Bible Study Evangelista - 06 Holy Orders (Priesthood)

Category: A Biblical Walk Through the Sacraments, Sacraments Tag: Bible reading, holy orders, Old Testament, priesthood, sacraments

Institutional priesthood was God’s idea! In the Old Testament, God commanded that “the priest’s office shall be theirs by perpetual statue” (Ex 29:9). “Perpetual” does not mean “until Jesus comes,” but forever. Obviously, God desires there be an institutional priesthood, now, in His New Testament church.

Jesus, our true and eternal High Priest, ordained the twelve apostles as bishops. With apostolic authority, they, in turn, ordained others as deacons, priests, and bishops, maintaining the Old Testament hierarchical structure and establishing the apostolic authority that continues today in Catholic and Orthodox Churches. For this reason, the “office” of apostolic priesthood was filled by Matthias when vacated by Judas (Acts 1:20). This was done before the arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit fell on all the apostles, including Matthias, demonstrating that God approved of and accepted Matthias, and ordination as the apostles’ process of passing on their authority.

Priests continue to be ordained through the Sacrament of Holy Orders throughout the New Testament to today. Jesus is the High Priest at the center of the pastors of church history pictured in Revelation 1. Jesus teaches, “watches” over, and guides His Church through salvation history through the priesthood He established and chooses.