[jude24]

I have to say that the ancient usage of Presbytera probably answers the question of what the NT meaning of Prebyteros was.

Probably - although one cannot foreclose the possibility that the role of presbuteros evolved as Christianity evolved from an illegal religion.

[Campion]

Probably - although one cannot foreclose the possibility that the role of presbuteros evolved as Christianity evolved from an illegal religion.

No question. I was just responding to etoh's specious assertion that the Catholic priesthood had no NT antecedent or source, which is clearly a silly claim. It's especially silly in view of how the Fathers of the immediate post-apostolic age -- Ignatius, for example -- understood the offices of "elder" and "overseer".