Haeralis
Puritan Board Freshman
It seems to me that the biblical evidence against the institution of any "priesthood" is enormous. The very idea harkens back to the Old Covenant, in which time the people of God needed mediators to communicate with Him. We know from the book of Hebrews, however, that the Old Covenant has found its supreme fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who "lives forever" to be our eternal High Priest by which we can communicate with God.
So, my question is, how is it that such an extraordinarily unbiblical idea of a "Christian Priesthood" crept into the Church? The Roman priesthood to this day retains tabernacles and altars; the former to house the "body of Christ" in the Eucharist and the latter to actually offer up to God a "re-presentation" of Christ's sacrifice. Apparently, these ideas originated fairly early, perhaps even as early as Tertullian.
Is anyone here familiar with the development of the Christian Priesthood? Was the role of the very early priests any different than the current, blasphemous priesthood of the Church of Rome?
So, my question is, how is it that such an extraordinarily unbiblical idea of a "Christian Priesthood" crept into the Church? The Roman priesthood to this day retains tabernacles and altars; the former to house the "body of Christ" in the Eucharist and the latter to actually offer up to God a "re-presentation" of Christ's sacrifice. Apparently, these ideas originated fairly early, perhaps even as early as Tertullian.
Is anyone here familiar with the development of the Christian Priesthood? Was the role of the very early priests any different than the current, blasphemous priesthood of the Church of Rome?