Why Do We Need a Levitical Priesthood on Earth?

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Salamander

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"All Christians are of that royal priesthood of God, and have but one great High Priest, Jesus Christ. Heb. 10:19-22 says, “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” By David J. Riggs
From Expository Files 6.6; June 1999

Why use priests for our worship when each man could do this if he were a christian and able to teach? :confused:
 
Salamander said:
"All Christians are of that royal priesthood of God, and have but one great High Priest, Jesus Christ. Heb. 10:19-22 says, “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” By David J. Riggs
From Expository Files 6.6; June 1999

Why use priests for our worship when each man could do this if he were a christian and able to teach? :confused:
Click to expand...
Every time I see a variation of this “argument” I’m just going to respond with “WCIBP?”

“Why Can’t I Be Pope?”

Isn’t that the root of the tree of heresy?

The Atomic Church of Me strikes once again. 🤷
 
Salamander said:
"All Christians are of that royal priesthood of God, and have but one great High Priest, Jesus Christ. Heb. 10:19-22 says, “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” By David J. Riggs
From Expository Files 6.6; June 1999

Why use priests for our worship when each man could do this if he were a christian and able to teach? :confused:
Click to expand...
Er, we don’t have a levitical priesthood anymore.
 
Holy Orders: Genesis 14:18 But Melchisedech the king of Salem, bringing forth bread and wine, for he was the priest of the most high God,

Exodus 19:22 The priests also that come to the Lord, let them be sanctified, lest he strike them.

Psalm 110:The Lord hath sworn, and he will not repent: Thou art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech.

Malachi 2:7 For the lips of the priest shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at his mouth: because he is the angel of the Lord of hosts.

John 20:21 He said therefore to them again: Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you.

Acts 9:17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house. And laying his hands upon him, he said: Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus hath sent me, he that appeared to thee in the way as thou camest; that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

13:3 Then they, fasting and praying, and imposing their hands upon them, sent them away.

14:22 And when they had ordained to them priests in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they believed.

20:28 Take heed to yourselves, and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Ephesisns 4:11 And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors,

1st Thessalonians 5:12-13 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them who labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you: 13 That you esteem them more abundantly in charity, for their work’s sake. Have peace with them.

1st Timothy 4:14 Neglect not the grace that is in thee, which was given thee by prophesy, with imposition of the hands of the priesthood.

Titus 1:5 For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and shouldest ordain priests in every city, as I also appointed thee:

Hebrews 5:1 For every high priest taken from among men, is ordained for men in the things that appertain to God, that he may offer up gifts and sacrifices for sins:

& 7:17 For he testifieth: Thou art a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchisedech.

Your case is open and shut…until someone like me comes along and offers scripture that shows the topical context.
 
**Holy Orders: **
Genesis 14:18 But Melchisedech the king of Salem, bringing forth bread and wine, for he was the priest of the most high God,

Exodus 19:22 The priests also that come to the Lord, let them be sanctified, lest he strike them.

Psalm 110:The Lord hath sworn, and he will not repent: Thou art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech.

Malachi 2:7 For the lips of the priest shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at his mouth: because he is the angel of the Lord of hosts.

John 20:21 He said therefore to them again: Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you.

Acts 9:17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house. And laying his hands upon him, he said: Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus hath sent me, he that appeared to thee in the way as thou camest; that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

13:3 Then they, fasting and praying, and imposing their hands upon them, sent them away.

14:22 And when they had ordained to them priests in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they believed.

20:28 Take heed to yourselves, and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Ephesisns 4:11 And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors,

1st Thessalonians 5:12-13 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them who labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you: 13 That you esteem them more abundantly in charity, for their work’s sake. Have peace with them.

1st Timothy 4:14 Neglect not the grace that is in thee, which was given thee by prophesy, with imposition of the hands of the priesthood.

Titus 1:5 For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and shouldest ordain priests in every city, as I also appointed thee:

Hebrews 5:1 For every high priest taken from among men, is ordained for men in the things that appertain to God, that he may offer up gifts and sacrifices for sins:

& 7:17 For he testifieth: Thou art a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchisedech.

Your case is open and shut…until someone like me comes along and offers scripture that shows the topical context.
 
