98 What word do you suppose the Greeks use to describe their priests? I'll tell you, it's presbyteros.
If u refer to Greek Orthodoxy, i don't dispute that.
However i'm speakin o' the word the apostles used in Greek in the NT: "hieros."
Never "presbyteros" az: "priest"
"That I might be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, a laboring priest [hierourgeo] of the good news of God, in order that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, having been sanctified in the Holy Spirit," Paul to the Romans 15:16.
"For since the priesthood [hierosune] is transferred, of necessity there comes into being a transfer of law also," Hebrews 7:12, Paul i believe.
"You yourselves also as living stones are being built up as a spiritual house into a holy priesthood [hierateuma] to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ," Peter in 1 P 2:5.
"You were slain and have purchased for God by Your blood men out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and've made them a kingdom and priests [hiereus] to our God; and they'll reign on the earth," John's revelation to the 7 churches, Rev 5:9-10.
The origin of the word priest is presbyteros, not hieros, therefore priest is a correct translation of presbyteros and not of hieros,
Regardless if or that English "priest" is derived from Greek "presbyteros":
"Presbyteros" in the NT, and the Greek of and at the time of the NT, means "elder."
It did not mean, and duzn't mean, "priest" in the Greek in the NT.
The Greek word for "priest" in the NT was (and is) "hieros."
Regardless of the source and derivation of the English word "priest"."
"Priest" in English is an inaccurate translation for the NT's "presbyteros"
99 You seem to conceptualize the breaking of the bread as the act of a single person.
96 "it would be physically impossible for all the people to break the loaf"
It's not! It's an act of the whole Church, carried out representatively by the priest.
My little point's that, per the NT, this act can be carried out by any priest, viz: any believer into the Lord Jesus
It would be both unwieldy and antithetical to have every member of the congregation present take turns at breaking the bread.
To the contrary: t'woodn't. Since the Lord's Table's done weekly at least
That's just not the way the Body has historically organized itself, whether you agree with it, or not.
To the contrary: members in the Body have both practiced sharing;
'n some're still doin so today
Can you provide a scriptural reference that defines this theology?
Gladly. Thank you for asking.
"We who are many are one Body in Christ, and individually members one of another," Romans 12:5.
"We're members of His Body," Ephesians 5:30.
"Even as the body's one and has many members, yet all the members of the body, being many, are one body, so also's Christ. For also in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and were all given to drink one Spirit. For the body's not one member but many," 1 Corinthians 12:12-14.
"Those then who received his word were baptized, and there were added on that day about three thousand soulls. And they continued steadfastly in the teaching and fellowship of the apostles, in the breaking of bread and the prayers...and day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord...breaking bread from house to house...and the Lord added together day by day those who were being saved," Acts 2:42, 46-47.
Tho breakin bread and serving wine aren't really a "theology." They're a practice.
Thanks