In the thread regarding Women Preachers, David Palm discussed about Jesus appointing priests as opposed to priestesses. That triggered several questions that I thought would be better as a separate thread.

How and when did the use of the term "priest" and the role of "priesthood" come into play?

I'm not trying to provoke or instigate criticisms here, though I'm sure they will come. Just curious for the education.

I believe that the only ministerial offices mentioned in the NT scriptures were apostle, prophet, teacher, evangelist, pastor, deacon and bishop (or overseer). Are these terms still used in the Catholic church?

Also, when did the priesthood begin to exclude married men? And, realizing that there are married priests today (those who were married ministers in other denominations who converted to Catholicism), do they have the same title and position as an unmarried priest?

What is the Catholic position regarding the priesthood of all believers? Does scripture not call all of us a royal priesthood? Are we not all called to be ambassadors of Christ?

Thanks in advance for your input and comments.

-- David Bowerman (dbowerman@blazenet.net), June 29, 1999

Answers

David,

The first use of the word "priest" in the Bible is in Genesis. Melchizadek was a priest of the Lord God who offered sacrafice for Abraham after his victory. This is prior to the golden calf incident. And so, before the sin of Isreal and institution of blood sacrifice, guess what the priest of the Lord God offered as pleasing and acceptable to God??? Bread and wine. Sound familiar???

-- ubi (ubi@petros.com), June 29, 1999.

Well, I realize the OT references to the priesthood and that Hebrews identifies Jesus as a priest in the order of Melchizadek (another one of those "type" issues in the Old Covenant to New Covenant).

I guess I was looking for the how and when the NT church changed from apostle, prophet, teacher, evangelist, pastor, etc. to priest. The NT scriptures make no reference to a priesthood other than the reference to all believers as in "royal priesthood" since in Jesus we all have access to God, not just the priest as in the Old Covenant. Just looking for the historical information.

-- David Bowerman (dbowerman@blazenet.net), June 29, 1999.

David,

I love this topic for in this day and age of diminishing numbers of priests to the extent we may be looking at the last generation of them brings these thoughts.

Priests/Pastors of any religions have been questioned for the power based antics greed lust and down right manipulation of the word. For myself I hope to see priests honed down to two sacramments Confession and Celebrating the mass in full.

We have slipped away from a community church allowing ourselves to be told how to live a religious life by men who live a most unatural way of life. Their paternal drives get all out of whack and very twisted. Post Vatican 11 priests are less educated and not prepared for the rapidly changing world about them. The medieval mode of the Church is no longer functional.

Many protestant groups have surged ahead in communication with the flock whereas the church still wants to tell the flock what how and when. Eg: Youth Ministy in a Protestant church I know has a Saturday night dance and it is packed, No booze drugs or smooching (perhaps a little) after all what is Saturday night for?

Could go on and on but shall stop and allow others to say their piece.

Peace - Jean B.

-- jean bouchard (jeanb@cwk.imag.net), June 30, 1999.

"Acts 14:23 And when they had ordained them elders [presbuteros] in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they beleived.

190. What is the Greek word meaning "elder"? Presbuteros, which one can also transliterate as presbyteros, from which Greek the Latin word "presbyter" is derived. In the English language, "presbyter" derives as follows:

'adopted from the late Latin presbyter (Tertullian), adaptation of Greek presbuteros, in New Testament an elder of the Jewish council or Sanhedrin [sic], an elder of the apostolic church; properly adjective "older, elder", comparative of presbus an old man. So. French presbytre. 'The Vulgate regularly renders Greek presbuteros, -oi by senior, seniores, exc. in Acts xx.17, xxii.5, where it has majores natu, and in Acts xiv.23, xv.2, 1Timothy v.17,19, Titus i.5, James v.14, where the Greek is retained as presbyter, -eri. . .The 16-17th English versions from the Greek, and the Revised, have uniformly elder, -s, in every instance. The Rhemish New Testament has priest wherever the Vulgate has presbyter; in other places regularly auncients; but, from 1Peter onward (18 places) senior, seniors. 'Notwithstanding the prevalence of senior in the Vulgate, prebyter became the official name of the ecclesiastical order, when also the Com. Romaniac prester, Old French and Provencal prestre, Italian prete; . . .Old English preost, English priest (as an order in the Latin and Anglican churches): see PRIEST.]' The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed. (1989), vol.12, s.v. "presbyter."

