It is amazing what a simple reading of God’s word can reveal. I have read the Bible several times through during the course of my life, and yet with each subsequent reading I still uncover truths that have eluded my eyes previously. Such was the case this past week when I was studying the aspect of Jesus being our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, and how His priesthood is far superior to that of the Aaronic priesthood He supplanted. In looking at the history of the Aaronic priesthood, I ran across a verse that I have read many times, and yet I did not catch the significance of it. “The priest who is chief among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil is poured, and who has been consecrated to wear the garments, shall not let the hair of his head hang loose, nor rend his clothes;” (Leviticus 21:10 [RSV]). So what is the significance of this verse? I believe it is very significant in that Caiaphas was the High Priest who officiated over the mock trial of Jesus the night He was betrayed. Listen to the account Matthew provides in Matthew 26:63-66 [RSV]: 63. But Jesus was silent. And the high priest said to Him, "I adjure You by the living God, tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God." 64. Jesus said to him, "You have said so. But I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of Heaven." 65. Then the high priest tore his robes, and said, "He has uttered blasphemy. Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66. What is your judgment?" They answered, "He deserves death." By this act of tearing his robes, Caiaphas had automatically forfeited his job as high priest.
Not only had Caiaphas forfeited his job, but by his engaging in subterfuge and conspiracy (Matthew 26:4) in knowingly declaring guilty an innocent Man, Jesus Christ, and demanding He be killed, under the Law of Moses Caiaphas was subject to the death penalty himself. “If a malicious witness rises against any man to accuse him of wrongdoing . . . if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely, then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother; so you shall purge the evil from the midst of you.” (Deuteronomy 19:16; 18-19 [RSV]) Rightly so did Caiaphas forfeit his position, for, though he did not realize it at the time, the new High Priest of the better covenant was standing before him and was about to succeed and supersede him. Aaron, as were all subsequent high priests that followed after under the Law of Moses, was a human being, full of failure. Christ, our High Priest, on the other hand, is “ . . . holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26 [RSV]). As the writer of the Book of Hebrews continues, “He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; He did this once for all when He offered up Himself” (Hebrews 7:27 [RSV]).
May our Great High Priest bless you today!
Not only had Caiaphas forfeited his job, but by his engaging in subterfuge and conspiracy (Matthew 26:4) in knowingly declaring guilty an innocent Man, Jesus Christ, and demanding He be killed, under the Law of Moses Caiaphas was subject to the death penalty himself. “If a malicious witness rises against any man to accuse him of wrongdoing . . . if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely, then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother; so you shall purge the evil from the midst of you.” (Deuteronomy 19:16; 18-19 [RSV]) Rightly so did Caiaphas forfeit his position, for, though he did not realize it at the time, the new High Priest of the better covenant was standing before him and was about to succeed and supersede him. Aaron, as were all subsequent high priests that followed after under the Law of Moses, was a human being, full of failure. Christ, our High Priest, on the other hand, is “ . . . holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26 [RSV]). As the writer of the Book of Hebrews continues, “He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; He did this once for all when He offered up Himself” (Hebrews 7:27 [RSV]).
May our Great High Priest bless you today!
2 comments:
How many times have I missed the analogous nature of Caiaphas tearing his robes -- thnx.
I appreciate that, Scott. I, too, had never caught this connection until my recent study.
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