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The priesthood of Israel was a divinely-ordained institution. It was instituted at Mount Sinai shortly after God brought the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage and constituted them a nation (Exodus 19:1-6). It was comprised of the tribe Levi, with Aaron and his sons serving as High Priests (Exodus 28:1,43; 29:9,44). It was a mediatorial office, its priests serving as the people's representative to God, presenting their sacrifices to Him. (Another foremost mediatorial office was that of the prophets, who served as God's representatives to the people, declaring His word to them.)
But the priesthood of Israel was a corrupted institution in the days of Jesus Christ. Indeed, this corruption existed even in the Old Testament days of Jeremiah (23:11) and Ezekiel (22:26). Jesus illustrated the corruption of priests and Levites in His own day in His Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:31f). Neither the priest nor the Levite would minister to the needs of a man who had been robbed and beaten by bandits and left for dead.
Israel's priesthood was therefore a foremost enemy of Jesus Christ. Matthew the evangelist has at length chronicled in chapters 26-27 of his gospel some of the opposition of Israel's priests to Jesus Christ.
The priests, led by Caiaphas the high priest and the chief priests, "plotted to take Jesus by trickery and kill Him" (26:1-3). The priests paid Judas Iscariot thirty pieces of silver to betray Jesus (26:14f). The priests supplied Judas with an armed posse to capture Jesus (26:47), which included "the servant of the high priest" (26:51). The priests, in their trial of Jesus (26:57ff), "sought false testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, but found none" (26:59f), and entertained false charges against Him (26:60f). The priests unjustly convicted Him of blasphemy when He admitted what was manifestly the truth: that He is "the Christ, the Son of God" (26:63-65). The priests concluded, "He is deserving of death." (26:66). "Then they spat in His face and beat Him" (26:67). "When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put Him to death. And when they had bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor" (27:1f), because they themselves could not administer the penalty of death. The priests ignored and mocked Judas Iscariot, who in his remorse for his dastardly betrayal returned to them and admitted, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood" (27:3-4ff). The priests accused Jesus before Pilate the judge (27:11f). The priests "persuaded the multitudes that they should ask ... [Pilate to] destroy Jesus", and to cry out, "Let Him be crucified" and "His blood be on us and on our children" (27:20-23). The priests mercilessly mocked Jesus during His dying hours (27:41-43). And the priests, after the burial of Jesus, in order to prevent "that deceiver" (as they called Him) from His egress from His tomb, secured it with a sealing stone and a set guard (27:62-66).
Priests were certainly foremost enemies of Jesus Christ.
Nevertheless, shortly afterward, "a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith" (Acts 6:7).
1. Here is emphasized the grace of God to these priests: "a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith." God forgave and saved a great host of those who were ringleaders in the crucifixion of His Son. No wonder we sing, "Hallelujah! What a Savior!"
2. Here is emphasized a foremost aspect of the conversion of these priests: "a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith." Their obedience was remarkable because ...
i. Priests are a proud lot. Pride is usually manifested in the following ways: pride of face, glorying in one's physical beauty; pride of race, glorying in one's ethnic group; pride of place, or glorying in one's station in life; pride of grace, glorying in what God has bestowed apart from human merit or endeavor and for what He alone should be glorified.
These priests were especially proud of their place. They occupied a high station in Jewish society, being the only ministers permitted in the Temple. Their high office was further dignified by the vestments they wore and the rituals they performed. They alone could offer the sacrifices of the people to God. Their High Priest was the chief civil and religious dignitary of the Jews, and head of the Sanhedrin, the council of 70 elders who governed Israel. Their chief priests were honored members of that council. They as a group had embraced Hellenism, the Greek way of life, which was considered far more culturally advanced than the Hebrew way of life. They were therefore among the social elite in Israel.
It is hard for persons occupying such a high station to become obedient to Jesus Christ, a lowly Nazarene (see Matthew 2:23; John 1:46) -- especially after having publicly ridiculed Him.
ii. Priests are resistant to change. Unlike prophets, who heralded changes (e.g. Moses, Samuel, Elijah, John the Baptist), priests sought to preserve the status quo, especially since it was so favorable to themselves.
And what a change had been wrought: "the priesthood [was] changed" (Hebrews 7:12)! Let us develop this thought.
The crucifixion of Jesus Christ was the sacrificial offering of the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). The deliberate part of these priests in His crucifixion was therefore also their unwitting part in His being offered as a sacrifice. Their sacrifice of Him was also the last sacrifice they ever offered which God would accept, because by His death their own priesthood was abrogated and replaced by His own. This was signified when, as He expired, "the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom" (Matthew 27:51) -- as though God Himself had reached down from heaven and split it asunder. From that time forth, there is no need of mortal priests to offer sacrifices on earth. Their priesthood has been replaced by the priesthood of Jesus Christ, "a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 7:11-17ff). And there is no longer the need of mortal priests to serve as mediators between God and His people. Every believer himself is a priest! Believers therefore gladly acknowledge that Jesus Christ has "made us ... priests to our God" (Revelation 5:10; 1:6).
It is hard for persons who glory in their priesthood to become obedient to Him who abolished it, and to submit to Him as their High Priest -- especially since they formerly publicly ridiculed His priesthood. But these priests did!
Here is good news for priests today. There is yet today a priesthood like that which conspired against Jesus Christ.
This modern priesthood is as corrupt as was the ancient. It is notorious for its sexual immorality and political manipulations. This modern priesthood is as much an enemy of Christ as was the ancient. It has for centuries mercilessly persecuted His church and made martyrs of millions of His saints. This modern priesthood is as proud and arrogant as was the ancient. It boasts of the high station it occupies in society, and glories in the priestly vestments it wears and the priestly functions it performs. This modern priesthood is as resistant to change as was the ancient. It denies that Jesus Christ is the "one [and only] Mediator between God and men" (1 Timothy 2:5). It posits instead that its priests also are mediators. And it denies that Jesus Christ has made "one sacrifice for sins forever," and that "where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin" (Hebrews 10:11-18). It posits instead that He must be repeatedly and shamefully sacrificed over and over in the Mass which its own priests must perform.
But the same God who graciously saved ancient priests when they became "obedient to the faith" will do the same for modern priests if they will render to Him the same obedience.
Here also is good news for those who think they need priests. As already noted, the only sacrifice for sins which God will accept is that which was offered once for all by Jesus Christ. The only priest you need is Jesus Christ. Your attendance to the priestly functions of priestcraft's impostors is a blatant denial of Him.
We therefore exhort you to follow the example of the repentant priests who became "obedient to the faith." Acknowledge Jesus Christ as the "one [and only] Mediator between God and men." Acknowledge His priestly "one sacrifice for sins forever," and that "where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin." Become obedient to His faith by believing in Him.
Your servant for Jesus' sake.
Address all questions to pastor
Daniel E. Parks (2 Corinthians 4:5) e-mail RedeemerBC@aol.com
Pastor, Redeemer Baptist Church
2801 Cleveland Boulevard, Louisville, KY 40206 / 502.899-9205
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