191. What is the English word that is ultimately derived from the Greek word presbuteros? Priest.' (Jesus, Peter, $ the Keys, A Scriptural Handbook on the Papacy, pgs 186-187).

"We also see in the New Testament that the functions of the Old Testament elder--who served in the synagogue--have been fused withthe functions of the Old Testament priest--who served in the temple. We can see the fusion of the two concepts in Romans 15:15-16. In the New International Version of this passage, we read: 'I have written you quite bodly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. . . . 'A second passage revealing the fusion of the offices of Old Testament elder and Old Testament priest is Revelation 5:8, where we read: 'And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.' Here we have the twenty-four heavenly elders (presbyteroi) depicted as offering incense to God in bowls, just as the Old Testament priests did with their own gold incense bowls (Numbers 7:84-86). 'It is especially important to note that this was a function only priests could perform, as indicated a few chapters later, in Numbers 16, which records the story of Korah's rebellion. This story concerns precisely the issue which is before us today: whether the fact that all believers are priests means that there is no ministerial priesthood. Korah said it does mean that [there is], and he gathered a rebellion against Moses and Aaron to usurp the priesthood from them: 'You have gone too far, sons of Levi!. . .[I]s it too small a thing for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel. . .would you seek the priesthood also? Therefore it is against the LORD that you and all your company have gathered together; what is Aaron that you murmur against him?' (Num. 16:1-11). . . . Finally, we can see the fusion of the offices of elder and priest in the fact that the church is a combination of the Old Testament synagogue (where the teaching occured) and the Old Testament temple (where the sacrifice occured). The New Testament church incorporates both of these elements, with the liturgy of the Word (teaching) and the liturgy of the Eucharist (sacrifice), which has been the structure of Christian worship since the first century.' James Akin, "The Office of the New Testament Priest,' unpublished paper, 1995, 1,2." (Jesus, Peter & the Keys, A Scriptural Handbook on the Papacy, pgs 188-189).

The "priesthood of all believers" is the participation in the ministry of Christ Jesus for the laity. The Greek Scriptures describe this concept in 1Peter 2:4-10 and Rev 1:5-6 (see also Romans 12:1, Philippians 4:18, and Heb 13:15) whereby Christians offer spiritual sacrifies to God.

The concept of "priesthood of all believers" is also found in the Hebrew Scripturs [Old Covenant]. "'You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites" (Exodus 19:6). This, however, did not conflict with a special ministerial priesthood setup by God. In this same chapter God directly speaks of these ministerial priests: "The Lord descedended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up and the Lord said to him. . .Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them. . .The Lord replied, 'Go down and bring Aaron up with you. But the priests and the people must not force their way through to come up to the Lord, or he will break out against them" (Exodus 19:20-24). The ministerial priesthood was set up by God in Exodus chapters 28-30 in additional to the "priesthood of all believers".

As was explained above, "priest" is derived from the Greek "presbuteros" meaning elder. This is the New Testament office (1Peter 5:1,5; 2John 1; 3John1) which the Apostles also had. The Apostolic office of the presbytery [or Christian ministerial priesthood] is passed on by the laying on of hands (1Tim 4:14; 1Tim 5:22; Titus 1:5). The laying on of hands bestows a special grace from God [ergo sacrament] to these "priestly" ministers (Rom 15:15; 1Tim 4:14; 2Tim 1:6). When Catholics refer to "priests" they are refering to church elders.

We are all called to the "royal priesthood" but not all are called to the ministerial priesthool. Those who are not ministerial priests must follow those God has anointed. "For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. . .Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error; they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion" (Jude 2,11). Jude is warning the New Covenant Christians about falling into the error of Korah. What was Korah's rebellion especifically? Korah's error is discovered in Numbers 16:3,10 in which Korah rises against Moses' authority by stating that "you have gone to far! THE WHOLE COMMUNITY IS HOLY, EVERY ONE OF THEM, AND THE LORD IS WITH THEM. WHY THEN DO YOU SET YOURSELFS ABOVE THE LORD'S ASSEMBLY? [stated Korah]. . .[Moses said] He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself but now you are TRYING TO GET THE PRIESTHOOD TOO" [see Exodus 19:6 again]. Korah mistakenly thought that because the were all a royal priesthood to God that there was no special ministerial priesthood therefore. God put these evil doers to the test. Korah's followers offered up incense, something only a ministerial priest could do, and God destroyed him and all his followers. "And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense" (Num 16:35). "This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense before the Lord, or he would become like Korah and his followers" (Num 16:40).

