SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 3/24/2019
8:39 PM
My Worship Time Focus:
PT-3 “Explanation of a Pastor/Teacher”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Ephesians
4:11
Message of the verses: “11 And He gave
some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as
evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,”
A
couple of days ago we looked at some Greek names for the different office of
Pastor/Teacher as there are other names which fit into this category and
office. We want to continue that in our
SD for today.
We
stated that Elder emphasizes who the
man is, and bishop speaks of what the
man does, and then pastor will deal
with the man’s attitude and also his character.
Now all three of these terms are used of the same church leader, and
also all three identify those who will be feeding and leading the church; yet
each term has a unique emphasis.
John
MacArthur writes “Episkopos was the
secular Greek culture’s equivalent to the historic Hebrew of elder. Overseers, or bishops, were those appointed
by the emperors to govern captured or newly-founded city-states. The bishop was responsible to the emperor,
but oversight was delegated to him. He
functioned as a commissioner, regulating the affairs of the enew colony or
acquisition. Episkopos therefore suggested two ideas to the first-century Greek
mind: Responsibility to a superior
power, and introduction to a new order of things. Gentile converts would immediately understand
those concepts in the term.”
If
we were to trace the biblical use of the word and office of episkopos we would find in only once in
the book of Acts, and that would be at the end of the book (Acts 28:28). Now the reason for this is that at the
beginning of the church age the converts were all Jewish and then in chapter
ten we see the first Gentile conversions, and as the church changed to mostly
Gentile churches then the word would be seen more. For example this Greek word episkopos is found more frequently to
describe those who functioned as elders as seen in 1 Timothy 3:1. “It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office
of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.” The
word “overseer” is the word episkopos, and also I want you to notice the
word “man” noting it is only men who can biblically be qualified for this
office.
The uniqueness of this position of
overseer, episkopos is that of a leadership role in the church and was
specifically responsible for teaching as seen in 1 Timothy 3:2 “An overseer, then, must be above
reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable,
able to teach,” and again notice the
qualification of being the husband of one wife.
Let us look for other leadership responsibilities of this man as found
in Acts 20:28 “"Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among
which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God
which He purchased with His own blood.”
Paul is talking to the Ephesian elders as he states that they will not
see his face again, and so he wants to encourage the elders or overseers to
shepherd the church, to protect the church, so he is to feed and nurture the
flock of God. MacArthur adds “Biblically,
there is no difference in the role of an elder and that of a bishop. The two terms refer to the same group of
leaders, episkopos emphasizing the
function and presbuteros emphasizing
the character.”
Scripture reference for our last quote
is from Job 22:27-28 in the NIV: “You
will pray to Him and He will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows. What you decide on will be done, and light
will shine on your ways.”
3/24/2019 9:07 PM
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