Jesus is Greater than the Priests and Melchizedek
Welcome to Week 3 of our series, Jesus is Greater. We’re exploring the book of Hebrews, discovering that Jesus is greater than anyone or anything. Over the past two weeks, we’ve seen how Jesus surpasses messengers, prophets, and even Moses, as well as the promised land itself. Today, we continue our journey through Hebrews as we explore how Jesus is greater than the priests, and the profound significance of His role as the ultimate high priest.
Before Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, the only way people could connect with God was through a human intermediary—a priest. This brings us to the importance of understanding the role of priests in the Old Testament and why Jesus is so much greater.
A Brief History of Priests in the Old Testament
In the Old Testament, the priesthood was essential for connecting people with God. But how did the priests come to be?
Our story begins in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. When they sinned, humanity was separated from God. But God made a promise: He would send a man born of a woman to defeat the enemy once and for all. This was the first promise of salvation. Fast forward to the life of Abraham, a man chosen by God to start a new lineage—the Israelites. God promised Abraham three things: land, descendants, and blessings. Through Abraham’s family, the world would be blessed.
As we continue through history, we come to Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel. Jacob’s 12 sons became the 12 tribes of Israel, one of which, the Levites, would eventually become the priests. The Levites were entrusted with sacred duties, including offering sacrifices for sin, teaching God’s law, maintaining the sanctuary, and entering God’s presence on behalf of the people.
In the Old Testament, God’s presence dwelled in the Holy of Holies, a place within the Tabernacle or later the Temple. Only the high priest could enter this sacred space—and only once a year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). On this day, the high priest would offer sacrifices for the sins of the people and receive forgiveness on their behalf. The only connection to God was through the priest.
But here’s the problem: the priests themselves were flawed. They were sinful like everyone else. They needed to offer sacrifices for their own sins before they could intercede for the people. This system created an imbalance of power—one person held the authority to decide who could connect with God. And, sadly, as history unfolded, we saw instances of corruption in the priesthood. The human priesthood was imperfect and temporary.
Jesus is Greater Than the Priests
The book of Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians in the time after Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, who were enduring persecution for their faith. The author reminds them that Jesus is greater than the priests—far greater. Hebrews 7:23 tells us “There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office. But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.”
Let’s contrast the Old Testament priests with Jesus to understand just how much greater.
- Human priests were temporary, growing old and dying, but Jesus is eternal.
- Human priests were sinful and needed to atone for their own sins, but Jesus is sinless.
- Priests had to offer repeated sacrifices, while Jesus offered one perfect sacrifice that ended all sacrifices.
- Human priests had limited access to God, entering the Holy of Holies only once a year. With Jesus, we have unlimited, direct access to God.
So, why don’t we have priests today? Why don’t we need to confess our sins to a priest in order to be forgiven? Because Jesus put an end to the priesthood. When He died on the cross, the curtain in the temple tore from top to bottom, symbolizing that Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, opened the way for everyone to access God directly. We no longer need an intermediary, because Jesus is our high priest.
Jesus is Greater Than Melchizedek
Now, let’s talk about Melchizedek—a mysterious figure mentioned in only three places in the Bible, but one who would have been highly regarded by Jewish believers.
Melchizedek is first introduced in Genesis 14, where he appears to Abraham after a victorious battle. He is described as both a priest and a king—an unusual combination, as priests and kings were typically separate roles in Israel. Melchizedek blesses Abraham, and Abraham offers him a tithe (10%) of the spoils of war. This interaction is significant, as it foreshadows the communion Jesus would later institute, where He offers bread and wine, just as Melchizedek did.
The name Melchizedek means “king of justice,” and “king of peace,” and his life is shrouded in mystery—there’s no record of his birth or death. Hebrews 7 says “Melchizedek… resembles the Son of God. He remains a priest forever.” The significance of Melchizedek is that he is a prototype of Christ. Jesus is the ultimate priest and king, and the author of Hebrews reminds us that Jesus is greater than Melchizedek. Unlike Melchizedek, who is a mysterious figure with no genealogy, Jesus is eternal and holds the true office of priest and king forever.
Jesus: The Ultimate High Priest
To understand the magnitude of Jesus as our high priest, we need to recognize that He is the only one who could solve the sin problem. No other person in history has ever done what Jesus did. He did not come to tell us to work harder or be better; He came to tell us that He would die in our place. The wages of sin is death, and Jesus paid the price that none of us could pay. He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).
What’s Your Connection to Jesus?
Jesus is the only connection to God. His death, burial, and resurrection changed the world forever. You no longer need a priest to stand between you and God. Jesus is the perfect high priest, and through Him, we can have unlimited access to the Father. In this broken world, Jesus offers hope, salvation, and eternal life.
Written by Pastor Mark Hardacre