There is a beautiful flowing of submission and authority within the Godhead. The Holy Spirit is in submission to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is in submission to God the Father, and yet they are all in submission to each other and flow in unity. You see, there can be submission and unity at the same time. Submission only works among equals.
In the home it is the same way. The father is the head of the home. If the children don't agree with him, they still submit to his authority. If he exercises that authority in line with God's Word, then he will be operating in godly wisdom and will deserve the respect of his children and wife. But if he is a tyrant, he will be able to command only obedience.
Obedience without submission is slavery. In the end, he will defeat and destroy his own position. If the husband is making every effort to fulfill his role as head of the home, the wife needs to let him make his mistakes when he gets bullheaded. Do not try to usurp his authority. Counsel and love him, but let him learn the hard way a time or two. He'll come to value your wisdom and sensitivity.
Let's look at the human body in this light too. If a hand didn't respond to the orders of the head, it would soon become apparent that the hand was sick or in trouble. The body would do everything it could to find out how to locate the problem and solve it. Things just wouldn't be right in the body without that hand. Isn't it interesting that in the human body there is never rebellion against the head? There may be sickness in the body, but there is never rebellion.
In the principle of authority and submission, authority works only when someone submits. Authority does not even exist when there is no one to receive it. That is why when there is rebellion where authority has been established, frustration and anxiety result.
What happens in rebellion? Why is God so opposed to rebellion? It is satan's sin. It is as the sin of witchcraft. Rebellion causes one of two things to happen. The person in the position of authority either loses his authority, or he tries to exert his authority with force. When the latter happens the person in submission either will crack and come under authority against his will, or will rebel even more.
Do you see that rebellion at the bottom causes more pressure from the top? It becomes a vicious circle until something gives. Anarchy results. That's why God's system of authority is never based on force but on love and submission - all members being in submission to each other, no one acting except out of love or regard for another member.
Christ LOVES the church and GAVE HIS LIFE FOR IT. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church and as they love their own bodies. Have you ever seen a man cutting up his body for pleasure? Not if he's sane. Have you ever seen a man disregard the least little scratch in his body? And the head exercises the same concern for each member of the body.
In these analogies we find the principle that makes God's authority work in the local church. The pastor exercises his authority in the love of God. He cares for the people. There is the same flowing of authority and submission in the local body of Christ as there is in the human body, in a marriage, and in the universal church.
God tells us in I Corinthians 12:21 that Christ, the head of the body, needs every part of His body. So husbands, never think you don't need your wife or her counsel. God gave her to you to make you complete. Pastors, never take the attitude that you don't need every member of your congregation. Sheep, never think you don't need the shepherd or pastor God has set in the church for you. He's there to help you in the things of God.
We have already seen that the office of the pastor is chosen by God. God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ choose men as pastors (I Cor. 12:28, Eph. 4:8, 11). Now let's see what pastors do, and what each of the offices under the pastor does. Let us first look at the Greek words for each of the offices we are going to study and see what they mean.
The word for pastor is poimen and it means a shepherd. The pastor is the one who appoints elders, and the word for elder is presbuteros, meaning someone who is mature. The office of an elder requires more than just being mature in the Word. We'll discuss his qualifications later.
The word for bishop is episkopos, which is a compound word in the Greek. It comes from epi- meaning over, and skopos meaning to view or to see. It is self-explanatory, meaning an overseer. The last office in the local church is that of the deacon, which comes from the word diakonos, meaning to minister.
The Pastor
God didn't use the title pastor or shepherd without purpose. The first quality about a pastor is that he is the leader. He heads his flock and makes decisions concerning them. His main function is to find pasture for them. He teaches them the Word of God. He may not be smart in every area of church operations, but he is gifted with a teaching ability. He needs to spend much time in the Word and prayer to Feed his gift and mature in his office.
Every pastor should be aware that many in his congregation are more intelligent in some areas than he is. Many of them have great expertise in natural fields and can benefit him through counsel. He must remain teachable. Some of them may even be more mature in the Word than he is. But if he leans on the anointing that accompanies his office, he can always successfully fill his place as pastor and leader of the flock. The abilities of the Holy Spirit accompany every ministry gift. (Rom. 11:29)
Now let's look at some scriptures that deal with the office of the pastor. Let's begin with I Peter 5:1-4:
The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Did you notice that the word pastor isn't mentioned here? So you may ask, how do we know we're discussing a pastor? By context. Peter begins by exhorting the elders. Notice, that it's plural. Peter also points out that he is an elder presbuteros. In verse two, however, he says feed the flock of God. Immediately we know he's talking about pastors, because the Greek word here for feed is poimen (pastor or shepherd). So verse two should read, "Shepherd the flock of God which is among you."
