I Timothy 5:17 says, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.” Much more, pastors are in a place of authority and leadership. They need to honor their office as Jesus honored others. He did that by serving his disciples. And he told them why he was washing their feet. It was done in a formal manner.

Priest and Pastor are two separate offices. The High Priest, on the day of atonement, would offer a sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. That position is not needed by any human now because Jesus is our sacrifice. When Martin Luther coined the phrase, “priesthood of all believers,” he was speaking from the perspective that God is accessible by all who believe; they did not need to go to the Parish and speak to the “priest” to confess sins.