Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!wuarchive!bcm!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: wagner@karazm.math.uh.edu (David Wagner) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Priesthood (Re: Whose misinterpretations?) Message-ID: Date: 17 Dec 90 02:03:07 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: University of Houston -- Department of Mathematics Lines: 122 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article YZKCU@cunyvm.bitnet (Yaakov Kayman) writes: >Judaism holds Malki-Tzedek to be Shem, the son of Noah. He was, >in fact, considered a priest, but as indicated by the "and *he* >is/was a priest...." of the verse in Genesis, only he was and >not all his sons. The priesthood, in the Judaic view, then passed >to Abraham and eventually devolved upon Aaron and his sons exclu- >sively. This is borne out in the Torah, which later on says (about >sacrifices to be offered and other priestly duties to be performed >in the Temple) "and the stranger who appoaches shall be put to death." >This verse specifically includes Jewish leaders such as King David, as >is explicitly stated in the Oral Torah. I take this to be a partial response to Frank Farkas' question about Psalm 110:4. I hope Yaakov will respond some more when he gets his copy of the Psalms back. While we are waiting, I thought it might be interesting to look at the English translation of Ps 110:1-4 in the NIV: "The LORD says to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet' The LORD will extend you mighty scepted from Zion; you will rule in the midst of your enemies. Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy majesty, from the womb of the dawn you will receive the dew of your youth. The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek' " To me, this speaks of the Messiah as both priest and king. He is described as holy, a ruler, eternal, and a priest. I don't see here any kind of priestly order such as that practiced among the Mormons. Yaakov had also asked about Ex. 19:6. Admittedly he did not ask me, but Frank. But this is my answer. Ex 19:5,6: "Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, than out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." This speaks of Israel's special status before the Lord, in their covenant relationship with him. If they had oveyed him fully and kept his covenant, they would have been a nation of priests for the whole world, i.e., witnesses to the Gentiles of God's grace. Unfortunately, Israel did not obey God fully and did not keep his covenant, and so their priesthood is terminated, at least as (most, I think) Christians see it. Christians see the fullfillment of these words in 1 Peter 2:5-9: "you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: 'See, I lay a stone in Zion a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame' [here Peter quotes Isaiah 28:16, which in my Bible reads: See, I lay a stone in Zion, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation; the one who trusts will never be dismayed ] "Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe, 'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone,' [Here Peter quotes Psalm 118:22, which reads the same in my OT] "and, 'A stone that men will stumble over and a rock that makes them fall' [Isaiah 8:14, which is preceded by the words 'But for both houses of Israel he will be] "They stumble because they disobey the message -- which is also what they were destined for. "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." I haven't intended this as harsh, but simply as an honest answer to Yaakov's question. The priesthood is the universal priesthood of believers. They can directly approach God and ask for mercy and forgiveness, with no need of intercession. I am sincerely interested in Yaakov's view on these questions. BTW, I revised the NIV translation, 'A stone that causes men to stumble' in accordance with the translation that Lutherans think is correct. No man's stumbling is desired by God. David H. Wagner a confessional Lutheran. "Hail to the Lord's Anointed, Great David's greater Son! Hail in the time appointed, His reign on earth begun! He comes to break oppression, To set the captive free, To take away transgression, And rule in equity." --"Hail to the Lord's Anointed", v.1 --James Montgomery, 1821. My opinions and beliefs on this matter are disclaimed by The University of Houston.