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 HIERARCHY

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HIERARCHY

Spirit of God. But tlie labouring and patient proph- ets mentioned in v, 10. who spoke in the name of the Lord, are most proliably Old Testament seers.

(3) The Second Epi.-^tl'e of St. Peter and the Epistle of St. Jude. — The Christians are exhorted to remem- ber the words of the holy ])rophets (probably of the Old Testament), and the jjrecepts of their Lord and Saviour made known to them by their Apostles (iii, 2). Most likely, Apostles in the strict sense of the word are meant. These are certainly in the mind of Jude, when in his Epistle (5, 17) he addresses similar words to the recipients of his letter.

(4) The Three Epistles of St. John.— The "ancient" (6 npfu fivTepoi) of the Second and Third Epistle shows his authority by forbidding all intercourse with Chris- tians who will not receive the doctrine of Christ (II John, 9-11). In the Third Epistle Diotrephes is blamed for misuse of the position of pre-eminence which he enjoyed in the community. The presbyter will reprimand him on his arrival (III John, 9, 10). But the expression, "who loveth to have the pre- eminence among them" (6 (piXoTrpuTdJuf outujx, not used elsewhere), does not warrant the conclusion that Diotrephes had usurped his position of authority. Nor can any solid grounds be found for the conjecture that the brethren, who went out "for his name" and were kindly received by Gains (III John, 3, 8) were travelling apostles or even charismatical teachers, and were therefore dismissed as suspicious " pneumatikoi" by the " monarchical bishop" Diotrephes.

(5) The Pastoral Epistles. — In these Timothy and Titus appear as delegates and representatives of the Apostle Paul (I Tim., i, 3; cf. II Tim., iv, 11; Tit., i, 5; cf. iii, 12); their authority is derived from the imposition of hands and from the prayer of the Apostle and the presbyterate (I Tim., iv, 14; II Tim., i, 6). Previously to this consecration an approval appears to have been given to the choice of candidates by prophecy (referred to in I Tim., iv, 14, and probably also in i, 18). One may certainly apply all this to Titus as well as to Timothy. Timothy and Titus each bear the title ^TfcrKoTros (I Tim., iii, 2; Tit., i, 7); their office is called iTviaKonri (I Tim., iii, 1), and once SiaKopia (II Tim., iv, 5) ; Timothy is termed SidKovos (I Tim., iv, 6). They hold a position of monarchical authority, impose hands on those whom they judge to be fit candidates for the priesthood (I Tim., v, 2; Tit., i, 5); they choose their successors in the office of teaching (II Tim., ii, 2) ; they keep order in the community by their energetic exhortations (I Tim., v, 1-22 ; II Tim., ii, 25, 26; iv, 2; Tit., i, 5, 11; ii, 1 sqq.; ii, 15); they judge even the presbyters (I Tim., v, 19, 20; cf. Tit., 1, 9 sq.); they teach (I Tim., iv, 1-13, 16; vi, 2; II Tim., iii, 16, 17; iv, 2). As teacher Timothy is called "evangelist" {'epyoi' Toirjaop euayyeXiaTov, ttjv dtaKOfiav aoO Tr\rjpo<fi6pTi(Tov, II Tim., iv, 5). The description of the model iirlffKo-n-ot (I Tim., iii, 1 sq.; Tit., ii, 7 sq.) represents him also as administering money and practising hospitality. Perhaps a presbyter is meant by the i-n-liTKOTros in Tit., i, 7; verses 5 and 6 imme- diately preceding speak of presbyters, and verse 7 continues: "For (ydp) a bishop (i-n-laKOTroi) must be without crime." But it is also possible that there is a sudden transition in the author's thought and a freer use of yap. A greater probability is given to this by the exact correspondence between the qualifications of the bishop given here, and those set down in the First Epistle to Timothy (iii). The presbyters are probably united in a college (wpeapvTipiov, I Tim., iv, 14); and they are subordinate to the bishops (I Tim., V, 17-20; Tit., i, 5). They rule over the community. Some of them are to declare and teach the Word of God (I Tim., V, 17: oJ Kwn-iQivTes iv \6yip Kal 5i5a<TKa\lf). The TvpinfiiTepm in I Tim., v, 1, is probably an older member of the community (cf.Tit.,ii, 2). Deacons are mentioned in I Tim., iii, 8 and 12 (cf. 13). Timothy and Titus are subordinate to Paul, and must follow

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his teaching and precepts (I Tim., i, 8-12; cf. 19, 20; ii, 7; iii, 15; and in general ii. iv. v, vi; II Tim., i, 11-14; iii, 10; iv, 13 sq., 21; Tit. i, 5; all ii; iii, 9). No information is given about community rights.

