Library › St George Konissky and Parfeny › On the Duty of Parish Priests

On the Duty of Parish Priests

St George Konissky and Parfeny, in Blackmore, 1845

1. Containing an Introduction to the Duty of Priests

The Priesthood is a ministry in the New Testament delivered by Christ to the Apostles and their successors, consisting in the preaching of the word of God and the ministration of Sacraments, in order by these means to reconcile sinners to God, and perfect them in faith and holy living unto the attainment of everlasting life, to His glory.

Every word of this definition is proved from holy Scripture in the following Sections.

The Priesthood, as has been said, was delivered in the New Testament by Christ Himself to His Disciples and their successors¹. For when He sent the Apostles into the world, He gave them this commandment; Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost; Teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you. (Mat. xxviii. 19,20.)

The end and object of the Priesthood is this, that men, who by sin had fallen away from God, and subjected themselves to everlasting punishment, may be brought back again to God’s grace; and after having been brought back, may be so perfected in faith and holy living, that being united with Christ, as members with their head, in one body, they may be found meet to receive eternal life, to the glory of the blessed Trinity, the Author and Finisher of our salvation.

In respect of this its object, St. Paul calls his Apostleship the ministry of reconciliation, and the preaching of the word of reconciliation, that is, of the bringing of sinners to the grace of God. 2 Cor. v. 18, 19. And in his Epistle to the Ephesians, after having shewn that pastors and teachers are given of Christ (as stated above in section II.) he goes on in the same place to point out likewise the end of their ministry, thus; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; till we all come to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. Ephes. iv. 12, 13.

That the Priesthood is a great dignity is sufficiently clear from this, that it was instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ, God and man, as a mean whereby men should attain the greatest blessedness, even everlasting salvation.

This proposition is partly contained in the three foregoing sections. As for the dignity of the Priesthood, this Order receives much lustre from the titles which the Word of God gives to Priests. First, it calls them Messengers, or Angels of the Lord of Hosts; Malachi ii. 7. Angels of the Churches²; Rev. ii. 1. 8. 12. 18, iii. 1. 7. 14. The light of the world; Mat. v. 14. 16. The salt of the earth; ib. 13. Shepherds of the flock of Christ; 1 Pet. v. 1, 2. Labourers together with God, and master builders of God’s building; 1 Cor. iii. 9, 10. The friends of Christ, the Bridegroom. John iii. 19.

But as the Priestly Order is of great dignity, so also is it no slight labour, but very great, which it demands; as will appear below from the mention of its duties: indeed, the very names which holy Scripture uses to designate only the labours, the watching, the patience, and the exercises required of a pastor, suffice to let every one know this.

Not only are Pastors called Angels, as has been mentioned above, but also Husbandmen; 1 Cor. iii. 8. 2 Tim. ii. 6. 18. Reapers; Mat. ix. 38, 39. Labourers in the vineyard; Mat. xx. 1. Soldiers; 2 Tim. ii. 3; Athletes, running in the Games; 2 Tim. iv. 7. 1 Cor. ix. 24. and Watchmen. Ezek. iii. 17. They are also likened to the ox, that treadeth out the corn. 1 Cor. ix. 9. 1 Tim. v. 18.

Chrysostom, Hom. xv. on 1 Tim. writes thus: The Law commands not to muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. Seest thou what labour it requires from the Teacher? For there is no labour, no, none, like to his labour. And again: Let us not think only of the hire, but of that qualification which is joined with the command; for it goes on, The labourer is worthy of his hire. And so, if any one give himself up to indulgence and ease, he is not worthy: if he be not the ox that treadeth, if he stand not against frost and briars, and plough the land, and dress it, without resting till he gather the fruits into the garner, he is not worthy. The same doctor of the Church in his second Book on the Priesthood ch. iv. and Morals x. on 1 Thess., and again, Morals iii. on the Acts of the Apostles, enlarges upon the laboriousness and danger of the pastoral calling. And St. Gregory the Divine, treating of the burden of the Priesthood, says, that for a Priest to know how to rule well the flock committed to him is a science above all sciences, and all arts.

The dignity of the Priesthood and the difficulties of the pastoral office draw after them of necessity a very great danger: for the higher the order, and the more to be rewarded if well administered, the more, on the other hand, must any misconduct in it, and above all sloth, be vile and wretched, and doomed to the fiercest torments. Mat. xxiv. 48.. 51. xxv. 30.

