The Priesthood of Christ
- Temple liturgies transfigured in Christ
- Cleansing of the Temple → drives out the money changers, destroy the temple (his body) and he will raise it. The former view of the temple is passing away, also rejecting Levitical sacrifices.
- The temple also a house of prayer → from Isaiah, all will offer burnt offerings and sacrifices, not just the Levitical priests → a new priesthood where both Israel and Gentiles act as priests.
- Feast of Tabernacles (water used as a libation around the altar) → Christ proclaims “If anyone thirst let him come to me and drink.
- Also an evening light liturgy where the priest lights 4 candelabras → Jesus states “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life”.
- Feast of Dedication (celebrated the rededication/reconsecration of the temple) → Jesus declares he has been consecrated by the Father.
- Jesus’ Priestly Prayer (John 17): Follows the structure of the high priest’s prayers on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) → prays for himself, his house (fellow priests), and all people
- Jesus prays for himself (to glorify the Father), for his disciples, and for all who come to believe through his disciples.
- Letter to the Hebrews → describes Christ’s death as transfiguring the Old Testament → specifically the Day of Atonement (the one day the high priest entered the Holy of Holies and sprinkled blood to atone for sins)
- Christ enters the heavenly Holy of Holies, answers the needs/hopes of the Jewish people for atonement.
- Christ’s Priesthood is after the order of Melchizedek → superior to the Levitical priesthood.
- The Last Supper: institutes the Eucharist and the New Covenant in his blood shed on the cross (in each covenant, cutting and binding were essential, the blood sealed the covenant)
- Jesus is a priest through his priestly offering → death on the cross.
Consecration of the Apostles
- Consecration → Handing over a reality, a person or even a thing, to God, especially for worship
- Washing of the Feet (John 13) → Preparation for Consecration
- Jesus’ Priestly Prayer → Ask’s the Father, who is holy, to give some of his holiness to the apostles also.
- Holy → Hagios (gk), same word used to describe the ordination of priests in the OT.
- Jesus petitions that the Father consecrate the apostles in truth, to be removed from the profane, to be set apart for God.
- As the Father consecrated Jesus for his mission, so Jesus prays that the Father also consecrate the apostles for their mission (teach, rule, sanctify).
- Setting apart and mission (existing for) form a single whole.
- Consecration means that God is exercising a total claim over this man ‘setting him apart’ for himself yet at the same time sending him out for the nations.
Components of the Sacrament
- Matter: imposition of hands, Form: ordination prayer, Recipient: a baptized man.
- With the exception of deacons, the ordained minister is called to live a life of celibacy → for the sake of the kingdom, to consecrate and dedicate himself entirely to God and his will/mission.
- The recipient of the sacrament receives an indelible mark, configuring him to Christ → 2 Cor 2:10