XVI

The Universd Priesthood of Believea

ALL Christians are royal priests through faith in Christ Jesus.Accordingly we may speak of the universal priesthood of

believers. This doctrine is clearly taught in Holy Scripture. It isa precious dotrine. It tells the believers in Christ how highly blessedthey are-blessed with priceless spiritual rights and powers. But-and this they must not overlook-these rights and powers entailduties and responsibilities on their part which they must not shirk.And because the priesthood of the believers in Christ is a gift of God,hence of eminent importance, the enemies of God and of His peoplestrive with might and main to deprive the believers of this doctrine.

Many nations have had a priesthood. Convicted by their con-science that sin has estranged them from the holy God, the sinnerslook about for someone who will mediate between them and theoffended deity. When the Israelites saw the lightnings and themountain smoking and heard the thunderings and the noise of thetrumpet at Sinai, they removed and stood afar off. “And they saidunto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not Godspeak with us, lest we die” (Ex. 20:19). By their words and actionthey expressed the fear of the unrighteous in the presence of therighteous God. Because of this fear they pleaded for a mediator tostand between themselves and God,

In the Old Covenant, God gave His chosen people a particularorder of priests. These were to direct the believers of their time tothe Messiah. They were also to foreshadow the priesthood of Christand of the believers in Him, God describes the nature and the func-tions of this priesthood so elaborately and in such detail in the Lawof Moses that we may turn to it for adequate terms and illustrationswhen speaking of the priesthood of Christ and the believers.

321

322 The Abiding WordThe priesthood of the Old Covenant was a shadow of things to

come (Col. 2: 17). The shadow may be a silhouette of the body thatcasts it. So the outlines of the New Testament priesthood may beseen in that of the Old Covenant. But the Holy Spirit does notdepend on man’s ability to draw a true picture of a body from itsshadow, He knows how illogical man is in the things of the Spiritof God (I Cor. 2:14). Therefore He tells us Himself in the NewTestament what a priest is and does. He says; “For every highpriest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertain-ing to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins” (Heb.5: 1). Three marks of a priest are here noted: 1. He must be takenfrom among men, must be a man himself, so that he may appearbefore God as man’s representative and substitute; 2. he is ordainedfor men in things pertaining to God, that is, in things which pertainto the relationship between God and man, thus serving as a mediatorbetween them; 3. he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.Luther, the great protagonist and defender of ‘the doctrine of theuniversal priesthood of believers, describes a priest in these words:“A priest is a person who has been ordained for the sake only ofsinners and must care for them by mediating between God and them,reconcile them, and pray for them” (St. Louis, V:1025). Again, “Apriest is a person, as the Scripture pictures him, who is ordained byGod and is commanded to mediate between God and men in sucha manner that he may proceed from Him, bringing and teaching usHis Word, and, again, turn to God to sacrifice and pray for us, etc.Therefore three things belong to the office of a priest, namely: toteach and preach the Word of God, to sacrifice, and to pray, etc.,all three of which are often mentioned in the Scripture” (St. Louis,V:1018). In his commentary on Genesis, Luther says: “So the officeof a priest is a twofold one, First, he must face God and pray forhimself and his people. Secondly, he must face about from God tothe people in the Word and doctrine” (St. Louis, I:&). In otherwords, a priest is a mediator between God and men.

There was, indeed, a priesthood of believers before God institutedthe Levitical order of priests, even as there is one now, after Godhas abolished the latter. In the days of the patriarchs, the fatherswere the priests of their household, Noah built an altar unto theLord and offered burnt offerings on it ( Gen. 8:20), Abram dwelt inthe plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and built there an altarunto the Lord (Gen. 13: 18). He planted a grove in Beersheba and

The Universal Priesthood of Believers 323called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God (Gen.21:33). When God had chosen Israel as His own peculiar people,He told them through Moses: “Now, therefore, if ye will obey Myvoice indeed and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiartreasure unto Me above all people, for all the earth is Mine. And yeshall be unto Me a kingdom of priests and an holy nation” (Ex.19:5,6). All believing children of God in the commonwealth of Israelwere priests before God.

When God, however, led His chosen people out of Egypt, Heinstituted also a separate order of priests. For this purpose Heset apart the tribe of Levi and in this tribe the house of Aaron. Thisofficial priesthood should mediate between the holy God and Hissinful people. Under the priests of this order His people were aschildren “under tutors and governors until the time appointed ofthe father” (Gal. 4:2). The high priest was taken from the house ofAaron. He had to be without blemish physically. The Lord saidunto Aaron: “Thou and thy sons and thy father’s house with theeshall bear the iniquity of the sanctuary, and thou and thy sons withthee shall bear the iniquity of your priesthood. And thy brethrenalso of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou withthee, that they may be joined unto thee and minister unto thee”(Num. 18:1, 2). The Lord instructed Moses: “No man that hath ablemish of the seed of Aaron, the priest, shall come nigh to offerthe offerings of the Lord made by fire” ( Lev. 21:21).

