The first mention of a priest in the Scriptures is Melchizedek in Genesis 14. Abram has just rescued Lot and his household from capture (they got caught in a war between rivalling kings), and when he returns, he is greeted by the grateful king of Sodom and a priest.
“And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. He blessed him and said, ‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!’” (Genesis 14:18-20, NRSV)
So what does this tell us about what it means to be a priest? First, this priest was also a king. Subsequent priests were not kings, so this double role was unique to Melchizedek. The priest served bread and wine, so hospitality was part of the job. The priest spoke words of blessing: blessing others and blessing God (worship). Finally, Melchizedek celebrated rescue or salvation. That was the whole reason for the meeting - to celebrate the salvation of those who were in danger of death. You might have noticed that all of these aspects of priesthood point forward to Christ: Christ the King, Christ's sacrifice (bread and wine), Christ as a bringer of blessing, Christ as the means of salvation.
Moving forward, we come to the establishment of the order of priests from the tribe of Levi, beginning with Aaron. The tasks of the priests included taking care of the tabernacle or temple, officiating sacrifices and offerings to YHWH (worship), discerning the will of God for the people, judging, declaring things clean or unclean, and mediating between people and God. Perhaps the most significant and dangerous job of the priest happened on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). Once a year, the priest entered the Holy of Holies alone to stand in the presence of God. The high priest had to cleanse himself, put on special garments, and offer his own sin offering before he could enter the sacred space. Once inside the Holy of Holies, he sprinkled the blood of a sacrificed animal onto the mercy seat (the top of the ark of the covenant) in order to make atonement for the sins of the people committed that year. Remember, the people of Israel were people in covenant with God, so sinful acts which defied or broke that covenant relationship were treated with great seriousness.
Of special significance were the unique garments which the priests wore. The different items of clothing and elaborate decorations were designed to be an expression of God's righteousness and merciful love for his people. You can read the full description in Exodus 28, but I would like to focus on one item: the breastplate. It was basically a square tapestry with twelve precious stones attached to it. This was strapped to the priest's chest by the use of gold rings and cords. The twelve stones represented the twelve tribes, named after the sons of Israel.
Being a priest meant that you literally carried other people on your heart. When the priest stood in the Holy of Holies, he was not alone. God was present, yes, but so were the people of Israel, because the priest carried a representation of them on his heart. He was constantly remembering them to God.
When we look at Christ, the perfect mediator between divine and human, we see the fulfilment of the priestly role. Jesus is said to be a priest like Melchizedek (see Hebrews 7), a King of peace and righteousness, blessing God and blessing people. Christ also celebrated rescue and salvation with bread and wine, referring to his own body in this act of sacrifice and hospitality. Jesus as priest carried the world on his heart, bringing us into the presence of God through his own sacrifice.In him, the Holy of Holies is embodied. God, the mercy seat, mediator, and sacrifice are all present in one person.
We, as followers of Jesus, are also called to be priests. Writing to believers dispersed in different parts of Asia Minor, a mixed group of Jews and Gentiles, Peter declares: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9)
What do we do as priests? Are we to strap on the special garments, slaughter some animals, and walk trembling into the Holy of Holies once a year? No, Christ performed that reconciliation and atonement once and for all in his sacrifice on the cross. What we do is take up the priestly function of carrying people on our hearts. The ministry of every priest includes reconciliation and celebration. One of the hallmarks of the Reformation was Luther's insistence on the priesthood of all believers, a broadening of a role that had been reserved for a select few. This was not a call to individualism (I don't need a priest or all the trappings of the church), but a call to community, to bless God and bless each other, to support one other, to be intercessors. Because Christ as High Priest carries us on his heart, we are to do the same for others. Because God loves us, we are to love others.
“Since we have a great High Priest who presides over the house of God … Let us consider how to inspire each other to greater love and to righteous deeds, not forgetting to gather as a community, as some have forgotten, but encouraging each other, especially as the day of His return approaches.” (Hebrews 10:24-25, The Voice)
Honestly, the priestly breastplate does not appear to be the most comfortable thing to wear. Try strapping a big, heavy square to your chest for an hour and see how you like it. I wore something resembling a priestly breastplate while I was giving a talk on this subject and I never once forgot that it was there. It is a very effective remembering tool.
"Whenever you share a cup of cold water in Jesus’ name [or pray for someone], you’re a priest. You’re communicating the grace of God. ... If we are to be like Him, we must [also] allow someone else to be a priest for us. There are problems so great and pains so deep and sins so intractable that we need a person of flesh and blood to join us in carrying our concerns to God.” (The Voice, commentary on Hebrews 5)
The priestly breastplate chafes after a while. It is heavy. It impedes movement to some extent. But when the stones catch the light and the colours shimmer with radiant glory... oh my, what a joy to carry these precious ones on our heart. [1]
I leave you with a question: who is God asking to carry on your heart?
-------------------
[1] Interestingly, in Revelation 21, we find the walls of the holy city of God adorned with twelve precious stones, reminding us of the gems found in the priestly breastplate. In a city where Christ is the light, these stones reflect the glory of God, each in their own unique way. There is no longer a need for a temple or a priest/mediator because the city/people/nations are the dwelling place of God.
Image from scriptoriumblogorium.blogspot.ca
Comments