Do Christians need Priests?
There has been much recent debate about the ordination of women as priests. There were many who held firm opinions about the matter and voiced their beliefs very loudly. In all this debate and discussion one overriding question seems to have been ignored. Should the church ordain priests at all?
For the answer to this question we must turn to the Bible, God's guidebook for mankind.
In the Bible we can read how a priesthood was set up for the people of Israel in Old Testament times, by God's command to their leader Moses. A considerable proportion of the priests' duties was in connection with animal sacrifices which the people offered to God for the forgiveness of sins, or as an act of thanksgiving. The offerings were only accepted if offered through the service of a priest.
In the New Testament it is made very clear that for the Christian, Christ has taken over the function of High Priest and that in offering himself on the cross, for the sins of the world, he has removed the value of any other sacrifice. He has also removed the need for any other priest. as we can read in the apostle Paul's letter to the Hebrews :
"Consequently he is able for all times to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them" (Heb. ch 7 v 25 RSV)
The need for no other mediator except Christ is put very strongly by the Apostle Paul in his second letter to Timothy:
"For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus"
(1 Tim. ch 2 v 5 AV )
Wherever we look in the New Testament it is clear that the early churches did not have priests. We read in Acts chapter 3 verse 46, that they went from house to house breaking bread and praising God.
Later on in time, Paul writing to the church in Corinth said that:
". . . . God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets,. third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues". ( 1 Cor. ch l2 v 28 NIV )
He makes no mention of the need for priests.
There has been much recent debate about the ordination of women as priests. There were many who held firm opinions about the matter and voiced their beliefs very loudly. In all this debate and discussion one overriding question seems to have been ignored. Should the church ordain priests at all?
For the answer to this question we must turn to the Bible, God's guidebook for mankind.
In the Bible we can read how a priesthood was set up for the people of Israel in Old Testament times, by God's command to their leader Moses. A considerable proportion of the priests' duties was in connection with animal sacrifices which the people offered to God for the forgiveness of sins, or as an act of thanksgiving. The offerings were only accepted if offered through the service of a priest.
In the New Testament it is made very clear that for the Christian, Christ has taken over the function of High Priest and that in offering himself on the cross, for the sins of the world, he has removed the value of any other sacrifice. He has also removed the need for any other priest. as we can read in the apostle Paul's letter to the Hebrews :
"Consequently he is able for all times to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them" (Heb. ch 7 v 25 RSV)
The need for no other mediator except Christ is put very strongly by the Apostle Paul in his second letter to Timothy:
"For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus"
(1 Tim. ch 2 v 5 AV )
Wherever we look in the New Testament it is clear that the early churches did not have priests. We read in Acts chapter 3 verse 46, that they went from house to house breaking bread and praising God.
Later on in time, Paul writing to the church in Corinth said that:
". . . . God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets,. third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues". ( 1 Cor. ch l2 v 28 NIV )
He makes no mention of the need for priests.
