Gestures to the priesthood: Exploring Jesus’ priestly function in 1 John 1

Interpreters of the New Testament often assume that the portrait of Jesus as high priest is a definitive and unique characteristic of the Epistle to the Hebrews. Other interpreters, however, find traces of this priestly Christology in other writings in the New Testament. This article assesses the degree to which 1 John “gestures” to the priestly function of Jesus by portraying him as the definitive means of dealing with human sinfulness and as the one who intercedes in a priestly manner on behalf of humanity.