J
jlhargus
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Jl: Christ established the priesthood not the apostles. Christ is not just sitting in heaven and watching events, he is our High Priest, present in the heavenly holy of holies, interceding for us with the Father and mediating, bringing to rememberace to the Father and making present to us through those who stand in his stead as priests, that same once for all sacrifice of the lamb on the Cross which we eat at Mass. The old high priest shared his prieshood with a ministerial priesthood, a type and foreshadowing of the real thing, Christ is High Priest in the order of Melchisedec, who offered bread and wine. Christ shares his High Priesthood with ministerial priests in the order of Melchisedec. Those ministerial priest stand in Christ’s stead making present and offering the body and blood of Christ under the appearance of bread and wine, our Passover lamb, which must be eaten just as the Hebrews had to eat the sacrificed Passover lamb so the first born would not die.
Rm15:15 I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, BECAUSE OF THE GRACE GOD GAVE ME 16 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 to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
If there is no ministerial priesthood in the new covenant, how could the prophecy in Malicah be fullfuled, [Mal11 For FROM THE RISING OF THE SUN even UNTO the GOING DOWN of the same my name shall be great among THE GENTILES and IN EVERY PLACE INCENSE SHALL BE OFFERED unto my name AND A PURE OFFERING for my name shall be great among the heathen saith the LORD of hosts] The sacrifice Christ instituted at the last supper. He told the apostles to DO=OFFER this, constituting them priests to OFFER=SACRIFICE.
The NT priesthood differs from the OT in that our offering is not a bloody sacrifice, but a sacramental sacrifice, bringing to remembence to the Father and making present to us Christ’s once for all bloody sacrifice on the corss. It is a sacramental showing forth of his death, separating body and blood. THIS IS MY BODY, THIS IS MY BLOOD, a living sacrifice. The apostles and those whom they ordain and SENT, by laying on of hands in an unbroken line, stand as representatives of Christ our High Priest, before his people ministering in the stead of Christ reconcilling all to God, that is a fuction of a priest. I like the interpretative way the Amplified Bible puts it, 2Cor5:20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors, God making His appeal as it were through us. We [as Christ’s personal representatives] beg you for His sake to lay hold of the divine favor [now offered you] and be reconciled to God.
Look at the functions of priest, what do the priest do? Paul tells us [Rm15:15 THE PRIESTLY DUTY of PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL. so THAT the GENTILES MIGHT BECOME AN OFFERING. 2Cor 5:18 And all things are of GOD who hath RECONCILED US to himself BY JESUS CHRIST and HATH GIVEN TO US the MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION 19 To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and HATH COMMITTED UNTO US the word of reconciliation] Reconciliation is a priestly function, priest forgive sins Jn20:21-22. Priest OFFER the sacrifice of the mass. priest anoint, James5:14-15 . Priest confirm, ACTS 14:21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium and Antioch 22 CONFIRMING THE SOULS OF THE DISCIPLES, and exhorting them to continue in the faith and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
Ex 19:5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then YE SHALL BE A PECULIAR TREASURE unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: 6: And YE SHALL BE UNTO ME A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS, and AN HOLY NATION. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. [Israel also had a ministerial priesthood beside the general priesthood of all.]
catholic.com/thisrock/2005/0503fea4.asp Ministerial Priesthood.
If the law requires priests to minister, why do the Jews still keep the law? they have no priests or sacrifice without the temple. Look what do the NT presbyters=priest do. Ordain, forgive, anoint, preach sanctify=baptism, confirm, proclaim God’s word, offer sacrifice.
