Whenever the Church calls God’s Only–begotten Son the Christ, the Church is confessing that this Son is essential in God’s plan of redemption. Christ, meaning “anointed,” is the title that says that He was appointed and qualified for the work of salvation. Just as Samuel was anointed as prophet, Aaron as priest, and David as king, so Christ was anointed by God as Prophet, Priest, and King.

Although it is not the only office Christ held, the most well–known of His triple-office is that of Priest. The Book of Hebrews teaches particularly about Christ as Priest. As His work is explained He is called the High Priest. The Heidelberg Catechism summarizes the teaching of Hebrews and the whole Bible by saying that He “by the sacrifice of His body has redeemed us, and makes continual intercession for us with the Father” (q. 31).

O.T. priests and high priests – Before we look more closely at how our Lord is the High Priest we should first understand what a priest is.

When we think about a priest the first thing to come to mind is the offering of sacrifices. The Old Testament priest had many sacrifices to bring before God on behalf of God’s people. Chief among them, of course, was the very essential sin offering which involved the shedding of blood.

But to see the priest as one who offers sacrifices, and that alone, is not to see the priest as he is really fulfilling his office. True, he offered sacrifices, but he did this because his purpose was to consecrate himself and all things to Jehovah. Behind the outward acts of sacrifice was to be an inner consecration—that of a wholehearted servant of God. The priest, then, was to show by his acts that he loved God with all his heart. His task was to represent the people in all of this.

Now, Jesus is not just called the Priest, He is called our High Priest. This designation is also very significant. In the Old Testament there were priests and there were high priests. Because Jesus is called our High Priest, it follows that the Old Testament high priest distinctly pointed to the work of Jesus Christ.

To the high priest was given a position that made all the other priests inferior. The clothing he wore while about the tasks of his office was beautiful and symbolic. His garments were of the same colors as the Tabernacle: blue, purple, scarlet, gold—and he wore fine linen. This spoke loudly of the fact that his work was related to communion with God. He wore a breastplate on which were the names of the twelve tribes of Israel and twelve stones symbolizing them. This spoke loudly that his work was being done on behalf of God’s people.

His tasks were also very meaningful Most outstanding was his work on the Day of Atonement. Dressed in white he would kill a beast and then enter the Holy of Holies with the beast’s blood in order to sprinkle it on the Mercy Seat. Then, he would kindle incense. The smoke from the incense caused a cloud to arise over the Mercy Seat, not to hide the Mercy Seat from a human and unholy eye, but as a symbol of the prayer that God would not see the sin of the people but receive the sacrifice brought for their sins.

Christ as the fulfillment of the O.T . priesthood – As intriguing and as beautiful as the work of the priest and high priest was, it was insufficient, according to Scripture (Hebrews 7:23; 10:1ff).

Before the Fall, Adam was a priest unto God. No, not a bringer of sacrifices. There was no need for them. But, he was a servant of God. With the Fall everything was changed. Adam and the whole human race sinned and were no longer servants of God. Because of this sin God’s wrath burned toward man.

Nevertheless, God had a people whom He loved, and he would show them this, too. He would have them to know that their redemption would come in the fulness of time. Therefore, the Aaronic priesthood was begun. This priesthood, however, was insufficient (Hebrews 7:11). What was needed was a priesthood after the order of Melchizedek: an everlasting priesthood—one that would not pass from one to another.

Christ is the fulfillment of the Old Testament priesthood. Being called by God to this office of priest (Hebrews 5:5, 6) He does away with t he in sufficient Old Testament priest. He is the Priest after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7).

All that the Old Testament priests pointed toward He is. “Lo, I am come to do thy will, O God” (Hebrews 10:7). What the priests could not really do, He would. What man could not do, He would. His was complete heart service to God. Whereas the shadow–priests would not obtain all that for which they interceded, He would! Whereas the shadow-priests would not offer themselves as sacrifices, He would! Whereas the shadow–priests could not apply the benefits of salvation to others, He would!

Christ ‘s High Priestly sacrifice – When we call Christ our High Priest we mean, therefore, first of all, that He brought the one sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 9:26, 28; 10:14). This was done in complete obedience to the Father. He was to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15). This means that He was to do all that the Law required -and this he did for us. His life was a perfect commentary on the Law of God. Indeed, He is the Lamb without blemish (I Peter 1:19).

More, He is the Lamb that was slain (Revelation 13:8). In this He was obedient, too. Isaiah tells us (53:6): “Jehovah hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” By the shedding of His blood, He offered Himself as the end of sacrifices. This He did voluntarily (John 10:17, 18).

What Christ did is called RECONCILIATION in the Bible (Hebrews 2:17). The word implies that a relationship has been violated but through the work of Christ the people of God have become friendservants of God. Without Christ’s High Priestly work we would still be in darkness.

Christ‘s High Priestly intercession – But there is more to what Christ has done. As the High Priest would symbolically bless the people, so Christ fulfills this symbolism. He is the Water of Life and as we drink we know pardon, righteousness, salvation, glory and we are fitted for service.

And still there is more to Christ being our High Priest. He is in heaven “now to appear before the face of God for us” (Hebrews 9:24). This aspect of His work was foreshadowed as the High Priests brought the sacrifice and incense into the Holy of Holies (Leviticus 16:12–14).

When He was here on earth He interceded for His own. This was clear all through His life but especially in Christ’s High Priestly Prayer recorded in John 17. As the High Priest bore the names of Israel on his breastplate so J esus bears the names of His own before the Father.

Even now He intercedes for us at God’s right hand. To intercede is to go between two parties to plead with one on behalf of the other. This means, first, Christ presents Himself before the Lord in our names and on our behalf (Hebrews 9:24). Flavel wrote: “As when God looks upon the rainbow, which is a sign of the covenant, he remembers the earth in mercy; so when he looks on Christ, he remembers us upon his account” (The Foundation of Life, p. 154). Second, it means that Christ presents His blood and sufferings to God on our account. For this reason the Book of Revelation presents Christ standing between God and us, bearing in. His glorified body the marks of His sacrifice (5:6). Third, that He intercedes for us means that He presents the prayers of His children to God the Father along with His own merits (Revelation 8:3; Hebrews 7 and 9).

This truth is a great comfort to God‘s children because Christ is our Advocate. There.fore, we can chorus with Paul (Romans 8:33): “Who shall lay anything to the charge of God‘s elect? It is God that justifieth . . .”