Basic HTML Version
350
enjoyed as a member of the theocracy, which he had forfeited by neglect and transgression. As
such they accomplished their purpose irrespective of the temper and spirit in which they were
brought. However, they were not in themselves efficacious to expiate moral transgressions.
They were not the real sacrifice that could atone for moral guilt and remove moral pollution,
but only shadows of the coming reality. Speaking of the tabernacle, the writer of Hebrews says:
“Which is a figure for the time present; according to which are offered both gifts and sacrifices
that cannot, as touching the conscience, make the worshipper perfect”, Heb. 9:9. In the
following chapter he points out that they could not make the offerers perfect, 10:1, and could
not take away sins, 10:4. From the spiritual point of view they were typical of the vicarious
sufferings and death of Christ, and obtained forgiveness and acceptance with God only as they
were offered in true penitence, and with faith in God’s method of salvation. They had saving
significance only in so far as they fixed the attention of the Israelite on the coming Redeemer
and the promised redemption.
3. SCRIPTURAL PROOF FOR THE SACRIFICIAL WORK OF CHRIST.
The striking thing in the
Scriptural representations of the priestly work of Christ, is that Christ appears in them as both
priest and sacrifice. This is in perfect harmony with the reality as we see it in Christ. In the Old
Testament the two were necessarily separate, and in so far these types were imperfect. The
priestly work of Christ is most clearly represented in the Epistle to the Hebrews, where the
Mediator is described as our only real, eternal, and perfect High Priest, appointed by God, who
takes our place vicariously, and by His self-sacrifice obtains a real and perfect redemption, Heb.
5:1-10; 7:1-28; 9:11-15, 24-28; 10:11-14, 19-22; 12:24, and particularly the following verses,
5:5; 7:26; 9:14. This Epistle is the only one in which Christ is called priest, but His priestly work is
also clearly represented in the Epistles of Paul, Rom. 3:24,25; 5:6-8; I Cor. 5:7; 15:3; Eph. 5:2.
The same representation is found in the writings of John, John 1:29; 3:14, 15; I John 2:2; 4:10.
The symbol of the brazen serpent is significant. As the brazen serpent was not itself poisonous,
but yet represented the embodiment of sin, so Christ, the sinless One, was made sin for us. As
the lifting up of the serpent signified the removal of the plague, so the lifting up of Christ on the
cross effected the removal of sin. And as a believing look at the serpent brought healing, so
faith in Christ heals to the saving of the soul. The representation of Peter, I Pet. 2:24; 3:18, and
of Christ Himself, Mark 10:45, corresponds with the preceding. The Lord plainly tells us that His
sufferings were vicarious.
4. THE PRIESTLY WORK OF CHRIST IN MODERN THEOLOGY.
As was said in the preceding
chapter, the doctrine of the offices of Christ does not meet with great favor in present day
theology. As a matter of fact it is generally conspicuous by its absence. It can hardly be denied
that the Bible speaks of Christ as prophet, priest, and king, but it is commonly held that these
terms, as applied to Christ, are only so many figurative descriptions of the different aspects of