Priestly People

Do you go through life believing that Priests are better than you and that they are specially ordained? For a lot of religions this is true and there are several ways that they are chosen. Some by a calling from Elohiym (or other god), some by bloodline (heritage), and some by training.

In the Holy Scriptures we have two types of priests listed for YaHVaH. The very first mention of a priest is Melchizedek (spelled Melchisedek sometimes) <Mal°kiy-Tzedeq in Hebrew>, the King of Salem (later to become the city of Yerushaliym). Notice he is both a king and a priest (Ge. 14:18). His very name means king of righteousness, equity, and justice. Keep this in mind for later on. Now in Exodus, YaHVaH chooses Aaron <Aharown> and his descendants to be the priests for Israel <Yisra’el>. For a long time I was led to believe that all the Levites were priests, all the Sadducees were priests, and all the Pharisees were priests. However, after some careful studying you will see that most of the Levites, Sadducees, and Pharisees were only servants for the priests. Only the bloodline of Aaron were to be priests. He himself was a Levite, but only one portion of 22,000 Levites at that time (see Nu. 3:39).

In Mt. 12:5, Yahoshua questions the Pharisees about the priests in the temple not the Pharisees themselves. Mt. 21:45 lists the priests and Pharisees separately. Mt. 22:35 shows that at least one Pharisee was a lawyer. Notice in several passages He mentions that He will be betrayed into the hands of the priests, never the Sadducees or Pharisees. In the Woes (Mt. 23), He speaks out against the Pharisees and scribes, but never against the priests. All of this paints a clear picture that most of the Pharisees and Sadducees were servants to the priests in the way of lawyers, teachers, scribes, and more. Some may have become priests, but most were not. This also agrees with Yahoshua’s inference that the priests are blameless (Mt. 12:5), but the Pharisees teach wrong doctrine.

Now let us go to Hebrews, where we read that Yahoshua is a priest after the order of Melchizedek, the King of righteousness, equity, and justice. He is our High Priest. We are also co-inheritors (Ep. 1:11, Ga. 4:7, Rm. 8:17, Ti. 3:7, Heb. 11:9), heirs, in the same things as Yahoshua. Okay, you say. We know He is the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and a priest after the order of Melchizedek, but how can we be sure that we are also?

Well for that answer let us turn to Rv. 1:6, where it says, “And hath made us kings and priests unto [Elohiym] and His Father . . .” KJV.  “And hast made us unto our [Elohiym] kings and priests . . . ” Rv. 5:10, KJV. So as you see, we are all kings and priests if we are believers in Yahoshua HaMashiyach. Therefore, it is inappropriate for any Believer (or Christian) to consider that there is a priest above him other than Yahoshua Himself or for anyone to take on an “office of priest” thinking he is better than anyone else.

How does it feel to know you are a king and a priest? You must remember to act like one in the same manner and humility that Yahoshua does. He didn’t think it was beyond Him to serve or to bend down and wash His disciples’ feet. Have you served today?

I am 100% for church/assembly leadership as listed in the New Testament. In 1 Cr. 12:28 and Ep. 4:11, we see that leaders are Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers. Nowhere are priests mentioned. In the Old Testament, the priests prayed for the people, but in the New we can go directly to Elohiym’s throne in prayer because we have been made priests, all of us.

First published 10-2002, © 2002, 2017

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