Christ is our eternal Mediator in that He is the perfect union of God and man by whom we who are in Him can approach the Divine.
In a sense, priests are Christ's lieutenants on Earth, those who are left as *place holders* in *lieu* of Christ (hello, etymology department?).
In the same way that certain emissaries were given "Imperium" by Rome, or even how modern ambassadors bear the authority of the Head of State to make certain decisions, so it is that priests have been given by Christ to forgive sins (among other things). They do so in and by the authority of Christ, not themselves.
It's also in the Bible
In a sense, priests are Christ's lieutenants on Earth, those who are left as *place holders* in *lieu* of Christ (hello, etymology department?).
In the same way that certain emissaries were given "Imperium" by Rome, or even how modern ambassadors bear the authority of the Head of State to make certain decisions, so it is that priests have been given by Christ to forgive sins (among other things). They do so in and by the authority of Christ, not themselves.
It's also in the Bible