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In
the New Testament (and of course in the Old Testament) there is no such thing as
a Pastor with a capital ‘P’. The Early Church had no Pastors. Pastors simply
did not exist – yet today in the Western world there are hundreds of Pastors.
So where did Pastors come from?
In the New Testament Greek there are three different words which are used
in an interchangeable way. (In much the same way as we might use “king”,
“sovereign” and “royal head” in an interchangeable way)
Poimen
= pastor
Presbuteros
= elder
Episkopos
= overseer, or bishop.
In other words, a pastor is also an elder and a bishop or overseer, OR an
elder is a pastor and bishop or overseer, OR a bishop is the same as the other
three.
In Titus 1:5 Paul instructs Titus to “appoint elders in every
city” and then tells Titus that an overseer must be above reproach. See
also Titus 1:7, 1Tim.3:2 with 1Tim.5:17. Also 1Pet.5:1,2 where Peter equates
“elders” with “oversight”. Also Philippians 1:1 where Paul addresses the
“overseers” and “deacons” instead of “elders” and deacons. Paul is
obviously referring to the elders of the church, yet he calls them
“overseers”.
Lightfoot says “in every one of the extant commentaries . . . whether
Greek or Latin, this identity (of overseer as elder) is affirmed”.
To prove “elder” is the same as “pastor” see 1Pet.5:1,2. In verse
2 “pastor is often translated “shepherd”, from the Greek word ‘poimen’,
which means to shepherd, to feed, and to pastor.
Logically, if an elder is an overseer, and an overseer is a pastor, and a
pastor is a shepherd or bishop, then the office must be the same. Now notice
that when Paul travelled about starting church fellowships, he made sure they
had several elders to care for each small flock. Titus 1:5. So the Early
Church pattern was that of small groups of Christians with several overseers
whose job was to shepherd or care for the flock in many ways.
Watchman Nee said “Nowhere in God’s Word do we find anyone referred
to by the name Pastor”.
·
Not
one N.T. letter is addressed to “the Pastor”.
·
Paul
and Barnabas weren’t received by ‘the Pastor’ at the Jerusalem Council
(Acts 15). They were received by “the apostles and elders”.
·
The
apostles appointed “elders” (plural) Acts 14:23 and Titus 1:5
·
The
poor-relief fund was brought by Barnabas and Saul to “the elders” of the
church in Jerusalem, not to “the Pastor”.
·
It
is “the elders” who are rewarded with double honour for ruling well –
1Tim.5:17
·
In
Acts 20:17 and 20:28 Paul invites the Ephesian “elders” to Miletus. In v17
he tells these same elders that they are “overseers” and that they are to
“pastor” the church of God. It is all plural – not a single man at the
top.
The above is not an attack on, or a criticism of Pastors. It is simply a presentation of what the Bible says. There are many wonderful Pastors, who do an outstanding job. The question I think we ought to ask is “Is the Church following the Bible, or something less than the Bible? And if something less, perhaps the Church is missing out on the full blessings which come from obedience?”