THE GOSPEL WAY Articles | Videos | Invitations | Courses / Commentaries

Jesus: The Perfect High Priest

The gospel teaches that Jesus is our High Priest. What does His priesthood teach us about His role in our salvation and about the Lord's Supper?

Consider Jesus as our High Priest and what this teaches about the Lord's Supper.

Jesus Is Our High Priest.

Hebrews 8:1 – Jesus is our High Priest, seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.

Hebrews 7:24,25 – Because He lives forever, He has an unchangeable priesthood. So He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him.

Under the Old Testament, Levitical priests needed an order of succession because they died and needed to be replaced. Jesus never needs to be replaced because He lives forever. He is able to save to the uttermost.

(1 Timothy 2:5,6; Hebrews 2:17; 3:1; 4:14,15; 7:26-28; 10:21; 1 Peter 2:5)

Priests Offer Sacrifices.

Priests in the Bible perform several duties. One main duty was offering sacrifices.

Old Testament Levitical priests offered animal sacrifices.

We do not need Levitical priests under the gospel because we no longer offer animal sacrifices (Hebrews 10:1-11).

But Jesus as our High Priest offered the perfect sacrifice for our sins.

Hebrews 9:11,24 – Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands … For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.

Jesus as our spiritual High Priest once for all entered the Most Holy Place (Heaven) to obtain eternal redemption.

(Compare 2:17; 8:3; 7:26,27; 10:9-18.)

Priests Obtain Forgiveness of Sins.

Levitical priests offered sacrifices for the forgiveness of the people.

Hebrews 5:1,3 – They offered sacrifices for their own sins and for those of the people.

Leviticus 17:1-9 – The people were forbidden to offer their own sacrifices. They had to take them to the priest.

Hebrews 10:1-4,11 – But animal sacrifices could not permanently remove sin; they had to be repeated yearly, because the sins were remembered. So, animal sacrifices and the Levitical priesthood ceased when the Old Testament was removed.

(Compare 13:11; Leviticus 16:1-34; 2 Chronicles 26:16-21; Numbers 16:39,40.)

Jesus’ death is the perfect sacrifice that completely removes sin.

Hebrews 7:25 – He is able to save to the uttermost.

Hebrews 10:10-18 – This sacrifice does not need to be repeated since it removes sins so that they are remembered no more.

1 John 1:7 – His blood cleanses us from all sin.

The perfect High Priest offered Himself – His own blood – as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Jesus is both the Priest and the sacrifice.

In the Lord’s Supper, we remember the sacrifice offered by our perfect High Priest.

(Compare Hebrews 9:11-14,24-26; Titus 2:14.)

Local churches and individuals may, within limits, distribute this Bible study guide for free, but not for sale. Web sites may link to this page but not reproduce it. Click here for more information about our copyright guidelines.

For a complete list of Bible articles and study materials by the author please visit these web sites: gospelway.com and biblestudylessons.com.

gospelway.com - Return to the Gospel Way home page.

Please bookmark our site in your favorites.

THE GOSPEL WAY | COURSES / COMMENTARIES, etc. | BIBLE | SALVATION | CHURCH | CHRISTIAN'S LIFE | GOD | MORALITY | MANKIND | INVITATIONS | FAMILY | CREATION | AUDIO | ARTICLES | TOPICS | RELIGIONS | PUBLICATIONS | VIDEO | GOVERNMENT | EMAIL ARTICLES

We welcome links to us from other sites :
gospelway.com - The Gospel Way: Free Bible Study Materials & Guides