Key Verses:

Hebrews 8:1-2 ¹ Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, ² and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.

What is a High Priest

Originally, the first humans Adam and Eve have a close relationship with God who created them. After Adam and Eve sinned by choosing to follow the tempting suggestion of Satan and disobeying God’s command of not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, sin entered the world. The relationship between men and God was broken. No longer might Adam and Eve communicate with God directly as children talking to their father. Adam and Eve were cast out from the garden of Eden where they lived a serene life and enjoyed the beautiful creation of God and His abundant provision. Now, the ground was cursed because of their sin and men have to toil painfully in order to live while facing the bleak outcome of physical death (Genesis 3:17, Psalms 90:5-6). But God is merciful and provided a way men may escape the eternal condemnation but turn to life. However, justice which is an attribute of God demands that the penalty of sin must be paid for. God provided sacrifice or substitutional death as a way for us to escape the judgment of sin. God revealed His mercy and grace right after Adam and Even sinned in the garden of Eden by providing clothes made with animal skin for Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:21). The process of getting the skin to make clothes involved the killing and shedding of blood of animals. This is the picture of substitutional death such that the shame and condemnation of sin could be covered. Please note that Adam and Eve had previously made clothes for themselves using leaves which looked shabby and were not durable. There homemade clothes represent means of salvation invented by sinners for themselves such as religious rituals and intents to do good works and they are not acceptable to God. Salvation is provided by God Himself and is effective to save all who accept it with faith (Romans 1:16). This is the image of the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ to save sinners. Later when the Israelites were led by God out of Egypt the land of slavery, the laws were given to the Israelites. Priesthood was established with Aaron be the high priest and his sons be priests (Exodus 28:1). This is called the Levitical priesthood and was carried on by the descendants of Aaron. The high priest represented the whole congregation of Israel and offered atoning sacrifice with animal blood once a year in the most holy place of the tabernacle and later in the temple. Apart from the yearly atoning sacrifice, the high priest had other duties such as daily burning of incense, lighting of sacred lamps, appointment and administration of other priests. The Levitical priesthood and its history and activities were the most well known and described in the Scriptures. But the Levitical priesthood was not the only priesthood. The other priesthood was the Melchizedek priesthood. Jesus Christ was appointed by God to be a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 5:6).

Genesis 3:17

To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.

Psalms 90:5-6

⁵ Yet you sweep people away in the sleep of death— they are like the new grass of the morning:

Genesis 3:21

²¹ The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.

Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

Exodus 28:1

“Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests.

Hebrews 5:6

And he says in another place, “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

Comparing Melchizedek and Levitical Priesthoods

1. Melchizedek Priesthood Predated Levitical Priesthood

Melchizedek was the king of Salem, the ancient Jerusalem. He was also called priest of God Most High (Genesis 14:18-20). On the victorious return from a battle against the four kings: Kedorlaomer king of Elam, Tidal king of Goyim, Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar who took the nephew of Abraham, Melchizedek greeted Abraham and blessed him. In response, Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils to Melchizedek. Aaron and Moses who are descendants of Abraham, were not born yet. Obviously, Melchizedek Priesthood predated Levitical Priesthood.

Genesis 14:18-20

¹⁸ Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, ¹⁹ and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. ²⁰ And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

2. Levitical Priesthood was Human while Melchizedek Priesthood was both Human and Divine by Nature

Aaron was the first Levitical high priest and his sons were the first priests (Exodus 28:1). Their descendants continued to hold the positions of priests and high priests in generations. Therefore, Levitical priesthood was human by nature and appointment to offices was based on heredity. The Melchizedek priesthood is unique and its position is designated by God directly. There is only one true high priest in Melchizedek priesthood. Even the person Melchizedek, the king of Salem, was only the image of the permanent high priest to come. Appointed directly by God, the high priest in the order of Melchizedek is Jesus Christ who is both divine and human (Psalm 110:1, 4; Hebrews 7:16; Philippians 2:5-8). During His earthly ministry, Jesus asked a very educational and revealing question abut His deity based on Psalm 110:1: why did David call the coming Messiah ‘Lord’ given the teaching that the Messiah would be a descendant of David himself (Mark 12:36-37)? The answer to the question was that the coming of the Messiah was the truth: Word became flesh living in the human world (John 1:14). Notice that the word ‘Word’ is capitalized indicating that it is a noun referring to a person namely Jesus who is the essence of God in human form manifesting God’s glory, grace and truth to mankind. As prophet Isaiah prophesied the coming of Jesus would be a miraculous sign namely a son given birth by a virgin and the son’s name is Immanuel meaning ‘God with us’ (Isaiah 7:14). The teachers of the law seemed right when they taught that the Messiah would be a descendant of David ( 1 Chronicles 17:13-14 ). However, many of them failed to recognize the Messiah even though the prophets had prophesied His coming and even from where He would come (Micah 5:2). Surely, Jesus came as a baby born in Bethlehem as announced by an angel, witnessed by a group of shepherds watching their flocks by night (Luke 2:10-12). Jesus grew up and proved Himself was the Messiah by His authoritative teachings, power to prophesy and perform miraculous signs, and by His death and resurrection fulfilling what were written in the Scriptures. Unfortunately, many recognized Jesus merely as a carpenter, son of Mary (Mark 6:3). But, even a blind beggar realized that Jesus was the Son of David and had faith in Jesus to give him eyesight (Mark 10:47, 51 ).

