The Sacrament of Holy Orders

Joe Heshmeyer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LGvUxq-Ahg

Episode 241 - Proving the Catholic Priesthood is Biblical (Response to Needgod.net)

The Objection from Needgod.net (Ryan)

10 Reasons not to convert to the Catholic Church

The OT had priests who acted on behalf of the people of God

Offering Sacrifices

To make Atonement for sins

The Atoning Work of Jesus

He became our great High Priest

The Temple Veil was torn

We now have direct access to God

Because of Jesus

No Human priest is needed to mediate

between us and God

The Catholic Church “reintroduces” a “mediating” priesthood

When somebody sins (“What Rome calls mortal sin”)

Forgiveness “is not by faith in Christ.”

The Sinner must:

go to a priest

confess their sins

perform an act of penance

to get Absolution

“What Christ finished on the cross, the Roman system resets up.”

“The veil was torn in two by Christ, but the Catholic Church quietly stitches it back together.”

Areas Where We Agree

Jesus is our one mediator. The difference lies in what that means.

“Because of Jesus, no human priest is needed to mediate between us and God.”

Ryan is right in this sense:

1 Timothy 2:5-6

2 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way. 3 This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all,§ the testimony to which was given at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed a preacher and apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

The Holy Bible. 2006. Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. San Francisco: Ignatius Press.

What is a mediator in the bible?

1 Samuel 2:25a

25 If a man sins against a man, God will mediate for him; but if a man sins against the Lord, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to the voice of their father; for it was the will of the Lord to slay them.

Is mediation the same as intercession?

Maybe they are distinct.

A mediator is someone who brings about harmony. That can mean many things.

What does it mean in the context of 1 Timothy 2?

Does it mean we can’t have intercessors?

No. See the beginning of the chapter.

If intercession is not possible

Why does Paul tell us to do that?

So why is Jesus the one mediator

Because he gave himself as a ransom for all

Jesus dies on the cross - unique mediation

We can tell them about Christ and bring them into harmony with God

But we have no power to die on the cross for the salvation of the world.

Are there any other forms of mediation we can use to bring someone to Jesus

Of course, James 5:19-20 tells us one way

2 Corinthians 5: 18-20 tells us another

The Ministry of Reconciliation

Through Christ reconciled us to himself (first sense)

And gave us the Ministry of Reconciliation (second sense)

It is not either or

We (the apostles, etc.) are ambassadors for Christ

Who does the reconciling?

Christ

His Ministers to whom he has entrusted the Ministry of Reconciliation

The Sinner who chooses to be reconciled to God

Do we teach that we do not need Faith in Christ?

Unfortunately, Ryan misrepresents the Church’s teaching:

1491 The sacrament of Penance is a whole consisting in three actions of the penitent and the priest’s absolution. The penitent’s acts are repentance, confession or disclosure of sins to the priest, and the intention to make reparation and do works of reparation.

1492 Repentance (also called contrition) must be inspired by motives that arise from faith. If repentance arises from love of charity for God, it is called “perfect” contrition; if it is founded on other motives, it is called “imperfect.”

Catholic Church. 2000. Catechism of the Catholic Church. 2nd Ed. Washington, DC: United States Catholic Conference.

Ryan is correct to say we need to go to Confession if we commit a Mortal Sin:

1 John 5:15-16

15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him. 16 If anyone sees his brother committing what is not a deadly sin, he will ask, and God will give him life for those whose sin is not deadly. There is sin which is deadly; I do not say that one is to pray for that.

James 5:16

16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.

These verses say nothing about a priest, but both are compatible with Catholic Teaching.

You may go to someone else and ask them to pray for you to bring about spiritual healing.

1 John 1:9

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Current Christians might still have sins that need confessing

Might still have areas where we need to be purified

2 Corinthians 7:1

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, and make holiness perfect in the fear of God.

Christians are told of an ongoing need for the forgiveness of sins.

The Cross does not eliminate this; it makes this possible

See the Our Father

But Why a Priest?

John 20:21-23

21 ¶ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” 22 ¶ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 ¶ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Jesus is Our Great High Priest (True)

Hebrews 5:8-10

8 Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; 9 ¶ and being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 ¶ being designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

The fact that Jesus is the High Priest does not mean there are no other Priests.

It implies that there are other Priests.

Nehemiah 3:1; 2 Kings 23:4 (eg., The Lead Singer)

In a certain sense, we might say Christ is the only Priest

The only true Priesthood is the Christian Priesthood

1545 The redemptive sacrifice of Christ is unique, accomplished once for all; yet it is made present in the Eucharistic sacrifice of the Church. The same is true of the one priesthood of Christ; it is made present through the ministerial priesthood without diminishing the uniqueness of Christ’s priesthood: “Only Christ is the true priest, the others being only his ministers.”

