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To: annalex
The three quotes I gave you show that the priests (or if you prefer, "elders") had abilities not given laity; that the church was thought of as distinct place not suitable for eating anything but the Eucharist, even if arcghitecturally or legally it was someone's private property; and that the roles during the Church service were distinct and separated laity from the president and the deacons, -- all in direct contradiction to the Protestant mythology.

None of your quotes state what you are trying to make them say.

James say that the elders of the church should pray over one who is ill.

Since elders (pastors) are to be in constant prayer, what is so unusual about that? (Acts.6:4)

As for having house churches, that is what the scriptures say existed ( a point you seem hard to deal with)

There are house churches today that are able to handle both the Lord's supper and adult Baptism (in a pool or stream) without any great difficulty.

"Elder" and "priest", or "president" are incidentally all translations of "presbyteros"; one uses a similar word with a Germanic root, the other the same Greek root, and the third is the corresponding Latin.

Well, 'priest' has a far different modern connotation then does elder or even presbyterian.

As for 'priests' I read in 1Pe.2:5 that every believer is a priest, able to approach God directly, without any need for the intercession of a clergy class.

The only mythology that is going on is the myth of the RCC, that chooses its manmade traditions over the revealed truth of God (Mk.7:7)

6,364 posted on 05/12/2006 2:04:39 AM PDT by fortheDeclaration (Am I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth? (Gal.4:16))
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To: fortheDeclaration
James say that the elders of the church should pray over one who is ill

And annoint them, requiring physical presence. It points to a distinct function, the members ofthe household could not do themselves. Justin Martyr's Apology, written in the 2nd century shows that priests and deacons had distinct roles as well.

The point about "house churches" is not that they were someone's house,-- they were at times, -- but that they functioned as a Church, to the point that St. Paul asks people to not eat there, but rather eat in theor own homes.

'priest' has a far different modern connotation then does elder or even presbyterian.

When you read priests annointing the sick or giving communion or teaching the gospel, that is exactly the connotation that is also modern. "Elder" has a connotation of old age. Where is any reference to age about the Priests in the New Testament? Would you translate "Is any man sick among you? Let him bring in the old men of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord"?

Reading 1 Peter as referring to all believers is nowhere in 1 Peter. In particular, "Royal priesthood" cannot be squared with this Protestant notion. If all believers are royal priestshood, who are their subjects?

6,388 posted on 05/12/2006 11:54:06 AM PDT by annalex
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