Priests in OT and NT

In handwriting Deuteronomy, I am sometimes struck by the striking contrasts between in Old Testament and the New Testament. Such is the case with Deut 26:3:

"And you shall go to the one who is priest in those days, and shall say to him, 'I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come to this country which the Lord swore to our fathers to give us'" (Deut 26:3).

When Paul went up to Jerusalem in Acts 15 in the context of a theological dispute, he did not obey this command to go to the sitting High Priest, rather he went to the apostles and elders. When Paul went in to the priests to get a head shave, and pay for four others, in Acts 21, it was under pretext to show the Jews that he also kept the law--which head shave did not spare him from a beating in which the Jews sought to kill him (Acts 21:31).

However, interestingly, Jesus sometimes commanded those he healed to go show themselves to the priests as a testimony (Luke 5:14; 17:14 and parallels).

Yet, it was the High Priest "in those days" and "in the place where the Lord your God chooses to make His name abide" (Deut 26:2) who condemned Jesus to death.

Further, Paul was told not long after his conversion of his friends in Jerusalem:

"Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me" (Acts 22:18).

Clearly something happened with the role of the priest between the life of Jesus and the early church! In fact, the Old Covenant was accomplished and the new had truly come. Jesus said from the cross, "It is finished!" (John 19:30). God tore in two the veil in the Temple between the holy place and the holy of holies (Matt 27:51; Luke 23:45).

Because of what Jesus accomplished through His death and resurrection, we no longer need to make a humble pilgrimage to any particular location to pay homage to a man taking on the role of intermediary, to whom, by whom, and through whom we must offer our first fruits. God "does not dwell in temples made with hands" (Acts 17:24).

Amen for Jesus who did it all! And amen for the priesthood of the believer, by which every true believer in Jesus can offer thanksgiving directly to the God the Father from anywhere and at any time--with the blood of Jesus as our only hope and our only mediation.

"It is finished!"