PRIESTHOOD IN THE PRESENT DISPENSATION
PRIESTHOOD IN THE PRESENT DISPENSATION
JT I have suggested this chapter because I think it gives us a full view of the priesthood as seen and known in the present dispensation. The next chapter shows it in relation to Israel. Aaron and his sons were to remain at the door of the tabernacle for seven days, pointing to a complete period, and what one might expect to find here is that the Lord’s personal dignity is provided for. Aaron is anointed before his sons are introduced into the priesthood. It is a very important foundation to have laid in our souls in regard to any relation in which we stand to Christ that His personal dignity is always provided for first. He is anointed alone and that on the ground of His own personal dignity. Hebrews 1 is to establish the personal dignity of the Lord and chapter 2 shows Him on our side as Priest. The earlier part of Leviticus 8 shows the divine thought i.e., that the whole created universe is to be pervaded by the Spirit, and then you have Christ seen in relation to all that. The anointing is a very important principle in this chapter.
Ques What is the particular thought in priesthood?
JT God created a sphere in which He is to be ministered to. God would be ministered to in that sphere by man. The Lord coming into manhood took up that thought, not officially on earth, but in principle; and in the mind of God He was a Priest from the outset.
The tabernacle is a pattern of the whole created sphere, both heaven and earth. You will find in connection with instructions given on the mount, regarding the tabernacle, that God brings in the [p. 206] thought of the sabbath because the sabbath is the great end God has in view, but how is God to reach it? He reaches it by anointing Christ in that sphere. Priesthood is mediatorial. It contemplates conditions in which certain relationships are more holy than others. That is not what we would call an eternal state of things; it is mediatorial, and it contemplates evil outside. The “true tabernacle” is a spiritual thought; it was pitched at Pentecost, but that was provisional. The assembly goes to her own place and all these thoughts will be reconnected with Israel. Isaac did not pitch a tent for Rebecca; he brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent. She was to occupy the ground pending the re-establishment of Israel.
The assembly, viewed in its members in relation to Christ as the true Aaron, is in the sanctuary for the whole period of the dispensation (seven days). It implies that the testimony of God is in our keeping, and in order to keep the charge we need the priestly state. The saints — the sons of Aaron — are seen inside with Christ keeping the charge of the Lord.
Ques What is included in the testimony?
JT The testimony embraces all the divine thoughts. Although largely spoken of from the outset, directly and in type, they have taken definite form in Christ, who exemplifies and effects them. God has not withdrawn any thought He has expressed from Adam onwards, and in the assembly every divine thought is cherished. We have this in addition, that we have access to the holiest. The picture here implies access to the holiest — to all the divine thoughts, and in the assembly all are in safe keeping.
Ques What is the thought in the command to the priests not to go out of the door of [p. 207] the tabernacle?
JT At all times you treasure the divine thoughts. The tabernacle typifies the sphere in which the testimony is set, and whatever question may arise, you think of it in relation to the testimony. Going into the holiest you see the bearing of every divine thought, and keeping the charge is that you maintain what you have the light of in the holiest. The point in priesthood is the efficiency seen in Christ in effecting the will of God; righteousness, holiness, faithfulness, and intelligence, also sympathy with those who are subjects of God’s mercy. Priesthood is official. Sonship is the service of affection. Priesthood is continuous during the whole period. You bear in mind at all times that you are under a charge, and the most serious charge that ever was committed to man. Under David you have twenty-four courses of priests, the number standing over against what obtained under Moses. David’s economy as outlined in 1 Chronicles is a type of christianity in the sense that a double responsibility attaches to us, the responsibility of two dispensations and that there is ability for it. David did not set aside what Moses established, but he had an economy of his own, adding much to what Moses commanded. The twenty-four elders spoken of in Revelation allude to the twenty-four courses of priests instituted by David. Paul writing to the Corinthians says, “upon whom the ends of the ages are come”. All that went before is to be taken up and maintained. When you come to Leviticus 10, two of the priests failed, and were smitten, and you have an additional instruction given: the priests were not to drink wine. The idea of wine in this connection is that which excites the flesh. We must not allow anything that excites the flesh; all is to be pervaded by the Spirit.
Ques Why were there two high priests in the days of [p. 208] David?
JT All that shows that under David everything was subordinate to the will of the king. After the failure of Eli it was said that the priest was to walk before the king (1 Samuel 2: 35). The king was to be supreme. Christ is King and Priest. The robing of Aaron and his sons alludes to the way the disciples were brought into priesthood. It is seen first of all in Christ as anointed by the Spirit. All that Christ did had reference to the whole created universe; the saints — the apostles and others — were brought into participation of it anticipatively, and finally as the Holy Spirit came.
Ques Does priesthood go on in the eternal state?
JT Priesthood is not a thought we could connect with new creation, but the state which characterises it goes on. Priesthood is necessary where evil is, and while God is rendering testimony.
Ques Is there the thought of priesthood in what Paul says to Timothy: “The same commit to faithful men”?
JT In 2 Timothy the apostle was providing for the testimony. Timothy is a man of God, and that is a different thought from a priest, but what underlies a man of God is the priestly state.
This chapter shows how the priests are consecrated. First, the sin-offering; then the burnt-offering; and then the ram of consecration. A ram is used for the burnt-offering, and also one for the consecration offering. The priests are consecrated in the light of the judgment of sin as before God. We must accept this judgment. What represented the inward excellency of Christ in the sin-offering went up to God, but the carcase was burned without the camp. The burnt-offering is what Christ was in His devotedness to God; and then, the consecration has reference to His ministry. The idea of a ram is maturity. Maturity should mark the priesthood — “not a novice” — he is fully developed.
[p. 209] Here the sin-offering is connected with the priesthood only, but in chapter 16 it is connected with the whole universe. Priesthood contemplates a development and growth suitable to God. The connection of the ram is very suggestive; it shows that they were to be in the light of that thought — the thought of a fully-developed man. The Lord came to do the Father’s will. “Lo, I come to do thy will”, that is the burnt-offering. But then He was consecrated; He was set apart to the testimony. That is seen in Mark’s gospel. The Lord’s personal wisdom and affection are engaged in it; it was how He did things; that is the great point in Mark. Luke is the Priest more as meeting human need, sympathy and compassion. You cannot rightly treat of the things of the Lord in ministry apart from the priestly state. Priesthood goes with us in every relationship, verse 23. The blood was put on the tip of the priest’s ear, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot. In what we listen to, and what we do, and where we go, we have to consider the charge that is laid upon us. In simple christian language, a priest is a spiritual man.
The thought of priesthood extends to every christian and the Spirit is here in order that we might take it up. We have to do the work of a levite and a common person, but the dignity of priesthood runs through all and gives character to everything we touch.