David B. Curtis
David B. Curtis
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Good morning, Bereans. In our last study we looked at the fact that the office of pastor, elder, bishop ended in AD 70 with the return of Christ. It may be surprising to hear, especially since pastors hold such a prominent and visible role in the modern church. But, I don't think it is supposed to be that way.
We are looking at the text in 1 Peter 5:1-4 which is an exhortation to elders.
So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 1 Peter 5:1-4 ESV
We are given a time statement in the end of verse 1 when Peter says, "the glory that is going to be revealed." Literally this is, "the glory that is about to be revealed." "That is going" is the Greek word mello. Whenever mello in the present active indicative is combined with an infinitive, it is consistently translated "about to." Peter told his first- century audience that the glory was "about to" be revealed. The Greek word "mello" means "is about to," but is never translated in the literal fashion by major translations in eschatological passages. I wonder why?
In Vines Expository Dictionary of Greek Words, on page 1038, Vine shows mello's primary meaning as "to be about (to be or do). It is used of purpose, certainty, compulsion, or necessity."
The word "revealed" is the Greek word apokaluptō which means "to take off the cover, that is, disclose: - reveal." The word, "appears," in verse 4 is phaneroō. It refers to when He is "manifest" or when He is "revealed." This is talking about the Second Coming.
So, the glory was about to be revealed when the chief Shepherd appeared at the second coming in that generation.
And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. 1 Peter 5:4 ESV
"And when the chief Shepherd appears"—this is the Second Coming that verse 1 said was about to happen. At the Second Coming "you will receive the unfading crown of glory"—who is the "you"? It's the elders of verse 1. When the Lord returned from his 40-year absence, he rewarded those who shepherded while he was gone. Their ministry then ended and they were rewarded.
I'm sure you understand that only those who understand eschatology can see that the role of pastor was temporary during the transition period.
"When the chief Shepherd appears"— here Christ is called by the compound term archi plus poimen, meaning the high or first shepherd. In Hebrew 13:20, Christ is described as "the great Shepherd." Yeshua has returned to shepherd his people.
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. John 14:3 ESV
When Christ says, "I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also," He is talking about His Second Coming at the end of the Jewish age at which time He would gather all believers unto Himself and into His eternal kingdom. When Christ returned, he shepherded his people himself. Notice Matthew 2:6.
"‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'" Matthew 2:6 ESV
This is a quote from Micah 5:2. Whom is this prophecy about? Yeshua. It is he that will shepherd God's people. This is what Ezekiel said.
"My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes. Ezekiel 37:24 ESV
Ezekiel says they will have one Shepherd, that is Yeshua.
Last week we saw that Ephesians 4:11 said that the office of pastor was to end when the body was mature. This happened at the Second Coming. We also saw from Acts 20 that the elders in the Transition Period were ordained by the Holy Spirit. What pastor today can say that he was ordained by the Spirit to be a pastor?
I said that the importance of understanding this was because the Scripture commands believers to submit to the elders of the church. If this applies to us, you must be very careful where you go to church.
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 1 Peter 5:5 ESV
Likewise—can be translated "in the same way," Peter is saying that he is dealing with the same topic, and therefore, it refers to the young people submitting to the elders.
"You who are younger"—here Peter turns his attention to the members of the community, especially the "younger members" in Christ.
"Be subject to the elders"—this is an aorist passive imperative, thus, it is a command to fall into line under the God-appointed leadership and to do it now. The aorist imperative can convey a sense of urgency. Do this now. This describes a settled manner of life. The context implies that the "elders" of 1 Peter 5:1 are the same as the "elders" of 1 Peter 5:5. This demonstrates that elders do have leadership authority.
We also looked last week at the command given in Hebrews.
