A sacrament of the New Law instituted by Christ, by which the spiritual power is handed on and grace is conferred for the confection of the sacraments, especially of the Eucharist (and therefore for offering sacrifice) and for the proper carrying out of other Church duties.
By which the task of serving in the name and in the person of Christ is conferred.
The fruits of this sacrament are:
The Mission and faculty (“the sacred power”) to act in persona Christi.
Configuration to Christ as Priest, Teacher, and Pastor.
The imprinting, as in Baptism, of an indelible character that cannot be repeated or conferred temporarily.
Sacrament of Holy Orders in Sacred Scripture
Duties and Functions of O.T. Priests.
Deut 33:7-11.
Melchizedek Priesthood Superior to Aaronic Priesthood.
Heb 7:1-17; 8:1-13.
Melchizedek a Type of Christ.
Ps 110:4. Heb 5:6, 10; 6:20.
Perfect Priesthood of Christ.
Heb 3:1-4, 7:27; 8:4-6; 9:12-14, 25, 10:5.
Calling of Apostles.
Mt 10:1; 16:16-19. Lk 6:13, 22:32. Jn 21:15-17.
Consecration of Apostles.
Jn 20:22.
Sending of Apostles.
Mt 28:19. Mk 16:15. Lk 24:47. Jn 20:21.
Transmission of Priesthood.
1 Tim 4:14; 5:22. 2 Tim 1:6. Tit 1:5.
Functions of Priests.
Mal 1:11. Mt 28:19. Jn 20:23. 1 Cor 11:24. Jas 5:14.
Degrees of Authority.
1 Cor 12:28. Eph 4:11. 1 Thess 5:12. Jas 3:1.
Priesthood of Believers.
Eph 2:19-20. 1 Pet 2:5, 9.
Pray for Priestly Vocations.
Mt 9:37-38. Lk 10:2.
Act 20:28 – Holy Spirit appointed you overseers to tend Church.
Lk. 22:19 – do this in memory of me.
Jn. 20:22 As Father sent me, I send you…receive Holy Spirit.
2 Tim. 2:2 – things you heard from me, hand on to trustworthy men.
1 Tim. 4:14 – grace: imposition of hands of presbyters.
1 Tim 3:1-2 – requirements for a bishop.
Tit. 1:6 – requirements for a presbyter.
1 Tim 5:17 – presbyters who do well should be paid double.
1Tim 3:8-9 – requirements for a deacon.
2 Tim. 1:6 – gift of God you have through imposition of hands.
Tit. 1:5 – appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you.
Acts 13:2-3 set apart Barnabas and Saul, laid hands, sent off.
Acts 13:3 – they laid hands on them and sent them off.
Acts 14:22 – they appointed presbyters in each church.
Acts 6:6 – presented 7 men to apostles who laid hands on them.
Didache (The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles) [AD 70] “Elect therefore for yourselves bishops and deacons worthy of the Lord, humble men and not covetous, and faithful and well tested; for they also serve you in the ministry of the prophets and teachers. Do not therefore despise them, for they are the honored men among you along with the prophets and teachers (Ch. 5)”.
St. Clement of Rome [AD 92-101]”It is disgraceful, beloved, very disgraceful, and unworthy of your training in Christ, to hear that the stable and ancient Church at Corinthians…should revolt against its presbyters” (Letter to the Corinthians (Ch. 47).
St. Ignatius of Antioch [AD 107] “Now, therefore, it has been my privilege to see you in the person of your God-inspired bishop, Damas; and in the persons of your worthy presbyters, Bassus and Appolonius; and my fellow servant, the deacon, Zotion. What a delight is his company! For he is subject to the bishop as to the grace of God, and to the presbytery as to the law of Jesus Christ” (Letter to the Magnesians 2).
I will [send you further doctrinal explanations] especially if the Lord should reveal to me that all of you to a man, through grace derived from the Name, join in the common meeting in one faith, and in Jesus Christ, who was of the family of David according to the flesh, the Son of Man and the Son of God, so that you give ear to the bishop and to the presbytery with an undivided mind, breaking one Bread, which is the medicine of immortality, the antidote against death, enabling us to live forever in Jesus Christ. (ibid, 22, 2)
St. Hippolytus [AD 215] “On a presbyter, however, let the presbyters impose their hands because of the common and like Spirit of the clergy. Even so, the presbyter has only the power to receive [the Spirit], and not the power to give [the Spirit]. That is why a presbyter does not ordain the clergy; for at the ordaining of a presbyter, he but seals while the bishop ordains” (Apostolic Tradition 9).