Aaron, the older brother of Moses, was appointed to be the first High Priest of the nation of Israel. This was an office established by God under the Old Covenant, the Law that God gave to Moses to govern the Jews. Aaron was the first of many men who served in this capacity before Jesus. He was a descendent of Levi, hence the priesthood is known as the Levitical or Aaronic priesthood. Put simply, these were mere men, themselves guilty of sin, who yearly had to offer the blood of bulls and goats for atonement, first for themselves, and then for the people of Israel, (cf. Leviticus 16:1-5).
In the letter to the Hebrews, the Holy Spirit makes clear the differences between Jesus as High Priest, and those who went on before. Consider the following:
Jesus was from another tribe. Jesus’ genealogy was not as those before. Under the new covenant, his claim to be High Priest was from another order, that of Melchizedek, (cf. Hebrews 7). This order, from the king of Salem who was also a priest of the most high God, clearly is a type of Christ as both King and Priest. As Hebrews 7:12 states, “For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of law. For He of whom these things are spoken [Jesus Christ] belongs to another tribe, from which no man has officiated at the altar.”
The altar where Jesus serves as High Priest is in Heaven. It is referred to in Hebrews 9:1 as the “greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation.” The tabernacle of the Old Covenant was a tent fashioned by men’s hands as a habitation for God as He represented Himself to the Jews. It was used by the Jews while wandering in the Judean wilderness before the temple was erected during the reign of Solomon, in Jerusalem.
Christ sacrificed Himself on the cross. His sacrifice was greater, and more efficacious. The blood of bulls and goats were not sufficient to take away sins, (cf. Hebrews 10:1-4). In contrast, Jesus Christ entered “the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption” (Hebrews 9:12).
Christ is our eternal mediator and intercessor. Intercession was the foremost work of the high priest, “then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering, which is for the people…” (Leviticus 16:15). Christ never ceases to make intercession between us and the Father. “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25).
Jesus Christ is the greater High Priest!
