How should I respond to Heb. 10:11

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Chip76

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Hello to all,
Code: 
       I need some help in understanding Heb. 10:11 "and every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrificies, which can never take away sin."  A family member has quoted this as an attack at the Catholic Church.  She is always posting some coment against the Church or tries to twist scripture around like many do to fit their own belifes.
      I did do a little research and understand priests means levitical priests, but after that I am not confident enough.
Thanks and God bless,
Chip
 
This does indeed refer to Jewish priests, so it’s pretty meaningless to use it to refer to the Catholic priesthood, which developed so much later in the form we know it.

In the New Testament, the only time the word “priest” is used in reference to Christians is for either (1) Jesus Christ or (2) all Christians.

The former is perhaps most beautifully expressed in Hebrews (encourage your dialogue partners to read the whole book of Hebrews, and the whole New Testament in fact, and not just pick one isolated passage).

The latter is retained in Church teaching via the theology of the “baptismal priesthood” that we all share.

Hope this helps.
 
Chip76 said:
Hello to all,
Code: 
       I need some help in understanding Heb. 10:11 "and every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrificies, which can never take away sin."  A family member has quoted this as an attack at the Catholic Church.  She is always posting some coment against the Church or tries to twist scripture around like many do to fit their own belifes.
      I did do a little research and understand priests means levitical priests, but after that I am not confident enough.
Thanks and God bless,
Chip
Click to expand...
1 Samuel15:22 " Does the Lord delight in Burnt offerings and
sacrifices,
as much as obedience to the Lord’s command?Surely obedience is better than sacrifice, compliance than the fat of rams."
Palm51:17-19
" O Lord, open my lips,
and let my mouth declare Your praise.
You do not want me to bring sacrifices;
You do not desire burnt offerings;True sacrifice is a contrite spirit’"
See a pattern here? The Prophets knew that the animal sacrifices were ineffective.Too many Israelites believed that if you gave a sin offering or any such sacrifice that everything would be okey- dokey with God. Before the New Covenant and Jesus’ perfect sacrifice the prophets railed against such practices.
Isaiah 1:11-17
"What need have I of all your sacrifices?
Says the Lord.
“I am sated with burnt offerings of rams,
and the suet of fatlings,
and blood of bulls;
and I have no delight
In lambs and he goats.
That you come to appear before Me-
Who asked that of you?
Trample my courts no more;
bring no more vain oblations,
Incense is offensive to Me.
New moon and sabbath,
Proclaiming of solemnities
Fast and assembly,
I cannot abide.
Your new moons and fixed seasons
Fill me with loathing;
they become a burden to Me,
I cannot endure them.
And when you lift up your hands,
I will turn My eyes away from you;though you pray at length,
I will not listen.
Your hands are stained with blood-
Wash yourselves clean;
Put away your evil doings
away from My sight.
Cease to do evil;
Learn to do good.
Devote yourselves to justice;Aid the wronged.
Uphold the rights of the orphan;
Defend the widow.”
 
diggerdomer said:
This does indeed refer to Jewish priests, so it’s pretty meaningless to use it to refer to the Catholic priesthood, which developed so much later in the form we know it.

In the New Testament, the only time the word “priest” is used in reference to Christians is for either (1) Jesus Christ or (2) all Christians.

-snip-
Click to expand...
I’m not sure this is precisely true. What about the presbyters appointed in Acts 14 (and mentioned elsewhere in Acts as serving with the Apostles)?
 
NHInsider said:
I’m not sure this is precisely true. What about the presbyters appointed in Acts 14 (and mentioned elsewhere in Acts as serving with the Apostles)?
Click to expand...
“presbyter” is better translated “elder.” That’s what it means. That’s why Acts uses that word, and not “priest.”

“Priest”–in the terms we understand it today and if they were referring to Jewish priests–would have used the word “sacerdos.”
 
Chip,

First we must understand what a priest is. A priest is a person who is a mediator between God and man. In the Old Testament, a person would bring an offering to the priest and the priest would bring that offering to God. A person could not make an offering to God without the priest.

The priest would also proclaim the word of God to the people and help the people to understand what God says in His word.

There are only three priesthoods established by God:

The Levitical Priesthood – This was a temporary priesthood established by God until Jesus offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice.
The Priesthood of Melchizedek – This is the Priesthood where Jesus Himself is the High Priest.
The Priesthood of all believers.

Only God can establish a priesthood and the priesthood that God has established for us as New Testament believers is the priesthood of Jesus. The Old Testament priests were required to offer sacrifices every day, over and over and over but Jesus, “does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.”

There is no longer a need for an earthly priesthood because the believer in Jesus has direct access to our High Priest, Jesus Christ, by faith. This is the clear teaching of the New Testament, especially the book of Hebrews.

The book of Hebrews was written to correct a problem that was occurring in the early church. The people who had converted from Judaism to Christianity were beginning to turn back to the Temple Priest and the sacrifices that were offered over and over instead believing that Jesus had already offered the perfect offering and put an end to all other offerings.
 
Again, only God can establish a priesthood. It is not a question of “could there be many priests” but it is a question of “Did God Himself establish this priesthood”?