Aaron and his sons were consecrated to the priesthood in anelaborate ceremony. Moses washed them with water and clothedthem in their priestly garments. He sanctified the tabernacle andits contents by anointing them with oil. He poured of the anointingoil upon Aaron’s head and anointed him to sanctify him. A bullockwas slain for the sin offering, and its blood was applied to purifythe altar. A ram was brought for the burnt offering and anotherfor a ram of consecration. Blood had to be shed. Aaron and his sonshad to be sanctified by the sprinkling of the oil and the blood. Theinnocent sacrificial animal had to die in the place of guilty man.Moses said to Aaron and his sons: “As he hath done this day, so theLord hath commanded to do, to make an atonement for you” (Lev.8: 34). SO Aaron and his sons were consecrated to an official priest-hood which was distinct from the universal priesthood of believersin Israel.

Before Solomon’s Temple was built, the priests officiated in the

324 The Abiding Wol*dTabernacle of Testimony; later in the Temple at Jerusalem. In theHoly of Holies of either place was the Ark with the Mercy Seat,whereon the blood of the yearly atonement was sprinkled by thehigh priest.

The official duties of the priests consisted in teaching, but particu-larly in sacrificing, Blessing the Levites, Moses said: “They shallteach Jacob Thy judgments and Israel Thy Law. They shall putincense before Thee and whole burnt sacrifice upon Thine altar”(Deut. 33:lO). Malachi eniphasizes the teaching function of thepriests in these words: “For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge,and they should seek the Law at his mouth: for he is the messengerof the Lord of Hosts” (Mal. 2:7). But the priests should be holyparticularly, “for the offerings of the Lord made by fire and thebread of their God they do offer” ( Lev. 21:6). Among the sacrificesthe most important was the sin offering for atonement. There thepriest appeared as the mediator between man and God, reconcilingGod by the shedding of blood, so that He would dwell among thechildren of Israel and be their God ( Ex. 29:42). The culminationof the offerings for sin was reached on the Day of Atonement, onwhich the priest made an atonement for the people, to cleansethem, that they might be clean from all their sins before the Lord(Lev. 16:30: Yom Kippur). On this day the priest went intothe Holy of Holies and sprinkled the blood of the bullock and thegoat of sin-offering upon the Mercy Seat.

This Old Covenant priesthood, then, with its teaching and sacri-ficing, particularly the high priest with his expiatory sacrifice on theDay of Atonement, was a shadow of things to come, of Christ, thetrue High Priest, and of His perfect expiatory offering on the Cross,which alone lent expiatory efficacy to the sacrifices of the Old Testa-ment (Heb. 10: I). “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls andof goats should take away sins” (Heb, 10:4). Because this was so,the Redeemer came. He said: “Lo, I come to do Thy will, 0 God,He taketh away the first that He may establish the second. By thewhich will we are sanctified through the offering of the body ofJesus Christ once for all” (Heb. 10:9, 10). In Christ, then, theshadow has disappeared in the body; the imperfect has vanishedbefore the perfect, In Him the Old Covenant priesthood with itevarious ceremonies attained its highest fulfillment and culminatjon.

The realization of the Old Covenant type in Christ is clearly

The Universul Priesthood of Believers 325apparent in the New Testament. According to Heb. 51, every highpriest was taken from among men in order to represent men beforeGod. No angel could do that. This mediator between God and men,moreover, should be such a person as could sympathize with theinfirmities of sinners. He had to be one who could “have compassionon the ignorant and on them that are out of the way, for that hehimself also is compassed with infirmity” (Heb. 5: 2). Christ, our HighPriest, is true man, as He had to be to fulfill the Law of God and tosuffer and die in man’s stead. “When the fullness of the time wascome, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under theLaw, to redeem them that were under the Law, that we mightreceive the adoption of sons” (Gal. 4:4, 5). Says the writer to theHebrews: “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of fleshand blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same, thatthrough death He might destroy him that had the power of death,that is, the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death wereall their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily He took not on Him0 the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham” ( Heb.2: 14-16). As a true man of whom Isaiah could say ( 5334)) “Surely Hehath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows,” Christ was not “a HighPriest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, butwas in all points tempted like as we are” ( Heb. 4: 15). Surely He willbe merciful and will hear us when we call upon Him in the dayof trouble.

The Old Testament high priest had to be called of God, as wasAaron (Heb. 5:4). Not everyone could be a high priest. “So alsoChrist glorified not Himself to be made an High Priest; but He thatsaid unto Him, Thou art My Son, today have I begotten Thee” (Heb.5:5). God called His Son to be a High Priest, David says in theSpirit: “The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priestforever after the order of Melchizedek” (Ps. 110:4). In obedienceto this call of the Father, the Son approached the altar where Hewas to be both the High Priest and the Offering. In the night of Hisbetrayal He said: “But that the world may know that I love theFather; and as the Father gave Me commandment, even so I do”(John 14:31). In all that He did and suffered He sought not Hisown will, but the will of Him who sent Him (John 5:30), for Hecame down from heaven, not to do His own will, but the will ofHim who sent Him (John 6:38). Christ, indeed, was not only the

326 The Abiding WordHigh Priest, but also the Sacrifice. John the Baptist could say:“Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world”(John 1:29). The Old Covenant high priest was consecrated to hisoffice by washing and anointing with oil. So Christ also was washedand anointed. The Psalmist says: “God, Thy God, hath anointedThee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows” ( Ps. 45:7). At HisBaptism, God’s Spirit came down upon Christ. “God anointed Jesusof Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power” (Acts 10:38).

