We Believe In Jesus: The PriestExemplo

Jesus Appointed as Priest by God: Hebrews 5:4-10

Since God appointed him, Jesus certainly met this qualification. At the same time, we should admit that this appointment was somewhat unusual because Jesus did not have a Levitical priestly genealogy. You’ll recall that in the beginning of the Old Testament, God had allowed many different types of people to be priests. But by the end of the Old Testament, he had given the priesthood only to the descendants of Zadok. Even so, the appointment of Jesus is not as unusual as it might first appear.

In the Garden of Eden, Adam was assigned to rule over the earth as God’s vassal king. But his rule was also a priestly service, designed to turn the entire world into a place that would be suitable for God’s glorious presence. And the offices of priest and king were also closely related in the kings of the monarchical period. 

In much the same way, Christ is a royal priest. He rules as God’s perfect vassal king. But his rule is also a priestly service preparing us and the earth for the glorious special presence of God. In this way, Christ actually fulfills what Adam and the rest of his descendants failed to do.

Consider once again to the way David spoke of the great Messiah in Psalm 110:1-4:

The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” The Lord will extend your mighty scepter from Zion; you will rule in the midst of your enemies… The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110:1-4).

In this passage, the Messiah — whom David called “my Lord” — is described both with the royal imagery of his mighty scepter and rule, and as a priest. 

David’s prophecy looked forward to the day when one of his descendants would rise to such imperial majesty that he would fulfill not only royal service, but all priestly service as well, just as Melchizedek had done. This is why Hebrews 7:14 emphasizes the fact that Jesus is from the royal tribe of Judah, and not from the priestly tribe of Levi. The fact that Jesus was both a Judahite king and the Great High Priest is proof that he is the long-awaited son of David, the Messiah.