Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article

To: Gamecock
I know, paragraphs are our friends! Sorry!

"πρεσβυτέρος" is spelled wrong. It's "πρεσβύτερος". That makes it difficult to take this piece seriously. The word means priest in Greek; still does.

By the very early 2nd Century (105 or so), +Ignatius of Antioch, second successor to +Peter as bishop Of Antioch, wrote to the Christians at Smyrna:

"See that ye all follow the bishop, even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the presbytery as ye would the apostles; and reverence the deacons, as being the institution of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize or to celebrate a love-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve of, that is also pleasing to God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid. See that ye all follow the bishop, even as Christ Jesus does the Father, and the presbytery as ye would the apostles. Do ye also reverence the deacons, as those that carry out [through their office] the appointment of God. Let no man do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the bishop shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as where Christ is, there does all the heavenly host stand by, waiting upon Him as the Chief Captain of the Lord's might, and the Governor of every intelligent nature. It is not lawful without the bishop either to baptize, or to offer, or to present sacrifice, or to celebrate a love-feast. But that which seems good to him, is also well-pleasing to God, that everything ye do may be secure and valid."

17 posted on 07/15/2015 7:12:13 AM PDT by Kolokotronis (Christ is Risen, and you, o death, are annihilated)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: Kolokotronis

So let’s suppose our friends are correct, and that this was indeed the model of early Church governance.

Then the great St. Ignatius comes along and powerfully argues for the monarchical episcopacy.

Did anyone call him a heretic? Did any Church object to what he said? Did any “presbyterian governing council” in Rome or Alexandria or anywhere else excommunicate him for these ideas that would (I imagine) get one tossed out of a Presbyterian governance today?

Seems odd that this revered martyr could make up a doctrine like this out of thin air....and none of those good Presbyterians back then complained about it.


20 posted on 07/15/2015 8:11:30 AM PDT by Claud
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies ]

To: Kolokotronis

Interesting. Is the misspelling in the accent marks?


24 posted on 07/15/2015 9:59:48 AM PDT by xzins (Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Pray for their victory or quit saying you support our troops)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Religion
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson