The Priesthood

[Chemnitz]

So why would a person ever need to be ordained, intead of, for instance, merely elected by the congregation?

Some churches do that, just not in lutheran circles, because we don't operate solely at a congregational level.

Ordination is only the visible recognition by the church of a person's qualification to be pastor, for the most part it is just election to a "permenant" position.

 

[GraceSaves]

Chemnitz,

Take a look:

..."when the called ministers of Christ deal with us by His divine command...this is just as valid and certain, even in heaven, as if Christ our dear Lord dealt with us Himself." - Small Catechism

"The pastoral office is a gift given to us by God Himself..." - LCMS.org

"God instituted the ministry of teaching the Gospel and administering the Sacraments."

And here's the real kicker:

"Only[ those who are called and ordained to the pastoral office may exercise it publicly. Although the Holy Scriptures make it clear that all the baptized are priests, called to offer God sacrifices of thanks and praise, it also teaches that in the church there is an office to teach, feed, guide and rule, which Christians, by virture of their general calling as Christians, do not possess." - LCMS.org

I also suggest you read this about the Office of the Keys: http://www.lcms.org/belief/whatabout/wa_confession-absolution.pdf

It's quite clear that ordination is not just for the comfort of those in the pews to know that the person is qualified. It's a "gift of God," and ONLY those ordained can administer the Sacrament of the Alter.

 

[Chemnitz]

I would suggest you read it again yourself as you do not seem to understand the document

32. Although the office of the ministry is a divine ordinance, it possesses no other power than the power of the Word of God, 1 Pet. 4:11; that is to say, it is the duty of Christians to yield unconditional obedience to the office of the ministry whenever, and as long as, the minister proclaims to them the Word of God, Heb. 13:17, Luke 10:16. If, however, 6:30-8:30 the minister, in his teachings and injunctions, were to go beyond the Word of God, it would be the duty of Christians not to obey, but to disobey him, so as to remain faithful to Christ, Matt. 23:8. Accordingly, we reject the false doctrine ascribing to the office of the ministry the right to demand obedience and submission in matters which Christ has not commanded.

33. Regarding ordination we teach that it is not a divine, but a commendable ecclesiastical ordinance. (Smalcald Articles. Triglot, p. 525, paragraph 70; M., p. 342.)

1] The keys are an office and power given by Christ to the Church for binding and loosing sin, not only the gross and well-known sins, but also the subtle, hidden, which are known only to God, as it is written in Ps. 19, 13: Who can understand his errors? And in Rom. 7, 25 St. Paul himself complains that with the flesh he serves the law of sin.

The office is given to the church as a whole not just to pastors. The church has chosen to give pastors the ability to administer the office of the keys " Question #275 How does the local congregation publicly administer the Office of the Keys? According to God's will the Christian congregation chooses and calls men as ministers, who in the name of Christ and in the name of the congregation publicly perform the functions of the Office of the Keys" (Luthers SC and Questions and Answers -CPH)