Section 1

(Salvation, Jesus, Faith, The Bible & Interpretation)

 

Section 2  (Tradition, Church Fathers,

Baptism)

 

Section 3  (Chrism, The Church, Apostolic Succession, Eucharist -

Qurbana)

 

Section 4  (Intercession,

Prayers for the dead, Priesthood, Confession)

 

 Section 5  (Death cont.., St. Mary, The Cross, Saints, Fasting & Lent, Written Prayers 'Brothers')     

40 Questions Answered

 

STIGNATIOUS.COM

Section 4

 

 

CONFESSION

 

82. Confess to whom?

83. But David confessed to God, and to no one else.

84. Did anyone confess to the apostles?

85. Did our Lord give the apostles the right to absolve sins

86. So this right to absolve sins were given only to the apostles and NOT to the other disciples?

87. In James 5:16, it says to confess your sins to 'each other'. Where does it say that it should be to a priest?

88. Peter committed a sin. He turned to Christ and cried and begged for forgiveness. He was forgiven his sins.

     Judas also committed a sin. He confessed his sin to the Jewish priests. The answer he received from the

     Jewish priest was 'what is that to us?'  So can't we infer that 'one should confess to Christ and that it is

     futile to confess before a priest?'

89. When did this practice of confessing to the elder/priest begin?

 

 

PRIESTHOOD

 

90. What should one do to be saved? (A summary of our discussion so far)

91. Did Jesus Christ do anything so that believers can receive all that has been mentioned above? Did He

      authorize anyone to perform these? 

92. What did the apostles believe about themselves? (Did they believe that they themselves were people

      without any authority, or as having authority?)

93. 'Only the apostles therefore received this authority and gift of God. How can the priests in the church claim

      to have this? It all ended with the death of the apostles!'

94. Where in the Bible does it say that the apostles 'ordained' priests?

95. How did the apostles ordain?

96. What about the argument that 'Paul received his power directly from God, not from the apostles?'

97. Was Ananias who baptized Paul a lay-man (Common man)?

98. Is it fair to call the ordained ones 'Fathers', administrators, etc..? Is this in the Bible?

99. Were there these positions (Priests, Bishops, and Deacons) in the early church?

 

 

VESTMENTS USED BY THE PRIEST / BISHOPS

 

100. Why are priests required to wear robes?

101."And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifice which take way the

       sins." (Heb. 10:11) When then do you have the Holy mass (Eucharist)

102. Priests in the Orthodox Church wear a cap or a veil. Isn't this against what St. Paul has said? (i.e. when

       praying, do not cover your head)

103. Bishops in the Orthodox Church have a miter. Isn't this an imitation from the priests of the god dagon?

       Is this not against the Christian faith?

 

MEDIATORS / SAINTS / INTERCESSION

 

104. Refer to the following verses. "Therefore there is one God and there is one mediator between God and

       men, the Man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." (1 Tim 2:5,5)

       Why then have mediators?

105. In that case why pray to Jesus Christ? If Jesus is a mediator then we would rather use His mediator-ship

       to pray, than to pray to Jesus!

106. But these mediators were alive. Most of your saint-mediators are not alive. They are dead. How can they

        mediate or pray for us? "The dead do not praise the Lord" (Psalms 115:17)

 

DEATH / PRAYERS FOR THE DEPARTED

 

107. What is the state of those who died in Jesus Christ?

108. David says, "The dead does not praise the Lord, all those gone down into silence" (Psalms 115:17). Then

       why should one pray for the dead?

109. Does the New Testament teach us to pray for the dead?

 

                    (This Topic Continues in Section 5)

 

 

PREVIOUS (Section 3)

NEXT (Section 5)

 

 

82.  Confess to whom?

 

We have to confess our sins to God many times a day and ask for forgiveness. The traditional Churches have prayers embedded with verses, begging for forgiveness. Our Lord asked the apostles to confess to the Father Almighty and also to pray. Jesus taught us what to pray:

 

“Our father in heaven,

Hallowed be Your name,

Your kingdom comes,

Your will be done, on earth as in heaven,

Give us today our daily bread;

and forgive our debtors, as we forgive our debtors,

and do not subject us to the temptations but deliver us from the evil one.

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Mat. 6:9-13)

 

But unfortunately some sections of ‘Christians’ refuse to pray even the Lord’s Prayer because of spiritual pride, for they think that they are not sinners. If one commits no sins, why did Christ ask us to pray in this manner? Therefore we have to confess to God in front of a person who has the authority to absolve ones sins.

 

 

83.   But David confessed to God, and to no one else!

 

This incident occurred long before our Lord's incarnation and establishment of the church. During those days (Old Testament times) God had not authorized anyone to forgive sins. So David could do only that, as there was no other alternative. But our situation is different. 

 

It is interesting to meet this argument. Let me quote John 20:22-23: “Jesus said to them Peace be with you. As the Father sent me, so I send you. And when he had said this, He breathed on them and said to them 'Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive, are forgiven them and whose sins you retain are retained.” Our Lord gave the apostles (to the apostles alone, not to any one else) the right to absolve sins, just before ascending to Heaven (This power to forgive was given only after the apostles received the Holy Spirit). If the apostles do not absolve a person's sins, he or she has no other way of absolution, and shall die in sin! Now unless I confess to the apostles what my sins are, how can they (the apostles) absolve them? We all know that there were people who came to Jesus Christ in order to get relief from diseases. Jesus told the paralytic “As for you, your sins are forgiven” (Luke 5:17-26). If the paralytic and others had not approached Jesus, would their sins be absolved?  No!  We can read in John 20:22-23 that the apostles were given the authority to absolve sins. If one was stubborn as to think that he would not approach the apostles for absolution of their sins, he would be like the people who refused to approach Jesus Christ for absolution of their sins. He would be defying Christ.

