The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-01-13

was anointed with oil poured on his
head, and hence is called in Levitt
Gus 1.-The Priest that is anointed.
After the Babylonian Exile the
amounting was not in use, both High
Priests and Priests being consecrated
by simple investure; but strict gen
ealogical proof Of priest1y descent was
| rigidly demanded, and any failure to
| furnish the proofs meant exclusion
| from the priesthood. Certain bodily
defects also disqualified one from the
exercise of the priestly office.
The High Priest had supreme super
| vision of the Ark of the Covenant, Of
the Temple of Divine Service, and of
| the whole personnel connected with
public worship. He presided over the
Sanhedrin. He alone could perform
the liturgy on the days of expiation,
and he alone might offer sacrifice for.
his own sins and those of the people.
1t was he who entered the Holy of
Holes to seek counsel of God on i'm
portant occasions.
The other priests offered incense
twice daily, renewed the loaves~ of
proposition, and cleaned and filled the
| lamps of the seven-branched candle
| stick. They kept alive the fire on the
altar, and were the judges and ex-
| planned the law. They were the ones
authorized to sprinkle the blood of
! sacrifice. They were the guardians of
the Tabernacle and afterward of the
Temple. .
While the ancient priesthood was
hereditary in the house of Aaron
alone, to the other descendants of
| Levi was assigned a subordinate posi-
ton as servants and assistants of the
| priests The Levites were not per-
mitted to enter the sanctuary nor to
perform the real sacrificial act, espe-
cially the sprinkling of blood Among
| their chief duties was the constant
guarding of the Tabernacle with the
Ark of the Covenant. When the Tab
| ernacle had found fixed home in
Jerusalem, David created four classes
of Levites-servants of the priests,
judges, porters, and the musicians and
singers. After the building of the
Temple by Solomon, the Levites be-
came it's guardians. Jewish literature
names twenty-four different divisions
of the priesthood, according to the
functions they performed about the
altar and the Temple
In common with the priests, the
Levites were bound to instruct the
people in the law, and they possessed
at times certain judicial powers. AT
the time Of the division of the Prom
Used Land among the twelve Tribes,
the Tribe of Levi was left without
territory, since the Lord Himself was
to be their portion and inheritance.
The income of the Priests was de-
rived from the tithes and frstlings OF
fruits and animals. To these were
added as accidentals the remains OF
the food and oblations which were
not entirely consumed by fire. They
also claimed the heads of the animals
sacrificed and the natural products
| and money vowed to God. With all
. these perquisites the Jewish Priests
were never wealthy class, owing
; largely to the Increase in their mum.
bers and partly to the large families
: they reared Their exalted office, their
!, superior education, and their social
position secured them great prestige
: among the people. In general, they
fulfilled their high position worthily
| even though they frequently merited
: the stern rebuke Of the Prophets.
The Chief Priests.
4 In the New Testament, reference is
| frequently made to "chief priests" II
| is of common opinion that this class
comprised deposed high priests, who
, however, retained great influence
/ among the Jewish people. Without
doubt, the ordinary class of priests
J were distributed throughout the length
and breadth of Judea for the purpose
of expounding the Scriptures and of
, fering up sacrifices to Jehova. Dur
ing the years of Christ's public min
istry the chief priests, led by Annas
were strong factor in the ecclesiasti
cal and civil government. For some
years Annas had been deprived of the
| UUL ut1u Cal {
that the Office did not go outside OF
his family. 1t was held by his sons
, for some time and afterWard by his
son-in-law, Caiphas, who reigned, al
least nominally, during the public life
, of Jesus Caiphas was certainly the
only official high priest at the begin
ming of the public life of Christ, ever
! though Annas still held his former
title and much of his former author
ity. 1t was in the house of Caiphas
that the priests met, that by subtilty
they might apprehend Jesus"
t In the measures taken by Jewish
: authorities, to do away with Jesus
, | the chief priests had most discred
f liable part After the raising of Lac
arus, these priests held council to de
t termine what was to be done will
: the Prophet of Nazareth, whom they
! considered a danger to the community
4 When the great Eternal High Prizes
f offered Himself on the altar of the
. cross, the veil of the Temple was rent
! the fire on the altar of sacrifice wa:
/, extinguished, and the priesthood O
3 the Old Law passed out of existence
Y The Christian priesthood took it:
t place and the prophecy of MALACHI!
/ l.. - IL E.<Nx