PRIESTHOOD IN ROMANS AND CORINTHIANS
[p. 370] PRIESTHOOD IN ROMANS AND CORINTHIANS
Romans 7:6; Romans 7:22-25; Romans 8:1-6; 1 Corinthians 14:37
JT I have in mind in suggesting these verses of Scripture that we may consider them in the light of priesthood. We take up the term priesthood from the epistles written to the Jewish believers, and from the types, but we ought to understand what it signifies in our own language, that is, in the language applicable to gentile, believers; and I believe the thing itself which is designated by the word ‘priest’ is found in all the epistles. It refers to those who have the Spirit; all who have the Spirit of God are priests, and I thought perhaps we might be helped in looking at it in Romans and Corinthians; the first dealing with the individual believer from the outset of his history, his spiritual history; and then the second, in relation to the place he has in the assembly.
Young believers particularly ought to understand that they are priests as having the Spirit, and that the normal experience of the believer from the outset involves what is priestly — particularly in the Roman epistle, when he, in the process of the early experience in his soul, comes to discern that the law is spiritual.
It will be observed that the speaker in Romans 7 says he delights in the law of God after the inward man. It is there, I think, the foundation of priesthood is laid, for the priest is concerned with the law. He learns to value the law of God in its spiritual significance in his early experience, and thus becomes qualified to take up the law in the sense in which it is applicable to the assembly. So in the verse in Corinthians the man is tested as to whether he is spiritual by his recognising that the epistle is the commandment of the Lord intended to govern the assembly.
[p. 371] We are not without law in the sense in which it conveys the mind of God and the will of God, and the will of Christ in the assembly; as it says in Ezekiel 43: 12, “This is the law of the house: Upon the top of the mountain all its border round about is most holy”. It is holy, the priests were to know that; they were to know the law, and to see to its enforcement. “For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and at his mouth they seek the law” (Malachi 2: 7). In order that we should be qualified for that, we have to learn in our own souls through experience with God to value His law. “I delight in the law of God according to the inward man;” that is in its spiritual import not in its literal bearing, because it says, “we are clear from the law, having died in that in which we were held, so that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in oldness of letter”.
Ques Then have you in mind that the law in Romans has application to the individual, and in Corinthians to the house?
JT That is it exactly. The epistle to the Corinthians may be taken to be the law of the house.
Ques And Romans, the law that should govern the individual. Will you say what is in your mind in regard of the law as applied to us; what is your thought?
JT I suppose the principle of law enters into everything, physical and moral. I do not think there is anything ungoverned by law save God Himself.
Ques Are you going wider in your thought than what we usually speak of as law in the Old Testament?
JT Oh, yes, the apostle says to the Romans, you will observe, “I speak to those knowing law;” that is law in the abstract. If a man does not know law, he is defective, viewing him even as a creature of God, apart from faith. There is nothing material or moral that is not governed by law; without that [p. 372] principle you could not have the universe as it is, nor could you have any moral system without it.
Rem All would be disaster without law.
JT Quite. So the Roman christians are addressed as “knowing law”, and as the apostle takes up the subject of law in chapter 7 he assumes that they knew, not what he was going to speak of, but that they knew law. They knew it in some sense in the abstract, they knew it in principle, and then the chapter shows that the believer goes through an experience in which he discerns the spirituality of God’s law. When he says, “the law of God”, I apprehend, he means the law given at Sinai; but the law in the first verse is general. Then he deals with what is specific. There are laws in the physical system which cannot be called spiritual, but God’s law is spiritual; the believer has to discern that, and in the discovery of that he qualifies as priest. He discerns the spirit of the law, and then he delights in it; he says, “I delight in the law of God according to the inward man”. In chapter 8 he has power to fulfil its righteous requirements. The thing you delight in you have power to apply, and chapter 8 shows you have the power to apply it.
Ques Would you look at the whole book of Leviticus in that connection as applying to the priest, as governing the priest?
