How do orthodox priests greet each other?
The question of how orthodox priests greet each other reveals a significant departure from the Hebraic-Messianic understanding of priesthood. Instead of mutual greetings among brothers, hierarchical traditions have introduced practices that elevate a special class of clergy, contrary to Yeshua's tea
Quick Answer
How Do Orthodox Priests Greet Each Other? A Hebraic Critique of Clerical Hierarchies Quick Answer Quick Answer: Orthodox priests greet each other and are greeted by congregants with gestures of deference like hand-kissing, reflecting a hierarchical clerical system. This practice starkly contrasts with the Hebraic-Messianic understanding of a universal priesthood of believers, where Yeshua taught…
How Do Orthodox Priests Greet Each Other? A Hebraic Critique of Clerical Hierarchies
Quick Answer
Quick Answer: Orthodox priests greet each other and are greeted by congregants with gestures of deference like hand-kissing, reflecting a hierarchical clerical system. This practice starkly contrasts with the Hebraic-Messianic understanding of a universal priesthood of believers, where Yeshua taught against elevated titles and special spiritual classes, advocating for mutual brotherhood and humility.
The Scholarly Case
The question of "how do orthodox priests greet each other" immediately exposes a fundamental divergence from the original Hebraic-Messianic faith established by Yeshua and His apostles. Within many Orthodox traditions, greetings involve specific rituals, such as kissing the hand of a priest or bishop, which signify profound respect for their perceived sacerdotal status. This practice, while presented as ancient and venerable, stands in direct opposition to the teachings of Yeshua concerning humility and the nature of spiritual authority. Yeshua explicitly condemned the pursuit of elevated titles and positions of honor within the community of believers. In Matthew 23:8-12, He declares, "But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth your father, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." This passage is a clear rebuke of any system that creates a spiritual elite or a distinct class of "fathers" or "rabbis" among the brethren. The early Messianic community understood itself as a brotherhood, where leadership was characterized by service, not by honorific titles or special greetings. The Brit Chadashah consistently presents the concept of a universal priesthood of all believers. 1 Peter 2:9 declares, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." Similarly, Revelation 1:6 states that Yeshua "has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and power forever and ever! Amen." These verses dismantle the notion of an exclusive, mediating priesthood, emphasizing that all who believe in Yeshua have direct access to Elohim through Him (Hebrews 4:16). The Levitical priesthood, with its distinct attire, duties, and hierarchical structure, was fundamentally transformed and fulfilled in Yeshua, the singular Kohen Gadol (High Priest) in the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:11-28). The Brit Chadashah makes it clear that with the change in priesthood, the law governing that priesthood also changed. There is no longer a need for an intermediary human priesthood between the individual believer and Elohim. The greetings prescribed in the Brit Chadashah among believers are characterized by mutual love and equality, not by hierarchical deference. Romans 16:16 instructs, "Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send you greetings." This is echoed in 1 Corinthians 16:20: "All the brothers here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss." The "holy kiss" was a common expression of fraternal affection and respect among equals, not a gesture of obeisance to a superior cleric. While 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 does encourage believers to "acknowledge those who work diligently among you, who preside over you in the Lord and give you instruction" and to "hold them in highest regard because of their work," this commendation is for their labor and service, not for their elevated status or for receiving special, deferential greetings that contradict Yeshua's clear command against seeking honor. The development of distinct clerical greetings and the elevation of a priestly class within Orthodox traditions represents a gradual but significant departure from this original Hebraic-Messianic paradigm. This shift parallels the later Roman Catholic emphasis on a distinct sacerdotal class, where the "distinction between clergy and laity" became a formal doctrine, as defended by adversaries like Catholic Answers, who claim certain gestures are "proper" exclusively to the priest celebrant, citing documents like *Ecclesia de Mysterio*. Such doctrines create an artificial barrier and undermine the spiritual equality before Elohim that Yeshua established. The focus on external gestures, specific garb (as seen in discussions of priestly vestments, Evidence 6), or even beard styles (Evidence 8) diverts attention from the internal spiritual transformation and the universal access to Elohim that is the hallmark of the Brit Chadashah faith. The true worshipers are those who worship "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23-24), not those who adhere to man-made hierarchical protocols. The trajectory towards a distinct, honored clergy, often marked by unique greetings and attire, is a historical development that gained prominence in the post-apostolic era, particularly as the faith became institutionalized and Hellenized. This move away from the simple, fraternal greetings of the early Messianic assemblies towards more formal, hierarchical salutations for "priests" or "fathers" reflects a theological drift that Yeshua Himself warned against.Adversary Teardown
