Jesus Christ, the Better Priest

February 4th, 2026
by Lance Waldie

Hebrews 9:6-7 When these things were all in place, the priests regularly entered the first room as they performed their religious duties. But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance (NLT).

The priests in Israel worked ceaselessly offering blood sacrifices on the altar, replacing the showbread weekly, keeping the light burning on the lampstand, and offering incense twice a day on the altar of incense. These duties were merely a shadow of Christ. Contrary to their ceaseless works, Christ made one sacrifice for sin for all people on the cross. He is the light of the world (John 8:12; 9:5) who never needs oil like the lampstand. He is the bread of life (John 6) who feeds spiritually without ever getting old. He is also a continual incense, offering up prayers on our behalf (7:25) while sitting at the right hand of the Father, having completed His work (1:3).

So, the priests’ work in the tabernacle typified Christ’s work which fulfilled all things. Their duties occurred in the Holy Place, but in the Holy of Holies only the high priest entered, and that only once per year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). This was a room separated from the Holy Place by a thick veil, and the only way into it was through the Holy Place. The tabernacle itself symbolized the restricted access man had to God in the old covenant. The veil proved that only one man (the high priest) could come to God on man’s behalf. So when the new covenant came, the old order had to change. Since Christ is the “mediator of a better covenant, enacted on better promises” (8:6), it is clear that the old order is obsolete (8:13). Now, Jesus is the Holy Place—the only way into the presence of God. When He died on the cross, the veil in the temple was torn in two (Mark 15:37-38) showing that access to God was to be enjoyed by all, not just Israel—all who will come to Christ and trust in Him alone for salvation.

Leviticus 16 reveals that the high priest on Yom Kippur, being a sinner himself, would first of all enter the Holy of Holies to atone for his own sins and of his family with the blood of a bull. Exiting, he would then take two goats and cast lots for them. The first goat would be offered as a blood sacrifice to God for the sins of the people on the bronze altar. The high priest would then go back into the Holy of Holies a second time to sprinkle its blood on the mercy seat (lid of the ark). The second goat was the scapegoat, the one that would symbolically carry the sins of the people out into the wilderness never to return. The first goat was offered as a satisfaction of God’s justice; the second goat, the scapegoat, freed the guilty consciences of the Israelites.

In the old covenant when an Israelite sinned, his fellowship with God was broken. To restore that relationship with God he had to bring a blood sacrifice. Now there were many sins that were forgotten that would pile up over time without atonement. So, on Yom Kippur Jews assembled on this day of atonement so the high priest might atone for all sins committed in ignorance. What Yom Kippur did not do, however, since it was merely an avenue for the forgiveness of sins committed in ignorance, was to clear the guilty consciences of those who had sinned willfully. This Jesus did! His perfect atonement for sin not only forgives believers, it relieves their guilt.

Food For Thought
Under God’s old order, sins committed willfully and rebelliously could not be atoned for. Since there were no sacrifices for intentional sins, many were overcome with remorse for their rebellion, having guilty consciences that nagged them. This is another reason why Christ is better than the old covenant. God is merciful through Jesus Christ, and when we truly receive His mercy and grace we find the peace that passes all understanding. Any religion of works to gain forgiveness is inferior, for faith in Christ alone grants forgiveness. Faith alone in Christ alone.