The Old Testament Way vs the Jesus Way: In plain Terms, You Can understand
- Thad DeBuhr
- Aug 7
- 14 min read
Hebrews 4:14 - 5:10
The Main Message: In the Old Testament, priests and sacrifices were a temporary fix for a big problem: sinful people trying to connect with a holy God. Jesus came and changed all that. He's the ultimate High Priest and the perfect, permanent sacrifice, so we don't have to go through a middleman anymore. His work on the cross gives us a direct line to God. And because he went through all the ups and downs of life just like us, he's the kind of high priest you can actually talk to.
It's hard for modern Christians to truly appreciate all that Jesus offers because we have so little knowledge of the Old Testament system of priests, rituals, and rules. Without understanding the old way of doing things, it's easy to take for granted the direct access we have to God. We're missing the big picture of what Jesus accomplished for us.
This parable about a court case helps explain why Jesus is a better priest than the ones in the Old Testament.
The Case and the Lawyer
Imagine you’re facing a serious court case. You’ve broken the law, you know you’re guilty, and the penalty is severe. You need legal representation, but you can’t get to the Judge yourself.
You hire a regular lawyer to represent you. This lawyer is a good person, but he's got his own legal troubles and has broken the law a few times himself. He can't get you a permanent pardon. His job is to perform a very specific, detailed legal ritual once a year that temporarily keeps you from going to jail. He has to present a symbolic "fine" or "sacrifice" to the court on your behalf, but it doesn't erase your guilt. It just puts a hold on your case for another year. Every year, you live with the anxiety of the upcoming court date, knowing the real charge is still hanging over you and the lawyer is just buying you time. He can't fix your case forever because he's not a perfect lawyer; he's part of the same flawed system you are.
Then you meet Jesus, the Ultimate Legal Counsel. He's not just a lawyer; He's also the Son of the Judge. He's never broken a single law himself, so His record is spotless. He sees your case, and instead of just offering a temporary fix, He takes your entire case file, stands in front of the court, and says, "I'll take the penalty myself." He doesn't just pay a fine; He serves the full sentence for you. When it's over, He hands you a permanent, once-and-for-all pardon, signed and sealed by the highest authority. Your case is closed forever. You don't have to worry about a yearly ritual or a temporary fix. And because He's spent time around the courthouse, talking to everyone from the Judge to the people facing charges, He understands exactly what you've been going through. He's the only one who could offer a solution that's both permanent and personal.
Before moving on, pause and read through Hebrews 4:14 - 5:10 in a couple of different translations. Choose two from this selection: NIV, NLT, ESV, NASB, NKJV
BE SURE TO WATCH THE VIDEO PODCAST THAT GOES DEEPER INTO THIS SECTION OF HEBREWS
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The Old Testament System: Understanding the basics
To truly grasp the mind-blowing comparison the author of Hebrews is making between the old covenant priests and Jesus, we need to first take a trip back in time and learn the basics of that old system.
To fully appreciate what Hebrews is saying, we must understand the system it's replacing. An average Jewish person in the Old Testament didn't make personal sacrifices for their sins very often. While a yearly ritual called the Day of Atonement covered the sins of the whole nation, personal sacrifices were specifically for unintentional sins and were made when a person realized they had messed up.
How Personal Sacrifices Worked in the Old Testament
The way an average person made a sacrifice for their unintentional sins was a straightforward process:
They had to know they sinned unintentionally. The sin offering was for when a person accidentally broke one of God's laws and later realized their mistake (Leviticus 4:27). For example, if they touched something unclean without knowing it.
They brought an animal to the priest. The type of animal depended on their financial situation. A wealthy person might bring a female goat or lamb. A poor person could bring two doves or pigeons. If they were very poor, they could even bring a small amount of fine flour (Leviticus 5:7, 11).
They laid their hand on the animal's head. By doing this, they were symbolically transferring their sin and guilt onto the animal.
The animal was killed. The priest would then perform a specific ritual with the animal's blood and fat. This was a powerful act showing that sin had a deadly cost, and the animal was taking the punishment for the person's mistake.
