Appointing Elders/Bishops from Within the Congregation
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What you describe here is very clear and I agree completely.
Indeed this is how the church I am a part of operates. The pastors and the deacons are chosen by the membership from within the congregation and are then ordained. There is no separate "board of elders" that makes the decisions of the church. Once leaders are ordained they along with the voice of the entire church is the ruling organization.
We would not (except in severe emergencies) give the church offices over to outsiders who are not identified as a part of the local body and have not been tested in the local body.
Indeed this is how the church I am a part of operates. The pastors and the deacons are chosen by the membership from within the congregation and are then ordained. There is no separate "board of elders" that makes the decisions of the church. Once leaders are ordained they along with the voice of the entire church is the ruling organization.
We would not (except in severe emergencies) give the church offices over to outsiders who are not identified as a part of the local body and have not been tested in the local body.
Can you give me the site where you found this? Obviously I need correction.
https://www.etymonline.com/word/bishop
For the Greek https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1984/kjv/tr/0-1/
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No, Paul did not do any such thing. A careful reading of the New Testament shows that:
1. Every church was autonomous (not part of any denomination)
2. Every church had a plurality of elders (not one pastor doing everything)
3. The elders were in fact the shepherds or pastors, having the necessary spiritual qualifications and spiritual gifts
6. No one was brought in from outside the local church for ministry
7. The elders were jointly responsible for preaching, teaching, shepherding, and oversight
8. The term bishop (Gk episkopos) focused on the oversight aspect, but the men looking after the flock within the church were pastors/elders/bishops and all were equal
9. The elders were directly accountable to Christ, not some "bishop" outside the church
10. The NT pattern was abandoned were quickly, and the hierarchical system was installed after the passing of the apostles.
1. Every church was autonomous (not part of any denomination)
2. Every church had a plurality of elders (not one pastor doing everything)
3. The elders were in fact the shepherds or pastors, having the necessary spiritual qualifications and spiritual gifts
6. No one was brought in from outside the local church for ministry
7. The elders were jointly responsible for preaching, teaching, shepherding, and oversight
8. The term bishop (Gk episkopos) focused on the oversight aspect, but the men looking after the flock within the church were pastors/elders/bishops and all were equal
9. The elders were directly accountable to Christ, not some "bishop" outside the church
10. The NT pattern was abandoned were quickly, and the hierarchical system was installed after the passing of the apostles.
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I like what Vine's Dictionary says about it:
2Strong's Number: g1984Greek: episkope
Bishop (Overseer):
besides its meaning, "visitation," e.g., 1Pe 2:12 (cp. the Sept. of Exd 3:16; Isa 10:3; Jer 10:15), is rendered "office," in Act 1:20, RV (AV, "bishoprick"); in 1Ti 3:1, "the office of a bishop," lit., "(if any one seeketh) overseership," there is no word representing office.
Note: The corresponding verb is episkopeo, which, in reference to the work of an overseer, is found in 1Pe 5:2, RV, "exercising the oversight," for AV "taking the oversight."
See OVERSIGHT.
What it seems to me is that certain elders or all the elders of the church has oversight of teaching, preaching, & making sure the scriptures are properly obeyed. Maybe not all elders knew about proper teaching or preaching, but all of them had oversight of church order.
Would that be correct?
2Strong's Number: g1984Greek: episkope
Bishop (Overseer):
besides its meaning, "visitation," e.g., 1Pe 2:12 (cp. the Sept. of Exd 3:16; Isa 10:3; Jer 10:15), is rendered "office," in Act 1:20, RV (AV, "bishoprick"); in 1Ti 3:1, "the office of a bishop," lit., "(if any one seeketh) overseership," there is no word representing office.
Note: The corresponding verb is episkopeo, which, in reference to the work of an overseer, is found in 1Pe 5:2, RV, "exercising the oversight," for AV "taking the oversight."
See OVERSIGHT.
What it seems to me is that certain elders or all the elders of the church has oversight of teaching, preaching, & making sure the scriptures are properly obeyed. Maybe not all elders knew about proper teaching or preaching, but all of them had oversight of church order.
Would that be correct?
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That's a good point; the word office isn't in the original.
I think this is correct. I think it might extend further to pastors. I don't see any real evidence of a "head" pastor. The Greek for pastor is ποιμένας (poimenas), "a shepherd." Elders could be pastors, teachers or preachers and vice versa; and all were overseers.
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So is there any evidence that he was the one who translated it 'bishop'? And is that so bad since the word bishop comes from the word translated 'bishop' there?
Did 'presbytery'
as a translation of a word in Greek it derived from make its way into the KJV by way of Puritan fans of Presyterianism?
Are either of these scandalous or conspiracies?
Did 'presbytery'
as a translation of a word in Greek it derived from make its way into the KJV by way of Puritan fans of Presyterianism?
Are either of these scandalous or conspiracies?
Mark 10:42And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,d 44and whoever would be first among you must be slavee of all. 45For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
I don't know a single church today that follows this teaching. Boards of elders possess power as well as the preachers/pastors.
1Peter 5:1So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight,a not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you;b not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
I don't know a single church today that follows this teaching. Boards of elders possess power as well as the preachers/pastors.
1Peter 5:1So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight,a not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you;b not for shameful gain, but eagerly; 3not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. 4And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 5Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
In Rom 15:16, St. Paul the Apostle refers to himself as doing a priestly service, the Greek literally means, officiating as a Priest: "to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit." (BSB)
in the priestly service
ἱερουργοῦντα (hierourgounta)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2418: To minister in holy things. From a compound of hieron and the base of ergon; to be a temple-worker, i.e. Officiate as a priest." Taken from: https://biblehub.com/romans/15-16.htm
In Acts, 20:28, we clearly see it is God's Will for there to be Bishops in the Church: "Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood." (ASV)
Sadly, of all the many Bible versions in this page https://biblehub.com/acts/20-28.htm only 2 translate it "bishop". That's why some people believe "hey, there are no Bishops in the Bible". That is an anti-clerical misconception. There certainly are.
The Greek: "ἐπισκόπους (episkopous)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1985: From epi and skopos; a superintendent, i.e. Christian officer in genitive case charge of a church."
Yet, the KJV renders 1 Pet 2:25 as "the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.", a reference to Christ, the First Bishop.
The same word is used there, as can be verified here: "Ἐπίσκοπον (Episkopon)" https://biblehub.com/1_peter/2-25.htm
Episkopous literally means Bishop. It speaks of someone appointed to a Church Office by Christ or the Apostles.
God Bless.
in the priestly service
ἱερουργοῦντα (hierourgounta)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2418: To minister in holy things. From a compound of hieron and the base of ergon; to be a temple-worker, i.e. Officiate as a priest." Taken from: https://biblehub.com/romans/15-16.htm
In Acts, 20:28, we clearly see it is God's Will for there to be Bishops in the Church: "Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood." (ASV)
Sadly, of all the many Bible versions in this page https://biblehub.com/acts/20-28.htm only 2 translate it "bishop". That's why some people believe "hey, there are no Bishops in the Bible". That is an anti-clerical misconception. There certainly are.
The Greek: "ἐπισκόπους (episkopous)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 1985: From epi and skopos; a superintendent, i.e. Christian officer in genitive case charge of a church."
Yet, the KJV renders 1 Pet 2:25 as "the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.", a reference to Christ, the First Bishop.
The same word is used there, as can be verified here: "Ἐπίσκοπον (Episkopon)" https://biblehub.com/1_peter/2-25.htm
Episkopous literally means Bishop. It speaks of someone appointed to a Church Office by Christ or the Apostles.
God Bless.