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Typology of Adam's Priestly Role in the Bible

Adam, whose name means "earthy" or "red" [2], is presented in Scripture as a type of Christ [6]. The apostle Paul explicitly refers to Adam as "the figure of him who was to come" in Romans 5:14, and Christ is sometimes called the "second Adam" [6, 4]. This typological relationship is further elaborated in Romans 5:14-19 and 1 Corinthians 15:45 [6, 1].

While the Old Testament does not explicitly call Adam a priest, the concept of priesthood in the early biblical narrative suggests a priestly role for the head of a family or community. Initially, every man could present his own sacrifices before God, a practice that later devolved to the head of the family [3]. Examples include Noah (Genesis 8:20), Abraham (Genesis 12:7; 13:4), Isaac (Genesis 26:25), and Job (Job 1:5) [3]. The term "priest" first appears in connection with Melchizedek (Genesis 14:18) [3].

The priestly office, as formally established under the Levitical system, involved offering sacrifices [3]. The high priest, in particular, was specially called by God, consecrated to his office, and bore the names of Israel before the Lord [5]. His duties included offering gifts and sacrifices, lighting sacred lamps, and making atonement in the Most Holy Place once a year [5, 9]. The garments for ministering in the holy place were specifically designed for Aaron and his sons to serve in the priest's office [7].

The typological connection between Adam and Christ extends to Christ's high priestly role. The book of Hebrews describes the nature of Christ's high priesthood, his pre-eminence, qualifications, and order [11]. Adam Clarke, in his commentary on Revelation, notes that Christ's appearance "like unto the Son of man" (Revelation 1:13) is a description of the high priest in his sacerdotal robes, indicating that Jesus is our high priest even in heaven, discharging sacerdotal functions before God's throne [10]. This imagery includes being "clothed with a garment down to the foot" and wearing a "golden girdle," emblems of both regal and sacerdotal dignity [10].

The sin offering for the high priest, as described in Leviticus 4:3-21, required a large, expensive animal (a bull) that was completely burned and whose blood was presented in the Holy Place [13]. This contrasts with offerings for lay leaders or common people, which required lesser animals [13]. This distinction highlights the unique and significant role of the high priest in making atonement.

The Old Testament also contains prophecies that allude to a broader priestly function beyond the Levitical order. Isaiah 24:2 suggests a time when "the people will be like the priest," indicating a more universal access to priestly functions or a blurring of traditional roles [8]. This foreshadows the New Testament understanding of believers as a "royal priesthood."

The office of the high priest was hereditary under the Levitical law and was next in rank to the king, often exercising chief civil power [5]. However, Jeroboam, in his idolatry, appointed priests from "the lowest of the people," demonstrating a departure from God's established order [12]. This underscores the importance of proper appointment and lineage within the Levitical priesthood, which ultimately points to Christ's divinely appointed and perfect priesthood.

