Text: Hebrews 5:1-10. One of the roles Jesus held in his Earthly Life is described in this text as being a priest "after the order of Melchizedek." God had called this man, Melchizedek, to be a High Priest long before God's written laws established that a High Priest must not only be from the tribe of Levi, but must be specifically in the lineage of Aaron, brother of Moses. This tells us that Jesus (who was in the lineage of Judah, not Levi), was also a special high priest similarly called by God. Both were called prophets, priests, and kings.
Priesthood was designed by God to be Representational (of the spirituality of the people), Presentational (to relay God's truth to the people), Sacrificial (offer sacrifices for sin on behalf of the people), and Pastoral (dealing with people with empathy that is not too severe and not too tolerant). We see Jesus's earthly life of prayer as frequent, fervent, reverent and submissive.