The Apostle Paul on committing this so fearful and dangerous Order to his successors, charged and adjured them of keeping it by God, Who quickeneth all things, and by the Lord Jesus Christ, Who shall judge the quick and the dead, and by the elect Angels; as the zealous executors of God’s judgment. 1 Tim. v. 21. vi. 13, 14. 2 Tim. iv. 1.

His strong sense of this danger in the Order it was, which moved St. Chrysostom to utter those fearful words which are to be found in his Homilies; I do not think there are many Priests who will be saved, but that the more part will perish. Morals iii. on Acts.

This dignity, difficulty, and danger of the Priestly Order should be ever before the eyes of all who aspire to it; that so they may first try and examine themselves, whether they can bear such a burden; whether they have spiritual powers and qualifications adequate thereto; as understanding, learning, skill in speech, good morals, a blameless and exemplary life; all which the Apostle requires in a Priest? 1 Tim. iii. and Tit. i. (of which we shall speak more particularly and in detail hereafter, in the second chapter of Part II.) For they who possess such virtues even sin, if they are unwilling in this Order to serve God and their neighbours, especially when called thereto; but for such as possess them not, it is not enough that they run not to take upon themselves this Order, like the false prophets; but further, even though they be called, even though they be pressed to enter into it, they should refuse³.

But above all let him who would approach the Priesthood ask his own heart, whether it feels Christ saying unto him Lovest thou Me? Feed My sheep: and whether to this question it answers with St. Peter unfeignedly, Lord Thou knowest that I love Thee. (John xxi. 15.) And again, whether it be for the sake of the sheep that he goeth into the sheepfold, that they may have life; or for his own gain, that he may rob, and kill, and destroy? (John x. 10.) If with the first design he enter in by the door, he is a shepherd; but if with the last he climb in some other way, he is a thief and a robber.

The Priestly Office and yoke consists principally in four parts: I. In teaching; II. In living holily; III. In ministering the Sacraments; IV. In praying for the people.

The first and third of these parts are clearly pointed out by the Apostle, when he says; Let a man so account of us, as of the Ministers of Christ, and Stewards of the Mysteries of God. 1 Cor. iv. 1. The second part Christ Himself points out thus: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works. Mat. v. 16. While the last part or duty is enjoined by the Lord in the Old Testament. Levit. xvi. 34. Joel ii. 17. And by the Apostle Paul in his first Epistle to Timothy, ii. 1, 2: by St. James, v. 14: and in the Acts, vi. 4. But of this we shall speak more at length in the fourth Chapter.

Notes

That it was not to the Apostles only, but also to their successors, the Bishops and Priests, that Christ delivered this ministry, is evident from His promise, which follows in the same place; And lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. The Apostles themselves lived not to the end of the world; but there have ever been living from the Apostles’ times, and shall be even to the end of the world, their successors in uninterrupted line, who are the Bishops and Priests.
This the Apostle Paul confirms, thus: And He, that is, Christ, Who ascended up far above the heavens, gave some, Apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers. Ephes. iv. 11.
St. Chrysostom, Hom. ii. on 2 Tim. says: Knowest thou not what a Priest is? He is the Angel of the Lord: for when he speaks according to his office, if thou despisest him, thou despisest not him, but the Bishop who ordained him, and God.
St. Gregory the Divine, Serm. ii. says thus: The Priest, when he ministers, stands with the Angels, glorifies God with the Archangels, lifts up sacrifice to the heavenly altar on high, is joined as a Priest with Christ, renews our corrupt dust, restores the image of God: that is, brings fallen man by baptism to regeneration.
St. Chrysostom, in his third book on the Priesthood, ch. iv. says; The Priesthood is conferred on earth, but it has the rank of heavenly things. And this is said with the strictest truth: for it was not a man, nor an Angel, nor an Archangel, nor any other created power, but the Comforter Himself, the Holy Ghost, Who appointed this order, and taught men, while still living in the flesh, to imitate the ministry of Angels.
Moses refused. Exodus iii. 11. iv. 13. and Jer. i. 6. So also in ancient times divers refused, and fled from this Order; as Gregory Thaumaturgus of Neocæsarea, Ephraim the Syrian, Gregory the Divine, Ambrose, Augustine, Synesius, and many others, who were both by their lives and doctrines lights of the Church.
St. Chrysostom on occasion of his fleeing the Priesthood wrote his Six Books. How much more should they who are blinded by ignorance, by the darkness of vicious and impure lives, flee this Order?