Exodus 28:1

“Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests.

Psalm 110:1, 4

¹ The LORD says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." ⁴ The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

Hebrews 7:16

¹⁶ one who has become a priest not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life.

Philippians 2:5-8

⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: ⁶ Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; ⁷ rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. ⁸ And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Mark 12:36-37

³⁶ David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet."’ ³⁷ David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?" The large crowd listened to him with delight.

John 1:14

¹⁴ The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Revelation 19:13, 16

¹³ He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. ¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Isaiah 7:14

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

1 Chronicles 17:13-14

¹³ I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. ¹⁴ I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.’"

Micah 5:2 (King James Translation)

²But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Luke 2:10-12

¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Mark 6:3

Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.

Mark 10:47, 51

⁴⁷ When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 51 “What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see."

3. Levitical Priesthood is National While Melchizedek Priesthood is International

Levitical priesthood was established to serve only the Israelite community (Numbers 15:25). However, God always has the whole world in His mind for His love is too deep and wide to be constricted in a single community (Isaiah 45:22, John 3:16, Romans 3:29). The Son of God became the high priest in the order of Melchizedek such that all, Jews and Gentile alike, may reconcile with God through Him (Hebrews 5:8-10). Notice that Hebrews 5:9 says that the Son of God is the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him. On the other hand, John 3:16, says that all who believes in the Son of God will not perish but have eternal life. Therefore, reading the two verses together, believing in Jesus Christ will result in a new life which walks in the words of God. In the past, the unsaved life was wrapped up, enslaved by sin and lived as enemy of God. Now, the redeemed life pursues goodness, righteousness and truth pleasing to God (Ephesians 5:8-10). This is the work of the Holy Spirit that makes the believer a new creation (John 3:5, 2 Corinthians 5:17). In contrast, demons also believe God but they are agonistic to God and are awaiting punishment (James 2:19).

Numbers 15:25

²⁵ The priest is to make atonement for the whole Israelite community, and they will be forgiven, for it was not intentional and they have presented to the LORD for their wrong a food offering and a sin offering.

Isaiah 45:22

Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 3:29

Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,

Hebrews 5:8-10

⁸ Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered ⁹ and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him ¹⁰ and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

John 3:16

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Ephesians 5:8-10

⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) ¹⁰ and find out what pleases the Lord.

John 3:5

⁵ Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

James 2:19

¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

4. Levitical Priesthood was Temporary while Melchizedek Priesthood is Permanent

The temporal nature of Levitical Priesthood is inherently determined for two reasons. Firstly, Levitical priests are human, therefore all Levitical offices are temporary because of death (Hebrews 7:23). Secondly, Levitical priesthood was never established as a permanent institution in the Kingdom of God. The establishment of Levitical institution served merely as a shadow of the true institution to come (Hebrews 10:1) although the Levitical sacrifices did serve the useful purpose as the reminders of sins (Hebrews 10:3). On the other hand, the Melchizedek Priesthood is permanent. Firstly, Jesus lives forever and therefore death cannot cause the termination of His office (Hebrews 7:24). Secondly, the appointment of the Son of God as the priest in the order of Melchizedek was expressly declared permanent in Scriptures (Psalm 110:4). With the coming of the Melchizedek Priesthood, the temporal Levitical Priesthood was terminated. In fact, when Jesus the High Priest in the order of Melchizedek died on the cross as a redeeming sacrifice of all who believe in Him, He said, “It is finished." declaring the work of redemption and atonement was complete (John 19:30). And the curtain separating the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple was torn from top to bottom (Mark 15:37-38). The Holy of Holies in the temple represented the presence of God and even the Levitical high priest might be allow to enter it only once a year to offer sacrifices for himself and then the people he represented. The tearing of the curtain reveals that sinful people can now be justified and may approach God because of the sacrifice of the Melchizedek High Priest. Moreover, the Herod Temple where Levitical sacrifices were conducted was totally destroyed in A.D. 70.

Exodus 40:15

¹⁵ Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so they may serve me as priests. Their anointing will be to a priesthood that will continue throughout their generations."

Hebrews 7:23

²³ Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office;

Hebrews 10:1

¹ The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.

Hebrews 10:3

³ But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.

Hebrews 7:24

²⁴ but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.