Thus New Covenant Christians can also be destroyed if the follow in the rebellion of Korah by usurping the ministerial priesthood :( .

Some functions of the New Covenant elder or priest is to offer incense (Rev 5:8) and to administer sacraments such as the anointing of the sick (James 5:14-16). The most important sacrament being that of the Eucharist. Christ established His elders/presbyters/priests at the Last Supper when he said "Do this in rememberance of me" (Luke 22:19).

-- Jorge (JTrujillo7203@hotmail.com), June 30, 1999.

The Catholic Church maintains only three distinctions in the hierarchy of the ministerial priesthood (bishops, priests, and deacons). The Scriptures at times seems to merge a number of offices and functions to one person. For example, Paul is described as a teacher and apostle (1Tim 2:7), and a "priestly" minister (Rom 15:16). Certain elders or priests are also said to be "bishops" or overseers in Acts 20:17-28. Silas (one of Paul's companions [Acts 16:36-40]) is said to be a "prophet" (Acts 15:32) and an "apostle" (1Thess 1:1, 2:6). Elders are also said to be shepherds and bishops (1Peter 5:1-2). Peter, the "first" apostle (Matt 10:2, Gk. "protos" "[foremost in time, place, order or importance]:-- before, beginning, best, chief [-est], first [of all], former" (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, with brief dictionaries of Hebrew and Greek, page 83 of Greek dictionary), refers to himself as a "fellow elder" (1Peter 5:1). Similarly, another apostle, Paul (1Cor 15:9), describes himself as a mere "deacon" (1Cor 3:5; 4:1; 2Cor 3:6; 6:4; 11:23; Eph 3:7; Col 1:23,25 [Gk. "diakonos" - deacon, minister, servant]). Thus we see that certain offices in the New Covenant at times were fused into one office at times. Later on at the end of the fist century and the beginning of the second century, we see that the offices of bishop, priest and deacon (some offices being merged into only one) become more defined and distinct as is attested in the writings of Ignatius of Antioch (c. 107).

Within the Catholic Church there is three ranks of priests as foreshadowed in the Old Covenant. The High Priest, Jesus Christ the only High Priest (Heb 3:1), the ministerial priests (Rom 15:16), and the universal priests (1Pet 2:5,9). For more information of the "priesthood of all believers" see Cathecism of the Catholic Church on the common priesthood.

Gotta Go - I'll be back!

-- Jorge (JTrujillo7203@hotmail.com), June 30, 1999.

When Christ said "Do this in remembrance of me" he instituted the office of priest (teach, preach, confer sacraments and offer sacrifices). Christ gave this power to the Apostles alone. The Apostles conferred this power by the laying on of hands to others (1Tim 4:14) who would be ordained to the ministerial priesthood.

"This brings us to the principle sacrifice of the New Testament priesthood, which is the Eucharist or Lord's Supper. To see the sacrificial dimension to the Lord's Supper, note first that it is the New Testament equivalent of the Old Testament Passover feast, in which the sacrificed paschal lamb was consumed (1 Cor. 5:7-8). The New Testament Eucharist, like the Old Testament Passover, is thus a sacrificial meal. . . .The famous Protestant scholar Joachim Jeremias points this out in his book, The Eucharistic Words of Jesus, which Protestant scholars have come to regard as the definitive work on this subject. He states, '[W]hen Jesus speaks of 'his flesh' and 'his blood'...Each of the two nouns presupposes a slaying that has separated flesh and blood. In other words: Jesus spoke of himself as a sacrifice [p. 222]'. . . .Further confirmation is found in the words Jesus used to instruct his ministers to perform it. His statement, 'Do this in rememberance of me,' may also be translated, 'Offer this as my memorial sacrifice' -- a fact Protestant preachers never mention when they talk about this passage. But it has a most important bearing on our discussion, because by telling the apostles to offer his memorial sacrifice, Jesus clearly ordained them as priests. In Greek, these words are Totou poiete eis tan emen anamnesin. . .First of all, the word poiein or 'do' has sacrifical overtones. . . .For instance, Exodus 29:38: 'This is that which you shall offer (poiesis) upon the altar: two lambs . . .' Here the verb poiein should clearly be translated as 'offer,' as all the Protestant translations of this passage have it. The King James, the Revised Standard, and the New International Version all render it as 'offer.' Jesus' word anamnesis, usually translated 'rememberance,' also has sacrificial overtones. For example, in the NIV of Hebrews 10:3 we read, 'But those sacrifices are an annual reminder [anamnesis] of sins.' The word for 'reminder' in this passage is anamnesis. The passage thus tells us that these sacrifices are an annual anamnesis, an annual memorial offering, on behalf of the sins of the people. In fact, all of the occurrences of this word in the Protestant Bible, both in the New Testament and the Greek Old Testament, occur in a sacrificial context. An anamnesis of a memorial offering which one brings before God to prompt his rememberance. . .For example, in the NIV of Numbers 10:10 we read, 'Also at your times of rejoicing...you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial [LXX, anamnesis] for you before your God.'. . .So Jesus' command to the disciples to 'do this in memory' of him was a command to present the elements to God as an anamnesis, as a memorial sacrifice to bring to God's mind the work that Jesus did on the cross for us" (James Akin, The Office of New Testament Priest, pgs 4-5).