Who is the shepherd? The pastor. In this passage then, we have Peter calling the pastor an elder. That makes sense. The pastor should be mature in the Word of God, in spiritual matters. You wouldn't want someone without maturity in the pastorate of your church.
What you have to understand in the Word of God is that the term elder is quite freely used for the office of pastor. The context indicates that. When the pastor is called an elder, he is clearly different from the other elders. He stands as the chief elder.
The next indication that Peter is addressing pastors is found in the phrase, "taking the oversight." The word oversight is episkopos: bishopric. There is only one person who can take the oversight of God's flock. He is the pastor, the one chosen by God.
The significant thing about Peter's instruction, however, is that he's telling the pastor that he has to take the initiative. We should see that God is putting the responsibility for leadership on the pastor's shoulders. The pastor doesn't say, "Lord, let the congregation know this or that." God speaks to the pastor and tells him what the congregation should hear. But notice that the instruction is a command. Take the oversight. He's telling the pastor to have some gumption, to take the leadership of the church.
But there are some qualifications given to this charge. First, the pastor is to take the office willingly rather than by constraint. Constraint here means of necessity. A pastor should never take his position because he feels he has to. When God calls a pastor, he gives him a pastor's heart, the desire to help people spiritually.
So the next qualification has to do with the man's motives. He's not to take the pastor's office for filthy lucre. This means money isn't to be his reason for accepting the job. Some people might think a pastor shouldn't make much money. I'll show you from the Word of God that he ought to be paid well for dedicating himself to his calling.
The next instruction is very important. The pastor isn't to be a dictator: ". . . neither as being lords over God's heritage." Look at that carefully. Whose heritage? God's. How is one to be over the flock? As an example. That's what ensamples means. A pastor leads, and he doesn't tell his congregation to do anything he wouldn't do himself, both by word and deed.
One of the beautiful things this passage in I Peter 5 shows is the chain of command in the local church. Notice that verse four says that when the chief shepherd, who is Jesus, appears He will reward the pastor. The word for shepherd is poimen. So Jesus identifies himself with the pastor. But in the same way, notice that the pastor is called an elder and, by implication in verse two, a bishop also. If Jesus is called the chief shepherd, then the pastor ought to be called the chief elder and the chief bishop in the local church. Jesus is a pastor, but not all pastors are Jesus. The pastor is an elder, but not all elders (or bishops) are the pastor. A pastor must maintain the qualities of those below him.
Let's look at the pastor's heart again. "Neither as being lords over God's heritage." Whose heritage? God's. Go back to verse two:"…feed the flock of God ..." It should be clear that the pastor doesn't own the flock in any sense; he merely has responsibility over it. Moses watched Jethro's sheep. He was the shepherd, but the sheep belonged to Jethro. For the pastor who understands that, it's a great freedom. The sheep belong to God. The pastor always has recourse to the owner. He can always talk to the owner about the sheep and their problems. The owner will take care of the things the shepherd can't handle.
In the local congregation it also is clear that the people do not ultimately answer to the pastor; they answer to God. He owns the sheep. The pastor's responsibility is to admonish and to feed from the Word of God. Once the people walk out the door, whether or not they live the Word is their responsibility. That doesn't mean the pastor has no concern for them, he simply can't dictate to them. He can encourage and exhort them, but he can't watch over their lives. Have you ever seen people suddenly stop talking when a pastor walks into the room? If you talk about things you wouldn't want the pastor to hear, then you ought to remember that the "chief pastor," the Lord Jesus Christ hears every word you say. He never leaves you nor forsakes you.
To further validate what we saw in I Peter, let's look to Paul for another scripture where the pastor is called an elder. In Acts 20:17-28, Paul meets with the elders of Ephesus. In verse 17 we read this:
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
The reason that elders is plural and Ephesus is singular is that there weremany churches in Ephesus. The churches are not like they are today. They were not large congregations. Most of them met in homes. We know these elders are pastors from what Paul says to them in verse 28:
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Now several things ought to be leaping out at you for their similarity to what Peter said. First, who made these elders to be overseers? The Holy Spirit did. Therefore, Paul has to be addressing pastors, because the mere office of a bishop is something a man aspires to (I Tim. 3:1 ). It isn't a ministry gift given by the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 4:11).
