(3) The essential meaning of priesthood. — In order to obtain a true idea of the priesthood of Christ, it is necessary to inquire what were the essential characteristics of priesthood. What were the functions which the priest performed as priest, those of which he had the monopoly, and which no one else could perform under any circumstances ? The best definition is in He 5^, where we are told that the priest was ' appointed for men in things pertaining to God,' that is, he represented man to God. What was included in this representation we shall see later, but meanwhile it should be clearly observed that priesthood meant the repre- sentation of man to God, and was the exact opposite and counterpart of the Avork of the prophet, which was to repre.sent God to man. The priest went from man to God, the prophet went from God to man. The two ideas are seen in He 3\ where Christ is called 'Apostle and High Priest'— ' Apostle' because sent from God to man, 'High Prie.st' be- cause going from man to God. In this twofold capacity lies His perfect mediation. If the priest did other duties, such as teaching, receiving tithes, and blessing the people, these were superadded functions and not inherent in the priesthood. The Levites could teach and the kings could bless, but by no possibility could either do the essential
duties of the priesthood in representing mam to God. This specihe idea is clearly taught as the essence of priesthood both in OT and NT, where the Godward aspect of priesthood is always stated and emphasized (Ex 28\ Nu 16^", 2 Ch 26'«, Ezk 44", He 6'^" 7^^ 9''^'*). This essential idea of priesthood as representative of man to God carries with it the right of access to and of abiding in the presence of God. In primitive days, families were represented by the patriarch or head of a clan ; but as the sense of sin grew and deepened, and as the Divine purpose of redemption was gradually unfolded, it became necessary to have men entirely separated for this office. Priesthood was thus the admission at once of the sinfulness of the race, of the holiness of God, and of the need of conditions of approach to God. It is of the utmo-st importance that we should define and keep clear these essential characteristics of the priesthood. Thej^ can be summed up in the general ideas of (a) drawing near to God by means of an ottering, (h) dwelling near to God for the purpose of intercession (Ezk 44'*, Lv 16", Ex 28** 30'- 8, Lk !»• ").
(4) The special order of Chrisfs priesthood. — The unique feature of the discussion in Hebrews is the association of Christ's priesthood with that of Melchizedek. Three times in Scripture INIelchi- zedek is mentioned, and each time the reference is important, {a) In Gn 14 he appears in history in connexion with Abraham. He is termed ' priest of God Most High.' (6) Tlien in Ps 110 he is mentioned again in a Psalm usually regarded as Messianic, and as such applied to Himself by our Lord (Mt 22«, Mk 12»«, Lk 20^-). The underlying thought in the Psalm is of a priesthood other than that of Aaron, and suggests a consciousness, how- ever dim, on tiie part of spiritually-minded Jews, of something beyond and superior to the Aaronic priesthood. The bare mention of another priest- hood at all is significant and striking, (c) He appears in Hebrews as a type of Christ. The record of Gn 14 is taken as it stands and used to .symbolize and typify some of the elements of the priestliood of Christ, (a) The position of Melchize- dek as king indicates the royalty of Christ's priest- hood. (^) The meaning of the name ' Melchizedek ' is u.'.ed to suggest the thought of righteousness, (y) The meaning of the title ' king of Salem ' .suggests the idea of peace. The order and con- nexion of righteousness and peace are noted in Hebrews. First comes righteousness as the basis of relation to God, and then peace as the outcome of righteousness. Righteousness without peace vindicates the Law and punishes sin, peace without righteousness ignores the Law and condones sin. Righteousness and peace when combined honour the Law while paixloning sin. (5) The absence in the record of Gn 14 of any earthly connexions of ancestry and posterity is used in Hebrews to symbolize the perpetuity of Christ's priesthood. What was true of the recoi'd about Melchizedek is present in actual fact in Christ. One point of great importance not to be overlooked is that in Gn 14 no priestly functions are attributed to Mel- chizedek. The gift of bread and wine to Abraham had, of course, nothing essentially priestly in it. In the record he is just called ' priest of God Most High,' without any characteristic priestly acts being stated. This exactly corresponds to the use made of the Melchizedek priesthood in Hebrews, which does not treat of any priestlj^ acts or functions, but of the order of the priesthood. The fundamental thought of the Melchizedek priesthood in Hebrews refers to the person of the priest, Tiot to his acts. The functions, or acts, are considered in con- nexion and contrast with the functions of the Aaronic priesthood. It is the priestly person rather than the priestly work that is emphasized in the