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<\/a><\/p>\nThis is an article related to my dialogue: St. Jerome, Papacy, & Succession (Vs. Gavin Ortlund)<\/a> [1-20-24]. In that piece, and in an accompanying audio talk and its transcript, I explored in depth what St. Jerome had to say about ecclesiology (Church government, hierarchy, episcopacy, and apostolic succession). He lived from c. 343-420. I will be exploring what one of the earliest<\/em> Church fathers, St. Ignatius of Antioch, wrote about how the Church was being governed, and in particular, how he viewed the offices of bishop, presbyter \/ elder, and deacon in relationship to each other.<\/p>\n Gavin and many Protestants hold that in the first few centuries of the Church, the prevailing model of local church leadership was a group of presbyters, rather than a single bishop (what is called a monarchical bishop, or a system of monepiscopacy). Many argue that bishops and presbyters \u2014\u00a0 and sometimes deacons are included as well \u2014 are synonymous terms. Let\u2019s see what St. Ignatius, who was born in 50 AD and died around 110 or possibly as late as 117, can teach us about this.<\/p>\n Here are links to his seven letters, and abbreviations used below:<\/p>\n Epistle to the Ephesians<\/a> (Eph) Epistle to Polycarp<\/a> (Poly)<\/p>\n Sole Bishop as Highest Authority<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Onesimus, a man of inexpressible love, and your bishop in the flesh, . . . an excellent bishop. (Eph, 1)<\/p>\n [Onesimus<\/a> is mentioned in Col 4:9 and Phil 1:10, and is believed to have been the bishop of Ephesus following Timothy]<\/p>\n . . . being subject to the bishop\u00a0and the\u00a0presbytery, . . . (Eph, 2)<\/p>\n I . . . have enjoyed such fellowship with your\u00a0bishop . . . how much more do I reckon you\u00a0happy\u00a0who are so joined to him as the\u00a0Church\u00a0is to\u00a0Jesus Christ, and as\u00a0Jesus Christ\u00a0is to the Father, that so all things may agree in\u00a0unity! . . . Let us be careful, then, not to set ourselves in opposition to the\u00a0bishop, in order that we may be subject to\u00a0God. (Eph, 5)<\/p>\n Now the more any one sees the\u00a0bishop\u00a0keeping silence, the more ought he to revere him. For we ought to receive every one whom the Master of the house sends to be over His household,\u00a0Matthew\u00a024:45<\/span>\u00a0as we would do Him that sent him. It is manifest, therefore, that we should look upon the\u00a0bishop\u00a0even as we would upon the\u00a0Lord Himself. (Eph, 6)<\/p>\n . . . obey\u00a0the\u00a0bishop\u00a0and the\u00a0presbytery\u00a0with an undivided\u00a0mind, . . . (Eph, 20)<\/p>\n I have had the privilege of seeing you, through Damas your most worthy\u00a0bishop, and through your worthy\u00a0presbyters Bassus and Apollonius,. . . (Mag, 2)<\/p>\n . . . be united\u00a0with your\u00a0bishop, . . . (Mag, 6)<\/p>\n . . . neither do anything without the bishop\u00a0and\u00a0presbyters. (Mag, 7)<\/p>\n . . .\u00a0Polycarp, the\u00a0bishop\u00a0of the\u00a0Smyrn\u00e6ans. (Mag, 15)<\/p>\n Polybius your\u00a0bishop . . . (Trall, 1)<\/p>\n God has deemed me, the\u00a0bishop\u00a0of\u00a0Syria, worthy to be sent for from the east unto the west. (Rom, 2)<\/p>\n Wherefore, as children of light and\u00a0truth, flee from division and\u00a0wicked doctrines; but where the shepherd is, there follow as sheep. (Phil, 2)<\/p>\n For as many as are of\u00a0God\u00a0and of\u00a0Jesus Christ\u00a0are also with the\u00a0bishop. (Phil, 3)<\/p>\n Do nothing without the\u00a0bishop; . . . (Phil, 7)<\/p>\n To all them that repent, the Lord grants forgiveness, if they turn in penitence to the unity of\u00a0God, and to communion with the\u00a0bishop . . . (Phil, 8)<\/p>\n Let no man do anything connected