# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1928_S9
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

of the Ev. Luth. Synodical Conference of North America. 1928. 9

I.

In the first thesis we are concerned first of all with the question whether
the title "High Priest" for Jesus was perhaps coined by the Church to describe
his work, or whether Scripture itself gives him this name. In our discussion
of religious matters and in our proclamation of the teachings of the Bible we
often use expressions that do not occur in the Bible itself but have been
formed by the Church. The most outstanding example is the word "Trinity"
[literally "Triunity"]. By this word a great doctrine of Scripture is briefly
expressed, but the word itself does not occur in Scripture. It is by no means
wrong for us to make use of this expression, because what is said by it agrees
entirely with Scripture. Nevertheless the fact remains that the expression is
not found in Scripture. Other expressions of this kind are, for example,
"means of grace" and "sacrament."

With regard to the title "High Priest" for Jesus the situation is different.
Jesus is expressly called our High Priest in Holy Scripture. Just as the title
Prophet and King is given to him there, so also the title High Priest. That
happens already in the prophecy of the Old Testament. In Psalm 110 we find the
words so well known to us: "The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent: Thou art
a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek." Among Christians there is no
doubt that this Psalm is messianic, that is, that it treats of Christ. This is
taught clearly by Jesus himself. Here David, looking up to his Lord, the
Messiah, says: The LORD has confirmed with an oath that you are a priest for
all eternity after the order of Melchizedek. Here, then, Jesus is clearly
called Priest. This very passage is cited repeatedly in the Epistle to the
Hebrews, and it forms part of the proof in which the author shows that Jesus
is the true, real High Priest. What the words "after the order of Melchizedek"
include is set forth more closely in the 7th chapter of this epistle. More on
that later. Generally it is to be said that the high priesthood of Christ stands
at the center of the discussion in the Epistle to the Hebrews. Again and again
this very title is given to Jesus. Thus it says already in the 2nd chapter,
verse 17: "Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his
brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest before God, to
reconcile the sins of the people." Just a few verses further, chapter 3:1, we
read: "Consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus."
Beginning with chapter 5, the author then sets forth more exactly what the
high priesthood of Jesus involves, and this discussion runs to the end of
chapter 9. Accordingly Jesus is not merely occasionally designated with this
title, but this matter is made the subject of detailed discussion. Incidentally,
the Epistle to the Hebrews is the only New Testament writing in which Jesus
receives this title, although the doctrine underlying it is of course presented
in many other places of the New Testament. And from this we can at once take up
the new thought, namely that Jesus' work is often spoken of in terms taken from
the sacrificial service. So Jesus is called the Lamb of God that bears the sin
of the world. His blood is described by Peter as that of an innocent and
unblemished lamb. "We also have a Passover lamb, that is Christ, sacrificed
for us," says Paul in the Easter epistle. "Christ has loved us and given
himself for