Was there any meaningful difference between the terms "presbyter" and "priest" in early Christianity?
score:4
I don't have any documents to show you, but I do want to point out some linguistic aspects to this question that can lead to confusion.
In English, the word priest comes from a contraction of the word presbyter. In other languages, the word used for Catholic priests today is the word presbyter, so this question as worded doesn't really work in an early Church context that predates the English language.
However, in Greek, there is the word hieros, which fits the Old Testament concept of a priest in the Temple. The meaning of hieros is one who offers sacrifices. It also refers to one who represents God to man and man to God, performing an intermediary and intercessory role. However, the meaning of presbyteros is really just an older man who is a leader and does not have as much of a religious connotation.
I think the question you would be interested in would be to know if the words hieros and presbyteros were used to refer to the same person in the early Church. I remember hearing that they were because they refer to different aspects of the same role, with hieros referring to their intercessory role and presbyteros referring to their leadership role.
By the way, hieros is where we get the word "hierarchy" (literally rule by priests) referring to the leadership of the Church.
Upvote:0
My best friend has preached and wrote about this. The equation of priest and presbyter is something that comes from the development of English (alongside traditional Sacramental Christianity). Basically alongside the use of Presbyter (as an elder, and someone that celebrates the Eucharist), there was an English corruption of it as "Prester" (I think that a medieval or Renaissance corruption). And of course because of Sacramental Christianity, and the Eucharist where the person presiding was sometimes referred to as "priest" figuratively speaking. But basically the terms became conflated with each other because of sounding similar, but also do to the Eucharistic theology of Christianity before the Reformation.
I found an online Encyclopedia article that somewhat supports my friend's thesis, but talks about in terms of German Saxon and Latin.
https://www.etymonline.com/word/priest
Here is another example of the use of Prester. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prester_John
More post
- 📝 Tower of Babel dispersion after the Table of Nations?
- 📝 Converting to Judaism or Islam vs Trinitarian or Uniterian
- 📝 Why do Catholic people not partake of Mass every single day?
- 📝 What is the difference, if any, between the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives vs. the apostles lives?
- 📝 Would salvation have been possible if Jesus had died without shedding His blood?
- 📝 What does it mean to pray in Jesus' Name?
- 📝 Crucifixion -- torture stake or cross?
- 📝 LDS Prophet Joseph Smith said, "In the beginning, the head of the Gods called a council of Gods to create the world and people in it
- 📝 What level of submission do Catholics give to random things the Pope says?
- 📝 From where did Cain get his wife?
- 📝 Is it cruel that God punishes us with eternal hell?
- 📝 When Jesus was living on the Earth, was He capable of communicating in all languages?
- 📝 Does the Eastern Orthodox Church eat leavened or unleavened bread during the Eucharist?
- 📝 What is the argument *for* prosperity gospel?
- 📝 According to Catholicism, how should Christians react when an unbeliever dies?
- 📝 The Bible and art
- 📝 According to the LDS faith, did Noah build the Ark in America?
- 📝 Which denominations believe that John 19 indicates that the crucifixion had the date of Nisan 14?
- 📝 What does the Bible say about how we should pray?
- 📝 Is the Greek word Protoktistos used anywhere in the Bible?
- 📝 What exactly did Jesus mean when He said "I am coming soon" and similar phrases?
- 📝 Mere Christianity Book I Chapters 1 and 2: How would Lewis explain morality being inherently known but also taught?
- 📝 Ignorance of Adam and Eve
- 📝 Do lay Catholics have any recourse to override the plans of a diocesan Ordinary?
- 📝 Was universalism the majority belief of the early church?
- 📝 Does the bible support Ethno-Nationalism?
- 📝 Why did the temple in Ezekiel have stairs leading up to the altar?
- 📝 Not understanding the meaning of the song Resurrecting by Elevation Worship
- 📝 What established Christian theology speaks to the question of whether or not God is contingent on his followers?
- 📝 What was the early American church like?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Was there any meaningful difference between the terms "presbyter" and "priest" in early Christianity?
- 📝 Is there any substantive difference between the verbal reference "second Corinthians" and "two Corinthians"?
- 📝 What was the difference between the Pharisees and Sadducees?
- 📝 Was there doctrinal difference between Lollards and Waldenses?
- 📝 What was the difference between Ratramnus's view of the Eucharist and that of Calvin?
- 📝 What was St. Thomas Aquinas's view on the difference between punishment accorded to original sin and punishment accorded to individual sin?
- 📝 Is there any ancient or modern connection between the word "sin" and the sport of archery?
- 📝 What was the language that Enoch spoke and did the Book of Enoch get written 3000 years BC is there any proof or carbon dating of that?
- 📝 Are there any differences between Protestant and Catholic theology concerning the distinction between demonic possession from mental illness?
- 📝 Is there a difference of substance between the veneration of Mary, and the worship of God?
- 📝 Is there any real significant difference between Protestantism and Catholicism?
- 📝 Is there any connection between the country of origin of Popes and nearby large gatherings of Catholics or Councils?
- 📝 What did St. John Chrysostom mean by saying there is no difference between what is demanded from the monastics and the laity?
- 📝 What was the difference between Jerusalem's honorary primacy and the primacy of Rome, Alexandria, and Antioch?
- 📝 Is there any specific difference between a "Christian" and a 'true' disciple of Christ?
- 📝 Is there any difference in meaning between "Holy Spirit" and "Holy Ghost"?
- 📝 Is there any evidence that in the middle ages (France and maybe Spain), there was a wafer/bread given to the priests as a gift for the priest?
- 📝 Are there any reports of charismatic gifts in operation from the period between the 5th and 17th centuries AD?
- 📝 Do mainstream believers believe there was a large interval of time that elapsed between the fall of angels and God speaking creating the universe?
- 📝 Was there any case of a h*m*sexual priest in the early Church and how did the Church handle that?
- 📝 Is there any relationship between Aquinas teaching on the analogical knowledge of God and Christ teaching in parables?
- 📝 Are there any Christian scholarly publications on the differences between the nature of humans pre-fall and post-resurrection?
- 📝 Are there any Christian groups or denominations that make a distinction between the gift of healing and just praying for the sick to get healed?
- 📝 Was there a paradigm shift in Jesus' interaction with women between the beginning and end of his public life
- 📝 Is there any Biblical Basis for 400 years of silence between Old and New Testament?
- 📝 What is the difference between Evangelical and Protestant?
- 📝 How can I tell the difference between the Moral law and other laws in the old testament?
- 📝 What is the difference between Reformed and Presbyterian
- 📝 Why the difference in depiction of the cross between Catholics and Protestants?
- 📝 What is the difference between 'Biblical' and 'Systematic' theology?