Difference between revisions of "Bishop"

<p> <strong> [[Bishop]] </strong> (Gr. <em> episkopos </em> , Lat. <em> episcopus </em> , Ital. <em> vescovo </em> , Fr. <em> évêque </em> , Germ. <em> Bischof </em> ), <strong> [[Elder]] </strong> (Gr. <em> presbyteros </em> , Lat. <em> presbyterus </em> , Fr. <em> prêtre </em> , Eng. <em> priest </em> ). The two words are so closely connected in the NT that they must be taken together here. </p> <p> <strong> 1 </strong> . <strong> The terms </strong> . The Greek word for ‘bishop’ is common in the general sense of an <em> overseer </em> , and in particular of sundry municipal officers. In LXX [Note: Septuagint.] it is used in &nbsp; Isaiah 60:17 of taskmasters, in &nbsp; Nehemiah 11:19 of minor officials, and in 1Ma 1:51 of the commissioners of [[Antiochus]] who enforced idolatry. But, so far as we can see, it was not the common name for the treasurers of private associations. </p> <p> In the NT the word is found five times. In &nbsp;Acts 20:28 St. Paul reminds the elders of [[Ephesus]] that the [[Holy]] Ghost has made them bishops over the flock; in &nbsp; Philippians 1:1 he sends a greeting to the saints at [[Philippi]] ‘with bishops and deacons’; in &nbsp; 1 Timothy 3:2 he tells Timothy that ‘the bishop must be blameless,’ etc.; in &nbsp; Titus 1:7 he gives a similar charge to Titus; and &nbsp; 1 Peter 2:25 speaks of Christ as ‘the shepherd and bishop of your souls.’ </p> <p> In the OT the word ‘elder’ is used from early times of an official class having jurisdiction both civil and religious, so that when synagogues were built, the elders of the city would naturally be the elders of the synagogue, with the right of regulating the services and excluding offenders. </p> <p> In NT times the idea would be carried over to the churches. It is indirectly recognized in &nbsp;Luke 22:26; but we cannot infer the existence of elders from &nbsp; Acts 5:6 , for ‘the younger men’ who carry out [[Ananias]] are simply ‘the young men’ in &nbsp; Acts 5:10 when they carry out Sapphira. The first clear trace of [[Christian]] elders is at Jerusalem. In &nbsp; Acts 11:30 (a.d. 44) they receive the offerings from [[Barnabas]] and Saul; in &nbsp; Acts 15:6 (a.d. 50) they take part in the Conference; in &nbsp; Acts 21:18 (a.d. 58) they join in the welcome to St. Paul. Earlier than this may be &nbsp; James 5:14 , where the word seems to denote officials. After this we hear no more of them till the Pastoral [[Epistles]] and 1Peter. </p> <p> For the last two hundred years it has been generally agreed that bishops and elders in the NT and for some time later are substantially identical. For (1) bishops and elders are never joined, like bishops and deacons, as distinct classes of officials. (2) &nbsp;Philippians 1:1 is addressed ‘to bishops and deacons.’ Had there been an intermediate class of elders, it could not well have been omitted. So &nbsp; 1 Timothy 3:1-16 ignores the elders, though (&nbsp; 1 Timothy 5:17 ) there were elders at Ephesus, and had been (&nbsp; Acts 20:17 ) for some time. Conversely, &nbsp; Titus 1:6-7 describes elders instead, and nearly in the same words. (3) The bishop described to Timothy, the elders of &nbsp; Acts 20:1-38 , those of &nbsp; 1 Timothy 5:17 , those described to Titus, and those of &nbsp; 1 Peter 5:2 , all seem to hold a subordinate position, and to have rather pastoral duties than what we should call episcopal. (4) The same persons are called elders and bishops (&nbsp; Acts 20:17; &nbsp; Acts 20:28 ). The words are also synonymous in [[Clement]] of Rome, and (by implication) in the <em> Teaching of the [[Apostles]] </em> and in Polycarp. [[Ignatius]] is the first writer who makes a single bishop ruler of a Church; and even he pleads no [[Apostolic]] command for the change. </p> <p> The general equivalence of the two offices in the Apostolic age seems undeniable; and if there were minor differences between them, none have been clearly traced. The only serious doubt is whether bishops and deacons originally denoted offices at all. The words rather describe functions. Thus &nbsp;Philippians 1:1 ‘to bishops and deacons’ (no article) will mean ‘such as oversee and such as serve’ that is, the higher and the lower officials, whatever titles they may bear. This would seem proved by &nbsp; Titus 1:5; &nbsp; Titus 1:7 ‘that thou appoint elders …, for the bishop (overseer) must be blameless.’ The argument is that the elder must be so and so, because the bishop must be so and so. This is vain repetition if the bishop is only the elder under another name, and bad logic if he is a ruler over the elders; but it becomes dear if the ‘bishop’ is not a defined official, but an overseer generally. Then, the elder being a particular sort of overseer, the argument will be from a general rule to a particular case. </p> <p> <strong> 2. [[Appointment]] </strong> . At first popular election and Apostolic institution seem to have gone together. The Seven (&nbsp; Acts 6:5-6 ) are chosen by the people and instituted by the Apostles with prayer and laying-on of hands. In the case of the [[Lycaonian]] elders (&nbsp; Acts 14:23 ) the Apostles ‘appointed’ them with prayer and fastings. Similarly the elders in [[Crete]] (&nbsp; Titus 1:6 ) are ‘appointed’ by Titus, and apparently the bishops at Ephesus by Timothy. In these cases popular election and laying-on of hands are not mentioned; but neither are they excluded. &nbsp; 1 Timothy 5:22 does not refer to ordination at all, nor &nbsp; Hebrews 6:2 to ordination only. The one is of the laying-on of hands in restoring offenders, while the other takes in all occasions of laying-on of hands. But in any case Timothy and Titus would have to approve the candidate before instituting him, so that the description of his qualifications is no proof that they had to select him in the first instance. Conversely, popular election is very prominent (Clement, and <em> Teaching </em> ) in the next age; but neither does this exclude formal approval and institution. The elders are already attached (&nbsp; 1 Timothy 4:14 ) to the Apostles in the conveyance of special gifts; and when the Apostles died out, they would act alone in the institution to local office. The development of an episcopate is a further question, and very much a question of words if the bishop (in the later sense) was gradually developed upward from the elders. But the next stage after this was that, while the bishop instituted his own elders, he was himself instituted by the neighbouring bishops, or in still later times by the bishops of the civil province or by a metropolitan. The outline of the process is always the same. First popular election, then formal approval by authority and institution by prayer, with (at least commonly) its symbolic accompaniments of laying-on of hands and fasting. </p> <p> <strong> 3. Duties </strong> </p> <p> (1) <em> General superintendence </em> : [[Elders]] in &nbsp; Acts 20:28 , 1Ti 5:17 , &nbsp; 1 Peter 5:2; &nbsp; 1 Peter 5:2 (ruling badly); bishops in &nbsp; 1 Timothy 3:5 . Indicated <em> possibly </em> in &nbsp; 1 Corinthians 12:28 ‘helps, governments’: more distinctly in &nbsp; Ephesians 4:11 ‘pastors and teachers,’ in pointed contrast to ‘apostles, prophets, and evangelists,’ whose office was not local. So &nbsp; 1 Thessalonians 5:12 ‘those that are over you,’ &nbsp; Romans 12:8 ‘he that ruleth.’ and &nbsp; Hebrews 13:7; &nbsp; Hebrews 13:17; &nbsp; Hebrews 13:24 ‘them that have the rule over you,’ remind us of the bishops and elders who rule (&nbsp; 1 Timothy 3:4; &nbsp; 1 Timothy 5:17 ). So, too, the ‘rulers’ in Clement must be bishops or elders, for these bishops plainly have no earthly superior, so that they must be themselves the rulers. </p> <p> Under this head we may place the share taken by the elders: ( <em> a </em> ) at [[Jerusalem]] (&nbsp; Acts 15:6 ) in the deliberations of the Apostolic Conference, and (&nbsp; Acts 21:18 ) in the reception held by James; ( <em> b </em> ) elsewhere (&nbsp; 1 Timothy 4:14 ) in the laying-on of hands on Timothy, whether that corresponds to ordination or to something else. </p> <p> (2) <em> Teaching </em> : &nbsp; 1 Thessalonians 5:12 rulers admonishing in the Lord; &nbsp; 1 Timothy 3:2 the bishop apt to teach; &nbsp; 1 Timothy 5:17 double honour to the elders who rule well, especially those who toil in word and teaching; &nbsp; Titus 1:9 the elder or bishop must be able to teach, and to convince the gainsayers. Yet &nbsp; 1 Timothy 5:17 seems to imply that elders might rule well who toiled in other duties than word and teaching; and if so, these were not the sole work of all elders. </p> <p> [[Preaching]] is rather connected with the unlocal ministry of apostles, prophets, and evangelists: but in their absence the whole function of public worship would devolve on the local ministry of bishops and deacons. This becomes quite plain in the <em> Teaching </em> and in Clement. </p> <p> (3) <em> Pastoral care </em> : This is conspicuous everywhere. To it we may also refer: ( <em> a </em> ) visiting of the sick (&nbsp; James 5:14 ) with a view to anointing and cure not as a <em> viaticum </em> at the approach of death; ( <em> b </em> ) care of strangers and a <em> fortiori </em> of the poor (&nbsp; 1 Timothy 3:2 , &nbsp; Titus 1:8 , the bishop to be a lover of strangers). </p> <p> H. M. Gwatkin. </p>

<p> Greek '''''Episkopos''''' , applied to the inspectors sent by [[Athens]] to her subject states, to inquire into their state, to rule and defend them. The Greek speaking [[Jews]] or [[Hellenists]] applied it in the [[Septuagint]] to officers who had "the oversight of the tabernacle" (&nbsp;Numbers 4:16; &nbsp;Numbers 31:14), "the officers overseeing the host" (&nbsp;Psalms 109:8, "his charge of overseeing let another take," quoted in &nbsp;Acts 1:20 "his bishopric"; &nbsp;Isaiah 60:17, "thine overseers righteousness." [[Presbyter]] or elder was the term in the Christian church at Jerusalem for the pastoral superintendent; episcopus or bishop was naturally adopted in [[Gentile]] Christian churches, the word being already in use among the Greeks. The terms were originally equivalent; '''''Presbuteros''''' (whence "priest" comes by contraction) marking the age, rank, and respect due to him, episcopus marking his official duty. </p> <p> Bishops and deacons are the two orders alone mentioned in &nbsp;Philippians 1:1. The plural shows there was more than one bishop and more than one deacon there. Those called "elders" (presbyters) are also termed "overseers" (bishops, Greek) as if the terms were interchangeable (&nbsp;Acts 20:17; &nbsp;Acts 20:28; &nbsp;Titus 1:5; &nbsp;Titus 1:7). The presbyters discharged episcopal functions, i.e. overseeing the flock (&nbsp;1 Timothy 5:17; &nbsp;1 Peter 5:1-2). So in the epistles of Clement of Rome the two terms are interchangeable. But in Ignatius' epistles the bishop is regarded as superior to the presbyter. However, in the genuine epistles, in the [[Syriac]] version edited by Cureton, the bishop is much less exalted. "Elder" is the correlative term to "younger men" (Greek '''''Neoteroi''''' ), &nbsp;Acts 5:6. "Elders" are first mentioned in the church in [[Judaea]] (&nbsp;Acts 11:30). </p> <p> Paul and Barnabas transplanted the same [[Jewish]] government to the Gentile churches (&nbsp;Acts 14:23) by "ordaining elders in every church." "Bishops" are first mentioned in Paul's address at [[Miletus]] (&nbsp;Acts 20:28), describing the duty of the elders, namely, to be faithful "overseers." Then, during Paul's first imprisonment, in &nbsp;Philippians 1:1 "bishops" is the recognized term for "elders" Every Jewish synagogue had its council of "elders" (&nbsp;Luke 7:3) presided over by one of themselves, "the chief ruler of the synagogue." In their apostleship the apostles have no successors, for the signs of an apostle have not been transmitted. But the presidents over the presbyters and deacons, while still continuing of the same order as the presbyters, have succeeded virtually, by whatever name designated, angel, bishop, moderator, to a superintendency analogous to that exercised by the apostles, and evidently derived from the synagogue; see Vitringa, Synag. 