Early Christian Beliefs About Church Officers

Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians Direct teaching

...ies, they appointed the first-fruits of their labors, having first proved them by the Spirit, to be bishops and deacons of those who would later believe. Nor was this a new thing, since many ages before it was written concerning bishops and deacons. For thus says the Scripture in a certain place, “I will appoint their bishops in righteousness, and their deacons in faith.”

Philippians 1:1 Background

Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

Titus 1:5 Background

For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

1 Thessalonians 5:12 Background

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;

Acts 6:3 Background

Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

Ephesians 4:11 Background

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

1 Timothy 3:10 Background

And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.

1 Timothy 3:8 Background

Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain.

1 Timothy 3:13 Background

For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Ignatius, Epistle to the Smyrnaeans (Long Version) Supporting witness

... honor God and the king.” And I say, indeed honor God as the Author and Lord of all things, but the bishop as the high-priest, who bears the image of God—of God, as a ruler, and of Christ, in his role as a priest. After Him, we must also honor the king. For there is no one superior to God, or even like Him, among all beings that exist. Nor is there anyone in the Church greater than the bishop, who ministers as a priest to God for the salvation of the whole world. Nor, again, is there anyone among rulers to be compared with the king, who secures peace and good order for those over whom he rules. He who honors the bishop shall be honored by God, just as he who dishonors him shall be punished by God. For if one who rises up against kings is justly deemed worthy of punishment, as they disrupt public order, how much more severe a punishment, do you suppose, shall he be thought worthy of, who presumes to do anything without the bishop, thus both destroying the Church’s unity and causing its order to fall into confusion? For the priesthood is the highest point of all good things among men, against which anyone mad enough to strive dishonors not man, but God, and Christ Jesus, the First

Ignatius, Epistle to the Magnesians (Short Version) Supporting witness

It is important for you not to treat your bishop too casually because of his youth, but to show him full respect, honoring the authority of God the Father, as I have seen even holy elders do. They do not judge hastily based on their bishop's youthful appearance, but being wise in God, they submit to him—or rather, not to him, but to the Father of Jesus Christ, the bishop of us all. Therefore, it is right for you to obediently follow your bishop, sincerely honoring Him who has willed us to do so, since those who do not deceive not the visible bishop, but attempt to mock Him who is invisible. All such actions are directed not at people, but at God, who knows all secrets.

Ignatius, Epistle to the Trallians (LongVersion) Supporting witness

...ok, but upon him who is humble and quiet and trembles at my words?" Also, you should reverence your bishop as Christ Himself, according to the instructions of the blessed apostles. He who is within the altar is pure; therefore, he is obedient to the bishop and presbyters. But he who is outside does anything apart from the bishop, the presbyters, and the deacons, such a person is defiled in his conscience and is worse than an infidel. For what is the bishop but one who possesses all power and authority beyond all others, as far as a man can possess it, who, according to his ability, has been made an imitator of the Christ of God? And what is the presbytery but a sacred assembly, the counselors and advisers of the bishop? And what are the deacons but imitators of the angelic powers, fulfilling a pure and blameless ministry unto him, as the holy Stephen did to the blessed James, Timothy and Linus to Paul, Anencletus and Clement to Peter? He, therefore, who will not yield obedience to such, must be utterly without God, an impious person who despises Christ and depreciates His appointments.

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

... whose commands and warnings we ought to keep, describes the honor of a bishop and the order of His Church in the Gospel. He says to Peter: “I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” From there, through the changes of times and successions, the ordering of bishops and the arrangement of the Church continues on. So the Church is founded upon the bishops, and every act of the Church is directed by these same rulers. Since this is founded on divine law, I am amazed that some, with reckless boldness, have chosen to write to me as if they were writing in the name of the Church, when the Church is established in the bishop and the clergy, and in all who stand firm in the faith. Far be it from the mercy of God and His unlimited power to allow the number of the lapsed to be called the Church, since it is written, “God is not the God of the dead, but of the living,” Matthew 22:32. For we do indeed desire that all may be made alive, a

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

... seems to you to be a bishop who, after a bishop had been appointed in the Church by sixteen fellow bishops, strives through bribery to be made a corrupt and outsider bishop by the hands of deserters. And although there is one Church, which Christ has spread throughout the whole world into many members, and also one episcopate spread abroad through the united number of many bishops, he still tries, in spite of God's tradition and in spite of the joined and firmly connected unity of the Catholic Church everywhere, to make a merely human church. He also sends his new apostles through very many cities, so that he may set up some new foundations of his own choosing. And although in every city and throughout all the provinces bishops have already been ordained—men advanced in years, sound in faith, proved in trial, and condemned in persecution—this man dares to create other bishops over them, and false ones at that. It is as if he could either roam through the whole world with the stubbornness of his new effort, or tear apart the structure of the ecclesiastical body by spreading his own discord. He does not know that schismatics are always fervent at the beginning, but they cannot gr

1 Timothy 3:1 Background

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.

