Chapter 41: The Priesthood of all believers

When we think about the Protestant Reformation, when it is viewed through the lens of its most prominent leaders, such as Martin Luther, it is likely the doctrine of “justification by faith” will particularly stand out in terms of significant ways peoples’ theological outlooks were affected. This is pertinent to “Priests of the Bible” when we think of Jesus as being a priest of the Order of Melchizedek and Him being the one whose atoning sacrifice, along with His continuous High Priestly intercession, has an eternal effect in our being able to approach God. The good news is that this applies to all those who have repented of their sin and put the trust in Christ irrespective of their church affiliation.

We can see why such a doctrine is so important, especially as prior to then people were often bound by what the Roman Catholic church and its Priests said to do in relating to God, which always had to be through a church ordained priest, and involved any number of things the church said people had to do in order to gain favour with God. It should be added that with respect to “Chapter 59: Holiness – without which no man shall see the Lord” most of the Reformers would recoil from any notion that once having been justified by faith one can then do what one pleases. The issue at stake was the Roman Catholic church insisting that what they said, further to the Bible, had to be adhered to.

Related to the belief in the doctrine of “justification by faith” is that of the “Priesthood of all Believers”. I agree with what my first “Google hit” came up with: “The doctrine of the priesthood of all believers states that all believers in Christ share in his priestly status; therefore, there is no special class of people who mediate the knowledge, presence, and forgiveness of Christ to the rest of believers, and all believers have the right and authority to read, interpret, and apply the teachings of Scripture. In contrast to the beliefs of the medieval church, the Protestant doctrine of the priesthood of all believers holds that there is no longer a priestly class of people within God’s people, but that all believers share in Christ’s priestly status by virtue of their union with Christ”.

Central to the notion of a Priestly People (and I hope dear reader you are one), which is the logical continuation of Part 1 (the Priesthood) and Part 2 (Priests). Priests of the Bible, specifically the Levitical (Aaronic) priesthood, was the means God laid out for His people (Israel) to approach Him, the Holy God, prior to Christ. Given what Christ accomplished by dying and rising from the dead, this no longer applies to those who have turned from their sin and have put their faith in Christ for salvation.   

In a lifetime of observation among the different denominations, I have seen a wide variation as to what is implied by the Priesthood of all Believers, ranging from everything needs to be done under the authority of or through the priest or minister to the whole idea of a clergy / laity divide being an affront to the Almighty and the plain teaching of scripture. It is not my intention to go down numerous doctrinal rabbit holes to offer the correct answer (which I also touch on in the next chapter) but rather to share my understanding what are the ramifications of being part of the Priesthood of all Believers.

My own Plymouth Brethren background might put me in the latter camp, although I recognise things are not always that simple. For example, and without wanting to take scripture out of context, with reference to Korah’s rebellion, detailed in Number 16, as has been earlier discussed, and with reference to New Testament teaching, such as “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account” Hebrews 13:17, I would counsel folk that it is beholden to believer priests to submit to those who look after the Lord’s people. Moreover, we are also told “let every soul be subject unto the higher (secular) powers” Romans 13:1. Being a priest does not excuse us from our responsibilities to be accountable to other humans.

I would like to share an experience from my PB roots and something that I miss that I saw practiced, especially when practised well, which often was not the case. This was typically seen in the way the PB Breaking of Bread meetings were conducted. It demonstrated how the Priesthood of all Believers could be seen in the context of congregational worship, although this typically excluded women, based on the belief that women should maintain silence when if came to teaching and leading worship.

This was in accordance with the teaching “How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying …” 1Corinthians 14:26 (but without the speaking in tongues). A typical meeting involved different brethren doing just that, plus prayer, praise and worship and culminating with any brother who was in fellowship officiating over the Lord’s Supper (as “led by the Spirit”). There is a lot more to the Priesthood of Believers to the way meetings / services are run, and that which was often practised in PBism. My own observation is that when it came to meetings (services), especially the Lord’s Supper, every group has their own peculiar ways on how meetings should be conducted. This should not be a falling out matter (despite my preferring the PB way of doing things)!

 In order to ascertain what Priesthood of All Believers involves, we should consider what was expected of Priests of the Bible, a subject considered in earlier chapters, and remember that priests were about helping to bridge the gap between God and man and act in a mediation capacity. It is a something we should treat with due reverence as is becoming those who have direct access to God, through the Veil into the Holy of holies, recognising this is a huge privilege and one that comes with responsibilities. In our own humble capacities and unique circumstances, we are to be His representatives here on Earth.

When I checked out what preachers had to say about the subject of the Priesthood of all Believers, I found many began with the teaching of Peter: “To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” 1 Peter 2:4-9.

Often the point was made relating these verses to how God began to speak to Moses on Mount Sinai: “Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel” Exodus 19:5,6, which soon after led to the giving of the Law, establishing of the Covenant, ordering of the Tabernacle, and setting up the Aaronic priesthood, 2500 years after He created man. As we have already pointed out, in the beginning as Adam communed with God in the Garden of Eden, and there was no need of any “middle man”. Later, we find individuals, typically heads of households (Noah, Job, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) exercising the priestly role by offering sacrifices. When it came to Israel being called a kingdom of priests, we can ponder how this was to be fulfilled, but given their propensity to disobey God, it is easy to see how priestly mediation would be needed.

At the end of the Bible, a description is made of a scene in heaven of believers around the Throne of God and the Lamb, which is Christ, for we read: “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth” Revelation 5:9,10. The fact these believers, which can be taken to include today’s Christ’s followers, were referred to as kings and priests and that they were to reign on earth, suggests an even loftier thought concerning the Priesthood of all Believers. Those who lay claim to this label have an awesome responsibility as well as wonderful privilege to look forward to in that we are to reign with Christ on earth in a time yet to come. It is a salutary thought that many who Revelation was addressed to were to suffer great persecution. The contrast between being despised and rejected by men and being exalted by God was there a huge one.

I would like to close with a passage from Isaiah, that Jesus claimed was fulfilled through Him: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations. And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien shall be your plowmen and your vinedressers. But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves” Isaiah 61:1-6.

When we read the Luke 4 account of Jesus reading from the scroll at the synagogue in His home place, Nazareth, we note He stopped reading at “to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord”, adding the statement: “this day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” Luke 4:21. Many argue much of Isaiah’s prophecy contained in the rest of this passage, including “the day of vengeance of our God” has yet to be fulfilled. Usually, overlooked, but pertinent when it comes to our subject is “ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God” which suggests a bright future for the people of God and one that includes them fully able to execute their priestly role.