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(b) Hear the words ofthe Epistle to the Hebrews, chapter 3: l, a most powerful expression ofthe unique priesthood ofChrist, "the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Jesus Christ."

(c) Again in Chapter 4: 14, "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest that has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." (d) He is made priest by God himself, who declares both, "Thou art my son, today I have begotten thee" (Psalm 2: 7 and Hebrews 5: 5), and also, "Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."

(e) Jesus is the end of all other priesthoods. The priesthood of Christ is the termination, but also the fulfillment, of the priesthood of the Old Covenant. (f) His priesthood is absolutely new, and comes from God's own act establishing the New Covenant through Christ's self-sacrifice, for again the writer to the Hebrews points out, "he has no need. like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sin and then for those ofthe people, he did this once for all when he offered up himself’ (Hebrews 7: 27).

(g) There is only one priest, Jesus Christ. He, and He alone, can bond God and man because ofwhat He did for us, and because of what He is as the incarnate unity of God and man. This is well expressed in the hymn by Canon William Bright: "Look Father, look, on his anointed face, And only look on us as found in him..."

Christ sends His Priesthood into the world.

(3) Christianity differs from other world religions in that its Founder left behind Him nothing save a group of men. But they were not merely teachers and examples but extensions of Himself and His divine mission. (b) Jesus commissions His Apostles:

St. Matthew 10:40 - "He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me."

St. John 20: 21 - 23, "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father has sent me, even so send 1 you, And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosoever sins ye retain they are retained." (See the Prayer Book, page 655.)

St. Matthew 28: 18 - 20: "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."

They were ordained and sent to do even as Jesus Himself had done,