An expanded view of the Christian priesthood is in order. It is not restricted only to those under Holy Orders. All true Christians are priests. In the New Testament, the word priest is not used for the governing positions in the Church.
Not everyone can be a priest because Christ Himself chose specific men to carry on His sacrificial ministry. In the Bible, Jesus didn’t tell all His followers to “do this in memory of Me” — He said that to the Apostles at the Last Supper. That moment was when He instituted the ministerial priesthood.
Every baptized person shares in what’s called the “common priesthood,” meaning we can all offer our prayers, sacrifices, and daily life to God.
Just like not everyone in the Old Testament could serve at the altar (only the Levites could), not everyone in the New Covenant is called to be a priest. God calls specific men to serve in that sacred role, set apart for the service of the Church and the salvation of souls.
No offense Peter but don't Protestants like yourself adhere more to Judaism? So do they say what you are saying? No this is some "Judeo Quasi Christian" abrogation that really has a problem with the Catholic Church at the end of the day.
I am a cradle Catholic who pays lots of attention to what is in the Bible. The problem with calling a presbyter a priest is the implication that he is a priest and I am not. This is inbred in the culture of the Church even though it is not true. The Baptismal priesthood is not a second class priesthood even though it is treated that way. Because we are all priests, I believe that the word priest when applied only to a presbyter should be retired because it reinforces clericalism, which remains alive and well in the Church.
I'm a convert, so I can't necessarily speak to the culture or catechesis you received growing up, though I know it's usually not very good. But the main difference between Catholicism and Protestantism is Tradition. The Magisterium receives and preserves Tradition, as do all the faithful, and we either live it well or not. But the ministerial priesthood has always been called a priesthood, in its various languages, since the apostles, so it can't simply be discarded because some people abuse it. Our goal should be to receive Traditio with humility and gratitude, not to see ourselves as its overlord as Protestants do.
In addition to Phillip’s reply, I didn’t say the Christian priesthood is restricted only to those under Holy Orders. The distinction is that only they can act “in the person of Christ” (2 Cor 2:10), i.e. in persona Christi. To skip the Fathers of the Church, who always understood this distinction, and jump to one’s private interpretation of Scripture today is the most fundamental error of the Protestants.
My initial comment was in response to the comparison between the Jewish priesthood and the priesthood of the apostles who handed it down to the bishops and priests of the Church. There is only one priesthood of Christ (CCC 1546) which is imparted to us by Christ when His Spirit is within us. I don’t see where there is another priesthood imparted by the apostles to bishops and presbyters in the New Testament.
The purpose of the apostles is to be a new ministerial priesthood and they handed their authority down to the bishops they appointed, just like Aaron's authority was handed down to his sons and the Levitical priests. The NT Church is a direct parallel to the Church of Moses. Without this there is no real point in the apostles. The paragraph of the Catechism immediately after the one you cited says:
"The ministerial or hierarchical priesthood of bishops and priests, and the common priesthood of all the faithful participate, “each in its own proper way, in the one priesthood of Christ.” While being “ordered one to another,” they differ essentially.22 In what sense? While the common priesthood of the faithful is exercised by the unfolding of baptismal grace—a life of faith, hope, and charity, a life according to the Spirit—, the ministerial priesthood is at the service of the common priesthood. It is directed at the unfolding of the baptismal grace of all Christians. The ministerial priesthood is a means by which Christ unceasingly builds up and leads his Church. For this reason it is transmitted by its own sacrament, the sacrament of Holy Orders."
I wonder if Holy Orders changes the Baptismal priesthood of Presbyters and Bishops in any way. If it did, why would Deacons be excluded? We carry our Baptismal priesthood into all of our vocations. Our vocation doesn’t change the character of our priesthood. Our priesthood changes the character of our vocation. Holy Orders services the functions of the Church.
The word πρεσβύτερος is found in the New Testament several times & it is distinct compared to the use of the word ἐπίσκοπος which is also found in the NT.
Exegesis 101 is every translation is an interpretation, so the idea that “priest” isn’t used in any form of governing position in the Church & the discussion is over is disingenuous.
“Now He illustrates another aspect of the theological virtue of faith: the Church is the instrument of faith, not its proper object and end, which is God alone.”
That says it all.
The Catholic thinks “Stay in the boat.” The Protestant says “Your focus is on the boat and not on Jesus.”
💯
An expanded view of the Christian priesthood is in order. It is not restricted only to those under Holy Orders. All true Christians are priests. In the New Testament, the word priest is not used for the governing positions in the Church.
Not everyone can be a priest because Christ Himself chose specific men to carry on His sacrificial ministry. In the Bible, Jesus didn’t tell all His followers to “do this in memory of Me” — He said that to the Apostles at the Last Supper. That moment was when He instituted the ministerial priesthood.
