Priests levites?

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Tammyjean

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Hello,

I hope I have this in the right category -

I am in RCIA so I’m in the process of learning about the Catholic Faith. I was out to lunch with my friend this week and she asked me about Catholic Priests being Levites and if so why do they drink wine? She’s a very smart lady but raised SDA and she has some serious preconceived notions about Catholicism. I am sure there is something to this although I am sure it’s a long way from what she has been told.

Can you help me out with the Levites and the Catholic Church’s Priests?? and why she would say that?

Thank you so much!!

Tammy
 
Although the Catholic priesthood is prefigured and foreshadowed by the Levites, the old testament laws concerning them don’t apply to Catholic priests.
 
Levites were also a blood line, I think. Defendants of Levi. We’re they among the 10 lost tribes?
 
Levites were Old Testament priests.
They were a bloodline.
I’m not sure if they could drink wine though.
Nazarites couldn’t, but typically that was for a short amount of time.

Priests do not have to be Levites.
 
Levites were Old Testament priests.
They were a bloodline.
I’m not sure if they could drink wine though.
Nazarites couldn’t, but typically that was for a short amount of time.

Priests do not have to be Levites.
Jesus Christ is the Lord, a priest of the order of Melchezideck as it is said (probably spelled that wrong).
Priests are to take after Him
 
As others have said, Catholic priests aren’t literally Levites. The Levitical priesthood is inferior to the Catholic priesthood…it was a mere shadow that pointed towards the priesthood of Christ, which is shared by His priests on earth.

The Liturgy does use the term Levite in regards to deacons (think the Exsultet as well as the diaconal ordination Rite), but deacons (and thus priests) are spiritual Levites, in the same way that the Church is the new spiritual Israel.
 
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Jesus instituted a new priesthood at the last supper. The Levitical priesthood passed away forever, and soon thereafter, the Temple was destroyed - sealing the end of bloody animal sacrifices. The new Priesthood established by Christ offers an unbloody sacrifice of the Son to God the Father. Jesus is NOT “re-sacrificed” as that is impossible and our Lord did not command it.

Also, Jesus is the Celebrant of the Catholic Mass and the Orthodox Divine Liturgy. The human Priest acts in the place of Christ, just as they do when they forgive sins (see 2 Corinthians 2:10). Christ celebrates, Christ forgives, He does everything - but through the Priesthood which He established.

Couple of questions for her: You might ask her why the SDA still keep the Jewish sabbath, but not the 613 Levitical laws of Moses. Also, since the Apostles gathered each Lord’s day (Sunday) for the breaking of bread, why do the SDA refuse to do this? It’s 100% biblical. See Acts 20.
 
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No one, not even priests, are bound by the civil or ceremonial laws of the Old Covenant anymore- because of Jesus’s Coming, we are bound only by the moral laws. So, priests may shave or grow a beard at will (one exception: I believe that Eastern Catholics require their priests to be bearded- I could be wrong), may drink if they desire (but not to the point of drunkenness), etc.
 
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Technically the descendants of Aaron and his sons made up the Jewish Priesthood. The Levites were there assistants. Both based on tribe and family descent. So Levites would be like our Deacons.
 
Thank you all so much! That’s what I kind of thought but wanted to make sure. I don’t act defensive when she asks questions. She has been exposed to a lifetime of Catholic lies and SDA are taught the Catholics are going to come after them one day. She asks sincere questions and I am focused on being a safe person so to speak.
 
If you want staff to debate sda put in contact with me. This Thursday i have an appointment with a pastor in order to have a conversation on several issues. Send me a private message or contact me to my email. I will give it to you
 
I don’t think its true but she has all these messages playing in the background of her mind. Its never dawned on her they might be wrong. I get that I was an anti catholic Baptist and had that playing in the background of my mind… It too time prayer and gentleness for me to work past it.
 
Will do. Her hardest part is the Sabbath was to endure forever and she doesn’t understand how it is part of the 10 commandments but now we don’t follow it.
 
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