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only through their word that believers of all following ages have communion with Jesus Christ.
Hence they are the apostles of the Church in the present day as well as they were the apostles
of the primitive Church. They had certain special qualifications. They (a) received their
commission directly from God or from Jesus Christ, Mark 3:14; Luke 6:13; Gal. 1:1; (b) were
witnesses of the life of Christ and especially of His resurrection, John 15:27; Acts 1:21,22; I Cor.
9:1; (c) were conscious of being inspired by the Spirit of God in all their teaching, both oral and
written, Acts 15:28; I Cor. 2:13; I Thess. 4:8; I John 5:9-12; (d) had the power to perform
miracles and used this on several occasions to ratify their message, II Cor. 12:12; Heb. 2:4; and
(e) were richly blessed in their work as a sign of the divine approval of their labors, I Cor. 9:1,2;
II Cor. 3:2,3; Gal. 2:8.
b. Prophets.
The New Testament also speaks of prophets, Acts 11:28; 13:1,2; 15:32; I Cor.
12:10; 13:2; 14:3; Eph. 2:20; 3:5; 4:11; I Tim. 1:18; 4:14; Rev. 11:6. Evidently the gift of speaking
for the edification of the Church was highly developed in these prophets, and they were
occasionally instrumental in revealing mysteries and predicting future events. The first part of
this gift is permanent in the Christian Church, and was distinctly recognized by the Reformed
Churches (prophesyings), but the last part of it was of a charismatic and temporary character.
They differed from ordinary ministers in that they spoke under special inspiration.
c. Evangelists.
In addition to apostles and prophets, evangelists are mentioned in the Bible, Acts
21:8; Eph. 4:11; II Tim. 4:5. Philip, Mark, Timothy, and Titus belonged to this class. Little is
known about these evangelists. They accompanied and assisted the apostles, and were
sometimes sent out by these on special missions. Their work was to preach and baptize, but
also to ordain elders, Tit. 1:5; I Tim. 5:22, and to exercise discipline, Tit. 3:10. Their authority
seems to have been more general and somewhat superior to that of the regular ministers.
2. ORDINARY OFFICERS.
a. Elders.
Among the common officers of the Church the presbuteroi or episkopoi are first in
order of importance. The former name simply means “elders,” that is, older ones, and the
latter, “overseers.” The term presbuteroi is used in Scripture to denote old men, and to
designate a class of officers somewhat similar to those who functioned in the synagogue. As a
designation of office the name was gradually eclipsed and even superseded by the name
episkopoi. The two terms are often used interchangeably, Acts 20:17,28; I Tim. 3:1; 4:14;
5:17,19; Tit. 1:5,7; I Pet. 5:1,2. Presbuteroi are first mentioned in Acts 11:30, but the office was
evidently well known already when Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem, and may have been
in existence even before the institution of the diaconate. At least the term hoi neoteroi in Acts
5 seems to point to a distinction between these and the presbuteroi. Frequent mention is made
of them in the book of Acts, 14:23; 15:6,22; 16:4; 20:17,28; 21:18. Probably the presbyterial or