When God establishes a priesthood, He gives every detail as to how that priesthood operates. The Old Testament gives every detail concerning that priesthood. It describes every offering, every garment that the priest must wear, etc. Chapter after chapter gives detail after detail concerning every aspect of the Old Testament priesthood.

In the New Testament every detail concerning the Priesthood of Jesus is given as well. However, there in not ONE mention of another earthy priesthood in the New Testament. Not one. The New Testament does not mention any additional earthly priesthood at all. If the priesthood is so essential to Christianity, why didn’t any of the Apostles or writers of the New Testament EVER mention it?

There are two main reasons that the Apostles never mentioned another earthly Priesthood:
  1. There are no more sacrifices for sin to be offered.
  2. Every believer in Jesus has direct access to God through Jesus Christ by faith.
These are the main functions of the Priest. To bring the people to God and God to the people. These two functions of the priest are now performed by Jesus Christ Himself and not by any man. There is one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.

Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. [Heb 8:1, 2]
 
BereanRuss said:
Again, only God can establish a priesthood. It is not a question of “could there be many priests” but it is a question of “Did God Himself establish this priesthood”?

When God establishes a priesthood, He gives every detail as to how that priesthood operates. The Old Testament gives every detail concerning that priesthood. It describes every offering, every garment that the priest must wear, etc. Chapter after chapter gives detail after detail concerning every aspect of the Old Testament priesthood.

In the New Testament every detail concerning the Priesthood of Jesus is given as well. However, there in not ONE mention of another earthy priesthood in the New Testament. Not one. The New Testament does not mention any additional earthly priesthood at all. If the priesthood is so essential to Christianity, why didn’t any of the Apostles or writers of the New Testament EVER mention it?

There are two main reasons that the Apostles never mentioned another earthly Priesthood:
  1. There are no more sacrifices for sin to be offered.
  2. Every believer in Jesus has direct access to God through Jesus Christ by faith.
These are the main functions of the Priest. To bring the people to God and God to the people. These two functions of the priest are now performed by Jesus Christ Himself and not by any man. There is one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.

Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. [Heb 8:1, 2]
Click to expand...
Actually, the New Testament does refer to all believers as in the “priesthood.” See 1 Peter 2.
 
Chip76 said:
Hello to all,
Code: 
       I need some help in understanding Heb. 10:11 "and every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrificies, which can never take away sin."  A family member has quoted this as an attack at the Catholic Church.  She is always posting some coment against the Church or tries to twist scripture around like many do to fit their own belifes.
      I did do a little research and understand priests means levitical priests, but after that I am not confident enough.
Thanks and God bless,
Chip
Click to expand...
The Ignatius Study Bible says

The author contrasts the posture of Levitical priests (stands 10:11) with that of Jesus (sat down 10:12). His point: the work of the former was perpetually unfinished, while the work of the latter has been definitively accomplished. This applies to the earthly dimension of Christ’s priesthood, since his ministry as a heavenly priest and intercessor is ongoing (7:25; 8:2).
 
BereanRuss said:
Again, only God can establish a priesthood. It is not a question of “could there be many priests” but it is a question of “Did God Himself establish this priesthood”?

When God establishes a priesthood, He gives every detail as to how that priesthood operates. The Old Testament gives every detail concerning that priesthood. It describes every offering, every garment that the priest must wear, etc. Chapter after chapter gives detail after detail concerning every aspect of the Old Testament priesthood.

In the New Testament every detail concerning the Priesthood of Jesus is given as well. However, there in not ONE mention of another earthy priesthood in the New Testament. Not one. The New Testament does not mention any additional earthly priesthood at all. If the priesthood is so essential to Christianity, why didn’t any of the Apostles or writers of the New Testament EVER mention it?

There are two main reasons that the Apostles never mentioned another earthly Priesthood:
  1. There are no more sacrifices for sin to be offered.
  2. Every believer in Jesus has direct access to God through Jesus Christ by faith.
These are the main functions of the Priest. To bring the people to God and God to the people. These two functions of the priest are now performed by Jesus Christ Himself and not by any man. There is one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.

Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man. [Heb 8:1, 2]
Click to expand...
Exactly. Ralph
 
How about the prophecy of Malachi 1:11 - ***For from the rising of the sun, even to its setting, my name is great among the nations; And everywhere they bring sacrifice to my name, and a pure offering; For great is my name among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.

We hear these words at every Mass - "So that from east to west (from the rising of the sun to the setting), a perfect offering may be made (they bring sacrifice to my name, a pure offering)…"*******
 
diggerdomer said:
Actually, the New Testament does refer to all believers as in the “priesthood.” See 1 Peter 2.
Click to expand...
Digger,

I agree, it says that we are all priests. As priests we have the privilege to preach the Gospel to all flesh!
 
NotWorthy said:
We hear these words at every Mass - "So that from east to west (from the rising of the sun to the setting), a perfect offering may be made (they bring sacrifice to my name, a pure offering)
Click to expand...
The New Testament does mention a few sacrifices that the believer can give to God.

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

But there is no offering for sin that can be made with human hands that does not, “…crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.”
 
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