In the home it is the same way. The father is the head of the home. If the children don't agree with him, they still submit to his authority. If he exercises that authority in line with God's Word, then he will be operating in godly wisdom and will deserve the respect of his children and wife. But if he is a tyrant, he will be able to command only obedience.
Obedience without submission is slavery. In the end, he will defeat and destroy his own position. If the husband is making every effort to fulfill his role as head of the home, the wife needs to let him make his mistakes when he gets bullheaded. Do not try to usurp his authority. Counsel and love him, but let him learn the hard way a time or two. He'll come to value your wisdom and sensitivity.
Let's look at the human body in this light too. If a hand didn't respond to the orders of the head, it would soon become apparent that the hand was sick or in trouble. The body would do everything it could to find out how to locate the problem and solve it. Things just wouldn't be right in the body without that hand. Isn't it interesting that in the human body there is never rebellion against the head? There may be sickness in the body, but there is never rebellion.
In the principle of authority and submission, authority works only when someone submits. Authority does not even exist when there is no one to receive it. That is why when there is rebellion where authority has been established, frustration and anxiety result.
What happens in rebellion? Why is God so opposed to rebellion? It is satan's sin. It is as the sin of witchcraft. Rebellion causes one of two things to happen. The person in the position of authority either loses his authority, or he tries to exert his authority with force. When the latter happens the person in submission either will crack and come under authority against his will, or will rebel even more.
Do you see that rebellion at the bottom causes more pressure from the top? It becomes a vicious circle until something gives. Anarchy results. That's why God's system of authority is never based on force but on love and submission - all members being in submission to each other, no one acting except out of love or regard for another member.
Christ LOVES the church and GAVE HIS LIFE FOR IT. Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church and as they love their own bodies. Have you ever seen a man cutting up his body for pleasure? Not if he's sane. Have you ever seen a man disregard the least little scratch in his body? And the head exercises the same concern for each member of the body.
In these analogies we find the principle that makes God's authority work in the local church. The pastor exercises his authority in the love of God. He cares for the people. There is the same flowing of authority and submission in the local body of Christ as there is in the human body, in a marriage, and in the universal church.
God tells us in I Corinthians 12:21 that Christ, the head of the body, needs every part of His body. So husbands, never think you don't need your wife or her counsel. God gave her to you to make you complete. Pastors, never take the attitude that you don't need every member of your congregation. Sheep, never think you don't need the shepherd or pastor God has set in the church for you. He's there to help you in the things of God.
We have already seen that the office of the pastor is chosen by God. God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ choose men as pastors (I Cor. 12:28, Eph. 4:8, 11). Now let's see what pastors do, and what each of the offices under the pastor does. Let us first look at the Greek words for each of the offices we are going to study and see what they mean.
The word for pastor is poimen and it means a shepherd. The pastor is the one who appoints elders, and the word for elder is presbuteros, meaning someone who is mature. The office of an elder requires more than just being mature in the Word. We'll discuss his qualifications later.
The word for bishop is episkopos, which is a compound word in the Greek. It comes from epi- meaning over, and skopos meaning to view or to see. It is self-explanatory, meaning an overseer. The last office in the local church is that of the deacon, which comes from the word diakonos, meaning to minister.
The Pastor
God didn't use the title pastor or shepherd without purpose. The first quality about a pastor is that he is the leader. He heads his flock and makes decisions concerning them. His main function is to find pasture for them. He teaches them the Word of God. He may not be smart in every area of church operations, but he is gifted with a teaching ability. He needs to spend much time in the Word and prayer to Feed his gift and mature in his office.
Every pastor should be aware that many in his congregation are more intelligent in some areas than he is. Many of them have great expertise in natural fields and can benefit him through counsel. He must remain teachable. Some of them may even be more mature in the Word than he is. But if he leans on the anointing that accompanies his office, he can always successfully fill his place as pastor and leader of the flock. The abilities of the Holy Spirit accompany every ministry gift. (Rom. 11:29)
Now let's look at some scriptures that deal with the office of the pastor. Let's begin with I Peter 5:1-4:
The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Did you notice that the word pastor isn't mentioned here? So you may ask, how do we know we're discussing a pastor? By context. Peter begins by exhorting the elders. Notice, that it's plural. Peter also points out that he is an elder presbuteros. In verse two, however, he says feed the flock of God. Immediately we know he's talking about pastors, because the Greek word here for feed is poimen (pastor or shepherd). So verse two should read, "Shepherd the flock of God which is among you."