JT That is how I should understand it. Leviticus 6 and 7 give the law governing the offerings. The believer in Romans is a qualified offerer, he has something to offer; he has his body, and whatever else he has, to offer to God, and the offering must be governed by the law. So Leviticus teaches me that God is now ready to accept my offering, according to what I am able to bring; it may be only a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons, but as soon as I arrive with my offering the priest is there. Now I am a priest myself; the priestly [p. 373] element comes in as soon as I begin to offer. Leviticus 2, Leviticus 3 and Leviticus 4 are instructions for the offerer, not for the priest; of course, the priest comes into it, but the instructions are for the offerer, that is for the believer, who has something to offer to God. Leviticus 6 and Leviticus 7 are for the priest; they are spoken to Aaron and to his sons, meaning that the laws governing the offerings are specifically given into the hands of the priests.
Rem In that book also we get very specific instructions for the clean and unclean.
JT That is a very important part of it. The cleansing of the leper was mainly in the hands of the priest; so we can see how the believer as still in Romans is intended to be an offerer, but as an offerer he has to know the law, and to be a priest himself, because he is the one who is to offer; there is no intermediary as in the Old Testament. The man that comes with the offering is the one to offer it; he is a priest himself.
Ques Have you in mind to show the difference between the one who delights in the law of God, and the one who does not? What brings it about?
JT Deliverance. He delights in the law of God; he arrives at it by the exercise indicated in this chapter. The law of God is spiritual, but he has no power to carry it out. There is that in him which hinders him in carrying it out — another law in his members, warring in opposition to the law of his mind. You see how much law is before his mind. Then he cries out, “who shall deliver me out of this body of death?” that is to say, from what hinders him from doing what he delights in, and the answer is, “I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord”. He begins his liberty in giving thanks to God, which in itself is priestly. It is a priestly act to give thanks to God. I mention these details because young people are so apt to put these things past them,
[p. 374] as though they belonged to the elder brethren only, but they do not. You delight in the law of God, and even in giving thanks for your deliverance, you are already officiating as a priest. If you delight in the law of God you look for that principle wherever it is established. In 1 Corinthians you delight in its further development, especially in its application to the assembly.
Ques Will you say what is involved in the law of God?
JT The Lord, I think, in His answer to the enquirer in the gospels puts the thing in a concise form, which should appeal to every believer. “Which is the first commandment of all?” The Lord, citing from Deuteronomy, says, “thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thine understanding, and with all thy strength” (Mark 12: 28 - 31). That should appeal to every believer, because Romans 8 shows that the Holy Spirit in us makes us lovers of God, and lovers of God with all our hearts. “And the second like it is this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself”. Matthew adds, “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets”, that is to say, the Old Testament hangs on those two commandments.
Ques What is in your mind in saying that?
JT It shows how important the Old Testament is, if it hangs on those two commandments. We see what is God’s requirement, God’s righteous requirement — a most reasonable requirement — the love of our hearts: surely that is reasonable.
Ques Would the “law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” be on the line of response?
JT That is chapter 8, which really goes further; it leads on to the righteous fulfilment of the law, but it includes the other, as the greater includes the less.
Ques Speaking again on love to God and love to one’s neighbour, would you say that those two lines [p. 375] are suggested in the holy priesthood and in the royal priesthood? What goes up to God, and what comes out to men.
JT That is very good indeed. The royal priesthood is that you show forth the virtues of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.
Ques I was struck by the fact that the greater part of the book of Malachi is addressed to the priest; would that come in in connection with your thought?
JT It is very suggestive that the priesthood should be so emphasised in the last book of the Old Testament. “And now, ye priests, this commandment is for you” (Malachi 2: 1). The covenant made with Levi is called attention to, a covenant of life and peace, which is the exact expression you get in Romans 8, that is “life and peace”, showing that Romans really brings in the priest.
Ques Does the gospel of Luke in its teaching tend to bring about what you have before you?
JT It does; it sets out the priesthood as it came out in Christ here.
Rem I was thinking of the word of Zacharias in Luke 1: 74, “That, saved out of the hand of our enemies, we should serve him without fear in piety and righteousness before him all our days”. Is there not a priestly thought in that?
JT That is excellent. It is the object in view.
Rem I thought the whole gospel worked that out in result, so you have a priestly company in the last chapter brought into view, and praising God in the temple.
