It is self-evident that the public ministry (das Pfarramt) does not stand in opposition to the general ministry (spiritual priesthood) of all believers, who as spiritual priests have the duty to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world, 1 Pet. 2, 9. The office of the public ministry rather presupposes the spiritual priesthood of all believers; for, on the one hand, the called ministers of the Word must themselves be spiritual priests, or true believers, 1 Tim. 3, 2-7; Titus 1, 5-9; and, on the other, they publicly, that is, in the name of the believers who have called them, administer the duties and privileges which all Christians have as spiritual priests.
The relation between the public ministry and the spiritual priesthood of all believers is therefore obvious. That the two are not identical follows from the fact that Scripture sharply distinguishes between believers in general and shepherds, bishops, or elders (ministers) who are placed over the believer. Thus -
a) All believers are to know and to profess the divine truth, John 6, 45; 7, a8. 39; 1 Cor. 2, 15. 16; 1 John 2, 27; 1 Pet. 2, 9; Col. 3, 16; but the official teachers of the Church must possess a preeminent knowledge of divine truth and a special aptitude to teach, 1 Tim. 3, 1-7; 5, 221; Titus 1, 5-11.
b) While Holy Scripture teaches that all believers are charged with the duties and enjoy the privileges of the Office of the Keys, Matt. 18, 17; 1 Cor. 5, 18, it expressly declares, on the one hand, that God gives to the Church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers for the work of the ministry, Eph. 4, 11. 12; 1 Cor. 12, 28; Acts 20, 28, and, on the other, that not all believers are apostles, prophets, teachers, 1 Cor. 12, 29; Jas. 3, 1 (διδάσκαλοι).
c) While Holy Scripture declares that "the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal," 1 Cor. 12, 4-12, and that all the members of Christ's body should therefore have abundant honor, 1 Cor. 12, 23-25, it demands that the official teachers of the Church be especially esteemed as such as speak the Word of God, Heb. 13, 7; that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel, 1 Cor. 9, 14; that he who is taught in the Word should communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things, Gal. 6, 6. 7 ; that the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the Word and doctrine, 1 Tim. 5, 17. 18; that believers should know them which labor among them and are over them in the Lord and admonish them, 1 These. 5, 12. 13; and that Christians should obey them that have the rule over them and watch over their souls as they that must give account, Heb. 13, 17.
d) Lastly, when St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians: "Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God," 1 Cor. 4, 1, he referred not only to himself, but also to Apollos, 1 Cor. 4, 6, and his other fellow-laborers in the Word, 1 Cor. 3, 21.
We therefore rightly distinguish between believers as spiritual priests and believers as called ministers of Christ and stewards of God's mysteries.
No one distinguished between the spiritual priesthood of all believers and the public ministry more clearly than did Luther. On the one hand, he writes (St. L., V, 1038): "As soon as we have become Christians through this Priest Christ and His priesthood and in Baptism through faith have been engrafted into Him, we have the right and authority to teach and confess the Word, which we have from Him, before everybody, every one according to his calling and station. For though we are not all in the public office or calling, still every Christian should teach, instruct, exhort, comfort, and reprove his neighbor through God's Word whenever and wherever any one is in need of it, as a father and mother must do with their children and servants and a brother, neighbor, citizen, or peasant with another. For a Christian can instruct and admonish another who is yet ignorant or weak in the Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, etc.; and whoever hears this is in duty bound to receive it from him as God's Word and to confess it publicly." (Cf. X, 1590.)
However, on the other hand, Luther also writes (St. L., V, 1037): "Though we all are priests, yet we all neither can nor should for this reason preach, teach, or rule. But from the whole throng we must select and choose some to whom we entrust this office; and whoever conducts it is not a priest on account of his office (which they all are), but a servant of all others. And if he can no longer preach or serve, or if he should no longer desire this, he again steps among the common throng, entrusts his office to another, and is nothing else than an ordinary Christian. Thus you must distinguish between the ministry, or the office of service, and the common priesthood of all baptized Christians. For this office is nothing else than a public service, which is entrusted to one by the whole congregation, who are all priests at the same time." (Cf. X, 1589.)