THE CHRISTIAN'S PRIESTHOOD IS NOT MELCHIZEDEK'S

I disagree with the assertion that you or I (or any Christians) participate in the priestly order of Melchizedek. When Peter and John allude to the Christian's priesthood it is in language borrowed from the Torah/Law about Israel's priestly status.

The Levitical priesthood is post hoc Israel's national priesthood; the Melchizedek priesthood existed prior to the patriarch Israel's / Jacob's existence; more so then to his son Levi's. Yet the Levitical priesthood remains as an eternally-covenanted (Num 25:13; Jer 33:17-22) organic organization within Israel's national priesthood -- creating a hierarchy of [Levitical] high priest, over yet serving the Levitical priests and all of Israel, who [the Levitical priests] are over yet serving the Levites and all of Israel, who [the Levites] are over yet serving all of Israel, as Israel performs its national priestly duties of representing to the nations the Creator/Ruler,and of teaching Gentiles more about God and His ways.

Jesus' Melchizedek priesthood is unique in that it is eternal and that it merges king with priest. Hence its inherent superiority. It is currently heavenly. We are "in Christ," it is true. But there are things that are unique to Christ alone. His priesthood is one of those things.

Yet, we who are Gentile Christians are not Levites either. There apparently will come a time when some Gentiles may become Levitical priests and Levites (Isa 66:18-21). But that time is not now, not yet.

No, Jew or Gentile, our priesthood is Israel's royal priesthood, promised them and granted to them at Mount Sinai (Exo 19:5,6; Isa 61:4-6; 1Pet 2:9; Rev 1:6; 5:10; etc). We who are Gentile disciples of Israel's Messiah Jesus gain full citizenship into the people of Israel by faith in him (Eph 2:11-19), what Paul likewise compares to a wild shoot grafted into a cultivated olive tree (Rom 11:13-24). Our is to perform the same national priestly duties as Israel, of representing to the nations the Creator/Ruler, and of teaching Gentiles more about God and His ways.

-Michael Millier