2, chapters 3, 7. </p> <p> The superintending pastor of each of the seven churches is in Revelation called its "angel," (the abuse of the term "apostle" by pretenders led to its restriction to the twelve and Paul, &nbsp;Revelation 2:2) just as in Old [[Testament]] the prophet Haggai (&nbsp;Haggai 1:13) is termed "the Lord's messenger (angel) in the Lord's message." In the larger churches, as Ephesus and Smyrna, there were many presbyters, but only one angel under the one "chief [[Shepherd]] and Bishop of Souls," the term "bishop" thus being applicable to the highest pastoral superintendence (&nbsp;1 Peter 2:25; &nbsp;1 Peter 5:4). The enigmatic symbolism of Revelation transfers the term of office, angel, from Jehovah's heavenly to His earthly ministers; reminding them that, like angels above, they should do God's will lovingly and perfectly. </p> <p> The "legate (angel) of the church" ( '''''Sheliach Tsibbur''''' ) recited the prayers in the name of the assembled worshippers in the synagogue; the apostles, as Jews, naturally followed this pattern, under God's providential sanction: compare &nbsp;James 2:2, "assembly," Greek synagogue," &nbsp;2 Corinthians 8:23. Timothy either at his ordination as presbyter, or else consecration as temporary overseer or bishop over Ephesus, received a spiritual gift "by prophecy," i.e. by the Spirit speaking through the prophets (&nbsp;Acts 13:1-3; &nbsp;1 Timothy 1:18; &nbsp;1 Timothy 4:14-15), accompanied "WITH the laying on of the hands of the presbytery." The laying on of hands symbolized the impartation of spiritual strength; as in Joshua's case (&nbsp;Numbers 27:18-20; &nbsp;Deuteronomy 34:9). The "with" implies that the presbyters' laying on of hands accompanied the conferring of the gift. The "by" in &nbsp;2 Timothy 1:6 implies that Paul was the more immediate instrument of conferring it: "stir up the gift of God which is in thee BY the putting on of my hands." </p> <p> The Jewish council was composed of the elders (the presbytery, &nbsp;Luke 22:66; &nbsp;Acts 22:5), and a presiding rabbi; so the Christian church was composed of elders and a president (&nbsp;Acts 15:19; &nbsp;Acts 15:23). At the ordination of the president three presbyters were always present to lay on hands; so the early church canons required three bishops to be present at the consecration of a bishop. The president ordained in both cases as the representative, in the name of the presbytery. [[Ordination]] (compare &nbsp;Acts 6:6; &nbsp;Acts 13:3) is meant in &nbsp;1 Timothy 5:22, "lay hands suddenly (without careful inquiry into his character beforehand) on no man"; not, as Ellicott explains, "receive penitent backsliders into church fellowship by laying on hands." The qualifications are stated in &nbsp;1 Timothy 3:1-7. </p> <p> "Husband of one wife" confutes the Roman [[Catholic]] celibacy. He who has a virtuous wife and family will more attractively teach those who have similar ties, not only by precept but by example. The Jews teach a priest should neither be unmarried nor childless, test he be unmerciful. Yet as Jews and [[Gentiles]] regarded second marriages with prejudice (compare Anna, &nbsp;Luke 2:36-37), and a bishop ought to stand well in the esteem of his flock, he should be married but once. That prohibition no longer holds good, now that no such prejudice exists, which might otherwise have required lawful liberty to yield to Christian expediency. The prohibition may also refer to a second marriage after a divorce. Of ruing (presiding, Greek) presbyters there were two kinds, those who "labored in the word and teaching," and those who did not. The former were to receive "double honor" and remuneration. Both had "government" (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 12:28). </p> <p> The "apostle" and evangelist" preached to the pagan, but the bishop-presbyter's office was pastoral (&nbsp;Titus 1:9; &nbsp;1 Thessalonians 5:12), including ministration to the sick (&nbsp;James 5:14). Timothy as vicar apostolic heard accusations against elders, and deposed the guilty, and ordained presbyters and deacons (&nbsp;1 Timothy 5:19; &nbsp;Titus 3:10). The presiding bishops in the next age naturally succeeded in a permanent and settled sphere to these duties, which were previously discharged in a less settled charge by the apostles and their deputies, who moved from place to place. The sum of the arguments amounts to this, that episcopacy in the sense of superintendency, not in that of succession to the apostleship, has the apostolic precedent to recommend it; but no directions for the form of church government so positive and explicit as those in the Old Testament concerning the Aaronic priesthood and [[Levitical]] ministry are laid down in the New Testament as to the Christian ministry. </p> <p> Various other orders and gifts are mentioned besides bishop-presbyters and deacons, with superintending apostles and apostolic vicars (as Timothy and Titus). These have not been permanent in all times and places (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 12:28; &nbsp;Ephesians 4:11-12). The absence of literal, positive directions as to church government, and the statement of the broad principle, "Let all things be done unto edifying" &nbsp;1 Corinthians 14:26), and the continual presence of the Holy Spirit in the church to raise up fresh agencies for fresh needs of the church, while justifying episcopacy in its general following of the apostolic order, show us that it is not exclusively the divine platform, but that in all churches holding the essential truths of [[Scripture]] "we ought to judge those ministers lawfully called and sent, who be chosen and called to this work by men who have public authority given unto them in the congregation, to call and send ministers into the Lord's vineyard." (Ch. of Eng. Art. 23) </p>

<i> episkopos </i> &nbsp;Acts 20:28&nbsp;Philippians 1:1&nbsp;1 Timothy 3:2&nbsp;Titus 1:7&nbsp;1 Peter 2:25 <p> [[Prior]] to the advent of [[Christianity]] episkopos meant “inspector,” “watchman,” or “overseer.” It was used of the finance officers of Greek guilds and of the officers Athens sent to its subject-states. Finance officers administered revenues for Greek temples. </p> <p> One of the five usages of <i> episkopos </i> in the New Testament was as a title applied to Jesus: “the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls” (&nbsp; 1 Peter 2:25 ). The other four uniformly referred to one who had a role or office in an early Gentile Christian congregation. In addressing the elders of the church of Ephesus the [[Apostle]] Paul stated, “the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers ( <i> episcopous </i> ), to feed the church of God” (&nbsp;Acts 20:28 ). In the salutation to his [[Epistle]] to the Philippians he greeted “the bishops and deacons” of the church at Philippi (&nbsp;Acts 1:1 ). In &nbsp;1 Timothy 3:1-7 qualifications were given for a “bishop”: reputation, marital status, character traits, hospitality, teaching ability, non-drunkenness, attitude toward money, responsible parenthood, and length of time as a Christian. A similar list of qualifications for a “bishop” appears in &nbsp; Titus 1:6-9 . </p> <p> The noun <i> episkope </i> , meaning “overseership,” “bishopric,” or “office,” appears in &nbsp;Acts 1:20 (a quotation from &nbsp; Psalm 109:8 ) and in &nbsp;1 Timothy 3:1 . The verb <i> episkopeo </i> , meaning “to exercise oversight,” appears in some Greek New Testament manuscripts and hence some English translations [[(Kjv, Asv]] ) in &nbsp;1 Peter 5:2 . </p> <p> Paul, addressing the [[Ephesian]] “elders,” reminded them that the Holy Spirit made them “overseers” ( <i> episkopous </i> ) “to feed (verb which is cognate to the noun “pastor”) the church of the Lord.” From this many conclude that in Paul's time “elder,” “bishop,” and “pastor” were terms used to describe three different functions of the same Christian leader, not three distinct ministerial offices. Moreover, according to &nbsp;Philippians 1:1 the church at Philippi had more than one bishop. </p> <p> During the second century A.D. churches came to have a single bishop, and then that bishop came to exercise oversight over nearby rural churches as well as the city church so that his ecclesiastical territory became known as a “diocese” or “see” (“eparchy” in the East). Bishops of churches that had been founded by apostles were said to be in succession to the apostles, and hence their teaching was held to be authentic and their authority collegial. By 400 A.D. in the West, the bishop of Rome began to assume extraordinary authority above other bishops. </p> <p> Today the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern [[Orthodox]] churches, the Old Catholic Church, the Anglican communion, and the (Lutheran) Church of [[Sweden]] teach the doctrine of apostolic (or episcopal) succession. Other Lutheran bodies, the United [[Methodist]] Church (USA), and the Moravian Church have bishops who serve as superintendents. </p> <p> James Leo Garrett, Jr. </p>

<div> '''1: '''''Ἐπίσκοπος''''' ''' (Strong'S #1985 — Noun Masculine — episkopos — ep-is'-kop-os ) </div> <p> lit., "an overseer" (epi, "over," skopeo, "to look or watch"), whence Eng. "bishop," which has precisely the same meaning, is found in &nbsp;Acts 20:28; &nbsp;Philippians 1:1; &nbsp;1—Timothy 3:2; &nbsp;Titus 1:7; &nbsp;1—Peter 2:25 . See Overseer. </p> &nbsp;Acts 20:17&nbsp; Acts 20:28&nbsp;Acts 14:23&nbsp;20:17&nbsp;Philippians 1:1&nbsp;Titus 1:5&nbsp;James 5:14&nbsp;1—Timothy 3:2&nbsp;Titus 1:7&nbsp;1—Peter 2:25Elder. <div> '''2: '''''Ἐπισκοπή''''' ''' (Strong'S #1984 — Noun [[Feminine]] — episkope — ep-is-kop-ay' ) </div> <p> besides its meaning, "visitation," e.g., &nbsp;1—Peter 2:12 (cp. the Sept. of &nbsp; Exodus 3:16; &nbsp;Isaiah 10:3; &nbsp;Jeremiah 10:15 ), is rendered "office," in &nbsp;Acts 1:20 , RV (AV, "bishoprick"); in &nbsp;1—Timothy 3:1 , "the office of a bishop," lit., "(if any one seeketh) overseership," there is no word representing office. </p> &nbsp;1—Peter 5:2Oversight.

<p> פקיר . επισκοπος , signifies <em> an overseer, </em> or one who has the inspection and direction of any thing. Nehemiah speaks of the overseer of the [[Levites]] at Jerusalem, &nbsp; Nehemiah 11:22 . The most common acceptation of the word <em> bishop </em> is that in &nbsp; Acts 20:28 , and in St. Paul's Epistles, Php_1:1 , where it signifies the pastor of a church. St. Peter calls Jesus Christ "the Shepherd and Bishop of our souls," &nbsp;1 Peter 2:25; and St. Paul describes the qualities requisite in a bishop, &nbsp;1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1, 2, &c. It is not improbable that the overseers of Christ's church are in the New Testament called επισκοποι , from the following passage in Isaiah: "I will also make thy officers peace, and thine <em> overseers" </em> ( επισκοπους ), "righteousness," &nbsp;Isaiah 60:17 . The word, as used by the Apostolic writers, when referring to the pastors of Christian churches, is evidently of the same import as <em> presbyter </em> or <em> elder; </em> for the terms, as they occur in the New Testament, appear to be synonymous, and are used indifferently. Thus the same persons that are called επισκοποι , <em> bishops </em> are also called ωρεσβυτεροι , <em> elders. </em> Hence, when St. Paul came to Miletus, he sent to Ephesus for the presbyters of the church, and thus addressed them: "Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you" (the presbyters) " επισκοπους , bishops," or overseers, &nbsp;Acts 20:17 . "Here, says Dr. Campbell, "there can be no question that the same persons are denominated presbyters and bishops." Nor is this the only passage in which we find the terms used convertibly. In &nbsp;Titus 1:5 , it is said, "For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders" (Greek πρεσβυτερους ) "in every city;" and then it follows in &nbsp;Titus 1:7 , "For a bishop" (επισκοπον ) "must be blameless." In like manner, the Apostle Peter, &nbsp;1 Peter 5:1 : "The elders" (πρεσβυτερους ) "which are among you I exhort; feed the flock of God which is among you, <em> taking the oversight thereof; </em> επισκοπουντες , that is, discharging the office of bishops." See [[Episcopacy]] . </p>

