Church & Ministry - Lesson 20

CHURCH AND MINISTRY

2003

LESSON TWENTY

I. Thesis VIII Concerning the Ministry

A. The pastoral ministry [Predigtamt] is the highest office in the church, and from it stem all other offices in the church. (Church and Ministry, p. 289)

B. Scripture Proof

1. “Since incumbents of the office have been entrusted with the keys of the kingdom of heaven, which the church possesses immediately, in order that they may administer them officially in the name of the congregation, their office must of necessity be the highest in the church.” (German and citations omitted, Church and Ministry, p. 289)

2. Walther:

a. “Therefore, in Scripture the incumbents of the ministerial office are called elders, bishops, rulers [Vorsteher], stewards, and the like, and the incumbents of subordinate offices are called deacons, that is, servants, not only of God but also of the congregation and the bishop. Of the ministers in particular it is said that they should feed the flock of God and watch over souls as those who must give account (1Tim, 3:1, 5,7; 5:17; 1Cor. 4:1; Tit. 1:7; Heb. 13:17).

Hence at Jerusalem the holy apostles in the beginning administered not only the pastoral office but also that of the deacons until the growth of the congregation made it necessary that this office should be entrusted to others in order to relieve the apostles (Acts 6:1-6). When the Lord instituted the apostolate, He instituted only one office in the church, which embraces all others and by which the church of God should be provided for in every respect. Hence the highest office is that of the ministry of the Word, with which all other offices are also conferred at the same time. Every other public office in the church is part of the ministry of the Word or an auxiliary office that supports the ministry, whether it be the elders who do not labor in the Word and doctrine (1Tim. 5:17) or the rulers (Rom. 12:8) or the deacons (the office of service in a narrow sense) or whatever other offices the church may entrust to particular persons for special administration.” (Church and Ministry, pp. 289, 290)

C. Confessions and Creeds

1. Apology:

“‘The ministry is the highest office in the church’ (Art. XV [VIII], par. 43; German text, Triglot, p. 326).” (Church and Ministry, p. 290).

2. Smalcald Articles: See

a. Part II [Art IV] (Tappert, pp. 298-301; Kolb and Wengert, pp. 307-310).

b. Treatise Of the Power and Primacy of the Pope, par. 10 (Tappert, p. 321; Kolb and Wengert, p. 331)

c. “‘Now all must confess, even our adversaries, that this command is given to all who preside over the churches, whether they are called pastors, elders, or bishops. So Jerome also declares in clear words that there is no difference between bishops and elders, but that all pastors at the same time are bishops and priests, and he quotes the passage of Paul: ‘For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should…appoint elders in every city’ (Tit. 1:5). Afterward he calls them bishops: ‘A bishop must be the husband of one wife.’ Peter and John also call themselves elders or priests….’ (Of the Power and Jurisdiction of Bishop, par. 60-65; German text, Triglot, pp. 502-03).” (Church and Ministry, pp. 290, 291) (see Tappert, pp. 330, 331; Kolb and Wengert, p. 340)

3. Formula of Concord: See Solid Declaration, Art X, par. 10, (Tappert, p. 612; Kolb and Wengert, p. 637)

D. Witnesses in Private Writings

1. Luther (See Lesson 2)

“‘A “bishop” means a steward of God who is to distribute the divine and spiritual gifts, preach the Gospel, and supply the people with the Word of God. He must have servants, and these are the deacons who serve the congregation in such a way that they have a list of all the poor people and care for them in all their needs with the money of the congregation, visit the sick, and in every way handle the supplies with the great care’ (Church Postil: Gospel Portion, “On the Day of St. Stephen, Holy Martyr, 1525, St. Louis edition, 11:2065).” (Church and Ministry, p. 293)

2. Chemnitz (See Lesson 7)

“‘Because many offices pertain to the ministry in the church that in a large assembly of believers cannot well be attended to in whole and in party by one person or a few, the church, as it began to increase, began to distribute these ministerial offices among certain grades of servants in order that all things might be done orderly, decently, and in any edifying way….’ (Examen Concilii Tridentini, part 2, locus 13, “De sacramento ordinis,” pp. 574ff.).” (Church and Ministry, pp. 296-299)