Pretty much any religion the world has ever known has some sort of priesthood. The Bible is no exception for this, as God created a priesthood to serve Him, when He rescued the people of Israel out of captivity in Egypt. While this priesthood holds some similarities to the office of priests in other religions, it also differed considerably. God’s priests were expected to be faithful to Him and live up to a high standard.
In a way, the formation of the priesthood can be blamed on Moses, the man who led Israel out of captivity. Moses was clearly a religious leader, making it appear likely that he would become the chief priest. However, when God called Moses to lead the people out of Egypt, at the burning bush (Exodus, chapters 3 & 4), Moses gave a number of excuses why he was not the best choice for what God was calling him to do. In response to one of those excuses, God appointed Moses’ brother, Aaron to speak on Moses’ behalf, becoming Moses’ mouthpiece, as Moses was God’s mouthpiece.
Then Moses said to the Lord, “Oh my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue…” 14 So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said: “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart… 16 So he shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God.” – Exodus 4:10, 14, 16
Later, when God gave the plan for the Tabernacle to Moses, He appointed Aaron as High Priest, with his four sons to serve as priests as well (Exodus 28:1). Moses anointed them as priests in Exodus 29:4-5. With the entire tribe of Levi to serve as their assistants. The Levites were given this task in place of the firstborn of every family in Israel, as God claimed the firstborn as His own (Numbers 3:12).
One thing unique about this priesthood, other than being directly appointed by God, is that it was limited to descendants of Aaron (Numbers 3:10). As the Jewish people prepare to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, one of the many tasks has been finding those who were willing and able, and who could trace their lineage back to Aaron and train them to fulfill the office of priest.
Disqualified from the Priesthood
While the basic calling that God gave was for Aaron and his sons, with the office being hereditary, God made some exceptions, saying that some of Aaron’s descendants would not be qualified to fulfill the obligations of the priestly office, even though they still received the benefits of the priesthood.
Speak to Aaron, saying: “Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, let him not approach to offer the bread of his God. 18 For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, 19 Or a man that is brokenfooted, or brokenhanded, 20 Or crookbackt, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken; 21 No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the LORD made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God.” – Leviticus 21:17-21 KJV
On the surface, it might seem that God is against people with handicapped; but that isn’t so. God negates that possibility pretty well, by allowing these people to still receive the benefit of being of the priestly family. In other words, they would still receive a priest’s salary and could eat off the food given in offering. They just didn’t have to fulfill the work in the Temple. So, what was God up to here?
Another simple explanation would be that God was concerned about their ability to fulfill the office and complete the work of the priesthood. While that may be possible in some cases, it is an incomplete answer. Surely God could contrive some way for them to fulfill the office, even with a physical defect, if that was His concern.
But is this list of defects purely physical? Could it be that these are symbolic, referring to spiritual defects, rather than physical ones? Would it not make more sense that God would reject people from the priesthood because of some spiritual shortcoming, rather than a physical one?
There are 12 defects mentioned here; and while each of them clearly describes a physical problem, they can also be seen to describe a spiritual one as well. Knowing the importance of the priesthood, it is much more likely that God was disqualifying these people from serving because of these spiritual failings, than because of how they looked or any ailment that they possessed. Let us look at the 12 defects, from the viewpoint of them being spiritual defects, not physical.
- Blind – Can’t see spiritually. They don’t have a vision for the work of God.
- Lame – They have something wrong with their walk; some area of sin in their lives which they won’t give up.
- Flat Nose – Lacking discernment. They can’t tell what is good from what is bad.
- Superfluous Limb – One that is too long or too short – They are out of balance, doctrinally speaking. To them, only one part of the Gospel matters, not the whole of the teaching of God.
- Broken Hand – Can’t grasp things – Spiritually speaking, they can’t grasp the truth of God’s Word.
- Broken Foot – While this also causes a problem in their walk, it is caused by an injury inflicted by another, rather than by their own sin.
- Crooked Back – Can’t carry any burden – They’re response to every commandment or restriction given by God, is “That’s too heavy. I can’t live up to that.”
