Old Covenant Priesthood vs the New Covenant Priesthood

Home About Bible Studies Documents Charts Contact Links

The Old Covenant Priesthood as Sons Levi
The New Covenant Priesthood of God the Son

From chapter 8:1 to 10:18 the inspired writer of Hebrews will make his argument for both the superiority of the priesthood of Jesus Christ and the New Covenant by presenting a series of contrasts:

Contrasting the heavenly and the earthly Sanctuaries
Contrasting the Old and the New Covenants
Contrasting the old priesthood's repeated sacrifices and Christ's one eternal sacrifice

His focus will be the superiority of God's sworn oath [Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 6:13-17] over the old Law:

The old Law established a priesthood full of human weaknesses offering repeated imperfect sacrifices and was established on an old covenant offering only temporal promises.
The sworn oath of the New Covenant establishes a divine Son who serves as a sinless priest-king offering one perfect and complete sacrifice and a new covenant established on eternal promises.

The Old Covenant Priesthood contrasted with the New Covenant High Priest in Hebrews chapters 5-8

Sons of Levi	God the Son
Service in the earthly "shadow" sanctuary	Service in the true heavenly sanctuary
Based on heredity	Based on divine Sonship and an unchangeable oath [Psalm 110:4]
Daily Sacrifices to atone for the debt of sin [the daily sacrifice of Exodus 29:38-42]	One perfect sacrifice offered in atonement and as a "surety" or guarantee for the debt of sin
Sacrifices offered for themselves (sinners)	One sacrifice offered of Himself (sinless)
Sacrifices only for the sins of Israel	One sacrifice for all men
Priesthood limited time of service	Eternal service
Temporal blessings	Eternal blessings
Death ended service	Death began service

EARTHLY SANCTUARY	HEAVENLY SANCTUARY
Made with human hands	Created by God
A copy and shadow of the heavenly reality	The true eternal sanctuary
Served by many mortal priests offering continual sacrifices	Served by one eternal priest offering one perfect sacrifice