Exegesis On 1 Peter 2 1-10

[N/A Gone]

ok,

[url="http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=Rsv1Pet.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=2&division=div1"]http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-ne...p;division=div1[/url]

if as a priesthood all of us can come before the presence of God. than what are the point of having priests themselves? If according to this passage we dont need priests. What is a proper reading of this passage

[jswranch]

These passages in no way states we do not need priests.

[N/A Gone]

classic protestant response disagrees sir...they would say that because we are no longer a temple religion in which a priest was needed to mediate between man and God in the temple. We now have the spirit in ourselves individuallly and thus do not need a mediator. This is a major source of the "priesthood of all believers" theology of the average protestant believer/teachers

[Theoketos]

I have very good article at home, I will read it and get back to you on this in the morn.

[Era Might]

It's not true that we are no longer a sacrificial/temple religion. Jesus told the Apostles at the Last Supper to "do this in memory of me". He instituted the true passover sacrifice, the Holy Eucharist, and established the Apostles (and those they later ordained) to perpetually "do" that in his memory, to take bread and wine and say, "This is my body" and "This is my blood". "Memory" or "Remembrance" in Israel meant actually performing something anew, not just bringing it to mind. That's why the Jews slaughtered a lamb every year, to reenact the first lamb who was slaughtered in their place.

A Priest of the New Covenant is an "alter Christus", "another Christ". God became man, and the Church is his mystical body. Here on earth, we as a Church are his "incarnation" throughout time. The Priest does not represent himself before God; rather, he is the manifestation of Christ, who is our eternal High Priest, so that it is not the Priest who offers sacrifice, but Christ through the Priest. He acts through his Mystical Body; a relationship of "soul" and "body" so to speak.

Another point is that even Protestants ask one another for prayers. If we can go to God directly, why do they ask for prayers? Obviously, the New Covenant does not abolish service and roles on another's behalf, but brings them to fulfillment. Christ is the one mediator between God and man, yet that doesn't mean we can't intercede in prayer on someone's behalf. In this sense, we SHARE in Christ's mediatorship, we don't usurp or abolish it.

In the same way, Priests share in the one Priesthood of Christ, and become his hands and eyes and ears by which he adminsters his grace forever through the Sacraments.

[Sinner]

Revprodeji had requested info from notes in the Navarre Bible. This is not all of footnotes regarding vs 1-10, but a portion of the note regarding 9-10 which seemed most pertinent:

In this people there is only one priest, Jesus Christ, and one sacrifice, that which he offered on the cross and which is renewed in the Mass. But all Christians, through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, obtain a share in the priesthood of Christ and are thereby equipped to mediate in a priestly way between God and man and to take an active part in divine worship; by so doing they can turn all their actions into “ spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God” (1 Pet 2:5). Theirs is a true priesthood, although It is essentially different from the ministerial priesthood of those who receive the sacrament of Order: “Though they differ essentially and not only in degree, the common priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial or hierarchical priesthood are none the less ordered one to another; each in its own proper way shares in the one priesthood of Christ. The ministerial priest, by the sacred power that he has, forms and rules the priestly people; in the person of Christ he effects the eucharistic sacrifice and offers it to God in the name of all the people. The faithful indeed, by virtue of their royal priesthood, participate in the offering of the Eucharist. They exercise that priesthood, too, by the reception of the sacraments, prayer and thanksgiving, the witness of a holy life, abnegation and active charity”. (Vat II, Lumen gentium, 10 cf. Presbyterorum ordinis, 2)

This may have typing errors and is only a partial portion of the note.

