SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/22/2019
10:31 AM
My Worship Time Focus: PT-1 Pastors
and Teachers
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Ephesians
4:11
Message of the verse: “11 And He gave
some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as
evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,”
The
first thing that I want to say is that this will be a very long section, and as
you may realize it is a very important section as we consider the pastors and teachers
subject.
The
Greek word of pastors is poimen and
is the normal meaning for shepherd. It
emphasizes the care, protection and the leadership of the man of God for the
flock. Next we look at the Greek word
for teachers: didaskaloi, and this
has to do with the primary function of pastors.
While listening to a sermon on this subject John MacArthur stated that this
was one gift, in other words it is the gift of Pastor-Teacher, and as stated
the major function of the Pastor is to teach, although they do, do other
functions. It is interesting that the
word flock is included in this definition, for Peter speaks about churches
being the flock. “1 Therefore, I exhort
the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings
of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2 shepherd the flock of God among
you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the
will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3 nor yet as lording it over those
allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples
to
the flock. 4 And when the
Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”
John
MacArthur explains why he believes this is one office: “Though teaching can be identified as a
ministry on its own (1 Cor. 12:28), pastors and teachers are best understood as
one office of leadership in the church.
Often the word and (kai) means
‘that is’ or ‘in particular,’ making teachers in this context explanatory of
pastors. That meaning cannot be
conclusively proven in this text, but the text of 1 Timothy 5:17 clearly puts
the two functions together when it says:
‘Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor,
especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching’ (lit., ‘labor to
exhaustion in word and teaching’). Those
two functions define the teaching shepherd.
To fully understand this ministry, some key questions need to be
necessary for proper understanding.”
We
will not look at these questions in order to help us understand this:
How is the pastor-teacher related to the
bishop and elder? There is no
difference between bishops and elders as Pastors are not distinct from them for
the terms are simply different ways of identifying the same people. We looked at the Greek word for pastor which
is poiemen and it has the same basic
meaning of shepherd. Now the Greek word
of bishop is episkopos, and we derive
Episcopalian, and the basic meaning of this is “overseer.” Now the Greek word for Elder is presbuteros and we get Presbyterian, and
this denotes an older person.
There
is textual evidence that all three of these terms refer to the same
office. This can be seen in the
qualifications for a bishop found in 1 Timothy 3:7, and those for an elder are
found in Titus, as Paul uses both terms to refer to the same man (Titus 1:5,
7). We have already looked at 1 Peter 5:1-2
and this brings all three terms together.
Peter, as seen in his letter, instructs the elders to be good bishops as
they pastor: “Therefore, I exhort the
elders (presbuteros) among you, as
your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also
of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd (poimaino) the flock of God among you, exercising oversight [episkopeo] not under compulsion, but
voluntarily, according to the will of God.”
(Quoted from John MacArthur’s commentary, the passage from 1 Peter.)
I
am not going to go over all of these words, but in Acts 20 Paul uses all three
terms interchangeably as he is talking for the last time to the leaders from Ephesus.
John
MacArthur writes “Elder emphasizes
who the main is, bishop speaks of
what he does, and pastor deals with
his attitude and character. All three
terms are used of the same church leader, and all three identify those who feed
and lead the church; yet each term has a unique emphasis.
Lord
willing, we will continue to look at these terms in our next SD.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I find these titles very interesting, and as
I look at the different churches I find that not all of them will have the same
idea as what we will be looking at, but to me the main point in all of this is
to sit under a man who has been called by God to teach and preach God’s Word.
My Steps of Faith for Today: I desire to do what the Lord leads me to do
and then as I do them to leave the results of what He is leading me to do up to
Him, as I don’t want to try and promote myself what He is leading me to do.
Verse that goes along with yesterday’s quotation:
(2 Corinthians 1:20) “For all the promises of God in Him are yes, and in Him
Amen, to the glory of God through us.”
3/22/2019 11:11 AM
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