John 19:30

³⁰ When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Mark 15:37-38

³⁷ With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. ³⁸ The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

5. Levitical Priesthood Served Subordinate to Kingship while Melchizedek Priesthood Connotes Kingship

Levitical priests never took up rulership duty of the nation Israel. In contrast, the offices of both Priest and King will be combined in the millennial kingdom (Zechariah 6:12-13). The High Priest in the order of Melchizedek will build the millennial temple and sits on the throne fulfilling the prophecy that the Messiah will rule in the throne of King David forever as reported by prophet Nathan ( 1 Chronicles 17:11-14 ). Verse 12 says, “He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.“ David also relayed this message as an instruction to Solomon to build a temple and observed the decrees and the laws of the Lord (1 Chronicles 22:10). Although Solomon did take up the throne of David and build a temple for God fulfilling the wish of David, he is not the main subject of the prophecy for two reasons. Firstly, this offspring of David would have a Father and Son relationship with God implying that this descendant of David had both deity and human nature (1 Chronicles 17:13). Secondly, this descendant of David will be set by God over His house and Kingdom and His throne will last forever (1 Chronicles 17:14). This particular descendant must be the Messiah as witnessed by John the Baptist, Peter, James and John who were the disciples of Jesus. In two separate occasions, they heard a voice from heaven and from the cloud saying that Jesus was the Son and they were commanded to listen to Him (Matthew 3:17, Matthew 17:5). The building of the historic temple by king Solomon and the growth of Israel into a strong and prosperous nation should not be taken as the fulfillment of 1 Chronicles 17:12 but complimentary to the prophecy declared by prophet Zechariah in which the Messiah is called the Branch who will build the temple of God and hold the offices of both Priest and King (Zechariah 6:12-13). Certainly, no other king in Israel was allowed to hold both offices. Consider king Saul who committed a serious error by making burnt offering which should only be done by a priest and was dethroned by God (1 Samuel 13:13). God accepted the offer of David out of his love of God to build a temple by his son Solomon for sacrifices and worship. But, as the Levitical priesthood was the image of the permanent Melchizedek priesthood, so was the Solomon temple an image of the real temple built by the Messiah Himself. After all, the Solomon temple was destroyed and the nation of Israel was broken in history. Not until 1947, Israel was approved by the United Nations to become an independent nation fulfilling other prophecies in the Scriptures. The nation of Israel is facing increasing anti-Semitic pressure from its neighboring countries. One day, the anti-Christ will appear to make a false peace treaty with Israel. At the end of the rope, the Messiah Jesus Christ will return for the second time to save Israel from the turmoil called the Great Tribulation and establish the Millennium Kingdom.

Zechariah 6:12-13

¹² Tell him this is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘Here is the man whose name is the Branch, and he will branch out from his place and build the temple of the LORD. ¹³ It is he who will build the temple of the LORD, and he will be clothed with majesty and will sit and rule on his throne. And he will be a priest on his throne. And there will be harmony between the two.’

1 Chronicles 17:11-14

¹¹ When your days are over and you go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹² He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. ¹³ I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. ¹⁴ I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.’"

1 Chronicles 22:10

¹⁰ He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’

Matthew 3:17

And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."

Matthew 17:5

While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!"

1 Samuel 13:13

13 “You have done a foolish thing," Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.

Psalm 110:2,4-6

² The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of your enemies!" ⁴ The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." ⁵ The Lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his wrath. ⁶ He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth.

Revelation 19:13, 16

¹³ He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. ¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

6. Levitical Priesthood was Imperfect While Melchizedek Priesthood is Perfect

Levitical Priesthood is provisional and symbolic by nature. This can be understood by observing the performance of its main mission: sanctifying and bringing sinful people to God. As we know, the Levitical high priest himself was a sinful person while carrying the responsibility to bring sinful people to God. The question is how did the high priest who himself was a sinner approach God in the first place to perform sin sacrifice for others. The answer was that the high priest had to sanctify himself first. This very act of sanctification was clearly provisional and symbolic because a sinful person should never be able to stand before the Holy God let alone sanctifying himself. Moreover, the blood used in sacrifices was only animal blood. Since these Levitical ceremonies were symbolic by nature, they were performed year after year. The Levitical sacrifices served only as a model of the real sacrifice and redemption performed by the Melchizedek High Priest (Hebrews 10:1). However, Levitical sacrifices did served the useful purpose to remind worshippers of sin (Hebrews 10:2-4). When Jesus came to fulfill God’s salvation plan for mankind, the sacrifice of the Melchizedek Priesthood is real because the body of the Messiah was sacrificed satisfying the requirement of God such that sinners may now be justified (Hebrews 10:10). Sinners who trust in Jesus Christ and their penalties of sins will be paid in full satisfying the justice demanded by God and are declared righteous before Him (Romans 3:22-24). The redemption, forgiveness and justification brought by Jesus are not symbolic but real accepted and backed up by the faithfulness of God.

Hebrews 10:1

¹ The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.

Hebrews 10:2-4

² Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. ³ But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. ⁴ It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Hebrews 10:10

¹⁰ And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Romans 3:22-24

²² This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.