Jesus is our great High Priest because he does perfectly what every earthly priest could only do in part. He became human so he could represent us, offered himself as the final sacrifice for sin, and now lives forever to intercede for us. Because of him, the way into God’s presence is open, and every believer is restored to the role humanity was created for: a royal priesthood.
Why Hebrews Talks So Much About Priests
If you’ve never studied the priesthood, the middle chapters of Hebrews can feel complicated. But the priesthood tells one of the biggest stories in the Bible: how sinful people can get back into the presence of a holy God. Earlier in the letter, the author explains that Jesus became human for this very reason.
Hebrews 2:17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.
The story actually starts in Eden. The garden was a place where God walked with people, and the Hebrew words for Adam’s job to “work” and “take care of” the garden (Genesis 2:15) are the same words later used for priests serving in the tabernacle. Adam and Eve were the first kingdom priests. When sin entered, they were exiled from God’s presence, and the rest of the Bible answers the question of how to get back.
The Old Priesthood Showed Access Was Limited
Through Moses and Aaron, God gave Israel a formal priesthood and the tabernacle, a portable sanctuary where his presence dwelled. It had an outer court, a Holy Place for priests, and behind a curtain, the Most Holy Place, where the Ark of the Covenant represented God’s throne.
Hebrews 9:7-8 But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still functioning.
The whole system taught a painful lesson: access to God was restricted. The priests themselves were sinful and mortal, and they had to offer sacrifices for their own sins before they could help anyone else. The system pointed to a solution, but it wasn’t the final answer.
Melchizedek Pointed to a Better Priest
In Genesis 14, Abraham meets a mysterious king and priest named Melchizedek. He appears with no family record, Abraham gives him a tenth of his plunder, and Melchizedek blesses Abraham. Hebrews uses him as a picture of a greater priesthood that isn’t based on family lineage. You can dig into the details in Jesus Is a Priest Like Melchizedek.
Hebrews 7:24-25 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
That’s where Jesus enters the story. Unlike Aaron’s descendants, Jesus never dies and never needs a sacrifice for his own sins. His priesthood is permanent, so his ability to save is complete.
Jesus Opened the Way for All Believers
Jesus understands our weaknesses because he lived as one of us, yet he never sinned. When he died, the temple curtain was torn in two, a powerful sign that the way into God’s presence was open. And unlike the old priests, who never sat down, Jesus finished his work and took his seat in heaven (Hebrews 8:1-2).
Hebrews 4:15-16 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
The story comes full circle. Because of Jesus, believers no longer need a human go-between to approach God. Peter calls us “a royal priesthood,” people who live in God’s presence and help others find their way back to him (1 Peter 2:9). That’s why the priesthood of all believers matters so much.
The Takeaway
Jesus is our great High Priest because he became one of us, offered himself as the perfect sacrifice, and lives forever to intercede for us. Through him, the way into God’s presence is open, and we get to approach God with confidence.
