Hebrews 4:14-5:10

Jesus is greater than the Old Testament priesthood.

First of all, we need to understand the role of a high priest. God provided very detailed instructions to the Israelites concerning where & how to worship Him. These instructions can be found in Exodus & Leviticus. He told them how to build the tabernacle (a church that could be moved as the Israelites wandered in the desert); how, what, and when to sacrifice; and how to call and train priests. A high priest was to be appointed to oversee everything pertaining to the worship of God - the tabernacle, the sacrifices, the priests. The first high priest was Aaron, Moses' brother. In first century Jerusalem, the high priest oversaw the Temple and all that went on there. He was the mediator between man and God. Think of him as the president of the United States. He was in charge of everything, because everything in Jewish culture was centered around the Temple.

We learn about Melchizedek in Genesis 14:7-20. He was the "king of peace" who came into contact with Abram. He ruled Salem, which eventually became Jerusalem, and was a priest of the God Most High. What is interesting about Melchizedek is that he was not a Jew. From his life, we learn that anyone, Jew or Gentile, can be a follower of God. It's about your heart, not your genetics.

Finally, the author tells us that Jesus Christ is superior to the high priest. In fact, He is now THE High Priest - our mediator to God. He lived a human life, experienced pain, suffering, and temptation - yet He never sinned. He was the perfect High Priest and He offered a perfect sacrifice - Himself.