The Priesthood of All Believers

BY REV. TODD A. PEPERKORN

The term “priesthood of all believers” is one that is often confused or misunderstood in the church today. What exactly is a priest, anyway? In order that we might get a better understanding of it, the following is offered.
Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Exodus 19:6a

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. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. I Peter 2:9-10

From Luther we have the following quotations:

A priest, particularly in the New Testament, must be born, not made. He is not ordained; he is created. However, he is not born of the flesh but of the Spirit, that is, of the water and the Spirit in the washing of regeneration. Therefore all Christians are priests, and all priests are Christians... (What Luther Says, p. 1139)

This connection with Baptism is an important one. In Baptism we are saved from original sin into the kingdom of God. Our baptism is the basis for our priesthood, not some quality in ourselves. In the kingdom of God we no longer live for ourselves. A number of things come to mind in connection with Christian’s being priests:

The priesthood involves relationship and community.
Never an individual thing. There are no private priests.

We conclude, therefore, that a Christian lives not in himself, but in Christ and in his neighbor. Otherwise he is not a Christian. He lives in Christ through faith, in his neighbor through love. By faith he is caught up beyond himself into God. By love he descends beneath himself into his neighbor. (Martin Luther, The Freedom of a Christian)

How do we live for ourselves, and how does the Christian live for others?

The priesthood of all believers contradicts selfishness.
Christians will suffer for the sake of others.

Seventh, the holy Christian people are externally recognized by the holy possession of the sacred cross. They must endure every misfortune and persecution, all kinds of trials and evil from the devil, the world, and the flesh (as the Lord’s Prayer indicates) by inward sadness, timidity, fear, outward poverty, contempt, illness, and weakness, in order to become like their head, Christ.... They must be pious, quiet, obedient, and prepared to serve the government and everybody with life and goods, doing no one any harm. [Martin Luther, “On the Councils and the Church,” in Luther’s Works, vol. 41, ed. Helmut Lehmann (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1966), 164-165.]

The priesthood is strengthened and held together by Communion.

We give thanks to you, almighty God, that you have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore you that of your mercy you would strengthen us through the same in faith towards you and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Lutheran Worship, p. 174)

Notice what the communed are praying for: faith toward God and love toward neighbor. The priesthood is intimately connected to the Sacrament.

How do these views differ from how the world looks at human beings?

Where does self-preservation fit in with all of this?

Does this change how you look at the Church? At the world?

Why are the Sacraments (Baptism and Communion) so important to the Christian as priest?

Some of the ideas and materials in this work is based on the paper “The Priesthood of all Believers: Sacramental and Sacrificial,” by the Rev. James Bushur, 1994.

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This page was created on 02/26/2007 and last edited on: 02/26/2007


Main Menu Home Beliefs Parish Education Liturgy and Preaching Articles History Links Contact Pastor * Pastor's Blog Calendar Directions Photobook Recent Sitemap This Section Priesthood	The Priesthood of All Believers BY REV. TODD A. PEPERKORN The term “priesthood of all believers” is one that is often confused or misunderstood in the church today. What exactly is a priest, anyway? In order that we might get a better understanding of it, the following is offered. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Exodus 19:6a 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. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. I Peter 2:9-10 From Luther we have the following quotations: A priest, particularly in the New Testament, must be born, not made. He is not ordained; he is created. However, he is not born of the flesh but of the Spirit, that is, of the water and the Spirit in the washing of regeneration. Therefore all Christians are priests, and all priests are Christians... (What Luther Says, p. 1139) This connection with Baptism is an important one. In Baptism we are saved from original sin into the kingdom of God. Our baptism is the basis for our priesthood, not some quality in ourselves. In the kingdom of God we no longer live for ourselves. A number of things come to mind in connection with Christian’s being priests: The priesthood involves relationship and community. Never an individual thing. There are no private priests. We conclude, therefore, that a Christian lives not in himself, but in Christ and in his neighbor. Otherwise he is not a Christian. He lives in Christ through faith, in his neighbor through love. By faith he is caught up beyond himself into God. By love he descends beneath himself into his neighbor. (Martin Luther, The Freedom of a Christian) How do we live for ourselves, and how does the Christian live for others? The priesthood of all believers contradicts selfishness. Christians will suffer for the sake of others. Seventh, the holy Christian people are externally recognized by the holy possession of the sacred cross. They must endure every misfortune and persecution, all kinds of trials and evil from the devil, the world, and the flesh (as the Lord’s Prayer indicates) by inward sadness, timidity, fear, outward poverty, contempt, illness, and weakness, in order to become like their head, Christ.... They must be pious, quiet, obedient, and prepared to serve the government and everybody with life and goods, doing no one any harm. [Martin Luther, “On the Councils and the Church,” in Luther’s Works, vol. 41, ed. Helmut Lehmann (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1966), 164-165.] The priesthood is strengthened and held together by Communion. We give thanks to you, almighty God, that you have refreshed us through this salutary gift, and we implore you that of your mercy you would strengthen us through the same in faith towards you and in fervent love toward one another; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Lutheran Worship, p. 174) Notice what the communed are praying for: faith toward God and love toward neighbor. The priesthood is intimately connected to the Sacrament. How do these views differ from how the world looks at human beings? Where does self-preservation fit in with all of this? Does this change how you look at the Church? At the world? Why are the Sacraments (Baptism and Communion) so important to the Christian as priest? Some of the ideas and materials in this work is based on the paper “The Priesthood of all Believers: Sacramental and Sacrificial,” by the Rev. James Bushur, 1994.
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