benhur.
I mentioned how there is ONLY ONE PRIEST – Jesus Christ.
I showed how there are differing SHARES in that ONE Priesthood of Jesus’.
I told you Catholicism teaches about episcopoi (bishops), presbyteroi (ministerial priests), and the priesthood of all the faithful. Three priestly offices that have differing SHARES or PARTICIPATIONS (koinonia) in the ONE PRIESTHOOD of Christ.
This is the way it has been since apostolic times.
I showed in post
155, how you can be BOTH an accountant and an economist (but it doesn’t NECESSITATE both). You and I agree on that.
You said that these two offices that have been present since the Apostolic age, presbyter and bishop, are . . . “interchangeable”.
I asked for ANY Biblical evidence of this (reminding you that ALL Bishops ARE Ministerial Priests too, but ONLY Ministerial Priests that have been ordained by the laying on of hands to the episcopate were . . . Bishops).
You said in post 176:
When I say they are interchangeable, I mean they were initially , as found in Writ
I asked for some Biblical evidence of this (in post
184) asking . . . .
And all I am asking is that you show some evidence of this “IN writ”.
You said in post 197:
Ok, don’t have them at my fingertips, nor the site . . .
I’m not trying to be a smart alek benhur, but you are not going to be able to find those verses because they don’t exist.
The best you will be able to do is see Bishops describing themselves as Priests which I already affirm (Jesus is even a “Priest” . . . Jesus is THE Priest in fact).
You will also be able to find ministerial Priests described as Bishops (which I also agree with).
What you won’t be able to find is that their
offices are the same.
All Bishops are ministerial priests.
Some Priests (presbyters) are Bishops.
But ALL ministerial priests are NOT Bishops.
You went to history in post
176 mentioning St. Irenaeus and St. Clement of Alexandria quoting . . .
“We refer them to that tradition which originates from the apostles and is preserved by the successions of presbyters in the churches. . . . The faith preached to men comes down to our time by means of the successions of the bishops.” Irenaeus (c. 180)
“Looking to the appointed bishop, . . . John said, “This [youth] I commit to you in all earnestness.” . . . And the presbyter took home the youth committed to him. Clement of Alexandria (c. 195)”.
But I already affirm this.
You still have not shown how the office of the Ministerial Priest or presbyteroi, is identical to the office of episcopoi, or bishop.
You also appealed to St. Jerome . . . .
“Therefore a presbyter is the same as a bishop is, and before that by the instigation of the devil emulations in respect to religion arose, and people began to say: I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, the churches were governed by the common counsel of the presbyters. But, after that each one was accustomed to regard those whom he had baptized as his own disciples and not of Christ, it was decreed in the whole world that one chosen from among the presbyters should be placed over the others…Therefore, as presbyters may know that by the custom of the church they are subject to the one who has been placed over them; so also bishops may understand that they are greater than presbyters more by custom than by the veritable ordinance of the Lord.”…Jerome
**THIS is the quote I want. **
You brought it up. I want to read it.
I could not find it (from an original citation source).
Since YOU brought this St. Jerome quote up . . . . Would you be so kind as to tell me WHERE St. Jerome said this so I can read it in context?
I found it on Wiki (allegedly quoting a Catholic text from the 1800’s). I also found some Protestants sharing this same quote with the same
absence of context.
I’m not saying it is a bogus quote. I am sure it is authentic. I am just saying I want to read it for myself in CONTEXT.
**So again . . . Would you be so kind as to tell me WHERE St. Jerome said this so I can read it in context? **