Of course, we know that but the OP specifically said in his title that we still believe in a levitical priesthood, which isn’t true.
Church_Militant said:
**Holy Orders: **
Genesis 14:18 But Melchisedech the king of Salem, bringing forth bread and wine, for he was the priest of the most high God,

Exodus 19:22 The priests also that come to the Lord, let them be sanctified, lest he strike them.

Psalm 110:The Lord hath sworn, and he will not repent: Thou art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech.

Malachi 2:7 For the lips of the priest shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at his mouth: because he is the angel of the Lord of hosts.

John 20:21 He said therefore to them again: Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you.

Acts 9:17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house. And laying his hands upon him, he said: Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus hath sent me, he that appeared to thee in the way as thou camest; that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

13:3 Then they, fasting and praying, and imposing their hands upon them, sent them away.

14:22 And when they had ordained to them priests in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they believed.

20:28 Take heed to yourselves, and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Ephesisns 4:11 And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors,

1st Thessalonians 5:12-13 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them who labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you: 13 That you esteem them more abundantly in charity, for their work’s sake. Have peace with them.

1st Timothy 4:14 Neglect not the grace that is in thee, which was given thee by prophesy, with imposition of the hands of the priesthood.

Titus 1:5 For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and shouldest ordain priests in every city, as I also appointed thee:

Hebrews 5:1 For every high priest taken from among men, is ordained for men in the things that appertain to God, that he may offer up gifts and sacrifices for sins:

& 7:17 For he testifieth: Thou art a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchisedech.

Your case is open and shut…until someone like me comes along and offers scripture that shows the topical context.
Click to expand...
 
Hmmm—I took OP to mean that we need no priesthood at all if everyone can interpret the Bible individually; thus my post.

Perhaps I misread him.

I’ve been ruminating along similar lines myself, in that if sola scriptura and sola fide were true, one would presume that churches and clergy would be completely unnecessary. And yet even those congregations which hew to the two solas have a surfeit of churches and clergymen to man them.

Quaker practice would seem a bit closer to the ideal—groups of congregants who read and pray, silently, until any one of them is moved to speak extemporaneously.

Still, Quakers haven’t really caught on.

Something there is that loves a shepherd, I guess. 😉
 
Salamander said:
"All Christians are of that royal priesthood of God, and have but one great High Priest, Jesus Christ. Heb. 10:19-22 says, “Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” By David J. Riggs
From Expository Files 6.6; June 1999

Why use priests for our worship when each man could do this if he were a christian and able to teach? :confused:
Click to expand...
Salamander:

This is a question that many have because they do not understand the function and purpose of priesthood. It did not make any sense to me either until God gave me the grace to understand and learn about it.

My understanding is that there is a three-fold priesthood. Why and where did this come from? Since the New Covenant is the fulfillment of the Old, many of the characteristics of how things were done were carried over to the New even though the fulfillment of the Old was accomplished in its essence. What I mean is that there are things that relate to God that are still being used such as Liturgical practices and organizing patterns, etc.

The Jewish people had a three-fold priesthood also which was a universal priesthood of all believers, a High Priest to offer sacrifices in the temple and other priests who took the sin offerings of the people to give to the High Priest on the altar.

We have this today in the Catholic Church. Our High Priest is Jesus Christ, the sacramental Priesthood are those ordained to share in the Priesthood of Christ to offer the unending sacrifice, and we are priests ourselves in our participation of salvation and evangelization. So, this priesthood is not new and each type has its own functions. This is why just anyone cannot be all three.

Also, back to the OT, there was a “type” of priesthood in the family. The grandfather was like a High Priest, the father was like a priest and the family members shared the universal priesthood. This form had the grandfather responsible for the family worship until they were in the temple. This is similar today to that which is stated in the Vatican II documents on the “domestic Church” which our families are to function as a small domestic Church.

I hope this helps,
Mdcpensive1
 
Teflon93 said:
Hmmm—I took OP to mean that we need no priesthood at all if everyone can interpret the Bible individually; thus my post.

Perhaps I misread him.

