April c. 1880 A.D. THE USE OF THE TERM “PRIEST” IN THE PRAYER BOOK
April c. 1880 A.D. THE USE OF THE TERM “PRIEST” IN THE PRAYER BOOK Editors. “THE USE OF THE TERM “PRIEST” IN THE PRAYER BOOK.” Church Society. c. 1880-1890? http://archive.churchsociety.org/publications/catracts.asp . Accessed 4 Mar 2015. THE USE OF THE TERM “PRIEST” IN THE PRAYER BOOK IT is sometimes carelessly alleged that the essential meaning of the word “priest” is “one who offers sacrifice.” That, however, is contrary to fact. Any good dictionary taken at random will dissipate this fable. The idea of sacrifice was not involved in the etymology of the word, and the later association of “priest” with sacrifice sprang out of the accidental union in the same person of two separate offices. It is matter for regret that the translators of the Old Testament used the word “priest,” to render the Hebrew “cohen.” “The original meaning of the word ‘cohen,’ (says Canon R. B. Girdlestone in his excellent Synonyms of the Old Testament , page 383...