The Priests' Roles in the Old Testament SYSTEM
The priesthood was a family business, passed down through the male descendants of Aaron, Moses' brother (Exodus 29:9). They were a vital link between God and the people.
The High Priest was the head honcho. His main job was to act as the go-between for God and the entire nation of Israel. His most important task happened once a year on the Day of Atonement, when he would enter the Holy of Holies to make a sacrifice for the sins of all the people, and even for his own sins (Leviticus 16).
Want a plain English overview of the tabernacle and the temple? Click Here
Regular Priests were busy every day with other important jobs. They were responsible for:
Handling all the sacrifices the people brought, including the personal sin offerings.
Teaching God's law, acting like teachers and judges.
Keeping things pure, making sure the temple and people were ritually clean for worship.
The Difference Between Sin and Being Unclean 🧼 in the old testament
It's crucial to understand that in the Old Testament, sin and being ceremonially unclean were two totally different things.
Sin: A Moral Offense Against God 😠
Sin was a moral issue, a choice to disobey one of God's commands. It was about doing something wrong, and God took it seriously.
Unintentional Sins: For accidental mistakes—like unknowingly touching something forbidden—there was a clear path to forgiveness. A person would bring a specific sacrifice to the priest, and their sin would be covered. Leviticus 4:27-31 lays out this process, showing that even an accidental screw-up had a cost.
Intentional Sins: This is a key point: for sins committed on purpose, there was no animal sacrifice that could fix it. The law didn't have a loophole for deliberate rebellion. The only path to forgiveness for these sins was sincere repentance. Psalm 51:16-17 says it best: "You do not desire sacrifice, or I would give it; you do not delight in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." This meant a person had to truly be sorry, confess their wrong, and try to make things right with God and anyone they had wronged.
Uncleanness: A Temporary Physical State 🤢
Being ceremonially unclean was not a moral failing or a sin. It was a physical or ritual state, often a natural part of life. Things like giving birth (Leviticus 12:2), touching a dead body (Numbers 19:11), or dealing with certain diseases (Leviticus 13) made a person ritually impure.
The purpose of these laws wasn't to punish people for being unclean, but to teach them about God's holiness. God is the source of all life and purity. Anything associated with death, decay, or disease made a person ritually impure, meaning they couldn't enter God's holy temple to worship.
Think of it like this: It's not a sin to be dirty, but you wouldn't walk into a sterile operating room without scrubbing up first. The purity laws were Israel's way of "scrubbing up" to be in God's presence. Uncleanness was a temporary problem with a specific fix, usually involving washing with water, a waiting period (Leviticus 15:13), or a small offering. This system constantly reminded the Israelites that there was a huge gap between a holy God and humanity, and that a way to bridge that gap was always needed.
Now we can dig into Hebrews 4:14 - 5:10
After that overview of the Old Testament system, we can truly appreciate the message of Hebrews 4:14-5:10. This passage presents Jesus as our great high priest, a theme that would have blown the minds of its original Jewish audience. The author is making a clear comparison, contrasting Jesus with the high priests they knew. Think of it this way: the author is saying, "You know that priest thing? Jesus is that, but on a whole new, mind-blowing level."
The Superiority of Jesus's Priesthood 👑
The author of Hebrews is drawing a direct parallel between Jesus and the Old Covenant priests, especially their role in atoning for sin. This was a serious, life-and-death job. Once a year, on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), the high priest would enter the Most Holy Place to offer a sacrifice for the nation's sins (Leviticus 16). It was an incredibly tense moment where a single mistake could be fatal.
Don't miss this crucial point: Jesus's priesthood doesn't come from the family line of Aaron, but from the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 5:6, 10). Melchizedek was a mysterious priest-king from Genesis 14 whose priesthood wasn't inherited; it was a direct appointment from God. This shows that Jesus's priesthood is not only unique but also eternal. Jesus's priesthood is superior in its very nature. Unlike human priests who had to offer sacrifices for their own sins, Jesus was perfect and offered Himself as the once-and-for-all sacrifice. He is both the priest and the sacrifice.
AN Old Testament Rabbit Trail🐇:
Who Was Melchizedek?
