The Priesthood of all the Baptized:An Exegetical and Theological Investigation

For all the emphasis placed on the priesthood of all believers as an article of faith, very little critical research has been done into its exegetical, dogmatic, and historical foundations. In his monumental study, John Elliott notes that a detailed exegetical treatment of 1Peter 2 had never before been done in the history of Christianity. 2 Yet he declines any attempt to relate his conclusions to a dogma of priesthood. The most extensive historical study, undertaken in two volumes by Cyril Eastwood, attempts to trace the influence of this doctrine in the history of the church, but it fails to speak uniquely of the common priesthood and is based on a superficial exegesis of the biblical texts. 3 These two authors illustrate the problem: there has been a general failure to relate a careful exegetical reading of the scriptural sources to the doctrinal theology of the church. The present study intends, therefore, to treat both sides of the issue, from an analysis of the most recent interpretations of the individual pericopes, to producing a coherent biblical theology of the common priesthood. As much as possible, these conclusions will also be related to the specific theological problems which it affects