But primarily in His act of atonement did Christ match thepattern of His Old Testament prototype. The high priest went intothe Holy of Holies on the great Day of Atonement and broughtbefore God the expiatory blood of the atonement. Thus Christ wentto the Father (John 16:16). But He brought His own blood, andHis own body was the tabernacle, for “Christ being come an HighPriest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect taber-nacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood Heentered in once intii the holy pIace, having obtained eternal redemp-tion for us” (Heb. 9:11,12). Yes, He entered into the Holy of I-Iolies,into heaven itself, “‘for Christ is not entered into the holy places madewith hands,.which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself,now to appear in the presence of God for us” (Heb. 9:24). What isthat to us? “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into theholiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which Hehath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh,and having an High Priest over the house of God, let us draw nearwith a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our heartssprinkled from an evil conscience a.nd our bodies washed with purewater” (Heb. 10: 19-22). The atoning work of our great High Priestassures us that all believers will also enter the Holy of Holies,heaven itself, for “for this cause He is the Mediator of the NewTestament that by means of death, for the redemption of the trans-gressions that were under the first testament, they which are calledmight receive the promise of eternal inheritance” (Heb. 9: 15).

The Levitical priests were teachers of the Law and instructed theIsraelites in the true meaning of its various ceremonies, particularlyof the expiatory sacrifices. So Christ also teaches in His Word andinstructs those who search it with regard to His person and work.The Father spoke from heaven, saying: “This is My beloved Son, in

The Universal Priesthood of Believers 327

whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him” (Matt, 17:s). And as Godwas in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputingtheir trespasses unto them, so He has committed unto us the Wordof Reconciliation (II Cor. 5: 19).

Aaron bore the names of the twelve tribes of Israel upon hisshoulders for a memorial before the Lord (Ex. 28: 12). Thus Christbrings the names of His people into remembrance before God. Hedoes that to this day, for He will never cease to be our High Priest.“The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a Priest for-ever” (Ps. 110:4). In the Holy of Holies, in heaven, He prays forthem whom the Father has given Him (John 17:9), for them whobelieve on Him through the Word of the Apostles, which is HisWord (John 17: 20). Christ, who died, yea rather, who is risen again,who is even at the right hand of God, He it is who maketh inter-cession for us ( Rom. 8:34). “And if any man sin, we have an Advo-cate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Righteous” (I John 2: 1). Heever liveth to make intercession for His people (Heb. 7:25).

In this, as well as in other respects, Christ, the body, far surpassesthe Levitical priesthood, the shadow. The Old Covenant priests didnot live forever. They died and were succeeded by others. Christalso died, but He rose again. As High Priest He is like Melchizedek,who appears in the Bible as having neither beginning of days norend of life. In this respect Melchizedek was made ‘like unto theSon of God” (Heb. 7:3), “whose goings forth have been from ofold, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2). Therefore Isaiah says: “Whoshall declare His generation?” (Is. 53:8),

Christ was, indeed, a true man like the priests of the Old Cove-nant, but, unlike them, He was “holy, harmless, undefiled, separatefrom sinners, and made higher than the heavens; who needeth notdaily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice first for His own sinsand then for the people’s; for this He did once when He offered upHimself. For the Law maketh men high priests which have infirmity;but the word of the oath, which was since the Law, maketh theSon, who is consecrated forevermore” (Heb. 7:26-28). However,Christ is also God. He is the Son. And God was in Christ, reconcilingthe world unto Himself. How inestimably precious was thereforeHis blood with which He entered the Holy of Holies!

But in another respect the superior excellence of Christ as ourHigh Priest is manifest. The Old Testament high priest approached

328 The Abiding Wordthe mercy seat to sprinkle it with blood; Christ is Himself the MercySeat, sanctified with His own blood. We are “justified freely by Hisgrace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom Godhath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood” (Rom.3:24, 25). He “gave Himself a Ransom for all, to be testified in duetime” (I Tim. 2:6). Therefore “He is the Propitiation for our sins”(I John 2:2). So Christ, sacrificing Himself, was at one and thesame time Priest, Sacrifice, and Mercy Seat.

Christ truly was able to reconcile God and man, and He was theonly one who could do that, “for there is one God and one Mediatorbetween God and men, the Man Christ Jesus” (I Tim. 2:5). Know-ml;, then, that we have such a High Priest, ‘let us therefore comeboldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and findgrace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4: 16).

All that has been said regarding Christ as our High Priest is basicfor the universal priesthood of believers. Save for the priesthood ofChrist there could be no believers, for Christ died for our sinsaccording to the Scriptures and was buried and rose again the thirdday according to the Scriptures (I Cor. 15:3, 4). “And if Christ benot risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain”(I Cor. 15:14). Hence Christian faith, as well as Christian preaching,is based on the death and resurrection of Christ, our High Priest.