 

84.  Did anyone confess to the apostles?

 

Yes. "And many who had believed had come (in Ephesus) confessing, and telling their deeds. Also many of those had practiced witchcraft brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up to the value of them and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver." (Acts 19:18)

 

85. Did Jesus give the apostles the right to absolve sins?

 

Yes.  "Peace to you. As the Father has sent me I also send you. And when He had said this, He breathed on them, "...Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive a man of his sins they shall be forgiven to him; and if you with hold forgiveness of a man’s sins, they are kept.” (John 20:21-23)

 

Does this sentences require an explanation? (Please read the last paragraph of Question 83)

 

 

86. So this right to absolve sins were given only to the apostles, and NOT to the other disciples?

 

Yes. In the Bible the word 'disciples' were used in place of apostles many times. So in John 20:21-23, the word used is 'disciples'. (i.e. "the disciples were glad when they saw Jesus Christ") So some people argue that since the disciples include even females, this right is given to all and not limited to the apostles alone. But if you read John 20:19-29, we can easily see that it was said to the apostles alone (“Thomas called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came”). We can see that the word disciples was used to refer to the apostles throughout the Bible. But only here, there is a dispute that the word  'disciples' in this context includes all. 

 

Such an argument arises because it questions the very existence of many churches (also refer to Question 85). By arguing in this manner, they try to get around the truth. In one version of the Bible (Oswald Smith), they have added a sentence. "Your sins are forgiven you, in the name of Jesus Christ if you receive him as Savior."  How dare that one adds a sentence to our Lord's words, and twists what our Lord has commanded us.

 

If praying directly to God will result in ones forgiveness of sins, why should our Lord Jesus Christ give the apostles the authority to absolve sins? Why did He not say, 'To Forgive your sins pray to the Father Almighty’ or ‘to the Lord?’  Again, He gave them this authority until His Second Coming.  Jesus Christ and the apostles knew that the apostles would not be alive till His Second Coming. So what does this mean? Apostles or people appointed by them will have this authority!  That is what the apostles did by ordaining elders in each town. Since the apostles were given the authority to absolve a church member’s sins, unless they know what sins each member had committed, how can they absolve their sins? So the church members have to confess before an authorized priest.

 

 

87.  In James 5:16, It is said to confess your sins to 'each other'.  Where does it say that it should be to a priest?

 

This sentence is not correct. In the Peshitta-Syriac version, the word used is not sin, but fault. The word fault is used in most of the English (Protestant) translations. Please refer to KJV, Authorized Version, and Scaffold version etc., where the sentence is "Therefore, confess your faults to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed” (James 5:16). This means that one has to confess to a person all the faults done to him. If a person has done something against another, then it is a fault. Jesus Christ Himself said this (to reconcile with your opponent) in Matthew 5.

 

88. Peter committed a sin. He turned to Christ and cried and begged for forgiveness. He was forgiven of his sins. Judas also committed a sin.  He confessed his sin to the Jewish priests. The answer he received from the Jewish priest was ‘what is that to us?’  So can't we infer that 'One should confess to Christ and that it is futile to confess before a priest?'

 

This is an apt example of an argument which shows how innocent people could be misguided by quoting a sentence, and by hiding the truth shown in the very same chapter.

    

Let us look into this. A paralytic was brought to Jesus Christ by four men carrying him on a stretcher and lowered him through the roof. “When He saw their faith, He said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.” Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, “Who is this who speak blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?” (Luke 5:20-21) From the above, what can we understand? The Jewish priests during the time of Jesus Christ believed that they were not given the authority to absolve sins (Which was a fact). So if Jude goes to them (the Jewish priests) and says that he committed a sin, what else could they say?  

 

89.  When did this practice of confessing to the elders/priests begin? 

 

It began from the apostles time. Refer to Acts 19:18 (Question 84). [In Ephesus] "And many who had believed had come confessing and telling their deeds. Also many of those who had practiced witchcraft brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver" (Acts 19:18). There is an argument that this was not a private confession, though no-where does it say it was not so. That is, no-where in the true Bible it says so. But in a few translations, the word 'publicly' has been inserted. (i.e. “And many of the believers came publicly admitting and revealing what they have done!)  See below what many of our early church fathers have written.

 

Didache (Apostolic tradition AD 140) “Confess your offences in the church and do not go up to your prayer with an evil conscience.  (3) “On the day of the Lord gather together, break bread and give thanks after confessing your transgressions so that your sacrifice may be pure.” (8).

 

St. Clement (AD 80) “For whatever our transgressions and whatever we have done through the attack of the adversary let us pray that we may be forgiven For it is good for a man to confess his failing rather than harden his heart” (26a)

 

Tertullian (AD 155- 240) After describing the preparation before confession “to bow before the presbyters, to kneel before God’s refuge places and to beseech all the brethren for the help of their own supplication.  (315) “Therefore, when you cast yourself at the knees of the brethren, you are dealing with Christ, you are entering Christ. (316). “If you are inclined to draw back for the conclusion, consider in your heart the hell which confession extinguishes for you…”Therefore when you know that after the initial support of the Lord’s Baptism there is still in confession a second reserve against hell, why do you desert your salvation? Why do you hesitate to approach what you know will heal you?”

