One of the most interesting observations of Carl Braaten in his book THE APOSTOLIC IMPERATIVE is that Lutherans are strong on CANON but weak on OFFICE; this got me thinking and asking: what kinds of “offices” do we need in order to accomplish His ministry and mission in the 21st century.
In order to explore that question, I begin by gathering some notes from Schaff’s HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH — here are a few notes from his research:
Apostles, Prophets and Evangelists:
-when the believers began to number thousands, the apostles could not possibly perform all the functions of teaching, conducting worship, and administering discipline (1:488)
-they were obliged to create new offices for the ordinary wants of the congregation, while they devoted themselves to the general supervision and the further extension of the Gospel (1:488)
-thus arose gradually the various general and congregational offices in the church (1:488)
-apostles…originally twelve in number…who were the founders and pillars of the whole church (1:490)
-prophets…were the inspired and inspiring teachers and preachers of the mysteries of God (1:490)
-evangelists…were apostolic commissioners for a special work (like our modern day missionaries) (1:491)
-officers of the local congregations who were charged with carrying forward in particular places the work begun by the apostles and their delegates (1:491)…there were two kinds of officers: BISHOPS and DEACONS
1: Presbyter (elder) or Bishop (overseer)
-called to tend the flock of God (1:493)
-by the 2nd century, the bishop was regarded first as the head of the congregation surrounded by a council of presbyters
-the office of the presbyter-bishop was to teach and to rule the particular congregation committed to their charge (1:495)…to them belonged the direction of public worship, the administration of discipline, the care of souls, and the management of the church property (1:496)…being supported by voluntary contributions
-it is quite probable that these presbyter-bishops distributed the various duties of their office among themselves according to their respective talents and experiences (1:496)
-the bishops were limited in their jurisdiction either to one congregation or to a small circle of congregations (1:496)
-according to the “angels of the seven churches”, these are the local presbyters who are the responsible messengers of God to the congregation (1:497)
2: Deacons
-Acts 6 gives us an account of the origin of the office…and it had a precedent in the officers of the synagogue who had charge of the collection and distribution of alms (1:499)…and was done so that the apostles could devote themselves exclusively to prayer and the ministry of the Word (1:499)
-the office of the deacons was to minister at the table of the love-feasts and to attend to the needs of the poor and the sick (1:499)…taking care of widows and orphans, dispensing hospitality to strangers, and relieving the needs of the poor (1:500)
-thus, the presbyters were the custodians, the deacons the collectors and distributors, of the charitable funds (1:500)…since poverty and sickness afford some of the most beneficial occasions for edifying instruction and consolation (1:500)
-two of the Jerusalem deacons, Stephen and Philip, also labored as preachers and evangelists (1:500)
-deaconesses…had a similar charge of the poor and sick in the female portion of the church (1:500)…and were usually chosen from elderly widows (1:501)
-caring for the poor and sick, by the middle of the third century, they baptized, distributed the sacramental cup, said the church prayers, not seldom preached, and were confidential advisers (2:132)
3: Minor Offices…the expansion of the church, and the development of her cultus, led to the multiplication of offices below the DIACONATE…by the middle of the third century, the following officers are mentioned (2:131-132):
-sub-deacons…assistants and deputies of the deacons – the only one of these subordinate offices for which a formal ordination was required
-readers…who read the Scriptures in the assembly and who had charge of the church books
-acolyths…attendants of the bishops in their official duties and processions
-exorcists…who, by prayer and the laying on of hands, cast out the evil spirit from the possessed…and from catechumens…and frequently assisted in baptism
-precentors…for the musical parts of the liturgy, psalms, benedictions, responses, etc.
-janitors or sextons…who took care of the religious meeting-rooms, and, at a later period, the church yards
-catechists
-interpreters…so that people could hear the Word in their own language
4: Bishop Cornelius of Rome (d. 252) gives the number of officers in his church as:
-46 presbyters…probably corresponding to the number of the meeting-houses of the Christians in his city
-7 deacons, after the model of the church at Jerusalem (Acts 6)
-7 sub-deacons
-42 acolyths
-52 exorcists, readers and janitors