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Who is a Priest?
by James Pyles
First off, let me say that this article absolutely has nothing to do with the Priesthoods involved in modern-day organizations such as the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints. It actually has its origins in a speaking engagement I attended last October. Boaz Michael of First Fruits of Zion (FFOZ) was the featured speaker and of course, there were a few "controversial" questions directed to him from the audience. One fellow related to Boaz Michael that he (the audience member) is a priest based on passages from Exodus, 1 Peter, and other portions of the Bible and that his "priestly duty" is to pray. Boaz disagreed with the gentlemen and the presentation went on.
That got me to thinking about this whole idea of being "priests". Just who was and is a priest? Am I justified as a believer to call myself a priest and if so, what distinguishes me from "non-priests"? Like the Levites of old, do I have specific duties and "sacrifices" to make and if so, on whose behalf? The other legitimate question is "Are their priests today that can define their role Biblically?"
I thought I'd cover the basic definitions just to get them out of the way. The following comes from different pages on the Judaism 101 website:
Kohein
The kohanim are the descendants of Aaron, chosen by G-d at the time of the incident with the Golden Calf to perform certain sacred work, particularly in connection with the animal sacrifices and the rituals related to the Temple. After the destruction of the Temple, the role of the kohanim diminished significantly in favor of the rabbis; however, we continue to keep track of kohein lineage. DNA research supports their claims: a study published in Nature in June 1997 shows that self-identified kohanim in three countries have common elements in the Y-chromosome, indicating that they all have a common male ancestor. For more information about this and other recent genetic studies, see The Cohanim/DNA Connection at Aish.com.
Kohanim are given the first aliyah on Shabbat (i.e., the first opportunity to recite a blessing over the Torah reading), which is considered an honor. They are also required to recite a blessing over the congregation at certain times of the year.
The term "Kohein" is the source of the common Jewish surname "Cohen," but not all Cohens are koheins and not all koheins are Cohens. "Katz" is also a common surname for a kohein (it is an acronym of "kohein tzadik," that is, "righteous priest"), but not all Katzes are koheins.
Levi
The entire tribe of Levi was set aside to perform certain duties in connection with the Temple. As with the Kohanim, their importance was drastically diminished with the destruction of the Temple, but we continue to keep track of their lineage. Levites are given the second aliyah on Shabbat (i.e., the second opportunity to recite a blessing over the Torah reading), which is considered an honor. The common Jewish surnames "Levin" and "Levine" are derived from the tribal name "Levi," but not all Levins or Levines are Levites and not all Levites have surnames that suggest the tribal affiliation.
http://www.jewfaq.org/rabbi.htm
Aaron
Aaron was Moses's older brother. He was born in 2365, three years before Moses, before the Pharaoh's edict requiring the death of male Hebrew children. He was the ancestor of all koheins, the founder of the priesthood, and the first Kohein Gadol (High Priest). Aaron and his descendants tended the altar and offered sacrifices. Aaron's role, unlike Moses's, was inherited; his sons continued the priesthood after him (Num. 20:26).
Aaron served as Moses's spokesman. As discussed above, Moses was not eloquent and had a speech impediment, so Aaron spoke for him (Ex. 4:10-16). Contrary to popular belief, it was Aaron, not Moses, who cast down the staff that became a snake before Pharaoh (Ex. 7:10-12). It was Aaron, not Moses, who held out his staff to trigger the first three plagues against Egypt (Ex. 7:19-20; Ex. 8:1-2 or 8:5-6; Ex. 8:12-13 or 8:16-17). According to Jewish tradition, it was also Aaron who performed the signs for the elders before they went to Pharaoh (Ex. 4:30).
Aaron's most notable personal quality is that he was a peacemaker. His love of peace is proverbial; Rabbi Hillel said, "Be disciples of Aaron, loving peace and pursuing peace, loving people and drawing them near the Torah." According to tradition, when Aaron heard that two people were arguing, he would go to each of them and tell them how much the other regretted his actions, until the two people agreed to face each other as friends.
