Difference between priest and a minister?

[Anna the Seeker]

"Priest" and "minister" translates roughly as the same word in my language, but looking at the large variety of Christian "ministers" or "ministries" over the web as they call themselves (though I do doubt the authenticity of some) in English, it leaves me with some confusion.

So, when we speak in English, what's the difference between a priest and a minister?

 

[BryanW92]

A priest is an intermediary between the people and God. A minister is just a shepherd of a flock. In Protestant Christianity, we are all Priests since have personal access to God through our High Priest Jesus. We each may or may not be a minister of some flock.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

as priests, the ekklesia are not intermediaries between anyone else and yhvh, we serve as priests only in yahushua.

in the body of the messiah on earth, there are no intermediaries between any person and yhvh, except yahushua - he is the one faithful and true, the messiah, savior and friend of sinners who came to save us.

absolutely no human called a priest nor a minister today is an intermediary between yhvh and men, except for prayer - which is entirely different than standing in the gap for sin. any and every man who makes any claim to being an intermediary for sin is deceived and deceiving, as only yahushua is able to redeem man, to atone for sin, to take the place/suffer the penalty for anyone else's sin, to save anyone.

a large number of groups all over the world make claims that they can save someone, but they aren't able to and they don't pass the test of scripture(which read to see - read HEBREWS first if you want to know the truth).

 

[BryanW92]

as priests, the ekklesia are not intermediaries between anyone else and yhvh, we serve as priests only in yahushua.

in the body of the messiah on earth, there are no intermediaries between any person and yhvh, except yahushua - he is the one faithful and true, the messiah, savior and friend of sinners who came to save us.

absolutely no human called a priest nor a minister today is an intermediary between yhvh and men, except for prayer - which is entirely different than standing in the gap for sin. any and every man who makes any claim to being an intermediary for sin is deceived and deceiving, as only yahushua is able to redeem man, to atone for sin, to take the place/suffer the penalty for anyone else's sin, to save anyone.

a large number of groups all over the world make claims that they can save someone, but they aren't able to and they don't pass the test of scripture(which read to see - read HEBREWS first if you want to know the truth).

As a clarification, I wasn't saying that the Protestant Priesthood of all believers acted as intercessors for anyone. I was saying that we need no human priest.

 

[JojotheBeloved]

"Priest" and "minister" translates roughly as the same word in my language, but looking at the large variety of Christian "ministers" or "ministries" over the web as they call themselves (though I do doubt the authenticity of some) in English, it leaves me with some confusion.

So, when we speak in English, what's the difference between a priest and a minister?

A simple answer - Catholics believe that the priests are Christ's authority on earth and thus have a stronger "vote" in the church and people are supposed to come to God through them - they are above everyone else. Protestants believe that there is no priest but Jesus, that is there is no one who has God's authority over humanity other than God Himself in Jesus Christ, His Son. Therefore, Protestant ministers are of equal standing with their congregation regarding salvation and holiness, and merely guide their congregation in their seeking to know God as individuals. So, in English, the word "priest" in websites or other media typically means a Catholic leader of a church and "minister" or "pastor" typically means a Protestant leader of a church.

 

[GoingByzantine]

A simple answer - Catholics believe that the priests are Christ's authority on earth and thus have a stronger "vote" in the church and people are supposed to come to God through them - they are above everyone else. Protestants believe that there is no priest but Jesus, that is there is no one who has God's authority over humanity other than God Himself in Jesus Christ, His Son. Therefore, Protestant ministers are of equal standing with their congregation regarding salvation and holiness, and merely guide their congregation in their seeking to know God as individuals. So, in English, the word "priest" in websites or other media typically means a Catholic leader of a church and "minister" or "pastor" typically means a Protestant leader of a church.

That's not fully accurate.

From the Catechism:

Christ, high priest and unique mediator, has made of the Church “a kingdom, priests for his God and Father.” The whole community of believers is, as such, priestly. The faithful exercise their baptismal priesthood through their participation, each according to his own vocation, in Christ’s mission as priest, prophet, and king. Through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation the faithful are “consecrated to be... a holy priesthood."

 

[Rhamiel]

the English word priest evolved from the greek word presbyteros that is used in the New Testament for the Elders in a Church

so really the difference seems to be that Catholics and Eastern Orthodox (and Jews when speaking historically) use the English word Priest
Protestants mostly use words like Minister

both use the term Pastor