The Priesthood of Christ contrasted with Aaron - The Consideration of Christ - Part 1 — William Skates

Our Father, we bow again in thy presence, in the precious and worthy name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank thee for him. We thank thee for every thought that we've had of his person and of his work as the Bible readings have progressed today.

We do long, our Father, afresh to fill our hands with him and to appreciate once again who he is and what he has done for us. We thank thee for what we've considered from thy word, for help given in the Bible readings and for that which has been brought before us, which has challenged our hearts.

And as we have been thinking, our Father, we do pray that we will not be only hearers of thy word, but that we will be doers also. And we ask that the practical teaching that has been brought before us today might be hidden within our hearts and that it will affect our walk in days of my head.

Christ Pre-eminently in the Book of Hebrews

Now we thank thee for another Bible reading and we look to thee for thy help and for thy hand to be upon us. We pray for thy servanthood of the responsibility to open and to guide us through. And we ask, our Father, that as we consider this great New Testament unfolding of the full significance of all that had gone before, that we will be helped by thyself rightly to understand the content of thy word.

And again, our Father, that our hearts will be warmed with an appreciation of our Savior and that our walk will be affected. We look to thee, our Father, that we will be in the good of the blood anointed here and the thong and the great tongue.

We ask, our Father, that thou wilt bless us and be with us as we thank thee again for all thy goodness to us and for this time together, in our Savior's name, amen.

Now we continue in the book of Hebrews. Our subject will be Christ pre-eminently, and it's the priesthood of Christ contrasted with Aaron, compared and contrasted. And the question is, are we refreshed from his consideration?

That's a kind of a rhetorical question. If we are really considering him, we will certainly be refreshed. So let's come in our Bibles then to the book of Hebrews, and we'll just take the reading as it is found on the outline, chapter 5, and we read the first 10 verses.

For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins, who can have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way, for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.

And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. For no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made a high priest, but he that said unto him, Thou art my son, today have I begotten thee, a quote from Psalm 2.

As he saith also in another place, this time from Psalm 110, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, or out from within death, and was heard in that he feared, though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered, and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him, called of God, a high priest after the order of Melchizedek, of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

And then he deals with their condition, as being dull of hearing, and so on, right through chapter 6, until you come down to the end of chapter 6, let's break into the reading of verse 18, that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.

Which hope we have, as an anchor of the soul, but sure and steadfast, which entereth into that within the veil, whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest, forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Then he's going to speak about Melchizedek, and we'll just give a little overview of that in the discussion at the appropriate time in those verses. So let's drop down to verse 11. This is chapter 7, verse 11.

If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, for under it the people received the law, what further need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. For he of whom these things were spoken pertaineth to another tribe, he of whom these, that's our Lord, pertaineth to another tribe of which no man gave attendance at the altar.

For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah, of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning the priesthood. And it is yet far more evident, for that after the similitude of Melchizedek, there ariseth another priest, who is made not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.

For he testifieth thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. For there is verily a disannulling, a making void of the commandment going before, for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.

For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did. And we emphasize the hope at the end of chapter six. By the which we draw nigh unto God. And inasmuch as not without an oath was he made a priest, for those priests were made without an oath, but this with an oath by him that saith unto him, the Lord swear and will not repent thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better covenant. Better testament, better covenant. So there's a change of law, and now we note a change of covenant. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death.

But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore, he is able also to save them to the uttermost, to completion, that come unto God by him, saying he ever liveth, to make intercession for them.

For such an high priest became, or suitable for us, to us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, made higher than the heavens. Who needeth not daily as those priests to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's.

For this he did once, when he offered up himself. For the law made men high priests which have infirmity. But the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the son who is consecrated for evermore.

Now of the things which we have spoken, this is the sum. We have such a high priest who is set on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not man.

For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices. Wherefore, it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law, who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things.

As Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle, for see, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shown thee in the mount. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

The Structure and Major Themes of Hebrews

Now that is all we will read with the Lord's blessing. Most will be familiar with the layout of the book of Hebrews, how that in chapter 1 we are introduced to the person of the Lord Jesus as the Son of God, and his deity is emphasized in chapter 1.

In chapter 2 we have his humanity emphasized. We took up chapter 2 in readings in recent years as one of those chapters that deal in a particular way with the humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ. You will notice at the end of chapter 2 the reason for covering that ground is given.

In all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God. So the Lord Jesus, by his very person, by his work, and what he accomplished at Calvary, is fully fitted to touch both God and man, and to represent man in the presence of God as a high priest.

