“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
The word used there is hierateuma which is never used for leadership of the assemblies of believers.
Hierateuma
the order or body of priests (see ἀδελφότης, αἰχμαλωσία, διασπορά, θεραπεία); so Christians are called, because they have access to God and offer not external but 'spiritual' (πνευματικά) sacrifices: 1 Peter 2:5; also βασίλειον ἱεράτευμα, 1 Peter 2:9 (after Exodus 19:6, the Sept.), priests of kingly rank, i. e. exalted to a moral rank and freedom which exempts them from the control of everyone but God and Christ.[ http://biblesuite.com/thayers/2406.htm]
Once again the RCC has corrupted the meaning of scripture.
>> “Once again the RCC has corrupted the meaning of scripture.” <<
.
We’re duly shocked.
EXACTLY what I thought, too, CB. WHY the need for priests when they are ALL priests, according to their beliefs about being spiritual Israel? I don’t think THIS one was ever thought about completely, when those “infallible” men met around the big round table and declared “truth”....