5 Smooth Stones

When Jesus left the earth, He left behind 12 apostles. These 12 apostles, also called the apostles of the Lamb, in turn raised up other ministries including other apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers. In the pa tt ern of the fi rst century church apostles would ordain elders in the churches, and these leaders were called, interchangeably, elders, overseers, and bishops. Recall that Diotrephes would not receive the apostle John, as this spirit will reject the Holy Spirit and the ministries given by Jesus (3 John 1:9). The word elder came from the Greek word presbuteros, which was commonly used in the Jewish tradition and synagogues to bring a tt ention to the character, respectability and sometimes the age of the individual functioning in that position. The word overseers and bishop came from the Greek word episkope, which was commonly used in the Greek assemblies, which brought a tt ention to the honor of the position the person was functioning in. In the early church these Greek words, translated into these di ff erent English words, spoke of the same position. There was no idea in the church that one elder was over another elder but that a plurality of elders working together would shepherd and oversee the business of the church. Eldership spoke of the position whereas various prophets, teachers, evangelists, and shepherds could and were functioning in the positions of overseers in the various churches. However, already by the end of the early church age doctrines were being promoted to place some leaders over others. In time the term bishop became synonymous with an elder over other elders, but that was not the case in the early church. By the time of the Middle Ages this became an actual legal system in the church consisting of bishops, archbishops, elders, priests and potentates in a hierarchy or pyramid structure. Jesus said that He hates this doctrine. The reason that Jesus hates this doctrine is because it is contrary to, and replaces, His present ascension ministry which functions through those gifts He gave, as mentioned in Ephesians 4:11. Jesus has order and rank in His Kingdom, but it is not built like a pyramid, but like a net (Ma tt hew 13:47). People, are placed like knots in a net, built not from the top down, but from each knot connecting out with others, strengthening and reaching out to one another. He has set order in His church through those whom He has called to lead. As an example of rank and order in His kingdom, when James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and asked if one could be seated at His right hand and the other at His left - both seats of high authority - 174