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To: Mr Rogers
There was a Greek word for “priest”. It was used in describing Jewish priests, and used of Jesus as High Priest. It was not used of any Christian office in the congregation...

Yes. The Greek word is hiereus. But we are talking about the English word. Like Greek and Latin, Old English had two separate words for priest: preost and sacerd. The former was used to translate presbuteros and the latter hiereus. Preost continued to be used for the office of presbyter in the form priest. Unfortunately sacerd fell out of English usage and its lack was made up by the use of priest. This secondary definition of priest does not, however, take away its original and continuing meaning for the office of presbyter.

15 posted on 12/17/2014 5:24:42 PM PST by Petrosius
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To: Petrosius

If one wants to know what the New Testament says, it helps to pay attention to the language it was written in. If the writers of the New Testament believed there was a priestly office for someone in the church, apart from Jesus as High Priest, they would have said so.

Instead, they used different words.

This certainly suggests they saw no priestly role for an officer in the church.


16 posted on 12/17/2014 5:43:52 PM PST by Mr Rogers (Can you remember what America was like in 2004?)
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To: Petrosius

“...Unfortunately sacerd fell out of English usage...”

Interesting. The spanish word for priest is still sacerdote. I don’t know much Spanish, I just looked it up, but assume it must have some root relationship with the word sacerd.


18 posted on 12/17/2014 5:51:09 PM PST by stonehouse01
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