1 Timothy 3:2 Background

Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

1 Peter 5:3 Background

nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock;

Titus 1:7 Background

For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,

1 Peter 5:2 Background

Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

But deacons ought to remember that the Lord chose apostles, that is, bishops and overseers, while the apostles, after the Lord's ascension into heaven, appointed deacons for themselves as servants of their episcopacy and of the Church. But if we may dare anything against God, who makes bishops, then deacons may also dare against us, by whom they are made. Therefore, the deacon about whom you wrote ought to repent of his audacity, acknowledge the honor of the priest, and satisfy the bishop set over him with full humility. For these things are the beginnings of heretics, and the origins and efforts of evil-minded schismatics: to please themselves, and with swollen pride to despise the one set over them. In this way they depart from the Church. In this way a profane altar is set up outside. In this way they rebel against the peace of Christ, and against the appointment and unity of God. But if he also troubles and provokes you with his insults, you must use the authority of your office against him, either by removing him or by excommunicating him. For if the Apostle Paul, writing to Timothy, said, "Let no man despise your youth," 1 Timothy 4:12, how much more should your fellow bishop

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

For now the deacon is to you what Aaron was, and the bishop what Moses was. If, therefore, Moses was called a god by the Lord, let the bishop be honored among you as a god, and the deacon as his prophet. For as Christ does nothing without His Father, so the deacon also does nothing without his bishop. And as the Son without His Father is nothing, so the deacon is nothing without his bishop. And as the Son is subject to His Father, so every deacon is subject to his bishop. And as the Son is the messenger and prophet of the Father, so the deacon is the messenger and prophet of his bishop. Therefore let everything he is to do with anyone be made known to the bishop, and let it be finally ordered by him.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

...s, offers, and receives the blessing from bishops, but never from presbyters. A bishop removes from office any clergyman who deserves removal, except a bishop, because he does not have the power to do that by himself. A presbyter gives the blessing, but does not receive it; yet he does receive the blessing from the bishop or from a fellow presbyter. In the same way, he gives it to a fellow presbyter. He lays on hands, but does not ordain. He does not remove from office, yet he does separate those under him if they are liable to such a punishment. A deacon does not bless and does not give the blessing, but receives it from the bishop and presbyter. He does not baptize, and he does not offer. But when a bishop or presbyter has offered, he distributes to the people, not as a priest, but as one who ministers to the priests. But it is not lawful for any of the other clergy to do the work of a deacon. A deaconess does not bless, nor does she do anything that belongs to the office of presbyters or deacons. She is only to keep the doors and to minister to the presbyters in the baptizing of women, for the sake of decency. A deacon separates a subdeacon, a reader, a singer, and a deacones

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

but the presbyter is only to teach, to offer, to baptize, to bless the people, and the deacon is to minister to the bishop, and to the presbyters, that is, to do the office of a ministering deacon, but not to meddle with the other offices.

Tertullian, On Baptism Supporting witness

Of giving it, the chief priest (who is the bishop) has the right: in the next place, the presbyters and deacons, yet not without the bishop's authority, on account of the honour of the Church, which being preserved, peace is preserved.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

...let the presbyters receive him into communion. If a deacon comes, let the deacons receive him. If a bishop comes, let him sit with the bishop and have the same honor as he does. And you, O bishop, should ask him to speak words of instruction to the people, for the exhortation and warning of strangers is very welcome and extremely profitable. For, as the Scripture says, no prophet is accepted in his own country. You shall also permit him to offer the Eucharist. But if, out of reverence for you, and as a wise man who wants to preserve the honor that belongs to you, he does not offer it, then at least you shall urge him to give the blessing to the people. But if, after the congregation has sat down, some other person arrives who has good appearance and standing in the world, whether he is a stranger or one from your own country, then neither you, O bishop, if you are speaking the word of God, nor if you are listening to the one who sings or reads, should show partiality so far as to leave the ministry of the word in order to assign him a chief seat. Instead, remain calm, without interrupting your speaking or your attention. But let the brothers receive him through the deacons. And

Ignatius, Epistle to the Smyrnaeans (Long Version) Supporting witness

...s. Also, show reverence to the deacons, as those who carry out the appointment of God through their office. Let no one do anything connected with the Church without the bishop. Let a proper Eucharist be considered as such when it is administered either by the bishop, or by someone he has entrusted it to. Wherever the bishop is present, let the multitude of the people also be there; just as where Christ is, there the whole heavenly host stands by, attending to Him as the Chief Captain of the Lord’s might, and the Governor of every intelligent nature. It is not lawful to baptize, offer, present sacrifice, or celebrate a love-feast without the bishop. But whatever seems good to the bishop is also well-pleasing to God, so that everything you do may be secure and valid.

