Church History, Volume 1 (of 3)Kurtz, J. H. (Johann Heinrich)
Religion
Church History, Volume 1 (of 3)
Kurtz, J. H. (Johann Heinrich)
Church history
appears in Acts xv., where men, who in _v._ 22 are expressly
distinguished from the elders (presbyters) and in _v._ 32 are
ranked as prophets, are yet called ἡγούμενοι. We should also
be led to conclude from 1 Cor. xii. 28, that those who had
the qualifications of ἀντιλήψεις and κυβερνήσεις, functions
certainly belonging to bishops or presbyters as administrative
and diocesan officers, are yet personally distinguished from
Apostles, Prophets, and Teachers. Now it is explicitly enjoined
in Tit. i. 9 that in the choice of bishops special care should be
taken to see that they have capacity for teaching. In 1 Tim. v. 17
double honour is demanded for the καλῶς προεστῶτες πρεσβύτεροι,
if they also labour ἐν λόγῳ καὶ διδασκαλίᾳ. This passage, however,
shows teaching did not always and in all circumstances, or even
_ex professo_ belong to the special functions of the president
of the congregation; that it was rather in special circumstances,
where perhaps these gifts were not at all or not in sufficient
abundance elsewhere to be found, that these duties of teaching
were undertaken in addition to their own proper official work of
presidency (προϊστάναι). The dividing line between the two orders,
bishops and deacons on the one hand, and pastors and teachers
on the other, consists in the fundamentally different nature of
their calling. The former were congregational offices, the latter,
like those of Apostles and Prophets, were spiritual offices. The
former were chosen by the congregation, the latter had, like the
Apostles and Prophets, a divine call, though according to James
iii. 1 not without the consenting will of the individual, and
the charismatic capacity for teaching, although not in the
same absolute measure. The former were attached to a particular
congregation, the latter were, like the Apostles and Prophets,
first of all itinerant teachers and had, like them, the task of
building up the churches (Eph. iv. 12, εἰς οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ σώματος
τοῦ Χριστοῦ). But, while the Apostles and Prophets laid the
foundation of this building on Christ, the chief corner stone,
preachers and teachers had to continue building on the foundation
thus laid (Eph. ii. 20). A place and importance are undoubtedly
secured for these three spiritual offices, in so far as continued
itinerant offices, by the example of the Lord in His preliminary
sending forth of the twelve in Matt. x., and of the seventy
disciples in Luke x.--Continuation, § 34, 1.
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