The clerical state began to exist when Christ selected the Apostles to be His successors and the continuers of His work. To them He committed responsibilities and powers which He did not give to the rest of His disciples--the power and responsibility to continue the sacrament of the Last Supper (Luke 22:19f.), to forgive or retain sins (John 20:21ff.), and the like; in short, to administer the sacraments of His Church and to govern it in His name.

This responsibility requires the abundant grace of God, and to provide that grace Christ instituted the sacrament of Holy Orders. It was in reference to this sacrament that Paul wrote to his disciple Timothy whom he had set over the Church at Ephesus: "Do not neglect the grace of office you have, which was granted to you by inspired designation with the imposition of the presbyter's hands" (1 Tim. 4:14).

Laying on of hands was the customary way of imparting this sacrament in the Apostolic Church, as we see in this passage from 1 Timothy, as also from Paul's further word to his disciple, "Do not hastily impose hands on anyone" (1 Tim 5:22), "I remind you to stir up God's grace of office which you have through the laying on of my hands" (2 Tim 1:6), and from the Acts of the Apostles in the appointment of the seven men who were to assist the Apostles in their functions (Acts 6:5f.).

The other large class of the members of the Church is the laity. For these there is the sacrament of Matrimony. Not every layman receives the sacrament, it is true, yet it is the sacrament of "office" which is most characteristic of the laity as a whole.

Not every marriage is a sacrament, but only the marriages of baptized persons. Every marriage is a contract entered into in the presence of God and, as a contract, it is indissoluble. As long as the parties intend to contract true marriage, they contract an unbreakable contract.

But Christian marriage is in addition a sacrament. Baptized persons find in their wedded state a source of grace, a grace "of office," to give them the necessary helps in fulfilling their responsibilities. The most beautiful description given of the significance of Christian marriage is that of Paul (Eph. 5:25- 33):