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. Hebrews 13:17 ESV
I had a few people question the translation here of "obey." The word "obey" is from the Greek word peitho. It is a very broad word and is translated many different ways: "be persuaded by" (Hebrews 6:9), "trust" (Hebrews 2:13), "rely on" (Luke 11:22), "agreed," "friend," "believed," "yield," "confident," and "assure." All the translations that I looked at render it here as "obey" because that is what you do when you are persuaded by somebody or trust somebody. So, you might say it is a "soft" word for "obey". It encourages a good relationship of trust but still calls for the people to follow their leaders. This same word is also translated obey in the following passages.
but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. Romans 2:8 ESV
You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? Galatians 5:7 ESV
If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. James 3:3 ESV
The Greek word used for "submit" is hupeiko, [hoo-pie-ko]. It comes from hupo, which means "under" and from eiko, which means "to yield, be weak, to surrender, submit." This word occurs only here in the New Testament. It's the more narrow word, and means "make room for by retiring from a seat," or "yield to," or "submit to."
So, in Hebrews, the writer calls believers to "obey and submit" to their Church leaders. So, Peter tells believers to submit to the elders and the writer of Hebrews tells them to submit to their church leaders. Notice what Paul tells the Thessalonians.
We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 1 Thessalonians 5:12 ESV
"To respect those who labor among you"—Paul is talking here about local church leaders. "Respect" is a present infinitive of the verb oida ("to know, acknowledge, recognize"). Some see oida here to mean "appreciate, value." But because this idea is found in the next verse ("esteem them very highly"), Paul's statement would be redundant. And also, Paul uses this same word in 1 Corinthians 16:15 where he calls the church to recognize the leadership of those of the house of Stephanas because they were "the first converts in Achaia."
Now I urge you, brothers—you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints—1 Corinthians 16:15 ESV
"To know, acknowledge, recognize" fits here and in our text. The Greek verb probably means that they were to recognize certain men as the legitimate leaders of the church.
Why is he telling them to recognize their leaders? This church had only been in existence for several months, so every member was a relatively new convert. Yet God had raised up some as leaders. Maybe Timothy had appointed leaders when he made his follow-up visit under Paul's direction. Or Paul may have appointed leaders before they departed from Thessalonica, as they had done in the churches of Galatia.
They are told to recognize those who "labor among you." "Labor" is the verb kopiao which means "to become weary, tired," "to work hard, toil with effort, strive." It may describe both a mental and physical kind of labor. Paul used this word frequently to describe his own ministry. These leaders are to be recognized not by their title but by their service.
How were these leaders to labor among the Thessalonian believers? This is spelled out, at least in part, in the following description. "And are over you in the Lord." "Are over" here is proistēmi which means "to stand before someone, or to preside, or to lead, or to direct." Herodotus and Plato used the word "proistēmi" to refer to leadership in an army, a state, or a party. It's used in 1 Timothy chapter 3 three times (verses 4, 5 and 12) in reference to elders and pastors. It means to be in charge, to have authority. Paul uses it in 1 Timothy 5:17 when he says, "Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor."
So, it includes responsibility for the management or oversight of all aspects of a local church. Leaders are recognized as being "over" the congregation in the sense of ruling and providing headship, as a shepherd is over the sheep. This describes a clear and legitimate order of authority.
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Romans 13:1 ESV
Most take this as referring to civil government. In my understanding, this has nothing to do with civil government. It is dealing with the governing authorities in the church.
Commenting on this verse, Tom Holland writes,
Recently, an alternative understanding of ‘authority/ies' in Romans 13 has been put forward. It is argued that local churches did not always separate from the local synagogues perhaps because they afforded protection to the believers, and that this was the situation in Rome… This historical setting has been used to argue that the ‘governing authorities' of v.1 are not representatives of the Roman state but of the synagogue…This recently argued understanding has Paul pleading for the Gentile believers to accept the authority of the Jewish leadership of the synagogue because God has appointed it.
I think it is clear that the Scriptures call believers to submit to and obey their elders/pastors. But because elders were those appointed by the Holy Spirit and because the office was to end at the Second Coming, I don't believe that we are called to submit to church elders/pastor. That office ended.
If this did end in AD 70, why are there those today who call themselves pastor? Well, the church today is very different from the first-century church. But I think the bottom line is that people feel the need to have a human rule over them. We see in Scripture that they didn't want God to directly rule them. They wanted a human intermediary.