 

St. Hippolytus of Rome:  In prayer for the ordination of bishops “grant to this servant…. to offer to you the gifts of your holy Church; and by the Spirit of the high priesthood to have the authority to forgive sins." (394a)

 

Origon (AD 185-253)  “I will accuse myself to the Lord, of my justice. If we do this and will reveal our sins not only to God but also to those who are able to remedy our wounds and sins, then our sins will be blotted out by Him.”(477) “Only be careful and circumspect in regard to whom you would confess your sins. Test first the physician to whom you would expose the cause of your illness….”(485a). “When a sinner washes his pillow in tears, when his tears are day and night of nourishment, and when he does not shrink from declaring his sin to a priest of the Lord.(493) “Confession of sins merits remission of sins”

 

St. Cyprian (AD 251): Regarding participation in Eucharist: “before they made a confession of their crime, before their conscience has been purged in the ceremony and at the hand of the priest, before the offence against an angry and threatening Lord has been appeased they do violence to His Body and Blood and with their hands and mouth they sin against the Lord more than when they denied Him”(551). “before penance has been done, before a confession of the most grave and extremist sin has been made, before  a hand has been imposed in penance by the bishop and the clergy – to offer on their behalf and to give them the Eucharist ; that is to profane the holy Body of the Lord(568). “Sinners do penance for a just time, after which according to the rule of discipline, they may come to confession and through the imposition of hands by the bishop and clergy, may receive the right of communication now. “ (570) “We know that only in the Church, where prelates have been established by the Gospel law and by the ordinance of the Lord, is it permitted to baptize and to give the remission of sins. Beyond the pale, however, nothing can be bound or be loosed, where there is no one who is able either to bind or to loose.” (594)

 

Fermillian of Caesarea (AD 255): “Since all power and grace is settled in the Church, where preside presbyters who possess the power both of baptizing and of imposing, hands and of ordaining” (601c) “Christ breathed upon the Apostles alone, saying to them: 'Receive the Holy Spirit: if you forgive any man his sins, they will be forgiven; and if you retain any man’s sins, they will be retained.' Therefore the power of forgiving sins was given to the Apostles and to the Churches which these men, sent by Christ, established; and to the bishops who succeeded them by being ordained in their place”(602).

 

Aphraates the Persain sage (AD 336): (to the priests) “You physicians, then, who are the disciples of our illustrious Physician, you ought not deny a curative to those in need of healing.  And if anyone uncovers his wound before you, give him the remedy of repentance. And he that is ashamed to make known his weakness, encourage him so that he will not hide it from you.  And when he has revealed to you, do not make it public, lest because of it the innocent might be reckoned as guilty by our enemies and by those who hate us.” (685)

 

St. Basil the Great: “The same rationale is observed in the declaring of one’s sins as in the detection of physical diseases. Just as the diseases of the body are not divulged to all nor haphazardly, but to those who are skilled in curing them, so too our declaration of our sins should be made clear to those empowered to cure them.” (975). “It is necessary to confess your sins to those to whom the dispensation of God’s mysteries are entrusted. Those doing penance of old are found to have done it before the saints. It is written in the Gospel that they confessed their sins to John the Baptist; but in Acts they confessed to the Apostles, by whom also all were baptized.” (977)

 

St. John Chrysostom (AD 386):  “Priests have received a power which God has given neither to the angels nor to the archangel. It was to apostles, “Whatever you shall bind upon earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose, shall be loosed. Temporal rulers have the power of binding; but they can bind only the body. Priests, however, can bind with a bond that pertains to the soul itself; and transcends the very heavens. What ever the priests do on earth, God will confirm in heaven, just as master ratifies the decisions of his servants (1119) “What greater power is there than this? The priests of Judaism has power to cleanse the body from leprosy – or rather, not to cleanse it at all, but to declare a person as having been cleansed.  Our priests have received the power not of treating with the leprosy of the body, but with spiritual uncleanness; not of declaring cleansed, but actually cleansing …what mean-souled wretch is there who would despise so great a good? None I dare say, unless he be urged on by a devilish impulse!" (1120). “Unless you tell the magnitude of your debt, you do not experience the abundance of grace” (1132)

 

St. Ambrose (AD 387): - “[The sinner] not only confesses his sins, but he even enumerates them and admits his guilt; for he does not want to conceal his faults. For just as fevers are not able to be assuaged when they are deep seated, but offer a hope of cessation when they break, so too the illness of sins burns on while it is hidden, but disappears when it shows itself in confessions." (1259) "Note well that it is through the Holy Spirit that sins are forgiven. Men make use of their ministry in the forgiveness of sins, but they are not exercising any power that is theirs by right. It is not in their own name, but in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit that they forgive sins. They ask and the Divinity forgives.  The ministration is of man, but the gift bestowed is from the power on high”(1287). “For those to whom [the right of binding and of loosing] has been given, it is plain that either both are allowed, or it is clear that neither is allowed.  Both are allowed to the church, neither is allowed to heresy.  For this right has been granted to priests only.“ (1293) “He promised His mercy to all, and granted to His priests the license of forgiving sins with out any exception.“ (1294), "It seemed likewise impossible for sins to be forgiven through penance; yet Christ granted even this to His Apostles, and by His Apostles it has been transmitted to the office of priests.” (1297).

 

St. Jerome (AD 398):  “Just as in the Old Testament the priest makes the leper clean or unclean, so in the New Testament the bishop and presbyter binds or loose not those who are innocent or guilty, but by reason of their office, when they have heard various kinds of sins, they know who is to be bound and who to be loosed.” (1386)

 

Martin Luther: “The words of Christ – ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them and whose sins you retain are retained.’ (John 20:23) (Math 18:18) What is private confession? It has two parts, first we make a personal confession to the pastor and then we receive absolution, which means forgiveness as from God Himself. The absolution we should not doubt, but firmly believe that our sins are forgiven before God in heaven.'

 

90. What should one do to be saved?

 

This is a summary of our discussion so far:

 

91. Did Jesus Christ do anything so that believers can receive all that has been mentioned above? Did He authorize anyone to perform these?

 

He instructed the apostles to perform the following:

(References and explanations given above)

 

92. What did the apostles believe about themselves? (Did they believe that they themselves were people without any authority or as having authority?)

 

Let us see what the apostles have written about them themselves:

 

93. “Only the apostles therefore received this authority and Gift of God. How can the current priests in the Church claim to have this?  It all ended with the death of the apostles!”

