Why there are no priests in the Protestant Churches?

The biblical priesthood came from Aaron, the tribe of Levites, the rest of the priests came from the tribe of Levites. The Roman Catholic priests are not from the tribe of Levites.

Exodus 28:1-2 “Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests—Aaron and Aaron's sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

At Jesus death the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, (Matthew 27:51) now we can approach God and come to his presence by Christ alone.

70 A.D the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by Titus the Roman Emperor.

In the ministry of the New Testament church priests are not mentioned below.

Ephesians 4:11 And he (Jesus) gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds (Shepherd is a Pastor, some translations say, teaching pastors) and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.

Also Apostle Paul speaks of the qualifications for church leaders in 1 Timothy chapter 3, priests are not included. Because we don’t need any more sacrifices, Jesus was the High Priest and also He was the sacrifice.

Jesus is our High Priest

18 times in the book of Hebrews Jesus is called our High Priest. What is the job of the priest, to offer sacrifices and pray on behalf of the people to God.

Christ was a priest. As a priest he offered sacrifice, he was the victim and the priest. As a priest he intercedes for his people.

Hebrews 9:11 ¹¹ But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) ¹² he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. ¹³ For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, ¹⁴ how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

The priesthood that came from Aaron had a beginning, Aaron was subjected the kings. Aaron’s priesthood ended. Levitical priesthood was national, to the Israelites. Now it is done away. But the Melchizedek priesthood does not have a beginning or an end, it is not national but to the whole world. God kept Melchizedek’s genealogy a secret as to show that Melchizedek was a type of Christ. Christ did not come from the tribe of Levi but from the tribe of Judah. Christ came according to the order of Melchizedek, not only for the Jewish believers but also for the Gentile believers.

Hebrews 7: 24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

What is the function of the High Priest? Praying for the believers. See below Christ Jesus praying for us

Hebrews 7:25 Therefore he is able to save completely^[c] those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

We don’t need a priest as Christ is our high priest and we approach God by going to Christ directly confidently

Eph 3:12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him

1Jo 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

We don’t confess our sins to a priest but to Jesus

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

John 14:6 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, (Note it’s not a priest, not Mary, not the saints, not the Pope)

John 10:9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture

However the true believers are called a priesthood.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Why are we called a priesthood? As a result of our salvation, our bodies becomes a living sacrifice in worship to God, before our bodies were used for sin but now the Holy Spirit lives in us. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

Romans 12:1-2 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

See the end of the book, Revelation 5:9-10, (I have capitalized Priests)

And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
¹⁰ and you have made them a kingdom and PRIESTS to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.”

The believers are the true priests as we will serve God forever.