I’ve been ruminating along similar lines myself, in that if sola scriptura and sola fide were true, one would presume that churches and clergy would be completely unnecessary. And yet even those congregations which hew to the two solas have a surfeit of churches and clergymen to man them.

Quaker practice would seem a bit closer to the ideal—groups of congregants who read and pray, silently, until any one of them is moved to speak extemporaneously.

Still, Quakers haven’t really caught on.

Something there is that loves a shepherd, I guess. 😉
Click to expand...
No Eucharist, no ideal.
 
porthos11 said:
No Eucharist, no ideal.
Click to expand...
Teflon93 said:
Of course I meant the sola scriptura/sola fide ideal.

No Eucharist, no Christ is how I’d put it. 😉
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No priesthood (because of their rebellion and separation), no Eucharist.

Then they only have 2 choices.
  1. Deny the need for priests thereby denying the miraculous nature of the Eucharist…
  2. Admit that they are in the wrong and must come back into full union with the Catholic Church.
The first choice is their only salvaging option because the second one effectively puts them out of business as a religion.
 
Church_Militant said:
**Holy Orders: **
Genesis 14:18 But Melchisedech the king of Salem, bringing forth bread and wine, for he was the priest of the most high God,

Exodus 19:22 The priests also that come to the Lord, let them be sanctified, lest he strike them.

Psalm 110:The Lord hath sworn, and he will not repent: Thou art a priest for ever according to the order of Melchisedech.

Malachi 2:7 For the lips of the priest shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at his mouth: because he is the angel of the Lord of hosts.

John 20:21 He said therefore to them again: Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you.

Acts 9:17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house. And laying his hands upon him, he said: Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus hath sent me, he that appeared to thee in the way as thou camest; that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

13:3 Then they, fasting and praying, and imposing their hands upon them, sent them away.

14:22 And when they had ordained to them priests in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, in whom they believed.

20:28 Take heed to yourselves, and to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath placed you bishops, to rule the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Ephesisns 4:11 And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors,

1st Thessalonians 5:12-13 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them who labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you: 13 That you esteem them more abundantly in charity, for their work’s sake. Have peace with them.

1st Timothy 4:14 Neglect not the grace that is in thee, which was given thee by prophesy, with imposition of the hands of the priesthood.

Titus 1:5 For this cause I left thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and shouldest ordain priests in every city, as I also appointed thee:

Hebrews 5:1 For every high priest taken from among men, is ordained for men in the things that appertain to God, that he may offer up gifts and sacrifices for sins:

& 7:17 For he testifieth: Thou art a priest for ever, according to the order of Melchisedech.

Your case is open and shut…until someone like me comes along and offers scripture that shows the topical context.
Click to expand...
No so fast; why have you substituted “priest” for “elder” in some of your doctrinal examples? Does not “elder”, “pastor”, and “bishop” mean the same thing? 🤷
 
From what I have read Tyndale’s translation of the bible he changed the word “priest” and put “elder” and for "church’ he put “congregation”.

King James Version- Passage James 5:14:

14Is any sick among you? let him call for the **elders **of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

New International VersionPassage James 5:14:

14Is any one of you sick? He should call the **elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.
**
Wycliffe’s New Testament-Passage James 5:14:

14 If any of you is sick, lead he in priests of the church, and pray they for him, and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord [anointing with oil in the name of the Lord];

Douay-Rheims 1899 version-Passage James 5:14:

14Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the priests of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

And as for the main question I understand it like this-

We are all called to the priesthood but that only “ordained” priests can consecrate the bread and wine.

Exodus 29:29
"Aaron’s sacred garments will belong to his descendants so that they can be anointed and ordained in them.

Leviticus 16:32
The priest who is **anointed and ordained **to succeed his father as high priest is to make atonement. He is to put on the sacred linen garments

Leviticus 21:10
" 'The high priest, the one among his brothers who has had the **anointing oil poured on his head and who has been ordained **to wear the priestly garments, must not let his hair become unkempt or tear his clothes.

Numbers 3:3
Those were the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests, who were ordained to serve as priests.

Mark 3:14
And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,

John 15:16
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and **ordained **you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Acts 1:22
Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

Acts 10:42
And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was **ordained of God **to be the Judge of quick and dead.

