Jesus a priest forever?

seeking_21 · Jul 14, 2004

I read an article that used the argument of Jesus being “a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek” in support of the Catholic idea of the ongoing nature of the sacrifice of the Mass. The writer stated that a priest’s main duty is to offer sacrifice and since Jesus is a priest forever then it should follow that his priestly duties do not cease. This article was written as a reflection on Hebrews, which according to Protestants seems to clearly state the one time nature of Christ’s sacrifice, rather than an ongoing nature.

My question then is what happens when we are all in Heaven? Surely we are incapable of sinning, so no sacrifice would thus be required. So, wouldn’t that imply that Jesus’s priestly duties would also end? So if he is a priest forever, and no sacrifice is needed once we are all in heaven, then it also seems to be that using the ‘priest forever’ argument does not properly prove the ongoing nature of the sacrifice while we are still on earth.

Any ideas??

Zski01 · Jul 14, 2004

A common attack upon the Church is that we “re-sacrifice Christ” every Mass. The Eucharist is nothing but a “participation” in the body and blood of our Lord (c.f. 1 Cor 10:26). In the “sacrifice of the Mass” we are privileged to participate in the “table of the Lord.”

So, we do not re-sacrifice him, but his sacrifice 2000 years ago is now outside of time in its effectiveness, eternal if you will, since his sacrifice was the final sacrifice needed for the atonement of sins.

Notice in the Gospels the parallels between the preparation of the Passover Lamb on Good Friday, and Christ’s crucifixion. After his crucifixion, the temple shroud was torn, demonstrating the lack of need of more sacrifices by the Levitical priests for the atonement of Israel’s sins. This sacrifice is forever, as now we all have the hope of everlasting life, which indeed, will last forever, under Christ’s priestly sacrifice.

Hope that helps a bit. If I’m off or missed your original point, please let me know.

seeking_21 · Jul 14, 2004

“Hope that helps a bit. If I’m off or missed your original point, please let me know.”

Um, I do understand your point, as I have been reading about this topic and the arguments are familiar. I just don’t get the particular argument about Jesus being a priest forever, meaning his duty is to offer sacrifice. If that argument is true now then it must be true “forever”, even we’re in heaven, and since it seems obvious we don’t need sacrifices once we’re all made perfect then how does it flow that Jesus must be offering himself, in an unbloody manner, repeatedly while we’re on earth?

Zski01 · Jul 14, 2004

I think I may have missed your original point, sorry.

Well, Christ’s sacrifice is a once-and-for-all deal. He’ll never be resacrificed, but always will be a priest because of that original sacrifice, bound for all eternity.

While we’re here on Earth, we have to continually remember his crucifixion in the sacrifice of the Mass as he commanded at the Last Supper. This participation in his body and blood is essential to Christian life. His Priesthood is still in effect as that sacrifice is still binding: we all have hope of salvation because of it!

Later, down the road when all Christians are in Heaven, his sacrifice will still be effective, but not redone. It’ll be effective as the only reason we’ll be saved is because of his sacrifice. There will be no need for a second sacrifice, but he will still hold that title as a Priest because of that once-and-for-all sacrifice which has given us salvation.

If I’m still missing your question, sorry.

VociMike · Jul 14, 2004

seeking_21:

My question then is what happens when we are all in Heaven? Surely we are incapable of sinning, so no sacrifice would thus be required.

I think the notion of time in heaven is tripping you up. You ask about what happens “after” the human race is all in heaven (or hell), but when we are all in heaven or hell I don’t think the notion of time, including “after”, applies. So “forever” can mean outside of time, rather than our intuitive notion of an infinitely long time.

seeking_21 · Jul 14, 2004

Thanks for the replies. They do help. I guess the problem is that I’m not really sure what kind of an answer I was hoping for to begin with. I’ve find myself understanding many of the Catholic arguments regarding the Eucharist, but when I read through the book of Hebrews the whole Protestant thing just seems so clear.

When I found the argument that stated Jesus being a priest forever means he must be continually offering/presenting himself to the Father, I was excited because something finally seemed solid. But as we seem to agree that no sacrifice needs to continue in Heaven, I now find the argument I was excited about to be worthless.

Sorry, I don’t mean to be confusing. It’s hard to express ideas clearly that are still confusing to the person doing the expressing. I guess this is where faith comes in. I just wish I could go to my Protestant friends, (and myself) and say “hey, look, here’s proof, and it really makes sense!”

metal1633 · Jul 14, 2004

ServusChristi · Jul 14, 2004

Hey seeking,

I think the issue here is that you don’t fully see the permanent nature of the Incarnation. Jesus Christ sacrificed by becoming a man. It involved taking on limitations which He did not have prior to the Incarnation. In this sense, the Incarnation is just as much a sacrifice as the Passion of Christ.