That is a major theme in the book of Hebrews, and we find that priest occurs some 26 times throughout the book. Now chapter 3, we are told to consider, our brother Mark read this last night in the prayer meeting, we are told to consider or think upon intensely, focus upon, observe, notice, and place your mind upon the apostle and the high priest of our profession.

So that is what we are going to do as we come further on into the book of Hebrews. The writer will take up the person of Christ and he will elaborate upon his function as our great high priest. Now in chapter 1 we find that the Lord Jesus is better than the prophets, he is better than the angels.

In chapters 3 and 4 he will look at him in relation to Moses, and he is faithful as was Moses, but he is better than Moses, and he is better than Joshua in chapter 4 to bring the people into rest. So when we come to chapter 5 now, he is taking up Aaron, and he is going to look at Aaron as the high priest that we have been thinking of in the Old Testament and compare the Lord Jesus with him.

Christ as the Great High Priest

So that leads into the subject of Christ's priesthood. You notice at the end of chapter 4, again just before we embark upon this study in a more detailed way, end of chapter 4 we did not read it, but verse 14, seeing then that we have a great high priest, there is only one great high priest.

The word great is literally mega, and high is archpriest. So here is one who is supreme, he has priority, he is the great priest that is passed through the heavens, which speak to us of his victory. He is passed through the heavens.

Jesus, his humanity, the son of God, his deity, let us hold fast our profession. Then we have not an high priest who cannot be touched with a feeling of our infirmity, his sympathy, for he was in all points tempted like us we are, his similarity, yet without sin, his impeccability, and that is always guarded in relation to the person of our Lord Jesus.

Notice the exhortation that you have at the end of chapter 4, and bear in mind this is still the introduction to this great subject. He says, let us therefore come boldly unto a throne of grace, that we might obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

There is accessibility through the person of our Lord Jesus to a throne of heavenly grace. So far as the book as a whole is concerned, we have the first seven chapters dealing with the person of Christ, and the writer uses that as a basis for an exhortation to let us go on to maturity, let us go on.

Chapters 8 through 10, he will focus primarily upon the work of Christ. The background to the book is the day of atonement, the work of Christ, and as a result of that, when you come to the end of chapter 10, let us draw near.

So the subject of his priesthood now from chapter 5 through to chapter 10 is bracketed with an exhortation to come to a throne of grace at the end of chapter 4, and then in chapter 10, let us draw near.

The last chapters of the book, just to complete that, emphasizes faith in Christ. So you have the person of Christ, the work of Christ, and then faith in Christ and the exhortation there to let us go forth.

Aaronic Patterns and Melchizedek's Order

Now coming to the portion that we did read, we have it broken down into three areas. There is the priesthood of Christ and the pattern compared with Aaron. The pattern of Aaron is compared, there are similarities.

And then from chapter 7, there is the priesthood of Christ, but it is the order that is contrasted with Aaron, as he emphasizes the order of Melchizedek, and that was different from anything to do with Aaron.

And then in chapter 8, Christ as our great high priest is the minister and he is the mediator of heavenly things. So there is a new ministry brought in, and there is a new covenant, he is the mediator of a new covenant in chapter 8, and we are not dealing with it, but in chapter 9, it was touched upon in chapter 8, but there is a new sanctuary emphasized in chapter 9, and then when you come to chapter 10, there are new worshippers, there are sins and iniquities I will remember no more, and we are to come boldly into the very presence of God as a result of the work that our Lord Jesus has accomplished for us.

The Compassion, Calling, and Completeness of Christ

So let's come then to chapter 5 and these first 10 verses, and at this point I have in mind that we would cover this by about 4 .30. If we can, we will have to move through, and it will be a little more perhaps than two minutes per verse, as well as any introductory comments that we might make.

So first of all, the reality of his compassion is seen in these first three verses, and the regality of his calling in verses 4 and 5 and verse 10, he is called of God and high priest. There is the results of his crying in verse 7, and that in some ways will link with his compassion, his ability to sympathize.

He himself was tested, and the reality or the reliability rather of his completeness in verses 8 to 9. He was completely obedient to the Father, to God, and to the work that was given, and that's in contrast to Aaron, who was not fully obedient in his lifetime.

So let's come then to chapter 5, brethren, if you will, and give us some help in verse number 1. Any comments, first of all, in the overall?

If you don't mind, I just wondered about looking at the historical setting of the letter itself. Is it fair to say that this is written at a time when there's still a functioning sacrificial system in Jerusalem?

I think there are indications of that throughout the letter and that it's written to people, therefore, that are being tempted to go back to that system where their sacrifice is, where they can see a literal great high priest among them.