 

It did not end with the apostles. It was not meant to end that soon. Jesus Christ established the Church to exist till the Lord’s Second Coming. Our Lord established each and every thing with the intention that it should be in existence till His Second Coming. Let us search the Bible for evidence.

Therefore Jesus wants us also to take part in the Holy Communion. It's not limited to the people who lived during the apostolic times. When Jesus asked the apostles to preach His word till His Second Coming, didn’t our Lord know that the apostles wouldn’t live forever? I am surprised that some people argue in this manner. The apostles not only passed it on from themselves to the next generation, but also decided that those people should pass it on to generations to come. This is why St. Paul asked Titus to appoint Presbyters (Elders) in each town. (Titus 1:5)

 

94. Where in the Bible does it say that the apostles “ordained” priests?

 

The argument is that the word 'ordained' is not used, but that the word used is 'appointed'. Please refer to any standard versions like the KJV or Scofied, and you will find that the word ‘ordained’ is used. In some new translations they have used the word appointed instead of ordained. Purposely altering a word will not change the truth. Furthermore, altering His words is a grave sin.

 

95.  How did the apostles ordain?

 

By laying their hands on the people who were to be ordained. Here are the references. They chose seven deacons... “Whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.” (Acts 6:6) 

It is therefore obvious that for a Christian appointment to receive the Holy Spirit, an authority has to lay his hands. This is what the Bible and the apostolic tradition teaches, and this is what the Church practiced from the 1st century till this date.

 

 

96. What about the argument that  ‘Paul got his power directly from God, not from the apostles’

 

God called him directly but he received the authority from Ananias! The sequence of events that took place in relation to St. Paul receiving his authority are: 

  1. “And I (Saul) said, what shall I do, my Lord? And the Lord said to me, 'Arise and go into Damascus, and there it shall be told to you, all things which are appointed for you to do". (Acts 22:10) (Our Lord could have given Paul the authority then and there itself.) 

  2. There was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias: and to him the Lord said in a vision, "…Arise and go to a street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold he is praying" (Acts 9:9,10)

  3. And Ananias went his way and entered the house and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the way as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit"  (Acts 9: 17)

  4. "…and he arose and was baptized" (Acts 9:18)

Why did our Lord ask Saul to meet with Ananias? Why didn't He give the power to Saul Himself? Our Lord appointed the apostles with authority and wanted no exceptions. We have such glaring incidents and still have people saying that they received authority directly from the Lord! Let me tell you that this is impossible and if anyone teaches likewise, it is a heresy.

 

 

97. Was Ananias who baptized Paul a lay-man (Common man)? 

 

If Ananias had been a lay-man, why did our Lord ask Saul to go to Ananias? Were there no other believers near by or on the way to that Street? How could a lay-man lay hands on another lay- man?

 

Some say that he was a lay-man either because of the lack of knowledge or because they purposely hide the facts. Let us see what the scholars say about Ananias. Let us start with the Protestant interpreter Dummalow. "Probably Head of the Christian body at Damascus. Later tradition makes him one of the seven (referred in Acts 6:6) consecrated Bishop of Damascus by Peter and Andrew, and was martyred.”

 

But if you try to find this name you cannot find Ananias (Hananiya) in the list. In the Bible many people had an initial name and later had a different name following their baptism (Peter, Paul etc...). One of the Greek names mentioned in that list may be of Ananias. 

 

Names of the 70 disciples which our Lord sent (as mentioned in Luke 10:1) are mentioned in the book called  "Ousar-rosa". The third in the list is Ananyas (or Hanania). This book was written in Syriac by Mor Gregory Bar Hebraeus, during the 13th century.

 

Christ said, "I will build my church" (Acts 16:18) back in AD 26 or 27. Now it is the year 2002. So the church (Syrian Orthodox Church) taught believers through out these years the same faith without any changes. It is painful to see that after all these years, people are coming forward to question its teachings, by picking up verses from altered translations!  

 

We have seen in previous questions that the apostles received their power and authority from Jesus Christ and that that apostles gave that authority to others by laying hands. 

It basically says that one should be a righteous person and should not have any greed for money. More importantly, "He must have good testimony among those who are outside …".  "But these be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless." No-where does it say that the Lord will select them directly and that they will receive there authority directly!  But it says choose good, reverent, and righteous persons and ordain them deacons and test them and if found good, make him a presbyters or bishops.

The qualities to become a deacon are mentioned in 1 Tim 3:12-13.

 

About elders (Presbyters):-

Please see this incident described in Acts 8:14-22:- 

This incident is about a man called Simon (who had previously practiced sorcery). Simon believed in Jesus when Philip preached to him. He saw the apostles laying hands on people and they received the "Gift of the Holy Spirit". He then desired this power and tried to offer money to the apostles. So even a person like Simon knew that to receive the 'Gift of the Holy Spirit', one has to receive it from the apostles by apostolic succession (or by laying hands). Remember, Simon was a believer and a baptized one, but didn’t have the “Gift of Holy Spirit.” This is why he asked for that power.

 

We see protestant pastors baptizing people. By what authority do they baptize? Does one receive the authority (to baptize) if he reads the Bible many times or by studying in a theological college? In the Old and New Testaments we can see that authority was passed on from one generation to the next. (eg. Joshua in the Old Testament)

    If anyone likes to have a ministry, he can have it provided that he gets the authority from the Church and thereafter teaches the true apostolic faith of the Church.