Every baptized person shares in what’s called the “common priesthood,” meaning we can all offer our prayers, sacrifices, and daily life to God.
Just like not everyone in the Old Testament could serve at the altar (only the Levites could), not everyone in the New Covenant is called to be a priest. God calls specific men to serve in that sacred role, set apart for the service of the Church and the salvation of souls.
No offense Peter but don't Protestants like yourself adhere more to Judaism? So do they say what you are saying? No this is some "Judeo Quasi Christian" abrogation that really has a problem with the Catholic Church at the end of the day.
I am a cradle Catholic who pays lots of attention to what is in the Bible. The problem with calling a presbyter a priest is the implication that he is a priest and I am not. This is inbred in the culture of the Church even though it is not true. The Baptismal priesthood is not a second class priesthood even though it is treated that way. Because we are all priests, I believe that the word priest when applied only to a presbyter should be retired because it reinforces clericalism, which remains alive and well in the Church.
I'm a convert, so I can't necessarily speak to the culture or catechesis you received growing up, though I know it's usually not very good. But the main difference between Catholicism and Protestantism is Tradition. The Magisterium receives and preserves Tradition, as do all the faithful, and we either live it well or not. But the ministerial priesthood has always been called a priesthood, in its various languages, since the apostles, so it can't simply be discarded because some people abuse it. Our goal should be to receive Traditio with humility and gratitude, not to see ourselves as its overlord as Protestants do.
You a way more charitable than I am haha.
That’s a result of your poor catechesis, and what sounds like a rebellious nature.
In addition to Phillip’s reply, I didn’t say the Christian priesthood is restricted only to those under Holy Orders. The distinction is that only they can act “in the person of Christ” (2 Cor 2:10), i.e. in persona Christi. To skip the Fathers of the Church, who always understood this distinction, and jump to one’s private interpretation of Scripture today is the most fundamental error of the Protestants.
Being an ambassador for Christ is not only for Deacons, Presbyters, and Bishops.
Since you ignored the rest of my response, I'll go ahead and end this discussion. Thanks as always for your interest.
My initial comment was in response to the comparison between the Jewish priesthood and the priesthood of the apostles who handed it down to the bishops and priests of the Church. There is only one priesthood of Christ (CCC 1546) which is imparted to us by Christ when His Spirit is within us. I don’t see where there is another priesthood imparted by the apostles to bishops and presbyters in the New Testament.
The purpose of the apostles is to be a new ministerial priesthood and they handed their authority down to the bishops they appointed, just like Aaron's authority was handed down to his sons and the Levitical priests. The NT Church is a direct parallel to the Church of Moses. Without this there is no real point in the apostles. The paragraph of the Catechism immediately after the one you cited says:
"The ministerial or hierarchical priesthood of bishops and priests, and the common priesthood of all the faithful participate, “each in its own proper way, in the one priesthood of Christ.” While being “ordered one to another,” they differ essentially.22 In what sense? While the common priesthood of the faithful is exercised by the unfolding of baptismal grace—a life of faith, hope, and charity, a life according to the Spirit—, the ministerial priesthood is at the service of the common priesthood. It is directed at the unfolding of the baptismal grace of all Christians. The ministerial priesthood is a means by which Christ unceasingly builds up and leads his Church. For this reason it is transmitted by its own sacrament, the sacrament of Holy Orders."
I wonder if Holy Orders changes the Baptismal priesthood of Presbyters and Bishops in any way. If it did, why would Deacons be excluded? We carry our Baptismal priesthood into all of our vocations. Our vocation doesn’t change the character of our priesthood. Our priesthood changes the character of our vocation. Holy Orders services the functions of the Church.
The word πρεσβύτερος is found in the New Testament several times & it is distinct compared to the use of the word ἐπίσκοπος which is also found in the NT.
Exegesis 101 is every translation is an interpretation, so the idea that “priest” isn’t used in any form of governing position in the Church & the discussion is over is disingenuous.
None of the Greek words for the governing positions of Deacons, Presbyters, and Bishops in the New Testament are hiereus or archiereus.
“Now He illustrates another aspect of the theological virtue of faith: the Church is the instrument of faith, not its proper object and end, which is God alone.”
That says it all.
The Catholic thinks “Stay in the boat.” The Protestant says “Your focus is on the boat and not on Jesus.”
Thanks for the instrument/object distinction.
Thank you sir, and excellent analogy!
Oh please sir, run with it.
Amen!!!!
Thank you, Kathleen! God bless!
This is great, thank you! Prayers for better laborers for the harvest.
Thank you! All of us should be praying for that today.