345:
one was accustomed to regard those whom he had baptized as his own disciples and not of Christ, it was decreed in the whole world that one chosen from among the presbyters should be placed over the others ... Therefore, as presbyters may know that by the custom of the church they are subject to the one who has been placed over them; so also bishops may understand that they are greater than presbyters more by custom than by the veritable ordinance of the Lord.
318:, it is certain that the offices of bishop and presbyter were clearly distinguished, the bishop was understood as the president of the council of presbyters, and so the bishop was distinguished both in honor and in prerogative from the presbyters, who were seen as deriving their authority by means of delegation from the bishop. Each
373:
bishop took on a priestly dimension. By the third century bishops were considered priests. Presbyters or elders sometimes substituted for the bishop at the
Eucharist. By the end of the third century people all over were using the title 'priest' (hierus in Greek and sacerdos in Latin) for whoever presided at the Eucharist.
492:
No Greek lexicons or other scholarly sources suggest that "presbyteros" means "priest" instead of "elder". The Greek word is equivalent to the Hebrew zaqen, which means "elder", and not priest. You can see the zaqenim described in Exodus 18:21–22 using some of the same equivalent Hebrew terms as Paul
344:
Therefore a presbyter is the same as a bishop is, and before that by the instigation of the devil emulations in respect to religion arose, and people began to say: I am of Paul, and I of
Apollos, and I of Cephas, the churches were governed by the common counsel of the presbyters. But, after that each
372:
Priesthood as we know it in the
Catholic church was unheard of during the first generation of Christianity, because at that time priesthood was still associated with animal sacrifices in both the Jewish and pagan religions. ... When the Eucharist came to be regarded as a sacrifice , the role of the
360:
explanation suggests that the delegates were bishops in the actual sense of the term but that they neither possessed fixed sees nor had a special title. Since they were essentially itinerant, they confided the fixed necessary functions relating to the daily life of the community to the care of some
310:
Early sources are not clear, but various groups of
Christian communities would have had a group or college of presbyter-overseers functioning as leaders of the local churches. Occasionally women were described as presbyter on their tomb inscriptions or in other texts. Eventually, the head or
377:
With the legalization of
Christianity and the threat of paganism dwindling from the passage of time, the use of the word priest was adopted from presbyter; as they felt there was no longer a chance of their faith being confused with the ideas, philosophies and culture of the Roman religion.
311:"monarchic" bishop came to rule more clearly, and all local churches would eventually follow the example of the other churches and structure themselves after the model of the others with the one bishop in clearer charge, though the role of the body of priests remained important.
813:
Cambridge
History of Christianity, volume 1, 2006, "The general consensus among scholars has been that, at the turn of the first and second centuries, local congregations were led by bishops and presbyters whose offices were overlapping or
804:
Oxford
Dictionary of the Christian Church, 1997 edition revised 2005, page 211: "It seems that at first the terms 'episcopos' and 'presbyter' were used interchangeably ..."
469:
has formally referred to its presbyters as such (rather than the common title of 'minister') since 1990, from when it was possible to be ordained as a
Methodist
1131:
272:
for example, show the church used two terms for local church offices—presbyters (seen by many as an interchangeable term with episcopos or overseer) and
504:(literally, the comparative of the Greek word for "old" and therefore translated as "one who is older") thus describes the character qualities of the
1159:
1055:
497:
priests (i.e., from the tribe of Levi) but are rather men of distinctive maturity that qualifies them for ministerial roles among the people.
862:
1042:
175:), "old man". However, while the English word priest has presbyter as the etymological origin, the distinctive Greek word (Greek ἱερεύς
1026:
961:
731:
706:
586:
508:. The term "elder" would therefore appear to describe the character, while the term "overseer" (for that is the literal rendering of
993:
466:
303:). Paul commands them to ordain presbyters/bishops and to exercise general oversight, telling Titus to "rebuke with all authority" (
660:
98:, referring both to the Jewish leadership and the "tradition of the elders", and to the leaders of the early Christian community.
488:
of the Bible, a
Protestant translation, responds to a criticism of its use of "elder" over "priest " by stating the following:
315:
1169:
1164:
561:
485:
934:
622:
288:
1154:
364:
Along with this was the title "priest" being distinctively ascribed to presbyters/bishops. Writer Greg Dues, author of
438:
180:
1174:
474:
1067:
478:
477:
has abolished the use of the word "priest" for those ordained as such. They are now referred to as "presbyters".
