Problem 15 - That the Members of the Body of Christ are a Priesthood

PROBLEM NO. 15, --THAT THE MEMBERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST CONSTITUTE A PRIESTHOOD OF BELIEVERS

Acts 2 Dispensationalists go to Peter's first letter for this teaching, especially to 1 Peter 2:5,9, "you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood ... But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people..." Appeal is also made to Hebrews 4:14-16; 5:1-10; 7:23-28; 8:1-5, passages which have to do with Christ being a high priest after the order of Melchisedec; for if there is a 'priesthood,' there must be a 'high priest.' They also use Rev. 1:6, "and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father This is set forth in the new Scofield Bible on page 1504, note 2, in relation to 1 Peter 2:9. The note clearly states, "(3) In the Church Age all Christians are unconditionally constituted 'kings and priests' (1 Peter 2:9; Rev. 1:6)..."

Lewis Sperry Chafer also taught this in his Theology, Vol. 4, pages 65-68. [Reformed Theology teaches this, too].

THE TRUTH

It is very important to notice in Paul's letters to the Body of Christ - Romans through Philemon - that he did not use even once the words 'priest' and 'priesthood' in relation to the believer today. These words are absent from his 13 letters. Amazing, but true.

Shouldn't this tell us something? Why would Paul be silent on this issue? We can learn from the vocabulary Paul used, and from the words he did not use. Scholars do not like this type of argument, but the truth is derived from the facts. And the fact is, that members of the Body of Christ are not called 'priests' or a 'priesthood.' It is significant that Acts 2 brethren can ONLY go to the writings of Israel's Apostles.

The priesthood was a major part of Judaism, Israel's religion. In the old Testament the Aaronic priesthood was selected for the purpose of worshipping Jehovah God. Animals and birds were brought by the faithful Jews to the priests for sacrifices. This continued into the earthly ministry of Christ and on into the book of Acts (Acts 6:7).

Acts 2 brethren believe that the Apostle Peter wrote his two letters to the Body of Christ. And so they teach that there is a 'spiritual' priesthood where believers offer 'spiritual' sacrifices to their Saviour God (1 Peter 2:5).

But Peter did not write to the Body of Christ. He addressed his two letters to his Jewish brethren who believed the Gospel of the Kingdom (1 Peter 1:1). In fact, he wrote his two letters to the ones who were saved under his ministry in the book of Acts - the 3,000 in Acts 2:41 and the 5,000 mentioned in Acts 4:4. Those Jewish believers needed instructions and encouragement in view of what would take place if there was national repentance on the part of Israel's leaders, the Sanhedrin.

That priesthood which Peter referred to in 1 Peter 2:9 would be a part of the Jewish Messianic Assembly. Acts 6:7 states that many priests were obedient to the faith as the Word of God increased through the ministry of the Twelve. 'Priest' and 'priesthood' were very important parts of their Divine religion, and ALL Jewish believers would be familiar with this teaching.

Under the Law of Moses only the men could be priests. Exodus 28:1 says, "Now take Aaron your brother, and his sons withhim from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to Me as priest ..." No woman or women were called to this office. Only the pagan religions had female priests.

Now if members (and Scofield said 'all Christians') of the Body of Christ are priests, then women and children who are savedwould certainly be included. But, somehow, this doesn't sound right - women and children as priests, even 'spiritual' priests, if there is such a thing.

However, there is a big problem when reading and studying Paul's letters. It is important to understand that the Apostle Paul refers to what we should do as members of the Body, and some of this responsibility on our part is similar to what 'priests' do without calling us 'priests.'

For example, we are to present our bodies to God as a living sacrifice. We are to dedicate our bodies to His glory and for His use. We do not belong to ourselves; we belong to Him because He has bought us with a price, His only begotten Son, Christ Jesus our Lord (1 Cor. 6:20). If Paul had called us 'priests,' then only the men could do this, and women and children would be left out. We don't fulfill Romans 12:1 as 'priests' but as children of God, members of His family.

