Bishop (episkopē).- to govern and rule
Deacon, (diakoneō) – to serve
Elder (presbyteros) – to oversee
Shepherd (archipoimēn) - pastors (poimēn)- to provide for and protect
I see them as a waterfall… meaning if you are a Bishop then you are all… if you are a Deacon then you are all from Deacon down… etc…
Interestingly enough “Pastor” (capitalized) does not appear in the KJV, but means “shepherd” and is derived from the Latin. Though is does appear in the plural as pastors. (I’ll get back to why I mention this later) We in Christendom use “Pastor” mostly because of the influence of the Church of Rome. I like the word, but then I need to look to Scripture to interpret itself and find that it says that Jesus was the “Shepherd and Bishop” for us, so I used to make an assumption that “Bishop” is equated with what we have come to call “Pastor”.
However, recently the Lord has had me repent of this… and I will explain why.
There are two biblical offices. Bishop and Deacon. That’s it. Everything else has come up as a matter of men. Men who want to have a title and want the praise of men. Church polity was born from this.
The offices have specific qualifications as the passages will state. Of which “husband of one wife” is clearly stated.
A “Pastor” is not a biblical office, but a role. The office of a pastor doesn’t exist in the bible. To pastor is to provide for and protect.
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:” Eph 4:11-12
Because many people are in fact suited to provide for and protect people – in the flesh or the spirit – people have elevated the role of pastoring to an office.
“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-7
Interestingly… for “administrations” it uses the same root as Deacon, but not as an office, but as a role… lowercase, plural, non-gender. We are all called to be servants (men and women), but not to the office of Deacon. I believe this has to do with the spiritual order, and is for protection.
Women can provide for and protect other women, young women, or even children (of both sexes)… and even for their husbands or parents in the event that they are the only ones working. Therefore… the enemy comes in and bends the half truth of women being able to pastor and makes it that women can be a Pastor. Simultaneously he deceives us into thinking that the office of Bishop is the office of Pastor.
The word that the KJV translates “elder” or “elders” in the Greek is presbyteros which can be literally translated as “one who is older”. In the Jewish tradition it was used for religious purposes and to describe other titles, one of which was “judge” as in when the judges ruled Israel. To me that was an important insight as there were female judges in Israel’s history.
The thing about the language, as I understand it, is that in Greek when a noun is used without a descriptor (such as male or female) it can be and often is interpreted as the general form or, including both; such as in English. “All men are created equal” includes both men and woman. “Mankind” also includes woman (unless, of course you are a militant feminist).
I see this as important because later in scripture we do see the term “elder” used again- but with descriptors for male and female. The specific inclusion of the descriptors in certain verses to emphasize the difference in gender supports the assumption that, when no descriptor is used, the noun is inclusive of both genders.
I do not see “elder” and “Bishop” as interchangeable. (see “waterfall” blurb) When I take that position, based on the Greek words and my understanding of Greek grammar, I see Titus 1:5 as a stand alone statement to Titus from Paul, and then verse 6 picks up a second discussion. Perhaps it can be read that way….
“For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I had commanded you.”
STOP.
Here he is reminding Titus of the reason and command that he had given him, “set things in order that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city.”
Then he begins his teaching to Titus about the qualifications of a bishop. But this is separate from the statement he made to Titus about the “reason” he had left him behind. “Bishop” is an office. These qualifications are for the Bishop. And a Bishop must be a man, as a man is the only one who could be a husband.
So why do I still feel like elders can be male or female? Because the word “elder” did not have a descriptor and because in 1 Tim 5 it separates the men and woman elders specifically and tells us how to address them, and then again in Titus 2 we get further definition of the way the older men and older woman are suppose to act and what qualities they should have.
So… the Bishop is to govern and rule … rule and edify with the Word of God…. Also to serve (Deacon)… to oversee (Elder)… to provide and protect for (pastor)…
The most important thing to realize is this... that no matter what you call the leadership of the Church Body... that the functions and offices are filled according to the Word of God.
To go by the "world's" orientation is to open the sheep up for the slaughter.