Acts 14:23
And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

Wycliffe’s
Passage Acts 14:23:
23 And when they had **ordained priests **to them by all cities, and had prayed with fastings, they betook them to the Lord, in whom they believed.

Acts 16:4
And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were **ordained of the apostles **and elders which were at Jerusalem.

Acts 17:31
Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that **man whom he hath ordained; **whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

Romans 13:1
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

Hebrews 5:1
For every high priest taken from among men is **ordained for men **in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:

Hebrews 8:3
For every **high priest is ordained **to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.
 
Salamander said:
Why use priests for our worship when each man could do this if he were a christian and able to teach? :confused:
Click to expand...
Because God designed the Church this way. Read about the rebellion of Korah in Numbers 16 to see what happens when people choose to say, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?” and rise up against the order God commanded.

Jeremy
 
Revelation 1:6-7
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us 5 from our sins by his blood, who has made us into a kingdom, priests for his God and Father, to him be glory and power forever (and ever). Amen.

This is obviously a reference to Exodus 19:3-6, just before Moses gave instructions regarding sacrifice (through a Levitical Priesthood) he also informed the people that they were all priests.

Exodus 19:3-6
Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all other people, though all the earth is mine. You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation. That is what you must tell the Israelites."

Here we see that although we are priests there is a special sacramental priesthood that is chosen from the people. To deny the authority of a sacramental priesthood is to assume (without warrant) that the role of every priest within the Church is identical.

Corinthians 12:12-14
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free - and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.
 
Here we go again quoting the Church Fathers.

St Ignatious was the diciple of the apostole John he wrote:
on the priesthood

The Epistle of Ignatius to the Smyrnaeans

Chapter 8. Let nothing be done without the bishop.
See that you all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as you would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate a love-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve of, that is also pleasing to God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid.

Chapter 9. Honour the bishop.
Moreover, it is in accordance with reason that we should return to soberness [of conduct], and, while yet we have opportunity, exercise repentance towards God. It is well to reverence both God and the bishop. He who honours the bishop has been honoured by God; he who does anything without the knowledge of the bishop, does [in reality] serve the devil. Let all things, then, abound to you through grace, for you are worthy. You have refreshed me in all things, and Jesus Christ [shall refresh] you. You have loved me when absent as well as when present. May God recompense you, for whose sake, while you endure all things, you shall attain unto Him.

As you can see, St Ignatious was a priest just as his teacher the apostole John, just as every single apostole of Jesus, just as every single Church"FATHER" was a priest.

I think that it is a mistake, if you think that you can read the bible better than the ones that wrote it.
 
jimmy85 said:
I think that it is a mistake, if you think that you can read the bible better than the ones that wrote it.
Click to expand...
Amen!

2 Peter 3:15-16
[speaking of Paul] He talks about this subject in all his letters. Some things in his letters are hard to understand. Ignorant people and people who aren’t sure of what they believe distort what Paul says in his letters the same way they distort the rest of the Scriptures. These people will be destroyed.
 
we don’t have a levitical priesthood
we have a melchizedek priesthood
 
There was an Old Testament priestly people of Israel and the Levitical priesthood existed within it. Likewise we are a priestly people in the New Testament Church and there exists an ordained priesthood within it.

Korah’s rebellion is spoken of in both the Old Testament and within the New Testament. The OT specifically addresses the attempted usurpation of the ministerial Levitical priesthood by Korah and his followers. This was pointed out by another poster and it is significant.

The significance for us today is found in Jude 1:10-13 which says:

“But these men revile whatever they do not understand, and by those things that they know by instinct as irrational animals do, they are destroyed. Woe to them! For they walk in the way of Cain, and abandon themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error, and perish in Korah’s rebellion. These are blemishes on your love feasts, as they boldly carouse together, looking after themselves; waterless clouds, carried along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars for whom the nether gloom of darkness has been reserved for ever.”

Since the OT is quite clear that Korah’s rebellion was all about usurping the OT ministerial priesthood, the reference in Jude must refer to those that wish to usurp the NT ministerial priesthood. We are a priestly people but not all are ordained to the ministerial priesthood. This is a great instance of scripture explaining scripture.

I hope this helps.
 
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