By Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute
Originally written: Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Introduction
Since the establishment of the covenant between God and the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai, the biblical record consistently portrays a divine pattern whereby God communicates and relates to humanity through the ministry of priests. In this arrangement, there existed a High Priest (Kuhani Mkuu) and subordinate priests who operated under his authority.
According to the Old Testament (Tanakh), among the twelve tribes of Israel, God specifically chose the tribe of Levi to serve as priests.
Deuteronomy 10:8 (NKJV)
“At that time the Lord separated the tribe of Levi to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord, to stand before the Lord to minister to Him and to bless in His name, to this day.”
This Levite priesthood was tasked with the care of the tabernacle (the Tent of Meeting), the sacred articles, and everything pertaining to the rituals of Israel’s worship.
Numbers 1:50 (NKJV)
“But you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the Testimony, over all its furnishings, and over all things that belong to it; they shall carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; they shall attend to it and camp around the tabernacle.”
At the head of this Levitical order was Aaron, who was anointed as the first High Priest of Israel.
The New Testament Shift: The Priesthood of Melchizedek
With the coming of Jesus Christ, a new covenant was established, along with a new priesthood. The writer of Hebrews affirms that Jesus did not serve under the Levitical priesthood but rather after the order of Melchizedek—a mysterious figure who appears in Genesis 14 and is referenced in Psalm 110:4.
Hebrews 7:15-17 (NKJV)
“And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. For He testifies: ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.’”
Unlike the Levitical priesthood, which was based on hereditary descent and legal prescriptions, Christ’s priesthood is eternal and grounded in divine decree.
Christ as the Eternal High Priest
Consequently, Jesus is the sole High Priest in this New Covenant era, fulfilling the role eternally:
Hebrews 7:24 (NKJV)
“But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.”
And under His eternal priesthood, all true ministers of God today—whether pastors, evangelists, or spiritual leaders—serve as priests under the authority of Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV)
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
This passage affirms the priestly status of all believers under the New Covenant, with Jesus as the unchallenged and eternal High Priest.
Theological Inquiry Concerning Muhammad
This brings us to a critical theological examination concerning Muhammad, the founder of Islam. According to Islamic claims, Muhammad served as a prophet and spiritual leader. However, examining his ministry through a biblical-theological lens raises important questions regarding his priestly authority and divine legitimacy.
Key Questions:
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Was Muhammad a priest?
The biblical framework for priesthood requires either ordination under the Levitical order (Old Covenant) or under the eternal priesthood of Jesus Christ (New Covenant). There is no record or claim, even within Islamic sources, of Muhammad being a priest in any biblical or Levitical sense. -
If he was a priest, under which priesthood did he serve? Was it under the Levitical priesthood, or under Jesus Christ?
Since the Levitical priesthood ceased with the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple in 70 A.D. and was already declared obsolete in light of Christ’s eternal priesthood (Hebrews 8:13), and given that Muhammad was neither a Levite nor a follower of Jesus Christ’s priestly order, he cannot be classified under either. -
If not, from which god did his authority originate?
This is a pivotal theological question. If Muhammad did not serve under the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the revealed order of priesthood established in both the Old and New Testaments, one must critically question the divine source of his spiritual authority. -
Dear Muslim brethren, who is your priest?
Every spiritual system requires a mediatorial figure between humanity and the divine. In biblical theology, Jesus is the only mediator between God and mankind (1 Timothy 2:5). If Muhammad is not a priest after God’s established orders, and Islam rejects the priesthood of Christ, it leaves a significant theological vacuum regarding mediation and priestly representation before God.
Conclusion
The priesthood of Jesus Christ stands supreme, eternal, and exclusive in the New Covenant era. The claims of any subsequent prophet, including Muhammad, must be measured against the divine priestly order established in Scripture. The absence of a recognized, biblically sanctioned priestly role for Muhammad raises critical questions about his theological legitimacy within the framework of revealed Judeo-Christian tradition.
Abiria chunga maisha yako (Passengers, take care of your life)!
There is no one like Jesus!
Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute
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