As a priest, Jesus Christ is portrayed in the New Testament in two ways. In the Synoptic Gospels, Acts, and 1 Peter, Jesus is the Suffering Servant of the Lord (Isaiah 53). In the rest of the New Testament, the death of Jesus is the Sacrifice of Atonement.
Jesus Is the Servant of the Lord
A. Jesus is the victim: Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:37; cp Isaiah 53.
B. Jesus is the victor, the resurrection from the dead.
The Jewish scholar David Flusser wrote: “There is no doubt that the Crucified ‘appeared to Peter, then to the Twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time . . . . Then he appeared to James, and then to all the apostles.’ Last of all, he appeared to Paul on the road to Damascus (1 Corinthians 15:3-8).’”
It is a strange turn of events when a Jewish scholar writes a book on Jesus and affirms the historical resurrection of Jesus to correct a Lutheran theologian like Rudolf Bultmann who also wrote a book on Jesus and reduced the appearances of Jesus to mythology!
C. Jesus is the vicar; His sacrifice was vicarious, 1 Peter 3:18-22.
Jesus Is the Sacrifice of Atonement
A. Jesus is the revelation of God’s sacrificial love.
- Jesus provides reconciliation with God.
- Jesus provides redemption from sin.
- Jesus provides righteousness to man.
B. Jesus is the realization of God’s atonement.
- In the Book of Hebrews, Jesus fulfilled the theme of the Day of Atonement. a. The office of Jesus as High Priest is the theme of Hebrews 1-7. b. The oblation of Jesus is the theme of Hebrews 8-13. Jesus offers a better priesthood because He has
- In the Johannine writings, Jesus fulfilled the theme of the Lamb of God. a. Jesus called His sacrifice a “laying down,” Hebrews 10:11-17. b. Jesus called His sacrifice a “lifting up,” Hebrews 3:13; 8:28; and 12:32.