ed., The Epistle to the Hebrews and Christian Theology(Eerdmans, 2009), 69-94. ↩︎
• 4
  Richard Gaffin, ‘The Priesthood of Christ: A Servant in the Sanctuary,’ in Jonathan Griffiths ed., A Perfect Saviour: Key Themes in Hebrews (Inter-Varsity Press, 2012), 61. ↩︎