<p> '''Bishop.''' &nbsp;1 Timothy 3:2. The original word means "overseer," such as [[Joseph]] was in Potiphar's house, &nbsp;Genesis 39:4, or as the 3600 men were in Solomon's temple, &nbsp;2 Chronicles 2:18, or as [[Uzzi]] was of the Levites, &nbsp;Nehemiah 11:22. In the New Testament the term is synonymous with presbyter or elder, with this difference—that bishop is borrowed from the Greek and signifies the function; presbyter is derived from an office in the synagogue and signifies the dignity of the same office. Comp. &nbsp;Acts 20:17; &nbsp;Acts 20:28; &nbsp;Philippians 1:1-30; &nbsp;Philippians 1:1-30; &nbsp;1 Timothy 3:1 ff.; &nbsp;Titus 1:5 ff. These presbyters or bishops of the apostolic period were the regular teachers and pastors, preachers and leaders, of the congregations. We may imagine, however, that among themselves there would be a division made according to individual fitness. Each congregation of Christians as gathered by the apostles, was organized into a church, having a number of elders, or bishops, ordained over it, &nbsp;Acts 15:23; &nbsp;Acts 20:17; &nbsp;Acts 20:28; &nbsp;Philippians 1:1; &nbsp;Titus 1:5; &nbsp;Titus 1:7, indicating that the office was the same. See Elder. </p>

<p> '''Bishop.''' The word originally signified an ''"Overseer"'' or ''Spiritual Superintendent.'' The titles, '''bishop''' and '''elder,''' or '''presbyter,''' were essentially equivalent. [[Bishop]] is from the Greek, and denotes ''One Who Exercises The Function Of Overseeing.'' Presbyter was derived from the office in the synagogue. Of the order in which the first elders or bishops were appointed, as of the occasion which led to the institution of the office, we have no record. The duties of the bishop-elders appear to have been as follows: </p> <p> 1. General superintendence over the spiritual well-being of the flock. &nbsp;1 Peter 5:2. </p> <p> 2. The work of teaching, both publicly and privately. &nbsp;1 Thessalonians 5:12; &nbsp;Titus 1:9; &nbsp;1 Timothy 5:17. </p> <p> 3. The work of visiting the sick, &nbsp;James 5:14. </p> <p> 4. Among other acts of charity, that of receiving strangers, occupied a conspicuous place. &nbsp;1 Timothy 3:2; &nbsp;Titus 1:8. Peter calls [[Christ]] , "the shepherd and bishop of your souls." &nbsp;1 Peter 2:25. </p>

<p> '''(1):''' (n.) A spiritual overseer, superintendent, or director. </p> <p> '''(2):''' (n.) In the Methodist Episcopal and some other churches, one of the highest church officers or superintendents. </p> <p> '''(3):''' (v. t.) To admit into the church by confirmation; to confirm; hence, to receive formally to favor. </p> <p> '''(4):''' (n.) A piece used in the game of chess, bearing a representation of a bishop's miter; - formerly called archer. </p> <p> '''(5):''' (n.) An old name for a woman's bustle. </p> <p> '''(6):''' (n.) A beverage, being a mixture of wine, oranges or lemons, and sugar. </p> <p> '''(7):''' (n.) In the Roman Catholic, Greek, and Anglican or Protestant Episcopal churches, one ordained to the highest order of the ministry, superior to the priesthood, and generally claiming to be a successor of the Apostles. The bishop is usually the spiritual head or ruler of a diocese, bishopric, or see. </p> <p> '''(8):''' (v. t.) To make seem younger, by operating on the teeth; as, to bishop an old horse or his teeth. </p>

<p> &nbsp;1 Peter 2:25 (a) This title is given to the Lord [[Jesus]] in regard to His right to rule over the religious life and affairs of the church. </p>