The Theology of Priesthood and the Priest Office in the First Century Christianity Cover Image

Teologia kapłaństwa i urzędu kapłańskiego w I wieku chrześcijaństwa
The Theology of Priesthood and the Priest Office in the First Century Christianity

Author(s): Dariusz Kasprzak
Subject(s): Christian Theology and Religion, Ancient World, History of Religion
Published by: Polskie Towarzystwo Teologiczne
Keywords: Apostle; Christology; Christ; deacon; the Twelve; ecclesiology; epískopos; evangelist; first century; priesthood; teacher; sacrifice; pastor; mediator; priest; superior; guide; the Seven; theology;

Summary/Abstract: Neither the Apostles nor any Christian minister is admitted to use the priest’s title in the text of the New Testament. Nevertheless, in the New Testament we can perceive the development of the doctrine of the priest ministry in the early Church. Albert Vanhoye maintains that the lack of the term “priest” in the New Testament suggests the way of understanding of the Christian ministry, different from this in the Old Testament. It can’t be considered as a continuation of Jewish priesthood, which was concentrated mainly on ritual action and ceremonies. In the first century the Church developed the Christology of priesthood (Hbr) and ecclesiology of priesthood (1 P). Early Christians focused first on the redemptive event of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and Jesus as the mediator of a new covenant. Only then the religious communities adopted the priest’s title for their ministry.

  • Issue Year: 63/2010
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 101-125
  • Page Count: 25
  • Language: Polish