200:
179:) for "priest" is never used for presbyteros/episkopos in the New Testament, except as being part of the general
636:
269:
287:
in the New
Testament a more clearly defined episcopate can be seen. We are told that Paul had left Timothy in
601:
454:
130:
329:
grew, individual congregations were no longer directly served by a bishop. The bishop in a large city (the
951:
616:
605:
909:
449:– a different word altogether, used in Rev 1:6, 1 Pet 2:9) of all believers, they do not believe in the
393:
296:
793:
222:
138:
782:
330:
771:
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249:
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522:
401:
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1022:
1018:
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989:
957:
868:
859:
727:
702:
582:
557:
397:
261:
83:
581:. Vol. 1 (Fully revised ed.). Grand Rapids, Michigan: W. B. Eerdmans. p. 516.
441:, while those who use the term defend its usage by saying that, while they do believe in the
322:
had its own bishop and his presence was necessary to consecrate any gathering of the church.
244:
The term presbyter was often not yet clearly distinguished from the term overseer (ἐπίσκοποι
284:
253:
196:
75:
36:
333:) would appoint a priest to pastor the flock in each congregation, acting as his delegate.
1017:(Revised and expanded. ed.). Mystic, Connecticut: Twenty-Third Publications. p.
357:
1125:
500:
Therefore, the NT equivalent of the zaqenim cannot be the Levitical priests. The Greek
413:
238:
230:
211:
157:
1139:
882:
481:
sometimes refer to their ruling elders and teaching elders (ministers) as presbyters.
473:, which is also an order of Methodist ministry. The evangelical (or ultra low-church)
1148:
319:
280:
95:
532:
527:
427:
903:
387:
350:
326:
687:, College Edition, The World Publishing Company, Cleveland Ohio, s.v. "priest"
118:
843:
Women officeholders in early Christianity: epigraphical and literary studies
207:
153:
1071:
229:, we see a collegiate system of government in Jerusalem though headed by
661:"Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, πρέσβυ^ς"
493:
uses in the GK of 1&2 Timothy and Titus. Note that the zaqenim are
265:
257:
204:
17:
747:
701:(Second ed.). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 483.
470:
462:
458:
405:
337:
273:
134:
113:
107:
986:
Whose are the Fathers?: Or, the Teaching of Certain Anglo-Catholics
183:, with the first Christians making a distinction between pagan and
434:
433:
This usage is seen by most Protestant Christians as stripping the
420:
292:
184:
426:). Collectively, however, their "college" is referred to as the "
404:, and similar groups typically refer to presbyters in English as
1124:
856:
Ordained women in the early church : a documentary history
125:
does not refer to a member of a distinctive priesthood called
902:
63:
48:
956:. The Presbyterian Committee of Publication. p. 247.
845:. United States, Liturgical Press, 2000. 978-0-8146-5950-2
726:. San Francisco, California: Ignatius Press. p. 181.
233:, according to tradition the first bishop of the city. In
210:, but it had a council or college of ordained presbyters (
90:
to refer to the bishop functioning as overseer. The word
57:
1110:
The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (3rd ed.)
883:
Mary and early Christian women : hidden leadership
685:
Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language
465:) while affirming the priesthood of all believers. The
361:
of the better-educated and highly respected converts.
637:"Where in the New Testament are "Priests" Mentioned?"
51:
1104:
The Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary
896:
894:
892:
556:. Joplin, Missouri: College Press Pub. p. 419.
66:
60:
54:
45:
42:
939:. New York: Baker and Scribnerb. pp. 345, 346.
248:, later exclusively used as meaning bishop), as in
39:
1013:Catholic customs & traditions: a popular guide
1010:
858:. Baltimore, Md.: Johns Hopkins University Press.
822:
820:
203:was according to most scholars similar to that of
829:The Roman Catholic church: its origins and nature
101:In modern Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican usage,
1043:"Persecution in the Early Church: Did You Know?"
554:The Faith Once for All: Bible Doctrine for Today
82:, which means elder or senior, although many in
490:
241:ordains presbyters in the churches he founded.
854:Osiek, Carolyn; Madigan, Kevin, eds. (2005).
579:The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
8:
1140:Presbyters in the Late Antique West database
453:of all believers. This is generally true of
349:Slightly different other versions (quoting
544:
111:, and in English it is synonymous with
1056:Constantine the Great and Christianity
923:Jerome, Commentary on Epistle to Titus
1098:An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon
7:
913:. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
699:Historical Dictionary of Anglicanism
430:", "presbytery", or "presbyterate".
