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PRIEST OF LEVITE
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The passage to which reference is made is the parable of the good Samaritan. In short, all priests are Levites but not all levit are priest, being selected from the tribe of Levi, but not all Levites are priests.Those Levites who were not priests were assigned duties connected with the tabernacle (Numbers 3-4). They assisted the priests (Numbers 1:50; 3:6, 8; 16:9; 1 Chronicles 9:22, 26f; 23:2-4, 28; Ezra 3:8-9.), they prepared the cereal offerings (1 Chronicles 23:28-32), and they cared for the courts and the chambers of the sanctuary. Later, the Levites were involved in interpreting the law and thus functioned as teachers (Nehemiah 8:7, 9; 2 Chronicles 17:7-7; 35:3). The Levites were explicitly permitted to go near the sacred furniture, and this special privilege distinguished them from ordinary Israelite (Numbers 8:19; 16:9-10.; 18:22-23). By virtue of this responsibility, they were charged with the work of the tent of meeting (tabernacle) that included its dismantling, transportation, and reassembly at a new site (Numbers 1:48-54; 4:3-15; 18:6). This was a requirement of all Levites between the ages of twenty-five and fifty (Leviticus 8:24-26). The Levites were able to approach the sacred furniture only when it was covered (Numbers 18:3). The Levites were inducted into their role through a series of ceremonies that included shaving of the body, sacrifice, the laying on of hands, and a solemn presentation to God (Numbers 8:5-13). They were supported by a tithe of the people (Leviticus 27:32-33; Numbers 18:21, 24), but a tenth of the tithe was to be given to the priests (Numbers 18:26-28).The anointing of Aaron and his sons with the same oil as the tabernacle furniture implies that the priesthood shared the holiness of the tabernacle (Exodus 30:22-29; 40:9-11; Leviticus 8:10-11; Numbers 7:1). The function of the priests was primarily concerned with offering sacrifices on the altar. This included the sprinkling of blood and burning portions of sacrifices (Leviticus 1). The priests also blessed the people in the name of God (Deuteronomy 10:8; 21:5). Such responsibilities were an important part of the covenant-al relationship between God and Israel. The priests were responsible for carrying the ark of the covenant (Deuteronomy 10:8; 31:9, 25). While the differences discussed here are not the only differences, they are sufficient to show the distinctions between the Levites and the priests. Today there is no Leviticus priesthood nor Levites to assist them did they exist. When Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 70 the Jews lost the capacity to determine their tribal lineage. Judaism as a religion of God came to an end. Today both Jew and Gentile are one in Christ -- there is no longer any distinction between the two. (Galatians 3:28) In the New Testament, Christians constitute spiritual Israel and are the spiritual descendants of Abraham. (Romans 9:7-8; Galatians 3:7-8) In Hebrews, there is a lengthy discussion of the “better high priest” that we enjoy as Christians.