JT Yes; and Romans shows how we are brought into that. I think the gospel of Luke is to set out the gospel as we speak of it. Romans shows how the believer begins, how he comes experimentally to this point; he delights in the law of God. I doubt if any of us can take part in the assembly unless that [p. 376] root principle be there. As the law of God is set out in the Old Testament in its spiritual significance, so the commandment of the Lord governs the assembly in Corinthians. As a priest, the believer’s first great concern is that it should be applied.
Ques Is that why obedience is enforced in Romans?
JT I think it is. The gospel is “for obedience of faith among all the nations” (Romans 1: 5), and again it says, “ye ... have obeyed from the heart the form of teaching into which ye were instructed” (Romans 6: 17). There is thus a remarkable correspondence with the features of the priest as seen in Malachi: “My covenant with him was of life and peace, and I gave them to him that he might fear; and he feared me, and trembled before my name” (Malachi 2: 5). That ought not to be beyond the youngest believer here, because if these things do not characterise us, our christianity is doubtful. It goes on to say, “The law of truth was in his mouth, and unrighteousness was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. For the priest’s lips should keep knowledge, and at his mouth they seek the law; for he is the messenger of Jehovah of hosts” (verses 6, 7). I think you will see that Romans, the truth of which is intended to develop every one of us as believers, corresponds with these features, with this description of Levi in Malachi.
Ques In Romans 5 we get the covenant, do we not? God corn mends His love towards us.
JT Yes, quite. In chapter 8 it is confirmed in the Spirit. Chapter 5 is the unfolding from God’s side; in chapter 8 it is confirmed in you; you have the Spirit, therefore you love God.
Ques Referring to Levi’s history, when God honoured him, was it not in connection with the golden [p. 377] calf?
JT Yes, when he rallied to Moses; he was on the Lord’s side.
Ques Would that show what governed him?
JT Quite. He was considering for God: “Who said to his father and to his mother, I see him not, And he acknowledged not his brethren, And knew not his own children” (Deuteronomy 33: 9). There was the disallowance of natural claims. In any locality where a family is large, and natural links existing, it is most important that every one of us should be able to say to his father and mother, “I see him not”. You begin to take the sword against your brother. That is what Levi did; every one used the sword against his brother. You must not consider natural feelings and affections when it is a question of what is due to God.
Rem Then the thoughts of God become a law to me. I thought it showed they govern and become a law to me. It does not mean I am in bondage, but merely held in response.
Ques Would you say how that delight is brought about?
JT I think it is the working out of the divine nature. The Lord Jesus sets it out perfectly when He says, “thy law is within my heart”. He so regarded it that He put it in His heart; He magnified it and made it honourable. He was like the ark in the tabernacle, the law was in His heart, the whole law; so whenever a question was raised as to it, He brought it out. If you have it in your heart, you know what to say about it.
Rem So this individual setting is very important to start with.
JT You see how it brings you into correspondence with Christ. You begin at the rock bottom. The Lord had it in His heart, and when questioned about it, He brought out the answer immediately. He put it into a small compass, the first and great commandment is, “thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart”, etc. Now you are brought into correspondence with the ark in this chapter, because you are like the Lord in that sense: He delighted in the law, all the law. We thus qualify as boards of the tabernacle on the one hand, and as priests on the other.
Rem With regard to the distress in Romans 7, is it because I am not able to carry out the thing I delight in?
JT But you have power to carry it out, as you see in the next chapter. What satisfaction there is in that, “that the righteous requirement of the law should be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to flesh but according to Spirit”. The filling out of the nature in me is love. If I have it in my heart, the thing that comes out is love.
Ques Would you say it is indicated in that way when He speaks at the beginning, “unto thousands of them that love me”?
JT Just so. I was thinking of young believers getting the thing right. We learn to respect the law that governs the assembly, because we are confronted with law at every step of the way. In the next chapter we have another law, “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus;” note that. I have already settled one matter of law, that is the law of God, what He requires of me; but then there is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus: that is not a question of code or requirement, but a principle, something that governs me as a principle, and in its effect it delivers me from the law of sin and death.
Ques What did the apostle mean when he said, “So then I myself with the mind serve God’s law; but with the flesh sin’s law”? That is sometimes a difficulty.
