← Priesthood
Luke 22:19-20
And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after supper, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”
Catholic Perspective
In the Old Covenant, the classic memorial sacrifice was the annual Passover, in which the ancient Hebrews, which included the Jews, sacrificed lambs and then ate them: “This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord. . .” (Exod. 12:14).
At the Last Supper, Jesus, the Paschal Lamb (John 19:36, 1 Cor. 5:7), ordains his apostles as New Covenant priests. We know this because he directs them to perform his actions “in remembrance” of him. For the Jewish people, “remembrance” is a liturgical term that denotes the offering of a priestly sacrifice, specifically a memorial sacrifice, because the prime function of a priest is “to offer gifts and sacrifices” (Heb. 8:3).
Common Objections
| + | IN THE NEW COVENANT THERE IS ONLY THE PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS. |
| + | IF JESUS CAN’T BE A PRIEST ON EARTH, NEITHER CAN HIS APOSTLES. |
| + | REMEMBRANCE IN THE NEW COVENANT IS ONLY SYMBOLIC. |
