Aug 25 2008
Think of It! He Served Both as Priest and Lamb at the Same Time!
What was truly unique concerning Jesus Christ’s death on the cross?
In the Old Testament two specific factors were involved in the offering up of an
acceptable sacrifice. The first was the service of a qualified priest (from the
Tribe of Levi, Num. 3:5-8) and the second involved an acceptable victim (from
the list of clean animals, Lev. 20:25).
On the cross Jesus functioned as both priest (even though He came from the
Tribe of Judah, Heb. 7:14), and acceptable victim!
Author Ray Stedman writes:
As a priest, Jesus Christ could find no unblemished sacrifice that He could offer except Himself, so He offered Himself as a sacrifice; there was found no other priest worthy of offering such a sacrifice, so Christ became both Priest and Victim.
(What More Can God Say?, Regal Press, p. 115)
This dual arrangement can be seen by listening to His seven final sentences
while on the cross. The first three demonstrate His priestly ministry while the
final four speak of His sacrificial role.
A. His priestly ministry.
1. “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
2. “Verily, I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).
3. “Woman, behold thy son! … Behold thy mother!” (John 19:26, 27).
B. His sacrificial ministry:
1. “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46).
2. “I thirst” (John 19:28).
3. “It is finished” (John 19:30).
4. “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46).
Also Read . . .