And now he's saying, now, wait a minute, when you when you accepted Christ, when you embraced the Messiah, you have a great high priest now superior in every way, not superior because of some ceremonies that were performed, but superior in and of himself.

Chapters 1 and 2. Emphasizing his deity, his humanity, he is perfectly fit and uniquely fit to function in this way as as your great high priest.

Yes, very good. These first century Jewish believers are professing believers. We're faced with a very real crisis because you did have, as we've been thinking in the Old Testament, a God given system, sacrificial system pertaining to a literal earthly house and so on.

And evidently this is still being carried on. So the question in their minds, well, this was given by God, how do we know that this new thing is right? And so the writer in the overall scope of the book is dealing with that crisis and showing that it is actually God's mind to fulfill all of these things in Christ.

And as part of that crisis, they were having to deal with suffering and they were having to deal with reproach and people who were saying, in effect, now, if this thing that you've gone in for, if that was right, you wouldn't be having this experience.

And we have the lovely repetition through the epistle of the little expression we have. It's in a negative form at the end of verse four. And it's very good to see the stress on the things that we have, because everybody was very keen to tell them what they didn't have.

You don't have the temple anymore and you don't have a priest anymore that you can go to in your need. And you don't have those sacrifices that you can touch and that you can feel. Well, the writer to the Hebrews says, hang on a second.

We have, we have and we have. Very good. Very good, Mark. Can I ask you as a general question, and if this isn't the appropriate time to deal with them, pick when is. We're going to be, we're going to discover that Christ is a priest after the order of Melchizedek.

We've often been reminded that he is a priest after the order of Melchizedek, but after the pattern of Aaron. Is that right? And what do we mean by that?

OK, yeah, we'll deal with that as we go through, but we'll see that there are things that are comparisons with Aaron. He's called of God. He's taken from among men, first of all, he offers both gifts and sacrifices.

We see in verse two, his compassion on the ignorant and so on. Called of God, verse four, as was Aaron. So there are similarities to Aaron's priesthood. But Aaron's priesthood in and of itself is not sufficient to portray the full picture of the priesthood of Christ.

And so he's bringing in this other metaphor or this other example of Melchizedek and how God has called the priesthood of Christ as being after the order of Melchizedek. So there are there's another metaphor that needs to be looked at in order to fill out the picture of the of the perfect priesthood of Christ.

We'd have to nearly ignore a lot of what we've already talked about. Well, that's that's the point I'm getting at. If if if he were a priest after the pattern of Melchizedek, we would know next to nothing about what his service was like.

But because we that's why that's why this material has been so relevant, because it is the object lesson to explain. So even though the order of his priesthood is different, that doesn't mean that we discard what we've been thinking about, because it's given to us precisely to help us to understand what he does on our account.

Right. Isn't there another relevant thing that comes in and that is where he functions as a priest? Because part of it is he's going to be in the sanctuary, but that's chapters nine and ten. Before we get to chapters nine and ten, he's going to function in the wilderness.

Now Aaron was never in the wilderness. And so that was a shortcoming of the Aaronic priesthood. Aaron did understand something of the brick kilns. He could have sympathy, but he had never functioned in a wilderness before.

Now we're going to learn about this person who in the days of his flesh and see something of his suffering. So there is that background which is appealing to us now as we move from chapter five right through to chapter ten.

Do we have that context in the in the expression in verse one of chapter five ordained for men? We've been thinking about the for us. So there are those things that are for us as believers. The for men, I think, is suggesting that this is a different priesthood for different people, not for those to whom the epistle is addressed.

Very good. Thanks.

Yes. Every high priest. Let's take a look at that. And that is the Aaronic priesthood that is being referred to. An Aaronic high priest had to be a man himself. And he served as an intermediary then, as we've been seeing between man and God.

And he offers these gifts and sacrifices.

So just in terms of the structure of the section, is it right to say that we have the Aaronic high priest, we have his offerings and his appointment, and then those are taken up in reverse order in relation to Christ.

We have his appointment and his offerings. Yeah, very good. And we're going to stop talking soon. So I'd be interested in your thoughts. I had I had always taken this verse as a statement of the the ability of the Aaronic priest to sympathize as kind of the gold standard of sympathy because he was taken from amongst men.

But that's not really what the verse is teaching. The word for sympathize here is quite an interesting word. There's a definition of it that I quite like. It is to define a medium position between indifference and anger or indifference and grief.

So this is a very limited sort of sympathy that we have in view here. It's a sort of a putting up with, I think, is the idea. And so it's not just that Christ is able to sympathize as well as the Aaronic high priest.

