A History Of Priesthood

A HISTORY OF PRIESTHOOD

Who was the first priest?  Ew, tough question!  Job 1:5 suggests Job was the family priest, and since it is considered written prior to 1500 B.C., it is also considered preMosaic, but Melchizedek is the first person associated with the word "priest" in the Old Testament; "And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God." (Gen. 14:18)  "And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, 'It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.'  Thus did Job continually." (Job 1:5)  If one considers making offerings to God a symbol of priesthood, since it is recognized as one of the first duties of the earliest priests, then perhaps Cain and Abel could also be considered the first priests, although Cain would also have to be considered the first BAD priest, too!  "And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.  And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof.  And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering He had not respect.  And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell." (Gen. 4:3 - 5)  So for the sake of the first use of the word, we might consider Melchizedek the first officially named priest, while you might consider the other three informal priests, or perhaps "protopriests".

I would say that Melchizedek is recognized biblically as the first priest, because his name shows up once in Genesis, and the next time it appears is in Psalms; "The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek." (Psa. 110:4)  This psalm has the significance of asserting that Christ combines the offices of priest and king, just as Melchizedek, the first official priest did.

This first priest shows up again in the New Testament, with the spelling of his name slightly altered, and although Aaron serves as the model priest, this Scripture also glorifies Christ as the superior priest.  "For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.  And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.  And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.  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.'  As He saith also in another place, 'Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him; called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec." (Heb. 5:1 - 10)  Notice also that because Aaron is the model priest, and no women are ever priests throughout Scripture, this passage in Hebrews sets godly precept that women are excluded from being priests or pastors.  Christ is the head of man, man is the head of woman, woman is the head of children.  Adam was not deceived, but Eve.

Now this passage of Scripture calls for deeper investigation of a connection of Christ to Melchizedek.  You see, this passage means that Christ could never have been of the Levitical priests, because He was born of the tribe of Judah.  "For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.  And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another Priest, who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.  For He testifieth, 'Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.'" (Heb. 7:14 - 17)

Both Christ and Melchizedek were not Levites, but they also have other similarities.

1. Both were men - "Now consider how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils." (Heb. 7:4)  "For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;" (1 Tim. 2:5)

2. Both were king-priests - "And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God." (Gen. 14:18)  "And speak unto him, saying, 'Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and He shall grow up out of His place, and He shall build the temple of the LORD: Even He shall build the temple of the LORD; and He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon His throne; and He shall be a priest upon His throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both." (Zech. 6:12 - 13)

3. They were both appointed directly by God. - "(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:)" (Heb. 7:21)

4. Lastly, both were called "King of righteousness" and "King of peace".  "To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace;" (Heb. 7:2)  "And righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness the girdle of His reins.  The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.  And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.  And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.  They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea." (Isa. 11:5 - 9)

So here we have a history of priesthood, but probably not what you expected; this is of the Judaic branch; now, shall we cover the Levitical branch?

Levi, the ancestor of the Aaronic priests, was born the third son of Jacob and Leah, and Leah named him Levi, which means "attachment".  She felt the hate for her out of the deception done to Jacob by her father, and so with this third son of her fertility, she named him Levi, assuming so many sons would make Jacob attached to her.  "And she conceived again, and bare a son; and said, 'Now this time will my husband be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi.'" (Gen. 29:34)

While Levi may have been the grandfather of the priesthood, he was not known for being a good man.  Consider his father's blessing; "Simeon and Levi are brethren; instruments of cruelty are in their habitations.  O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honour, be not thou united: for in their anger they slew a man, and in their selfwill they digged down a wall.  Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel." (Gen. 49:5 - 7)

"And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according to their generations.  And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years." (Exod. 6:19 - 20)  So it is in this Scripture we find that Aaron and Moses are the grandchildren of Levi, and as Exodus is laid out, we know Aaron becomes the first Levite priest, closest to God only after Moses.

