We protestants have a hard time with the concept of priest. We think of a man in a black shirt with a white collar, and we might say, maybe with a tinge of pride, something about the priesthood of all believers.
That does not do away with the biblical concept of priesthood and its application to our lives. Jesus remains the “Apostle and High Priest of our confession” (Heb. 3:1). God did not do away do away with the role and responsibility of priesthood in our lives. The function is still there and necessary.
In Hebrew thought a priest is a mediator between God and people. Someone who represents God to the people through word and sacrament, and who represents the people to God through prayer and sacrifice. The concept was described by Jethro for Moses: “Stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God. And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do” (Ex. 18:19, 20).
For example in applying the concept of patriarchy we look to Job, the righteous man of the east who feared God and eschewed evil. He had grown sons and daughters who enjoyed each other’s company (fancy that among siblings!) and met at each other’s house regularly for a barbecue. Job regularly interceded for them and offered sacrifice for them, because, he said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts” (Job 1:5). Job assumed patriarchal responsibility for things that might have occured in his household, among his children, even without his personal knowledge or involvement.
Let’s see how patriarchal priesthood might look for us:
Prayer. Based on Job’s example, we husbands and fathers are responsible before God for praying for our families. This is difficult because many men do not feel they pray well. The example they have had is women praying long, wordy prayers, and most men aren’t wordy. For the prayerophobes among us let me assure you, on the word of Jesus, that prayer need not be wordy, lengthy, or flowery. It can be brief and to the point. Also, it can be written and recited from memory. Jesus gave the Lord’s Prayer to the disciples for that purpose. We can use a prayer book, and we can write our own prayers to use every day. God is interested in the heart and obedience, not huge prayer vocabulary. Simple. To-the-point. Heartfelt. Intercessory.
Here is a wonderful prayer, straight from the Book of Common Prayer, that I use with the family every day. It is brief, to the point, and says it all:
Word. This may overlap with the prophetic role, but refers to reading and explaining the Scriptures. Sometimes men don’t read the Bible because they aren’t good readers. They may not have been taught much about the Bible themselves. Or they might not know what to read in the Bible.
These need not be problems. If reading ability is an issue ask your wife or older children to read. Use Bible on CDs to listen to selected passages, or maybe some of the dramatized Scriptures on DVD. You don’t actually have to do it as much as you need to be sure it is done. There are several reading plans out there. Find one that works for you. I use the Lectionary for preaching at church, and the daily lectionary that goes with it to keep all the themes consistent.
Sacrament. This usually refers to administering God’s grace. In Hebrew practice fathers always presided over the weekly sabbath celebrations and the annual Passover celebrations. They taught their children spiritual principles and how to apply them to life.
In Protestant Christianity sacrament usually means Holy Communion and baptism. I regularly recruit people from the congregation to help me serve communion, and I get fathers to help me baptize their children. These are wonderful ways fathers can be involved sacramentally with their families.
Sacrifice. Priests offer sacrifice, and so do we. Jesus became sacrifice, and so must we. Patriarchal responsibility often means we set aside our plans, agendas, and dreams to ensure that wife is loved and children are nurtured in the admonition of the Lord. As I mentioned in another journal entry, the hope deferred experienced by men applies here.
But the obvious applies, too. We need to be sacrificial in giving to the church, and teaching our children the importance of giving to God’s kingdom through the church.
The priestly function of fathers cannot be overstated. The book of Acts records the powerful influence two pagan fathers had on their families when they became believers. Luke describes the Roman centurian Cornelius as “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always” (Acts 10:2). He notes that when Peter arrived he gathered his family to hear the good news.
Luke also tells us about the Philippian jailer, on duty during the night guarding Paul and Silas, who were loudly praying and singing hymns from within the prison. Suddenly an earthquake occured and the jailer thought prisoners were escaping. When Paul assured him otherwise, the jailer rushed to them to ask how he might be saved. Paul promised the jailer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Luke is careful to tell us, “when [the jailer] had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household” (see Acts 16:25-34).
There is something powerful about a committed patriarchal father with firm faith that encourages his household. That is why we must be priests of our homes in the true patriarchal sense.
