From the Qualities of the Priest
From the Qualities of the Priest
We spoke previously about the requirement of being filled with the Holy Spirit, and the importance of spiritual life for the priest and his service. We now speak about another necessary quality for the priest, which is wisdom:
Wisdom
When the seven deacons were chosen, the Apostolic Fathers said, “Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom.” (Acts 6:3). If wisdom is necessary for a deacon, it is even more necessary for a priest and a bishop.
We see that Solomon the Wise, when entrusted with the governance of the people, made his sole request to God to grant him wisdom to govern the people (1 Kings 3:7–12). If political governance needs wisdom, how much more so spiritual governance — and the Lord cares for wisdom to the extent that He named Himself Wisdom in the Book of Proverbs and said, “Wisdom has built her house.” (Prov. 9:1). Even regarding the ordinary house, when God commanded the building of the Tabernacle of Meeting, He chose a wise man to perform every craft in that house (Exod. 31:1–4).
And Paul the Apostle, in his building for the Kingdom of God, said, “According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation” (1 Cor. 3:10). The importance of wisdom reached such a degree that our Lord commended the unjust steward because “he acted shrewdly” (Luke 16:8). And though Scripture says, “God chose the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise” (1 Cor. 1:27), this refers to the wisdom of the world which is nullified and is foolishness before God. Yet Paul said, “We speak wisdom among the perfect, yet a wisdom not of this age” (1 Cor. 2:6). This wisdom was described by our teacher James the Apostle in chapter three of his epistle: “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” (James 3:17).
Perhaps among the reasons wisdom is important is that it is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The shepherd ought to be prudent and wise; able to manage the affairs of the church with wisdom, to direct each person’s soul with wisdom, and to manage relations with strangers and non-Christians with wisdom. For the error of the priest may lead the whole people into troubles and complications.
The priest should be expert in souls and expert in the tactics of demons. He must be able to manage everyone, as he was once able to manage his own household well (1 Tim. 3:4–5). He must not be reckless, rash, hasty, or impulsive. Nor should he be narrow-minded or short in outlook, nor the kind who looks at matters from one angle only, nor be impetuous.
Rather, in his wisdom he must be characterized by sobriety, dignity, calm, and also craftiness. How true is the saying of the wise: “The wise man’s eyes are in his head; but the fool walks in darkness.” (Eccl. 2:14).
Among the means that lead the priest to wisdom — besides natural gifts such as intelligence and breadth of mind, and culture that expands his thinking — there is also experience. Experience can make the ignorant wise, because he practically benefits from what he has passed through.
For this experience it is good that the priest be of a mature age, so that he avoids impulsiveness on one hand, and acquires life experience on the other.
Age
The Greek word presbyteros literally means elder.
Protestants translate the terms for priests as elders, because the Greek word has the same meaning. Thus the priest originally was an experienced, wise elder, looked upon by people as a father, even physically.
At this age he would have finished raising his children and would no longer be preoccupied with his household. At this age he would also have passed the youthful stages, as the Discokalia states that he has grown beyond the age when he touches a woman. Thus he becomes free in terms of time and household responsibilities, and has acquired life experience, and possesses the dignity of age and the majesty of gray hair.
If the priest does not reach the age of gray hairs, at least he should possess another maturity which some call the wisdom of youth.
For age is not the measure: how many young men have surpassed elders in wisdom! Athanasius the Apostolic was wise in his early youth, surpassing all the elders of his time. We note that many patriarchal fathers ascended the papal throne at a young age, like Athanasius the Apostolic.
We note that although Christ is the Personification of Wisdom, He did not begin His ministry until He reached thirty years of age. Likewise John the Baptist began to call people to repentance in that age. Thirty was the age of priestly service among the Jews. For youthful age is threatened by two things: either he may err or be corrupted, or people may despise him for his youth (1 Tim. 4:12). This disdain may undermine his ministry.
The issue of age does not relate only to good conduct but also to ministry. For as a man grows older, his knowledge and information increase, and thus the priest becomes able to satisfy his people with teaching. Age also relates to dignity and reverence.
Knowledge and Learning
It is the duty of the priest to be a teacher of the people. Holy Scripture says, “From the lips of the priest you shall seek the law” (Mal. 2:7), and the Discokalia says that he must satisfy his people with teaching. Therefore it is not sufficient for the priest merely to be educated; he must be fit to teach and able to guide others.
This knowledge should be manifold.
He must have knowledge of theological, doctrinal, liturgical, and religious matters in general. He must know Scripture interpretation and be able to argue with adherents of other denominations in his region. He should also be knowledgeable of the human soul, its feelings and sensations, and aware of the wars of demons and their modes of attack, so that he can be a spiritual guide and father to his children in confession; otherwise the saying applies: “If the blind leads the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” (Matt. 15:14).
We observe that teaching is an important work for which nearly all ranks of the priesthood will be questioned. We will speak about this subject in detail in the chapter (The Priest and Teaching)…
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