PRIEST AND HIGH PRIEST



The teaching of the Holy Bible and the Holy Fathers of our Church on the issue “Priest and High Priest” is e xtensive. Volumes could be written on it. However, keeping in mind, “give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser” (Pr. 9:9), we simply touch on the subject. May the seed “fall on good ground” (Lk 8:8) and bear much fruit, pleasing Jesus Christ. Amen.


CONTENTS

Prologue
1. Church: ark of salvation
2. Church & clergy
3. Holy things in a holy way


PART I
1. Priests: God's gift
2. The priesthood of the laity
3. It is a personal choice
4. “Feed My lambs”
5. The Βishop is a watchman


PART II
1. Clergy marriage
2. Married and single Priests
3. Married and single Bishops
4. Priests and Βishops

Bishops are a type of Christ. The Priests and Deacons are like the hands of Christ, because through them the work of the Bishop is carried out. First the head then the hands. But the head can do nothing without the hand.

The Bishops stand on the Synthron, as a sign that they supervise, observe the people. And the Priests, as direct collaborators stand in the Synthron as well, while the Deacons stand upright, even if there are empty seats, because they have not yet received the grace of Priesthood.

St. John Chrysostom: “There is not much difference between the Priest and the High Priest. Is the Bishop the teacher of the people? The Priest is also a teacher. Is the Bishop a shepherd? The Priest Elder is also a shepherd”.

And one more (important!) similarity: The Priest is a servant of God; the High Priest is also a servant of God. They are fellow servants.

Τhe difference is that the Bishop is the spiritual father of his Priests. And as a father has obligations towards his Priests.

Usually the Bishops teach what obligations the Priests have towards them. They should however also teach the obligations that the Bishops have towards their Priests.

5. In the name of the Bishop
6. Seceding from the Bishop


PART III
1. Standard-bearer
2. Axiom and authority
3. Is the Bishop’s appointment for life?
4. If there was no honey
5. Sacrilege

(....) A driver carried a holy treasure around the city on his donkey. The people came out into the streets and squares and on their knees received the treasure. Τhe donkey, thinking that the honors were for itself, began to jump, and it dropped the treasure in the mud! The driver beat him to a pulp.
The honor that we as Priests receive is not because of our virtue, but because we are a bearer of the holy Priesthood. And it is sacrilege to consider this honor as personal honor! “This Priest did not give Me rest, not even an hour”, the Lord revealed to a hermit, who happened to be at this Priest’s funeral. The demons came and took his soul. He stole the glory of the Lord! (...)


PART IV
1. The first Bishop elections
2. The first Bishop ordinations
3. Examination of a candidate for Bishop
4. Piety is not enough
5. Is it permissible?
6. St. John Chrysostom's rage


PART V
1. Enthronement of a Bishop
2. Is the Bishop an absolute master?
3. The Bishop's residence
4. Bishop & parish church
5. Talents and Dioceses
6. “Under the inspection of God”


PART VI
1. “Do not despise...”
2. Power as a type of Christ
3. Τhe rod
4. High Priest without a rod
5. “Worked righteousness”
6. Pride. Contempt for people


PART VII
1. Crucial decisions
2. When the Bishops loves the Church
3. The Bishop's unforgivable sin
4. “The lamp on a lampstand”
5. Night & day
6. Paul's last instructions


PART VIII
1. Parish: workshop of salvation
2. Jesus's reaction
3. When the good shepherd is found
4. “Here is wisdom”
5. Priest and avarice


PART IX
1. Flattery is misleading
2. When the clergy sins
3. Α forgotten sin
4. “A picture speaks a thousand words”
5. “Αfter this the judgment”

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