That does not do away with the biblical concept of priesthood and its application to our lives. Jesus remains the “Apostle and High Priest of our confession” (Heb. 3:1). God did not do away do away with the role and responsibility of priesthood in our lives. The function is still there and necessary.
In Hebrew thought a priest is a mediator between God and people. Someone who represents God to the people through word and sacrament, and who represents the people to God through prayer and sacrifice. The concept was described by Jethro for Moses: “Stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God. And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do” (Ex. 18:19, 20).
For example in applying the concept of patriarchy we look to Job, the righteous man of the east who feared God and eschewed evil. He had grown sons and daughters who enjoyed each other’s company (fancy that among siblings!) and met at each other’s house regularly for a barbecue. Job regularly interceded for them and offered sacrifice for them, because, he said, “It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts” (Job 1:5). Job assumed patriarchal responsibility for things that might have occured in his household, among his children, even without his personal knowledge or involvement.
Let’s see how patriarchal priesthood might look for us:
Prayer. Based on Job’s example, we husbands and fathers are responsible before God for praying for our families. This is difficult because many men do not feel they pray well. The example they have had is women praying long, wordy prayers, and most men aren’t wordy. For the prayerophobes among us let me assure you, on the word of Jesus, that prayer need not be wordy, lengthy, or flowery. It can be brief and to the point. Also, it can be written and recited from memory. Jesus gave the Lord’s Prayer to the disciples for that purpose. We can use a prayer book, and we can write our own prayers to use every day. God is interested in the heart and obedience, not huge prayer vocabulary. Simple. To-the-point. Heartfelt. Intercessory.
Here is a wonderful prayer, straight from the Book of Common Prayer, that I use with the family every day. It is brief, to the point, and says it all:
Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought us in safety to this new day: Preserve us with your mighty power, that we may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity; and in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.What if you were to substitute the word us with the name of your respective family members? Powerful, effective, simple. Most of all, obedient and priestly.
Word. This may overlap with the prophetic role, but refers to reading and explaining the Scriptures. Sometimes men don’t read the Bible because they aren’t good readers. They may not have been taught much about the Bible themselves. Or they might not know what to read in the Bible.
These need not be problems. If reading ability is an issue ask your wife or older children to read. Use Bible on CDs to listen to selected passages, or maybe some of the dramatized Scriptures on DVD. You don’t actually have to do it as much as you need to be sure it is done. There are several reading plans out there. Find one that works for you. I use the Lectionary for preaching at church, and the daily lectionary that goes with it to keep all the themes consistent.
Sacrament. This usually refers to administering God’s grace. In Hebrew practice fathers always presided over the weekly sabbath celebrations and the annual Passover celebrations. They taught their children spiritual principles and how to apply them to life.
In Protestant Christianity sacrament usually means Holy Communion and baptism. I regularly recruit people from the congregation to help me serve communion, and I get fathers to help me baptize their children. These are wonderful ways fathers can be involved sacramentally with their families.
Sacrifice. Priests offer sacrifice, and so do we. Jesus became sacrifice, and so must we. Patriarchal responsibility often means we set aside our plans, agendas, and dreams to ensure that wife is loved and children are nurtured in the admonition of the Lord. As I mentioned in another journal entry, the hope deferred experienced by men applies here.
But the obvious applies, too. We need to be sacrificial in giving to the church, and teaching our children the importance of giving to God’s kingdom through the church.
The priestly function of fathers cannot be overstated. The book of Acts records the powerful influence two pagan fathers had on their families when they became believers. Luke describes the Roman centurian Cornelius as “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always” (Acts 10:2). He notes that when Peter arrived he gathered his family to hear the good news.
Luke also tells us about the Philippian jailer, on duty during the night guarding Paul and Silas, who were loudly praying and singing hymns from within the prison. Suddenly an earthquake occured and the jailer thought prisoners were escaping. When Paul assured him otherwise, the jailer rushed to them to ask how he might be saved. Paul promised the jailer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.” Luke is careful to tell us, “when [the jailer] had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household” (see Acts 16:25-34).
There is something powerful about a committed patriarchal father with firm faith that encourages his household. That is why we must be priests of our homes in the true patriarchal sense.
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