(2) Spiritual Functions. — The 'ruler' had at first no exclusive right within the assemblies for wor- ship except that he presided. The right of the ' word ' belonged to every one who iiossessed a gift of speaking, and this was possessed in an eminent degree by the ' pro]]hets,' who were regarded with a higher respect than any other jjossessors of 'gifts of speaking. Now, when we turn to the Didache (chs. 9. 1(1) we find a fixed liturgy p/escribed for the Eucharist, with formal prayers for the conse- cration of the cup and the breaking of the bread, and, at the close of the service, the whole is followed by the injunction, ' But permit the prophets to give thanks as much as they will,' tois 5i Tpo<f>T)Ta.U tVtrp^iTfTc cuxapiffT^r*' 3(ra BiXovai. The contr.ast rots 5^ Trpo<pT)Ta.h, k.t.X., implies that the fxed formula of prayer was uttered, not by a ' prophet,' but by a bishop in his absence, or in addition to the free ' giving of thanks.' This prominence of the bishop in spiritual functions, which he shared with the 'prophet 'and ' teacher,' is alluded to in the sen- tence already quoted (Did. 15'), 'For they also perform for you the service of the prophets and teachers.' There were cases in which no 'prophet' or 'teacher' was pre.sent in the community (Z>irf.
I
CIIUKCll
CHUKCU
437
13'), and in their absence functions which were mainly entrusted to tliem fell upon the bishops and deacons. Tliis applies, not only to spiritual, but also to other functions.
The advance of bishops and deacons to some- thing approaching an exclusive right to certain ministerial acts seems to have arisen somewhat as follows. In certain cases there were actions to be performed on behalf of the community which it was more convenient to carry out by means of a few representatives than by the whole body. This was, e.g., especially the case with the 'laying on of hands' at ordination. These acts were then naturally transferred to the acknowledged repre- sentatives of the assembly (the presbytery, 1 Ti 4"). In the same way James (o") directs that if anyone is ill and desires the help of others' praj'ers for his physical and spiritual healing, he shall send for the ' presbj-ters ' of the Church ; not that the presbyters possess any exclusive privilege in this respect, for it is as 'believers' and 'just men' (vv."-") that their prayers are [lOtent, but because they are the natural representatives of the Church. In the Apoc. it is the elders who lead in the heavenly worship (4'" S" 11"- '* 19^), and present the prayers of the saints on behalf of the Church (5*).
(3) Disrijiline.—Aa the apostles one by one died or were hindered by imprisonment, etc., from personal communication with their Churches, and the position of the prophets and teachers began to decline, it was inevitable that the bishops and deacons, who were absorbing teaching and spiritual functions, should increa.se their powers of dis- cipline. If we may argue from natural causes and the analogy of the Jewish elders, it will appear extremely probable that the presbyter from the first ha<l enjoyed a recognized authority in matters of daily discipline. The maintenance of discipline W68 indeed part of the duty of every Christian, because every ' gift ' entitled the possessor to admonish and e.\hort. It belonged to the projihet or teacher in a special way, because these were gifted in a special degree, and to the elder through the respect due to old age. Hut the Pastoral Epistles mark the appearance of u. public discipline to be exercised bj' the bishops. This is the signili- cance of the direction that the bishop is to be ' no striker, but gentle, not contentious (1 Ti 3', cf. Tit 1'). We see here a foundation laid for the establishment of public discipline, with its authority residing in the hands of the bishops.
LirKRATTRK. — For furtlior details on the separate offlcera see the artt. on Apohtlk, Hishop. Dracon, Propukt, Tbaciier. On the question of Cluirch or^'anization the following may be con. suited ;— Rothe, i>(> A n/inii/« d. chrintL Kircfie, 1S;J7 ; Baur, L'fl.fr dm Crgnr. d. Kpukopnts, 1838; UitschI, Die Enntth. d. allkathol. Kirche, 1857; LiKhtloot, "The Christian Jlinistrv,' In Cmnin. on Phitipp. 18(18 (also in Dissert, on Ap. Age, 189ti) ; Beyschla^, Dit ehnstl. Gemeiudeverfassung im ZeilaUer des ST., 1876; Hatch, Orpanizalion of the Karl)/ Christian Churches, 1880; Kiihl, Die Gemnudeordnung in den Pastoral- brie/en, 1885 ; Lonin^, />i> d'eineimleper/assiinfj des Crchristen- Ihums, 1888; Lefroy, The Christian Ministrj/, 18flO; Sohm, Kirchenrecht, Iter Band, Die gesch. (rn(«(//rt^/fn, ISO'i (reviewed bv E. Kohler in ThL., No. 24. 18'.H) ; r{4iinsav, The Church in the Roman Empire, 1803 ; Gore, The ilinisiry of the Church, lsn3; Hamack. Die Lehre der nc6l,f Apmlel, 1893: Cmmer, Die Fortdnuer der Geiste.vjaben in der alten Kirche ; Il^ville. Les origines de PEpiscojtat., 1894 ; Hupfeld, Die apost. Urge- meinde uach der Ap. <iesch. 1894 ; Kahl, Lehrsystem dee Kirrhen- reehls u. der Kirchenpolitik, Ite Ilalfte, 1894 ; also the Hiatoriea Of the Apostolic Age given at the end.*
(D) The whole Church. — Everj- baptized believer is a member of the Church. The Church universal is therefore the company of all the believers, 'all that call upon the name of the Lord Jesus in every ^ace' (1 Co 1'), i.e. the sum of all the single