 

 

98.  Is it fair to call the ordained ones ‘Fathers’, administrators, etc.?  Is this in the Bible?

 

Yes, it is in the Bible. We had quoted many evidences previously. The apostles and people who have apostolic successions have an important role.  Here is a list of their roles:

  1. Ambassadors:  "We are ambassadors for Christ"  (Acts 1, Cori. 5:20)

  2. Fellow workers: " We are God's fellow workers"  (1 Cori 3:9)

  3. Shepherds of Church  " … made shepherds of church "  (Acts 20:28, 1 Peter 5:2, Eph2:11)

  4. Ministers: "….ministers through whom you believed" ( 1 Cori 3:6, Eph 3:7, Colo 1:25)

  5. Steward of mysteries of God (Tit. 1:6)

  6. Fathers: "For through you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in Lord…" (1 Cori. 4:15, 17):"To Titus a true son in our common faith…" (Tit 1:4) " I appeal to you for my son Onesumus…"  (Phel. 1:10)

  7. The guardians of faith: "O Timothy! Guard, what was committed to your trust" (1 Tim 6:20) They are "Holding mystery of faith"  (1 Tim 3:9) The guardian can expel the unfaithful, Reject a divisive man after first and second admonition" (Tit 3:10, 2Tim 4:15, Tit 2:15)

  8. They are administrators: "Let the elders who rule well be counted..." (1 Tim 5:17); They were given administrative powers. "Do not receive an accusation against an elder unless it is supported by the testimony of two or three witness" (1 Tim. 5:19). "Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all" (1 Tim 5:20.)

  9. Advisors:“For which I was appointed a preacher and apostle" (1 Tim 2:7) "I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the Living God " (1 Tim 3:15). They have the responsibility to preach to others."  (1 Tim 4:6-11, 13-16)

  10. Man of God: "But you, man of God"  (1 Tim 6:11)

  11. Power of God: "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us"  (2 Cori. 4:7),

  12. The ambassadors of Christ may be weak and trivial people. "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us"  (2 Cori. 4:7)

  13. "Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He should be able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by weakness and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. No one take this honor upon himself but only when called by God “ (Heb 5:1-2). This explains many things. Not all church members can offer sacrifices for sins. A priest is required for this. But not all can become priests; he should be called by God.

Here is a quote form the Scofield Bible about the position of elders -  "Elders (presbyters and Bishops (Episcopos = overseer) designate the same office (Titus 1:7, Acts 20:17, 28). The functions of the elders are to rule (1 Tim 3:4,5; 5:17), to guard the body of revealed truth from perversion and error (Tit 1:9), and to oversee the church as a shepherd oversees his flock (Acts 20:28, John 21:16, Heb 13:17, 1 Peter 5:2). At first they were ordained by an Apostle.

 

 

99.  Were there these positions (Priests, Bishops, and Deacons) in the early church?

 

We have seen that all these positions existed in the early church and that it was apostolic succession. Let us look into what the early church fathers wrote, in order to have a vivid picture of the first few centuries. 

 

Didache (Apostolic Traditions AD-140): - “Elect for yourselves, therefore, bishops and deacons worthy of the Lord, humble men and not lovers of money, truthful and proven; for they also serve you in the ministry of prophets and teachers. Do not, therefore, despise them; for they are your honorable men together with prophets and teachers” (9)

 

St. Clement (AD 80) (Letter to the Corinthians) “Through the country side and city they (apostles) preached; and they appointed their earliest converts, testing them by the Spirit, to be the bishops and deacons of future believers. Nor was this a novelty; for bishops and deacons had been written about a long time earlier. Indeed the scripture says “I will set up bishops in righteousness and their deacons in faith” (20). “Afterwards added the provision that, if they (Apostles) should die, other approved men should succeed to their ministry. As for these, then, who were appointed by them, or who were afterwards appointed by other illustrious men with the consent of the whole church, and who have ministered to the flock of Christ with out blame, humbly, peaceable and with dignity and who have for many years received the commendations of all, we consider it unjust that they be removed from the ministry.  Our sin will not be small if we reject from the episcopate those who blamelessly and holily have offered its Sacrifices.”(21). “…the report that on account of one or two persons the well-established and ancient Church of the Corinthians is in revolt against the presbyters.  …so that by your folly you heap blasphemies on the name of the Lord, and create a danger for yourselves” (26).

 

St. Ignatius of Antioch (AD 110): - “For Jesus Christ, our inseparable life, is the will of the Father, just as the bishops, who have been appointed through out the world, are the will of Jesus Christ.  It is fitting therefore, that you should live in harmony with the will of the bishop - as indeed, you do. Let us be careful, then, if we would be submissive to God, not to oppose the bishop.” (38) “We must look upon the bishop as the Lord Himself”(38b) “Indeed, when you submit to your bishop as you would to Jesus Christ, it is clear to me that you are living not in the manner of men but as Jesus Christ, who died for us, that through faith in His death you might escape dying. It is necessary, therefore- and such is your practice-that you do nothing with out the bishop, and you be subject also to the presbytery, as to the Apostles of Jesus Christ our hope, in whom we shall be found, if we live in Him. It is also necessary that the deacons, the dispensers of the mysteries of Jesus Christ, be in every way pleasing to all men. For they are not the deacons of food and drink, but the servants of the Church of God. (48) In like manner let every one respect the deacons as they would respect Jesus Christ, and just as they respect the bishop as type of the Father, and the presbyters as the council of God and college of Apostles.  Without these, it cannot be called a Church. (49) Do noting without a bishop, keep your body as the temple of the God, love unity, flee from divisions, be imitators of Jesus Christ as he was the imitator of the Father. (58a). Those who belong to God and to Jesus Christ – they are with the bishop. If any one follows a schmatic, he will not inherit the kingdom of God (56) “Just as wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. Nor is it permitted without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate the agape; but whatever he approves, this too is pleasing to God, so that whatever is done will be secure and valid”(65).

