Priesthood is an important theme in the Bible. The Letter to the Hebrews speaks at length about it. A priest offers sacrifices for sins and represents the people before God (Hebrews 5:1). We need a priest because we are sinners and cannot come into the presence of a holy and glorious God on our own.
In the Old Testament, God appointed priests to serve first in the tabernacle and later in the temple. They offered different kinds of sacrifices. Some were offered to make amends for sin, so that the sinner could receive forgiveness and be accepted by God; these sacrifices involved the shedding of blood. Others were offered as acts of thanksgiving and worship.
But with the coming of Jesus, everything changed. Now, “we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God” (Hebrews 4:14). Instead of offering an animal sacrifice, Jesus offered himself. “He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Hebrews 9:26). After giving his life on the cross to bear the sins of his people, Jesus rose from the dead and is now seated at the right hand of God the Father, interceding for all who believe in him.
- Because of this, the Old Testament priesthood has come to an end. There had to be many priests in those days because each one eventually died and another had to take his place. But Jesus lives forever, and so “he holds his priesthood permanently” (Hebrews 7:24). His priesthood never comes to an end and is never passed on to a successor.
- Since Jesus holds his priesthood forever and needs no successor, there is no longer any need for a priestly class in the church to offer sacrifices to satisfy God’s justice for sin. The New Testament never calls church ministers priests in this sense. Instead, it refers to church leaders as presbyters (elders), pastors (shepherds), and bishops (overseers) (Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:1–2). Their role is not to offer sacrifices for sin, but to teach God’s Word, guide the church, and care for God’s people.
- Not only that, but all Christians are priests. Everyone who believes in Jesus belongs to the “royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9). Through Christ, every Christian can come directly to God — not to offer sacrifices to make satisfaction for sin, because Jesus has already done that once for all, but to offer God praise and thanksgiving (Hebrews 13:15).
So, does the church need a priesthood? Yes — Jesus is our great High Priest. He “is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). We are invited to draw near to God through Christ with confident faith, praise, and thanksgiving.