[YP0534]

Originally Posted by Peter Debelak

I agree that this is a really good question. I don't have an answer either, but I did happen to come across something related (though not necessarily relevant) when reading Miller's church history.

Here's some passages from Ignatious - who was contemporary of Johns, friend of John's and fellow-worker/disciple of John - who only survived John by 7 years:

Writing to Ephesus: "Let us take heed, brotherren, that we set not ourselves against the bishop, that we may be subject to God....It is therefore evidence that we ought to look upon the bishop even as we do upon the Lord Himself."

To the Magnesians, "I exhort you that ye study to do all things in a divine concord; your bishops presiding in the place of God; your presbyters in the place of the council of the apostles; and your deacons, most dear to me, being entrusted with the ministry of Jesus Christ."

Excerpts taken From Miller's Church History at 179 (1980).

It is said that these were written but a few years after John's death - and that by a disciple of John, who was "bishop" of Antioch, presumably even prior to John's death. What do we do with them?

Well, for the time being, I'm just going to lay them aside!

YIPES!