Quote:
Originally Posted by YP0534
I wish to know what the Bible says about it.
For instance, the word "eldership" is not in the Bible although clearly many people feel it is so natural to think and act as if it is something prescribed or described by the scriptures.
http://cf.blueletterbible.org/search...ldership&t=KJV
The Bible speaks of "elders" but not "eldership" so I think this is meaningful.
(The term as appears in some translations of 1 Tim 4:14 refers to a group of elders, not an office of elder.)
I would rather stick to what we can learn from the actual scriptures. |
It seems that your main objection is with the term "office" (by the way, I always use "eldership" meaning "group of elders"). However, the Word talks about office as well.
It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is fine work he desires to do. (1 Tim. 3:1. NASB)
(And we know that elders and overseers are the same in NT).
"The office of overseer" in Greek is
episkope. Greek dictionary says:
episkope; fem., a purely biblical and patristic word. The office of an overseer or bishop in Christ's Church...
It is interesting that the same word is translated
office in Acts. 1:20 where it talks about the office of an apostle -
his office let another man take. If you check Ps. 109:8, where this quote was lifted from, then you'll see that the same Hebrew word is used as in 2 Chron. 23:18, where the offices in the house of the Lord are discussed.
So I think that this "there is no word eldership in the Bible talk" is just hair splitting. What really matters is that the church was a community with leadership, and that this leadership was to be obeyed and given honor to. There is no such a thing as the church without authority in the Bible. A person who does not know how to place himself under authority cannot progress spiritually.
What is the biblical authority is quite another matter, but that there is authority in the church goes without doubt.