Look at how the Israelites responded to Yahweh's presence.
Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, "You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die." Exodus 20:18-19 ESV
The people wanted Moses to be a physical mediator between them and God because they feared a personal relationship with the Almighty.
We see this same idea later in the time of Samuel. God wanted the people to live under his direct headship. But Israel begged for a human king instead.
Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, "Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations." But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to judge us." And Samuel prayed to the LORD. 1 Samuel 8:4-6 ESV
So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking for a king from him. He said, "These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. And he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. He will take your male servants and female servants and the best of your young men and your donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day." But the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel. And they said, "No! But there shall be a king over us, 1 Samuel 8:10-19 ESV
Christians also seem to have adopted this desire for a human leader. We clearly see this in the creation of the pastor. Let's look at a little history as to how the single pastor came to be the norm in the church. I want to share with you several excerpts from the book "Pagan Christianity?" by George Barna
Up until the 2nd century the church had no official leadership. They had leadership but it wasn't an official position. The 1st century churches were pretty odd, the fact that they were religious groups without priests, temple, or sacrifice. The Christians themselves led the church under Christ direct headship.
Ignatius of Antioch (AD 35-107) was instrumental in changing this. He was the first figure in church history pushing for a single leader in the church. This elevated elder was now called the Bishop.
According to Ignatius, the Bishop had ultimate power and should be obeyed absolutely. Concerning Ephesians 6:1, Ignatius states, "It is obvious, therefore, that we must regard the Bishop as the Lord himself." By the early 2nd century, the power and prestige of these bishops had elevated greatly.
Ignatius said, "All of you follow the Bishop as Jesus Christ follows the father... He that honors the Bishop is honored of God. You should look on your Bishop as a type of the father." For Ignatius, the Bishop stood in the place of God.
At the time of Ignatius, the one-Bishop rule had not caught on in other religions. But by the mid-2nd century, this model was firmly established in most churches. By the end of the 3rd century, it prevailed everywhere.
Clement of Rome, who died in around AD100, was the first Christian writer to make a distinction in status between Christian leaders and non-Christians leaders. He was the first to use the word laity to distinguish ordinary church members from the ministers. Clement argued that the Old Testament order of priest should find fulfillment in the Christian Church. He didn't recognize or understand the biblical truth that all believers are priests. Tertullian was the first writer to use the word clergy to refer to a separate class of Christians. Both Tertullian and Clement popularized the word clergy in their writings.
The New Testament, on the other hand, never uses the terms clergy and laity and does not support the concept that there are those who do ministry (clergy), and those to whom ministry is done (laity). Thus, what we have in Tertulliann and Clement is a clear break from the New Testament Christian mindset that recognizes that all believers share the same status. Unfortunately, by the mid-3rd century, the authority of the Bishop had hardened into a fixed office.
Through the influence of Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, in the third century AD, the door was opened to resurrect the Old Testament economy of priests, temples, altars, and sacrifices. By the 3rd century, every church had its own Bishop. Cyprian taught that the Bishop's only superior was God. In other words, he was accountable to God alone. Anyone who separated himself from the Bishop separated himself from God.
From AD 313 to 325, Christianity was no longer a struggling religion. On the contrary, it was basking in the sun of imperialism, loaded with money and status. To be a Christian under Constantine's reign was no longer a handicap. It was an advantage. It was fashionable to become part of the emperor's religion, and to be among the clergy was to receive the greatest of advantages. Clergymen received the same honors as the highest official of the Roman Empire and even the emperor himself. He also ordered in AD 313 that the clergy receive fixed annual allowances or ministerial pay. He even exempted the Christian clergy from paying taxes.
In the fourth century (390 AD) the Apostolic Constitutions (2.26) refers to the Bishop as "the mediator between God and you… he is, next after God, your earthly God." What happened to Yeshua as our mediator? Now the Bishop is the mediator?
