Christ's Priestly Activity

The point: Never think of Christ's work of redemption separated from his official capacity and functions as a priest.

The analogy of President Gerald Ford making decisions as Commander-in-Chief illustrates how foolish it would be to divorce his actions from his official capacity. This highlights the error of contemplating Christ's work of redemption apart from his official capacity as a priest.

Now, the proposition being established, we must then never think of Christ's work of redemption separated from this category within which it inseparably comes to us. The writer to Hebrews describes the work of redemption as the work of Jesus Christ in the official God-appointed capacity and functions of a priest. Now, if, then, the work of the cross comes to us inseparably joined to that category, do you see how we do violence to that work if we ever contemplate it apart from that category? For instance, when the President of the United States, Gerald Ford, makes a decision relative to the dis...

15:03 - 16:27 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The third proposition states that oblation and intercession are fundamental, inseparable ingredients of priestly action, performed for identical objects and securing the same end…

The ritual of taking coals from the altar and blood from the slain animal into the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement illustrates the organic, inseparable relationship between oblation and intercession in priestly activity.

Now notice how this is to be done. He shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself and he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small and bring it within the veil and shall put the incense upon the fire before Jehovah. The incense gathered up from the altar where the animal had been slain is brought in now within the veil and then that I'm sorry the coals from off that altar and then the incense is placed upon those coals that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the t...

30:06 - 31:34 Read in full sermon

Driving home: The essence of the intercession is atonement, and the atonement is essentially an intercession.

The paradox of Christ being truly God and truly man is used as an example of how profound truths often appear paradoxical, preparing the listener for the paradoxical unity of atonement and intercession.

Christ is truly God, as much God as though he were never man. He is as truly man as though he were never God. That's the paradox that is the truth concerning the person of Christ. That's the point he's making.

45:19 - 45:29 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Saying in essence, Father, here are the living reminders of that which I willingly bore for my people and for my sake give them all the blessings secured and promised in that eternal covenant of redemption.

An extended quotation from Hugh Martin explains that Christ's intercession is the 'perpetual presentation of the continual burnt offering of Calvary,' distinguishing the historical suffering from the perpetual virtue of the offering.

Well, I don't know what that does for you, brethren, but that's more than I can bear. To think that we have such a salvation as this, the intercession by which we are saved even today, and to the uttermost is just the perpetual presentation of the continual burnt offering of Calvary, which is an active offering, subsists in perpetuity and belongs to eternity, while the suffering of the cross belongs to history and the past. What did John see when the vision was opened in heaven? He said, I saw a lamb as it had been slain in the midst of the throne.

51:12 - 51:54 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Saying in essence, Father, here are the living reminders of that which I willingly bore for my people and for my sake give them all the blessings secured and promised in that eternal covenant of redemption.

Another extended quotation from Hugh Martin uses the two altars (sacrifice and incense) in the Old Testament to illustrate how oblation and intercession are combined and correlative instruments of one complete priestly office, emphasizing their indispensable coordination.

And they constituted component and indispensable factors of one complete act of sacrificial worship. The same functionary or office bearer, that is priest, transacted it both. He transacted for the selfsame person or persons the blood of the selfsame sacrifice that he had slain and offered on the one altar he sprinkled upon the horns of the other to dislocate or derange this coordination would be to negate his official action in its intrinsic importance to annihilate the gracious results of his priestly intervention and indeed to avert, to evert his office utterly. His action at the altar of a...

52:42 - 54:03 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The sermon connects the Old Testament priest's return from the Holy of Holies with blessing to Christ's ascension with hands raised in priestly blessing. It affirms that Christ's…

The scene of an Israelite waiting for the high priest to emerge alive from the Holy of Holies after the Day of Atonement ritual illustrates the people's hope and assurance that God had accepted the sacrifice and intercession.

Then he goes where he can't be seen. And you say, does God accept what he brings? He's taken the coals with tongs, put them in a bowl. He has the bowl with the blood of the offering.

54:04 - 54:14 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The sermon connects the Old Testament priest's return from the Holy of Holies with blessing to Christ's ascension with hands raised in priestly blessing. It affirms that Christ's…

Christ's ascension, lifting his hands in blessing as he departed, is presented as a symbolic priestly action, assuring his people that blessing is their portion because sin is put away through his sacrifice and ongoing intercession.

He comes back out a live man and they know that what happened here was accepted there and has resulted in the raised hands of blessing. And I believe it's significant the final posture in which the visible church saw our Lord was what posture? You read the last words of Luke. And as he parted from them he lifted up his hands.

54:26 - 54:48 Read in full sermon

The point: Prayerfully absorb this wonderful teaching of the word of God concerning the death of Christ as the death of him who was in the office of a priest, and feed your soul upon the great reality of it.

Martin recounts reading a sermon by Thornwell on the priesthood, expressing his own profound discovery and regret for not having understood these truths earlier, which serves to emphasize the importance and richness of the doctrine.

I read a sermon by Thornwell on the priesthood of South Carolina Bob. And he said on memorable occasions like these he said I like to take fundamental gospel truths and impress them on the minds of the hearers and I thought what a privileged bunch they were to have heard things that here I am considered middle age in a few years and just beginning to examine as it were the fringes of such wonderful things. And I trust that God will so burn these truths in your congregations and your wives and children whoever you influence will as it were cut their teeth in infancy upon these truths that are s...

65:00 - 65:59 Read in full sermon