As we ponder these minute instructions: so clear that every saint may recognize who is qualified as an elder, or overseer, or bishop: and as we remember that, according to the Word of God, no assembly has authority to appoint elders ... and certainly no individual has such authority ... are we wrong in believing that now the individual saints in every assembly are responsible to recognize those so qualified, and submit themselves to such: as the saints in Philippi would submit themselves to the bishops established by the Apostle? Human appointment is man’s way: but God’s way is: “Know them that labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake” (1 Thess. 5:1212And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; (1 Thessalonians 5:12)). The true way to glorify God is not to assume an apostolic authority that we do not possess, but to act confiding in the power and presence of the Holy Ghost, Who does remain. It is the Lord Himself, acting by the Holy Ghost, who has put each saint in his own particular place in the body, as He sees fit: and it is our responsibility to recognize those whom the Lord has qualified to do the work of bishops or deacons.
There is no thought or suggestion in Scripture of a number of assemblies, or one assembly, being in subjection to one man: though even in the days of the apostles, as in our own days, there was a Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence (3 John 99I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. (3 John 9)): but the Scripture only mentions him to condemn him.
In the days of the apostles, a bishop was simply an “overseer,” and a deacon was simply one who serves. The office of overseer seems to have dealt more with the internal, the spiritual, side of the affairs of the assembly; though he is to be given to hospitality, which includes the temporal side. As we search the Scriptures we may find a good deal of light on what the office of a bishop entailed. In 1 Peter 5:1, 21The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; (1 Peter 5:1‑2), we see that an “elder” was to “feed the flock of God” (1 Peter 5:22Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; (1 Peter 5:2)). The word translated “feed” is really much wider than simply to feed. It means “to act as a shepherd.” It carries with it all the loving, faithful care that a good shepherd gives to his flock. This one word alone will, perhaps, include all those which follow.
In Hebews 13:7 (margin) we read of “the guides.” The word literally means, “the ones leading”: like the shepherd leads and guides the flock. “He goeth before them,” (John 10:44And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. (John 10:4)), the Good Shepherd could say. That was one of the duties of the overseer. In Heb. 13:1717Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13:17), we read of the same ones ... the guides ... and here it tells us they “watch for your souls” (Heb. 13:1717Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13:17)). The word “watch” means, “to be sleepless,” and so, “to be vigilant” ... just as a good shepherd kept watch over his flock by day and by night, like the shepherds of Bethlehem (Luke 2:88And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. (Luke 2:8)), or Jacob, who could say: “In the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes” (Gen. 31:4040Thus I was; in the day the drought consumed me, and the frost by night; and my sleep departed from mine eyes. (Genesis 31:40)). So should the true overseer watch, by day and by night, over the flock of God.
In 1 Thess. 5:1212And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; (1 Thessalonians 5:12), we read: “We beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you.” In this verse we find three more duties of the overseer. First, he labored. The word originally meant to grow weary. It tells of the toil that wearies one.
How well Paul understood this. Such is the toil and labor of the true overseer. “Are over you,” is literally, “set over,” so means to preside, or rule, or govern: but it has also the meaning: “to be a protector, or guardian, to give aid, to care for.” How well that describes the work of a good shepherd. To “admonish” is to “put in mind,” and so, to “exhort.”
The Greek word used for “elder,” sometimes has only the meaning of an “old man,” as 1 Tim. 5:11Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; (1 Timothy 5:1), where it is in contrast to “younger men.” It would seem that all who held the official position of an “elder,” were old men: but not all “old men” held that official position. We are specially warned that an elder (or, overseer) must not be a “novice.” The same word is used of “elders” of the Jews, and we often meet the word in Revelation.
The word “deacon” means simply “one who ministers,” or, “serves”: for “minister” is really only another name for “servant.” In the New Testament it has not the least meaning that it has come to have today, a man in charge of a “church.” It refers to the lowly service of love, which has been associated with those who were younger in the Truth, and not, perhaps, gifted in a particular way. They yet have the service of the saints at heart, and are concerned with the little things in the practical life of the assembly: “serving tables,” for instance: as we find in Acts 6:1-61And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. 2Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. 3Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 4But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. 5And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: 6Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. (Acts 6:1‑6). When I was a boy my father and I used to go early to the meeting room to get it ready. Part of my work was to dust the seats. One day my father remarked to me that this was the work of a deacon, and that “they that have used the office of a deacon well, purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 3:1313For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 3:13)).
We should today look earnestly to our Lord Jesus Christ as Head, that He would raise up those who would be able to serve and minister to the saints, in this lowly way, loving them with the heart of Christ. The qualifications for the deacon are set forth with equal clearness to those of the bishop: “grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 3:8-138Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; 9Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. 11Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. 12Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 3:8‑13)). Stephen and Philip should encourage the “deacons.” We may see in chapter 2 That Epaphroditus did the work of a deacon for the assembly in Philippi.
As we read these qualifications, I fear they make most of us hang our heads in shame, so few seem able to meet the requirements for bishop or deacon. Let us remember the only One Who has perfectly fulfilled them is He Who is called “The Bishop of your souls,” (1 Peter 2:2525For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. (1 Peter 2:25)), and Who said of Himself, “I am among you as he that serveth” (Luke 22:2727For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. (Luke 22:27)): literally, “as the One being deacon” (Luke 22:2727For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. (Luke 22:27)).
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