In fact, Aaron loved peace so much that he participated in the incident of the Golden Calf (Ex. 32), constructing the idol in order to prevent dissension among the people. Aaron intended to buy time until Moses returned from Mount Sinai (he was late, and the people were worried), to discourage the people by asking them to give up their precious jewelry in order to make the idol, and to teach them the error of their ways in time (Ex. 32:22).
Aaron, like Moses, died in the desert shortly before the people entered the Promised Land (Num. 20).
None of this is news and as we know, there is currently no Temple and thus no Temple Services and no Levitical Priesthood. Some individual Jews can establish that they are Cohens but that's about it. In modern times, there is no priesthood as established in Exodus. However, even in those days, the Levitical Priesthood does not seem to have been the only legitimate, Bible-based Priesthood:
Exodus 2:16: The priest of Midian has seven daughters...
Exodus 18:1: Jethro, the priest of Midian...
Genesis 25: 1-2: "...She bore him (Abraham) Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian..."
On two occasions in Exodus, Jethro (Yitro), Moses' father-in-law was refered to as a "priest" or "minister" of Midian (depending on the translation). Unfortunately, there is no description of any of Jethro's priestly responsibilities and if they at all resembled the activities of Levitical priests. Although you might say that Jethro could well have been a pagan priest, refer back to the passage from Genesis above to establish the bloodline of the Children of Midian. After Sarah passed away, Abraham took other wives and fathered other children including Midian. Midrash suggests that Abraham would have taught all of his children of the one true G-d and Creator and those teachings were subsequently passed down through the generations, finding their way into the heart and soul of Jethro and thus in some fashion, determining his role as "Priest of Midian"
Saying all that, there is no evidence of this. We can only imagine that events occurred this way. On the other hand, nothing in a universe created by G-d can be considered coincidence. The fact that after Moses ran away from Egypt, that he should find himself in Midian and eventually into Jethro's household (and married to one of his seven daughters) didn't happen by chance. Would the Almighty have lead Moses to live in and marry into a pagan household and spend 40 years of his life there? Most unlikely. Consider in Exodus 4:24-26 that Moses' wife Zipporah knew enough to circumsize her son (although only in an "emergency"). If Moses told Zipporah about Hebrew circumcision, why had he not followed the Abrahamic directive. Perhaps (and only perhaps) Zipporah learned this from her father.
Guess work aside, we really don't know what the Midianite priesthood was like and can only suppose that the Almighty prepared a suitable training ground for Moses' 40 year stay in that land and with that family. In any event, we don't seem to have a Midianite people in existance today so whatever priestly practices existed at that time have passed away.
There is another Biblical priesthood to consider:
Genesis 14:17-20: The King of Sodom went out to meet him (Abram) after his return from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, to the Valley of Shaveh which is the king's valley. But Malchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine; he was a priest of G-d, the Most High. He blessed him saying "Blessed is Abram of G-d, the Most High, Maker of heaven and earth, and blessed be G-d, the Most High, Who has delivered your foes into your hand"; and he gave him a tenth of everything.
Malchizedek came in and went from Biblical record with amazing speed, leaving few clues behind as to his identity. As most of us in the Messianic movement (and any one who's read Hebrews) are aware, the name "Malchizedek" in Hebrew means "King of Righteousness". Also, "King of Salem" has been translated both as "King of Jerusalem" and "King of Shalom (Peace)". The common supposition then is that Malchizedek was a "pre-incarnate" Yeshua (Jesus). While I can't disprove this idea, it seems just a little too easy to make the suggestion. We do have a companion scripture (actually lots of them) in Hebrews that should add some dimension to the discussion:
Hebrews 7:1-3: This Malki-Tzedek, king of Shalom, a cohen of G-d Ha Elyon, met Abraham on his way back from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him; also Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. Now first of all, by translation of his name, he is "king of righteousness" and then he is also king of Shalem, which means "king of peace". There is no record of his father, mother, ancestry, birth, or death; rather, like the Son of G-d, he continues as a cohen for all time.
