Our Heavenly High Priest
Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is our Heavenly High Priest, and He officiates in the Sanctuary in Heaven, which the earthly sanctuary is patterned after -

Hebrews 8:1-2; 5 (King James Version)

1. Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;

2. A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

5. Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.


While the earthly high priest's ministry is based on Jesus' Heavenly High Priest ministry of interceding between God and man, Jesus could not be a High Priest in the earthly Sanctuary. Jesus was of the tribe of Judah, a son of David, and the earthly High Priests were descendents of Aaron, Moses’ brother, and of the tribe of Levi.

Exodus 28:1 (King James Version)

1. And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons.

Exodus 30:30 (King James Version)

30. And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office.

Hebrews 8:3-4 (King James Version)

3. For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.

4. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:


Heavenly High Priest After The Order Of Melchisedec
Jesus was called of God to be a High Priest as Aaron was called.

Hebrews 5:3-6, 10 King James Version (KJV)

3. And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.

4. And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

5. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.

6. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

10. Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.


Heavenly High Priest
Jesus our Heavenly High Priest called after the order of Melchisedec who also was not a son of Aaron or of the tribe of Levi. Melchisedec was a priest to Abraham and lived hundreds of years before Aaron.

Hebrews 7:1, 11-21 (King James Version)

1. For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him;

11. If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron?

12. For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.

13. For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.

14. For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

15. And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,

16. Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.

17. For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

18. For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.

19. For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.

20. And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:

21. (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)


Jesus our Heavenly High Priest's ministry is better than any Levitical High Priest's, because he lives forever more, while the earthly priests died. Jesus our Heavenly High Priest also is sinless, while the earthly Priests had to first make sacrifices for their own sins.

Hebrews 7:22-28 (King James Version)

22. By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.

23. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:

24. But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.

25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

26. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;

27. Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.

28. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.


Jesus' Heavenly High Priest ministry is also better than any earthly Priest’s ministry, because it is based on a better covenant and better promises –

Hebrews 8:6-10 (King James Version)

6. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

7. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

8. For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

9. Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

10. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:


Heavenly High Priest
Jesus’ Heavenly High Priest ministry is based on His one sacrifice,

Hebrews 10:1-4; 10:10-12 (King James Version)

1. For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

2. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.

3. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.


4. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

10. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

11. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:

12. But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

Hebrews 9:12 (King James Version)

12. Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.


Our Heavenly High Priest officiates in a greater and more perfect tabernacle than the earthly tabernacle .

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