“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

1 Peter 2:9

According to the Law of God revealed to Moses, a “priest” was a member of the Aaronic priesthood, chosen from the tribe of Levi, who was authorized to offer sacrifices for the atonement of sin for the people of Israel. These sacrifices were required repeatedly, not only for the sins of the people but also for the sins of the priests themselves. However, these sacrifices were not permanent and only offered temporary atonement.

With the coming of Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, the need for priests and the system of sacrificing for the atonement of sin was no longer necessary. Jesus’ sacrifice was once and for all, and it fulfilled the need for a mediator between God and mankind. Therefore, there is no longer a need for priests, as every believer in Christ has direct access to the holy places of God and can serve as a priest themselves. The Bible makes this clear through the concept of a “priesthood of all believers”. See the passages below for specific references on this topic.

Jesus was the perfect sacrifice offered once for all.

“For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.‭‭ Hebrews‬ ‭9‬:‭24‬-‭28‬ ‭ESV‬‬

...He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. Hebrews 10:9-14

Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. Hebrews 10:18

Note that the Roman Catholic doctrine of communion repeating the sacrifice of Christ is a direct contradiction to this passage.

Jesus is our High Priest forever

but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: ‘The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever.’ This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Hebrews 7:21-24

Jesus Alone is our High Priest before God

“Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,” Hebrews 3:1

“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:14-15

“...where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 6:20

“For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.” Hebrews 7:26

“Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,” Hebrews 8:1

Jesus alone is the priest (mediator) between God and men

Scriptures are very clear that Jesus alone is the priest (mediator) between God and men. Spiritual leaders like the Apostle Paul were not priests, but were “preachers”, “apostles”, and “teachers”. The following passage makes this explicitly clear:

“For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle ( I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.” 1 Timothy 2:5-7

Paul says of the Apostles (and by implication all believers) that we are “servants” and “stewards”:

“This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” 1 Corinthians 4:1

ALL Believers are Priests before God

The Apostle Peter said that all believers are a “holy priesthood” in that each is able to present ourselves as a spiritual sacrifice to God (an activity formally permissible only to the Levitites):

“...you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5 

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9

The Revelation to the Apostle John is clear that every believer is a priest:

“and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:5-6

And they sang a new song, saying, ‘Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.’ Revelation 5:9-10

By the blood of Jesus Christ, who once and for all made atonement for our sins, we have access to the Holy of Holies:

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:19-22