The writer of Hebrews stops short of actually saying that Yeshua is "Malki-Tzedek", but only just. I'll leave the argument of Malkitzedek's identity for another time and will continue with the main thrust of this article. With that in mind, we have the following passages from Hebrews which supports Yeshua's role as High Priest of the order of Malkitzedek (though not necessarily as Malkitzedek himself):
Hebrews 2:17-3:2: This is why he had to become like his brothers in every respect...so that he might become a merciful and faithful cohen gadol in the service of G-d, making a kapparah for the sins of the people. For since he himself suffered death when he was put to the test, he is able to help those who are being tested now. Therefore, brothers whom G-d has set apart, who share in the call from heaven, think carefully about Yeshua, whom we acknowledge publically as G-d's emissary and as cohen gadol. He was faithful to G-d, who appointed him just as Moshe was faithful in all G-d's house.
Hebrews 13:15-16: Through him, therefore, let us offer G-d a sacrifice of praise continually. For this is the natural product of lips that acknowledge his name. But don't forget doing good and sharing with others, for with such sacrifices G-d is well pleased.
Hebrews 4:14-16, 5:1-11, 6:19-8:5
Incidently, while the book of Hebrews makes it quite clear that Yeshua is our High Priest in the Heavenly Court and is of the order of Malkitzedek, I can find no passages in Hebrews or elsewhere in the Bible that declare Jewish and/or Gentile believers are also priests specifically of the Malkitzedekian order (and if there are other priests that serve in Heaven with Yeshua, it is a subject for another time).
So far, we've established three Biblical priesthoods: Levitical, Midianite, and the Malchizedek priesthood. Where in all that would someone get the idea that as a believer, they are thus a priest in this day and age?
Exodus 19:6: You (the Children of Israel) shall be to me a kingdom of ministers (priests) and a holy nation...
I think we can all understand that Israel was and is a nation set apart (made holy) unto G-d. No mystery there. What about this "kingdom of priests"? On the surface, that does seem puzzling. After all, as previously established, the Almighty created the Levitical priesthood, supposedly to mirror some sort of heavenly equivalent (see Exodus 25:40), so why define that entire population of the people; the Children of Israel as "priests"? If they are a separate priesthood from the Levitical priesthood, what are their priestly duties?
The Bible doesn't record any specific priestly activities performed by the average Jew in the time of the Tanakh. All priestly duties performed in the Tabernacle and later in the first and second Temples were so done by the decendants of Aaron and the Levites...period. So what do we make of Exodus 19:6? Perhaps the same thing we make of the following:
1 Peter 2: 9-10: But you are a chosen people, the King's cohanim, a holy nation, a people of G-d to possess. Why? In order for you to declare the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were not a people but now you are G-d's people; before, you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Peter addresses this letter to "G-d's chosen people, living as aliens in the Diaspora...in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, the province of Asia, and Bythinia" (1 Peter: 1:1). Apparently, Peter is writing to believing Jews living in the exile outside of Israel. Is Peter then mirroring Exodus 19:6 in calling Jews (and only Jews) a "kingdom of priests"? Peter at one point says of his audience, "Once you were not a people but now you are G-d's people". While it is true that before Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, there were no "Children of Israel" (meaning that once they were a "non-people"), it also meant that they were the same as the rest of Earth's population. Peter's statement makes more sense however, if part of Peter's audience includes Gentile believers. In this case, prior to coming to the Messiah in trust, gentiles were a "non-people" or pagan worshipers.
If this is so, it changes how we interpret the phrase "But you are a chosen people, the King's cohanim (priests)" to include both Jewish and non-Jewish believers in Yeshua. However, regardless of how you want to read these texts, what is this body of "priests" supposed to do with their priesthood? It's not defined in Exodus. Is it mentioned elsewhere in the Bible? Consider Peter's statement included in 1 Peter 2:9-10:
Why? In order for you to declare the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.
