SAAN SA NEW TESTAMENT ANG MINISTERIAL PRIESTHOOD?

Van Limburg brothers 1375 – 1416. St. John on Patmos. Illuminated manuscript (29 × 21 cm) — 1413 - 1416 ************

Anonymous said...

Fr. Abe another question lang po. Palagi pong opposition ng mga Born-Again na kailanmay hindi daw itinuturo o na-mention ng New Testament ang ministerial priesthood gaya ng sa ating Katoliko kundi priesthood of all believers na daw po. Ano pong sagot natin dito?

Thanks po Fr. Abe!

July 22, 2010 8:39 AM

Fr. Abe, CRS said...

Dear Anonymous,

You are welcome.

Now tungkol sa katanungan mo tungkol sa Ministerial Priesthood.

First, dapat mong malaman na ang Priesthood ay tinalaga ng Dios nuon pa man bilang PANGMAGPAKAILANMAN:

Ex 40:15 And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office: for their anointing shall surely be an EVERLASTING PRIESTHOOD throughout their generations.

PRIESTHOOD IS EVERLASTING... THAT IS PERPETUAL... THAT IS A PERPETUAL STATUTE FROM GOD:

Ex 29:9 And thou shalt gird them with girdles, Aaron and his sons, and put the bonnets on them: and the priest's office shall be theirs for a PERPETUAL STATUTE: and thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons.

SA KASO NA YAN ANG HIGH PRIEST AY SI AARON AT ANG KANYANG MGA ANAK NA LALAKI ANG MINISTERIAL PRIESTS. FOREVER DAW ANG PRIESTHOOD NILA. HE, HE, HE...

Second, dapat mong tandaan na sa Lumang Tipan there were 3 kinds of priests:

1. The High Priest [Ang Dakilang Saserdote]

Ex 28:1 Hebrew ‘tradition’ points to Aaron as the First High Priest, the beginning of Israelite priesthood of Sinai Covenant.

* See there Aaron and his sons were separated from the people. Among these priests who minister specially to God, one is the high ranking priest - Aaron - thus, he is called The High Priest.

2 Kgs 25:18 Seraiah the ‘chief priest’ and Zephaniah the ‘second priest’/ Hag 1:1,12-14 Joshua the high priest.

Zech 3: 1-9 Yahweh protected the high-priest, Joshua, from Satan and removed his filthy garment, replaced it with MITRE and promised to make him: Judge of Yahweh’s House & Keeper of Yahweh’s Court.

This was fulfilled by Yahweh in Zech 6: 11-13:

*A golden crown shall be set upon the head of the High Priest

*He shall be called THE BRANCH (i.e. Sign of Unity of God and People)

*He shall be given prominence (a priest upon his throne) and glory (honor)

*He shall be a counsel of peace for the people (he shall judge the people)

#It is quite obvious that today these dignity, honor and responsibility are given to the Pope as Vicar of Christ on earth. [Sirach 50 The Hymn of the Splendor of High Priesthood - at that time Simon, son of Jochanan].

NGAYON, SINO ANG HIGH PRIEST NG NEW TESTAMENT? SI JESUS! SIYA ANG HIGH PRIEST FOREVER AT HINDI NA SIYA MAPAPALITAN:

Heb 3:1 "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, CHRIST JESUS..."

LET US PROCEED TO THE MINISTERIAL PRIESTS:

2. The Ministerial Priests [Mga Paring Levita na Naglilingkod sa Templo ng Dios at namamahala sa mga Sacrifices]

Ezek 44:15-16 But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, that kept the charge of my sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from me, THEY SHALL COME NEAR ME TO MINISTER UNTO ME, and they shall stand before me to offer unto me the fat and the blood, saith the Lord GOD: They shall enter into my sanctuary, and they shall come near to MY TABLE, TO MINISTER UNTO ME, and they shall keep my charge.

HE, HE, HE... YOU SEE THE MINISTERIAL PRIESTS WERE MINISTERING TO THE LORD, WHERE? ON THE LORD'S TABLE! HE, HE, HE... SINO ANG INUTUSAN NI JESUS NA IPAGPATULOY ANG GINAWA NIYA SA LAST SUPPER TABLE? THE APOSTLES... THEY WERE GIVEN THE POWER "DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME". KAYA NGA ANG MINISTERIAL PRIESTS NATIN ANG NAGLILINGKOD SA HARAP NG ALTAR TABLE DURING THE MASS.

Jesus had chosen the Apostles and made them leaders of the Church just like Yahweh who separated the priests from common believers – this is the HIERARCHY (cf. Mt 10: 1ff/ Mk 3: 16ff/ Lk 6: 14ff/ Acts 1: 13ff)

Rom 15:15-16 “…because of the GRACE GIVEN ME BY GOD to be MINISTER OF CHRIST JESUS to the Gentiles in THE PRIESTLY SERVICE OF THE GOSPEL OF GOD, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.” [NRSV]

1 Chron 16:4 To minister in the Ark, to record & to THANK & PRAISE God.

ANG MINISTERIAL PRIESTS DIN NATIN ANG NAMAMAHALA NG ALTAR, SANCTUARY AT TABERNACLE OF GOD INSIDE OUR HOUSES OF WORSHIPS AT NAGRE-RECORD NG MGA BAPTISM, KASAL, ETC. SIYA RIN ANG NAMUMUNO SA PAGPUPURI SA DIOS. IN GREEK PRAISING OF GOD IS CALLED "EUCHARISTEO" KAYA ANG TAWAG SA HOLY MASS NATIN AY "HOLY EUCHARIST".

TIGNAN NAMAN NATIN ANG COMMON PRIESTHOOD:

3. The Common Priesthood of all believers [The Israelites]

Ex 19: 6 And ye shall be unto me A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shall speak unto the children of Israel.

AYAN. SA OLD TESTAMENT ANG LAHAT NG MIEMBRO NG BAYAN NG DIOS AY PART NG KINGDOM OF PRIESTS. AT GANITO RIN SA NEW TESTAMENT:

1 Pet 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, A HOLY PRIESTHOOD, TO OFFER SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

1 Pet 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, an holy nation, a peculiar people…

HE, HE, HE... YOU SEE. KATULAD NA KATULAD. AT GANYAN DIN ANG ARAL NATING MGA CATOLICO. NUNG TAYO AY BININYAGAN SINABI SA ATIN NA "IKAW AY MAGPAKATATAG SA PAGIGING PARI, HARI AT PROPETA" NI CRISTO.

YANG TATLONG KLASE NG PARI AY EVERLASTING YAN. WALANG SINIRA SI CRISTO AT ANG MGA APOSTOL. KASI SABI NI GOD THE FATHER AY PERPETUAL ANG PRIESTHOOD.

ANG MASAMA AY ANG MGA BORN AGAIN, TINANGGAL NILA ANG MINISTERIAL PRIESTHOOD. YON AY MALAKING KASALANAN SA DIOS.

July 22, 2010 9:34 AM