Who is the shepherd? The pastor. In this passage then, we have Peter calling the pastor an elder. That makes sense. The pastor should be mature in the Word of God, in spiritual matters. You wouldn't want someone without maturity in the pastorate of your church.
What you have to understand in the Word of God is that the term elder is quite freely used for the office of pastor. The context indicates that. When the pastor is called an elder, he is clearly different from the other elders. He stands as the chief elder.
The next indication that Peter is addressing pastors is found in the phrase, "taking the oversight." The word oversight is episkopos: bishopric. There is only one person who can take the oversight of God's flock. He is the pastor, the one chosen by God.
The significant thing about Peter's instruction, however, is that he's telling the pastor that he has to take the initiative. We should see that God is putting the responsibility for leadership on the pastor's shoulders. The pastor doesn't say, "Lord, let the congregation know this or that." God speaks to the pastor and tells him what the congregation should hear. But notice that the instruction is a command. Take the oversight. He's telling the pastor to have some gumption, to take the leadership of the church.
But there are some qualifications given to this charge. First, the pastor is to take the office willingly rather than by constraint. Constraint here means of necessity. A pastor should never take his position because he feels he has to. When God calls a pastor, he gives him a pastor's heart, the desire to help people spiritually.
So the next qualification has to do with the man's motives. He's not to take the pastor's office for filthy lucre. This means money isn't to be his reason for accepting the job. Some people might think a pastor shouldn't make much money. I'll show you from the Word of God that he ought to be paid well for dedicating himself to his calling.
The next instruction is very important. The pastor isn't to be a dictator: ". . . neither as being lords over God's heritage." Look at that carefully. Whose heritage? God's. How is one to be over the flock? As an example. That's what ensamples means. A pastor leads, and he doesn't tell his congregation to do anything he wouldn't do himself, both by word and deed.
One of the beautiful things this passage in I Peter 5 shows is the chain of command in the local church. Notice that verse four says that when the chief shepherd, who is Jesus, appears He will reward the pastor. The word for shepherd is poimen. So Jesus identifies himself with the pastor. But in the same way, notice that the pastor is called an elder and, by implication in verse two, a bishop also. If Jesus is called the chief shepherd, then the pastor ought to be called the chief elder and the chief bishop in the local church. Jesus is a pastor, but not all pastors are Jesus. The pastor is an elder, but not all elders (or bishops) are the pastor. A pastor must maintain the qualities of those below him.
Let's look at the pastor's heart again. "Neither as being lords over God's heritage." Whose heritage? God's. Go back to verse two:"…feed the flock of God ..." It should be clear that the pastor doesn't own the flock in any sense; he merely has responsibility over it. Moses watched Jethro's sheep. He was the shepherd, but the sheep belonged to Jethro. For the pastor who understands that, it's a great freedom. The sheep belong to God. The pastor always has recourse to the owner. He can always talk to the owner about the sheep and their problems. The owner will take care of the things the shepherd can't handle.
In the local congregation it also is clear that the people do not ultimately answer to the pastor; they answer to God. He owns the sheep. The pastor's responsibility is to admonish and to feed from the Word of God. Once the people walk out the door, whether or not they live the Word is their responsibility. That doesn't mean the pastor has no concern for them, he simply can't dictate to them. He can encourage and exhort them, but he can't watch over their lives. Have you ever seen people suddenly stop talking when a pastor walks into the room? If you talk about things you wouldn't want the pastor to hear, then you ought to remember that the "chief pastor," the Lord Jesus Christ hears every word you say. He never leaves you nor forsakes you.
To further validate what we saw in I Peter, let's look to Paul for another scripture where the pastor is called an elder. In Acts 20:17-28, Paul meets with the elders of Ephesus. In verse 17 we read this:
And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
The reason that elders is plural and Ephesus is singular is that there weremany churches in Ephesus. The churches are not like they are today. They were not large congregations. Most of them met in homes. We know these elders are pastors from what Paul says to them in verse 28:
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Now several things ought to be leaping out at you for their similarity to what Peter said. First, who made these elders to be overseers? The Holy Spirit did. Therefore, Paul has to be addressing pastors, because the mere office of a bishop is something a man aspires to (I Tim. 3:1 ). It isn't a ministry gift given by the Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. 4:11).
We see here that the pastor is called the overseer in his congregation. Accordingly, he has authority over all the elders and bishops under him and is the one who chooses them.
The final evidence in this verse is that Paul said to feed the flock of God. The word feed is the word poimen - to pastor. Again, the flock belongs to God. The purchase price is the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whoever purchases, owns.
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