Jesus Christ is prophet, priest and king

Father Joseph Columba (a priest who loves to sing the psalms) explores Psalm 110 in reflections originally appearing in Rooted:

‘The LORD [YHWH] says to my Lord [Adonai]: “Sit at my right hand”’ (Psalm 110.1, NRSV). Once, this song might have accompanied the coronation of kings in Jerusalem. But in the hands of the New Testament writers, it becomes the clearest line of connection between the promises of the Old Covenant and their fulfilment in the person of Jesus Christ. That’s why this psalm is quoted more often in the New Testament than any other part of the Hebrew Scriptures.

Every Sunday, this is the first psalm to be sung at Vespers, the Evening Prayer of the Church. That’s because it describes what Sunday is about: the resurrection of Christ, our worship of him as Lord and king, his victory over sin and death, and his enthronement in glory. That’s why Peter quotes it in the very first Christian sermon on Pentecost morning, declaring that ‘God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you had crucified’ (Acts 2.36, NRSV).

The psalm refers to Melchizedek (verse 4), the ‘king of righteousness’ who was also a priest, offering bread and wine (Genesis 14.18–20). Jesus is prophet, priest, and king: thus fulfilling the three main roles through which God guides and protects his people in the Old Covenant. Our High Priest sacrificed himself for us, ‘so let us approach with boldness the throne of grace’ (Hebrews 4.16, NRSV).

Like in Psalm 2, we see the Anointed One surrounded by enemies, and yet we proclaim his triumph still. In all of these messianic psalms, we have seen some mention of God putting his enemies under Christ’s feet (verse 1). St Paul says that, eventually, even death will be destroyed, and Christ will return the whole universe to the Father, so that, finally, ‘God may be all in all’ (1 Corinthians 15.28).

If you’re a member of Rooted, you can explore these ideas further when your new journal arrives in November. If you’re not a Rooted subscriber yet, join this weekend to ensure that you’ll receive the Hebrews Edition of this highly-regarded devotional journal as soon as it’s released.

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