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Glory · Jesus Christ
There is one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, and through His one offering every believer may draw near directly and boldly. The torn veil says access is open; the royal priesthood says God's people minister to Him themselves. Christ is Priest enough for all who come to God through Him.
https://glorystudy.com/questions/do-i-need-a-priest-to-reach-god · Scripture quoted from the World English Bible
Hebrews 10:11-22
As you read: Every priest stands daily offering the same sacrifices; Christ offered one sacrifice and sat down, opening a new and living way.
11Every priest indeed stands day by day serving and often offering the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins,
12but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God;
13from that time waiting until his enemies are made the footstool of his feet.
14For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
15The Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,
16“This is the covenant that I will make with them: ‘After those days,’ says the Lord, ‘I will put my laws on their heart, I will also write them on their mind;’” then he says,
17“I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more.”
18Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
19Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus,
20by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
21and having a great priest over God’s house,
22let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having our body washed with pure water,
Hebrews 4:14-16
As you read: A sympathetic High Priest, and an invitation to come straight to the throne of grace.
14Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our confession.
15For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.
16Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.
Matthew 27:45-54
As you read: At Jesus' death the curtain barring access to God tore in two, opened from heaven's side.
45Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.
46About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, limasabachthani?” That is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
47Some of them who stood there, when they heard it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.”
48Immediately one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him a drink.
49The rest said, “Let him be. Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.”
50Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit.
51Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.
52The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
53and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered into the holy city and appeared to many.
54Now the centurion, and those who were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God.”
1 Peter 2:4-10
As you read: Believers themselves are living stones built into a priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices.
4coming to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious.
5You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6Because it is contained in Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen, and precious: He who believes in him will not be disappointed.”
7For you who believe therefore is the honor, but for those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected, has become the chief cornerstone,”
8and, “a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed.
9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
10who in time past were no people, but now are God’s people, who had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
The gospel narrows the road to one Person: 'There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.' Through Him 'we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.' Any additional mediator between the soul and God, however well meant, subtracts from the sufficiency of the Son.
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all; the testimony in its own times;”1 Timothy 2:5-6
“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.”John 14:6
“For through him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.”Ephesians 2:18
When Jesus died, the temple curtain separating sinners from God's presence tore in two, and the direction matters: torn from the top, by God's hand and not man's. Hebrews reads the sign plainly: we have confidence to enter the holy place by 'a new and living way,' through the veil, that is to say, His flesh. Access to the Father is not granted at a priest's discretion; it was purchased at Calvary and thrown open.
“Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split.”Matthew 27:51
“Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;”Hebrews 10:19-20
“in whom we have boldness and access in confidence through our faith in him.”Ephesians 3:12
Under the old covenant priests stood daily, offering many sacrifices that could never take away sin. This Man offered one sacrifice for sins forever and sat down: the posture of a finished work. Because the sacrifice is complete and the Priest is permanent, no further sacrificing priesthood mediates forgiveness; He ever lives to intercede for those who come to God through Him.
“Every priest indeed stands day by day serving and often offering the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins, but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God;”Hebrews 10:11-12
“For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”Hebrews 10:14
“Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them.”Hebrews 7:25
The invitation is addressed to the weakest believer: 'Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace,' a mercy seat approached personally, in full assurance of faith. In Christ every sinner who trusts Him has what Israel's laity never had under the law: unhindered, unmediated approach to God.
“Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.”Hebrews 4:16
“let’s draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and having our body washed with pure water,”Hebrews 10:22
The astonishing reversal of the gospel is that believers are not merely served by a priesthood; they are made one: 'You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices.' A chosen people, a royal priesthood, God's own possession, called out of darkness to proclaim His excellencies.
“You also, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”1 Peter 2:5
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:”1 Peter 2:9
“and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us, and washed us from our sins by his blood; and he made us to be a Kingdom, priests to his God and Father; to him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”Revelation 1:5-6