Additionally, the word "anamnesis" means more than just remembrance, it means "to make present." This is what we understand happens at Mass when the priest (elder) consecrates the host, it makes the sacrifice of the crucifixion present to us in our own times. What Jesus started in at the Last Supper, the Passover meal, he "finished" on the Cross. "Christ command remembrance in a Passover context, as God commanded it of all Jews at the first Passover. Note that the Last Supper is the only time Christ uses the word 'covenant' in all four Gospels. The Seder (Passover) meal consists of four parts, each part is completed by the mixing and drinking of a cup of wine. The Khaddish, a Judaic prayer of festival blessing, is spoken over the first cup. The bitter herbs are then served. This was probably the dish in which Jesus and Judas dipped bread together. The second course is served, and then Psalm 113, which is called the Little Hallel (little song of praise), is sung. The second cup is mixed and shared. The third course is served, and the Passover lamb and unleavened bread is eaten, after which the third cup is drunk. This third cup is called the cup of blessing. . [see 1Cor 10:16]. .After this, the meal reaches its climax with the singing of Psalms 114-118, which is called the Great Hallel (great praise). Then the fourth cup is mixed and drunk to complete the ritual. It is called the 'cup of consumation.' It is clear that the cup which is shared among the apostles is the cup of blessing, both from the description, 'while they were eating,' and Paul's own testimony which will be discussed shortly [1Cor 11:25]. Christ starts the Passover meal, but He doesn't complete it. He offers the unleavened bread ('This is my body') and the third cup ('This is my blood') while they were still eating the Passover lamb. He proclaims the bread to be His body, and the cup to be His blood, and these are consumed 'while they were eating.' He states that He will not taste of the fruit of the vine again until the coming [of] His Father's Kingdom. The Great Hallel is sung, but Christ and the apostles leave the upper room without drinking the fourth cup. The Passover is not complete - the cup of consummation has not been consumed. . [see Luke 22:42; Matt 26:39; Mark 14:36]. .The sixth hour is important [John 19:13-14] because it was that hour the Passover lambs were slaughtered for the evening sacrifice. How can this be? Didn't Christ already celebrate the Passover? He did - according to the Pharisaic calendar. But the Sadducess followed a slightly different calendar. The Parisees celebrated Passover on Tuesday, while the Sadducees celebrated Passover on Friday. God's plan allowed Christ to both offer His own flesh and blood under the forms of bread and wine with His Apostles at the Last Supper, and still truly be offered up as the Paschal Lamb on Passover at His Crucifixion. He is both high priest and victim. Standing before the crowd on the cold stone pavement, He had not yet completed the Passover sacrifice He had begun with His Apostles. . .Jn 19:29-30 A bowl full of vinegar stood there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop and held it to his mouth. 30When Jesus had recieved the vinegar, he said, 'It is finished'; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Seconds before His death, Jesus drinks the wine and says 'It is consummated' or 'It is finished.' Was He speaking of the work of redemption. . [see Rom 4:25]. .Unlikely. The work of justification would not be completed until the Resurrection. So, what was finished? The Passover. [THE FOURTH CUP HAD BEEN DRUNK ON THE CROSS]. Christ was High Priest of the Sacrifice even as He hung on the Cross, His skin flayed off His back as one might skin a lamb, His flesh roasted in the sun as He carried the Cross. The fruit of the tree of life, the Paschal Lamb, is prepared. What must be done with the Lamb?" [see Exodus 16:16-30; 23:43-49; 24:9-11; Lev 7:7,15-20; 10:16-20; 1Sam 16:5] (The Eucharist, http://www.cybercities.com/scripturalcatholicism/EUCHRIST.HTM, pgs. 14-16).

