after render an account; (1 Cor. iv, 12; Tit. i, 7; 1 Pet. iv, 10;) they are ambassadors for Christ,” ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ πρεσβεύομεν,) who in his stead, as though God himself were beseeching by them, pray sinners, "Be ye reconciled to God." 2 Cor. v, 20. As the Lord himself comes in his servants, their reception or rejection is at the same time a reception or rejection of Christ, which is attended accordingly with a great blessing in the one case and with a heavy curse in the other: "He that receiveth you, receiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me." Matt. x, 40 seqq., ver. 15; John xiii, 20; compare John xii, 26; xvii, 23; Matt. xxv, 40. Of course, however, this high position gives them no reason for selfexaltation, but forms an occasion, rather, for humility. Even a Paul, in view of the glory of an office which is to believers a savour of life unto life, to unbelievers a savour of death unto death, and from a deep sense of his own unworthiness, exclaims, "Who is sufficient for these things?” (2 Cor. ii, 16;) and refers all sufficiency to God's grace alone, (iii, 5, 6.) Just as little may they abuse their authority to lord it over conscience and to wrong the rights of the people; but are bound, rather, to be an example unto them in holy living, (1 Pet. v, 3,) that they may not preach to others and be themselves cast away; (1 Cor. ix, 27;) giving themselves up as true shepherds, with self-sacrificing devotion, to the welfare of the flock purchased with Christ's blood and committed to their care; (Acts xx, 28; compare John x, 12 seqq.,) bearing in mind that, according to the rule of the kingdom of heaven, greatness and rank are to be measured by the scale of humility and love,-"Whosoever will be great among you," saith the Lord to his disciples, "let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant." Matt. xx, 26-28; compare Luke xxii, 26-30. For their office is indeed a service, as the original Greek term for it, diakovía, imports,―ministers are immediately and in the highest view servants of God and of Christ, (2 Cor. vi, 4; 1 Cor. iii, 5; iv, 1;) but for this very reason also, in the true sense servants of the congregation for their eternal welfare, as Paul writes to the Corinthians, "We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." 2 Cor. iv, 5; compare Coloss. i, 25. § 2. Development of Government out of the Apostolate. Originally, as already remarked, the ministerial office was one with the apostolical. With the outward and inward growth of the Church, however, the apostles found their sphere of work also en larged, so that it became impossible for them to sustain longer the sole charge of discipline and public worship, and recourse was had accordingly to a division of labour. In this way arose gradually, just as the wants of the Church and the pressure of circumstances required, the several single offices, which have their common root in the apostolate, and through it partake with different measure in its Divine origin, its powers, privileges and duties. The Lord himself gave no directions on the subject in detail, but left his disciples to the guidance of the Holy Ghost. Under this guidance they proceeded with the greatest wisdom and consideration, following closely the objective course of history, and conforming as far as possible to the existing arrangements of the Jewish synagogue. Hence, in the beginning the Church was looked upon merely as a sect or school (aipeois, Acts xxiv, 5; xxviii, 22) within the wider theocratic communion, along with other sects, as the Pharisees (xv, 5; xxvi, 5,) and the Sadducees, (v, 17.) Even the apostle of the Gentiles, Paul himself, turned to the synagogues first, and moved in the order of their customary forms, till he was thrust out of them with his followers and friends. (Acts xiii, 5, 46; xiv, 1; xviii, 4-8; xix, 8–10; xxviii, 17-29.) At the same time, however, it is proper to remark here, that the analogy, which undeniably holds between the constitution of the apostolical Church and the Jewish synagogue, must not be pedantically extended to the smallest details, as has been sometimes done,* but at bottom is of force only as regards the organization of single congregations, the office thus of presbyters and deacons, and even here too those differences must not be overlooked which grew necessarily out of the essential distinction between the Christian and the Jewish principle. In settling the number and division of the Church-offices, the passage Eph. iv, 11 seqq., is especially to be kept in view: "And he (Christ) gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." It is true that in this place (and more particularly in the * For example, by Campegius Vitringa, who first brought out this analogy under a thorough and full view in his celebrated work: De Synagoga Vetere Libri III. 1696. Against him, the objections of Mosheim in his Institutiones Majores, p. 168-171, are in part not without ground. Compare on this point particularly also the work of Dr. Richard Rothe, (now in Bonn,) on the Commencement of the Christian Church, vol. i, 1847, p. 147 seqq. This is undoubtedly the most learned and acute work of modern times on the constitution of the Primitive Church, and in spite of its peculiar, almost universally disapproved, views with regard to the relation of the Church to the State, and the rise of episcopacy, it is a work of permanent value. parallel passage 1 Cor. xii, 28-30, where the evangelists are left out, and, in their stead, the power of miracles and several other functions are mentioned, along with apostles, prophets and teachers) Paul speaks immediately and primarily of the so-called charismata or spiritual gifts, as the connexion clearly shows; but still these have a close relation to the offices, inasmuch as they form the Divine qualification and outfit for such trust, as it were the interior side of the offices, although they might appear also beyond these bounds. He does not propose besides a complete catalogue, since he passes over the deacons,* of whose existence other parts of the New Testament leave no doubt. If now we add these, and then take pastors and teachers to mean the same persons, thoset namely who are elsewhere usually styled presbyters, or it may be also bishops, we get five classes of officers: apostles, prophets, evangelists, presbyterbishops, (with the double function of teaching and government,) and deacons. These offices are so related to one another, that the higher still include in them such as are lower, but not the reverse. apostles (as for example John, the writer of the Gospel, the Epistles and the Apocalypse) were at the same time prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, and had charge at first even of the business of the deacons. (Acts iv, 35, 37; vi, 2.) In the highest sense was this universal character true of Christ, who is expressly called apostle, (Heb. iii, 1,) prophet, (John iv, 19; vi, 14; vii, 40; Luke vii, 16; xxiv, 19; Acts iii, 22, seq.; vii, 37,) evangelist, (evnyyeλíoaтo, Eph. ii, 17,) styles himself the good shepherd, (John x, 11,) and condescends even, notwithstanding his participation in the Divine government of the world, to take the title minister or servant. (Luke xxii, 27; compare Matt. xx, 28; John xiii, 14; Philip. ii, 7.) In general, the different branches of the spiritual office are the organs through which Christ himself continues to exercise and carry forward upon the earth, by the Holy Ghost, his prophetical, priestly, and kingly work. The In the next place, however, these offices differ among themselves in this, that the first three have reference to the general Church, while the presbyterate and diaconate look to single congregations. * Allusion is had to them 1 Cor. xii, 28, in the word avriλmpes, which denotes the spiritual gift answerable to the office of the deacons. † As may be inferred lawfully even from the circumstance, that the Apostle does not place Toùç dè again before didaσκúhovç but simply kaì. This is noted strikingly by Jerome: "Non enim ait, alios pastores et alios magistros, sed alios pastores et magistros, ut qui pastor est, esse debeat et magister." So Bengel on the passage: "Pastores et doctores hic junguntur, nam pascunt docendo maxime, tum admonendo, corripiendo, etc." This gives us the distinction of ecclesiastical and congregational systems, which Rothe especially brings into view; only that he is wrong in placing the last before the first. The entire organization has formed itself downwards from above, or from the general to the particular, and not in the contrary order. Even under the Old Testament the kingdom of God stood not in any local assembly or single tribe; rather, the tribes collectively formed the theocracy. This conception then passed forward directly to the Christian communion, as the true spiritual Israel and proper succession of the old faith. (Rom. ii, 28, seq.; iv. 11, seq.; 26, 17; ix, 6, seq.; 24, seqq.; xi, 1-7; Gal. iii, 7, 26-29; iv. 26; Col. iii, 11.) This consisted of all, of every nation, who were separated from the world by God's grace and called to eternal life; (the έkλektoì, kλŋtoì veov;) and