This is a departure from Scripture. Paul taught Timothy,
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Yeshua, 1 Timothy 2:5 ESV
How things have changed in such a short time. From the plurality of elders to one man—a Bishop who is an earthly God?
The contemporary pastor is the most unquestioned fixture in 21st-century Christianity. Yet not a strand of Scripture supports the existence of this office. Rather, the present day pastor was born out of the single Bishop rule first spawned by Ignatius and Cyprian. The Bishop evolved into the local presbyter. In the Middle Ages, the presbyter grew into the Catholic priest. During the Reformation, he was transformed into the preacher, the minister, and finally the pastor—the person upon whom all of presbyterianism hangs. To boil it down to one sentence, the Protestant pastor is nothing more than a slightly reformed Catholic priest.
I stressed last week that understanding that Yeshua is our only pastor is important because the Bible tells believers to "obey and submit" to the elder/pastor. These men who call themselves pastor are not our authority. The Word of God is our soul authority.
Another area of damage done by pastors today is the clergy-laity division. As stated earlier, Tertullian (AD 155-220) was the first writer to use the word clergy to refer to a separate class of Christians. The New Testament, on the other hand, never uses the terms clergy and laity and does not support the concept that there are those who do ministry (clergy) and those to whom ministry is done (laity).
The New Testament knows nothing of a division between "laity" and ordained "clergy." All believers are "priests unto God" and are called to offer up sacrifice to Yahweh.
you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Yeshua the Christ. 1 Peter 2:5 ESV
Peter's picture here is that God is building a spiritual temple (a spiritual house) using living stones (Christians)—those who have come to the ultimate living stone (Yeshua).
"Like living stones"—this is Peter's way of saying that when you come to Christ, you become like Christ. We're living stones also. What does that mean? It means that we have eternal life. The very life that exists in Christ exists in us. We have the life of Christ. He is the cornerstone and believers are stones who also are being built up as a spiritual house. We are the Temple of God.
In the Old Covenant, Israel had to travel to the Temple in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to Yahweh. They were restricted by time and space. However, in the New Covenant, we are not. Everything we do can be considered worship because we are the temple of God. In fact, Paul says,
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV
Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God. Even our eating and drinking can be worship to God.
Our text has a distinctively corporate flavor. Peter wants his readers to see that Christianity is not an individualistic thing in which we each have a relationship with God but not with each other. They were being built together into a spiritual house or temple in the Lord. The New Testament uses several corporate metaphors to describe the church. We are a vine, a flock, a bride, a body, a family, a city, and a temple.
"Believers are a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Yeshua the Christ"— a priest stands between a needy people and a holy God. He advocates not just his own position but also the needs of the people. The New Testament affirms the priesthood of all believers (plural, corporate) as they bring a lost world to faith in Christ.
Believers, we are a holy priesthood in the order of Melchizedek and are to be offering spiritual sacrifices to God. What is a spiritual sacrifice? The author of Hebrews says,
Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Hebrews 13:15-16 ESV
As part of the priesthood of Melchizedek, we offer the sacrifice of praise, and we do good. These are sacrifices that are pleasing to God. Every believer is a priest, but our only Shepherd is Yeshua, and our only authority is the Word of God.
The concern that many pastors have shifted from being humble servants to prideful, "superstar" figures is a recognized issue within contemporary evangelicalism and church culture. Critics argue that modern ministry often draws its standards for success from the world rather than from biblical principles by focusing on fame, high salaries, and large followings.
The role of Pastor today is much like it was in Constantine's day. It is an advantage which affords certain people special parking spaces, special discounts, free golf, tax breaks, etc. None of this is biblical. For Paul, whom I believe was the greatest Christian who ever lived, being in the ministry was simply being a servant.
Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. Ephesians 3:7 ESV
In verse 1 he calls himself, "a prisoner," and here he calls himself, "a minister." This would be better translated: as "a servant." This is not a stained-glass word referring to a member of the clergy. That concept is foreign to the New Testament. Rather, it is the Greek word, diakonos, meaning "servant." It referred to one who waited tables. As such, a servant obeyed his master. He was not free to do his own thing, but he did what his master commanded. The ESV translates diakonos as servant in 1 Corinthians 3.