It's actually that he's able to sympathize in a much greater way than the Aaronic high priest. Why? Because he is compassed or clothed with infirmity. He was clothed with these garments we've been thinking about, but in actual fact, it's clothed with infirmity.

Yes. And here we have the embroidered linen coat, don't we? Taken from among men. He had to be a man himself, but in spotless purity, our Lord Jesus. And then ordained for men and things pertaining to God.

That's his dignity. That would be the ephod. That which was presented to God. So we have these garments that we've been thinking of in the background. So let's come to verse two, if no one else has a comment.

Verse one. We can have compassion on the ignorant. You've been thinking about that already. He's moderate in his passions, dealing gently with men. The ignorant. It's interesting to notice that the Old Testament sacrifices were never for deliberate sin.

Sin was looked upon almost as something that had had occurred almost by accident, but they became conscious of it and therefore they were to bring a sacrifice. So having compassion on the ignorant and then that are out of the way, those that have wandered and perhaps in disobedience.

So what. I'm sorry. Go ahead. What about that last statement? He also is compassed with infirmity. Is that the same as chapter four? Chapter four, 15 says we have not a high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities.

So is it the same thing or is it different here when it's speaking about you're a man that looks at words. So tell us, I do feel it is different. Yes. And so one is a reference to the inadequacy of the man himself in the infirmities of his own flesh.

I think that what we're looking at in chapter four is the thing that compass us in the circumstances we go through.

So this man that came from among men, his own flesh, we might say, equipped him to understand where the people were coming from, as we would say.

But at the same time, it limited his ability to minister on behalf.

It was an advantage in one way. It was a man himself. But then it was a disadvantage because he's going to have to offer for himself for his.

Own sin. And I think it even limits his empathy because it's this, it's this, you know, trying not to be angry, trying not to be indifferent and ending up somewhere in the middle. I mean, we know when someone comes to us with a problem very often, that's as good as we can hope for is to find that median position.

And that's not really sympathy in the sense that our high priest sympathizes with us.

Our Lord Jesus knows fully our frame, and yet he was without sin himself. He never had to bring a sacrifice for himself. So in verse three, by reason hereof, he ought us for the people, so also for himself to offer for sins.

Aaron had to do that, but the Lord Jesus never had to offer for himself. He's a heavenly man. He is a robo blue. He's impeccable in this humanity.

Just one comment about verse two, if I may. And that is that our great high priest and that title is interesting. Great high priest once stood before Israel's high priest. His name was Anas. And Anas had neither compassion nor understanding nor wisdom nor any grasp of scripture.

He fleeced the people as fast as he could. And he basically served as a tool of Herod. And so this great high priest knows what it's like to be in front of a man who has no compassion and no interest in the reality of people.

Very good. And it's interesting that he tore his clothes, which a high priest should never have done. But symbolically, he was bringing that office to an end.

The Divine Calling of Christ's Priesthood

So Aaron is called. Do you want to develop now the two callings that are found in the chapter? Or do you want to leave that until we get to verse 10?

Aaron was called of God, and then the Lord Jesus is called a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, so that the two things apply to him.

But it's a different word, isn't it, when it comes to the Lord Jesus. So in what sense was Christ called of God and high priest? Doesn't it have the idea of saluted by God? Recognition. Yeah.

Whereas here's the thought of the word Kaleo, it's summoned authoritatively. Sure. Summoned. Yeah, but the Lord Jesus was recognized for the greatness of his person.

So sorry. Go ahead. So is it right to say that Aaron's calling made him a high priest, but the calling of Christ recognized him as already being the great high priest?

Right. So in the purpose of God.

When did he become high priest? That might be a good question to ask.

Yes. OK. Well, we mentioned that the background in the book of Hebrews is the Day of Atonement. And that, of course, takes us to the cross. This man had offered one sacrifice for sins forever. So that was a high priestly act that what he accomplished at Calvary.

However, having said that, the Lord Jesus does not officially enter upon. We'll see as we go through, but he doesn't officially enter upon his office of high priest. And all of those robes for glory and beauty were portraying to us until as an ascended man, he's in the presence of God.

Good. So when it comes to the office, he always was the high priest. But he didn't commence as high priest to serve in that office until. OK. He always was a high priest. From what point? Eternity. Well, his son should be.

If he was he always did not have humanity, how could he be? Was he always a son? Yes. His sonships link right here with his high priesthood. Being a son and being human are they're not the same.

The it would happen at the Council of Four Knowledge of God when the plan was made, wouldn't it? His high priesthood.