such society of the elect (ἐκκλησία τοῦ θεοῦ) distinguished itself from the ungodly world (the κóoμos,) as did the chosen people of the ancient covenant from the priд, the ễʊvŋ, the nations with which they were surrounded. (Compare Acts ii, 47; xiii, 48; 1 Pet. i, 1, 2; Jude 1; Rom. i, 6, 7; 1 Cor. i, 2; Tit. i, 1, etc.) The apostles accordingly are always named first, (Eph. ii, 20; iv, 11; 1 Cor. xii, 28; поштоν ȧпоσтóλоvç, ver. 29, etc.,) and from their office all others have grown, like branches from a common stock. The broader sense of the Church, as being the totality of believers, the whole kingdom of Christ upon earth,* is the original sense; that by which it is taken to mean a particular local congregation, such as Corinth or Rome, is secondary and derived. This is shown even by the passage where the term èккλŋoía first meets us, and this, too, from the lips of the Lord himself. When he says of his Church, (namely, Matt. xvi, 18,) that the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it, it refers necessarily to the Church in the complex view, since it is only this which is indestructible; while single congregations, and even large districts of country, where Christianity once flourished, have become spiritually dead or have been overwhelmed by the power of a false religion, such as Mohammedanism. In the first stadium of Christianity both conceptions properly fell together, as the Church was confined to the congregation at Jerusalem, and the apostles consequently were at the same time congregational officers. Still their mission and vocation looked from the beginning to the whole human family, the evangelization of all nations. (Matt. xxviii, 19; Mark xvi, 15.) * Compare Matt. xvi, 18; Acts ix, 31; xx, 28; 1 Cor. x, 32; xii, 28; Eph. i, 22, seq.; iii, 10; v, 25 27, 32; 1 Tim. iii, 15, etc. † Rothe himself allows this, p. 285. § 3. Election and Ordination of Officers. The inward call to the Christian ministry, with the necessary furniture of gifts, can proceed only from the Holy Ghost; as Paul accordingly reminds the elders of Ephesus, that they were made overseers or bishops by the Holy Ghost, to feed the Church of God. (Acts xx, 28.) This, however, does not exclude the co-operation of the congregation. True, the apostles were chosen directly by Christ, as instruments for laying the first foundations of the Church. But as soon as there was any society of believers, nothing further took place without their active participation. This was shown even in the measure of supplying the vacant place of the traitor, after our Lord's ascension, Acts i, 15-26. Peter lays before the whole congregation here, consisting of about one hundred and twenty souls, the necessity of a choice to complete the sacred number of twelve; whereupon not only the apostles, but the disciples generally, designate (čorησav, ver. 23,) Barsabas and Matthias as candidates; all pray for the discovery of the Divine will, (ver, 24,) and all give forth their lots ;* (ver. 26;) and so a decision is reached finally in favour of Matthias. Much more must we expect such a regard to general rights in the choice of the ordinary congregational officers. At the first appointment of deacons, Acts vi, 1-6, the twelve call together the multitude of the disciples, (τὸ πλῆθος τῶν μαθητῶν, ver. 2,) and require them to make a choice; they fall in with the proposal, go into the election themselves, (¿šeλéžavтo, ver. 5, which refers to the immediately preceding av Tò πλñvos,) and then present the candidates to the apostles, not for confirmation, but only for ordination, (ver. 6.) As regards the presbyter-bishops, Luke informs us (Acts xiv, 23) that Paul and Barnabas appointed them to office in the newly-established congregations by taking the vote of the people, merely presiding thus over their choice. Such at least is the original and usual sense of the word xɛporovεiv,† (compare 2 Cor. viii, 19.) But even taking it more generally, (as we find πpoɣeipotoveïv used of God, Acts x, 41,) the co-operation of the congregations is thus just as little excluded as it is by the charge Either dice, or more probably small tablets, which were inscribed with the name of a candidate and put into some sort of box or vessel. By this mode of choice, which as is well known the Moravians imitate in their marriages, (though of late less generally than in former times,) it was sought to place the decision, out of man's pleasure, and wholly in the hands of Divine Providence. † From xɛip and rɛíveɩv, to stretch out the hand, and hence manum porrigendo suffragia dare, suffragiis creare. ' |