Church & Ministry - Lesson 21

CHURCH AND MINISTRY

2003

LESSON TWENTY-ONE

I. Thesis IX Concerning the Ministry

To the ministry there is due respect as well as unconditional obedience when the pastor uses God’s Word. But the minister must not tyrannize the church. He has no authority to introduce new laws or arbitrarily to establish adiaphora or ceremonies. He has no right to inflict and carry out excommunication without his having first informed the whole congregation. (Church and Ministry, p. 303)

II. Respect and Obedience

A. To the ministry there is due respect as well as unconditional obedience when the pastor uses God’s Word. (Church and Ministry, p. 303)

B. Scripture Proof

1. Placed at the head of congregation.

a. Ac 20:28

b. 1Co 12:28

2. Servant of congregation and a servant of God.

a. 1Co 4:1

b. 2Co 5:18-20

c. Walther:

“Therefore, when a pastor uses God’s Word in his congregation, whether by teaching, admonishing, reproving, or comforting, either publicly or privately, then the congregation hears Jesus Christ Himself out of his mouth. In that case it owes him unconditional obedience as the one by whom God desires to make known to it His will and lead it to eternal life, and the more faithfully a pastor administers his office, the more highly it should esteem him. A congregation has no right to depose such a faithful servant of Jesus Christ; if it does this, it rejects Jesus Christ Himself, in whose name he ministers to it. A congregation can depose an incumbent of the holy ministry only if it is clear from the divine Word that God Himself has deposed him as a wolf or hireling.” (Church and Ministry, p. 303, 304)

d. Lk 10:16

e. Mt 10:12-15

f. Heb 13:17

g. 1Th 5:12,13

C. Confessions and Creeds

1. Augsburg, Art XXVIII, par. 20-22 (Tappert, p. 84; Kolb and Wengert, p. 94)

2. Apology, IV, par. 233-235 (Tappert, p. 140; Kolb and Wengert, pp. 155,156)

3. “Large Catechism (Fourth Commandment)

“‘To this commandment belongs also an explanation concerning all manner of obedience toward superiors who must command and rule, for from the authority of parents stems and extends all other [authority]”....“Therefore, we have two kinds of fathers presented to us in this commandment: fathers of blood and fathers of office, or those who care in the home and in the land.’” (quoted Church and Ministry, p. 305) (see Tappert, par. 141, p. 384; Kolb and Wengert, par. 141, p. 405)

D. Witnesses in Private Writings

1. Luther (See Lesson Two)

a. “‘A pious Christian does not act that way. If he hears someone preaching something that is not right, he remains humble and admonishes the preacher in a friendly and brotherly way and does not scrap and scrape as they do....In short, whatever pertains to our person we must and will bear gladly, but what pertains to grace, especially to this office, which has and bestows nothing but grace, we want everybody to honor’(“Sermon on 1Cor. 15:8-10,” 1534, St. Louis edition, 8:1121ff.)” (quoted, Church and Ministry, p. 307)

b. “‘ ...it is true that we owe obedience to all persons who have been called into the ministry of the Word and sacraments and who truly do this great, divine work, rightly preach the Gospel, and administer the sacraments according to the divine command, whether they are called bishops, ministers, or pastors. Furthermore, we owe pastors obedience in all matters of church discipline [Kirchengerichten], which the church is to exercise so that the accused shall appear, be convicted [of his sin], and accept discipline [Strafe]’…. (“Wittenberg Reformation,” etc., signed by Luther, Pomeranus, Cruciger, Major, and Melanchthon, 1545, St. Louis edition, 17:1150).” (quoted Church and Ministry, p. 308)

c. “‘Because pastors have the office, name, and honor to be co-workers of God, let no one be so learned or holy as to neglect or despise the least sermon, for no one knows when the hour will come in which God will accomplish His work through the minister’ (Church Postil: Epistle Portion, “On the First Sunday in Lent”, 1525, St. Louis edition, 12:436-37).” (quoted Church and Ministry, p. 308)

d. “‘It is true that whoever despises the ministry will not esteem the Gospel very highly’ (Exposition of Matt. 7:6, 1532, St. Louis edition, 7:598).” (quoted Church and Ministry, p. 309)

2. Chemnitz

a. See Lesson Seven

b. “‘Just as there is a legitimate way to call anyone into the ministry, so also there is a legitimate way to depose anyone or to transfer him from one congregation to another. Also in our congregations many do not rightly understand this matter. For as he who hires a servant also has the right to dismiss him when he desires it, so many think they have the right to dismiss a pastor even without a just cause.... So there are two reasons why God removes unfaithful servants from their office: first, because they teach false doctrine ....if he casts this (pure doctrine) aside, he will himself be cast aside by God; second, because of their life, namely, when they so live that the name of God is blasphemed. In that case the church not only has the power to remove such a one from office, but it must do so….’ (Loci theologici, “De eccl.,”, III, p. 331).” (quoted Church and Ministry, pp. 310, 311)

3. Kromayer, Jerome

a. See Lesson Eighteen

b. “‘The minister may not be engaged by those who call him through a contract for certain years or with the reservation to dismiss the freely called person. God nowhere has granted or permitted those who call the right to make such a contract. Hence, neither the one calling nor the one who is called may regard such a call or dismissal as divine’ (Theologia positivo-polemica, part II, p. 530).” (quoted Church and Ministry, p. 311)