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If I understand the question correctly, you are asking if the Roman Catholic priesthood is the direct successor of Melchizedek, the first priest mentioned in The Bible.
The answer is...not really. In Roman Catholic theology, Christian priests are often presented as being the successors of Old Testament Jewish priests. This is a theological interpretation, however, and it is not historically true. The popular conception of Catholic priests being intermediaries between God and man resulted from a complex set of logical and linguistic misinterpretations made by Christians in the centuries following the completion of the New Testament.
The English word "priest" is a contraction of the Greek word "presbyter." Presbyter simply means "elder." The words "presbyter" and "bishop" were used interchangeably in the New Testament, referring to the same office. In the second century, the word "bishop" started to be reserved for the senior pastor in a city.
A presbyter is simply an elder, a senior leader in the Christian community. There is no hint in the New Testament of a "sacrificial" ministry on the part of the elders. A completely different Greek word was used to refer to the Old Testament priests who offered sacrifice.
As theologians began to speak of the Eucharist as a sacrifice, Christians started to take this poetic comparison as a literal statement. As a result of this logical category mistake by early Christians, the word "presbyter" started to take on the connotations of the Old Testament priesthood. Over the course of the centuries, the presbyter came to be regarded as an intermediary between God and man who offered sacrifice to God in the form of the Mass.
Because this definition of "priest" has been codified in Roman Catholic dogma during the Council of Trent, it is the official Catholic position. It is not, however, historically or linguistically sound. The Roman Catholic definition of the priesthood is a barrier in ecumenical relations between the Catholic Church and other denominations. The Church has tried to back-peddle on some of these dogmas, however, by clarifying some teachings regarding the sacrificial nature of the Mass, such as affirming that Christ was sacrificed only once on the Cross, and the Mass merely presents that one original sacrifice.
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∙ 15y ago
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Who ordains priests and deacons?
the bishop
Does the church have deacons or elders or both?
Yes they have deacons.they are before becoming priest.The elders mostly we called the Bishops and the Pope.
What is the sacrament that deacons priests and bishops receive?
Holy Orders
Can a deacon become a priest?
In most Churches that have the threefold order (deacons, priests and bishops), like the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Churches, most deacons are ordained priests after one year being a deacon. However, some elect to remain as permanent deacons as this is where they believe their calling lies. Also, in the Roman Catholic Church married men are allowed to become deacons but are not, as yet, allowed to become priests (although some Catholic priests are now married - such as married Anglican priests who have moved to the Roman Catholic Church)> therefore, for married men the diaconate is the only order open to them and they remain deacons permanently.
What was a protestant priests life like before the Reformation?
Before the Reformation, there were two Christian religions-the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox. Both had priests as well as bishops and deacons. There was no such thing as Protestant priests before the Reformation. After the Lutheran Church was founded, the word priest was dropped and today in the Lutheran church, they ordain deacons, pastors or elders and in some Lutheran sects, bishops. The Anglican Church after the Reformation, was and is considered a "bridge" between the Roman Catholics and the Calvinists and Lutherans. They ordain deacons, priests and bishops like in the Catholic and Orthodox faiths. The primary difference at the time the Church of England was founded in the 16th century, was the Mass would be spoken in English not Latin.
Who did the chief priests and elders take Jesus to?
The Chief Priests and Elders took Jesus to Pontius Pilate. Pontius Pilate was the Roman official who governed Palestine.
Were there any deacons in Acts 6 if there are which word is used to say this?
The word deacon is never used in that chapter that I can find. I have always been taught that they were deacons, but now I wonder that maybe they were elders or presbyters. The word deacon is never used in that chapter that I can find. I have always been taught that they were deacons, but now I wonder that maybe they were elders or presbyters.
Why don't Baptists have elders?
Baptists call their elders deacons. This name is in the Bible and many baptist churches try to follow the letter of the Bible when organizing their church.
What is a narrow strip of cloth worn by like a scarf bishops priests or deacons?
stole
Men who dedicated their lives to the Church?
Deacons, priests, bishops, monks, friars, brothers.
Who were members of the Sanhedrin?
Elders, chief priests and teachers of the law.
Who is ordained with the Sacrament of Holy Orders?
Men who are ordained by a bishop through the Sacrament of Holy Orders are given the authority to serve as deacons, priests, or bishops in the Catholic Church.
