Christ's work as Priest and as Mediator is essentially one and the same, but in order to make both phases of the subject plain and more easily understood by Orthodox [Greek] Catholics, who hold erroneous and mysterious views regarding the "priesthood of the new law" and the "intercession of saints," it is sometimes best to divide the subject into two parts.
Part 1. Christ Our Only Priest
1. Of how many priesthoods does Holy Writ speak? Heb. 7:11 (last part).
Answer.—Two. One after the order of Melchisedec, and one after the order of Aaron.
2. Of which is Christ priest? Heb. 7 : 15-22.
Ans.—"Thou [Jesus] art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec."
3. Who were priests after the order of Aaron? Heb. 7:5, 11; Num. 3:1-12.
Ans.—The Levites. Priests who served under the Old Testament regime were the priests after the order of Aaron.
4. How far back in the history of the world did the Melchisedec order of priests exist? Gen. 14:18; Heb. 7:1.
Ans.—Back to the time of Abraham, —about 1913 B. c.
5. When and by whom was the order of Aaron inaugurated? Lev. 8:1-14; Num. 3:1-3.
Ans.—In the wilderness, by Moses,—about 1490 B. C.
6. Which priesthood first came into existence?
Ans.—Melchisedec.
7. Does the Aaronic priesthood still exist? Gal. 2:14-17; Eph. 2:15, 16; Heb. 7:11, 12.
Ans.—No. It ceased its work when Christ was crucified—when type met antitype, and shadow became in reality the body. Col. 2:17.
8. Could the daily and yearly offerings by the priests under the Aaronic priesthood take away sin? Heb. 10: 1.4.
Ans.—No. Paul wrote: "It is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." (See Note 1.)
9. What is it that cleanses from all sin? 1 John 1:7.
Ans.—The blood of Jesus Christ.
10. For what price have all sold themselves? Ise. 52 : 3.
Ans.—"Naught"—nothing.
11. How are all to be redeemed? Isa. 52:3 (last part).
Ans.—"Without money"—it is a transaction beyond monetary value.
12. Did Christ then redeem us without price? 1 Cor. 6:19, 20.
Ans.—No, indeed. "Ye are bought with a price."
13. What is the price? 1 Peter. 1: 18, 19.
Ans.—The precious blood of Christ. (See Note 2.)
14. What term is applied to Christ in the word of God? Heb, 3:1.
Ans.—"High Priest of our profession."
15. Where does Christ, our High Priest, officiate? Heb. 8:1, 2.
Ans.—In the sanctuary, "the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man."
16. Where is this sanctuary? Heb. 8:1.
Ans.—In heaven, where Christ officlues before the Father.
17. For what purpose was every priest of the Old Testament ordained? Heb. 8:3.
Ans.—To offer gifts and sacrifices.
18. Since Christ is now our High Priest, is it necessary that He also should have something to offer? Heb. 8:3.
Ans.—Yes, it is explicitly stated: "It is of necessity that this Man [Christ] have somewhat also to offer."
19. With what offering did Christ enter upon His work as High Priest? Heb. 9:11, 12.
Ans.—"By His own blood He entered in."
20. What has Christ obtained for us through the offering of His blood? Heb. 9:12.
Ans.—Eternal redemption.
21. For how many has Christ obtained this eternal redemption? Horn. 5:15-19.
Ans.—For all men. (See Note 3.)
Note 1.—The whole religious system of the Old Testament, which consisted of temple, Aaronic priesthood, and offerings and sacrifices for sin, was all typical of Christ, His sacrifice for sin, His officiating as Priest and Mediator, in which capacity He is now serving. When Christ was crucified, and in that way offered Himself for the sins of the world (John 1:2i), the veil an the temple was rent in twain from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51), indicating that the temple services under the Aaronic priesthood had ended, and that a new epoch, and a better way of serving Jehovah, had begun, and that everything which had pointed the people of God forward to the Messiah, the Christ, had now reached its culmination; from that time on they were no longer efficacious. The earthly sanctuary and tabernacle had given way to a heavenly, the Aaronic priesthood to the Melchisedec, and all sacrifices and oblations came to an end in that one exclusive and forever efficacious sacrifice of Christ. Christ was from thenceforth to be the only priest, and His blood the only saving and sanctifying power.
Note 2.—We are not redeemed (saved or cleansed) from our sins by our own works, however good they may be. The "holy sacraments" of the altar and of baptism cannot save us. There is nothing that can save but the blood of Christ and our implicit confidence in its merits. As the high priest under the old covenant made atonement for the people with the blood of bulls and of goats (which, however, could not save only as the people had implicit faith in the blood of Christ, to which the blood of their victims pointed them), so Christ, as our High Priest, the only high priest for this time, makes atonement for us with His own blood in the sanctuary, into which He has entered and is officiating since His ascension.
Note 3.—Under the new covenant, Christ is both the sacrifice and the priest. Since all the sacrifices of the old covenant, with its earthly priesthood and tabernacle, ceased at the cross, and are no more a part of God's great system of salvation for man, and since the apostles did not establish any other system of sacrifice or any other priesthood for the new covenant, aside from Christ, it is clear that the sacrifice of Christ on the cross is the only reconciliatory and redemptory offering for sin, and that Christ Himself is therefore the only mediatory and advocatory priest between God and man.
Part II. Christ as Mediator
It was not in the days of the apostles, but later, when many strange doctrines had developed of which the holy apostles knew nothing and which they would have strongly condemned, had such doctrines been taught in their days, that the idea was gradually developed into actual teaching, that the "saints" who died would intercede with Christ and the Father for sinful man. In due time it became customary for nations and tribes and individuals to choose their patron saints to stand as mediators between them and the throne of God, and soon prayers began to be offered to these "patron saints." As time went on, a great many such "saints" were canonized, and at the present time there are not sufficient days in the calendar year to make it possible to revere all of them.
These so-called "saints" were men and women who lived an exemplary life in every way. It is not appropriate for Christians to speak against them; but it is quite a different thing to give deference to them as mediators between us and God. To teach such a doctrine as that, would be to teach something which the holy apostles would utterly condemn if they were alive today. The only mediator the apostles knew anything about, is Christ, our blessed Lord, as we shall see In the following Bible study:
1. Who does the apostle John say is our advocate with the Father? 1 John 2:1.
Answer.—Jesus Christ the righteous.
2. What relation does Christ bear to our sins? 1 John 2:2.
Ans.—He is the propitiation for our sins.
3. Who does St. Paul say makes intercession for us at the right hand of God? Rom. 8:24; Heb. 7:25.
Ans.—Christ.
4. Is there any other medium -whereby salvation is obtained? Acts 4:10-12.
Ans.—No. There is no other name given among men.
5. Is there another mediator anywhere aside from Christ? 1 Tim. 2: 4, 5.
Ans.—"One Mediator, . . . the man Christ Jesus."
6. As Christ is the only mediator in man's behalf, can He understand our needs as well as a departed "saint," who has lived as we do? Heb. 5:1, 2; 2:16-18; 4:15, 16.
Ans.---Yes, indeed; for He is "touched with the feeling of our infirmities."
7. With what confidence may we therefore approach the throne of God? Heb. 4:16.
Ans.—We may come "boldly," and obtain mercy, grace, and help.
La Grange, Ill.