It is interesting that Paul could use phraseology that is compatible with Jewish truth, such as the phrase 'the offering' of the Gentiles (Ran. 15:16), and the words 'poured out' in Phil. 2:17 and in 2 Tim. 4:6 which means 'poured out as a drink offering.' The using of terms like this does not mean that Paul was a priest of God. He very wisely selected words that described his thoughts in what he wanted to say and incorporated them into his letters to us. Believe me, if God had intended that members of the Body were to be priests, the Holy Spirit would have led Paul to use that terminology for us. Let us follow the wisdom that Paul exercised in his ministry to the Gentiles. The passages in Hebrews refer to the Lord Jesus Christ as a High Priest. This is one of the Lord's three offices in relation to the Nation of Israel - Prophet, Priest, and King. The writer of Hebrews explained this office of the Lord in 3 chapters - Hebrews 4:14 to 8:5, indicating that Christ is a High Priest after the order of Melchisedec (Heb. 5:6,10). The Apostle Paul in his letters to the Body of Christ NEVER taught that the risen Christ is a high priest of the Church which is His Body. Rather, he stated five times that the Saviour of the Body is the HEAD of this Body:

1. Eph. 1:22-23, "And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be ' Head
over all things to the Church, [231 which is His Body, the fullness of Him
who fills all in all."
2. Eph. 4:15, "But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into
Him who is the Head - Christ."
3. Eph. 5:23, "For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is Head of
the Church; and He is the Saviour of the Body."
4. Col. 1: ' 18, "And He is the Head of the Body, the Church
5. Col. 2:18-19, "Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false
humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not
seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, [19] and not holding fast to the
Head, from whom all the Body, nourished and knit together by joints and
ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God."

The teaching is that Christ Jesus is the HEAD of the BODY OF CHRIST, not a high priest of a church or of a priesthood. The Church being likened to a human body (1 Cor. 12:12-27) is found only in this Dispensation of grace. This 'body' concept is not found in the old Testament, nor in the 4 Gospels, nor in the future Millennium. This is to be considered as new revelation from the risen Christ to His spokesman for this Age - Paul. A 'body' needs a 'head,' and this Head is none other than the Risen Christ Jesus.

Reformed Theology and Acts 2 Dispensationalism do believe in the Headship of Christ over the Body of Christ, but they relegate this teaching to a very minor place in their systems of theology. It is not a major doctrine to them.

We need to be as careful in our using of Biblical language as Paul was. Theologians are too careless in the use of Biblical words and phrases. They make too many hasty and unnecessary decisions, which they pass off as the truth, when they see similarities of truth in the Bible. This is being deceitful.

It is significant that the 'throne of grace' is mentioned in Hebrews (Heb. 4:16). This throne is found in Hebrews instead of the throne of David that Peter referred to on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:30). The Hebrew believers were to understand that the throne which is viable NOW is the one where believers can find mercy and grace from a loving God. The absence of the throne of David in Hebrews teaches us that the Lord IS NOT sitting on that throne and ruling from it NOW.

Even though our Lord is the Head of the Body of Christ, in a special way He makes intercession for us as our Head. This is taught in Rom. 8:34, "Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore, is also risen, who is even
at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us." The 'us' refers to the members of the Body of Christ.

Please notice that Paul DID NOT use the words 'priest' or 'high priest' when referring to this work of Christ on behalf of the Body. This is because He is not a high priest for the Body of Christ, but the HEAD of the Body.

Now, the Body of Christ cannot be found in Hebrews, neither can the position as 'Head' of this Body be found in Hebrews. Rather, when the Lord is seen as an intercessor in Hebrews, it is always as a High Priest (Heb. 7:25; 9:24). The Hebrew believers could understand this language and the importance of it to them.

So also in 1 Tim. 2:5 where Paul stated, "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus." Paul did not use the words 'priest' and 'high priest' here, either. This is truth only for this Age of grace. The Risen Christ Jesus is NOT seen as a high priest for the Church in Paul's 13 letters.

Paul was led of the Holy Spirit to use and not use terminology that would be confusing to his readers. I believe that we shouldbe the same way when we teach the word of God to God's children. We have no business mixing up the Word of God, thereby causing confusion. Let us not handle the Word of God deceitfully (2 Cor. 4:2).

By Robert C. Brock