Saint Paul speaks of this in Philippians when he says that Christ did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but rather emptied Himself. This is why Jesus says that the Father is greater than He. By becoming Incarnate man and Son of Man, Jesus placed Himself under the Father. As a man, He was subject to the law of God.

The relationship of the Son to the Father is thus changed. Think of it like a man going off and getting married. The relationship between him and his parents is different now that he is one flesh with a woman.

The Father ‘gave His only-begotten Son’ to the world. Jesus is united to the Church, which is His body.

When we think of it that way, Christ becomes a Priest by His Incarnation. The sacrifice of the Incarnation is permanent. It cannot be undone. Jesus Christ will always have a human nature and human will together with His divine nature and divine will.

The sacrifice of Christ on the Cross is the natural result of His Incarnation. The work on the Cross was finished, but the effects of the Incarnation and Passion remain in the person of Jesus Christ.

I hope that will help you,
Ryan

twf · Jul 14, 2004

I just lost the post I typed for you!
I highly recommend you check out Dave Armstrong’s book A Biblical Defence of Catholicism. He has two chapters devoted to this topic, in a senes. One chapter on the Real Presence in the Eucharist, and another on the perpetual nature of Christ’s sacrafice via the Blessed Sacrament. His site is ic.net/~erasmus/RAZINDEX.HTM

Christ’s sacrafice is complete, as Hebrews says. Christ was only offered once; however, the sacrament of the Mass transcends space and time. In every Mass, Christ’s one sacrafice is made present on the altar before God; thus, the Mass is continuously drawing from Christ’s one work on Calvary, making the effects of this one work eternal. In Hebrews 13:10, we see Paul refer to an altar. This is sacraficial terminology. Christ, we are told, is a priest forever. So this is true. The one sacrafice on Calvary, will be perpetually made present before the Father for all eternity. We will no longer be sinning, but the sacrafice that made it possible, is before the Father forever. In Revelation we see this. Revelation 6:9, 8:3, 8:4, 9:13, 14:18, and 16:7 all speak of an altar in heaven. In the first few chapters of Revelation, we see a Mass in heaven, in a sense. There is liturgy (the continual praises of the living creatures, the elders, and the angels, read chapters 4 and 5), there is an altar, the prayers of the saints are offered up by angels and by saints (5:8, 8:3), and Christ, in John’s vision, is seen before the Father ‘as a lamb that was slain’ (5:6). Christ is no longer suffering, but his sacrafice is made present before the Father. This is a beautiful picture. For all eternity his one sacrafice is drawn from so that it can be applied to all eternity.

Romans 8:34 tell us that Christ is interceding before the Father on our behalf. So, this verse says to me, that at the VERY LEAST, Christ is reminding the Father of what He did. Since nothing is impossible with God, and since Christ makes it very clear that we must eat his flesh and drink his blood (John 6), why not make the sacrafice perpetually present before God? We are then spiritually nourished as well, and given life. (If you are not yet convinced that Jesus means what he said literally, in John 6, we can discuss that as well).

seeking_21 · Jul 14, 2004

Thank you everyone for your replies, they are most helpful. I am listening to the links from ewtn now - - on the third one.

dcdurel · Oct 21, 2004

Just as we get married only once, but the marriage is not over, it continues as long as we live, Jesus sacrificed Himself once, but the sacrifice is not over, it continues forever. And since you cannot repeat what has not ended, it is impossible to sacrifice Jesus over and over as some claim.

JimG · Oct 21, 2004

There is a quote from the First Eucharist Prayer of the Mass which may be useful here. It occurs just after the consecration, as the priest calls to mind various sacrifices in salvation history:
“Look with favor on these offerings,
and accept them as once you accepted
the gifts of your servant Abel,
the sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith,
and the bread and wine offered by your priest Melchidesek.
Almighty God, we pray that your angel may take this sacrifice
to your altar in heaven.
Then as we receive from this altar
the sacred body and blood of your Son,
let us be filled with every grace and blessing.”
(emphasis added) Christ’s sacrifice is done once for all, and yet is eternal. The mirror image of the altar in heaven and the altar on earth, shows Christ eternally offering himself to the father–once in a particular time and place, yet continued (not repeated) for all times and all places, and in eternity.

Jesus a priest forever?

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