Now, as the Old Testament priesthood foreshadowed Christ, so itwas also a shadow of the universal priesthood of believers. Accord-ing to prophecy, Christ was to have a following, a priesthood ofbelievers, who through faith in Him would be His own, have freeaccess to God through Him, and would serve Him in holiness andrighteousness. Addressing the eternal Priest after the order ofMelchizedek, David declares : “Thy people shall be willing in theday of Thy power” (Ps. 110:3). God’s people of the New Testamentare told (IS. 61: 6) : “But ye shall be named the priests of the Lord,men shall call you the ministers of our God.” Speaking of the timewhen the Levitical priesthood would be no more, God says: “Forfrom the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same,My name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every placeincense shall be offered unto My name and a pure offering, for Myname shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of Hosts”(Mal. 1:ll). With these words He predicts a priesthood not of thetribe of Levi or the house of Aaron,

The Unioewd Priesthood of Believers 329In the New Testament we see the fulfillment of these prophecies.

All believers in Christ, but only these, are priests of the Most High.There is no doubt about it. Peter, contrasting believers and un-believers, addresses the former with the words: “Unto you thereforewhich believe He [Christ, the chief Cornerstone] is precious: butunto them which be disobedient, the Stone which the builders dis-allowed, the same is made the Head of the corner, and a Stone ofstumbling, and a Rock of offense, even to them which stumble atthe Word, being disobedient; whereunto also they were appointed,”and now he continues: “But ye are a chosen generation, a royalpriesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should showforth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness intoHis marvelous light” (I Pet. 2:7, 8, 9). These words include all towhom Christ is precious, that is, all believers, These are the samepeople to whom Peter had said previously: “Ye also, as lively stones,are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritualsacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (I Pet. 2:5). Indeed,by washing us with His blood, Christ, our great High Priest, hasmade us priests. Surely we must join in the words of John: “UntoHim that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own bloodand hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father, to Himbe glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Rev. 1:5,6).

All who by faith in Jesus Christ as their Redeemer and Mediatorhave forgiveness of sins are priests before God. Since sin no longerseparates them from God, they have free access to Him. They mayapproach Him personally, Thus the name ‘priest” belongs to everybeliever. It is no longer reserved for any particular order within theChurch. And this name is not a mere empty title; it gives expressionto the rights and powers of Christ’s people. It also reminds them oftheir duties and responsibilities.

We saw how the Old Covenant priesthood foreshadowed that ofChrist; it is also a shadow of that of His believers, The Old Cove-nant priesthood was instituted by God Himself, and its personnelwas chosen by Him. So God, who has saved us, called us with anholy calling (II Tim. 1: 9). Thereby we became a chosen generation,a royal priesthood (I Pet. 2:9), “elect according to the foreknowl-edge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, untoobedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ” (I Pet. 1.12).The Levitical priests were consecrated by washing, investiture,

3 3 0 The Abiding Wordand anointing, The believers are washed, sanctified in the name ofthe Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God (I Cor. 6: 11). As manyas have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ (Gal, 3:27),God has clothed them with the garments of salvation and coveredthem with the robe of righteousness (IS. 61:IO). As the Leviticalpriests were clothed in white, so the believers have washed theirrobes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Rev. 7:14).The Old Testament priests were anointed. God shed the Holy Ghoston us abundantly through Jesus Christ, our Savior (Tit. 3:6). Thefaithful have an unction from the Holy One (I John 2:20). In Christthe believers were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise (Eph.1:13). That is their consecration to the priesthood. All of this wasaccomplished already in their Baptism, the washing of regenerationand renewing of the Holy Ghost ( Tit. 3: 5). As the chief task of theOld Testament priests consisted in sacrificing, so the New Testamentpriests bring their offerings before God. These, indeed, are no longerexpiatory offerings, since Christ, our great High Priest, has long agoreconciled God with the sinner by His sacrifice on the Cross. As anholy priesthood they offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to Godby Jesus Christ (I Pet. 2:s). Of these the writer to the Hebrewssays: “By Him [Christ] therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praiseto God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to Hisname. But to do good and to communicate forget not, for with suchsacrifices God is well pleased” ( Heb. 13: 15, 16). Paul. sums up theentire ministry of these New Testament priests in the words, ad-dressed to the believers at Rome: “I beseech you therefore, brethren,by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Ram.12:l). HOW this may be done in particular, God also tells us inHis Word.

