The Pope vs. The Temple High Priest in the first century?

[Tom_of_Assisi]

When Jesus made Peter the first Pope around 30 A.D., what became of the authority and power of the Temple High Priest in Jerusalem? Was the High Priest still considered to sit upon the throne of Mosus? What teaching power or moral authority was still due to the Temple Priesthood?

The Temple and non-Christian Jewish priesthood was destroyed in A.D. 70, but what about the years from 30–70? How did Peter and the Christians (Jewish and Gentile) of Jerusalem interact with Temple worship and the authority of the Temple Priesthood during this time?

 

[trogiah]

Tom of Assisi:

When Jesus made Peter the first Pope around 30 A.D., what became of the authority and power of the Temple High Priest in Jerusalem? Was the High Priest still considered to sit upon the throne of Mosus? What teaching power or moral authority was still due to the Temple Priesthood?

The Temple and non-Christian Jewish priesthood was destroyed in A.D. 70, but what about the years from 30–70? How did Peter and the Christians (Jewish and Gentile) of Jerusalem interact with Temple worship and the authority of the Temple Priesthood during this time?

I don’t have any formal educational background to give “official” types of answers but the thought occurs to me that The Acts of the Apostles,(along with all the letters written by the Apostles and Paul) as an entire story, probably answers your question better than anyone else could. It would probably be a mistake to say that - in historical terms, the transfer of power from the High Priest to the Pope happened in an instant. Although theologically speaking, one might argue that the moment of Jesus death when “The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom”
marks the actual moment of change.

Interesting question

-Jim

 

[Tom_of_Assisi]

wow…this thread was DOA. anybody? Hello?

 

[Grolsch]

You could read Hegesippus’ account of the martyrdom of James the Just. The temple was a obvious means of preaching the gospel to the greatest number of people, so naturally the Christians still went there. But I doubt they thought much of the high priest who they thought was corrupt and in league with the emperor. After the destruction of the temple even the Jews attributed it to the slaying of James the Just in 63 A.D.

And, when many were fully convinced by these words, and offered praise for the testimony of James, and said, “Hosanna to the son of David,” then again the said Pharisees and scribes said to one another, “We have not done well in procuring this testimony to Jesus. But let us go up and throw him down, that they may be afraid, and not believe him.” And they cried aloud, and said: “Oh! oh! the just man himself is in error.” Thus they fulfilled the Scripture written in Isaiah: “Let us away with the just man, because he is troublesome to us: therefore shall they eat the fruit of their doings.” So they went up and threw down the just man, and said to one another: “Let us stone James the Just.” And they began to stone him: for he was not killed by the fall; but he turned, and kneeled down, and said: “I beseech Thee, Lord God our Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

And, while they were thus stoning him to death, one of the priests, the sons of Rechab, the son of Rechabim, to whom testimony is borne by Jeremiah the prophet, began to cry aloud, saying: “Cease, what do ye? The just man is praying for us.” But one among them, one of the fullers, took the staff with which he was accustomed to wring out the garments he dyed, and hurled it at the head of the just man.

And so he suffered martyrdom; and they buried him on the spot, and the pillar erected to his memory still remains, close by the temple. This man was a true witness to both Jews and Greeks that Jesus is the Christ.

And shortly after Vespasian besieged Judaea, taking them captive.

earlychristianwritings.com/text/hegesippus.html

 

[germys9]

Peter’s authority probably went into effect when Jesus ascended and sent the Holy Spirit. From Acts that’s when Peter with the other apostles choose a successor to Judas and then Peter stands up to address the crowd.

Obviously, those who remained Jews still followed the High Priest of the time, but the Jewish Christians were well aware that the Old Covenant was passing and it no longer had any authority. The author of Hebrews makes it clear that Jesus is the new High Priest therefore the High Priest at the time was not the true one.

 

[Scott_Lafrance]

From the moment of the Pentacost, when the Apostles were decended upon with tongues of fire, and received the gift of the spirit and began preaching in tongues, that moment began the “Church Age”. From that moment, Christians we no longer under the authority of the Temple High Priest. Peter was now the ultimate earthly religious authority for Christians. That is why we aren’t bound by such nonsense as the “Council of Jamnia”. The Apostles and their successors were no longer bound by Jewish religious authority. St. Paul even reflects this change in authority in 1 Tim 3:15, "So you know how to act in the the church, which is the house of the living God, the pillar and foundation of truth. The Sanhedrin was no longer the foundation of religious authority, the Church, built upon the faith of the Apostles was, and still is.