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Types of Christ — Adam -- Ro 5:14; 1Co 15:45. Abel -- Ge 4:8,10; Heb 12:24. Abraham -- Ge 17:5; Eph 3:15. Aaron -- Ex 28:1; Heb 5:4,5; Le 16:15; Heb 9:7,24. Ark -- Ge 7:16; 1Pe 3:20,21. Ark of the Covenant -- Ex 25:16; Ps 40:8; Isa 42:6. Atonement, sacrifices offered on the day of -- Le 16:15,16; Heb 9:12,24. Brazen serpent -- Nu 21:9; Joh 3:14,15. Brazen altar -- Ex 27:1,2; Heb 13:10. Burnt offering -- Le 1:2,4; Heb 10:10. Cities of refuge -- Nu 35:6; Heb 6:18. David -- 2Sa 8:15; Eze 37:24; Ps 89:19,20; Php 2:9. Eliakim -- Isa 22:20-22; Re 3:7. First-fruits -- Ex 22”
  2. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Adam — earthy; red”
  3. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Priest — The Heb. kohen, Gr. hierus, Lat. sacerdos, always denote one who offers sacrifices. At first every man was his own priest, and presented his own sacrifices before God. Afterwards that office devolved on the head of the family, as in the cases of Noah (Gen. 8:20), Abraham (12:7; 13:4), Isaac (26:25), Jacob (31:54), and Job (Job 1:5). The name first occurs as applied to Melchizedek (Gen. 14:18). Under the Levitical arrangements the office of the priesthood was limited to the tribe of Levi, and to only one family of that tribe, the family of Aaron. Certain laws”
  4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Titles and Names of Christ — Adam, Second -- 1Co 15:45. Almighty -- Re 1:18. Amen -- Re 3:14. Alpha and Omega -- Re 1:8; 22:13. Advocate -- 1Jo 2:1. Angel -- Ge 48:16; Ex 23:20,21. Angel of the Lord -- Ex 3:2; Jdj 13:15-18. Angel of God's presence -- Isa 63:9. Apostle -- Heb 3:1. Arm of the Lord -- Isa 51:9; 53:1. Author and Finisher or our faith -- Heb 12:2. Blessed and only Potentate -- 1Ti 6:15. Beginning of the creation of God -- Re 3:14. Branch -- Jer 23:5; Zec 3:8; 6:12. Bread of Life -- Joh 6:35,48. Captain of the Lord's hosts -- Jos 5:14,15. Captain of salvat”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: High Priest, The — Specially called of God -- Ex 28:1,2; Heb 5:4. Consecrated to his office -- Ex 40:13; Le 8:12. Was called The priest. -- Ex 29:30; Ne 7:65. God's high priest. -- Ac 23:4. Ruler of the people. -- Ex 22:28; Ac 23:5. The office of, hereditary -- Ex 29:29. Next in rank to the king -- La 2:6. Often exercised chief civil power -- 1Sa 4:18. Duties of Offering gifts and sacrifices. -- Heb 5:1. Lighting the sacred lamps. -- Ex 30:8; Nu 8:3. Making atonement in the most holy place once a year. -- Le 16:1-34; Heb 9:7. Bearing before the Lord the names of Isra”
  6. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Adam, a type — The apostle Paul speaks of Adam as "the figure of him who was to come." On this account our Lord is sometimes called the second Adam. This typical relation is described in Rom. 5:14-19.”
  7. Exodus “the finely worked garments for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office. -- Exodus 39:41”
  8. Isaiah “Isaiah 24:2 (NASB) — And the people will be like the priest, the servant like his master, the maid like her mistress, the buyer like the seller, the lender like the borrower, the creditor like the debtor.”
  9. Leviticus “and he shall bring his trespass offering to Yahweh for his sin which he has sinned, a female from the flock, a lamb or a goat, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his sin. -- Leviticus 5:6”
  10. Revelation (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Revelation 1:13: Like unto the Son of man - This seems a reference to Dan 7:13. This was our blessed Lord himself, Rev 1:18. Clothed with a garment down to the foot - This is a description of the high priest, in his sacerdotal robes. See these described at large in the notes on Exo 28:4, etc., Jesus is our high priest, even in heaven. He is still discharging the sacerdotal functions before the throne of God. Golden girdle - The emblem both of regal and sacerdotal dignity.”
  11. Hebrews (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Hebrews 5 (introduction): The nature of the high priesthood of Christ; his pre-eminence, qualifications, and order, Heb 5:1-10. Imperfect state of the believing Hebrews, and the necessity of spiritual improvement, Heb 5:11-14.”
  12. 1 Kings (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Kings 13:33: Jeroboam returned not from his evil way - There is something exceedingly obstinate and perverse, as well as blinding and infatuating, in idolatry. The prediction lately delivered at Beth-el, and the miracles wrought in confirmation of it, were surely sufficient to have affected and alarmed any heart, not wholly and incorrigibly hardened; and yet they had no effect on Jeroboam! Made - the lowest of the people priests - So hardy was this bad man in his idolatry that he did not even attempt to form any thing according to the model of God's true worship: he would have”
  13. Leviticus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Leviticus 4:3: 4:3-21 These verses distinguish two types of sin offerings: (1) the offering given for the sin of the high priest (4:3, 20) and the entire Israelite community (4:13), and (2) the offering given for one of Israel’s leaders (4:22) and any of the common people (4:27). The former case required offering a bull, a large, expensive animal. It was not to be eaten (6:30) but was completely burned (4:12, 21), and some of its blood was presented in the Holy Place (4:6-7, 17-18). The latter case required a lesser animal—a male goat for a lay leader or a female sheep or goat”
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