Priestly Office of Christ

Pastor Martin begins an in-depth treatment of Christ's priestly office, explaining that he departs from the traditional prophet-priest-king order because Scripture gives predominance to the priesthood and because the priestly office casts its shadow over the prophetic and kingly functions. He establishes the reality of Christ's priestly office two ways: Christ is specifically called a priest, and His work is described in strict priestly categories. He then unfolds the four essential ingredients of priestly function from Hebrews 5:1: taken from men, appointed for men, in things pertaining to God, to offer for sins.

Pastor Martin proposes a better framework for understanding Christ's priestly functions — not merely sacrifice and intercession, but the earthly once-for-all activities marked by suffering, humiliation, and death, contrasted with the heavenly continuous activities marked by exaltation, glory, and life. He then surveys five dimensions of the heavenly priestly activity: sympathetic assistance, prevailing intercession, authoritative administration, effectual vindication, and acceptable presentation of the worship of His people.

After a five-month digression, Pastor Martin returns to the Here We Stand series with an extensive review of the 44 previous sermons. He summarizes the Book we believe and obey (authority, inerrancy, sufficiency), the God we worship and confess (one, perfect, sovereign, good, triune), and the Salvation we receive and proclaim (the central figure Christ in the mystery of His person and the majesty of His offices). He closes by introducing Christ's manward succoring ministry from Hebrews 2:18 as the bridge to coming studies on Christ as prophet.