Abstract
The book presents a Czech translation of John Chrysostom's dialogue On priesthood with a commentary and an introduction that comprises three chapters. The first introductory chapter reflects on the genre of the work as a basis for its interpretation.
It deals with the function of the dialogical genre in Greek and Roman literature and the characters and situation of John's dialogue. It also considers certain inappropriateness of its rhetorical style for a friendly conversation.
The subsequent chapter comprises four parts that discuss the topic and meaning of the work. It summarises the development of Church authority in early Christianity and questions its priestly character.
After that, it presents several contemporary interpretations of the dialogue, and then it reflects on the aim of the work and its implied readers. The last chapter deals with relevant questions of the text's composition date and its manuscript tradition.