Think not that there were only two branches of priests, because before Aaron officially became a priest, the sons of Abraham by Keturah also had priests in the land of Midian were they dwelled.  "Now the priest of Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock." (Exod. 2:16)  Moses' father-in-law was a Midian priest!  "Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb." (Exod. 3:1)  There were other priests around, but they were not priests called by God.  The sons of Keturah were not approved by God.

Aaron at first is not referred to as a priest, but rather a prophet, and God Himself is He who called him thus; "And the LORD said unto Moses, 'See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet.  Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh, that he send the children of Israel out of his land." (Exod. 7:1 - 2)  It was not God's will that only Aaron and his sons be priests, but rather ALL of Israel be priests!  "And ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation.  These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel." (Exod. 19:6)  "And the LORD said unto Moses, 'Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the LORD to gaze, and many of them perish.  And let the priests also, which come near to the LORD, sanctify themselves, lest the LORD break forth upon them.'" (Exod. 19:21 - 22)  The priests mentioned here may have been elders of the tribes, but not officially designated in the manner to be instituted later.

After setting up the definition of the tabernacle of the congregation, we find God giving Moses instructions on the making of garments for Aaron and his sons to define them as the first Jewish high priests.  "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.  And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty.  And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto Me in the priest's office." (Exod. 28:1 - 3)  I only used these 3 verses for brevity, because in actuality, the entire 28th chapter is dedicated to the creation of the clothing!  The entire chapter 29 following it gives all the description of the installation of the priesthood, the ceremony lasting seven days!

Now without making this 200 pages long, let me say that if you're interested, the book of Leviticus contains every fathomable law and duty God gave concerning the priests and all their interactions between God and the people.  Offerings, sins, sicknesses; all these things and more are given in Leviticus concerning priests and their duties.

Now this job and office for the Lord was not to be taken lightly.  Two of Aaron's sons one day made a terminal "whoopsie" which was never repeated again throughout all the bible.  "And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which He commanded them not.  And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD." (Lev. 10:1 - 2)

After the destruction of Aaron's two sons, God then instituted the Levite priesthood as a substitution for the firstborn of all the tribes.  "And I, behold, I have taken the Levites from among the children of Israel instead of all the firstborn that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel: therefore the Levites shall be Mine;" (Num. 3:12)

Think not that every day in the life of the priesthood was boring in the Old Testament.  One priest, Phinehas, killed two people with the same javelin right in the middle of the congregation one day, and while one might think it should've come to mind "thou shalt not kill" before he acted, as a matter of fact, God rewarded his action!  "And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.  And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; and he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly.  So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel.  And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand.  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 'Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned My wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for My sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in My jealousy.  Wherefore say, "Behold, I give unto him My covenant of peace:"  And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel." (Num. 25:6 - 13).

Priests apparently were not excluded from war, either; no, they were sent into the thick of it!  "And Moses sent them to the war, a thousand of every tribe, them and Phinehas the son of Eleazar the priest, to the war, with the holy instruments, and the trumpets to blow in his hand." (Num. 31:6)

Let's move up to the New Testament now.  The priests didn't like Jesus; "And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple; and He healed them.  And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, 'Hosanna to the Son of David'; they were sore displeased, And said unto Him, 'Hearest thou what these say?'  And Jesus saith unto them, 'Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?'  And He left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and He lodged there." (Matt. 21:14 - 17)  The priests are Jesus' enemies.  How has this happened?  "Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, and consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill Him." (Matt. 26:3 - 4)  Corruption and power.  Jesus did not come up in the Levite priesthood as did they, so they were jealous, and coveted the power He wielded being the almighty Son of God!  Whenever He taught in the syngogues, no priest could defeat His wisdom, or catch Him slipping up, but He often tonguelashed so many in our Father's house, that they counted Him an enemy for His entire ministry.  "And when He was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto Him as He was teaching, and said, 'By what authority doest Thou these things?  And who gave Thee this authority?'  And Jesus answered and said unto them, 'I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell Me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.  The baptism of John, whence was it?  From heaven, or of men?'  And they reasoned with themselves, saying, 'If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, "Why did ye not then believe Him?"  But if we shall say, "Of men"; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet.'  And they answered Jesus, and said, 'We cannot tell.'  And He said unto them, 'Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.' (Matt. 21:23 - 27)  He often spoke of their hypocrisies, and pointed out their shortcomings as to their station, so for them, this was cause to hate Him to death!  Once they had Him, He was tried by the priests, and they even would sin by bearing false witness against Him to have reason to kill Him!  "And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled.  But Peter followed Him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end.  Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put Him to death;" (Matt. 26:57 - 59)  "And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.  And Peter followed Him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire." (Mark 14:53 - 54)

Jesus usually didn't speak as though He held any priests or scribes in high regard, because if any was righteous, it appeared He never encountered them in any Gospel!  As a matter of fact, He used them as setting a wrong example in one of His parables!  "And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side." (Luke 10:31 - 32)

Even after Jesus ascended into heaven, His apostles went at odds with the Jewish priests.  Because they still had not believed that Jesus was the Christ and Messiah they were waiting for, they still set themselves against even His apostles.  "And it came to pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and scribes, and Annas the high priest, and Caiaphas, and John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the kindred of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem.  And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, 'By what power, or by what name, have ye done this?'  Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, 'Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here before you whole." (Acts 4:5 - 10)  "Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, and laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison." (Acts 5:17 - 18)  "And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.  And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name." (Acts 5:40 - 41)

Now let's go back to Jesus the High Priest, because we must remember not only that He is not dead, but He is still functioning as God and King and Savior and Priest!  "For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham.  Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.  For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted." (Heb. 2:16 - 18)  Since He took on the form of man, and since He withstood the temptations man is tempted with, yet remained sinless, and died for our sins, taking them all away from us on the cross, He is therefore in the eyes of the Father the perfect high priest of all mankind, ever faithful to all believers, abundant in mercy to all of us, who still make mistakes and sin, and He forgives every one.  "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb. 4:14 - 16)  "But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 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.  For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Heb. 9:11 - 14)

Jesus is the perfect High Priest, for His single offering of His own precious blood forever more cleansed us of all iniquities, past, present, and future, of those of us who believe on Him.  "And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool.  For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." (Heb. 10:11 - 14)

"For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.  Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate.  Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach." (Heb. 13:11 - 13)  This passage of Scripture illuminates the similarity of the animal sin offerings of the Old Testament and Christ as the sin offering of the New Testament, and the last sentence calls for us to leave false religions for the true faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Are you ready to become a priest?  All believers saved by His grace will become priests, offering up spiritual sacrifices!  And we will not be Levitican, but Judaic, like Melchizedek!  Note that it is written we will be a royal priesthood, and that means of the Judaic line!  "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.  Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on Him shall not be confounded.  Unto you therefore which believe He is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." (1 Pet. 2:5 - 10)  Let it be understood that the last part of this passage means once we were unsaved, but born again, now we are saved, since that point of salvation.  Let me give you further Scriptural backup to the concept that we will be both kings and priests, ministering forever to God; "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the kings of the earth.  Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen." (Rev. 1:5 - 6)

I will give you one more proof of our royalty and priesthood, but further, I will give you in this passage that place where we will be such, for it is so written also in Revelation; "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." (Rev. 5:10)  Oh, and by the way, we'll be priests for a mighty long time!  "And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.  But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.  This is the first resurrection.  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years." (Rev. 20:4 - 6)

Just one more of many reasons to bless the Lord, each and every saved soul; because we are all heirs to the kingdom, who believe on Christ Jesus.  And we who believe on Him, we shall inherit the kingdom, and treasures that cannot be lost!