412:is etymologically derived from the
260:5:1. The earliest writings of the
78:. The word derives from the Greek
25:
936:The Puritans and Their Principles
467:Methodist Church of Great Britain
366:Catholic Customs & Traditions
195:The earliest organization of the
988:. Longmans, Green. p. 488.
907:. In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).
697:Buchanan, Colin (Oct 22, 2015).
512:) connotes the job description.
35:
1160:Christian religious occupations
121:usage, for example, Methodism,
577:Bromiley, Geoffrey W. (1979).
486:International Standard Version
187:and New Testament presbyters.
1:
1123:Andrews, Herbert Tom (1911).
295:to oversee the local church (
625:and elders came together ...
74:) is an honorific title for
950:Bailey Adger, John (1899).
336:The fourth century scholar
181:priesthood of all believers
167:), the comparative form of
1191:
475:Anglican Diocese of Sydney
385:
94:is used many times in the
1091:General and cited sources
402:non-Chalcedonian churches
215:
722:Knox, Ronald A. (2003).
270:First Epistle of Clement
1132:Encyclopædia Britannica
984:Harrison, John (1867).
552:Cottrell, Jack (2002).
457:, who ordain elders as
606:New King James Version
514:
375:
347:
1170:Ecclesiastical titles
1165:Christian terminology
1096:Liddell & Scott,
910:Catholic Encyclopedia
901:Van Hove, A. (1913).
886:. Palgrave Macmillan.
394:Roman Catholic Church
370:
342:
933:Hall, Edwin (1846).
880:Kateusz, A. (2019).
353:) express the same.
1155:Catholic priesthood
1100:, pp. 301, 668
1074:on November 5, 2011
1009:Dues, Greg (1992).
814:indistinguishable."
484:The website of the
331:Metropolitan bishop
84:Christian antiquity
523:John the Presbyter
340:(347–420) stated:
1175:Christian priests
1126:"Presbyter"
953:My life and times
864:978-1-4214-0157-7
724:The hidden stream
455:United Methodists
262:Apostolic Fathers
105:is distinct from
16:(Redirected from
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1136:
1135:(11th ed.).
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1070:. Archived from
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129:but rather to a
76:Christian clergy
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27:Christian cleric
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439:priestly status
398:Orthodox Church
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325:Eventually, as
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5:
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445:(Greek ἱερεύς
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96:New Testament
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1076:. Retrieved
1072:the original
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668:. Retrieved
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644:. Retrieved
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631:
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602:Matthew 15:2
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783:Titus 1:5–7
757:21 February
502:presbyteros
417:presbyteros
388:Holy orders
351:John Calvin
327:Christendom
316:2nd century
216:πρεσβύτεροι
165:presbyteros
161:πρεσβύτερος
117:. In other
88:presbyteros
86:understood
80:presbyteros
1149:Categories
1078:January 6,
871:794700384.
772:Acts 11:30
646:2018-09-01
563:0899009050
443:priesthood
386:See also:
305:Titus 2:15
256:1:5–7 and
250:Acts 20:17
235:Acts 14:23
227:Acts 15:22
225:11:30 and
208:synagogues
119:Protestant
752:Bible Hub
670:31 August
665:tufts.edu
619:: NKJV –
617:Acts 15:6
539:Citations
510:episkopos
506:episkopos
451:eldership
424:presbyter
314:From the
301:Titus 1:5
246:episkopoi
201:Jerusalem
151:presbyter
149:The word
145:Etymology
123:presbyter
103:presbyter
92:presbyter
31:Presbyter
1068:"Elders"
623:apostles
621:Now the
517:See also
419:via the
358:Catholic
297:1Tim 1:3
268:and the
219:elders).
131:minister
463:pastors
447:hiereus
437:of its
406:priests
289:Ephesus
281:Timothy
266:Didache
258:1 Peter
191:History
177:hiereus
173:presbys
169:πρέσβυς
127:priests
18:Prester
1025:
992:
960:
730:
705:
585:
560:
471:deacon
459:clergy
410:priest
400:, the
396:, the
338:Jerome
274:deacon
264:, the
237:, the
205:Jewish
197:Church
135:pastor
114:priest
108:bishop
435:laity
421:Latin
414:Greek
293:Crete
285:Titus
254:Titus
231:James
212:Greek
158:Greek
139:elder
137:, or
1080:2013
1023:ISBN
990:ISBN
971:2016
958:ISBN
869:OCLC
860:ISBN
759:2016
728:ISBN
703:ISBN
672:2015
583:ISBN
558:ISBN
392:The
299:and
283:and
223:Acts
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495:not
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279:In
221:In
199:in
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