Autor: Lonergan, Bernard J.F.

Buch: A Second Collection

Titel: A Second Collection

Stichwort: Priester, priest: zweifache Bedeutung des Wortes; allgemeines Priestertum; Bischof, Diakon

Kurzinhalt: From this twofold use of the word, priest, there can arise some confusion. The priesthood of all the faithful means, not that all the faithful are elders, presbúteroi, but that all are hiereis, concerned with to hierón, the sacred.

Textausschnitt: 180b A few notes are in order. The Greek word for elder is presbúteros. From it are derived the English, priest, the French, prêtre, the German, Priester, the Italian, prete. But while the New Testament thinks of the elder chiefly as leading and teaching, later thought gives more prominence to the priest's role as dispenser of the sacraments. (Fs)

180c Again, while the English word, priest, is derived from the Greek, presbúteros, it also is used to translate the Greek, hiereis, and the Latin, sacerdos. Later on these terms were used to refer to members of the Christian clergy, but in the New Testament they refer to Jewish and pagan priests, or to Christ, or to all the faithful. (Fs)

180d From this twofold use of the word, priest, there can arise some confusion. The priesthood of all the faithful means, not that all the faithful are elders, presbúteroi, but that all are hiereis, concerned with to hierón, the sacred. (Fs)

180e Finally, the tasks performed by the elders elsewhere, were performed by untitled laborers at Thessalonika. To the Thessalonians Paul wrote: "We beg you, brothers, to acknowledge those who are working so hard among you, and in the Lord's fellowship are your leaders and counsellors. Hold them in the highest possible esteem and affection for the work they do" (i Thes. 5:12). But though the letter to the Romans does allude to the one that presides (Rom. 12:8), and First Corinthians speaks of gifts of guidance (1 Cor. 12:28), the silence about local leaders in much of St. Paul's writing suggests a gradual development. (Fs)

181a There remain bishops and deacons. In two passages it would seem that these terms denote, not simply "overseer" and "helper," but ranks or orders in the church. The letter to the Philippians salutes all the faithful there with the bishops and the deacons (Phil. 1:1). The first letter to Timothy lists the qualities to be required first of bishops (1 Tim. 3:1-7) and then of deacons (1 Tim. 3:8-13). The term "deacon" occurs elsewhere frequently enough, but it seems to mean simply a helper. The term "bishop" occurs on three other occasions: once it is applied to Christ (1 Pt. 2:25); twice it is applied to persons who in the context have already been referred to as elders (Acts 20:17, 28; Ti. 1:5-9). It seems to be doubtful that those named bishops in the New Testament were bishops in the later sense: first, they are not assigned functions distinct from those of elders; secondly, there hardly could be successors to the apostles when the apostles were still around. (Fs)