Priests were a central part of the Old Testament. Check out the Priest Duties And Responsibilities In The Old Testament, old testament priesthood new testament priesthood and characteristics of a priest in the bible Their duties included taking people’s offerings and sacrifices to God, blessing people with the Lord’s name, conducting public worship services for the people, and teaching people about God. They were also responsible for protecting the Israelite people from evil forces by offering sacrifices on their behalf to appease God so he would not harm them.
A Priest is a man who serves the people of God. He acts as a mediator between God and humanity. According to John A. Atkinson’s book “The Priesthood,” there are three main categories of priests mentioned in the Bible: (1) those who served in connection with the tabernacle, temple, or synagogues; (2) those who offered sacrifices for sin; and (3) tribal priests (like Levi).
Right here on Churchgists, you can rest assured that you will obtain all the relevant information you need on 10 responsibilities of a priest, priesthood in the Old Testament pdf, 5 duties and responsibilities of a priest:, and so much more. Be sure to visit our catalog for more information on similar topics. You don’t want to miss this!
Priest Duties And Responsibilities In The Old Testament
We could generally describe the role of God’s priests as follows:
- These were ordained by God to offer sacrifices.
“For every high priest taken from among men (all the Jewish priests were taken from the Kohan family of the tribe of Levi) is appointed on behalf of men (set apart for their work to represent their people before God) in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins (priests were able to sympathize with the people because they were subject to the same weaknesses and also had need of the forgiveness of their own sins),” Hebrew 5:1 (NASB). - Priests were to teach the law.
“And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses,” Leviticus 10:11.
“… for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet,” Jeremiah 18:18.
- Priests determined whether a person was sick or healthy.
“When a man shall have in the skin of his flesh a rising, a scab, or bright spot, and it be in the skin of his flesh like the plague of leprosy; then he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest, or unto one of his sons the priests: And the priest shall look on the plague in the skin of the flesh… and the priest shall look on him and pronounce him unclean.” Leviticus 13:2,3
Deuteronomy 33:10 summarizes priestly duties: “They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law; they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar.”
Old Testament Priesthood And New Testament Priesthood
Are you called to the priesthood? A man may say, “Yes, I do believe I might have a call, but I need a more concrete sign.” What are the signs that God might be calling me? What are the gifts that I need to be a happy, effective priest? Here are some qualities desired for candidates for the priesthood:
Love for the Eucharist
Do you have a love for the Eucharist, and truly wish to be a walking temple mirroring His miracles, acceptance, forgiveness and self-gifts?
A Strong Prayer Life
Do you have a desire to deepen your prayer life, a desire to enter into a more powerful relationship with God, to grow in understanding; not only to grow in holiness yourself but to model holiness so others may desire to join you in your journey toward Christ?
Need for Scripture
Do you love the word of God? Does the desire to pass it on excite you? Do you have a desire to proclaim the Gospel, but especially to live it to your maximum potential?
Generosity and Kindness
Are you willing to give away your time, your energy, your possessions, even your heart, for God and His people?
A Good Listener
Are you a good listener? Do you take time with people? Are the needs of others important to you? Are you willing to listen deeply to hear what people are truly saying?
Other Important Qualities
- Personal relationship with God evidenced by prayer
- Love for the Catholic Church and its teachings
- Interest in serving people
- Ability to work with others
- Respect for other people
- Openness to different races, ethnic groups and cultures
- Good social skills
- Capacity and desire to learn
- Healthy self-image
- Ability to spend time alone
- Capacity for friendship
- Courage to take risks
- Ability to voice an unpopular view
Characteristics of A Priest In The Bible
The priests were the most important people in ancient Israel. They were the ones who offered sacrifices to God on behalf of the people. They were also responsible for teaching and interpreting the Law of Moses to the people. The priests were required to be holy, and they could not have any physical defects or blemishes, such as a missing limb or eye.
There were several types of priests in ancient Israel, including:
Cohanim: This was a hereditary priesthood that was only available to males from specific bloodlines. The first-born son was entitled to become a priest unless he had an older brother who was already serving as one. If one of these sons died before becoming an adult or before becoming eligible for priesthood, then his younger brother would take his place instead.
Levites: These were men who did not belong to specific families but rather were assigned by God himself based on their ability to serve him faithfully (Numbers 1:48). They served as assistants to both Cohanim and Kohanim (see below), but they also had additional duties such as offering sacrifices at times when Kohanim were not allowed because they had become unclean due to having contact with dead bodies (Numbers 3:1).
The priest’s duties in the Old Testament are to lead the people in worship, administer the sacraments, and minister to them. They also serve as judges and teachers.
Priests are required to follow a code of conduct that includes being faithful to their wives, not going near any dead body except their own relatives, not eating any blood or meat from an animal that has been killed by another person, not entering a house where there is a corpse (they can’t even go in the same room), not becoming unclean by touching anything unclean (e.g., body fluids), being clean at all times so they can perform sacrifices on behalf of others.