Theme · christological
High Priesthood of Christ
The Levitical high priest entered the Holy of Holies once a year with blood not his own, offering atonement that had to be repeated annually. Psalm 110 prophesies a priest 'after the order of Melchizedek' — a priesthood older than Aaron and not limited by death. Hebrews builds its central argument on this: Jesus is the priest who offered himself, entered the heavenly sanctuary, and sat down — his work complete. He ever lives to make intercession, combining in one person the priest who offers and the sacrifice that is offered.
Related doctrines
Passages expressing this theme
- Acts 5:31 — Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
- Gen 14:18 — And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.
- Heb 2:17 — Wherefore 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, to make reconciliation for the sins of the p
- Heb 3:1 — Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
- Heb 4:14 — Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
- Heb 4:15 — For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
- Heb 5:5 — So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.
- Heb 5:6 — As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
- Heb 5:7 — 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, and was heard in that he feared;
- Heb 5:10 — Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
- Heb 6:20 — Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
- Heb 7:3 — Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.
- Heb 7:17 — For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
- Heb 7:24 — But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.
- Heb 7:25 — Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
- Heb 7:26 — For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
- Heb 7:27 — Who needeth not daily, as those high 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.
- Heb 8:1 — Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;
- Heb 9:7 — But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
- Heb 9:11 — But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
- Heb 9:13 — For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:
- Heb 9:23 — It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
- Heb 9:24 — For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
- Heb 10:11 — And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
- Heb 10:12 — But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
The Church Fathers on High Priesthood of Christ
As man He also receives the high priesthood from God: as he says also in another place: 'You are a priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedech'. But the Apostle uses the authority of the Psalms as being more famous and more often consulted. He says, priest, because He offered Himself to God the Father:…
Here he is speaking not just of bishops and of presbyters (who are now priests in the church) but of all Christians. For just as we call all of them Christs by reason of their mystical chrism, we call them all priests insomuch as they are members of the one Priest. Peter speaks of them as a "chosen race, a royal…
And this entirely through that one hierarch, Jesus Christ, who by reason of the human nature assumed is not only hierarch in the ecclesiastical hierarchy, but also in the angelic, and the middle Person in that supercelestial hierarchy of the most blessed Trinity; so that through Him from God the supreme head, the…
Just as the people of old, who were called the people of God, were divided into twelve tribes plus the levitical order, and this order itself, which engaged in service of the Divine, was divided into additional priestly and levitical orders, so, I think, all the people of Christ according to "the hidden person of…
"But Christ, having come as a high priest." The old covenant high priests, Paul says, worship did not enter into the heavens; but Christ, having come, entered once for all into the holy place; for here the meaning is given. He did not say, "having become a high priest", but having come as a high priest, that is,…
Because it is also the work of a high priest to enter God's presence first and then to bring the others close to him, he [Paul] quite rightly calls him high priest, because he did this in fact. Blessed Paul calls him this because by the resurrection of the dead he ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand…