When Paul wrote about the high priesthood of Jesus Christ, Paul referred to the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 5-7). Who was Melchizedek (Melchisedec) and what is the order of Melchizedek in the Bible? Melchizedek was not only king of Salem, but Melchizedek was also a priest of God the Most High. Í Gamla testamentinu í Biblíunni, there was no priest, who was also appointed as king, nor a king, who was also appointed as priest. Only Melchizedek, who lived before the Law of Moses and the Levitical priesthood, was both king and priest.
The order of Aaron
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; því að hann sjálfur er umlukinn vanmætti. Og af því ætti hann að, Hvað fólkið varðar, svo líka fyrir sjálfan sig, að fórna fyrir syndir. Og enginn tekur sér þennan heiður, heldur sá sem Guð kallar, eins og Aron (Hebrews 5:1-4)
Guð hafði valið ættkvísl Levís (Levítarnir) fyrir prestdæmið. Synir Levís myndu hljóta embætti prestdæmisins fyrir náttúrlega fæðingu. Með tilkomu prestdæmisins kom Lögin.
Aaron, levítinn og bróðir Móse var útvalinn af Guði og útnefndur sem fyrsti æðsti prestur sáttmála Guðs. Synir Arons voru settir til presta. Æðsti presturinn og prestarnir voru smurðir, sem þýðir að þeir voru útnefndir í prestdæmisembættið og helgaðir, sem þýðir að þeir voru aðgreindir frá öðru fólki sem helgað var Guði. (Lestu líka: ‘Hvað segir Biblían um smurninguna‘).
Æðsti presturinn var vígður til að færa bæði gjafir og fórnir fyrir syndirnar.
Levítarnir voru settir yfir Laufskála vitnisburðarins og yfir öll ílát og yfir öllu því, sem henni tilheyrði.. Þeir áttu að bera tjaldbúðina og öll áhöld hennar og þjóna henni og setja búðir sínar umhverfis tjaldbúðina (Tölur 1:50).
Hlutur og arfleifð Arons og Levítanna
Drottinn talaði til Arons, Þú skalt ekki hafa arf í landi þeirra, Og þú skalt ekki eiga nokkurn hlutdeild meðal þeirra: Ég er þinn hlutur og arfleifð meðal Ísraelsmanna. Og, sjá, Ég gef Levísonum alla tíundu í Ísrael til arfs, fyrir þjónustu sína sem þeir þjóna, jafnvel guðsþjónustuna í tjaldbúð safnaðarins (Tölur 18:20-21)
Hlutur og arfur Arons, Æðsti presturinn, var Drottinn. Allur tíundi í Ísrael var gefinn levítunum til arfs fyrir þjónustu þeirra, sem þeir þjónuðu. Og svo gætti Guð um ættkvísl Levís.
Í levíska prestdæminu, það var enginn æðsti prestur eftir reglu Arons, hver var skipaður (Smurður) sem æðsti prestur og sem konungur.
Ættkvísl og ættfræði prestanna
Ef því fullkomnun væri fyrir levíska prestdæmið, (Því að undir henni fékk fólkið lögmálið,) Frekari þörf var á því að annar prestur kæmi upp eftir reglu Melkísedeks, og ekki vera kallaðir eftir skipun Arons? Að prestdæmið breytist, nauðsyn er einnig gerð breyting á lögum. Því að hann, sem þetta er talað um, tilheyrir annarri ættkvísl, og enginn gaf að altarinu, því að það er augljóst, að Drottinn vor spratt upp af Júda; Um þá ættkvísl talaði Móse ekkert um prestdæmið. Og það er enn miklu augljósara: því að eftir líkingu Melkísedeks rís annar prestur upp, Hver er gerður, ekki eftir lögmáli holdlegs boðorðs, en eftir kraft endalauss lífs. Því að hann vitnar, Þú ert prestur um aldur og ævi eftir reglu Melkísedeks (Hebrews 7:13-17)
Aron tilheyrði ættkvísl Levís, sem ættfræðin var þekkt um. Þess vegna afkomendur, og upphaf og endir þeirra, sem fæddir voru af niðjum Levís og tóku á móti embætti prestdæmisins, voru þekktar.
Hins vegar, Skipun Arons lauk, þegar Jesús Kristur, sonur Guðs, kom til jarðar. Jesús var ekki fæddur af niðjum manna. Jesus did not belong to the tribe of Levi. But Jesus belonged to the tribe of Juda. Jesus was born of the Seed of God, without a beginning of life nor an end of life. Just like Melchizedek, whose beginning and end were unknown (a.o. Hebrews 7:2-3).
Through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ and His blood, a New Covenant was established for the new creation (new man). The new creation is born again in Christ and reconciled with God and belongs to the Kingdom of God.
Jesus is the High Priest after the order of Melchizedek
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 (Hebrews 4:14-15)
Þannig vegsamaði Kristur ekki sjálfan sig til að verða æðsti prestur; en sá sem sagði við hann, Þú ert sonur minn, í dag hef ég getið þig. Eins og hann segir á öðrum stað, Þú ert prestur um aldur og ævi eftir reglu Melkísedeks (Hebrews 5:5-6)
Til þess að verða miskunnsamur og trúfastur æðsti prestur í því sem Guði varðar og sættast fyrir syndir fólksins, Jesús varð að verða eins og bræður hans. Jesús varð að verða hluttakandi af holdi og blóði.
Ef Jesús var ekki gerður eins og bræður hans, og hefðu ekki verið hluttakendur af holdi og blóði, Jesús gat aldrei komið í stað mannsins og komið í staðinn fyrir fallinn mann.
Jesús myndi ekki geta friðþægt fyrir syndir sínar og með dauða sínum, Eyða djöflinum, sem hafði vald yfir dauðanum, og frelsa þá, sem af ótta við dauðann voru alla ævi í ánauð. (Lestu líka: Var Jesús að fullu mannlegur?)
Jesus became a partaker of flesh and blood and was tempted in all things, just like we are. Hins vegar, Jesus didn’t sin. But Jesus can sympathize with your infirmities and help you when you come to Him in time of need. Svo, that you don’t give in to the temptation but resist the temptation og syndga ekki, just like Jesus. (Hebrews 2:14-18; 4:15-16)
What do the bread and wine symbolize?
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body (which is given for you). And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, að segja, Drink ye all of it; For this is My blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins (Matthías 26:26-28), Mark 14:22-24, Lúkas 22:17-20)
As Melchizedek offered bread and wine to Abraham (Mósebók 14:18-20), Jesus offered bread and wine to His disciples during the Last Supper.
The bread represented His body and the wine represented His blood. By eating the bread and drinking the wine, they connected themselves with Jesus and became partakers of the New Covenant in Him.
The institution of Communion by Jesus Christ, the High Priest, is part of the new priesthood and the New Covenant, meant for those who have become a new creation in Jesus Christ and belong to His Body; His Church.
Jesus Christ came to the earth and became a partaker of flesh and blood. When you eat the bread and drink the wine you become a partaker of Him; His body and His blood, and His sufferings, dauði, and resurrection, and be united with Him.
Sem nýja sköpunin, you are made in His image and seated in Him in the Heavenly Places.
Jesus Christ, the High Priest, took place of the throne
Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Being made so much better than the angels, as He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.For unto which of the angels said He at any time, Þú ert sonur minn, this day have I begotten Thee? And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son?
And again, when He bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, He saith, And let all the angels of God worship Him And of the angels He saith, Who maketh His angels spirits, and His ministers a flame of fire.
But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows.
Og, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of Thine hands: They shall perish; but Thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not fail.
But to which of the angels said He at any time, Sit on My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Hebrews 1:3-14)
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; A Minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man (Hebrews 8:1-2)
With the New Covenant, which is sealed with the blood of Jesus Christ, a new priesthood and a new law were established, namely the law of the Spirit of life, which was meant for the new man, who was no longer carnal but spiritual.
Jesus Christ, the High Priest, presented His body, which was sacrificed for humanity, and His own blood that was shed, to His Father, when He ascended to heaven in a cloud and went through the heavens and entered the Holy of Holies and took place on the mercy seat; the throne of grace, at the right hand of the Father. (Lestu líka: What is Ascension Day?).
Jesus Christ is King
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this (Isaiah 9:6-7).
Sjá, a King shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment (Isaiah 32:1)
Jesus Christ took place on the throne of grace and the Father gave (temporarily) the kingship to His Son; Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was not only High Priest of the New Covenant, but Jesus was also appointed King of the Kingdom of Heaven (a.o. Lúkas 1:31-33, 1 Korintubréf 5:24, Efesusbréfið 2:19-23, Kólossubúar 1:13, Hebrews 1:8)
And so Jesus Christ became High Priest and King after the order of Melchizedek. Because Melchizedek was also both king and priest of the Most High God.
Jesus had offered Himself as a living sacrifice and accomplished His work as High Priest and is still the High Priest of the New Covenant.
The blood of Christ is so powerful that it still makes atonement for the sins of those, who believe in Jesus Christ and decide to lay down their own life and follow Jesus Christ and become born again in Him (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7: 21-28, Hebrews 9:24-28).
Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom (Hebrews 1:8)
Jesus Christ is the High Priest unto eternity and Jesus is King of the Kingdom of Heaven, where righteousness is the scepter and where there is peace.
Jesus is King of righteousness and King of peace and Jesus reigns together with those, who are born again in Him and have become sons of God and belong to His Body; His Church.
The new creation lives as priest and reigns as king with Christ
John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from Him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before His throne; 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 (Opinberun 1:4-6)
And when He had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, að segja, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth (Opinberun 5:8-10).
If you have become a partaker of Him and are born again in Christ and have become a new creation, you no longer belong to the kingdom of darkness (the world) and shall no longer live after the flesh like the world. But you belong to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, through the death of the flesh and the resurrection from the spirit from the dead. You shall live after the Spirit in His will as priest and you shall reign together with Jesus Christ as king.
Through the Holy Spirit, God has put His law in the mind and written in the heart of the new man, so that everyone may know Him (Hebrews 8:10-11; 10:15-17).
And so if you are born of God and belong to God, you shall live in the New Covenant after the order of Melchizedek. You shall live in Christ as priest, holy (set apart from the world and live unto God) and righteous after His will, and reign with Him as king over the kingdom of darkness.
God has given all power to Jesus Christ. And the new man has been given all power and authority in Jesus Christ and by the Holy Spirit to represent, preach, and bring His Kingdom to the people on earth and expose the lies of the devil and cast down the works of the kingdom of darkness, so that many souls will be saved from the power of the devil and his kingdom and brought into the Kingdom of His dear Son.
‘Be the salt of the earth’