It would be surprising indeed if this precious doctrine of theuniversal priesthood of believers went unchallenged by the enemiesof truth. AS a matter of fact, the Pope teaches that there still is,in the New Testament Church, a peculiar official priesthood, estab-lished by God, set over the laity, repeating the sacrifice of Christin the Mass to expiate the sins of the living and the dead, havingjudicial powers in confession, and, in general, serving as the onlyeffective mediation between God and the sinners, without which noone can come to God. The Council of Trent declares: “If any one

The U&em1 Priesthood of Believers 331

saith that there is not in the New Testament a visible and externalpriesthood; or that there is not any power of consecrating andoffering the true body and blood of the Lord and of forgiving andretaining sins; but only an office and bare ministry of preaching theGospel; or that those who do not preach are not priests at all; lethim be anathema” (Canons and Decrees, Session XXIII, ChapterIV, Canon I). Luther effectively refuted the Roman dogma of thesacrament of holy orders and showed how it undermines thecardinal principle of the Christian religion: justification by faith inthe atoning work of Christ. The Roman dogma concerning thepriesthood, moreover, deprives the believers of privileges whichChrist has given to all and reserves them for a special order ofpriests. Protestants may beware; they, too, are not immune to thiserror, as the history of the Lutheran Church in this country proves.Therefore Paul’s warning to the Galatians is in place also withregard to this matter: ‘Stand fast therefore in the liberty where-with Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again withthe yoke of bondage” (Gal. 5: I ).

As priests the believers not only enjoy great rights and privileges, \but also have important duties and responsibilities, Through Christ /they have access by one Spirit unto the Father (Eph. 2: 18). They \may appear before Him in the Holy of Holies with their offerings of ‘1prayer, to pray, praise, and give thanks. But having done that, they istep out of the Holy of Holies, as it were, to minister unto those iwithout. The services which they render under their responsibilitiesas priests may be regarded conveniently as bein,g performed withinthree spheres of activity: the church, the family, and the world.

As a locnl church, or congregation, the believers exercise theirpriestly powers by calling preachers and teachers. It is importantthat we remember that preaching and teaching were some of thechief duties of the priests, not only of the Levitical priests, but ofall the believers in the Old Testament. Peter calls Noah a preacherof righteousness (II Pet. 2:s). God honors Abraham by calling hima Prophet (Gen. ZO:?). The believers, as a royal priesthood, should $show forth the praises of God (I Pet. 2:9). Jesus gave the believers \the command: “Teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of \the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them Ito observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Matt. \\28:19, 20). Again, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel

332 The Abiding wordto every creature” (Mark 16:X5). Jesus breathed on His disciplesand said unto them: “Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whosesoever sinsye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever sins yeretain, they are retained” (John 26~22, 23). These words, quotedfrom Matthew, Mark, and John, were not limited to any particularorder of priests like the Levitical priests of the Old C

. ovenant; theywere addressed to all believers. The words m Matthew, for instancewere not limited to the eleven disciples, for Jesus added the wor&“And, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the worlcr(v, 20). In Mark He adds the words: “And these signs shall followthem that believe” (Mark 16: 17). Hence the persons to whomChrist gave His command to preach are the believers. Christ gavethe power to remit and to retain sins to the entire congregation,

however small it may be. He declared: “For where two or threeare gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them”(M&t. 18:20). Because of these powers and privileges given to theNew Testament believers, the Prophet exclaims: “0 Zion, that bring-est good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; 0 Jerusalem,that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up,be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God!”(Is. 40:9.) .

However, “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace”(I Cor. 14:33). The work of preaching and administering the Sacra-ments cannot be carried out by the congregation as a body. And ifevery individual member of the congregation would insist that hehas the right to preach in public worship, that would inevitablycause confusion, disorder, strife, Therefore in His wisdom God hasestablished the holy ministry for the public administration of thepriestly rites belonging properly to all believers.

That the holy ministry is a divine institution is clearly stated ‘byPaul when he tells the pastors of Ephesus, “Take heed thereforeunto yourselves and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghosthath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He lx&purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). I Cor. 12.28 we read:“And God hath set some in the Church, first Apostles, secondarilyprophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings,helps, governments, diversities of tongues.” Eph. 4:11, 12 Paul says!“And He [Christ] gave some, Apostles; and some, prophets; andsome, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfect%

The lJniversal Priesthood of B&evers 333of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of thebody of Christ.”

Therefore Paul writes (I Cor. 4: I) : “Let a man so account ofus as of the ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries ofGod.” Pastors are ministers, servants of Christ, placed into theiroffice by the appointment of Christ, the Head of the Church. Andthey are to be stewards, householders, of the mysteries of God:God’s gifts for our salvation embodied in the Gospel and the Sacra-ments. These gifts, of course, are given to the entire congregation.But they are to be publicly administered by the pastor whom Godgives to the congregation. For this reason the office of the pastor iscalled the public ministry. It may be well to note that the term“public” is here used not as distinguished from “private,” the publicadministration being restricted to all acts performed in the presenceof the Christian congregation, the private to those acts performedin the privacy of the home, at the sickbed, etc. The term “public”is used here in the sense in which it is used, e. g., in the term “notarypublic,” a notary appointed by the public to do certain work in thename and by the authority of the public. In like manner the pastoris the public administrator of the ministry not only in public worship,but whenever he as the representative of the congregation performsthe duties of his office. Through him the congregation and everyindividual represented by him preaches, teaches, baptizes, admin-isters the Sacrament.

