Priestly Office of Christ

Driving home: It is what Christ is as a priest that determines what he does and how he functions as prophet to his people, and what he is and does as king to his people.

Pastor Martin points to the well-defined shadow of his own body on the platform behind him. There are not two of him; the body is the reality and the shadow is shaped by it. So Christ's priesthood is the reality and the prophetic and kingly offices fall as its shadow.

Now as I stand here, I can see a very well-defined shadow of my body extending about 17 feet to the platform behind me. this light striking my body is casting a shadow that way. But when I look this way, this light striking the same body is casting a shadow of equal length in this direction. Now, I can't haul you all up here one by one to show you that I'm not just making this up for the sake of illustration.

8:52 - 9:17 Read in full sermon

Hebrews 2:17 does not say Christ was made like a priest, or analogous to a priest. He is explicitly and specifically called a high priest — and Pastor Martin labors the point because the language will not allow a merely figurative reading.

And He is explicitly called in this passage a high priest. Now it doesn't say he was made like a priest. As though he was something analogous to a priest. Something parallel to a priest.

15:50 - 16:05 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The rationale for the incarnation is the priesthood. A priest must be taken from among men. Jesus Christ cannot be our priest unless he is taken from among men.

The prophet has his back to God, his ears to God, but his face and his mouth toward the people. The watchword is 'Thus saith the Lord.' He comes from God to the people. The priest, by contrast, faces Godward.

He is God's mouthpiece. He speaks for God. The prophet has his back to God, his ears to God, but his face to the people and his mouth to the people. What's the watchword of a prophet?

32:38 - 32:50 Read in full sermon

When Aaron stood before the ark and the Shekinah glory, his breastplate did not carry the names of God to flash before the people. It carried the names of the twelve tribes — because the priest acts toward God on behalf of men.

What did he have upon his breastplate? Not the names of God. As though he were proclaiming the names of God to the people, what did he have upon his breastplate? The names of the twelve tribes of Israel.

33:33 - 33:46 Read in full sermon

An ambassador represents one nation to another nation — for men, but with other men. The priest also acts for men, but his face is always Godward; his business is always with God.

You see, while he acts for men, the object of his activity is not other men, but God. Now let me contrast. An ambassador acts for men, but he acts for men with other men. An ambassador comes as a representative of one group of men to another group of men.

34:18 - 34:39 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The true significance of the cross was the Godward activity of Christ when He hung upon that cross.

The true significance of the cross is not the manward word 'Father, forgive them,' nor 'today thou shalt be with me in paradise,' precious as those are. It is the Godward act of the priest offering Himself up unto God without spot.

The true significance of the cross was the Godward activity of Christ when He hung upon that cross. Not the manward activity when He said, Father, forgive them, they know not what they do. Not the manward activity when He said to the thief, This day thou shalt be with me in paradise. No, no, in the language of Hebrews, Upon that cross He was no passive victim enduring the wrath of the Father.

38:17 - 38:43 Read in full sermon