There are many investigations of the Old Testament priests and the New Testament’s appropriation of such imagery to describe Jesus Christ. There are also studies of Israel’s corporate priesthood and what this means for the priesthood of God’s new covenant people. However, such studies are less frequently connected with one another: key interrelations are missed, and key questions are not addressed.
Making two passes across the tapestry of Scripture, Andrew Malone traces these two threads and their intersections, with an eye to the contemporary relevance of both themes in both Testaments.
Malone shows how our Christology and perseverance as God’s people are enhanced by the way the book of Hebrews depicts Christ’s own priesthood. Furthermore, Christians better understand their corporate identity and mission by discerning both the ministry of individual Old Testament priests and Israel’s corporate calling. Combining the various biblical emphases on priesthood in one place provides synergies that are too easily disregarded.
Contents
1. Orientation
Part 1: God's individual priests
2. The Aaronic priesthood begins
3. Biblical antecedents to the Aaronic priesthood
4. Old Testament prospects
5. New covenant transformations
Part 2: God's corporate priesthoods
6. Israel as a kingdom of priests
7. The church's priestly commission
8. Concluding reflections
Bibliography
