Jesus, Our High Priest After the Order of Melchizedek

Text: Hebrews 7:18-28

Reflection and Question: Protestant Christians of the Reformation used this passage to support their complaint against the institution of the priesthood as it had developed in the Catholic Church through the centuries. For the writer of Hebrews, Jesus is the sole high priest who creates “a better covenant” that supersedes all others. For Calvinists like me this means that church leaders are not priests, since Jesus is the lone priest now. We are pastors and elders, holding office to help the church function as a Christian community. Of what importance to you is Jesus’ being the sole high priest?

Prayer: Beloved Jesus, Son of the Living God, we bow before You as our great high priest, holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens. Humbly, we ask You to make intercession for us and to save us. Amen.

This meditation is based on the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993).