Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Debelak
I don't have any particular thoughts about "appoint" or "appointment" just yet, but I thought I compound the issue a bit and tie it in to something we've been discussing in 1 Timothy 5.
19Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. 20Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
So the traditional reading is that the reader today should not accuse/receive accusation against an elder except before 2-3 witnesses. Then, in my experience, many read "them that sin" verse 20 as anyone who sins in the congregation should be rebuked before all.
I think it should be obvious that verse 20, though, refers to elders who, if proven to have sinned before 2-3 witnesses, should be rebuked publically as an example to the congregation. (this does not mean this shouldn't happen with others, just this context is talking about elders - be they officers or elderly).
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I think it's obvious.
Realizing some can argue straight hair into curly, I don't think there's any real controversy with your reading there. And I'm not certain it should be done generally with the saints but that is definitely a whole nuther topic.
That said, I think this significantly undercuts your theory about "elderLY" as a reading. Why would the old men be called out in such an especially prescribed manner?
While we're at it, v. 18 of this section speaks directly to the concept of a paid clerical class, no? Isn't this the real intent of v. 17's "double honor" phrase?
Sorry. This is what I'm talking about that I'm trying to understand the whole of the classical context. This appears to me to the plain reading of the section and it is corroborated in 1 Cor. 9.
Paul appears to expressly sanction a compensated professional clergy. He himself, he says in 1 Cor. 9, declined to exercise his right to compensation but that it was in fact his due, even as the oxen had a legal right.
Without making too much here of the fact that Paul AGAIN makes an appeal to the Law in 1 Cor. for proof of his position (the other being in chapter 14 concerning submission), doesn't the fact that he's got people designated to receive compensation weigh heavily in favor of the existence of an "office" of "elder" and not merely the more mature informally taking the lead?