Immediately after declaring his audience a "kingdom of priests" he apparently defines their priestly "duties" as "...for you to declare the praises of the One who called you out of darkness..." So at least Peter's "kingdom of priests" have the responsibility to praise G-d. Also, let's repeat the following:
Hebrews 13:15-16: Through him, therefore, let us offer G-d a sacrifice of praise continually. For this is the natural product of lips that acknowledge his name. But don't forget doing good and sharing with others, for with such sacrifices G-d is well pleased.
The writer of Hebrews is talking to the Jerusalem Jews (Hebrews) and historians are confident that this letter was written only to a Jewish audience. The "sacrifices" defined here are "praise, doing good, and sharing with others". All and all, these activities sound like part of what every Jewish and Gentile believer should be doing with their lives. While Peter and the writer of Hebrews are both addressing mainly (or exclusively) Jewish audiences, I am not prepared to accept that these statements can not be applied to Gentile believers as well...mainly because praising G-d and performing righteous acts have been taught throughout the Bible. Yeshua's last directive to his (mainly Jewish) disciples in Matthew 28:19-20 states "Therefore, go and make people from all nations into disciples, immersing them into the reality of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you". Since there is no difference between what Yeshua taught his mainly Jewish disciples and what he wanted taught to the Gentiles, I will infer that the "priests" mentioned by Peter includes both Jews and Gentiles.
Very well then. Believers...all believers (no where do I find a distinction between men and women) are "priests" and our priestly role is defined. But how "official" is this priesthood. The previously mentioned Levitical priesthood was very official and very well defined in terms of what set them apart from the rest of the Jewish population. Our "priesthood" only sets us apart from the non-believers of the world and we knew we were set apart when we first accepted Yeshua through faith and trust. So again, how "official" is this priesthood of ours? Let's consider the following:
1 Peter 2: 4-5: As you come to him (Yeshua), the living stone, rejected by people but chosen by G-d and precious to Him, you yourselves (the believers Peter was addressing and probably all beievers) as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be cohanim (priests) set apart for G-d to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to him through Yeshua the Messiah.
Practically in one breath, Peter calls Yeshua "the living stone", his audience, and by inference us, "living stones". We also commonly refer to Yeshua as "the Living Torah" and to ourselves as parts in the "body of the Messiah". I know that in a literal sense, I am not a brick, Yeshua is not a scroll, and I am not a body part such as an eye, a finger, or a spleen. If Peter wasn't speaking literally, was he engaging in metaphor? Let's take another look at Exodus 19:6:
Exodus 19:6: You (the Children of Israel) shall be to me a kingdom of ministers (priests) and a holy nation...
The Almighty (through Moses) says two things: "You shall be to me..."
- "a kingdom of priests"
- "and a holy nation"
Is the Almighty really saying two separate things, though? I mentioned earlier that the statement "a holy nation" was pretty understandable. After all, we do call the Children of Israel "the chosen people" and they were set apart specifically by G-d. We as believers today (both Jews and Gentiles) are also "set apart for G-d". We all as individuals and as a believing community became separated when we accepted our life with Yeshua, our Messiah and Master. What if the two statements referenced above aren't separate at all but meant to re-enforce the same idea? That would mean that "kingdom of priests" and "holy nation" are equivalent terms just as we are "living stones" and parts in the "body of the Messiah".
Our "priesthood" is metaphorical and does not define a formal role...at least no more of a formal role than those of "Christian" or "Messianic Believer". This means that if you want to go around calling yourself a "priest", you'd better be able to explain the synonyms to avoid confusion. Better yet, although you can take Moses and Peter to heart, avoid actually saying "I am a priest". Yes, we are commanded to define our role in life by both the active declarations of our mouth and by our lifestyle. If someone asks us who we are, we can just say that we are believers in the Son of the Almighty and in His Father, the Most High G-d.
