The Source of Luther’s
Spiritual Priesthood
A common
misunderstanding assumes that the doctrine begins with 1 Pet 2:5-9, but this
passage is not the most foundational for Luther. Like the NT authors, the
source of Luther’s doctrine is the identification of Jesus, the Anointed One (Christos),
with the eschatological Melchizedekian Priesthood described in Ps 110:4. Luther’s
understanding grew from his exegesis of Psalm 110 and its treatment in Hebrews.
(Hank
Voss, The Priesthood of All Believers and the Missio Dei: A Canonical,
Catholic, and Contextual Perspective [Princeton Theological Monograph Series;
Eugene, Oreg.: Pickwick Publications, 2016], 135-36)
According to Luther, verse four [of Psa 110] unites “the
kingly and priestly functions in one person.” (LW 13:305) It indicates
that Christ’s eschatological priesthood will be entirely different from the Levitical
priesthood. (LW 13:306) It finds its proctology in the Melchizedekian royal
priesthood described in Genesis 14 (LW 13:309-15) and in the oath given
by God to Abraham in Gen 12:3. (LW 13:308) For Luther, the pope set up “his
own priestcraft” (Pfafferey) in opposition to the Melchizedekian office
of Christ. (LW 13:315) IN contrast to Rome’s mass-priests (Mess
Pfaffen), Luther expounds upon three functions of Christ’s royal priesthood
. . . (LW 13:315-29) He concludes with “some remarks about the way in
which we Christians, too, are priests.” (LW 13:29; see 29-34) This 1535
sermon provides the clearest statement of Luther’s doctrine. For Luther, the
only true priesthood is Christ’s Melchizedekian priesthood, in which disciples
participate through the new birth and baptism. (Ibid., 136-37, emphasis in
original)
SEEDS AND SIBLINGS OF THE PRIEST KING:
THE ROYAL PRIESTHOOD OF BELIEVERS
Luther’s claim has two implications for baptized believers:
1) Believers are ordained to royal priesthood at their baptism; 2) All believers
are called to priestly discipleship. Furst, Luther teaches that baptism
represents a new birth whereby we enter the priestly family of Christ as his
children and siblings. God works through “the Gospel and Holy Baptism” to make
those born of him “true children of a priest [Priesters Kinder]” who “Inherit
the same name from their father. Consequently every baptized Christian is a
priest already. (LW 13:329)
During the medieval period,
the power and wonder of baptism had gradually been overshadowed by emphasis on
penance and the Eucharist. Luther recovered a sense of the awe felt by early
Christians when they discussed their baptism. (Luther, Large Catechism,
Baptism 42) Luther repeatedly emphasized that there is only one priesthood
(Christ’s) and only one priestly ordination (Baptism). “We are all consecrated
priests through baptism” LW 44:127. See also LW 30:63; 40:19)
All Christian priesthood
finds its source in baptism, because that is where the believer is united with
Christ’s baptism. (WA 51:111)
IF baptism both units
believers with Christ and ordains them for service in the royal priesthood,
this is because both actions are closely tied to justification by faith. Faith
makes a Christian a priest, not simply baptism.
For faith must do
everything. Faith alone is the true priestly office. It permits no one else to
take its place. Therefore all Christian men are priests, all women priestesses,
be they young or old, master or servant, mistress or maid, learned or unlearned.
Here there is no difference unless faith be unequal. (LW 35:101; 12:289)
(Ibid., 137-38)
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