Replies

Vladimir
When you originally wrote: “Presbuteros most certainly IS in the New Testament and that is the root word of the word ‘priest’” in looking at it to me I interpreted it as if you were saying that Prebuterous and priest in the NT meant the same function. I agree and know that the we get the english word priest from presbuteros but I thought you meant in the greek they were the same fucntion and office. I say that because being a former roman cath I had gotten into many discussions withe Rom cath priests and even orthodox priests as well as others who are roman cath saying that the elder (prebuterous) and priest were the same office and had the same function which they clearly did not

You wrote:

“When you originally wrote: “Presbuteros most certainly IS in the New Testament and that is the root word of the word ‘priest’” in looking at it to me I interpreted it as if you were saying that Prebuterous and priest in the NT meant the same function.”

(sigh)Do you think that presbuteros did not offer up the Eucharist?

“I agree and know that the we get the english word priest from presbuteros but I thought you meant in the greek they were the same fucntion and office.”

Again, do you think that presbuteros did not offer up the Eucharist?

“I say that because being a former roman cath I had gotten into many discussions withe Rom cath priests and even orthodox priests as well as others who are roman cath saying that the elder (prebuterous) and priest were the same office and had the same function which they clearly did not”

According to whom? You? Again, do you think that presbuteros did not offer up the Eucharist?

From vatican.va:

Therefore, Jesus has a special anointing by the Holy Spirit (cf Mt 3:16; Lc 4:18; At 4:27; 10:38) in which he allows his whole mystical body to participate: in him all christians become a "holy and royal priesthood to offer offerings to God through Jesus Christ and to proclaim the miracles of who has called them from darkness into his wonderful light (cf 1 Pt 2:5.9). As highpriest and mediator he has made of the Church "a kingdom of priests for God his Father" (Ap 1:6; cf Ap 5:9-10). These texts are the bases for the doctrine of the "common priesthood".

The Apostles handed on in their writings and by their spoken word (cf 2 Thess 2:15) everything what they had received from the Word of God made flesh.

"Give the things you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses to trustworthy persons who are capable of teaching also others" (2 Tim 2:2).

- Such mission of "maintaining the deposit" (1Tim 6:20; 2 Tim 1:14) must be exercised by the successors of the Apostles who have been charged through the imposition of hands ( 1 Tim 4:14; 2 Tim 1:6; 1 Tim 5:22). Those who are responsible bear the title of "vigilants" (in Greek "episcopi", from which the word "bishop" comes) or "elder" (in Greek "presbiteri"). Also the letters of Saint James (5:14) and of Saint Peter (1 Pet 5:1-14) testify to the existence of "presbyters" as heads of the communities.

As a matter of fact, all this shows us a time very near to Christ: summer of the year 56 for the letter of James and approximately the year 58 for 1 Tim. The Acts of the Apostles speak twice about the rite of the imposition of hands (Acts 6:6 and 13:3; cf also 14:23), testifying to the presence of "presbyters" at Ephesus in the year 58 (At 20:17). They were also called "episcopi" (Acts 20:28). The letter of 1 Peter used the letters to Titus and to Timothy; the letter itself made reference to the letter to the Hebrews which was written before the destruction of the temple in the year 70. Therefore it seems that the writings which speak about "presbyters" were redacted exactly when James, Paul and Peter were still alive.

We have the concept of the priesthood of all believers under our High Priest -- Jesus and ministers to pass on the knowledge in the repository of The Faith