The role of high priest was a matter of contention in Israel when Hebrews was written. The ruling high priest was not of the ideal priestly lineage: the line of Zadok, who was a descendent of Aaron. This was a big issue for many, and some, like the Essenes at Qumran, even abandoned temple worship because of it. So how could Jesus be the ultimate high priest if he was not of the order of Zadok, or Aaron or even a Levite!? The answer is that Jesus belongs to an order that transcends these orders. He is a priest in the order of Melchizedek. This name means ‘King (Hebrew: Melech) of righteousness’ (Hebrew: Zadok). Melchizedek is a shadowy figure referred to in Genesis 14:18-20 who was both the king of Salem (Jerusalem long before it was an Israelite city) and a priest to whom Abraham paid great honour. The writer of Hebrews plays a big trump card here and it is a genuine one. He says that Jesus is a priest like Melchizedek. In fact, Melchizedek’s priesthood is a prefiguration of Jesus’ priesthood. Like Melchizedek Jesus is both the king (of Jerusalem and the world) and the high priest belonging to a priesthood that stands well above a mere human priestly dynasty. The point is that Jesus is greater and the covenant that he mediates is better by far. So whatever expressions of favour you find in the Old Testament stories, whatever blessings you see God pouring upon his people under the old covenant, that is the least that God will do now. He wants to give us much more, not less than that!
Pray for what you most want to see God do in your life.
Read Hebrews 7