 

St. Irenaeus (AD 180): “We are in a position to enumerate those who were instituted bishops by the Apostles, and their successions to our own times.  Men who neither knew or taught anything like these heretics rave about.  (209). Polycarp, however was instructed not only by the Apostles, and conversed with many who had seen Christ, but was also appointed bishop of the Church in Smyrna, by the Apostles in Asia.  He always taught those things that he had learned from the Apostles, and which the Church had handed down, and which is true. (212). It is necessary to obey those who are the presbyters in the Church, those who, as we have shown, have succession from the Apostles. Those who have received, with the succession of the episcopate, the sure charism of the truth according to the good pleasure of the Father.  But the rest, who have no part in the primitive succession and assemble where so ever they will, must be held in suspicion.”(237). The true gnosis of the doctrine of the Apostles, and the ancient organization of the Church through out the whole world, and the manifestation of the body of the Church according to the succession of bishops, by which successions the bishops have handed down the Church is found everywhere; and the very complete tradition of the Scriptures, which have come down to us by being guarded against falsification, and a legitimate and diligent exposition according to the Scriptures, without danger and without blasphemy; and the pre-eminent gift of love….” (242) “For all these [heretics] are of much later date than are the bishops to whom the Apostles handed over the Churches. These fore mentioned heretics, because they are blind to truth, walk in various and devious paths; and on this account the vestiges of their doctrine are scattered about with out agreement or connection.”(257)

 

Tertullian (AD 155-240): “let them [heretics] show the origins of their churches, let them unroll the order of their bishops, running down in succession from the beginning, so that their first bishop shall have for author and predecessor someone of the Apostles or of the apostolic men who continued steadfast with Apostles.”  Tertullian then describes the apostolic succession to different churches and then “Let the heretics invent something like this…their doctrine when compared with that of Apostles will show, by its own diversity and contrariety...But in fact they are not apostolic and they can not prove themselves to be what they are not. Those things so, in order that we may be judged to have the truth, -we who walk in the rule which the Churches have handed down from the apostles, the apostles from Christ and Christ from God. – admit that the reasonableness of our position is clear. If they are heretics they are not Christians because it is not from Christ that they got what they themselves have gotten…Not being Christians, they have acquired no right to Christian literature…”

 

St. Clement (AD 202): - “After the death of the tyrant, the [Apostle John] came back again to Ephesus form the Island of Patmos; and upon being invited, he went even to the neighboring cities of the pagans, here to appoint bishops, there to set in order whole Churches, and to ordain the clerical estate such as were designated by the Spirit” (438)

 

Farmilian of Caesarea (AD 268): - “And other heretics as well, if they have parted themselves form the church, can have nothing to do with the power and grace, since all power and grace is settled in the Church, where preside presbyters who posses the power both of baptizing and of imposing hands, and of ordaining” (601c)

 

St. Cyprian (AD 258) “You ought to know, then, that bishop is in the Church and Church in the bishop and if someone is not with the bishop, he is not in the Church.  From that time the ordination of bishops and the plan of the Church flows through the changes and times and apostolic succession."  

 

St. Hippollytus: - Hippolytus died in AD 235.  And he describes the procedure to ordain the bishop.  “Let the bishop be ordained after he has been chosen by the people. Let the people assemble on Lord’s Day with the presbyters and with such bishops as may be present. All giving assent, the bishops shall impose hands on him, and the presbytery shall stand in silence.  Indeed all shall remain silent, praying in their hearts for the decent of the Spirit.  Then one of the bishops… impose his hand on the one who is being ordained as bishop, and shall pray thus, saying: “ In the long prayer “…grant to this your servant, whom you have chosen for the episcopate, to feed your holy flock and to serve without blame as your high priest, ministering night and day to propitiate unceasingly before your face; and to offer gifts of your holy Church; and by the Spirit of the high-priesthood to have the authority to forgive the sins, in accord with your command; to assign lots,  in accord with the authority which  you gave to the apostles;...” Then the new bishop celebrates the Eucharist. St. Hippollytus then describes the procedure for ordaining the priest and deacons.  

 

100. Why are priests required to wear robes?

 

The apostolic churches have certain robes for each rank of the priesthood. Many new fellowships question this. God wanted his priests to wear certain robes. Refer to Exodus 25: 26, 27, 28.

      

God specifically instructed what his priests should wear. Did Jesus Christ ever question what these priests wore?  No, but He criticized the dress of the Pharisees and Scribes. If Jesus did not criticize, why should anyone criticize it now?

  

Even among those who criticize, their ministers wear some sort of a uniform that distinguishes them from the others. Isn’t this contradictory? As far as the ancient churches are concerned, the robes of a priest are symbolic of what's mentioned in Eph 6:11-18…”The loins girdle to truth, the white robe and surplice to righteousness, shoes to preparedness of gospel of peace, arm-sheath to shield of faith, the cap to helmet of salvation.”

 

 

101.  "And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices which never take away the sins." (Heb 10:11) Why then do you have the Holy Mass?

 

If you read this chapter it becomes obvious that it is referring to Jewish priest’s, and their sacrifices, and not about the Holy Communion!

 

The New American Bible is of the opinion  “Christian faith now realizes that the Old Testament sacrifices did not effect the spiritual benefits to come but only prefigured then (Heb 10:1). For if the sacrifices had actually effected for forgiveness of sin, there would have been no reason for their constant repetition. 2) They were rather a continual reminder of the people’s sins 3) It is not reasonable to suppose that human sins could be removed by the blood of animal sacrifices 4) Christ therefore is here shown to understand his mission in terms of Psalms 40: 6-8, cited according to the Septuagint (5-7). Jesus acknowledged that Old Testament sacrifices did not remit the sins of the people and so perceiving the will of God, offered his own body for this purpose. (8-10).“

 

“Whereas the Levitical priesthood offered daily sacrifices that were ineffectual in remitting sins, Jesus offered a single sacrifice that won him a permanent place at God’s right hand. There he has only to await the final outcome of his work (12-13, Psalms 110:1). Thus he has brought into being in his own person the new covenant prophesized by Jeremiah (Jera. 31:33-34) that has rendered meaningless all other offerings for sin (14-18)”

(The New American Bible, page 349)

 

 

102.  Priests in the Orthodox Church wear a cap or a veil. Isn’t this against what St. Paul has said? (i.e. when praying, do not cover your head)

 

The priests and bishops wear a head-dress. The head-dress only covers the hair. The term ‘head’ means everything above the neck, which includes the eyes, ears, nose, and jaws. So covering the head is not the same as covering just the hair, which is on top of the head. The Jews had a practice of covering the whole head. (“Meanwhile the king covered his face and cried out” 2 Samuel 19:5). This is what St. Paul has banned. 

