Church & Ministry - Lesson 13

CHURCH AND MINISTRY

2003

LESSON THIRTEEN

I. Thesis II Concerning the Ministry

A. The ministry of the Word or the pastoral office is not a human institution but an office that God Himself has established. (Church and Ministry, p. 177)

B. Scripture Proof

1. Predictions of the prophets that God would give to New Testament church pastors.

a. Ps 68:11.

b. Jer 3:15.

c. Joel 2:23.

2. Call of the apostles by Son of God.

a. Mt 28:18-20.

b. Mk 16:15.

c. Jn 20:21-23.

3. Those called mediately represented as having been called by God Himself.

a. Ac 20:28.

b. 1Co 12:28,29.

c. Eph 4:11.

4. Apostles considered themselves on equal footing with those called mediately.

a. 1Pe 5:1.

b. 3Jn 1:calls himself “elder”.

c. Col 4:7.

C. Confessions and Creeds

1. Augsburg

a. “‘That we may obtain this faith, the ministry of teaching the Gospel and administering the sacraments was instituted’ (Art V; Triglot, p. 45).” (Church and Ministry, p. 178)

b. Smalcald Articles; Of the Power and Primacy of the Pope, par 9,10 (See Lesson 9) (Tappert, p. 321; Kolb and Wengert, p. 331)

C. Witnesses in Private Writings

1. Luther, Martin (see Lesson 2)

a. “‘In the first place, there are some preachers [Apostel] who were elected not by men nor through men but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, as were the prophets and all the apostles. In the second place, there are some who were elected by God but through men, such as disciples of the apostles (apostolic fathers) as well as all those who till the end of the world will lawfully enter the ministry in place of the apostles as bishops and priests.’ (Church Postil: Gospel Portion, “On St. Andrew’s Day”, St. Louis edition, 2:1914).” (quoted, Church and Ministry, pp. 179, 180).

b. “‘Therefore the laying on of hands is not a human ordinance, but God creates and ordains ministers, and it is not the pastor who absolves you, but it is the mouth and hand of God’ (Exposition of Gen. 28:17, St. Louis edition, 2:435)” (quoted Church and Ministry, p. 181)

c. “‘I myself know some who think that we need no minister or pastors and that we [merely] tolerate the preachers [Pfaffen] because of custom and ancient usage. We might use their annual salaries and expenses in other and better ways,…Especially some of the nobility and some smart alecks [Kluglinge] say, “We have books from which we can learn what we hear the preachers [Pfaffen] say in the church. You will read the devil on your head who has taken possession of you!” If our Lord and God knew that the ministry would not be necessary, He would have been so wise and prudent as not to let Moses preach, and according to your wicked, satanic, and foolish thoughts and comments, it would not have been necessary for Him to ordain the Levitical priesthood and always send out prophets, as Himself says in Matt. 23:24. Then also today He certainly would command the ministers and pastors to stay at home’ (“Exposition of Deuteronomy,” chap. 6, St. Louis edition, 3:1736).” (quoted Church and Ministry, pp. 181, 182)

2. Mentzer, Balthaser (see Lesson Seven)

a. “‘We must hold above all things that Christ Himself instituted the ministry of the Gospel and from this [fact] its authority and dignity are to be estimated….’ (Exeges. Aug. Conf., pp. 229-30)” (quoted Church and Ministry, pp. 187, 188)

3. Heshusius (Hesshus), Tilemann

a. background.

(1) 1527-88.

(2) Evan. theologian, educated Wittenberg, Oxford and Paris.

(3) Supt., Goslar, 1553.

(4) Professor, Rostock 1556; expelled for opposing worldliness 1557.

(5) Professor, Heidelberg, 1557; deposed, 1559 for refusing to subscribe to the Variata.

(6) Pastor, Magdeburg, 1562; deposed, 1562 for opposing edict forbidding, polemics.

(7) Court preacher, Neuburg, 1565.

(8) Professor, Jena, 1569.

(9) Exiled 1573 by Elector August of Saxony.

(10) Bishop, Eamland 1573; deposed 1577 on charges of false doctrine in Christology.

(11) Professor, Helmstedt, 1577; helped to deter Brunswick from accepting Formula of Concord.

(12) (Luth. Cyclopedia, p. 377)

b. “‘God’s Word earnestly forbids us to enter an office or ministry without a call and an express divine command….In all these passages the Spirit of God shows us that God has no pleasure in the arrogance of those who take on themselves offices in the church without a legitimate call, for He desires that in His church all things should be done decently and in order….Therefore, it these are true ministers or pastors who teach the pure and sound doctrine and profess membership in the true Christian church and are appointed by the church for the ministry, let no private [uncalled] person dare administer the sacraments, even if some fault is to be found with the life of the pastors…’ (Who Has the Power, Authority, and Right to Call Ministers?, pp. 32, 36)” (quoted Church and Ministry, pp. 188, 189)