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Concise Bible Dictionary
:
In the
Old
Testament
there are eleven words so translated, with a variety of meanings and applications.
God
ordained the
moon
and the stars (
Psa. 8:3
3
When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; (Psalm 8:3)
). Jeroboam ordained priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made (
2 Chron. 11:15
15
And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made. (2 Chronicles 11:15)
). None of God’s priests or prophets were ordained, in the sense now understood by that word, as inducting into some
spiritual
place, with
power
and
authority
imparted by
man
. In
Jeremiah 1:5
5
Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5)
, where God said to
the
prophet
, “I sanctified thee, and ordained thee a prophet unto the nations,”
the word
translated “ordained” is
nathan
, which means simply “to give,” as in the margin. See also
2 Kings 23:5
5
And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven. (2 Kings 23:5)
.
In the
New
Testament there are
ten
words translated “ordain.” The passages that might seem to have some reference to the impartation of a sacerdotal supremacy are:
1.
Christ ordained his
twelve
apostles (
Mark 3:14
14
And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, (Mark 3:14)
). Here the word is
ποιέω
, “to do, make.”
2.
Matthias
was ordained to take the place of
Judas
(
Acts 1:22
22
Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. (Acts 1:22)
):
γίγνομαι
, “to become.”
3.
Paul
ordained
elders
in every city (
Acts 14:23
23
And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. (Acts 14:23)
):
χειροτονέω
, “to appoint by stretching out the hand”: this is translated “chosen” in
2 Corinthians 8:19
19
And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind: (2 Corinthians 8:19)
.
4.
Paul said, “I am ordained a preacher and an
apostle
” (
1 Tim. 2:7
7
Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. (1 Timothy 2:7)
):
τίθημι
, “to
put
, place” (compare
John 15:16
16
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. (John 15:16)
).
5.
Elders ordained, and high priests ordained (
Titus 1:5
5
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: (Titus 1:5)
;
Heb. 5:1
1
For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: (Hebrews 5:1)
;
Heb. 8:3
3
For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. (Hebrews 8:3)
): καθίσημι, “to place, appoint.” The meanings of the
Greek
words show that, though elders were appointed by the apostles and were called “bishops,” there was no sacerdotal power conveyed thereby, nor was any authority to continue such appointments handed down.
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“Study to show thyself approved unto God, … rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
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