Christ's high priesthood is fundamentally different from the Old Testament priests—He is after the order of Melchizedek, entered heaven's tabernacle once by His own blood, and obtained eternal redemption.
The Old Testament priests ministered daily in an earthly tabernacle, offering repeatedly the same animal sacrifices, first for their own sins and then for the people's. Christ, by contrast, had no sins of His own, offered Himself once, and then sat down at the right hand of God. Through that single offering He perfected forever those who are sanctified.
Hebrews 9:11-12 — This is the central passage Les uses to show Christ entered the greater heavenly tabernacle once with His own blood, obtaining eternal redemption.
Hebrews 7:27 — This verse contrasts the priests' daily need to offer for their own sins with Christ's single offering of Himself.
Hebrews 7:27 draws the first contrast: the Old Testament high priests "needeth daily" to offer up sacrifice, first for their own sins and then for the people's, but Christ "did once, when he offered up himself." Hebrews 9:11-12 then shows that Christ came as "a high priest of good things to come" through "a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands"—heaven itself—and "by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." Hebrews 10:11-14 pictures the priests standing daily "ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins," while Christ, "after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God... For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." Hebrews 4:14-15 adds the comfort that believers have "a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God," who "can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities."
Les emphasizes the order of Christ's priesthood. Christ is not a high priest after the order of Aaron in the Old Testament Jewish economy, but after the order of Melchizedek—the one who was high priest of all, long before Israel was a nation. Therefore Christ is the high priest of every human being, not just of Israel [Clip 1] [Clip 3]. Les explains that Christ fulfilled this priestly role by entering the greatest tabernacle of all—heaven itself, "not made with hands"—and presenting His own blood, not the blood of goats and calves. Where Aaron's high priest entered the Holy of Holies once a year, Christ entered in once for all time and obtained eternal redemption [Clip 3] [Clip 4] [Clip 5]. Les also connects this to the cross: during the three hours of darkness, Christ suffered all the hell and judgment every human being deserved, so that sin was removed as far as east is from west—and He could then cry out that it was finished [Clip 0]. Finally, Les highlights the once-for-all nature of the offering. The priests stood daily ministering, offering sacrifices that could never take away sins; Christ offered one sacrifice for sins forever and sat down at the right hand of God [Clip 6]. Because He did not need to offer sacrifice first for His own sins—He was sinless—His one offering perfected forever those who are sanctified [Clip 5] [Clip 6]. That finished work is why believers can rest assured they have a high priest interceding for them at heaven's throne, one who can be touched with the feeling of their infirmities [Clip 2] [Clip 7].
Les teaches that Aaron was the high priest of Israel, but Melchizedek was the high priest of all—a picture of Christ—and he appeared long before Israel became a nation. So Christ is not limited to the Jewish economy; as our high priest after the order of Melchizedek, He is the high priest of every human being, and believers can rest assured that He is interceding for them at the very throne room of heaven.
Christ went by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands—heaven itself. Unlike the Old Testament high priest who entered the earthly holy place once a year with the blood of goats and calves, Christ entered in once with His own blood and presented it in the very presence of God. By that entrance He obtained eternal redemption for us—not just once a year, but once for all time.
Hebrews 7:27 shows the Old Testament priests had to offer sacrifice daily—first for their own sins and then for the people's—but Christ needed no such daily offering, and He did it "once, when he offered up himself." Les notes that every priest stood daily offering the same sacrifices that could never take away sins, but after offering one sacrifice for sins forever, Christ sat down on the right hand of God. By one offering He has perfected forever those who are sanctified—"forever, not until we goof it, not until we drop the ball, but forever."
Les teaches that a whole picture of what Christ did when He died is found in the three hours of silence and darkness on the cross. In that three-hour period—stepping out of time into eternity—Christ literally suffered all the hell and all the judgment that every human being deserved. After that, stepping back into time, He could say it is finished, because sins had been removed as far as east is from west, buried in the deepest sea.
Three Hours of Darkness on the Cross
Les teaches that during the three silent hours of darkness at the cross, Christ suffered all the hell and judgment every human being deserved, so that sin was removed as far as east is from west and He could declare the work finished.
Christ's Order of Melchizedek
Les contrasts the Aaronic high priest of Israel with Christ, who is a high priest after the order of Melchizedek—the high priest of all, not just Israel, and therefore high priest of every human being.
Interceding at the Heavenly Throne
Les gives assurance that because Christ is high priest after the order of Melchizedek, believers have a high priest interceding for them at the very throne room of heaven.
His Own Blood, Once, Eternal Redemption
Les explains that Christ entered the throne room of heaven by His own blood, not goats and calves, entered once, and obtained eternal redemption as high priest of all.
Presenting His Blood in Heaven
Les contrasts Christ entering the greater, heavenly tabernacle once for all time—not once a year like the Aaronic high priest—and presenting His own blood.
Once, When He Offered Up Himself
Les highlights Hebrews 7:27—Christ did not need to offer daily, first for His own sins; He did it once when He offered up Himself.
One Sacrifice, Forever, Sat Down
Les contrasts daily standing priests whose sacrifices never took away sins with Christ's one offering for sins forever and His sitting down at God's right hand.
Touched With Our Infirmities
Les teaches that our great High Priest passed into the heavens, so we have one who can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and we can hold fast our profession.
Hebrews 7:27: Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
This verse contrasts the priests' daily offerings with Christ's single offering of Himself.
Hebrews 9:11-12: 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.
This is the key passage showing Christ entering the heavenly sanctuary once with His own blood.
Hebrews 10:11-14: 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.
Shows the standing ministry of priests versus Christ sitting down after one offering.
Hebrews 4:14-15: 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.
Provides the believer's assurance that Christ is now in heaven and sympathizes with our weaknesses.
Romans 3:25: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;
Les points to Romans 3 to show Christ's high priesthood extends to all—including the Jew—because of His blood.
Hebrews 7:27 says the priests had to offer sacrifice daily, "first for his own sins, and then for the people's," but Christ needed no such offering and "did once, when he offered up himself." Les emphasizes from Hebrews 10 that He offered one sacrifice for sins forever and sat down, perfecting forever those who are sanctified.
The Old Testament priests served in an earthly tabernacle made with hands. Christ, Les teaches, went by a greater and more perfect tabernacle "not made with hands"—heaven itself—and entered in once, presenting His own blood rather than the blood of goats and calves, obtaining eternal redemption.
Les explains that Aaron was the high priest of Israel, but Melchizedek—who appeared before Israel became a nation—was the high priest of all. Because Christ is a priest after the order of Melchizedek, He is the high priest of every human being.
Les points to Hebrews 10:14—"by one offering he hath perfected for ever them who are sanctified." He says: "How long? Forever. Forever. Not until we goof it, not until we drop the ball, but forever."
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