1. Rebuke not an elder (mpecBurépp pr émumdhtns). The verb N. T.°. °LXX. Originally to lay on blows; hence to castigate with words. IpecBvtepos elder, °P., but frequent in Gospels, Acts, and Apocalypse. Modern crit- ical opinion has largely abandoned the view that the original Christian polity was an imitation of that of the Synagogue. The secular and religious authorities of the Jewish commun- ities, at least in purely Jewish localities, were the same; a fact which is against the probability that the polity was directly transferred to the Christian church. The preroga-
Cx. V.] THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY. 255
tives of the Jewish elders have nothing corresponding with them in extent in the Christian community. Functions which emerge later in the Jewish-Christian communities of Palestine do not exist in the first Palestinian-Christian soci- ety. At the most, as Weizsicker observes, it could only be a question of borrowing a current name.*
Modern criticism compels us, I think, to abandon the view of the identity of Bishop and Presbyter which has obtained such wide acceptance, especially among English scholars, through the discussions of Lightfoot and Hatch.+ The testimony of Clement of Rome (Hp. ad Corinth.) goes to show that the Bishops (yovpmevor or rponyovpevor) are dis- tinguished from the Presbyters, and that if the Bishops are apparently designated as Presbyters, it is because they have been chosen from the body of Presbyters, and have retained the name even when they have ceased to hold office. For this reason deceased Bishops are called Presbyters. In Clem- ent, Presbyters signify a class or estate — members of long standing and approved character, and not office-bearers regularly appointed. Among these the Bishops are to be sought. Bishops are reckoned as Presbyters, not because the Presbyter as such is a Bishop, but because the Bishop as such is a Presbyter. In the Pastorals, Bishops and Deacons are associated without mention of Presbyters (1 Tim. iii. 1-13). Presbyters are referred to in 1 Tim. v. 17-19, but in an entirely different connection. The qualifications of Bish- ops and Deacons are detailed in the former passage, and the list of qualifications concludes with the statement that this is the ordering of the church as the house of God (vv. 14, 15). The offices are exhausted in the description of Bishops
* The view that the original Christian polity was drawn from that of the Synagogue was maintained by Rothe, Baur, Lightfoot, Hatch, and others. The development of the view given above is largely due to Schiirer, Geschichte des jiidischen Volkes im Zeitalter Jesu Christi, 2 Aufl., Bd. II. English trans. A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ, 2d divis., Vol. IL., p. 56ff. Also, Die Gemeindeverfassung der Juden in Rom in der Kaiserzett.
+ For a more detailed examination of this subject I must refer the reader to my Excursus on ‘‘ Bishops and Deacons”? in the International Commentary on Philippians and Philemon.
256 WORD STUDIES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. [Ca. V.
and Deacons. Nothing is said of Presbyters until ch. v, where Timothy’s relations to individual church-members are prescribed ; and in Tit. ii. 2ff. these members are classified as old men (mpeoRvras), old women, young men, and servants. In 1 Tim. v. 17 are mentioned elders who rule well (ot Karas mpoeoTtates mpecBvTepo.). Assuming that Presbyters and Bishops were identical, a distinction would thus be implied between two classes of Bishops— those who rule well and those who do not: whereas the distinction is obviously be- tween old and honored church-members, collectively consid- ered, forming the presbyterial body, and certain of their number who show their qualifications for appointment as overseers. Presbyters as such are not invested with office. There is no formal act constituting a Presbyter. The Bish- ops are reckoned among the Elders, but the Elders as such are not officers.
Thus are to be explained the allusions to appointed Elders, Tit. i. 5; Acts xiv. 28. Elders are to be appointed as over- seers or Bishops, for the overseers must have the qualifica- tions of approved Presbyters. The ordination of Presbyters is the setting apart of Elders to the position of Superintend- ents. The Presbyterate denotes an honorable and influential estate in the church on the ground of age, duration of church membership, and approved character. Only Bishops are appointed. There is no appointment to the Presbyterate. At the close of Clement’s letter to the Corinthians, the qual- ifications of a Presbyter are indicated in the description of the three commissioners from the Roman church who are the bearers of the letter, and to whom no official title is given. They are old, members of the Roman church from youth, blameless in life, believing, and sober.*