- Dwarf – One who never grows, they stay spiritually immature.
- Blemish in the Eye – Can’t see their own sin.
- Scurvy – A disease caused by lack of vitamin C – Someone who is trying to live on the wrong spiritual diet, rather than the Word of God.
- Scabs – Sensitivity, that comes from being hurt.
- Broken Stones (testicles) – Can’t reproduce – One who has never won another person to Christ.
Looking at this list from an overall perspective, it appears that God was concerned with having people in the priesthood who were having sufficient problems in their own lives, that they would not be able to minister to others. That’s not to say that priests and other ministers need to be perfect, because they are not; but rather, that there are some imperfections that get in the way of ministering, while there are others which we can grow through, while being in the ministry.
Is that list complete? It’s as complete as God thought it should be. Nevertheless, it’s quite possible that there are other defects that people can have in their lives, which would disqualify them just as much as those mentioned; adultery being one that comes quickly to mind. It is quite possible that the list was intended to be representative, rather than all-inclusive.
The Work of the Priests
Priests in any religion serve as the bridge between God and man. The Roman Catholic Pope, their chief priest, carries the title of “Pontifex Maximus” or “Chief Bridge Builder” in Latin. This title indicates that his primary role is to be the chief bridge builder between God and man.
Looking at that another way, the Biblical Priest fulfilled the role of being a mediator between God and man. As such, they represented God to man and man to God, in a number of different ways. One of the key ways that the priests in the Old Testament represented man before God was through making offerings to God, on behalf of the people. While God never actually forbade people from making offerings themselves, He declared that those offerings were to be made at the Tabernacle in the wilderness. Later that became the Temple. The people were instructed in the Old Testament Law to bring their sacrifices to the priests, who were taught how to properly offer them to God, on behalf of the people.
The priests also made more general offerings, in addition to those brought by the people. The Law had provisions for daily, weekly, and monthly offerings to be made on behalf of the nation of Israel. Additionally, there were special offerings given on high holy days and other special occasions. A major part of the priests’ training was an understanding of the sacrificial system, based on the instruction given in the book of Leviticus.
Sacrifices weren’t the only ritual service that the priests performed. There were a number of other ceremonial duties, including such diverse things as ordaining new priests (Leviticus, chapter 8) and the cleansing ceremony used for people who were healed of leprosy (Leviticus 14:12-17). They also had certain ritualistic tasks in the Holy of Holies, such as burning incense, changing the shewbread daily and keeping the golden lampstand lit. These were part of their work of representing people before God.
Another way that the priests represented man before God was in intercessory prayer. Both priests and prophets were supposed to pray for the people, lifting their needs up before God. While God knows our needs, even before we ask (Mathew 6:8), we are still to ask, showing our recognition of our need for Him.
On the other side of mediation, we find the work of speaking to the people, on behalf of God. This can be prophetic and some prophets were priests; but for the most part it was teaching the people out of God’s Word, especially the books of the Law or Torah (Hebrew for “law”); the first five books of the Bible. Priests were expected to be knowledgeable not only of the letter of the law, but also of how to interpret that law and apply it to their lives on a practical level.
Because of their knowledge of scripture, people would go to the priests for counsel and advice, when dealing with problems in their lives. This started before the priesthood even existed, as the people sought out Moses for that purpose (Exodus 18:13). This part of Moses’ work was so burdensome, that his father-in-law gave him some sound advice, telling him to choose able men to take up part of the burden, so that only those with the greatest needs were brought before Moses (Exodus 18:17-22).
The priests were very much a central part of the Israeli community. Not only did they fulfill these religious duties, as outlined by the Bible, but they also fulfilled many civic duties. The Sanhedrin mentioned in the Gospels, which was the highest court in the land (similar to our Supreme Court), was populated by members of the Sadducees and the Pharisees. This doesn’t seem to have anything to do with the priesthood, until you realize that the Sadducees were the political/social party of the priesthood. So, half this court was made up of priests.