We Are A Royal Priesthood

1 Peter 2:9

9 ¶ But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, that you may declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 ¶ Once you were no people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

This is not a new teaching

Exodus 19:5-6

5 ¶ Now therefore, if you will obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my own possession among all peoples; for all the earth is mine, 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.”

Do these words deny the existence of a distinct priesthood within the people of God?

No. Israel had a priesthood

The Aaronic priests share in the priesthood of Israel

It doesn’t mean that the people of God do not.

Numbers 16:1-3

Now Korah the son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, 2 took men; and they rose up before Moses, with a number of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men; 3 and they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them; why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”

Numbers 16:28-30

28 And Moses said, “Hereby you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, and that it has not been of my own accord. 29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they are visited by the fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me. 30 But if the Lord creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth, and swallows them up, with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the Lord.”

Numbers 16:31-33

31 And as he finished speaking all these words, the ground under them split asunder; 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men that belonged to Korah and all their goods. 33 So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol; and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly.

We see Dathan interpreted Exodus 19 in a Protestant way, resulting in schism. It is dangerous for one to interpret it as Dathan did.

The OT vs NT version

Jude 3-4

3 Beloved, being very eager to write to you of our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 ¶ For admission has been secretly gained by some who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly persons who pervert the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

There is a threat that will pervert the grace of God.

Contend for the faith

Beware of new interpretations

Who were the revilers: Jude 8-10

8 Yet in like manner these men in their dreamings defile the flesh, reject authority, and revile the glorious ones. 9 ¶ But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, disputed about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a reviling judgment upon him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”† 10 But these men revile whatever they do not understand, and by those things that they know by instinct, as irrational animals do, they are destroyed. 11 ¶ Woe to them! For they walk in the way of Cain, and abandon themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error, and perish in Korah’s rebellion.

They have abandoned the true faith.

Priestly Sacrifice

A Priest offers sacrifice - The heart of what a priest does.

Jesus is the High Priest in the Order of Melchizedek.

Genesis 14:18

18 And Melchizedek* king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High.

Timeless

No family history

The first to offer Bread and Wine as a sacrifice

King of Peace

Abraham recognizes him as a superior

This looks like Jesus at the Last Supper

The True Temple

You had to sacrifice only at the Temple in Jerusalem

John 4:20-23

20 ¶ Our fathers worshiped on this mountain;* and you say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.” 21 ¶ Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 ¶ You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him.

The Samaritan Woman

Mount Gerazim

The Temple

A new kind of Temple

Spirit and Truth does not mean disembodied worship

John 2:19-21

19 ¶ Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 ¶ But he spoke of the temple of his body.

The temple still exists

It is the Body of Christ

We are Temples

Romans 12:1

I appeal to you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

1 Corinthians 6:19a

19 ¶ Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you

1 Timothy 3:14-15

14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, 15 if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.

The True Sacrifice

John MacArthur - “The Scandal of the Catholic Priesthood”

“We don’t need any priests. Revelation 1, ‘You are a kingdom of priests.’ We only need one high priest, and it’s not thepope. We have one mediator, the man Christ Jesus. The veil is torn, and I am a priest unto God.”

God will create a new priesthood with a new sacrifice

MacArthur's comment is just Korah, redone. Which one is it?

Isaiah 66:18-21

18 “For I know their works and their thoughts, and I am coming to gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and shall see my glory, 19 and I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Put, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the islands afar off, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations. 20 And they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as an offering to the Lord, upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, just as the sons of Israel bring their cereal offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord. 21 And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites, says the Lord.

Not none,

Not One

Not All

SOME

Malachi 1:6b-7

6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. You say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ 7 By offering polluted food upon my altar. And you say, ‘How have we polluted it?’ By thinking that the Lord’s table may be despised.

The Altar and The Lord’s Table are the same place; the place of Sacrifice.

Malachi 1:8

8 When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that no evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that no evil? Present that to your governor; will he be pleased with you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts.

There is a sense that Gentiles will come in and offer a true and pleasing sacrifice to God at the Table of the Lord. Thus fulfilling Genesis 14:18

Question: But, isn’t Christ’s sacrifice once for all?

In the ancient world, one participated in the sacrifice primarily by eating it. For example, a child neither owns nor kills the lamb. But he does eat it.

Exodus 12:24-27a

24 You shall observe this rite as an ordinance for you and for your sons for ever. 25 And when you come to the land which the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. 26 And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ 27 you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt, when he slew the Egyptians but spared our houses.’ ” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.