For this reason the members of the congregation in calling a pastordo not give up in the least any of their rights as kings and priests.“They have signed away nothing when they have elected a pastor.They never had the right to infringe upon the equal rights of othersand never were appointed to the ecclesiastical office. When the workof the congregation is to be done, according to the Lord’s directionthey appoint some one to do it in their behalf, because it is impos-sible for each individually to discharge the duty directly in his ownperson. But the work which is thus done according to the Christian bpeople’s call is their work, for the pubhc performance of which they :have made the minister their agent. For the right conduct of suchecclesiastical office they hold him responsible to the church whoserepresentative they have called him to be; and as the work whichthey have called him to do is that which the Lord has primarilyconsigned to them and for which He has given the necessary instruc-

334 The Abiding Wordtions, He holds them responsible to Him for its performance accord-ing to His revealed will. He is thus at once the minister of Christand of His Church. As the congregation is thus responsible for thedischarge of the public office according to the Lord’s will, it ismanifest why the Church must insist that no one should publiclyin the Church preach or administer the Sacraments unless he berightly called” ( Loy, Tlze Augshq Confession, pp. 777, 778).

The minister is, therefore, the servant of Christ through whomChrist bestows His blessings upon the congregation. But lest aminister because of this fact become proud and overbearing, lethim remember that, after all, he is a minister, or servant. If he wouldglory, let him say with Paul: “Most gladly therefore will I ratherglory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me”(II Cor. 12:9). On the other hand, lest the layman despise his pastorbecause the latter is a minister, or servant, of the congregation, lethim heed the words of Scripture: “Let the elders that rule well becounted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in theWord and doctrine” (I Tim. 5:17). But he must not stop here, TheApostle adds: “For the Scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle theox that treadeth out the corn, and, The laborer is worthy of hisreward” (I Tim. 5: 18).

Since all believers are priests and, as such, preachers and teachersand since they exercise these functions publicly through the calledservants of the Word, therefore it follows that ‘they are responsibleto God for the correct practice and the purity of doctrine of theirrespective ministers. As the elders are overseers over the flock, sothe members of the flock are overseers over the elders, To thebelievers John writes: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but trythe spirits whether they arc of God, because many false prophetsare gone out into the world” ( I John 4: 1). Jesus warns the believers:“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing,but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Matt. 7:15). What, then,should the believers do when they have found teachers who arespreading false doctrine? Paul instructs the Romans: “Now, I be-

. seech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offensescontrary to the doctrine which ye have learned, and avoid them”(Ram. 16: 17). The Bereans have given us a standing example howlaymen should judge the doctrines of their preachers and teachers,Of them it is said: “These were, more noble than those in Thessa-

The Universal Priesthood o,f Believers 335Ionica in that they received the Word with all readiness of mindand searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were SO.Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women, whichwere Greeks, and of men, not a few” (Acts 17:11, 12). Here thebelievers exercise their prerogative as priests to judge the doctrinesof the great Apostle. All did this-men and women, Jew and Greek-all priests!

Though the laymen of a congregation do not by virtue of theirpriesthood have a call to teach and preach publicly in the congrega-tion, they do have a responsibility with regard to the welfare oftheir neighbor’s soul. They must not say with Cain: “Am I mybrother’s keeper ?” ( Gen. 4:9.) The believers’ duty in this respect isdescribed by Paul in these words: “Wherefore comfort yourselvestogether, and edify one another, even as also ye do. And we beseechyou, brethren, to know them which labor among you and are overyou in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highlyin love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.Now we eshort you, brethren, Warn them that are unruly, comfortthe feeble-minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men, seethat none render evil for evil unto any man, but ever follow thatwhich is good, both among yourselves and to all men” (I Thess.5:II-15). The believers should, indeed, heed their ministers, whoadmonish them publicly; but what these do publicly, that is to say,by virtue of their call extended to them by the whole congregation,they are to do by virtue of their priesthood, into which God hascalled them. How the believers are to admonish each other, Paulindicates with these words: “Let the Word of Christ dwell in yourichly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another inpsalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in yourhearts to the Lord” (Cal. 3:16). The content of the admonitionmust be the Word of God. This admonishing is done conjointly withteaching. It may be done in the most pleasant manner, in psalms andhymns and spiritual songs. The specific aim of such admonishing isindicated by the writer to the Hebrews in these words: “And let usconsider one another to provoke unto love and to good works, notforsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner ofsome is; but exhorting one another and so much the more, as yesee the Day approaching” (Heb. 10:24, 25).