 

103. Bishops in the Orthodox Church have a miter. Isn’t this an imitation from the priests of the god Dagon? Is this not against the Christian Faith?

 

The Old Testament priests had miter. (Biblical encyclopedia pages 127, 465). St. Polycrathis of Ephesus (AD 125-190) has written, “St. John who is an apostle, a witness and teacher used mitre”.  It was in Ephesus that St. John lived and died.

 

Can we say that even St. John copied this from the priests of Dagon?

 

 

104. Refer to the following verses: “Therefore there is one God and there is one mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”  (1 Tim 2: 5,6).  Why then have mediators?

 

The Bible talks about ‘Christ the mediator’ in Heb. 2:17, 7:25, 8:6, 9-15, 12, and 24. First we will quote these verses. Then we will discuss 'Christ the Mediator', and thereafter we will discuss who saints are and what their status is, and then we will see whether ‘saints as mediators’ is in accord with the bible. 

-- Because Adam committed sin, humanity lost the guidance and companionship of the Lord. The human race became imperfect. (Gen 3:8)    

-- But God loved the world  “But now, through Jesus Christ, you who sometimes were far off, are brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Eph. 2:13) Jesus became the one and only mediator between God and us (1 Tim 2:5) and He alone is the mediator of the new Covenant (Heb 8:6, 12:24) 

-- Thus, no one else has this status as lone Mediator. Nobody else will receive it and there is no need for anyone else to obtain it. Jesus Christ alone received it because of His sacrifice for Human kind. (1 Tim 2:5).

 

Since it is stated explicitly that Jesus is the only mediator between God and men, it is obvious that saints are not mediators between God and us. So who are the saints and what is their status? When we say ‘the saints as mediators’ it means that they mediate between the 'only Mediator' and us (i.e. Jesus Christ and us). We do NOT consider saints as mediators to God, but to Jesus Christ. If one reads through our prayers, you can immediately understand this difference.

 

 

105. In that case why pray to Jesus Christ? If Jesus is a mediator then we would rather use His mediator-ship to pray, than to pray to Jesus!

 

Let us see what our Lord has told us about this?

 

“What ever you ask in my name, I will do, that Father may be glorified in the Son.” (John 14:13) “If you ask anything in my name I will do it.“ (John 14:14?)

 

During His life on earth, didn’t mediators pray to himŕ Messengers of the centurion, the lady from Canaan for her daughter, Martha and Mary for Lazarus and so on.

 

 

106.  But these mediators were alive.  But most of your saint-mediators are not alive. They are dead. How can they mediate or pray for you?  “The dead do not praise the Lord” (Psalms 115:17)

 

This is a subject which by itself needs a careful study. Due to space constraints let me make it short. Those who are interested in further readings, please read my book  “Syrian Orthodox Church in India and its Apostolic Faith”.

 

1)    What is death?

 

   The soul is separated from the body with death. Where are those people who died in Jesus Christ?

Are the dead able to hear Christ’s voice?  Yes, the dead can hear Him. 

2)    But can they talk to Him?  The answer is YES.

 

Refer to Mat 17:1-8: “And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, 'conversing' with him." (Mat 17:3) What did they talk? They talked about His great suffering and crucifixion and that it would happen soon. It is believed that Moses died approximately in BC 1451 and Elijah was taken up in BC 896. We cannot deny the fact that Moses who died approximately 1400 years before Jesus Christ, and Elijah who was taken some 890 years before Jesus Christ, were talking to Jesus Christ. If the dead cannot talk, how did this happen?

 

Again if anyone still disbelieves, let me quote from Oswald Smith who established a modern church called the Peoples church based in Canada. In his book “The battle for truth” in page 14 to 27 he discusses what the dead does, how much they know about us, and whether they know us at all?  Here is the summary of his discussion:

 

Is the dead conscious or sleeping? Verse (Heb 12:1) says "seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witness, let us run with patience the race set before us." So these witness, Abraham, Samuel, Mosses, those martyrs referred to in revelation, all after death are active and not sleeping.  "I am God of Abraham, I am God of the living." (Matt 22:32) So Abraham is alive. "The dead are blessed." (Rev 14; 13). What blessedness if not conscious? In Rev 6:9-10 it says “The dead cried with a loud voice” So surely the dead are not in slumber. "I may be with Christ, which is far better" (Phili 1:23)

 

We know that our Lord is mediating for us before God. He promised the apostles that they would follow Him and be where He is. Therefore the apostles are, with Him now. The thief who believed while on the cross is also with Him. Are all these people slumbering? Definitely not. 2 Cori 5:8 says, "Departing the body, I desire more to live with Christ…” The dead are with the savior whom they loved, strong and happy, and in an enlightened life.

 

3) Now the question is whether the dead remembers us or forgets us?

 

Joseph did not forget his father in the palace of Pharaoh! Moses did not forget the Israelites while in Pharos palace. The girl while in the palace of Naaiman, did not forget Elisha. (Likewise the witnesses mentioned in Heb 12:1). The just will not forget their loved ones if they move to another country or another continent. Likewise, our dead will not forget their loved ones if they move to another ‘world’. So our prophets and saints will never forget us, but always will be watching and praying for us.  