The biblical version of the sacrifice was not just the killing, but also the eating. That is how one partook of the sacrifice.

1 Corinthians 10:16-21

16 ¶ The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 ¶ Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 ¶ Consider the people of Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? 19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 ¶ No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons.* 21 ¶ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.

The one who offers the eucharist is a priest.

Chapter 14. Christian Assembly on the Lord's Day https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0714.htm

But every Lord's day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned. For this is that which was spoken by the Lord: In every place and time offer to me a pure sacrifice; for I am a great King, says the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the nations.

Matthew 5:23-24

23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

The Temple Veil

“We now have direct access to God.”

Luke 18:10 refutes this thinking. People prayed to God all the time.

We agree that the tearing of the temple veil does signify a change, just not one many protestants think.

Hebrews 10:19-22

19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way which he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

The tearing of the temple veil signifies:

The tearing of the Body of Christ

Specifically, when his flesh was pierced, particularly his side

Represent Baptism and the Eucharist

The means in which we commune directly with Him

The Temple is:

The Place of the Divine Presence

The Place of Divine Sacrifice

The Jerusalem temple was merely a prefigurement of the body of Jesus, the true Temple

Ultimate Divine Presence

Ultimate Sacrifice

The baptized are now incorporated into Christ

We have access to the Body of Christ

Hebrews 13:10

10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat.

This means we do not get rid of the altar.

Priestly Sacrifice

A Priest offers sacrifice - The heart of what a priest does.

Jesus is the High Priest in the Order of Melchizedek.

Genesis 14:18

18 And Melchizedek* king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High.

Timeless

No family history

The first to offer Bread and Wine as a sacrifice

King of Peace

Abraham recognizes him as a superior

This looks like Jesus at the Last Supper

The True Temple

You had to sacrifice only at the Temple in Jerusalem

John 4:20-23

20 ¶ Our fathers worshiped on this mountain;* and you say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.” 21 ¶ Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 ¶ You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him.

The Samaritan Woman

Mount Gerazim

The Temple

A new kind of Temple

Spirit and Truth does not mean disembodied worship

John 2:19-21

19 ¶ Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 ¶ But he spoke of the temple of his body.

The temple still exists

It is the Body of Christ

We are Temples

Romans 12:1

I appeal to you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

1 Corinthians 6:19a

19 ¶ Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you

1 Timothy 3:14-15

14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these instructions to you so that, 15 if I am delayed, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and bulwark of the truth.

The True Sacrifice

John MacArthur - “The Scandal of the Catholic Priesthood”

“We don’t need any priests. Revelation 1, ‘You are a kingdom of priests.’ We only need one high priest, and it’s not thepope. We have one mediator, the man Christ Jesus. The veil is torn, and I am a priest unto God.”

God will create a new priesthood with a new sacrifice

MacArthur's comment is just Korah, redone. Which one is it?

Isaiah 66:18-21

18 “For I know their works and their thoughts, and I am coming to gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and shall see my glory, 19 and I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Put, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the islands afar off, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations. 20 And they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as an offering to the Lord, upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, just as the sons of Israel bring their cereal offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord. 21 And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites, says the Lord.

Not none,

Not One

Not All

SOME

Malachi 1:6b-7

6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. You say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ 7 By offering polluted food upon my altar. And you say, ‘How have we polluted it?’ By thinking that the Lord’s table may be despised.

The Altar and The Lord’s Table are the same place; the place of Sacrifice.

Malachi 1:8

8 When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that no evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that no evil? Present that to your governor; will he be pleased with you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts.

There is a sense that Gentiles will come in and offer a true and pleasing sacrifice to God at the Table of the Lord. Thus fulfilling Genesis 14:18

Question: But, isn’t Christ’s sacrifice once for all?

In the ancient world, one participated in the sacrifice primarily by eating it. For example, a child neither owns nor kills the lamb. But he does eat it.

Exodus 12:24-27a

24 You shall observe this rite as an ordinance for you and for your sons for ever. 25 And when you come to the land which the Lord will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this service. 26 And when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ 27 you shall say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, for he passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt, when he slew the Egyptians but spared our houses.’ ” And the people bowed their heads and worshiped.

The biblical version of the sacrifice was not just the killing, but also the eating. That is how one partook of the sacrifice.

1 Corinthians 10:16-21

16 ¶ The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 ¶ Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 ¶ Consider the people of Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? 19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 ¶ No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons.* 21 ¶ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.

The one who offers the eucharist is a priest.

Chapter 14. Christian Assembly on the Lord's Day https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0714.htm

But every Lord's day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned. For this is that which was spoken by the Lord: In every place and time offer to me a pure sacrifice; for I am a great King, says the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the nations.

Matthew 5:23-24

23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.