“The laity simply participate.”
The Catholic Church: Wrong for 2000 years and still going!
Sigh.
The NT knows nothing of a sacerdotal class in contrast to the laity; all believers are commanded to offer the sacrifices mentioned in Rom. 12:1; Phil. 2:17; 4:18; Heb. 13:15,16; 1 Pet. 2:5; (d) of Christ, Heb. 5:6; 7:11,15,17,21; 8:4 (negatively); (e) of Melchizedek, as the forshadower of Christ, Heb. 7:1,3."
Vine's Topical Bible: http://www2.mf.no/bibelprog/vines?word=%AFt0002209
1 Tim 5:17:
"The elders that rule well (...proestootes presbuteroi). See 1 Timothy 5:1 for ordinary sense of presbuteros for “older man.” But here of position in same sense as episkopos (1 Timothy 3:2) as in Titus 1:5 = episkopos in 1 Timothy 5:7. Cf. Luke‘s use of presbuteros (Acts 20:17) = Paul‘s episkopous (Acts 20:28). Proestotes is second perfect active participle of proisteemi (intransitive use) for which see note on 1 Timothy 3:4." [Greek letters deleted to preserve html format]
http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rwp/view.cgi?bk=53&ch=5
"Let the elders that rule well - Greek presbuteroi Presbyters. The apostle had given full instructions respecting bishops 1 Timothy 3:1-7; deacons 1 Timothy 3:8-13; widows 1 Timothy 5:3-16; and he here proceeds to prescribe the duty of the church toward those who sustain the office of elder. The word used - “elder” or “presbyter” - properly refers to age, and is then used to denote the officers of the church, probably because the aged were at first entrusted with the administration of the affairs of the church. The word was in familiar use among the Jews to denote the body of men that presided in the synagogue; see the Matthew 15:2 note; Acts 11:30; Acts 15:2 notes.
That rule well - Presiding well, or well managing the spiritual interests of the church. The word rendered “rule” -proestotes- is from a verb meaning to be over; to preside over; to have the care of. The word is used with reference to bishops, Titus 1:5, Titus 1:7; to an apostle, 1 Peter 5:1; and is such a word as would apply to any officers to whom the management and government of the church was entrusted. On the general subject of the rulers in the church; see the notes on 1 Corinthians 12:28. It is probable that not precisely the same organization was pursued in every place where a church was established; and where there was a Jewish synagogue, the Christian church would be formed substantially after that model, and in such a church there would be a bench of presiding eiders; see, on this subject, Whately‘s “Kingdom of Christ delineated,” pp. 84-80. The language here seems to have been taken from such an organization."
http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/view.cgi?bk=53&ch=5
How about this: The only priest I need is Christ himself??
Not a food time for inter-Christian fighting. In the middle east, jihadis are killing all types of Christians and in the USA leftists don’t care if you are Catholics, Baptist or Presbyterian.
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In 1 Peter 2:9, the word translated as "priesthood" is:
hierateuma - Strong's G2406
Anyone with even a passing knowledge of Greek should be able to guess this word has to do with an order with some religious function, due to the prefix "hiera", which we still retain in English via loan words, such as "hierophant", "hieratic", and "hieroglyphs", all words dealing specifically with sacred things set apart from the profane.
When Christ's priesthood is described, the same prefix is used, for example, in Heb. 7:11, 7:12, 7:14, and 7:24 the word is:
hierōsynē - Strong's G2420
Also, it is interesting to note that the same chapter of Hebrews, in verse 5, refers to the Levitical priesthood (which the Roman priests closely mimic in function), using the word:
hierateia - Strong's G2406
Again, we see the same prefix hiera/hiero, denoting a sacred priestly order.
Now, what about the verses that the Roman church claims refer to their priesthood? What words does the NT use in those cases?
Well, there is Acts 14:23 which speaks of ordaining these people, so that seems a good place to start, if we are looking for a reference to an ordained priesthood that the Romans make claim to. The word used there is:
presbyteros - Strong's G4245
This word is an adjective, though often used as a noun, that is derived from the Greek word "presbus", which means "elderly". The best literal translation for this word is, therefore "elder", not priest at all.
Of course, it could be that the word was not being used literally, but was a euphemism for a priesthood. Well, let's look at the other uses of the word in the NT, and see if we can get an idea of the contemporary usage.
This same word is used in combination with the phrases "chief priests" and/or "scribes" many times in the NT, for example, in Mat 16:21, Mat 21:23, Mat 26:3, Mat 27:1, Luk 9:22, etc. These words repeatedly used in close association do suggest that "elders" was used to denote an office, but was this office a priesthood?
Well, the solution to that question can be answered by looking at a verse such as Luke 22:66, which describes Christ being brought before a council of Jews to be interrogated:
Luk 22:66-67:
"And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council, saying,
Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe:"
Now, what council was this that the Jews brought Jesus before in Jerusalem? It could only be one council: the Sanhedrin. Now, what was the Sanhedrin, and who composed it? Was it the priesthood of Israel?
