Jesus, Our Eternal High Priest
Introduction: The Position of High Priest
The primary function of the high priest was to administer and direct the sacrificial system. He alone was allowed to go behind the veil of the holy of holies on the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:2). He dealt with the sin offerings whose blood was brought into the sanctuary of the temple (Lev. 4:3–21). The high priest’s responsibilities included all the sacrificial activities that took place inside the temple, either with his direct involvement or under his supervision.
The restrictions on the high priest were more pronounced than those applying to the ordinary priest. He was to take more care in issues of ritual purity and marriage. For example, in regard to marriage all the restrictions of the priests applied but with the further requirements that he was not to marry a widow and he was admonished only to “take to wife a virgin of his own people” (i.e., Israel, Lev. 21:13–15). He could not observe the external signs of mourning (i.e., letting hair grow, rending clothes) for any person, and he could not leave the sanctuary when news came of death even of a parent. He could not defile himself by contact with any dead body, including a parent (vv 10–12). If he should bring guilt upon the people, he had to present a special offering (Lev. 4:3ff.). Sins affecting the priesthood in general had to be expiated by the other priests as well as himself (Nu. 18:1). He had to wash his feet and hands when he went to the tabernacle of the congregation and when he came near to the altar to minister (Ex. 30:19–21). He had to abstain from holy things during his uncleanness (Lev. 22:1–3) or if he should become leprous (vv 4, 7). He was to eat the people’s meat offering with the priests in the holy place (Lev. 6:16). He had to help to determine whether the leprosy was present in the human body and in garments (Lev. 13:2–59), and to adjudicate legal questions (Dt. 17:12).
In a restaurant a group of men at one of the tables were conversing upon the subject of religion. The argument grew so lively that it became impossible for those at the nearest tables not to hear it. As it proceeded, the interest of the listeners became intense.
The argument was chiefly as to whether salvation was by works or of grace, and whether a person could be assured of his salvation in this life. One of the disputants firmly insisted that salvation is, “… by grace … through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” (Eph. 2:8).
Another contended that no man can know he is saved until he dies. As a final argument, he exclaimed, “Well, all I can say is this, I have placed myself in the hands of my priest, and he is responsible for my salvation.”
At this point an elderly man rose from his table nearby and said, “Gentlemen, I believe I am known to you as a lawyer and a Christian. I could not help hearing the argument at your table, and I feel bound to say that our friend is perfectly logical in what he has said. I also have placed myself in the hands of my Priest, and He is responsible for my salvation. My priest is the Lord Jesus Christ. By faith I have committed myself into His hands, and ‘I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him’ ” (2 Tim. 1:12).
This settled the dispute. Such a statement from a man known to all for his high legal and Christian rating had an instant effect. Undoubtedly some men there heard the gospel for the first time as it was preached in a restaurant by an exponent of the law.