“Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons” (Phil. 1:1).
“Paul and Timotheus, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the saints in Christ Jesus, to the (ones) being in Philippi, with overseers and deacons.”
Philippians. 1:1
We have already seen that every true believer in our Lord Jesus Christ is a “saint,” but we find in this greeting in our first verse, two other classes. Paul writes not only to “all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi,” (Phil. 1:1) but he adds, “with (the) bishops and deacons,” (Phil. 1:1) or, as the New Translation puts it: “with (the) overseers and ministers” (Phil. 1:1). This does not mean that the bishops and deacons were not saints: surely they were: but they had also this special position in the assembly. Notice that the little word (the) in this quotation is in brackets, to show that it is not in the Greek Testament, as though the Spirit of God is not pointing out any very special people. Dr. Vaughan translates it: “with any bishops and deacons.” The word “bishop,” or “overseer,” (the same word in Greek), does not have at all the same sense in the New Testament, that it has come to have among men today. And the word “minister” used in the New Translation does not in the least mean the position occupied by the “minister” of a church today. It merely means one who ministers, or serves. Compare Matt. 20:28; Mark 1:31; Mark 9:35, etc.
The word bishop, or overseer, (same word), was also used interchangeably with the word “elders.” In Acts 20:17, the Scripture speaks of “elders,” while in verse 28, speaking to the same persons, we read: “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over which the Holy Ghost has made you overseers, to feed the church of God” (Acts 20:28). The word is exactly the same as is translated “bishops” in Philippians 1:1. Compare also Titus 1:5 & 7: “I left thee in Crete, that thou mightest.... establish elders in each city, as I had ordered thee.... the overseer must be free from all charge, etc” (New Translation).
There were evidently a number of overseers, or bishops, in the assembly at Philippi. The position which bishops hold today in the various denominations, is totally unknown and unheard of in the New Testament; and did not come into use until after the days of the apostles. God’s way is to have a number of bishops, or overseers, in one assembly, as here in Philippi, or in Ephesus (Acts 20:28). Man’s way is to have one bishop over a number of “churches.”
How were the overseers, or bishops, appointed in the days of the apostles? In every case they were chosen and appointed either by the apostles themselves, or by some person, as Timothy or Titus, authorized by the apostles to select, or “establish” them. See the verse quoted above from Titus 1:5. See also, for example, Acts 14:23: “And having chosen them elders in every assembly, having prayed with fastings, they committed them to the Lord” (New Translation).
There is not a single instance in the New Testament where an assembly chose, or was instructed to choose elders or deacons for themselves. They were only chosen by an apostle, or by one whom an apostle ordered to do so. (Titus 1:5. New Translation). I know that it is the custom with many today for an assembly to choose its own elders, or overseers, or bishops, and deacons. But this custom is unknown in the New Testament. No church in the New Testament ever pretended to do such a thing. Let us at least be willing to acknowledge our real lack in this respect; it is our duty to God, because it is the truth; and the owning it keeps one from much presumption. For in general Christendom is doing, without apostles, what is only Scriptural to be done by or with them. The appointment of elders and deacons goes upon the notion that there is an adequate power still resident in men or the Church. But the only Scriptural ordaining power is an apostle acting directly, or indirectly. Titus or Timothy did not go and ordain elders, except as authorized by the Apostles.
But there are the clearest, and most minute directions given us in the Scriptures, by which we may know and recognize those who are qualified in the sight of God to act in this capacity. See 1 Tim. 3, and Titus 1:5-9. Ponder these qualifications: (Alternative readings are from the “New Translation”).
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