 

4) Another question is, can we recognize the dead if we see them again? 

 

The apostles recognized Moses and Elija at Mount Tabore. Saul the King recognized Samuel who was dead. Mary and the apostles recognized Christ after his resurrection. Stephen saw Christ in his glory. So the answer is yes, we can recognize the dead.  

“The throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him, seeing his face and reigning forever and ever” (Rev 22:3-5). Daniel in the den of lions, Anania in the big fire, Peter on the cross, all glorified God because of their hope in the life after death. It is Jesus Christ who removed the curtain and showed the world what is beyond the grave.

 

The promises of our Lord:

 

107.  What is the state of those who died in Jesus Christ?

 

Let us see, where the living Christians are?           

In short St. John who received his revelations from God has taught us the following:

 

One who has died in Jesus Christ is arrayed in white clothes and will be protected and shepherded by Him and will praise Him. They will know the happenings in this world. They will be with Jesus Christ and will see Him every day and will follow Him wherever He goes. They will rest and wait for the rewards for their works in this world.

 

Polycarp (AD 69-155) was a disciple of St. John and the bishop of Smyrna. He was martyred. At that time, the church in Smyrna sent a letter to the Christians in Philominon. Here is a quote form his letter:

“He was not only a famous teacher, but also an outstanding witness, and thus gained the imperishable crown. Now with the apostles and all the just he is glorifying God and the Father almighty, and he is blessing our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of our souls, the Helmsman of our bodies, and the Shepherd of the Catholic Church throughout the world.” (81a)

 

 

108. David says, “The dead does not praise the Lord, all those gone down into silence" (Psalms 115:17). Why then pray for the dead? 

 

 When we read the very next verse, it will be clear...

“It is we who bless the Lord, both now and forever” (Psalms 115:18).  David says he will praise the Lord now and forever. So won’t David die? Didn’t he die?  David says that he and people like him, will praise the Lord even after they die (i.e. forever). Who are the 'dead' referred to in Psalms 115:17. 

God created Adam and made him the caretaker of Garden of Eden and told him “From that tree you shall not eat; the moment you eat from it you are surely doomed to die” (Gen. 2:17). But Adam ate it, but lived another 900 years!

 

In the parable of the Lost Son, the lost son’s father says, “your brother (the lost son) was ‘dead’ and has come to life again." (Luke 15:32). But he had not died at that time! To the people who were alive, and listened to Jesus, He told them “I have come to give you life”

 

In all these verses, the word ‘dead’ is used to represent sin or death of the soul. Therefore, life means a sinless soul, not referring to the physical body. St. Paul also says, “You were dead in your transgressions and sins” (Eph 2:1). In all these quotations death and life refers to the death and life of the soul and not of the physical body. It is clear whom David refers to as the “dead and gone into silence.”  David here says that a person dead in sins and transgressions cannot praise the Lord.

 

From the Scofield Bible – (Eccle. 9:5-6); “What is mentioned in this is just a view of the preacher, son of David; and not a divine revelation about the state of the dead. He as a natural man under the sun, doesn’t see any difference between a dead man and a dead lion (9:5). No one will take 9:2 as a divine revelation. But it is specifically asserted in scriptures that there is life and consciousness between death and resurrection (Is 14:9-11; Matt 22:32; Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:19-31, John 11:26; 2 Cor 5:6-8; Phil 1:21-23, Rev 6:9-11).

 

If anyone is still stubborn and believes in this argument, please read on. Let us assume that David meant literally what he wrote. St. John has written in Revelations that the dead are with our Lord (Refer to Previous Question). Whom should we believe? David or John (Actually these are all words by God and it will never be conflicting). “In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets. In these last days, he spoke to us through His Son, whom he created the universe” (Hebrews 1:1). So David lived in an era in which the revelation was in part. But St. John gives to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, by reporting what he saw.  John received the revelation that is complete through Jesus Christ.

 

 

109.  Does the New Testament teach us to pray for the dead?

 

My first response is, does it say anywhere in the New Testament that we should not pray for the dead?  On the contrary, both St. Paul and Peter prayed for the dead.

 

1)  Peter prayed for Tabitha, who had died. (Acts 9:40)

 

“But Peter put all the people out, and knelt down and prayed. Then he turned to the body and said, ‘Tabitha, arise’ and she opened her eyes and when she saw Simon Peter, she sat up”. Here Peter prayed for the dead. Though not in the Bible, what would Peter pray to Christ at that time? It is easy to infer. He would have prayed like this - “Oh God, I pray for this servant of yours that is dead, that she may rise up for the belief of these people” (People’s  Commentary  Vol. 1  page 581) (Lutheran)

 

This is not my opinion. I have quoted Luther, who initiated the Protestant faith. Throwing up on his knees, he laid the matter before God in prayer and by power of the Lord the miracle was performed. [People’s commentary vol.1, page 581 (Lutheran)]

 

2)  St. Paul prayed for Eutychus, who fell down from a building and died (Acts  20:10)   

              

“But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him”. The biblical scholars compare this to verses in 2 Kings 4:34-35; 1 Kings 17:21, 22; Acts 9: 40-41. 

Paul for Eutychus, Elisha for the boy, and Elijah for the child, they all did the same thing. They all prayed for the dead and God listened to their prayers.

 

3)  St. Paul prayed for the departed Onesiphorus ( 2 Timothy 1: 16-18):- “The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord on that Day”. This is a request by Paul to God, for Onesiphorus. Therefore we can understand that St. Paul believed that God would bless the dead, and that we should pray for them.

Refusing to pray for the faithful departed, Biblical or not? (Click here)

 

(Topic Continues in Section 5)

 

 

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