Paul undoubtedly held that the Lord's Supper was a participation in the sacrifice of Jesus. He compared the "sacrifices" to demons "in the altar" to the "cup of the Lord" and the "table of the Lord" (1Cor 10:14-22). The "table of the Lord" is equivalent to saying "altar of the Lord" [implying sacrifice] as is attested throught the Scriptures (Ezekial 41:22; Psalm 50; Malachi 1:6-7; see also Malachi 1:10-13 for a prophecy on the Eucharist).

The New Covenant Elders were also to preach and teach the congregation (1Tim 5:17). The Lord also bestowed the power to confer sacraments to the Apostles (for example: baptism [Matt 28:19; Heb 6:2], confirmation [Acts 8:17-19; 9:17; Heb 6:2], Eucharist [Luke 22], priesthood [1Tim 4;14; Acts 6:1-6], penance [John 20:23; 1John 1:9; Matt 9:1-8], Anointing of the Sick [Mark 6:13; James 5:14]).

Priestly celibacy is a discipline in the Church (not a doctrine). This is why some priests of the Catholic Church in the East may marry. The Latin rite, the Western part of the Church, however, follows the strong recommendation of Paul and Jesus which argue for celibacy in the service of the Lord (Matt 19:12,29; Luke 14:26-27; Luke 14:26-30; 1Cor 6:12-13; 7:1-2,7-10).

In 1Timothy 4:3, Paul warned Christians against the errors, followed for example by the Manichaeans and Albigensians, that marriage is evil because the body is evil. Far from viewing marriage as evil, the Catholic Church teaches that Jesus exalted marriage to the level and dignity of a sacrament (Matt 19:3-12; Heb 13:4). It is binding on Christians because it is an unbreakable bond between man and women (Eph 5:22-33; 1Cor 7:27). Most Protestant Churches do not view marriage in such high regards and allow divorce for any reason :( .

Since the Second Lateran Council in 1139, all candidates for priestly ordination in the Roman Rite have been required to take the vow of celibacy. As you stated however, the Church does accept married ministers from Protestant denominations that are ordained into the priesthood. These priests or elders are of the same dignity and can perform the full functions of celibate elders. There is no difference excepting what Paul warned about in 1Corinthians 7:32-40: The unmarried person is concerned with the affairs of the Lord but the married person is concerned with the affairs of this world.

In short, Catholics believe the "priesthood" was instituted at the Last Supper. Catholics have always had "elders" which we call priests. There is three levels of ministerial priesthood: Bishops, priests, and deacons. These different levels incorporate the various offices and functions described throughout the Greek Scriptures. In 1139, the Church required celibacy in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church (the Church contains many rites). Catholics believe in the priesthood of all believers but it is referred to as the common priesthood, in which all believers are participants in the work of Christ.

-- Jorge (JTrujillo7203@hotmail.com), July 01, 1999.

Wow Jorge!! Thank you for all of your efforts. I'm sure you put a lot of time into it. I have read it and will re-read it researching your references as time permits. Thanks for giving me something to go on. Have a great day!

-- David Bowerman (dbowerman@blazenet.net), July 01, 1999.

Yes, thanks Jorge! Awesome!!!!

I just wanted to add that when we look at the immediate post-apostolic period we find something very interesting. Starting with the earliest documents (i.e. the writings of Clement and Ignatius), written by men who knew the Apostles personally we find two things: the Eucharist as the New Covenant sacrifice and the three-fold ministry -- deacon, presbyter/priest, bishop -- in the Church. In fact, Ignatius tells us that apart from these three offices "there is not even the name of a church," and that these three offices exist in every church across the entire known world.

Now, the primary function of a priest is to offer sacrifice. So no wonder that since the primary function of a presbyter is to offer the Eucharist he would be called a priest.

Also, there's really not explaining this immediate and universal existence of the three-fold office of Church ministry if it did not originate with the Apostles themselve. If it was just a distortion, how would it have been promulgated and accepted without question so early and so univerally? I suggest that is a practical impossibility.

Thanks again, Jorge.

-- David Palm (djpalm64@yahoo.com), July 05, 1999.