A priest is one who ministers, offers sacrifices, and acts as a mediator between God and fellow-humans (Deut. 27:9, 14). The concept of priesthood runs throughout history and appears to have been a fundamental part of God’s dealings with mankind. Some form of mediatorial priesthood seems to have existed from the earliest times, the duties of which were discharged by those who occupied positions of leadership.
Cain and Abel made offerings to the Lord (Gen. 4:3-4; Heb. 11:4). Noah “built an altar to the LORD ... and offered burnt offerings on the altar” (Gen. 8:20).1 Job offered burnt offerings for his children (Job 1:5). Abraham built an altar and offered a ram for a burnt offering (Gen. 22:9-13; cf. 12:7, 8; 13:4, 18). Melchizedek was “the priest of God Most High” (Gen. 14:18-20; Heb. 7:1-10). Jethro was “the priest of Midian” (Ex. 2:16; 3:1).
Following their deliverance from exile in Egypt, a priesthood limited to Aaron and his family was established among the Israelites (Ex. 28 ff.). Aaron was the first high priest, succeeded by others; on the Day of Atonement the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the sins of the people (Lev. 16; Heb. 9:7). Priests offered daily sacrifices, and the people of Israel approached God through these intermediary priests (Num. 15:25).
In addition to the Aaronic priesthood, there was also a form of national priesthood. Israel was to be “a kingdom of priests” (Ex. 19:4-6), i.e., the mediatorial link between God and the nations, bringing the knowledge and salvation of God to the peoples around them.
The New Testament Concept of Priesthood
There is now only one High Priest for all ages: Jesus the Christ (Heb. 4:14; 7:23-28). Unlike the old system where daily sacrifices were necessary, Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice “once for all when he offered up himself” (Heb. 7:27). When this was accomplished at Golgotha, “the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Mark 15:38). The veil had separated the people from God’s presence (the Holy of Holies), and they were denied direct access to him. Only the high priest was allowed to go beyond the veil to represent the people before God (Heb. 9:1-8).
The splitting of the temple’s veil from top to bottom at Christ’s death seems to have symbolized free access to God through this great sacrifice (cf. Heb. 4:16; 9:12). Now instead of an earthly priest serving as mediator between God and his people, all Christians have direct access to God through Jesus Christ (cf. 1 Tim. 2:5-6; Heb. 10:19-22).
A Kingdom and Priests to Our God (Revelation 1:5-6; 5:9-10)
The Lamb was slain and resurrected, “and washed us from our sins in his own blood”; “And redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation” (1:5; 5:9). He then made us “a kingdom” (1:6; 5:10; cf. Col. 1:13-14) and “priests to our God” (1:6; 5:10; cf. Isa. 61:6; 1 Pet. 2:5, 9). All Christ-followers have direct access to God (through Jesus) and serve as mediators between God and those who are not Christians. We “reign on the earth” (5:10) in the sense that we are connected to, represent, and proclaim the sovereignty of Christ (cf. 20:4; Rom. 5:17; 1 Cor. 4:8; 2 Tim. 2:12).
A Holy/Royal Priesthood (1 Peter 2:1-10)
This passage is applicable to all who “have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (v. 3). As Christ is “a living stone” (v. 4), we also are “living stones” (v. 5). Contrary to the lifeless, inanimate stones of the natural world, these stones are living, having received spiritual life from their union with the living foundation-stone (cf. 1 Cor. 3:11; Eph. 2:5). These living stones are not scattered or piled up but are joined together to build “a spiritual house” (cf. 1 Cor. 3:16; Eph. 1:20-22).
Those who comprise the Lord’s church are described as “a holy priesthood” (v. 5). All Christians are “priests,” do not need a human mediator (in addition to Christ), and can therefore approach God directly via our great High Priest. The adjective “holy” signifies a separation from the ungodly world and a steadfast dedication to God. As a holy priesthood, the church is “to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
The priesthood is spiritual and the sacrifices are spiritual, acceptable only as they are offered through our High Priest, Jesus Christ. These spiritual sacrifices include:
o Praises (Heb. 13:15).
o Prayers (Rev. 5:8; cf. Psa. 141:2).
o Benevolent giving (Heb. 13:16; Phil. 4:18).
o Righteous living (Psa. 4:5).
o Ourselves in service to God (Rom. 12:1-2).
The Lord’s church is also described as “a royal priesthood” (v. 9). We are “a chosen generation,” sharing a common heritage through the new birth (1 Pet. 1:23) which transcends all natural distinctions of ancestry, race, culture, etc. Our priesthood is “royal” in that we belong to and function as part of the King’s family.
Priesthood involves service. While the qualifier “holy” (v. 5) is indicative of our service to God, “royal” (v. 9) is indicative of our service to the world. We are “a holy nation, his own special people” (cf. Ex. 19:5-6), and the purpose of the royal priesthood is “that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
Our privilege as God’s people is not for our own personal gratification. We make known the praises of God by our holy lives (1 Pet. 2:12; 3:1) and by our words (Mark 16:15; Acts 8:4). The “praises of him” involve God’s praiseworthy virtues, deeds, power, glory, wisdom, grace, mercy, love, holiness, i.e., all that God is and all that he does. Our purpose as a priesthood is to bring God to all people and all people to God. Our purpose is based on what God had done for us.
We are called by the gospel (2 Thess. 2:14), which is God’s invitation to the world to be reconciled to him. We are called out of spiritual darkness, thus freed from sin (John 3:19; Rom. 3:10; 1 John 1:5), into the marvelous light of his salvation (John 3:21; 2 Cor. 4:6).
Conclusion
From earliest of times God has utilized some form of priesthood to aid in the accomplishment of his will, today in the form of the holy/royal priesthood of all believers. With the privilege of being God’s people comes responsibility to God and to the world.2
Who are we? A holy priesthood, a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people. What is our purpose? To offer up spiritual sacrifices and to proclaim his praises. Why? Because God has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. As a holy priesthood we have responsibilities to God; as a royal priesthood we have responsibilities to the world.
--Kevin L. Moore
Endnotes:
1 Unless noted otherwise, scripture quotations are from the New King James Version.
2 “The priesthood of all believers ... means that every Christian has immediate access to God, that he serves God personally, and that he ministers to others and that he has something to give” (Edwin Blum, “1 & 2 Peter,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation 230).
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