with the\u00a0Church\u00a0without the\u00a0bishop. Let that be deemed a proper\u00a0Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the\u00a0bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. Wherever the\u00a0bishop\u00a0shall appear, there let the multitude [of the people] also be; even as, wherever\u00a0Jesus Christ\u00a0is, there is the\u00a0Catholic\u00a0Church. It is not lawful without the\u00a0bishop\u00a0either to\u00a0baptize\u00a0or to celebrate a\u00a0love-feast; but whatsoever he shall approve of, that is also pleasing to\u00a0God, so that everything that is done may be secure and valid. (Smyr, 8)<\/p>\n It is well to reverence both God and the\u00a0bishop. He who honours the\u00a0bishop\u00a0has been honoured by\u00a0God; he who does anything without the\u00a0knowledge\u00a0of the\u00a0bishop, does [in reality] serve the\u00a0devil. (Smyr, 9)<\/p>\n Ignatius, who is also called Theophorus, to\u00a0Polycarp, Bishop of the\u00a0Church\u00a0of the Smyrn\u00e6ans, or rather, who has, as his own\u00a0bishop,\u00a0God\u00a0the\u00a0Father, and the\u00a0Lord Jesus Christ: . . . (Poly, Greeting)<\/p>\n . . . if he reckon himself greater than the bishop, he is ruined. (Poly, 5)<\/p>\n Give heed to the\u00a0bishop, that God also may give heed to you. (Poly, 6)<\/p>\n Presbyters \/ Elders Subordinate to Bishops<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Wherefore it is fitting that you should run together in accordance with the\u00a0will\u00a0of your\u00a0bishop, which thing also you do. For your justly renowned\u00a0presbytery, worthy of\u00a0God, is fitted as exactly to the\u00a0bishop as the strings are to the harp. (Eph, 4)<\/p>\n . . . your bishop\u00a0presides in the place of\u00a0God, and your\u00a0presbyters\u00a0in the place of the assembly of the\u00a0apostles, . . . (Mag, 6)<\/p>\n . . . your most admirable bishop, and the well-compacted spiritual crown of your\u00a0presbytery, and the\u00a0deacons\u00a0who are according to\u00a0God. Be subject to the\u00a0bishop, . . . (Mag, 13)<\/p>\n . . . you are subject to the bishop\u00a0as to\u00a0Jesus Christ, . . . without the\u00a0bishop\u00a0you should do nothing, but should also be subject to the\u00a0presbytery, as to the apostle of\u00a0Jesus Christ, . . . (Trall, 2)<\/p>\n . . . reverence . . . the\u00a0bishop\u00a0as\u00a0Jesus Christ, who is the Son of the\u00a0Father, and the\u00a0presbyters\u00a0as the sanhedrim of\u00a0God, and assembly of the\u00a0apostles. (Trall, 3)<\/p>\n . . . he who does anything apart from the bishop, and\u00a0presbytery, and\u00a0deacons, such a man is not pure in his\u00a0conscience. (Trall, 7)<\/p>\n . . . it becomes every one of you, and especially the presbyters, to refresh the\u00a0bishop, to the\u00a0honour\u00a0of the\u00a0Father, of\u00a0Jesus Christ, and of the\u00a0apostles. (Trall, 12)<\/p>\n Fare well in\u00a0Jesus Christ, while you continue subject to the\u00a0bishop, as to the command [of God], and in like manner to the\u00a0presbytery. (Trall, 13)<\/p>\n . . . Jesus Christ, who is our\u00a0eternal\u00a0and enduring\u00a0joy, especially if [men] are in unity with the\u00a0bishop, the\u00a0presbyters, and the\u00a0deacons, who have been appointed according to the mind of\u00a0Jesus Christ, whom He has established in security, after His own will, and by His\u00a0Holy Spirit. (Phil, Greeting)<\/p>\n [note that this is a very strong proclamation that the order of hierarchical governance in the Church comes from Jesus Christ Himself, and is therefore, part of the divine will for ecclesiology; not merely arbitrary \u201ccustom\u201d or a relativistic ecclesiology according to the whims of any given congregation or denomination, as it were]<\/p>\n . . . there is one bishop, along with