The Jewish Encyclopedia tells us Sanhedrin means:
"Hebrew-Aramaic term originally designating only the assembly at Jerusalem that constituted the highest political magistracy of the country."
Speaking of its functions the same source tells us:
"In the Talmudic sources the "Great" Sanhedrin at Jerusalem is so called in contradistinction to other bodies designated by that name; and it was generally assumed that this Great Sanhedrin was identical with the Sanhedrin at Jerusalem which is mentioned in the non-Talmudic sources, in the Gospels, and in Josephus. The accounts in the two different sets of sources referring to the Sanhedrin, however, differ materially in their main characteristics. The Great Sanhedrin is designated in the Talmudic sources as "Sanhedrin Gedolah hayoshebet be-lishkat ha-gazit" = "the Great Sanhedrin which sits in the hall of hewn stone"(Sifra, Wayiḳra, ed. Weiss, 19a). The mention of "sanhedrin" without the epithet "gedolah" (Yer. Sanh. i. 19c) seems to presuppose another body than the Great Sanhedrin that met in the hall of hewn stone. For neither Josephus nor the Gospels in speaking of the Sanhedrin report any of its decisions or discussions referring to the priests or to the Temple service, or touching in any way upon the religious law, but they refer to the Sanhedrin exclusively in matters connected with legal procedure, verdicts, and decrees of a political nature; whereas the Sanhedrin in the hall of hewn stone dealt, according to the Talmudic sources, with questions relating to the Temple, the priesthood, the sacrifices, and matters of a kindred nature. Adolf Büchler assumes indeed that there were in Jerusalem two magistracies which were entirely different in character and functions and which officiated side by side at the same time. That to which the Gospels and Josephus refer was the highest political authority, and at the same time the supreme court; this alone was empowered to deal with criminal cases and to impose the sentence of capital punishment. The other, sitting in the hall of hewn stone, was the highest court dealing with the religious law, being in charge also of the religious instruction of the people (Sanh. xi. 2-4)."
So, the council spoken of in the Gospels is the "political Sanhedrin". Who composed this Sanhedrin? The Jewish Encyclopedia says:
"This Sanhedrin, which was entirely aristocratic in character, probably assumed its own authority, since it was composed of members of the most influential families of the nobility and priesthood (comp. Sanh. iv. 2, where there is an allusion to the composition of this body). The Pharisees had no great influence in this assembly, although some of its members may have been friendly to them at various times. Though there are no definite references to gradations in rank among the several members, there seems to have been a committee of ten members, οὶ δέκαπρῶτοι, who ranked above their colleagues (comp. Schürer, "Gesch." 3d ed., ii. 201-202)."
http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/13178-sanhedrin
So the Jewish traditions and the Gospels seem to agree, this council was a judicial and political body, and though it did contain members of the priesthood (the "chief priests", from influential priestly families), it also contained members from the nobility, or preeminent families of Israel. If you check other sources, it is clear that there were also members who were scholars of the law, due to the judicial nature of the council:
"Since the Beth-Din had to deal frequently with legal matters, it was natural that many of its members should be chosen from among men specially given to the study of the Law; this is why we so often hear of the scribes in the Sanhedrin."
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13444a.htm
So, we have 3 groups composing the Sanhedrin, those from priestly families (chief priests), students of the law (scribes), and those from noble families (elders/presbyteros). Clearly, the word was used to denote a special appointed function or role, apart from the literal meaning of "elder", but this role was different from the priesthood of Israel, it was the role of the elder statesmen of the tribes of Israel.
Once you understand that, it is easy to understand why two different words were used to describe the different functions in the NT church, because one was describing the religious office (the priesthood, shared by all believers, with Christ as the high priest), and the other described a governmental office (the elders), who were appointed by the Apostles (or chosen by the churches themselves) to handle the governmental functions of the churches.
I always wonder why you and a few others regularly post material designed to cause strife in followers of Christ?
What is your point?
” 1 Timothy 6:3-6New American Standard Bible (NASB)
3 If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not [a]agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing; but he [b]has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that [c]godliness is a means of gain. 6 But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. “
” 1 Corinthians 3:3New International Version (NIV)
3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? “
“
Galatians 5:20New International Version (NIV)
20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions “
Yep! That IS what God is saying pretty clearly.
James refers to deeds being a result of Faith. Your faith will lead to good deeds not the other way around. If you believe that James was referring to good deeds being equal to salvation then the entire Bible contradicts itself when it says faith alone saves. Faith led Abraham to his deeds of righteousness he/we must have faith first and then the deeds will follow as Christ commands.
If years make a religion right then the Jews has us all beat, so lets all convert they must be right.
I cherish that Jesus is a priest after the order of Melchizedek, and now ever lives to intercede for us!
Odd that. He uses Strong's number but not his definition? From the Strong's in my eSword:
presbuterospres-boo'-ter-os
Comparative of πρέσβυς presbus (elderly); older; as noun, a senior; specifically an Israelite Sanhedrist (also figuratively, member of the celestial council) or Christian “presbyter”: - elder (-est), old.
Hmmmmm, not a hint of any ministerial or sacerdotal dimensions to the word.