The question of how Orthodox priests greet each other reveals a significant departure from the Hebraic-Messianic understanding of priesthood, exposing a fault line common to both Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism: the elevation of a distinct sacerdotal class. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and the Vatican.va website, representing the Roman Catholic tradition, provide ample evidence of this hierarchical emphasis, which Eastern Orthodoxy shares in practice, differing primarily in jurisdiction and some theological nuances rather than the fundamental concept of a special priesthood. The Roman Catholic Church, through its official documents, reinforces the notion of a distinct clergy. For instance, the *General Instruction of the Roman Missal* (GIRM), frequently cited by apologists like those at Catholic Answers (Evidence 2, 7, 9), outlines specific liturgical roles and restrictions for priests. These rules, such as a priest's "liturgical discretion" regarding the Sign of Peace or restrictions on priestly movement during Mass (GIRM n. 154, *Redemptionis Sacramentum* n. 72), are entirely based on ecclesiastical regulations designed for decorum, not on theological imperatives from the Brit Chadashah. This focus on external ritualistic purity and clerical separation creates barriers between clergy and congregants. The argument that certain gestures are "proper" exclusively to the priest celebrant, and that laypeople performing them constitutes a "grave abuse" (*Ecclesia de Mysterio*), as promoted by Catholic Answers (Evidence 3), directly contradicts the Brit Chadashah's teaching of a universal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9, Revelation 1:6). This hierarchical structure hardened significantly over centuries. While early post-apostolic communities had overseers and deacons, the formalization of a distinct, mediating "priesthood" with unique honorifics and greetings gained traction with figures like Pope Leo I (c. 440 CE), who asserted papal primacy, and further solidified under Pope Gregory I (c. 600 CE). The definitive break from the Hebraic concept of universal spiritual access culminated with documents like Pope Gregory VII's *Dictatus Papae* (1075 CE), which outlined sweeping powers and authority for the papacy and, by extension, the sacerdotal class. This historical development shows a clear trajectory away from Yeshua's teachings against elevated titles and toward a system that demands specific deference, including unique greetings, for a spiritual elite. The Orthodox traditions, while rejecting papal supremacy, maintain a similar high ecclesiology regarding their priesthood, often requiring specific forms of address and physical gestures of reverence, such as kissing the priest's hand. This practice, like its Roman Catholic counterpart, elevates human tradition and ecclesiastical rules over the clear biblical instruction for mutual greetings among brothers and the universal spiritual access granted through Yeshua. The "priestly authority and honor-language" (Evidence 5) that some traditions defend by referencing Old Covenant models fails to grasp that the Aaronic priesthood was fulfilled and superseded by Yeshua's Melchizedekian priesthood.Counter-Arguments Anticipated
Objection 1: The New Testament still speaks of "elders" and "overseers" who are to be respected, implying a distinct leadership role.
While the Brit Chadashah indeed speaks of elders (presbyters) and overseers (bishops) in passages like 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, these roles are consistently presented as functions of service and leadership within the community, not as a separate, mediating priesthood requiring unique honorifics or deferential greetings that elevate them above other believers. Yeshua's command in Matthew 23:8-12 against being called "Rabbi" or "Father" applies to the pursuit of titles that imply spiritual superiority, which is precisely what the "priest" title and associated greetings often convey. The respect enjoined for elders is due to their diligent work and instruction, not an inherent sacerdotal status that grants them a different spiritual standing before Elohim than the "royal priesthood" of all believers (1 Peter 2:9).
Objection 2: These greetings are merely cultural expressions of respect, not theological statements about spiritual hierarchy.
While cultural context can influence expressions of respect, the specific forms of greeting (e.g., hand-kissing) for Orthodox "priests" often carry profound theological weight within their traditions, signifying the priest's role as a conduit of grace or a representative of Yeshua. This is evident in the detailed liturgical rules and the strong emphasis on the "distinction between clergy and laity" (Evidence 3) found in both Orthodox and Roman Catholic teachings. When such gestures are mandated or strongly encouraged as part of interacting with clergy, they cease to be mere cultural courtesy and become embedded in a theological framework that contradicts the universal priesthood of believers and Yeshua's call for humility and mutual brotherhood. The Brit Chadashah's "holy kiss" (Romans 16:16, 1 Corinthians 16:20) was a mutual greeting among equals, devoid of hierarchical implications.
Objection 3: The Orthodox Church preserves ancient traditions, and these greetings are part of that unbroken continuity with the early Church.
The claim of "unbroken continuity" often masks significant historical developments and deviations from the original Hebraic-Messianic faith. While some traditions may be ancient, antiquity does not equate to biblical fidelity. The elevation of a distinct, mediating priesthood with specific honorifics and deferential greetings emerged gradually in the post-apostolic era, as the faith became institutionalized and Hellenized, moving away from its Hebraic roots. This development represents a break, not a continuity, with Yeshua's explicit commands against seeking elevated titles (Matthew 23:8-12) and the Brit Chadashah's teaching of a universal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). The true continuity is found in adherence to the Torah-observant faith of Yeshua and the apostles, not in later ecclesiastical traditions that contradict primary scripture.