What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 1 Corinthians 3:5 ESV
Paul uses a different Greek word to call himself a servant in 1 Corinthians 4.
This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 1 Corinthians 4:1 ESV
The word Paul uses here for servant is the Greek word huperetes. It means: "a galley slave." This word referred to a rower in the lower tier of the galley of a ship. It was the lowest level of slavery. Paul sees himself as a slave of Christ.
Being an apostle was not Paul's career choice! Rather, it was given to him as a sacred stewardship of God's grace. When he says that he "was made a minister," it is a passive verb, meaning that he didn't choose it. On the contrary, Yahweh acted on Paul. On the day of Paul's conversion, the Lord told Paul to
"Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do." Acts 22:10 ESV
Paul was drafted! He was divinely called, divinely appointed. In Colossians 1:23, he says, "I was made a minister." In Colossians 1:25, he says it again, "I was made a minister." And he says it yet again in Ephesians 3.
Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. Ephesians 3:7 ESV
I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. Just as it is God's sovereignty that brings men to salvation in Christ, it is His sovereignty that calls men to serve Christ. Paul's vocation as an apostle involved his conversion, and his conversion was the effect of the power of God. Paul was given the gift of grace that enabled him to perform the duties of a servant of the Gospel.
To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, Ephesians 3:8 ESV
Paul says that he is, "the very least of all the saints"—the word "least" is a superlative. In the original language, it is a hybrid word. It's an odd word, because he takes the Greek word "least" or "smaller," and he adds an ending unto it that is impossible linguistically, so that he creates a word something like "leaster." "I am the 'leaster' of all the saints"— that's what he's saying.
This is the chief, perhaps the pre-eminent theologian of the Church of Christ of all time, and he says: "I'm 'leaster' of all Christians." Paul goes out of his way to show that he considers himself to be unworthy of God's grace in his ministry. In A.D. 59, Paul wrote in his first letter to the saints at Corinth: "For I am the least of the apostles" (1 Corinthians 15:9). Then in AD 64, Paul stated in our text in Ephesians 3:8,"I am the leaster of all the saints." Subsequently, in AD 65, Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 1:15 that he was "the chief of sinners." He uses the present tense. There is a digression here.
Paul most likely got this attitude of humble servanthood from his Lord.
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:45 ESV
This summarizes the purpose of his incarnation. Christ came to serve.
Believers, the church today is a mess. It seems to have drifted far from the biblical model. It has become more of a business than a ministry. But in spite of the mess, it is clear that we really need each other. We don't need pastors, but we need each other. We cannot carry out the "one another" verses unless we are around one another. John 13:34-35 (Love one another), Galatians 5:13 (Serve one another), Ephesians 4:2-32 (Be kind, forgive), Romans 12:10 (Honor one another), and Hebrews 10:24 (Spur one another on to love). I counted 65 "one another" verses in the New Testament.
Let me close today with a story. When I was a youth pastor, I had several couples working with me to minister to the teens. George was one of the youth workers. George had a passion for truth and would spend hours after work studying the Bible. George's study of the truth eventually led him to leave the church. He later moved out of town. We would talk occasionally, always surprised that we were on the same page theologically. He was in town last year, and we met for breakfast. It was interesting to find out that we are in the same place on the sovereignty of God, Divine Counsel, Preterism, and Hell. While I was writing this message, George texted me, saying
"Just listened to your Sunday teaching on pastors. Right on Dave! It amazes me how we move down the same path, maybe not at the same time but we still get to the same place! The Spirit, and the hunger for truth is our guide, right on brother."
George regrets one thing. He truly missed the fellowship of believers while out of the local church all those years. And now he is attending a local fellowship.
Bereans, don't let the mess that the local church is in keep you from fellowshipping with likeminded believers. We need each other. If you can't find a local fellowship, get with a few likeminded believers and worship together. The church is a gathering of believers fellowshipping around the Lord. You don't need a choir or preacher or building. You just need others who love the Lord.
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