To fully understand why the author of Hebrews brings up Melchizedek, we need to take a quick detour. The name "Melchizedek" would have immediately rung a bell for the original Jewish audience, and it's a key part of the argument that Jesus is better than the Old Testament priests.
Melchizedek appears only twice in the Old Testament: in Genesis 14:18-20 and in Psalm 110:4. In Genesis, he is a mysterious figure who appears out of nowhere to bless Abraham. He is called "king of Salem" and "priest of God Most High." This is significant because he existed before the Aaronic priesthood was ever established. The book of Hebrews tells us that he has no recorded genealogy, no father, no mother, and no end to his life (Hebrews 7:3). His priesthood wasn't inherited; it was a direct, divine appointment.
This is a huge contrast to Aaron's priesthood. Aaron's line was a family business, passed down from father to son. It was temporary because the priests died, and it was flawed because they were sinful men who had to make sacrifices for their own sins first.
So, when the author of Hebrews says Jesus's priesthood is "after the order of Melchizedek," it's not a reference to a literal bloodline. Jesus wasn't a descendant of Melchizedek. It's a powerful metaphor, meaning Jesus's priesthood is in the same "way" or "kind" as Melchizedek's:
Directly Appointed by God: It doesn't depend on family ties or the old law.
Eternal: Unlike the Aaronic priests who died and had to be replaced, Jesus's priesthood is permanent.
King and Priest: Jesus, like Melchizedek, holds the authority of both a king and a priest. Under the Mosaic Law, this combination was strictly forbidden. A powerful example of this is found in 2 Chronicles 26:16-21, where King Uzziah was struck with leprosy for trying to perform a priestly duty.
The original Jewish audience would have understood this instantly. They would have known Psalm 110, a messianic Psalm, which prophesied that the coming Messiah would be a priest forever "in the order of Melchizedek."
The author of Hebrews is essentially saying, "The Messiah you've been waiting for was always meant to be a different kind of priest, one who would replace the old, temporary system with a new, eternal, and perfect one."
Jesus's Humanity: Our Sympathetic High Priest ❤️🩹
The passage also highlights Jesus's humanity, which is a powerful and approachable truth. He didn't just pretend to be human; He genuinely experienced our struggles. Hebrews 4:15 says He "in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." This means He understands our weaknesses, pain, and temptations because He lived through them. He can "sympathize with our weaknesses."
The text also mentions Jesus "learning obedience through what he suffered" (Hebrews 5:8). This doesn't mean Jesus was ever disobedient. Instead, it speaks to the process of His humanity being brought to its ultimate purpose through suffering and obedience, which culminated in His death and resurrection. He learned what it meant to be the obedient Son in the most profound way possible, fulfilling God's will to the very end.
Questions for you to chew on and discuss:
How does the knowledge that Jesus has experienced temptation and suffering change the way you approach Him in prayer?
What does it mean for you that Jesus, our High Priest, was sinless and didn't need to offer sacrifices for Himself before interceding for you?
How does understanding Jesus's priesthood on the order of Melchizedek, rather than Aaron, deepen your appreciation for the new covenant?
Journey Group Discussion Starter:
Think about a time you felt completely alone in a struggle or temptation. Read Hebrews 4:15-16 aloud to your group. How does the imagery of Jesus as a sympathetic high priest who has been there, done that, and still loves you, offer you comfort and strength in that specific situation?
How to Apply These Principles to Your Life Today
This passage isn't just ancient history; it's a guide for modern-day Christians. It offers practical truths we can live out every day.
1. Boldly Approach God's Throne of Grace 🗣️
Because of our High Priest, Jesus, we are encouraged to boldly approach God's throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16). This means there's no need for a middleman or a special ritual. We can go directly to God in prayer, confident we'll receive mercy and find grace to help us when we need it most.
Real-Life Application: Think about a time you feel like you've messed up and are ashamed to pray. Maybe you lost your temper with your kids, were dishonest at work, or gave in to a temptation you've been fighting. This passage tells you that you don't need to "clean yourself up" first. Instead of hiding, you can go to God's throne of grace immediately, knowing you'll find mercy, not condemnation. It's like having the CEO of a company as your personal friend—you don't have to go through layers of secretaries to get help; you can call them directly.