Edited September 19, 2006 by Sinner

[Sinner]

Protestants sometimes cite 1 Peter 2:5,9 (cf. Rev. 1:6, 5:10, 20:6) to the effect that all Christians are priests. But Peter was citing Exodus 19:6: "you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." The problem with this is that the older passage couldn't possibly have meant that there was no priesthood among the ancient Hebrews, since they clearly had a separate class of priests (Leviticus: chapters 4-7, 13-14). This is even seen in the same chapter, since Ex. 19:21-24 (cf. Josh. 3:6, 4:9) twice contrasts the "priests" with the "people." Thus, it makes much more sense to interpret 1 Pet. 2:5 as meaning a people "specially holy" – like priests; a separate, holy, "chosen" people, as is fairly clear in context, in both parallel passages. The notion of "spiritual sacrifices" (faith, praise, giving to others) applies to all Christians (Phil. 2:17; Heb. 13:15-16).

[url="http://socrates58.blogspot.com/2006/05/biblical-evidence-for-priests.html"]http://socrates58.blogspot.com/2006/05/bib...or-priests.html[/url]

[thessalonian]

We all share in the preisthood of Christ is the bottom line. That did not change from the Old Covenant. Neither did it exclude a ministerial priesthood in the OC so it does not now either. Christ has always been the high priest (see Psalm 109 [110] "you are a priest forever" as well.

This from the Navarre Bible Commentary should be helpful.

[url="http://groups.google.com/group/CIN-Daily-Word/browse_frm/thread/ee9c6c3800b67c73/2ef9c9966d1e402c?lnk=gst&q=%22But+you+are+a+chosen+race%2C+a+royal+priesthood%22&rnum=1#2ef9c9966d1e402c"]http://groups.google.com/group/CIN-Daily-W...ef9c9966d1e402c[/url]


In this people there is only one priest, Jesus Christ, and one
sacrifice, that which He offered on the cross and which is renewed in
the Mass. But all Christians, through the sacraments of Baptism and
Confirmation, obtain a share in the priesthood of Christ and are thereby
equipped to mediate in a priestly way between God and man and to take an
active part in divine worship; by so doing they can turn all their
actions into "spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God" (1 Peter 2:5).
Theirs is a true priesthood, although it is essentially different from
the ministerial priesthood for those who receive the sacrament of Order:
"Though they differ essentially and not only in degree, the common
priesthood of the faithful and the ministerial or hierarchical
priesthood are nonetheless ordered one to another; each in its own
proper way shares in the one priesthood of Christ. The ministerial
priest, by the sacred power that he has, forms and rules the priestly
people; in the person of Christ he effects the eucharistic sacrifice and
offers it to God in the name of all the people. The faithful indeed, by
virtue of their royal priesthood, participate in the offering of the
Eucharist. They exercise that priesthood, too, by the reception of the
Sacraments, prayer and thanksgiving, the witness of a holy life,
abnegation and active charity" (Vatican II, "Lumen Gentium", 10: cf.
"Prebyterorum Ordinis", 2).

[jswranch]

[quote name='Revprodeji' post='1066073' date='Sep 18 2006, 03:01 PM']
classic protestant response disagrees sir...they would say that because we are no longer a temple religion in which a priest was needed to mediate between man and God in the temple. We now have the spirit in ourselves individuallly and thus do not need a mediator. This is a major source of the "priesthood of all believers" theology of the average protestant believer/teachers
[/quote]
Whoa!... They do not profess we do not need priests. Instead, they believe we do not need a ministerial priesthood.


Like I said, there is nothing in those verses that alludes we do not need priests.

[phatcatholic]

peep this
[url="http://www.phatmass.com/directory/index.php/cat/614"]http://www.phatmass.com/directory/index.php/cat/614[/url]

also these:

Did Jesus Give Priests to the Church?
[url="http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2004/0404sbs.asp"]http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2004/0404sbs.asp[/url]

The Office of New Testament Priest
[url="http://www.cin.org/users/james/files/ntpriest.htm"]http://www.cin.org/users/james/files/ntpriest.htm[/url]

[Sinner]

peep peep...... good info.

