Whether the Priesthood of Christ Endures for Ever?
Objection 1: It would seem that the priesthood of Christ does not
endure for ever. For as stated above (A. 4, ad 1, 3) those alone need
the effect of the priesthood who have the weakness of sin, which can
be expiated by the priest's sacrifice. But this will not be for ever.
For in the Saints there will be no weakness, according to Isa. 60:21:
"Thy people shall be all just": while no expiation will be possible
for the weakness of sin, since "there is no redemption in hell"
(Office of the Dead, Resp. vii). Therefore the priesthood of Christ
endures not for ever.
Obj. 2: Further, the priesthood of Christ was made manifest most of
all in His passion and death, when "by His own blood He entered into
the Holies" (Heb. 9:12). But the passion and death of Christ will not
endure for ever, as stated Rom. 6:9: "Christ rising again from the
dead, dieth now no more." Therefore the priesthood of Christ will not
endure for ever.
Obj. 3: Further, Christ is a priest, not as God, but as man. But at
one time Christ was not man, namely during the three days He lay
dead. Therefore the priesthood of Christ endures not for ever.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Ps. 109:4): "Thou art a priest for
ever."
_I answer that,_ In the priestly office, we may consider two things:
first, the offering of the sacrifice; secondly, the consummation of
the sacrifice, consisting in this, that those for whom the sacrifice
is offered, obtain the end of the sacrifice. Now the end of the
sacrifice which Christ offered consisted not in temporal but in
eternal good, which we obtain through His death, according to Heb.
9:11: "Christ is [Vulg.: 'being come'] a high-priest of the good
things to come"; for which reason the priesthood of Christ is said to
be eternal. Now this consummation of Christ's sacrifice was
foreshadowed in this, that the high-priest of the Old Law, once a
year, entered into the Holy of Holies with the blood of a he-goat and
a calf, as laid down, Lev. 16:11, and yet he offered up the he-goat
and calf not within the Holy of Holies, but without. In like manner
Christ entered into the Holy of Holies--that is, into heaven--and
prepared the way for us, that we might enter by the virtue of His
blood, which He shed for us on earth.
Reply Obj. 1: The Saints who will be in heaven will not need any
further expiation by the priesthood of Christ, but having expiated,
they will need consummation through Christ Himself, on Whom their
glory depends, as is written (Apoc. 21:23): "The glory of God hath
enlightened it"--that is, the city of the Saints--"and the Lamb is
the lamp thereof."
Reply Obj. 2: Although Christ's passion and death are not to be
repeated, yet the virtue of that Victim endures for ever, for, as it
is written (Heb. 10:14), "by one oblation He hath perfected for ever
them that are sanctified."
Wherefore the reply to the third objection is clear.
As to the unity of this sacrifice, it was foreshadowed in the Law in
that, once a year, the high-priest of the Law entered into the
Holies, with a solemn oblation of blood, as set down, Lev. 16:11. But
the figure fell short of the reality in this, that the victim had not
an everlasting virtue, for which reason those sacrifices were renewed
every year.
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