2. Find Comfort in Jesus's Understanding 🤗
We can find comfort in the fact that Jesus understands our struggles. Hebrews 4:15 reminds us that He "in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." He's been there, so He gets it.
Real-Life Application: When you're facing a tough situation—maybe financial stress, the temptation to gossip, or the pressure to compromise your values—remember that Jesus knows what that feels like. Instead of trying to tough it out alone, you can go to Him with a raw, honest heart. You can pray, "Lord, this is really hard. I'm so tempted to give up. You understand this struggle. Please give me the strength to get through it without giving in." He's not a distant figure in an ivory tower; He's a sympathetic High Priest who has walked in your shoes.
3. Rest in the Security of an Eternal Priesthood ⚓
Jesus's priesthood is not a temporary office but an eternal one. This means our salvation is secure, and our access to God is permanent. Our faith isn't in a temporary system but in a living, eternal King-Priest.
Real-Life Application: In a world where everything feels temporary and uncertain—jobs come and go, relationships change, and our health can fail—this truth provides an unshakable anchor. It means your salvation isn't a "maybe" or a "for now." It's a settled deal. When doubts creep in, you can remind yourself that your faith isn't dependent on your good days or your bad days, but on the finished work of an eternal High Priest who never stops interceding for you.
Are you ready to stop going it alone and start walking with other believers on this wild Jesus journey? Think of a Journey Group as your personal support team, a place where you can be real about your struggles and celebrate your victories, all while getting a little help navigating this whole faith thing. It's like a spiritual pit crew, but with fewer wrenches and more grace. If you want to learn more, get connected in one, or learn more about starting one, please visit us at https://www.yourjesusjourney.com/journeygroups.
RESOURCES TO HELP YOU GROW AS A CHRISTIAN
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EXCITING DREAMS TAKING SHAPE
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For the past three years, Kaila and I have been living life on the road, exploring and serving wherever God leads us. It's been an incredible journey, but carrying everything we own and constantly navigating started us dreaming of something more: a home base. A place to lighten our load, simplify, and most importantly, create a space where we can truly bless others. This video is the first glimpse of that dream!
As full-time traveling missionaries and founders of YourJesusJourney.com, we live on a modest income, relying on the generosity of others to support our three-fold ministry vision: helping people understand the Bible in context, finding Christian friends, and equipping disciple makers. So, you might be wondering, how are we able to pursue something this ambitious? About a year and a half ago, Kaila’s beloved dad passed away. With his passing, Kaila inherited their expansive family home and horse property on the breathtaking North Shore of Lake Superior, in beautiful Ontario—the place she grew up, where she rode her first bike and horse, and learned to drive. After much prayer and seeking God’s guidance, we decided to sell the property. What you see here came as a result of that incredible blessing, and all the work unfolding in the next year or two will also be funded by it.
Ultimately, it’s all God’s money, God’s land, and God’s resources—we simply want to be faithful stewards, investing what He’s entrusted us with to serve our family, friends, and help countless others experience God and the lessons of the Bible in a whole new way. We prayed and searched high and low, from Texas to Idaho, and God consistently drew us back to this breathtaking location in Northwest Arizona. Imagine: a spot overlooking the world's densest Joshua Tree forest, just minutes from the Grand Canyon, with epic mountains in our backyard! Our deepest desire for this place is to be a haven for renewal. A spot where our kids can visit, Kaila's mom can stay, and friends can gather. But even bigger than that, it's a launchpad for new ministry—a place to invite people to rest, recharge, share meals, grow friendships, and truly be renewed in the desert sun. We're already dreaming of leading hikes, teaching Bible lessons, and hosting retreats.
There’s a lot of exciting work ahead, but we're stepping out in faith, trusting God every step of the way. We’re so excited to share this new chapter with our family, friends, and all of you! If you want to learn more about our ministry, please visit YourJesusJourney.com. And if you have any questions, or just want to send your prayers or encouragement, please fill up that comment section or reach out directly at YourJesusJourney@gmail.com.
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