The Difference Between Priests and Levites
There’s another group mentioned in the Old Testament, which are often confused with the Priests; these are the Levites. Since Aaron came from the tribe of Levi, we can say that all Priests are Levites; but that doesn’t mean that all Levites are Priests. Rather, the entire tribe of the Levites were taken out of the population of Israel and set apart to serve God.
Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine… 19 And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the work for the children of Israel in the Tabernacle of Meeting, and to make atonement for the children of Israel, that there be no plague among the children of Israel when the children of Israel come near the sanctuary. – Numbers 8:14, 19
Here we get the first glimpse as to the role of the Levites; that of acting as assistants to the Priests. Just as in our churches today, there were many additional roles to be fulfilled in the Tabernacle. Some of those included being the worship team, guards, gatekeepers, craftsmen to maintain the Tabernacle and its furnishings, temple officials to manage all the functions associated with ministering to over a million people, and quartermasters to ensure that the necessary supplies were on hand. These tasks were assigned by family, to the major families of the tribe of Levi.
Then there was the problem of moving the Tabernacle, as the nation of Israel traveled through the wilderness. It took a small army of people to disassemble, pack up and especially carry all the pieces to the Tabernacle.
As time went on, the function of the Levites changed. They were always in charge of caring for the Tabernacle and later the Temple that Solomon built; but as Israel settled down, the specific needs for their services changed. When David became king and brought the Arc of the Covenant to Jerusalem, his major concern was to have the Levites functioning as the worship team, ensuring that there was worship around the Arc, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
But not all of the Levites were likely gifted in playing instruments and singing. There were still other functions that needed to be performed, and many of them worked in those areas. One of these people was Obed-Edom, the Levite at whose house David left the arc (2 Samuel 6:10), after Uzzah was killed for touching the Arc (2 Samuel 6:6), during David’s first attempt to bring it to Jerusalem. When David changed his mind and went back to Obed-Edom’s house, to get the Arc, he apparently packed up the family and followed the Ark to Jerusalem. We find Obed-Edom listed later on, serving as a gatekeeper for the tent that was pitched for the Arc (1 Chronicles 15:18).
Priests in New Testament Times
The only place we find Priests mentioned in the New Testament, is in reference to the Jewish Priests. There is no office of the priest, as it applies to Christianity, anywhere in the New Testament. Considering that Christianity is God’s extension of Judaism, fulfilling the promise of God sending the Messiah, that might seem a bit strange on the surface; but there are good reasons for it.
When we look back at the work of the priests in Old Testament times, much of their work was involved with offering sacrifices, both the required ceremonial sacrifices and ones given by people in atonement for their sins. That work was eliminated by Christ’s death on the cross.
By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God… 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. – Hebrews 10:10-13, 14
This alone didn’t eliminate the priestly function. While there was no longer any need for priests to make sacrifices, one would think that they would still be needed as mediators between God and man. But that barrier has been broken down as well. Remember the veil being torn, when Jesus died on the cross (Matthew 27:51)? That symbolized the elimination of any separation between God and man. We no longer need priests to act as mediators, because we can go to God ourselves.
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. – Hebrews 4:16
We do still have a priest though, or at least a High Priest. Jesus Himself fulfills that role, working as the mediator between God and man. We can go to God the Father ourselves, but in addition, He goes to the Father on our behalf.
Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. – Hebrews 4:14-15
While these things greatly reduce the need for a priesthood, we still need godly men and women in positions of authority, who can pray for us, minister to us and counsel us when we need it. That’s why the New Testament talks about what we call the five-fold ministry. While they may not do every act that the priests of the Old Testament did, especially in regards to ceremonial acts and sacrifices, they do lead us to Him who became the sacrifice for us.
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 13 for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. – Ephesians 4:12-13Together, these five ministry offices fulfill the ministry of Jesus, here on earth, with the exception of going to the cross for us. He did that once for always, becoming the final sacrifice, as we’ve already discussed. So there is no reason for anyone or any creature to be killed as another sacrifice. On the other hand, we all need to be ministered to, helping us to grow in our walk with the Lord. That is the task undertaken by the five-fold ministry. As it says, “for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry.” There is purpose there, as shown by the use of the word “for.”