biblelighthouse
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![[*]](./images/perspective/default_icon.gif) posted on 11/19/2007 at 10:31 AM |
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Adam was a Priest - Priesthood Predates the Fall - and it continues in the NT
Good stuff from Bishop Ray Sutton:
Christ became Priest. Unfortunately, the office of priest is quite misunderstood. It is often presented as exclusively sacrificial but this was not
the original intent. In the garden, it was diaconal. Adam's priestly role was defined when the text says, "For the Lord God had not caused it to
rain on the earth, and there was no man to till [literally, serve] the ground” (Genesis 2:5). And then after God creates man, He tells him, "Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to cultivate [literally, serve] and keep it” (Genesis 2:15). In each reference the same
Hebrew word ('avad) is translated as "till” and “cultivate” but both have to do with working the ground. Adam was called to serve the ground to
produce a garden. He was to produce food, thereby performing a diaconal function of service. He worked that he and especially others might eat.
In addition, Adam was also told to guard the garden, the Hebrew word being shamar, which is consistently translated as to guard. Once it is
understood that Adam's primary diaconal task was to provide and serve food, it creates the context for the need to protect. What Adam cultivated
understandably had to be protected. Anyone who has ever tried to grow something knows that he simultaneously produces out of the ground and fends off
all of the elements and bugs. He grows and protects. Thus, involved in the diaconal function is the requirement also to guard.
But, how do we know that Adam's diaconal function in the garden was priestly? Both of these Hebrew words are used to describe the priestly
duties of the Tabernacle. In one passage, the Lord tells Moses to define the priestly function as service, using the Hebrew words, 'avad and
shamar.
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: "Bring the tribe of Levi near, and present them before Aaron the priest, that they may serve him. And they shall
attend [shamar] to his needs and the needs of the whole congregation before the tabernacle of meeting, to do the work, [literally, to do theservice - from 'avad] of the tabernacle. Also they shall attend [shamar] to all the furnishings of the tabernacle of meeting, and
to the needs of the children of Israel, to do the work ['avad] of the tabernacle" (Numbers 3:5-8).
This passage clarifies for us that Adam's diaconal work in the garden was priestly in character. Both of the key diaconal Hebrew words are
applied. Both indicate a general and specific service. In general, the priests were to serve the High Priest, but they were also to serve the
congregation, the people. This would involve a variety of tasks, everything from teaching to helping.
In particular, however, the priestly service consisted of serving food in two senses, sacrificial and sacramental. Priests were to sacrifice animals
and serve them to God as an atonement for the sins of the people; this is the Divine direction. In the case of the peace offering where the family was
allowed to eat the sacrifice with the priest (Leviticus 3), the priests performed a sacramental function by serving food to man. This is the human
direction that is called a sacramental function because the eating of the food did not atone for sin but applied an atonement already offered; the
food was efficacious when taken by faith.
Keep in mind that if the Fall of man had not occurred, neither of these special senses of serving food would have been required, Sacrifices would not
have been needed. And, sacramental food would have also been unnecessary. In the Old Testament, sacrifices and sacraments were offered and served. In
the New Testament, sacrifices were done away with but the sacrament of the Lord's Supper is still offered as a sign and seal of the once for all
sacrifice of Christ at the Cross. Nevertheless, the priestly office of the Bible is diaconal, involving the serving of physical and spiritual food.
The priesthood is not inherently sacerdotal; it is diaconal, telling us how Christ uniquely fulfills the office of Christ while at the same
time describing the Church as a priesthood (I Peter 2:9).
Source: Ray Sutton, Captains and Courts, pp. 53-54
[Edited on 19-11-2007 by biblelighthouse]
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biblelighthouse
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| posted on 11/19/2007 at 10:45 AM |
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More good stuff from the same book:
Christ is the true Priest of the world. Since the provision of food for the people of God is the essence of priestly responsibility, Christ fulfilled
the office of priest in a way that no other could. H e regularly fed people, symbolizing that He is the true priest (John 6: 1-13). But He Himself is
the bread of life: "I am the bread of life” (John 6:35), making Him the sacrifice of the world as well. As such He is the High Priest who offers the
sacrificial food to God. Yet, He offers Himself to the world through the priestly ministry of the Church, making His food available to the church in
the Holy Supper (I Corinthians 11:23-26).
The Church as a corporate body has a priestly function, being defined as a priest (I Peter 2:9). It is commanded to feed and provide food. It offers
the Lord's Supper. It is also required to be hospitable. These all have to do with serving of food, non-sacerdotal priestly functions. This
means we can recognize the priestly aspect of the Church without placing man back under the Old Testament system. On the other hand, we
should acknowledge that the Church is a priest for God, ministering the bread of life to the world.
But, since providing food for the people of God is not an inherently sacerdotal function, not continuing in the form of a sacrifice but as a
sacrament, Christ calls the Church to specific priestly activity by means of ordained officers. Just as we saw in the prophetic office, Christ directs
the Church to a priestly function by appointing the Apostles to feed God's people. He says to Peter, "Feed My Sheep" (John 21:15-19). He tells the
great fisherman to do what Adam was supposed to do, provide food for the world. Only, He directs Peter to give the food of Christ, which is
specifically done at the Lord's Supper. Interestingly, the early Church had a practice of bringing the elements for communion down with the tithes
and offerings. They provided the food as a symbol of their living sacrifice to God (Romans 12:1-2). The food was then consecrated through the
minister of God and given as spiritual food. In this twofold action we see how the Church served as a priest before God and how the minister performed
a non-sacerdotal function of priest to man. Thus, the officers of the Church represent the non-sacerdotal priestly function of the office of
Christ to the people because the Body of Christ is also given this priestly
office. The officers stand for what Christ and the Church as the Body of Christ already is: prophet, priest, and king.
Source: Ray Sutton, Captains and Courts, pp. 54-55
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MartinMarprelate
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| posted on 11/20/2007 at 01:55 PM |
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Sorry, Joseph,
This really won't do.
Why not do a word search on avad (or abad) and shamar? You will see that as well as their cultic meanings they also have
a 'normal' secular meaning. For example, Jacob 'served' Laban for 14 years, but I don't think he worshipped him or officiated as a priest
towards him.
This is special pleading at its very worst. 
BTW, I'm sorry I haven't come back on the other two threads that I promised to. I have had to go away for a few days.
Steve
Steve
Finished Here
www.marprelate.wordpress.com
'Now this is the Name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS'
'....... Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God- and righteousness and sanctification and redemption'
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biblelighthouse
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| posted on 11/20/2007 at 02:20 PM |
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Steve,
Before you throw the baby out with the bathwater, please take a look at Dr. Sutton's full work:
Captains and Courts
It will give you the full context of his statements, so you don't have to just rely on the bits and pieces I quote in these posts.
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biblelighthouse
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| posted on 11/20/2007 at 02:22 PM |
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Also, are you considering the fact that Sutton looks not merely for one word or the other, but cases in Scripture where both words
are used together?
I think that is Sutton's point . . . the combination of serve/guard is what he is getting at, I think.
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