JT I think the inward man and the mind coalesce there. He has arrived by the process of [p. 379] analysis to distinguish between the inward man and the flesh. In 2 Corinthians 4 it is the inward and the outward man. It is a great matter to arrive at that result by subjective analysis, and to see how God brought on that process of analysis by a perfect Object, and thus you arrive at a definite point where you have located the inward man, and know that he is absolutely for God. That shows God has been there, and has effected something in me. I have arrived at the point where that is located; that the nature that delights in the law of God is myself. The other I disown — the sin that dwells in me; the flesh will never do anything but serve sin’s law, and I disown it. Now I have arrived at myself: I identify myself with what God has effected in me, and I delight in the law of God.
Ques Do you not think it is a great moment in the history of every soul when we arrive at that intelligence?
JT The next thing is my mind; the power I have got is in my mind. Even with an unconverted man, the mind is powerful; but now being a subject of the spiritual work of God, my power is in my mind; but then I need my hands, my body, because the fulfilment of it works out in my body.
Ques Does not the apostle speak of the working of it out in chapter 12?
JT That involves the Spirit, “that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12: 2). The renewing of your mind involves the Spirit. But here it is in the mind, thus the Deliverer is before your soul. Then there is complete transference — I am in Christ Jesus. You are set in another Man. “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and of death”. The position is adopted. Then you have the explanation of it, “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God, having sent His [p. 380] own Son, in likeness of flesh of sin, and for sin, has condemned sin in the flesh”. Having sent His own Son — the deliverance is complete.
Ques Would you mind saying a word on Numbers 25 in connection with Phinehas and the everlasting priesthood promised him in connection with what he did as to Baal-Peor?
JT That is the carrying forward of what Levi did as recorded in Exodus 32. There he was marked by taking sides with God against his brother. Now in Numbers the whole position of Israel is threatened in connection with a corrupting element. One man comes in; it shows how God carries forward a primary idea in one man here, so the everlasting priesthood was given to Phinehas.
Ques Would you say that the power to distinguish and discern is one of the first characteristics of priesthood?
JT That is what this chapter teaches us, you have power to discern. You will find if men are not law-abiding, when it comes to other principles of law, this root principle has not been fostered.
Ques What is the connection between this and being to Another? Does the new husband come in to support us on this line?
JT You arrive at the new husband at the end of the chapter; the Lord becomes your husband. The first part of the chapter is the end to be reached, and the chapter is the process as to how you reach it. If you were to jump the 7th and go from the 6th to the 8th, you would not be a priest in a practical sense.
Ques What is the power to discover that? Would it be by faith?
JT Faith is there; it is the working out of new birth really.
Rem You learn to love the law as seeing it set forth in Another, and the power to obey it is as seeing it set forth in Christ.
JT [p. 381] Just so. You can see how the true Aaron comes into the soul as you see the worth of Christ, how He has effected your deliverance, how He was raised from the dead, first by the Spirit of holiness, and then by the glory of the Father. The Lord thus comes into your soul, then He is your Deliverer.
Ques Do you suggest that you have the true Aaron in Christ who “was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father”?
JT Quite. First He is declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by resurrection of the dead. That is how priesthood was established; it was established indisputably in the priest by resurrection. Aaron’s staff budded, blossomed and bore almonds overnight.
Rem “Raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father”, gives us the thought of the true Aaron.
JT I think the two things go together: first, He is declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness by resurrection of the dead. That is what He is inherently; the staff of Aaron had life in it. Inherent life was in the Son of God. Then there is the Father’s delight in Him, He is raised from the dead by the glory of the Father. I think Romans brings out Aaron, and brings out the priests, and those who thus go through Romans are fitted for Corinthians, because they have learnt law, and they have fulfilled its righteous obligations in themselves. Now, when you come to Corinthians, it is the law applied not only to myself but to the saints, to the assembly; because the commandments of the Lord in 1 Corinthians are not for the individual exactly, but set forth the principles of truth which are to govern the company. If I have learnt to carry out the law in its righteous requirements in myself in the way of love, then I shall be qualified to take part in the assembly.
[p. 382] Ques Would you say the thought of priesthood is connected with the house?
