The Priestly Service of the Gospel of God

Thus, the apostle Paul declares that God made him a minister of Christ Jesus unto the Gentiles and caused him to carry out the priestly service of the gospel of God. However, when we look at the law, we can see that “the priestly office” was permitted by God only to Aaron and his sons among the descendants of Levi.

Exodus 40:12-16 “12 And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tent of meeting, and shalt wash them with water. 13 And thou shalt put upon Aaron the holy garments; and thou shalt anoint him, and sanctify him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. 14 And thou shalt bring his sons, and put coats upon them; 15 and thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office: and their anointing shall be to them for an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations. 16 Thus did Moses: according to all that Jehovah commanded him, so did he.”

Numbers 3:10 “And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall keep their priesthood: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.”

Numbers 17:1-8 “1 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and take of them rods, one for each fathers’ house, of all their princes according to their fathers’ houses, twelve rods: write thou every man’s name upon his rod. 3 And thou shalt write Aaron’s name upon the rod of Levi; for there shall be one rod for each head of their fathers’ houses. 4 And thou shalt lay them up in the tent of meeting before the testimony, where I meet with you. 5 And it shall come to pass, that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you. 6 And Moses spake unto the children of Israel; and all their princes gave him rods, for each prince one, according to their fathers’ houses, even twelve rods: and the rod of Aaron was among their rods. 7 And Moses laid up the rods before Jehovah in the tent of the testimony. 8 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses went into the tent of the testimony; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and put forth buds, and produced blossoms, and bare ripe almonds.”

Through such clear evidence, we can see that God caused “Aaron and his sons,” among the descendants of Levi, to serve in the priestly office before God throughout their generations. On the other hand, the apostle Paul was of the tribe of Benjamin, among the people of Israel.

Philippians 3:4-6 “4 Though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh: if any other man thinketh to have confidence in the flesh, I yet more: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 as touching zeal, persecuting the church; as touching the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless.”

In other words, according to the law of the Old Testament, the apostle Paul could never have carried out “the priestly office.” For this reason, the apostle Paul called himself “a minister of Jesus Christ” and “a priestly minister of the gospel of God.” And because he truly received such an office through the Lord Jesus Christ, we are able to understand through this that according to the gospel of the New Testament, anyone can become a priest.

Although our Lord Jesus was a descendant of Judah, He Himself became the High Priest and changed the law.

Hebrews 7:1-17 “...11 Now if there was perfection through the Levitical priesthood (for under it hath the people received the law), what further need was there that another priest should arise after the order of Melchizedek, and not be reckoned after the order of Aaron? 12 For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. 13 For he of whom these things are said belongeth to another tribe, from which no man hath given attendance at the altar. 14 For it is evident that our Lord hath sprung out of Judah; as to which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priests. 15 And what we say is yet more abundantly evident, if after the likeness of Melchizedek there ariseth another priest, 16 who hath been made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life: 17 for it is witnessed of him, Thou art a priest for ever After the order of Melchizedek.” [Order: rank, class, or appointed succession.]

Hebrews 4:14 “Having then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.”

Thus, our Lord Jesus became the High Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, not according to the law of a carnal commandment, that is, not according to the law, but according to the power of an endless life. Therefore, the disciples of Jesus, and all who believe and follow the gospel, are now able to become priests of the gospel through Jesus Christ.

In fact, even the priestly office which God established through Moses according to the law was given as “the gift of God.” In other words, the authority to establish and remove priests belongs to God.

Numbers 18:7 “And thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priesthood for everything of the altar, and for that within the veil; and ye shall serve: I give you the priesthood as a service of gift: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.”

Therefore, the law was changed, Jesus became the High Priest even though He was a descendant of Judah, and the disciples of Jesus became ministers of Jesus Christ and priests of the gospel of God, all by the gift of God.

Ephesians 3:7 “Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of that grace of God which was given me according to the working of his power.”

Therefore, since today we also have all been made priests of the gospel of God as ministers of Jesus Christ, according to the gift of God’s grace, we too must serve only Jesus and boldly proclaim the gospel of Jesus.

1 Peter 2:4-5 “4 unto whom coming, a living stone, rejected indeed of men, but with God elect, precious, even Jesus, 5 ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

1 Peter 2:9 “But ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.”

Amen.