This is a subject I feel very strongly about, it is a topic that spreads from the Torah to Revelations, and it has become so laced with religion it is suffocating. I write this because this seems to be so integral to the scriptural Ekklesia, which I see forming here on this forum.


The ‘Have Beens’ – The Torah appointed Priesthood

The original Priests were haCohenim, the Torahic sons of Levi who were responsible for the sacrifices in the Temple. Their job was the metaphorical sacrifice of the pure sheep, cattle etc on the Alter, to take away the sins of the people of YHWH.

I would like to stress the isolation of the priests from the people, and that the people joined themselves to the atonement by visiting the temple and participating in the Sabbath and Miqra.

Simply put, their job was to intercede with YHWH for our transgressions… getting the symbolism?

Skip forward a couple of thousand years to a truly pure ‘sheep’ who interceded once and for all, and the need for the Torahic haCohenim is no more.


The ‘Would Be’s’ – the self-appointed Priesthood

Most modern day priests, pastors, vicars and their ilk seem not to have read/understood Acts 2:42,

“And they continued steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking bread, and in prayers.”

…And Acts 2:46,

“And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,”

… Look… no priests!!!

I hope you all agree with me that this is the ideal for the Ekklesia, we meet, eat and drink (break bread – this has NOTHING to do with communion) and discuss and learn. What the passage is missing are the priests, the ones who need to intercede for us with YHWH, they aren’t there! Just a bunch of people who have received the Ruarkh haKadesh having supper/snacks while chatting.

So please tell me why even in the most ‘enlightened’ of circles, we go like sheep to buildings and listen to ‘sermons’ from ‘priests’. They may not call themselves priests, but the second they stand in front of a gathering and take the floor, that is what they appoint themselves. Has anyone tried to ask a question during one of these ‘sermons’? More to the point, has anyone ever heard a ‘priest’ give a sermon in which the floor is opened at the end to questions or comments? If you have then that is fantastic, personally, I have not.

We no longer need ‘priests’, we need to break bread from house to house and eat our meat with gladness and singleness of heart.

If you are part of a ‘congregation’ of believers, especially if you are a leader among them, why not start something different. One Sunday morning arrange your chairs in circles of say 10. When the people enter, encourage them to grab a cup of tea/coffee and a sarnie. Get them to do a worksheet or something, anything to get them talking and fellowshipping, I’d bet this would spill out into people’s homes.

If I want to sit in a chair and watch someone lecture me for two hours, I’ll go to the cinema, I’d probably learn more – I could even have a sing-a-long at some places.



The ‘Should Be’

Will this one is a bit of a non-brainer – who interceded for us with YHWH once and for all so that we could have a personal relationship with YHWH?

Ta Dah!

BTW - Sarnie - paleo – military; two slices of bread with a filling, possibly a generalized term for a snack – a food taken whilst on the move/ on duty/ at post ;-)

I think there is some justification for a mobile, itinerant group of evangelists as evidence in Matthew 10. We also see this revived at various times in history with the Lollard group in Britain after the release of the English Bible.

From Acts we know an elder board in Jerusalem was made up of the Apostles and they coordinated the evangelism and received offerings from afar.

There also seems to be evidence of house churches and other ad hoc assemblies which could presumably turn into more organized, structured churches with permanent priests if given time and lack of direction when Jerusalem was sacked.

The early ekklesia in the first 200 hundred years grew virally, but the stamp of Constantine would seem to have imposed the modern look and feel. Now we have churches that stand empty all week while the offerings go not to the widows and orphans but to salaries and mortgages.

I wish Deacons would just pass out food Coleridge, and leave off the little kids! And you hit the nail right on the head, giving up the Power must be hard for these people. I guess maybe pointing out that Satan's hallmarks are wealth, lust and power might do the trick ...

It is truly encouraging to read jojocc's post here. As an ex-RCC member and and having last attended the Worldwide Church of God 10 years ago, I still managed to find The Truth, The Way and The Life without having to attend a sermon by a priest or pastor or minister! Our Creator has many ways to draw his flock to Him and today in the information age the Internet is the best for disseminating Scriptural Truths. Much can be learnt from any source if the mind is open and there is no desire to conform to any other than to the Word. Many have been led astray by priests, pastors, ministers, deacons, rabbis, imams, muftis, monks and suchlike, and that is why Yahushua was so angry and Yahweh issues the sternest warnings to their ilk.

Do we still need to attend services in the local church, especially if it is headed by non-believers? Only if you think you can do The Work there, I suppose. Do we need to have a minister among us? Personally, I think not in the same sense as the traditional church. I'd rather think that if each person allows the Ruarch HaQodesh to work in each of our lives, we would be able to be of service to each other and to the non-believers around us. We should be setting examples instead of listening to a misguided priest or minister. Imagine if Abraham or Noah had to wait for a priest or minister! Of course, over time there will be some structure in a local ekklesia but each person shall be accountable to the other, and not to a central authority... we all know where that usually leads to!

Yahushua is the head of the Ekklesia, and we are commanded to love Yahweh and each other. If we uplift each other, what is there to lose? If we give authority to one of us, are we in error? It depends on what capacity and the purpose, I'd think. As long as we realise that none is above the other but that some are more gifted and are capable of giving more, we should be fine and should not feel inferior or indebted. Personally, I thank Yahweh for inspiring people like Yada and KP for their work, and I respect and admire them for what they have done. I am almost afraid for them as they may be our two end-time apostles, but I am certain that if that is their destiny then all of us would do whatever we can to support the Work to the end. If it not them it will definitely be other members of the Ekklesia. So we look out for them, for each other and pray that Yahweh watches over all of us.