Yeah, it was all always in the eternal councils or the purpose of God, the Lord Jesus was identified as the one who would be the our great high priest.

So you're asking. Well, that's. Isn't that what you guys are explaining? The difference between Melchizedek, you context and the context. The one is he has no beginning, no end. The other is it seems to me it's almost a manhood side.

And how he functions when he became man, his Melchizedek priesthood is linked with his.

Eternal sonship. His fitness to be priest is that he's fully human, fully divine.

Right. Right. After the pattern of earth.

Right. So he could move. But the commencement of his priesthood is another issue altogether.

Sure. Right. He actually embarks upon his office of priesthood upon his ascension. Sure. As he enters into the heavenly side. How do we know that? How do we know he commenced? Well, he he entered into the heavenly sanctuary at that this chapter tells us, doesn't it?

Verse number five.

He's he became himself. Verse number five says he that said unto him, and that takes us to the point when God spake to his son. And it was at that point he was demonstrated a high priest. That might be solving one problem.

But we can certainly say, I think, you know, what we can clearly say is, first of all, that his humanity is necessary for his great high priesthood. We have that at the end of chapter two, as we've been reminded.

So that we we can't put it further back than that, certainly. And then, as Brother William has been saying, there's there's the entering in, which I suggest is why there's really no emphasis in Hebrews on his resurrection.

It's it's what the resurrection resulted in, which is his ascension and he's going under.

13. So let's get back to the text. So everyone's following verse four. No man taketh his honour unto himself, but he that is called of God as was Aaron. We're clearly dealing with the priesthood after the pattern of Aaron.

So also now he's going to he's going to explain the calling of Christ, called of God. Right. He's going to explain that. So Christ glorified not himself, but he that said unto him, thou art my son. And then verse six follows, as he said in another place, thou art a priest forever.

So the two things are linked together. His sonship, his eternal sonship. And the same one who said, thou art my son, said also, thou art a priest forever. So the Lord Jesus, as a man here on earth, he's after the pattern of Aaron.

He's taken from among men to be and to function as a high priest in the heavenly sanctuary. Right. But it ever was God's mind that the one who is his eternal son would be after the order of Melchizedek and without beginning of days, without end of life.

When do we see his call in the gospel? I know before eternity was, in eternity he was called, but there is a self in him.

Taken from among men, so that necessitates the incarnation. So, well, from the moment of conception, when he enters humanity, right, he's the one who's going to be the high priest. He performs the work of Calvary, which is a high priestly work of atonement.

But then he, when he enters the heavenly sanctuary, at that point, he's beginning to function as our great high priest after the pattern of Aaron. So, so Psalm number two.

I'm sorry, there's a brother behind you. So we're talking about when he became a high priest and that, but when does he cease to function as a high priest, or does he continue as a high priest through eternity in the future?

Because it's asking, he says that he's a priest forever. So I'm just wondering, like, once we're in heaven, is there still a need for a priesthood, or in what sense is he still a priesthood?

He's a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. What did Melchizedek do? He blessed man, OK, anything else? He blessed the most high God. And he blessed Abraham, those two things, he acted Godward and he acted manward.

And eternally, the Lord Jesus forever will act Godward and he will act manward.

There's a whole bunch of things in there that we don't need to cover, which is he's the mediator, he's the redeemer, all functioning in that same position in the future day.

You'll get that when you get to chapter seven, verse 24, but this man, because he continued to ever have an unchangeable priesthood, he's continued ever.

So tell me now, verse five, I get to ask questions, too. When was this spoken? Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. I know it's a quotation from Psalm 2. Spoken when he was begotten.

When was that? Very clearly, resurrection. Very, very clearly an incarnation.

The context seems to be here, very clearly. Ascension. Can I break the tie? I haven't finished, but since he glorified, notice glorified, not himself. But he that said, and as the Lord Jesus rises from earth as a real man in a human body and enters into heaven, he's saluted by the father, thou art my son.

Nothing has changed in that regard. What does he emphasize in verse seven? He's eternal in the days of his flesh.

Can I ask one question before that? Is it not when he says, I will go in the counsel and foreknowledge of God, when the completion, when the work was as complete as it was before it ever started? Is it not all of them because of that moment?

All of the above? Yeah. Today.

Today. Today. That's a specific time. I do agree with you. The emphasis here in this chapter is not so much when it was said, the emphasis in Hebrews five is who said it. That's the emphasis in this chapter.

I would judge that Hebrews one, I realize our brother Mark takes a different view on that, and I respect that view. Personally, it's quoted three times in the New Testament. Acts 13, Hebrews one and Hebrews five.