Acts 11:30

Acts 11:30. Sent it to the elders. Here first, and quite suddenly, there comes to view that ministry of the Christian Church, designated by the synonymous terms ‘presbyter' and ‘priest,' which has been a prolific occasion of controversy. A full account of the establishment of the diaconate has been given (chap. 6). Not so in the case of the presbyterate. On this point Bishop Lightfoot remarks: ‘While the diaconate was an entirely new creation, called forth by a special emergency, and developed by the progress of events, the early history of the presbyterate was different. If the sacred historian dwells at length on the institution of the lower office, but is silent about the first beginnings of the higher, the explanation seems to be, that the latter had not the claim of novelty like the former.' The Christian people were, in fact, at first not sharply distinguished from the Jews, who were organised into many synagogues (see Acts 6:9). ‘As soon as the expansion of the Church rendered some organisation necessary, it would form a “synagogue” of its own. The Christian congregation in Palestine long continued to be designated by this name (James 2:2).... With the synagogue itself they would naturally, if not necessarily, adopt the normal government of a synagogue; and a body of elders or presbyters would be chosen to direct the religious worship, and partly also to watch over the temporal well-being of the society' (Commentary on the Philippians; Essay on the Christian Ministry, pp. 189, 190). Still it is probable that the adoption of the presbyterate, like the establishment of the diaconate, arose out of special circumstances; and the following observations by de Pressense seem reasonable and just: ‘Les apotres etaient appeles à quitter frequemment Jerusalem; la jeune Eglise, quoique richement pourvue des dons du Saint Esprit, ne pouvait se passer d'une certaine direction dans sa marche journalière et dans son culte. Le parti le plus sage etait d'emprunter a la synagogue l'institution des anciens, si admirablement approprie a la nouvelle alliance. D'ailleurs, les sept diacres nommes primitivement avaient ete plus que des diacres. Ils avaient enseigne avec puissance et rempli par anticipation la charge d'anciens. De meme que le diaconat etait sorti de l'apostolat, de même aussi la charge d'anciens se detache en quelque mésure du diaconat primitif, et aussi l'organisation de l'Eglise se perfectionait en se specialisant' (Trois Premiers Siècles, i. p. 414). It ought to be observed that, because the path of wisdom and prudence was followed in this matter, this does not detract from the belief that there was Divine guidance, but very much the contrary. After this time we find the presbyters, as a matter of course, part of the Church organisation in Jerusalem (see Acts 15:2). Elsewhere, also, we find presbyters established everywhere, as the result of missionary work (see Acts 14:23; Acts 20:17; and comp. Titus 1:5). The questions connected with the correlative term ἐπίσκοπος and with Episcopacy will be dealt with in connection with Acts 20:28. The Authorised Version is consistent in always rendering the word πρεσβυτε ́ ρους by ‘elder,' reserving the word ‘priest' (which etymologically is the same) for ἰερεύς. as in Acts 6:7; Acts 14:13; Hebrews 8:4. This was essential, in order to avoid confusion. The ‘priest' of the English Prayer-Book is (actually, as it is etymologically) the ‘presbyter' of the New Testament. Otherwise in a church which appeals to Scripture there would be a ministry different from that which was originally instituted. By the hands of Barnabas and Saul. This is the third instance of the co-operation of these two men. Every occasion on which they stand side by side is of extreme interest, and should be well marked (see Acts 13:1-2; Acts 15:2; Acts 15:37; Galatians 2:1; Galatians 2:9; Galatians 2:13).