If priests have to be men like the Apostles, why don't they have to be Jewish fishermen like the apostles?

[2towers]

Yes, Jesus wanted them to become fishers of men, not remain fishers of fish.

 

[RedFan]

Jesus could have come as a woman, but he did not.

In His male-dominated day and age, He could never have come as a woman and been taken seriously.

 

[TommyT1]

Is the concept “In Persona Christi” a part of sacred Tradition? Was it something the early Church recognized?

 

[ProdglArchitect]

Is the concept “In Persona Christi” a part of sacred Tradition? Was it something the early Church recognized?

I’m not sure of the earliest explicit reference to it, but yes, this has been the common understanding of the Church since the beginning. We believe that the priesthood was perfected in Christ, and that He is the High Priest. All ordained priests are operating as an extension of His singular priesthood.

The Catechism discusses it a little bit: CCC: 1548

sorry that I don’t have a better, more exact historical answer. You might call in sometime when Jimmy Akin is on the air, he’d probably be able to provide you with more explicit early references.

 

[Rau]

Should that argument have said “Jewish fishermen living in a particular town and fishing in a particular location?” Oh wait, that can’t be, Jesus himself was none of these (and the apostles were not all either!) - well, only Jewish. But then, he established a new faith didn’t he? So what are we left with? 12 men.

So maybe that argument should be there should only be 12 priests - and they should be men? But wait, the 12 recruited more! This is all too hard.