(6) Epistle of the Roman Church (Clement) to the Corinthians. — The position of superiors of the Chris- tian community is attribvited only twice at the utmost to the hegumcnoi (rjyovpemi and -rrpotiyovpLepoi in i, 3, and xxi, 6). The first citation speaks approval of the obedience shown to them by the faithful; and in the second due respect and reverence are enjoined. But since the term in all other parts of the Epistle — where it is used, either seven or eight times, according as one reads dpxvy"^^ or iffovfiimit in Ixiii, 1 — signifies the secular civil or military rulers, it seems more probable that the same meaning shoulil be attached to it in the two passages mentioned. Now if the word stands for the ecclesiastical authorities in the two passages men- tioned, how are they to be discriminated from the presbyters, who in both instances are spoken of in company with them: "the faithful in times past have shown due reverence to their presbyters" (i, 3); "the faithful should honour the elders" (xxi, 6)? There are only two probalile solutions: either the terra ■qyoviicfoi (or irpo-qyoOp-evoi) is used for persons of au- thority in a broad sense, including deacons and other people of importance ; or the word ' ' presbyter " in both cases has the simple meaning of "elder ", the reference being to the older and more esteemed members of the community — an explanation which is all the more probable because of the mention in botli passages of the "younger members" (c^oi) along witla the "el- ders". Presbyters are expressly mentioned many times in the Epistle — in the two places discussed, and in xliv, 5; xlvii, 6; liv, 2; Ivii, 1. Reference is also made to them in Ixiii, 1, and in other texts to be cited presently. Jewish presbyters are spoken of in Iv, 4. Their office is termed episkope (xliv, 4) — a word which Clement uses once (1, 3) for Christ's office as judge at His second advent. The word episkopos appears in only one other place (lix, 3), where it is applied to God. Except in chapter Iii, nothing is said of deacons. In chapter xl, 5, the services of the levites are called SiaKovia. It is clear from xlii and xliv that Clement identifies bishops and presbyters, unless perhaps in the two texts already referred to, since he speaks here of the rebellion against the presbyters (<rTdiris, xlvii, 6: xlvi. 7, 9; cf. iii, 2, 3; Ii, 1; liv, 2; Ivu, 1 ; xliv, 4: apaprla) as "no small misdeed ", for it shows disregard for the express wishes of the Apostles, who instituted bishops {episkopoi) in obedience to the ordinance of Christ Himself. It is a mistake to say that the presby- ter-bishops are mentioned in the Epistle of St. Clem- ent only as officers of administration and public wor- ship (cf. xliv, 4: d/u^/xTTTus Kal da-lus wpoffefeyKdin-as to, 5upa). Their position as spiritual guides (Ixiii, 1) and successors of the Apostles manifests clearly their au- thoritative office of administering the Word of God.

No indication can be found that Clement supposed the office of declaring the Word of God in Corinth to be entrusted to ecstatic "spiritual" preachers; nor is there any satisfactory basis for the theory that the re- oellion against legitimate authority was started by the recipients of charismata. Miraculous charismata are perhaps spoken of in chapter xlviii, 5, but the refer- ence is uncertain, for those Divine gifts which are men- tioned in addition to faith and holiness of life, the word of knowdedge and the skilful interpretation of others' words are not manifestly mystical or miraculous in their nature. The presbyter-bishops are to be obeyed (Ivii, 1); their authority as spiritual guides (Ixiii, 1) is to be heeded. The institution of the presbyter- bishops dates from Christ. After examining the first-fruits of the Faith in the light of the Holy Ghost, the Apostles established them as bishops and deacons (xlii," 4). The commission to do this came from Christ (xliii, 1). Christ foretold them that a con-