Ignatius, Epistle to the Smyrnaeans (Short Version) Supporting witness

Ensure that you all follow the bishop, just as Jesus Christ follows the Father, and the presbytery as you would the apostles; and respect the deacons as being the institution of God. Let no one do anything related to the Church without the bishop. Consider that to be a proper Eucharist which is administered by the bishop or by someone he has entrusted it to. Wherever the bishop is, there let the congregation also be; just as, wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the Catholic Church. It is not lawful without the bishop to either baptize or celebrate a love-feast; but whatever he approves of is also pleasing to God, so that everything done may be secure and valid.

Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians Supporting witness

...r this reason, considering that they had obtained perfect foreknowledge of this, they appointed the ministers previously mentioned, and subsequently instructed that when these ministers passed away, other approved men should succeed them in their ministry. We believe, therefore, that those appointed by them, or later by other distinguished men with the consent of the whole Church, who have served the flock of Christ blamelessly in a humble, peaceful, and selfless spirit, and have long enjoyed a good reputation with everyone, cannot be justly removed from the ministry. Our sin will not be small if we dismiss from the episcopate those who have fulfilled its duties blamelessly and holily. Blessed are those presbyters who, having completed their journey before now, have achieved a fruitful and perfect departure from this world; for they have no fear of being deprived of the place now appointed to them. But we see that you have removed some men of excellent character from the ministry, which they fulfilled blamelessly and with honor.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

...ed among us, you yourselves are not ignorant of them. For you certainly know that those named by us bishops, and presbyters, and deacons, were made so by prayer and by the laying on of hands, and that the difference in their names shows the difference in their duties. For not everyone who wants to be ordained is ordained, as was the case in that spurious and counterfeit priesthood of the calves under Jeroboam, 1 Kings 13:33, but only he who is called by God. For if there were no rule or distinction of orders, it would be enough to perform all the offices under one name. But being taught by the Lord the order of things, we distributed the functions of the high-priesthood to the bishops, those of the priesthood to the presbyters, and the ministration under both of them to the deacons, so that the divine worship might be performed in purity. For it is not lawful for a deacon to offer the sacrifice, or to baptize, or to give either the greater or the lesser blessing. Nor may a presbyter perform ordination. For it is not agreeable to holiness for this order to be perverted. For God is not the God of confusion, so that those in lower rank should tyrannically take for themselves the fu

Anonymous, Treatise on Re-Baptism Supporting witness

Since this is found to be so, what do you think, my brother? If a man is not baptized by a bishop in such a way as to receive the laying on of hands at once, and yet dies before receiving the Holy Spirit, would you judge that he has received salvation or not? For even the apostles themselves, and the disciples who also baptized others and had themselves been baptized by the Lord, did not receive the Holy Spirit at once. For the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been glorified. And after His resurrection, a considerable time passed before that happened. In the same way, when the Samaritans were baptized by Philip, they did not receive the gift until the apostles, who were invited from Jerusalem to Samaria, came down to them, laid hands on them, and gave them the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands. During that interval, any one of them who had not received the Holy Spirit might have been cut off by death, and died deprived of the grace of the Holy Spirit. Nor can it be doubted that the same kind of thing is common in the present day and happens often: many people, after baptism, leave this life without the laying on of the bishop's hands, and yet are conside

Anonymous, Treatise on Re-Baptism Supporting witness

... our Lord Jesus Christ, and afterward, departing from their heresy and fleeing as suppliants to the Church of God, repent with their whole hearts. Only now do they perceive the condemnation of their error, and they beg from the Church the help of salvation. The point is whether, according to the most ancient custom and ecclesiastical tradition, after that baptism which they received outside the Church, but still in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, it would be enough that only hands should be laid on them by the bishop for their reception of the Holy Spirit, and that this laying on of hands would provide them with the renewed and perfected seal of faith. Or whether a repetition of baptism would in fact be necessary for them, as if they should receive nothing if they had not obtained baptism afresh, just as if they had never been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Therefore, on this new question, some things were spoken of as having been written and answered, in which both sides tried with the greatest eagerness to tear down what had been written by their opponents. In this kind of debate, as it seems to me, no controversy or discussion could have arisen at all if each one of

Archelaus, Disputation with Manes Supporting witness

...that is, the foundation of the Church, and has put us in trust of the law, appointing ministers and presbyters and bishops in it. He also describes, in the places assigned separately for that purpose, in what manner and with what character the ministers of God ought to conduct themselves, what repute the presbyters ought to possess, how they should be appointed, and what kind of persons those also ought to be who desire the office of bishop. And all these institutions, which were once settled well and rightly for us, preserve their prosperous standing and order with us to this day. And the regular administration of these rules still remains among us. “But as to this fellow, Manes by name, who has now burst boastfully upon us from the province of Persia, and between whom and me a disputation has now for the second time been stirred, I shall tell you about his lineage, and that too in all fullness. I shall also show you most clearly the source from which his doctrine has descended. This man is neither the first nor the only originator of this kind of doctrine. But a certain person belonging to Scythia, bearing the name Scythianus, and living in the time of the apostles, was the fo