the\u00a0presbytery\u00a0and\u00a0deacons, . . . (Phil, 4)<\/p>\n Give heed to the\u00a0bishop, and to the\u00a0presbytery\u00a0and\u00a0deacons. (Phil, 7)<\/p>\n . . . the nearest Churches have sent, in some cases bishops, and in others\u00a0presbyters\u00a0and\u00a0deacons. (Phil, 10)<\/p>\n See that you all follow the\u00a0bishop, even as\u00a0Jesus Christ\u00a0does the\u00a0Father, and the\u00a0presbytery\u00a0as you would the\u00a0apostles; and reverence the\u00a0deacons, as being the institution of\u00a0God. (Smyr, 8)<\/p>\n [again, this arrangement is the \u201cinstitution of God\u201d . . . this is the Church government that God ordained, according to St. Ignatius]<\/p>\n I salute your most worthy\u00a0bishop, and your very venerable\u00a0presbytery, and your\u00a0deacons, . . . (Smyr, 12)<\/p>\n My\u00a0soul\u00a0be for theirs that are submissive to the\u00a0bishop, to the\u00a0presbyters, and to the\u00a0deacons, . . . (Poly, 6)<\/p>\n Deacons Differentiated and Subordinate<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n As to my fellow-servant Burrhus, your deacon in regard to God and blessed in all things, I beg that he may continue longer, both for your honour and that of your bishop. (Eph, 2)<\/p>\n . . . my fellow-servant the deacon\u00a0Sotio, whose friendship may I ever enjoy, inasmuch as he is subject to the\u00a0bishop\u00a0as to the\u00a0grace\u00a0of\u00a0God, and to the\u00a0presbytery\u00a0as to the law of\u00a0Jesus Christ, . . . (Mag, 2)<\/p>\n It is fitting also that the\u00a0deacons, [after just mentioning the bishop and presbyters] as being [the ministers] of the mysteries\u00a0of\u00a0Jesus Christ, should in every respect be pleasing to all. For they are not ministers of meat and drink, but servants of the\u00a0Church of God. (Trall, 2)<\/p>\n . . . let all reverence the deacons\u00a0as an appointment of\u00a0Jesus Christ, . . . [then he differentiates the bishop and presbyters in the same sentence] (Trall, 3)<\/p>\n Related Reading<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n *<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n *<\/p>\n Practical Matters<\/em><\/strong>: Perhaps some of my 4,500+ free online articles (the most comprehensive \u201cone-stop\u201d Catholic apologetics site) or\u00a0fifty-five books<\/a>\u00a0have helped you (by God\u2019s grace) to decide to\u00a0become Catholic<\/a>\u00a0or to\u00a0return to the Church<\/a>,\u00a0or better understand some doctrines and\u00a0why<\/em>\u00a0we believe them<\/a>.<\/p>\n Or you may believe my work is worthy to support for the purpose of apologetics and evangelism in general. If so, please seriously consider a much-needed financial contribution. I\u2019m always in need of more funds: especially\u00a0monthly<\/em>\u00a0support. \u201cThe laborer is worthy of his wages\u201d (1 Tim 5:18, NKJV). 1 December 2021 was my 20th anniversary as a\u00a0full-time Catholic apologist<\/a>, and February 2022 marked the 25th anniversary of my blog.<\/p>\n PayPal donations<\/a>\u00a0are the easiest: just send to my email address: apologistdave@gmail.com. Here\u2019s also\u00a0a second page to get to PayPal<\/a>. You\u2019ll see the term \u201cCatholic Used Book Service\u201d, which is my old side-business. To learn about the different methods of contributing (including\u00a0Zelle<\/a>), see my page:\u00a0About Catholic Apologist Dave Armstrong \/ Donation Information<\/a>.\u00a0Thanks a million<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0from the bottom of my heart!<\/p>\n *<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n
\nEpistle to the Magnesians<\/a> (Mag)
\nEpistle to the Trallians<\/a> (Trall)
\nEpistle to the Romans<\/a> (Rom)
\nEpistle to the Philadelphians<\/a> (Phil)
\nEpistle to the Smyrnaeans<\/a> (Smyr)<\/p>\n
\n*<\/div>\n