Seder 122: Numbers 25---Phinehas as a Type of Messiah

 When some Israelites were guilty of sexual immorality and idolatry at Shittim, Phinehas the priest decisively intervened to stop the rebellion and the resulting plague.  

God declared that Phinehas "was jealous with my jealousy," embodying God's desire for an exclusive relationship with his people (Num 25:11).  He represented God well, in contrast to what Moses and Aaron had done at Meribah (Num 20:12).  

God reaffirmed with Phinehas the covenant he had made with the priesthood.  Not all of the high priests would be descendants of Phinehas, but priests from his line eventually would dominate the high priesthood.  Zadok, for example, was a high priest under Solomon (1 Chr 6:1-15; 49-53).  Ezra was a priest from this line (Ezra 7:1-5).  It is Zadokite priests who serve at the Temple in Ezekiel's vision (Ezek 44:15; 48:11).  

God calls his covenant with Phinehas a "covenant of peace" (Num 25:12).  Phinehas' zealous actions had brought peace between God and his people, making atonement for Israel's breach of the covenant (verse 13).  

Christians see Phinehas as a type of Jesus the Messiah.  The prophesied new covenant, under which Israel is ruled by the Messiah, is also called a covenant of peace (Ezek 34:23-25; 37:24-28), and Paul refers to Jesus as "our peace" (Eph 2:14).  While Phinehas the priest made atonement with a spear, Jesus was pierced to make atonement for us and serves now as the High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary (Heb 7:25). 

 In a sermon at Church of the Messiah on July 11, 2026, Kyle Kettering carried out a detailed comparison between Phinehas and Jesus, thinking in particular of Jesus' cleansing of the Temple in John 2:13-22.  

There are a number of parallels between the details of Numbers 25 and John 2.  In both cases 

• there is immorality in the sanctuary precincts.
• a public act of zeal is carried out.
• a weapon is used.
• the protagonist receives a priesthood.  
• the zealous action is criticized. 

The last point is not as obvious as the others.  We know that Jesus received criticism (Jn 2:18-22), but Phinehas is not criticized in the Bible.  However, a tradition recorded in Numbers Rabbah pictures Phinehas being attacked by Simeonites for his actions, with an angel intervening to protect Phinehas.  

There are also parallels in the outcomes of their zealous actions.  Both carried out atonement and acted self-sacrificially.  Their actions send the message that immorality associated with God's Name requires action.  The righteous must stand as lions before the wicked.  In this connection, Kyle quoted Proverbs 25:26:  "Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked."