CHURCH HISTORY | PART 4 | Keith Sharp
Philip Schaff, perhaps the greatest church historian of all time, wrote concerning the historical period A.D. 100 – 311:
“The idea and institution of a special priesthood, distinct from the body of the people, with the accompanying notion of a sacrifice and altar, passed imperceptibly from the Jewish and heathen … into the Christian church” (History: 2:123).
Cyprian, who died in 258, may “be called the father of the sacerdotal (priestly – KS) conception of the Christian ministry as a mediating agency between God and the people” (History. 2:126). Thus, the idea of a clergy separate from the lay people, a priesthood separate from ordinary Christians, whose duty is to offer sacrifices for the lay people and to interpret the will of God to them, was borrowed from Judaism and paganism and developed over the first two centuries after the apostolic age.
The Old Testament did indeed distinguish between priests and lay people. The sons of Aaron were the priests who, in distinction to the “lay people” (2 Chronicles 35:5,7,12-13), had the exclusive right and duty to offer sacrifices at the altar (Exodus 29:9; 40:5; Numbers 3:1).
But this priestly system is a part of the Law which was removed when Christ died on the cross (Hebrews 7:11-28). Christ alone is our High Priest (Hebrews 2:17; 3:1-2; 4:14-16; 5:5-11; 6:19-20; 9:11). All Christians are priests (1 Peter 2:4-5, 9; Revelation 1:4-6; 5:9-10; 20:6) and offer to God the living sacrifices of our bodies in transformed lives (Romans 12:1-2) and the sacrifices of the praise and thanksgiving of our lips, good deeds, and sharing with others (Hebrews 13:15-16). The incense we offer is our prayers (Revelation 5:8). Our only altar is the cross of Christ (Hebrews 13:10-12).
Christ alone is the Mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5), and He makes intercession for us to God (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1). We should pray to the Father through Christ (Colossians 3:17).
No mere human stands between Christians and the Father as an intercessor. All Christians should pray for one another (James 5:16), and all may boldly come before the throne of grace through Christ our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16).
We need no clergy to authoritatively interpret the will of God. The faith was delivered to all the saints (Jude 3), that is, Christians (cf. Acts 9:1, 13; 11:25-26), and we capable of reading it and understanding it (Ephesians 3:1-4). In fact, it is our duty to understand the will of God (Ephesians 5:11).
The Master specifically forbad the special garments, titles, and honors that the clergy jealously claim (Matthew 23:5-12). Their ostentation stands in direct conflict with the humble service that is the mark of greatness in the kingdom of the lowly Nazarene (Matthew 11:29; 20:25-28; 23:5). There is no place in the church of Christ for clergy.
Work Cited
Schaff, Philip, History of the Christian Church.
