The Wednesday Word

The Unique High Priest

by D.G. Miles McKee

For something to be deemed UNIQUE it must be the only one of its kind. It is, therefore, impossible for something to be more unique or most unique. If it is unique, it is unique. It stands alone. There is nothing like it. Therefore, Jesus is the unique priest. None can compare to Him.

There were, of course, the priests of the Old Testament. They repeatedly brought offerings of the blood of bullocks and lambs to deal with Israel’s sin.

Each year there was a continual offering for sin. This was merely A SIGNPOST TO CHRIST. And then came Jesus. He was the unique priest who made a unique offering. He didn’t offer up the blood of some wee animal. No indeed, He offered Himself and was in this way a priest unparalleled and unrivaled in the annals of human history. He was unique.

No other priest would have dared offer himself for the sins of his people. Why? Because he, himself, was a sinner. He would have had to have an atonement made for his own sins.

Christ, however, the unique priest, died for sins but not for His own … He had none. He came from a virgin womb … He was born sinless and He was buried in a virgin tomb [see JOHN 19:41] … He died sinless.

Jesus was unique. He was both the priest and the offering. 

Someone asks, “But how can He be both?”
I would reply,
How can He be both God and the Son of God?
How can He be both the Shepherd and the Lamb?
How can He be both the Beginning and the End?
There are paradoxes, not contradictions.

Jesus is the unique priest. Consider the incomparable transfer of ISAIAH 53:6, “The LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Every evil vice was laid on Him and His entire virtue laid on us. We are now standing in grace [ROMANS 5:2b] and living in blessings. He is all our righteousness. He is our sanctification. We are complete in Him.

Years ago, in 1975, on my first trip to the United States I was invited to watch the Dallas Cowboys playing (on TV) against one of their American Football rivals. I gladly accepted the invitation, but I must confess, being a Rugby fan, I didn’t understand much of what was going on out on the field. But I politely followed the lead from my hosts … when they booed, I booed…when they shouted, I shouted. Near the end of the game, Dallas were trailing behind. Then, out of nowhere, everyone in the room was on their feet cheering and there was I, on my feet, cheering with the best of them. I thought, however, I’d best come clean and quietly inquire as to what was happening. So, I asked my host about the commotion. He looked at me with an expression which asked, ‘Which part of Mars do you come from?’ and then replied with one word, “INTERCEPTION.” Dallas had intercepted the ball and had gone on to score.
 
Later, I thought about it and considered how, in the gospel, Jesus was the great interceptor. He made the greatest interception in human history. He intercepted the wrath of an angry God which was headed straight for us. What a catch! What a reversal of the game.

Jesus is the unique priest. If by faith we receive Him as our Saviour, and Substitute, we can be as sure of heaven as though we were already there.

Jesus is the unique priest!

So, what is a priest? A priest is one who speaks to God for man and that’s what Jesus is doing right now. He’s not on the cross, He’s out of the grave and is alive in heaven forevermore. Now I don’t want to offend anyone but, since Jesus is the unique priest, that means that there’s no point in praying to Mary or Joseph. They can do nothing for a poor terrified sinner.

Jesus is Unique. Trust in Him alone.

And that’s the Gospel Truth!

NOTE: Please find enclosed link to audio Gospel sermons and Contact Info for preacher Miles McKee: http://milesmckee.com/