JT It is in Peter. Do you mean “a spiritual house, a holy priesthood”?
Rem Yes, it is connected with that aspect of the assembly, not only when the saints are convened, but it is something you can take up at all times.
JT I am thinking rather of local government and order. “If any one thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him recognise the things that I write to you, that it is the Lord’s commandment”. As soon as he does that, he shows himself to be a priest. These things must be maintained. As soon as a young believer sees that, he sees that these things must not be left in the hands of two or three old brothers.
Rem Deliverance has that in view.
JT Certainly, that I should function as a priest. The word is to Aaron and to his sons — to all the sons. Romans teaches me that I am a qualified priest. Other considerations come in when it comes to the government of the house — eldership comes in then; there must be maturity, but every one is a priest. There are the commandments of the Lord to govern the assembly. I am prepared for this. There are two brothers at issue one with the other; who is to settle this matter? He who is least esteemed in the assembly; so you do not rule out anyone. The priests are all responsible.
Ques Have you any thought as to why he says, “a prophet or spiritual”?
JT I think it is an allusion to their great wish to be distinguished by gift. They had written to him about spiritual manifestations, but he gives them a test as to how they would recognise a prophet. In their letter they made enquiry about many things, but they did not make enquiry about the root difficulty at Corinth, they left that out.
[p. 383] Rem Things are maintained for God by priestly conditions.
Ques What was the root difficulty?
JT I think I can read it to you, “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all say the same thing, and that there be not among you divisions; but that ye be perfectly united in the same mind and in the same opinion” (1 Corinthians 1: 10). That was the root difficulty: “For it has been shewn to me concerning you, my brethren, ... that there are strifes among you” (verse 11); there were parties and rivals, rival teachers and leaders. They never said a word about that to him, and that is the first thing he exhorts them about.
Ques Would you say that the same mind in the Corinthians would be arrived at by each one passing through what you have been suggesting in Romans?
JT I think where you love your neighbour as yourself there would be no rivalry. The Lord put the law in His heart. Paul says it is spiritual, and he delighted in it; it was something very important in his mind, and the fulfilment of it must mean no rivalry among the saints. There was serious sin at Corinth, which could be seen, and dealt with, but there was something working under the surface; there were divisions among them.
Ques They turned to the apostle Paul; how would you suggest a thing like that is to be met today? Chloe turned to the apostle.
JT You would turn to the Lord; Paul as an apostle represented the Lord. The house of Chloe must have been a priestly house. If you want to find out the real state of things in any locality, find the spiritual person there; it might be a sister. Sisters have better instincts, they are safer. It does not say whether it was a sister or brother — someone related to Chloe.
Rem He exhorts by the name of the Lord Jesus [p. 384] Christ.
JT It was very serious.
Ques How would you apply today the principle in Deuteronomy 17: 8? If a matter of controversy and spiritual difficulty arose, they were to go to the place that Jehovah would choose, and come to the priests. Would that have any bearing on this which was found at Corinth? How would you carry out the thought of going to the priests?
JT Get the assembly together. The assembly today answers to the idea of the priesthood in that chapter in Deuteronomy. We have to make allowance not only for believers forming the local assembly, but for their spirituality too. “Ye who are spiritual;” you would have respect for their judgment. Thus going to the priests would answer to getting the assembly together to put the matter before them. It must not be put into the hands of a group, a few, to manage things, for that would be the denial of the truth of priesthood as belonging to every believer.
Ques Are you speaking now of something specific, or the ordinary care of the meeting?
JT The ordinary care of the meeting.
Rem There should be no leaving it in the hands of a few.
JT No, certainly not.
Rem So at the care meeting you would expect to see the youngest priest set on that line.
JT You would not expect sisters to be at an enquiry meeting, but before anything is done or ratified, you must have all, because that is the point of being a priest. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus brings you into the priestly family, and then you are formed in it in the mind of the Spirit, which is life and peace. You are now morally great enough to handle matters according to God. You are not a babbler or tale-teller, you are restful. Then you see how a priest was marked: “The law of truth was in his mouth”. Is there anything more [p. 385] important in local matters than the law of truth?
Rem That is, if some decision is given that is not according to the law, not according to divine principles, you would question whether those who gave it had a right to speak as priests.
