Jesus is our High Priest

Many people want to feel close to God but wonder if their mistakes, doubts, or past have put Him out of reach. The Bible’s answer is that we do not have to earn our way to God - Jesus came to bring us into a relationship with Him.

God can feel distant when we picture Him as someone we must impress or reach through our own effort. The Book of Leviticus addresses this distance by asking how imperfect people can approach a holy God - One who is completely good, pure, and unlike us. In Leviticus 8:1–5, God chooses Aaron to serve as a high priest, a representative who would approach God on behalf of the people.

This ancient practice pointed ahead to Jesus. Just as certain places require someone with access to bring you inside, Jesus brings us into a relationship with God that we could not achieve on our own. God is not waiting for you to become perfect before approaching Him. He sent Jesus to make a way for you to know Him right now.

You do not have to fix every part of your life before coming to God. In Leviticus 8:6, Aaron was washed before beginning his work as high priest. This physical washing pictured a deeper need shared by every human being: We need God to remove the guilt created by our wrong choices.

Jesus provides that cleansing through forgiveness. Forgiveness means God does not hold our wrongs against us when we place our trust in Jesus. Baptism later serves as an outward picture of this inward change, but neither religious activity nor good behavior earns God’s acceptance. You can come honestly - with your doubts, regrets, habits, and questions. Change begins through a relationship with God; it is not an entrance requirement for one.

Human effort cannot erase guilt or make us completely pure. We can improve our behavior, repair relationships, and make wiser choices, but we cannot undo the past or become morally perfect. Leviticus 8 shows that the people did not simply enter God’s presence however they wanted. God provided a high priest to represent them and sacrifices to show that wrongdoing carries a real cost.

Those practices prepared people to understand Jesus. Hebrews 9:22 explains that forgiveness requires the shedding of blood, pointing to Jesus willingly giving His life for humanity. Christianity is not primarily about people climbing their way up to God. It is the story of God coming to us through Jesus and opening a way we could never create for ourselves.

A priest served as a mediator - someone who stood between God and the people and represented them before Him. Aaron, the high priest described in Leviticus 8, was still an imperfect human being who needed cleansing and forgiveness himself. Jesus is different. He lived without wrongdoing and could therefore represent humanity perfectly.

Jesus being our High Priest means we do not need to wonder whether God will hear us or welcome us. Jesus brings imperfect people into a relationship with a holy God. He carried the cost of our wrongdoing and continues to represent those who trust Him. We can speak directly to God, ask for forgiveness, and seek His help because Jesus has opened the way. Access to God is not reserved for especially religious people; it is offered to anyone who comes through Jesus.

Yes. God’s forgiveness rests on what Jesus has done, not on whether your past feels forgivable. In Leviticus 8, a sacrifice was offered to deal with the high priest’s guilt. This showed that wrongdoing could not simply be ignored, but it also showed that God was providing a way for guilt to be removed.

Jesus later became the complete and final sacrifice for human wrongdoing. This does not minimize the harm caused by our decisions or remove the need to make things right with others when possible. It means that shame does not have to define your identity forever. When you honestly turn to Jesus and trust Him, you can receive forgiveness, begin again, and live without carrying the impossible burden of trying to repay God.

Leviticus 8 describes blood being placed on the high priest’s ear, thumb, and big toe. Each part represented an area of life dedicated to God: the ear symbolized listening and obeying, the hand represented serving, and the foot pictured walking with God.

For someone following Jesus today, this creates a practical pattern. We learn to listen for God’s direction through the Bible, prayer, and wise Christian community. We use our hands, abilities, and resources to serve others. We also seek to walk with God by allowing Him to shape our daily decisions, relationships, work, and priorities. Faith is not limited to attending a service. It becomes a whole-life response to being known, forgiven, and welcomed by God.

Knowing Jesus gives us the privilege of helping others discover that they are welcome too. In the message, Pastor Gregg describes the high priest inviting people toward God’s presence. First Peter 2:5 later says that those who follow Jesus become a “holy priesthood.” That means every Christian can represent God’s love and help others move closer to Him.

You do not need to be a pastor or have every answer. You can listen to someone who is hurting, serve a neighbor, share what God has done in your life, or invite a friend into a caring community. God can use ordinary acts of kindness and faithfulness to make a lasting difference. Your life can become a pathway that helps someone else discover hope in Jesus.

“The Lord spoke to Moses: ‘Take Aaron, his sons with him, the garments, the anointing oil, the bull of the sin offering, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread, and assemble the whole community at the entrance to the tent of meeting.’ So Moses did as the Lord commanded him, and the community assembled at the entrance to the tent of meeting. Moses said to them, ‘This is what the Lord has commanded to be done.’”

Leviticus 8:1–5

This passage begins the process of appointing Aaron as the high priest who would represent the people before God. It points toward humanity’s need for someone who can bring us into God’s presence - a role ultimately fulfilled by Jesus.

Gregg Matte is the Senior Pastor of Houston’s First Baptist Church, a church with multiple campuses serving the greater Houston area. He communicates biblical truth with warmth, humor, and everyday illustrations that help people see how faith connects with real life. Learn more about Pastor Gregg.

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