1. The Priesthood of Jesus

2.  Sacrifices to God have always been offered  Seen throughout the Old Testament

3.  Sons of Adam and Eve  Cain offered fruit  Abel offered firstlings of his flock  God happy with Abel’s offering, not with Cain’s ◦ Shows God looks at the heart of the one making the offering  Cain killed Abel in revenge

4.  Offered animal on an altar to God ◦ Thanking Him for sparing his family of the flood ◦ Acknowledging God’s role as Lord and Creator

5.  Must be offered with pure and sinless heart  Offering is a gift of thanksgiving  Offering shows sorrow for sin and a desire for forgiveness

6.  Priest ◦ Someone to do the offering ◦ God selected men to be His priests during Jewish times  Victim ◦ Something to be offered ◦ God told Jewish people to offer certain animals  Passover lamb  Altar ◦ Somewhere for the offering to take place ◦ Jewish altars of sacrifice were located in the temple

7.  Old Testament sacrifices were imperfect ◦ Preparation for perfect sacrifice Jesus was to offer  Only Jesus could be the perfect priest ◦ Only Jesus had a sinless heart ◦ Able to give perfect worship

8.  Jesus was both priest and victim ◦ He offered Himself  One priest and sacrifice, but two altars ◦ Table of Last Supper  Bloodless ◦ Cross of Calvary  Bloody  Jesus offered Himself to Father at the Last Supper ◦ Institution of the Eucharist ◦ “This is my Body… This is the chalice of My Blood”  Changed bread and wine into Himself ◦ Jesus also uses the words “given for you… poured out for you”  Shows that Jesus’ sacrifice was for our sakes  Shows that it was the same sacrifice He was to undergo on the cross  Jesus’ sacrifice worked, unlike the Old Testament offerings ◦ The Resurrection is evidence that the offering was accepted by God

9.  Priest also has duty of praying for his people ◦ Priest is a mediator (go-between)  Jesus is perfect mediator ◦ Both God and man ◦ As a man, He could offer His pain to the Father  Wounds are no longer painful, but rather glorious reminders of His love for both man and the Father  This offering is used to cover our own sin ◦ As God, He was united to the Father

10.  Christ’s priesthood was foretold in OT  “You are a priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek” ◦ This psalm is still used at Catholic ordinations to the priesthood  Melchizedek ◦ King of Salem  Later became Jerusalem ◦ Also a priest  Offered bread and wine as sacrifice to the Father  No one else had offered bread and wine until Christ