B
Bob_K
Guest
Can someone help? This is a small part of a letter someone has written.
Is a Catholic priest, bishop, or pope a Biblical Church leader?
No. In the Bible, there are three terms used interchangeably to mean the leaders of the Church; elder, bishop, and pastor. This can be seen from the passage below, where Peter is addressing all three terms to the same men, to mean the same thing.
1 Peter 5:1-4
1To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
The origin of the term “elder”, translated from the Greek word presbyters, obviously means those who are more mature and able to lead a family. The Greek word that is translated as “bishop”, episcopes, is the same word that is translated as “overseer”; such as a nobleman might use to manage a large estate. The term “pastor” has the same root in Greek as the term “pasture” and means a shepherd. So, the Bible uses all three terms when describing the criteria for who should be a leader of the Church.
1 Timothy 3:1-5
1Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer (bishop), he desires a noble task. 2Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. 5(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)
Titus 1:5-9
5…and appoint elders in every city, as I gave thee charge; 6if any man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children that believe, who are not accused of riot or unruly. 7For the bishop must be blameless, as God’s steward; not self-willed, not soon angry, no brawler, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; 8but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled; 9holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict the gainsayers.
It is obvious from these passages that a leader of the church must be married and have children. Until about 850 AD, Popes were allowed to be married. If it was not necessary for Popes to remain unmarried before this time, why is it necessary now? It is another example of Popes changing Church doctrine when they had been expressly forbidden to do so.
Is a Catholic priest, bishop, or pope a Biblical Church leader?
No. In the Bible, there are three terms used interchangeably to mean the leaders of the Church; elder, bishop, and pastor. This can be seen from the passage below, where Peter is addressing all three terms to the same men, to mean the same thing.
1 Peter 5:1-4
1To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; 3not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. 4And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
The origin of the term “elder”, translated from the Greek word presbyters, obviously means those who are more mature and able to lead a family. The Greek word that is translated as “bishop”, episcopes, is the same word that is translated as “overseer”; such as a nobleman might use to manage a large estate. The term “pastor” has the same root in Greek as the term “pasture” and means a shepherd. So, the Bible uses all three terms when describing the criteria for who should be a leader of the Church.
1 Timothy 3:1-5
1Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer (bishop), he desires a noble task. 2Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. 5(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)
Titus 1:5-9
5…and appoint elders in every city, as I gave thee charge; 6if any man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having children that believe, who are not accused of riot or unruly. 7For the bishop must be blameless, as God’s steward; not self-willed, not soon angry, no brawler, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; 8but given to hospitality, a lover of good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled; 9holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict the gainsayers.
It is obvious from these passages that a leader of the church must be married and have children. Until about 850 AD, Popes were allowed to be married. If it was not necessary for Popes to remain unmarried before this time, why is it necessary now? It is another example of Popes changing Church doctrine when they had been expressly forbidden to do so.
Neither do many Catholics for that fact either as shown by the number of people who leave our church based on statements like this and others?
I talk to people like this a lot too. Your friend also has chosen to skip over some facts included in history and Scripture both.