When Jesus was born, even conceived the intention of His mission and life was a priestly one. We shouldn't see His priesthood as just determined by how He lived and died, and what He had to offer, although these are important and wonderful, it is also based in who He is, the eternal Lord. When He came into the world as a baby - a heavenly man had arrived in the flesh to offer a perfect sacrifice as our High Priest before the Throne of God to save people from their sins. The sacrifice was not one that could be learned from the religious traditions of the day, it was completely different, perfect and sinless. A once and for all sacrifice, something we cannot attempt to repeat, that religious traditions will never get close to it or be able to save us - only Jesus as we put our trust in Him and His life that He offers to us, both as a sacrifice for forgiveness, but also as a gift to us so that we might be able to live, grow and develop as men and women of God.
This is seen as it was into the tribe of Judah that Jesus was born, but this was not the priestly tribe, this was not the way it was supposed to happen. So then He was born without the possibility of being a Levitical priest according to the Law. He was born however beyond the Law as Christ is the origin of the Law itself in eternity - based in the LIFE of God (Hebrews 7:11-28). His priestly ministry is based in this indestructible life, from eternity to birth; from birth to death; and from death to physical bodily resurrection and ascension into eternity again. This life sinless and unsoiled by the world, what power, what purity, what passion, what a High Priest!
Someone mentioned to me that they were thinking of entering the priesthood, I asked him "Which type of priesthood?" This question was unexpected and surprised him, there is truly only one priesthood in the Christian sense that is legitimate before God and that is the priesthood that is found in Christ, we cannot be priests in any other form and still think it truly Christian. In Christ Jesus is found the only place of real priestly ministry, no matter the form and religious manner of others, Christ's High Priestly ministry is the only acceptable one now. Considering His birth, His priesthood came out of a very real human experience; He was made vulnerable and dependent; He needed food and sustenance; He required physical and spiritual growth as a man; He grew, asked and answered questions; He made friends and enjoyed their friendship; He even obeyed His parents - our ministry is so often missing the reality of these very human tendencies, are we so much more sophisticated and more intelligent?
Matthew ArmstrongThis is seen as it was into the tribe of Judah that Jesus was born, but this was not the priestly tribe, this was not the way it was supposed to happen. So then He was born without the possibility of being a Levitical priest according to the Law. He was born however beyond the Law as Christ is the origin of the Law itself in eternity - based in the LIFE of God (Hebrews 7:11-28). His priestly ministry is based in this indestructible life, from eternity to birth; from birth to death; and from death to physical bodily resurrection and ascension into eternity again. This life sinless and unsoiled by the world, what power, what purity, what passion, what a High Priest!
Someone mentioned to me that they were thinking of entering the priesthood, I asked him "Which type of priesthood?" This question was unexpected and surprised him, there is truly only one priesthood in the Christian sense that is legitimate before God and that is the priesthood that is found in Christ, we cannot be priests in any other form and still think it truly Christian. In Christ Jesus is found the only place of real priestly ministry, no matter the form and religious manner of others, Christ's High Priestly ministry is the only acceptable one now. Considering His birth, His priesthood came out of a very real human experience; He was made vulnerable and dependent; He needed food and sustenance; He required physical and spiritual growth as a man; He grew, asked and answered questions; He made friends and enjoyed their friendship; He even obeyed His parents - our ministry is so often missing the reality of these very human tendencies, are we so much more sophisticated and more intelligent?
Blantyre, December 2009.
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