On the Ministerial Priesthood

The title priest (Greek iereuV) is applied to a person appointed  on behalf of others or of himself to offers sacrifice.   In the New Testament it is applied to: Christ (Hebrews 4:14), all believers (1 Peter 2:5,9 and Revelation 1:6), Levitical priests of Judaism (Luke 17:14) and priests of Zeus (Acts 14:13).   The equivalent word in Hebrews is kohen and in the Old Testament it is applied to Levitical priests as well as to priests of Egypt (Genesis 41:45), of Philistines (1 Samuel 5:5) and of Baal (2 Kings 10:19).    While the Catholic Church affirms the priesthood of Christ and of all believers (Catechism of the Catholic Church # 1546), she (and Eastern, Oriental and Assyrian Orthodox churches) has another priesthood belonging to a group of males, known as ministerial priesthood.  The Catholic Church considers Levitical priesthood of Judaism (or of the Old Covenant) prefigures the ministerial priesthood of the New Covenant (Catechism of the Catholic Church # 1541).  Protestants and “Bible only” Christians, on the other hand,  believe that Levitical priesthood was abolished in the New Covenant.  The only priesthood they recognize is that of Christ and of all believers.

The Old Covenant refers to the one God made with Moses – it is to be replaced with the new and better Covenant mediated by Christ (Hebrews 8:6), prophesied in Jeremiah 31:33-34 (cf. Hebrews 8:8-12, 10:16-17).  From the Old Testament we know that Levitical priesthood has three tiers: High Priest, priests (Exodus 28:1) and Levites (Numbers 3:5-10, only the first two are allowed to offer sacrifice).  High Priest is selected from among priests and he alone can enter the inner Sanctuary, once every year to offer sacrificial atonement (Exodus 30:10, Hebrews 9:7).  The earthly and man made Sanctuary of the Old Covenant (Hebrews 9:1, 24) prefigures the heavenly Sanctuary of the New Covenant, into which Christ, the High Priest of the New Covenant offers Himself as sacrifice once for all (Hebrews 9:11-12).  The Old Testament also has general priesthood, applied to all Israelites (Exodus 19:6).   If the High Priest of the Old Covenant prefigures that of Christ (Hebrews 7:26) then priests and Levites must also have their better form in the New Covenant, instead of being abolished.   Does the Bible support continuation of priests and Levites in the New Covenant?  From  prophecy recorded in Jeremiah 33:17-22 we know that God will perpetuate Levitical priesthood.  He will even take as priests and Levites from among the nations (Isaiah 66:21).   Thus to Catholics bishops, presbyters (priests) and deacons are the New Covenant’s priests and Levites. 

The dilemma of Justification

When I was still evangelical, my evangelical mentor told me the follwoing analogy.  We are all sinners and stand before judgment of God.  Then God offers the only solution – He sent His Son down and if we believe in Him, He will bear the burden of our sins and sets us free.   Only after some study I realized that this analogy is tailored to fit Protestant’s concept of Justification.  How does God justify us to enter heaven?  Protestant’s answer is by faith (in Christ) alone – it is one time event in our life.  The courtroom analogy with God as the Judge and we are as sinners (or criminals) goes well with this faith alone Justification.   We do not need purgatory and indulgences as Christ already paid the penalty of our sins on the cross once we accept Him as our personal Lord and Saviour.   When I had the chance to study Catholic’s view on Justification I came to know that in Catholicism Justification is a process.  It starts at our conversion to Christ and ends at the time we enter heaven.  The striking difference is in Catholicism we are made righteous through Justification while Protestants would say we are declared righteous.   The best analogy to describe Catholic Justification is Family analogy – God is the Father and we are His (adopted) children.  We become members of God’s family through our faith in Chris – this faith is a free gift from God.  This Family analogy allows us to understand why there are indulgences – God our Father will discipline us, His children, for our own good whenever we misbehave.  The concept of being made righteous through Justification also explains why we need purgatory if we die with unrepented venial sins – we must be purified and cleansed through purgatory.  Such purification is not required in Protestant’s Justification because our sins will be covered by Christ righteousness – hence the concept of imputed righteousness (of Christ) in Protestant’s Justification.  Catholics, on the other hand, would say through Justification the righteousness of God, through Christ, is infused by the Holy Spirit is us and it becomes inherent part of us, i.e. we become righteous.

Hello world!

This is my first post and my first time to have a blog.  Nothing to share for today as I have to learn more on how to manage a blog.