There is a fundamental difference between the need for a high priest in the Old Testament and the need for a high priest in the New Testament of the Bible.
The Old Testament Priest
The Old Testament describes a priest who would make sacrifices for the sins of the people. In the Old Testament the high priest would intercede on the Day of Atonement between the people and God. In the Old Testament the priest would accept the gifts of the people on behalf of God. In the New Testament however, Jesus accomplishes all of this for us.
What Do We Need?
So do we still need a priest? No. Because our Great High Priest, Jesus, has satisfied all the requirements of the priests in the Old Testament and much more, you and I don’t need an earthly priest. In fact, you and I have become our own priests. Hebrews 4 describes the unique relationship that you and I now have with God the Father through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus, his Son.
Direct Access to the Father
According to Hebrews, you and I don’t need to enter the Most Holy Place on Earth because we can go directly to the very throne room of God. Hebrews says that through Jesus’s death and resurrection you and I can BOLDLY come before the throne of God. Think about this statement for just a minute; sinners are now able to boldly enter the presence of a holy God! How is that possible? Only because Jesus’s perfect sacrifice has satisfied God’s punishment for our sins. Through Jesus we can now receive mercy from God. Through Jesus we can now receive grace from God. Through Jesus we now have an amazing, intimate relationship with God.
You don’t need a priest to intercede for you. Your Great High Priest has already done all that is necessary so that you can boldly ask God for mercy and strength during times of need. This is what we mean by the term- the priesthood of all believers.
