THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
By John G. Matteson
The Levitical priesthood has ceased. It pertained to the old covenant which has vanished away. Heb. 8:13. In the new covenant the priesthood belongs to Christ, who is our High priest. “And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death; but this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.” Heb. 7:23–26. In the 17th verse he says: “Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec.” This shows that there were many priests under the old priesthood, but only one under the new,—Christ, who is a mediator between God and men. 1 Tim. 2:5. He is a minister of the sanctuary. Heb. 8:2. In the old dispensation there was but one sanctuary or temple, in the new there is but one. This sanctuary is in Heaven, not on earth. “And the temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament.” Rev. 11:19. Those, therefore, who now worship God in truth and in spirit, do not worship toward an earthly sanctuary or altar, but toward the heavenly. Through faith they are begotten from above of Christ, not of a priest upon earth. Christ is their father. Isa. 9:6. He is the Prince of peace, and they are the children of peace, the children of God. “Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called the children of God.” Matt. 5:9. They are the children of the free woman, if their citizenship is in Heaven, and they look for our coming Lord. “For our conversation [politeuma, citizenship] is in Heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” Phil. 3:20, 21. “But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.” Gal. 4:26. Christ is the priest or head of the church, and he is the Saviour of the body. Eph. 5:23. And they that believe in his name and keep his commandments are his friends and church. Christ is the true shepherd and bishop of our souls. 1 Pet. 2:25. And he has given or appointed in his church “some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” Eph. 4:11, 12. Pastors and teachers are also called elders, bishops, and overseers. “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and doctrine.” 1 Tim. 5:17. This shows that there were elders in the churches who did not preach. All members should honor and obey their elders in the Lord. “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief; for that is unprofitable for you.” Heb. 13:17. Paul called the elders of the church of Ephesus, when about to depart from Miletus, and exhorted them thus: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” Acts 20:28. He told Titus to “ordain elders in every city.” Titus 1:5. An elder who is thus appointed and ordained in a church, in harmony with the mind of the Holy Spirit, possesses an office which is far more honorable than that of any minister or bishop who is called by “his Majesty’s special command.” And though he may be despised by men, yet the blessing of God will rest upon him, if he is faithful in his calling. The office of an evangelist is to preach the word, reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and doctrine. 2 Tim. 4:2–5. Prophets foretold future events. Philip the evangelist had four daughters who prophesied. And Agabus was a prophet. Acts 21:8–11. The word apostle is from the Greek word apostolos, which means a messenger. Paul and his fellow-laborers were the “messengers of the churches.” 2 Cor. 8:23. Epaphroditus was Paul’s companion in labor and fellow-soldier; “but your messenger [apostolos].” Phil. 2:25. Thus there were more than twelve apostles in the ancient church. Silvanus and Timotheus were apostles. 1 Thess. 1:1; 2:6. Barnabas was an apostle. Acts 14:14. They were “ambassadors for Christ,” preaching the word of reconciliation “in Christ’s stead.” 2 Cor. 5:20. And the apostles, messengers, or ambassadors of Christ, have a commission from Christ, which lasts unto the end of the world. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matt. 28:19, 20. By this commission the messengers of Christ are commanded to do three things: 1. To teach all people who will be taught; but from those who will not receive them they must turn away. Luke 10:10. Paul shook his raiment against the Jews who opposed him at Corinth, and said, “Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean; from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.” Acts 18:6. 2. To baptize those who receive the word. “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized; and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” Acts 2:41. 3. To teach those who are baptized to observe all the commandments of God; for the Father and the Son are one. Such apostles or evangelists Christ will have unto the end of the world, and he will be with them. But those who do not follow his commission should not claim to be his ambassadors. Those who gladly receive the word of God, believe and are baptized, and afterward learn to keep all the commandments of God for this dispensation, are members of the church of Christ on earth. And those who guide their fellow-men in this heavenly way, laboring in word and doctrine, are Christ’s ambassadors. We will now consider those words in the New Testament which are translated priest, priesthood, &c. And when we learn what the priesthood is under the new covenant, we can understand wherein the Catholics, State churches, Mormons, and others, differ from the teachings of the Bible on this subject. Hierateia, the priest’s office, is found only once, and is applied to the office of Zacharia under the old covenant. Luke 1:8. Hieratia, the office of the priesthood, occurs twice. Luke 1:9, and Heb. 7:5. In the first place, it is spoken of Zacharia; in the last place, of the Levites. This priesthood is changed, Heb. 7:12, and transferred to Christ, who is not called after the order of Aaron, but after the order of Melchisedec. Verses 11, 13. Hierosune, priesthood, is mentioned four times, and translated priesthood in every instance. Heb. 7:11, 12, 14, 24. The first three verses speak of the Levitical priesthood, the last of the “unchangeable priesthood” of Christ. Hierateuma, priesthood, is found twice. 1 Pet. 2:5, 9: “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” “But ye are . . . a royal priesthood.” It is spoken of the people of God in general. There is, consequently, no other priesthood in the new covenant but the Melchisedec priesthood, which belongs to Christ, and that priesthood which belongs to all the children of God as they offer up “spiritual sacrifices,” and “the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.” Heb. 13:15; 1 Pet. 2:5. Those who try to build up any other priesthood in this dispensation are building on sand, for they have no foundation in the word of God to build upon. Archiereus, high priest or chief priest, occurs one hundred and twenty-three times in the New Testament, one hundred and thirteen times it is applied to the high priests of the old covenant, and ten times to Christ. The last-named places are: Heb. 2:17; 3:1; 4:14, 15; 5:5, 10; 6:20; 7:26; 8:1; 9:11. Hiereus, priest, is found thirty-two times in the New Testament. It is nineteen times applied to the Levitical priesthood; once to the heathen priest at the temple of Jupiter, Acts 14:13; twice to Melchisedec, Heb. 7:1, 3; three times to the people of God, Rev. 1:6; 5:10; 20:6; and seven times to Christ, Heb. 5:6; 7:11, 15, 17, 21; 8:4; 10:21. The priest and church of the new covenant are, therefore, none else but Christ and his members on earth. The Christian’s temple is in Heaven, where Jesus himself ministers as our true mediator and high priest. Heb. 8:2. But the ambassadors of Christ we may call teachers, overseers, elders, bishops, prophets, evangelists, and apostles, according to the gifts and offices committed to them by the Holy Spirit. The word “preacher” is also a scriptural expression for an evangelist. It is translated from keerux, which means a herald, a public messenger, a lecturer, author, preacher. It occurs three times in the New Testament. 1 Tim. 2:7; 2 Tim. 1:11; 2 Pet. 2:5. Every church should, if possible, have an elder or leader; but it is not necessary that one should preach every time the members meet together. Yet it is necessary that the brethren should try to pray and edify one another, that all may be encouraged. 1 Cor. 14:31. We should sing and pray with the Spirit, and with the understanding, and help one another on in Christian attainments, doing all things decently and in order. Verses 15, 26, 40. But, above all, we must become acquainted with the “more excellent way,” which is the way of love. Charity, or love, suffers long, is kind, rejoices in the truth, hopes all things, endures all things. “And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfection.” Col. 3:14. Without this, all rules are but empty ceremonies. “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth; that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ; to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Pet. 4:10, 11.