[Guest Phat Stephen]

[quote name='Sinner' post='1066504' date='Sep 19 2006, 02:24 AM']
Protestants sometimes cite 1 Peter 2:5,9 (cf. Rev. 1:6, 5:10, 20:6) to the effect that all Christians are priests. But Peter was citing Exodus 19:6: "you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." The problem with this is that the older passage couldn't possibly have meant that there was no priesthood among the ancient Hebrews, since they clearly had a separate class of priests (Leviticus: chapters 4-7, 13-14). This is even seen in the same chapter, since Ex. 19:21-24 (cf. Josh. 3:6, 4:9) twice contrasts the "priests" with the "people." Thus, it makes much more sense to interpret 1 Pet. 2:5 as meaning a people "specially holy" – like priests; a separate, holy, "chosen" people, as is fairly clear in context, in both parallel passages. The notion of "spiritual sacrifices" (faith, praise, giving to others) applies to all Christians (Phil. 2:17; Heb. 13:15-16).

[url="http://socrates58.blogspot.com/2006/05/biblical-evidence-for-priests.html"]http://socrates58.blogspot.com/2006/05/bib...or-priests.html[/url]
[/quote]



Hey, good point. There was a priesthood before the covenant of the law was established.

We know that the priesthood of the law was Levitical.

We also know that people like Abraham made offerings and sacrifices.

Even as far back as Cain and Abel sacrifices were made.

What kind of priest was Abraham?

Do you guys think the priesthood before the law could be paternal?


Phat Stephen

[thessalonian]

I am curious about one thing I've been thinking about lately on this topic. If they believe in the priesthood of believers are we just preists for ourselves? Are our children preists for themselves? Are women priests in the priesthood of believers? I see no evidence of it in the Old Testament and no reason to think it in the new from purely a bible alone standpoint. If that is the case, ie. the men are preists for their family, then they contradict an arguement they use against our priesthood it seems to me, namely that we have only one mediator.

Thoughts?

[Laudate_Dominum]

[trolling]
star trek trivia here: [url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=57612&hl="]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?s...c=57612&hl=[/url]
come play.
[/trolling]

[Guest Phat Stephen]

[quote name='thessalonian' post='1068461' date='Sep 20 2006, 09:56 PM']
I am curious about one thing I've been thinking about lately on this topic. If they believe in the priesthood of believers are we just preists for ourselves? Are our children preists for themselves? Are women priests in the priesthood of believers? I see no evidence of it in the Old Testament and no reason to think it in the new from purely a bible alone standpoint. If that is the case, ie. the men are preists for their family, then they contradict an arguement they use against our priesthood it seems to me, namely that we have only one mediator.

Thoughts?
[/quote]


I do have some thoughts on that, it is something that has interested me for a while but is also difficult to express. This helps:

[color="#000099"]
Heb.7:23. And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:
24. But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.[/color]



The quality, or the kind of priesthood that Christ has is eternal. Never ending, so that not even death could terminate his priesthood because he offered himself, so his sacrifical death was a part of it all. Now he is a priest in his resurrection, ever living to make intercession for us.

For me this means that all earthly relationships have to change or pass away in Christ. So while we are going to be good kids and good parents that relationship isn't priestly in the sense of Christ's priesthood. The parent or the father really isn't a priest to his household because the children have to come to know the Lord for themselves.

There is really one house:

[color="#000099"]
Heb.3;6. But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.[/color]


So Jesus is the high priest of his own house. Christians are his kin folk, his priestly brethren. Then as for the offerings:


[color="#000099"]
1Peter2:5. Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.[/color]


With spiritual sacrifices I don't think there is really any end to it. It's kinda limitless!

I have observed over the years that the Lord has a way of speaking to people's hearts. I can teach and say things to people but often the Holy Spirit will take words spoken and say something inside a person's heart that I could never say. It's had to explain, but that's just it. The Lord doesn't have my limitations in that area. He can teach truth to us in an instant. That's the way that revelation is, it's timeless. He uses us and that is great, but he does so much more than we could ever do on our own.