JT Yes, you would. Everything has to be tested by law, but it is remarkable how the mind of God works out among the priests where the brethren are subject; but where there are conditions such as there were at Corinth, which the house of Chloe discerned, then there is room for Satan: so the root difficulty at Corinth was division — parties following certain leaders.
Ques Was there not something behind that? “Are ye not carnal, and walk as men”?
JT Quite so.
Rem There would be no division if there were not a carnal state.
JT We were saying elsewhere that it is most noticeable, that where local difficulties arise, the spirit of lying is sure to appear. It is Satan engendering the spirit of lying, and things become distorted, as anyone feels who loves the law of truth. You may say true things, and yet leave wrong impressions.
Rem In John 14: 16, where for the first time the Lord speaks of the Comforter, He speaks of Him as the Spirit of truth.
Ques Does not the apostle bring in the truth of the cross as the antidote to division?
JT He really brings in that as the basis of what he would develop. What were these local leaders doing? Were they suffering? Were they accepting the shame of the cross? “I think”, he says, “that God has set us the apostles for the last, as appointed to death”.
Ques Would you think it is encouraging that recovery was brought about by the priestly activity of one house?
JT It is encouraging.
Ques “The things that I write to you”. Is the apostle referring to all the instructions he gives in the first epistle?
JT I think so.
Rem All the principles laid down there would really be the law of the house.
JT So if one is spiritual he holds to that; he makes it his first concern, as in Ezekiel.
Ques Would the great concern of the priest be what those laws were?
JT If he has to administer them, he must know them.
Ques Would it fit in with Malachi 4: 4, “Remember the law of Moses my servant”?
JT Yes. To know the law of Moses was the priestly responsibility.
Ques Do you think we often fail on priestly lines because we are not careful as to the law? You were saying t at we are boards, involving righteousness and holiness.
JT Just so. You see with Levi, how “the law of truth” was there; unrighteousness was not in him. The priests were to be clothed with righteousness; but I think it commends itself to you that the young believer should see to it that the great fundamental principle of priesthood is there — that he delights in the law of God. So that when he comes into a more extended view in connection with the house of God, divine principles are maintained by him.
Rem I thought it was very encouraging what you said about giving thanks for your deliverance. I thought it would encourage the young to take part.
JT I think many of the young put it past them, as being beyond them, whereas they are really exercising priesthood when they pray. I have to take up the wider matters of the assembly. I have to see that I am not one of a party in the assembly,
[p. 387] that I am not following any particular brother. If I am a partisan, as following any leader, I am fleshly, I have gone back to the flesh, for this marks the men in the world.
Rem So if you are to administer those laws your great concern would be that you are according to them yourself.
JT Yes, I am maintaining them. The first concern of the priest is to minister the law, to be the exponent of the law. You hear young people say of others, They are doing this and that; but what are you doing? Are you seeking to maintain what is of God? “He that has my commandments and keeps them, he it is that loves me” (John 14: 21).
Rem There is great encouragement to take up these commandments. In Deuteronomy 33: 12, after what is said of Levi, we get, “The beloved of Jehovah, — he shall dwell in safety by him”, and then all the wealth of Joseph comes in following upon it.
JT That is very good indeed.
Rem The Lord would give a spiritual sense of support and love to that one.
JT Romans lays the basis of everything, and it is remarkable how it bears on what is collective as we see in Romans 12: 5, “we, being many, are one body in Christ”. You present your body to God a living sacrifice, others do the same; there is thus a basis for the “one body in Christ”. 1 Corinthians is the law governing that body, governing all those units, and every one in it is responsible.
Ques Does 1 Corinthians 13 give the power for all these things?
JT Yes, it does; so I have its fulfilment, that is, the filling out. You have it in your heart, and then the thing is filled out.
Ques What about the royal priesthood?
JT That is what we are manward; we are the holy priesthood Godward, in offering to God. I [p. 388] think the royal priesthood is what we are towards men to show forth the virtues of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvellous light; so that one sees in this world men like God, possessed of divine knowledge, and grace, and mercy towards men.
Ques Is that more what we are?
JT What we should be: we are set up that way.