The church was not born until Pentecost AFTER the final priest had died and risen again..so yes jesus was the Final priest, fulfilling the typology of the jewish priesthood. He was the final priest..
Are you saying that St. Paul did not claim to minister in the manner of a priest?
Where does Paul state that ??
Actually...a few places:
The first and most obvious (i.e., verbatim) is Romans 15:16
to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
You will remember the third question that I asked you in post #22: Perhaps you could explain what your understanding of the role of the priest is?
It wasn't a rhetorical question. There is an answer to that. If you look at Heb 5:1, you will find the answer (to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins)
If we take a look, functionally, we see a whole lot that opens up for us:
- Phil 2:17 Even if I am to be poured as a libation upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.
- Rom 12:1 I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
- 1 Pet 2:5 and like living stones be yourselves built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
See, we are all called to offer our faith, our bodies, our selves as sacrifices as priests. As St. Peter said, you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood (1 Pet 2:9). What is a priest? One who offers gifts and sacrifices (Heb 5:1).
But what makes this so? What makes us priests? The mere fact that Christ is in us! (Col 1:27).
The Royal Priesthood was something that was foreshadowed in the Old Testament covenant with the House of Israel. God told Moses, and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Ex 19.6). He was not referring only to the House of Levi, but to all of Israel. And this was confirmed in the Apocalypse of St. John: and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father (Rev 1.6). And, for that matter, it is stated also during the thousand year reign: Blessed and holy is he who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and they shall reign with him a thousand years. (Rev 20.6)
Of course, you have the Royal priesthood versus the ministerial priesthood. That, too, was foreshadowed in the Old Testament. You recall the quote from Exodus above? All of Israel were called to be a royal priesthood, yet only a small subset of them were called for service in the Temple. Same thing here.
But, as you pointed out in your post #2, He is offering continual sacrifices for us in heaven. This is almost true and is alluded to in Rev 5:6. He was sacrificed Once for all and entered into the sanctuary once to offer that sacrifice of Himself. He remains in that sanctuary (Rev 5.6). And it is that which is offered by Christ at each Mass.
Mad Dawg, you are far more the scholar than I. Do I pretty well have a handle on the Scriptures above?