It used to be debated whether churches should be governed by 'bishops' (episkopos) or by 'elders' (presbyteros) and what differences that should make in terms of the actual structure of church government.
It is now generally recognized by scholars that the two terms are really synonymous, at least as far as the usage of the words in the NT are concerned. In his commentary on the Pastoral Epistles, Ellicott has this to say, ". . . we must fairly acknowledge with Jerome that in the Pastoral Epistles the terms episkopos and presbyteros are applied indifferently to the same persons. . . The first was borrowed from the Greeks . . . and pointed to the office on the side of its duties; the second, which marked primarily the age of the occupant, was taken from the Jews . . . and pointed to the office on the side of its gravity and dignity" (The Pastoral Epistles of St Paul (1864), 39-40).
While it is fair to say that there is nothing biblical that can be said against the monarchical bishops of the Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist and Roman Catholic churches, it does seem to be a later development. The pattern most apparent in the book of Acts—assumming Luke had faithfully represented the affairs of the early church—is the oversight of the church by a plurality of elders, for which the following passages may serve as illustrations:
One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. . . . The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul. (Acts 11:28-30 NIV)
They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. . . . Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. (Acts 14:21-23 NIV)
Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. The church sent them on their way, . . When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them. . . . The apostles and elders met to consider this question. After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them. . . Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas . . . With them they sent the following letter: The apostles and elders, your brothers, To the Gentile believers in Antioch, Syria and Cilicia: Greetings. We have heard that . . . So we all agreed to . . . (Acts 15:1-25 NIV)
From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church. When they arrived, he said to them: . . . " (Acts 20:17-18 NIV)
This is not to say that the term episkopos is not found in the earlier literature of the NT. In the same passage in which Luke reports Paul calling to meet with the elders of Ephesus, Luke refers to them as episkopos (Acts 20:28) though it seems only to be used in a general sense of ones having oversight of the church, and not as an office. Even in one of the earliest references to "episkopos and deacons," terms that might be taken to support an episcopalian form of church government, the word is in the plural, suggesting it was rule by a plurality of overseers.
In summary and conclusion, we may say that, in the end the crucial question is not whether one system of government is more biblical than than the other—the biblical sources are simply too thin to permit a definitive reconstruction—but whether the church is governed well and best equipped to do the work of ministry entrusted to us by our Lord.
©ALBERITH
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