Yes, to provoke unto love and to good works. James says: “Pure

336 The Abiding Wordreligion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visitthe fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep himselfunspotted from the world” (James 1:27). The following words willnot be spoken only to the ministers, who call on the afflicted byvirtue of their office: “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit theKingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For Iwas an hungered, and ye gave Me meat; I was thirsty, and ye gaveMe drink; I was a Stranger, and ye took Me in; naked, and yeclothed Me; I was sick, and ye visited Me; I was in prison, and yecame unto Me” (Matt. 25:34-36). These words are addressed to allbelievers, who have manifested their priestly office in priestly serv-ice of their fellow men,

The task of dealing with the trespassing brother is clearlydescribed by the Lord Himself (Matt. 18:15-17). First there is indi-vidual admonition, then in the presence of one or two witnesses,finally-if the trespassing brother will not repent-the church mustact. “Tell it unto the church,” says Jesus (v. 17). When an incestuousperson was to be put away from among the Christians at Corinth,Paul instructed them to take action when they were gathered to-gether (I Cor. 5:4), The congregation was to act in such a case ofexcommunication. The congregation may be large or small, itspowers as a gathering of priests remain the same, “for,” says Jesus,“where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am Iin the midst of them” (Matt. 18:20). Thus Paul writes to the Corinth-ians: “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ when ye are gatheredtogether” (I Cor. 5:4). Where men are gathered together in thename of the Lord Jesus Christ, there is a congregation which canbind or loose the sinner.

In matters which are neither commanded nor forbidden in theBible, such as mere outward ceremonies (adiaphora), the membersof a Christian congregation may exercise their prerogatives as priestsby making such arrangements as they consider most acceptable.The minority will accede to the wishes of the majority. Charity willbe the guiding principle.

In the family the believers are active as priests particularly in tworespects. We may speak of the family altar, where the father is thepriest and the mother the priestess. Then, too, believing parents areto bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of theLord (Eph. 6:4), Since it is God’s will that every believer should

The Univemd Priesthood of Believers 337preach the Gospel to his neighbor, he must surely proclaim it to themembers of his own household, particularly to his own flesh andblood. Thus the Old Testament patriarchs were priests within theirhouseholds. They preached the name of the Lord to all, but par-ticularly to their own family. So we are told of Abraham: “And theLord said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do, seeingthat Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation andall the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know himthat he will command his children and his household after him, andthey shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment,that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spokenof him” (Gen. 18: 17-19). God was so greatly pleased with Abrahamthat He decided to confide a momentous secret to him. Why? Be-cause God knew that Abraham would faithfully command hischildren and his household after him, and they should keep the wayof the Lord. This presupposes that Abraham acquainted the mem-bers of his household with the way of the Lord. In other words,Abraham had exercised his prerogative as priest within his ownhousehold. What else should we expect of the father of believers?God later expressly enjoined Israel to teach the words of the Lawto the children, yes, to make them the subject of constant discussion.Deut. 6:6,7 we read: “And these words, which I command thee thisday, shall be in thine heart; and thou shalt teach them diligentlyunto thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thinehouse and when thou walkest by the way and when thou liest downand when thou risest up.” That covers every possible opportunity ofinculcating the Law of God. *

In the New Testament the Lord Jesus Himself singled out thehomes for the planting of His kingdom. When He sent out Histwelve disciples, He bade them: “And when ye come into an house,salute it. And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it:but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you” (M&t.10:12, 13). Again, when He sent out the seventy, He instructedthem: “And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be tothis house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall restupon it; if not, it shall turn to you again. And in the same houseremain” (Luke 10:5-7). We know that the early Christians met inthe homes to study the Word of God. Surely here, too, the admoni-

3 3 8 The Abiding Wordtion of St, Paul to the Colossians applies: “Let the Word of Christdwell in you richly in all wisdom” (Cal. 3: 16).

Fathers must be priests particularly towards those who need theirspiritual fostering most-their own children. These know God’sWord less than adults; hence they must be instructed in it. Scriptureis very clear on this point, Writing to the Ephesians, Paul exhorts:‘And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring themup in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). Thesewords imply a twofold duty on the part of the fathers. They mustnurture their children, that is, feed them with the Word of God.They must also admonish them, set them right. This latter task bringsto mind the parental authority of the fathers: they have power toadminister the Law. They are royal priests.

When the children reach school age, the teacher assumes part ofthe duties of the parents to bring up the children. The childrenentrusted to their care by the parents, Christian teachers are to

bring up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This, however,does not absolve the parents of their duty. They cannot evade theirresponsibility as priests towards their children by engaging teachers.Though the teachers assume that responsibility in the school, theparents must exercise it in the home and elsewhere. They must,indeed, be mindful of it in co-operating with the teacher in theschool. Where believers are forced by unfavorable circumstances tosend their children to a school in which Gods Word does not rule,they must bear the full responsibility of their spiritual priesthoodtowards them by teaching them God’s Word diligently and thor-oughly at home.

This responsibility of parents as priests does not cease with con-firmation Not only will believing parents set a good example fortheir children in attending divine services regularly, thereby en-couraging their children to do the same, but they will also set a goodexample in searching the Scriptures at home, thereby encouragingtheir children also in this priestly function, Here, too, the words ofJesus apply: “Search the Scriptures, for in them ye think ye haveeternal life; and they are they which testify&of Me” (John 5:39).Timothy was a richly blessed youth because he was taught God’sWord in his childhood, Paul writes to him: ‘And that from a childthou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make theewise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (11 Tim.

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$15). Indeed, Timothy was a highly favored child. But to whomdid he owe this favor? Paul points to Timothy’s mother and grand-mother. He says: “When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faiththat is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and thymother, Eunice, and I am persuaded that in thee also” (II Tim.1:s). Here two women are mentioned. Let us remember that in thepriesthood of believers there is no difference between male andfemale-both are priests.

