|
|
|
|
|
|
THE EVOLUTION of what would later be understood as the threefold ministry of bishop, priest, and deacon may be seen in:
THE LETTERS of St. PAUL
Romans (c.57 AD?) 12:4-8. Prophecy, diakonia; encouragement; sharing; giving
Romans 16:1. Phoebe the deacon[ess] (diakonon).
1 Corinthians (c.54 AD?) 12:4-10. Wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, discernment, tongues, interpretation
1 Corinthians 12:28. Apostles, prophets, teachers, miracle-workers, healers, helpers, administrators, tongues
Philippians (c.55 AD?) 1:1. “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons. Παῦλος καὶ Τιμόθεος δοῦλοι Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ πᾶσιν τοῖς ἁγίοις ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τοῖς οὖσιν ἐν Φιλίπποις σὺν ἐπισκόποις καὶ διακόνοις,”.
THE APPOINTMENT of “DEACONS”
Acts 6:1 diakonia can be (and often is) translated as ministry or service
THE PASTORAL LETTERS (?? late 1st-early 2nd c..AD?)
1 Timothy 3:1-10. Bishops and Deacons
1 Timothy 5:3-16. Widows
Titus 1:5-9. Elders (presbyteroi) and Bishops
1 Timothy 4:4-16. Laying on hands (1)
1 Timothy 5:17-22. Laying on Hands (2)
2 Timothy 1:6 Laying on hands (3)
“ELDERS” MENTIONED WITHOUT BISHOPS or DEACONS
James 5:14 Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; ἀσθενεῖ τις ἐν ὑμῖν, προσκαλεσάσθω τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους τῆς ἐκκλησίας καὶ προσευξάσθωσαν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ἀλείψαντες [αὐτὸν] ἐλαίῳ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ κυρίου.
1 Peter 5:1 So 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 to be revealed. Πρεσβυτέρους οὖν ἐν ὑμῖν παρακαλῶ ὁ συμπρεσβύτερος καὶ μάρτυς τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ παθημάτων, ὁ καὶ τῆς μελλούσης ἀποκαλύπτεσθαι δόξης κοινωνός·
Revelation 4:4 Round the
throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated
on the thrones were twenty-four
elders, clad in white
garments, with golden crowns upon their heads. Καὶ κυκλόθεν τοῦ θρόνου θρόνους
εἴκοσι τέσσαρες, καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς θρόνους
εἴκοσι τέσσαρας
πρεσβυτέρους καθημένους περιβεβλημένους ἐν
ἱματίοις λευκοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν στεφάνους χρυσοῦς.
“JEWISH ELDERS”
Acts 25:15 and when I was at
Jerusalem, the chief priests and the
elders
of the Jews gave information about him, asking for
sentence against him. περὶ οὗ γενομένου μου εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα ἐνεφάνισαν οἱ
ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ
πρεσβύτεροι τῶν Ἰουδαίων
αἰτούμενοι κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ καταδίκην.
EPISKOPOS - ἐπίσκοπος. Overseer; Administrator; (Bishop)
DIAKONOS - διάκονος. Servant; Waiter. (Deacon)
PRESBYTEROS - πρεσβύτερος. Elder, senior, honorable official. (presbyter - not “priest” until 4th century)
This Webpage was created for a workshop held at Saint Andrew's Abbey, Valyermo, California in 2000