A glance at Luther’s Small Catechism shows how the great Re-former stressed the duty of the parents as priests in their own house-hold. At the head of the First Chief Part we find these words:“The Ten Commandments, as the head of the family should teachthem in all simplicity to his household.” Each Chief Part is headedby a similar admonition, Let us note, too, how he holds the fatherresponsible for teaching his family to pray. He introduced the sectionon morning and evening prayer with the words: “How the head ofthe family should teach his household to pray morning and evening,”Again, he says: “How the head of the family should teach his house-hold to ask a blessing and return thanks.” Thus by constant repeti-tion Luther thoroughly inculcates the duty of believing parents aspriests in their own household. That is a duty which believingparents camlot evade.

With respect to the world, believers have the priestly duty todeclare the Word of God to the unbelievers and to pray for thegovernment and for all people. Believers exercise their priestlyrights and powers in the congregation and the family; a thirdsphere, not included in these first two, is the unbelieving world.Believers are indebted also to the latter, They must confess Christto the unbelievers, so that some of these may become believers andthus priests themselves, Only through the Gospel’s power can thisbe brought about. In other words, believers as priests must also bemissionaries, What else could these words mean: “That ye shouldshow forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darknessinto His marvelous light”? Having been called out of spiritual dark-ness into the marvelous light of Christ Jesus, believers must nowstrive with all their might to call those who still sit in darkness intothat same light. We have already quoted the words of Jesus whichbid the believers to teach or make disciples of all nations, baptizing

them and teaching them to observe all things whatsoever He has

340 The Abiding Wordcommanded them (Matt. 28:19, ZO), also His command: “Go yeinto all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark16: 15). These words, as we have .seen, are addressed to all believers.It is of great importance that believers confess their faith while inthe world. This is evident from the words of Jesus: “Whosoevertherefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also beforeMy Father, which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me beforemen, him will I also deny before My Father, which is in heaven”(Matt. 10:32, 33). The context shows that here confession beforethe world is meant, namely, before those who kill the body butare not able to kill the soul (v. 28).

Verbal confession, however, must be proved sincere by the con-fession of a Christian life. Jesus puts it thus: “Let your light so shinebefore men that they may see your good works and glorify yourFather, which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). The meaning of thesewords is clear. Peter says: “Dearly beloved, I beseech you asstrangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war againstthe soul; having your conversation honest among the Gentiles, thatwhereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your goodworks, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation”(I Pet. 2:11, 12). The good works of believers are the fruits and theproof of their faith. Their Christian life is a powerful testimony tothe world; it proclaims the strength and value of their faith. Chris-tians are different; they are not like the world. On the one hand,they know that whosoever will be a friend of the world is the enemyof God (James 4:4) ; on the other hand, by their good works theyinduce the world to investigate the source of their Christian life.Peter urges the believers: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts,and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh youa reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear”(I Pet. 3:15).

The duty to confess Christ to the unbelievers is incumbent alsoupon the entire congregation of believers. In its church and schoolthe congregation confesses Christ. And what a single congregationmay be unable to do, it can assist in doing by joining a group ofbelieving congregations in a larger church body, such as our SynodSuch an organization enables the believers, these spiritual priests,to confess Christ in all the world. Thus the Lutheran Church is nowconfessing Him on every continent on the earth. This confessing is

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done by sending out missionaries, by preaching the Gospel by radio,and by disseminating Christian literature. In this manner thebelievers do the works of their great High Priest, who Himself hasgiven them the promise: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He thatbelieveth on Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greaterworks than these shall he do, because I go unto My Father”(John 14:12),

Is it necessary at all to say anything here of Christian giving? Ourgreat High Priest has said: “Give, and it shall be given unto you”(Luke 6:38). B 1e ievers, New Testament priests, offer gladly andwillingly. David, addressing our great High Priest, says: “Thy peopleshall be willing in the day of Thy power” (P.S. 110:3), They neednot be driven,

And now prayer for the government and for all people. We havealready considered the privilege of believers as priests to appearbefore God in prayer. They pray for themselves, for the Church,for their dear ones; they must also pray for their enemies, for suchas do not as yet believe. Paul writes to Timothy: “I exhort thereforethat, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving ofthanks, be made for all men, for kings, and for all that are inauthority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinessand honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of Godour Savior, who will have all men to be saved and to come unto theknowledge of the truth” (I Tim. 2: l-4). This praying is to be forthe welfare of the world. Those who do not as yet believe are tocome unto the knowledge of the truth. Thereby enemies are madefriends, and the number of God’s priests on earth is increased.

Blessed are those believers who remain conscious of their privi-leges and duties as God’s priests! In the same measure as theyexercise their priestly functions, their own faith will be strengthenedand their love increased, They will grow in grace. Here, too, thewords of Christ apply: “Give, and it shall be given unto you”(Luke 6:38),

“Now the God of Peace, that brought again from the dead ourLord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood ofthe everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work todo His will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight,through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen”(Heb. 13:20,21).