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In Favor of 3 Offices (FOLLOW MCMULLEN FORMAT)!!!!, All Presbyterian two…

- - - - The debate doesn't concern deacons, but rather, ministers and elders. Are ministers and elders of the same office with separate functions (two office), or are these two separate offices (three office)?
      - James Henley Thornwell was an advocate for the two office, while Charles Hodge advocated for the three office view in step with Calvin's stance on the matter. Calvin understood the ruling office to only pertain to the act of governing, while the teaching office included both the ruling and teaching office. (Order in the Offices 135)
- - - - The two classes are known as ruling elders and teaching elders.
        
        This stands in opposition to classical Presbyterianism which views these two classes as separate offices. (105 Rayburn)
        
        Teaching elders have the same responsibilities as ruling elders, but in addition they are charged with the high calling of preaching and explaining God's Word along with the right administration of the sacraments. (BCO 8-5)
        
        Lucas states that teaching elders aren't elders because they teach, but rather that they teach because they are elders (Lucas 142)
        
        "there is no special priestly priestly class that has special powers or authority." (Lucas 142)
        
        Yet, BCO puts it slightly different in 7-2 when it states that "only those elders who are specially gifted, called, and trained by God to preach may serve as Teaching Elders. (Perspectives 120-121)
        
        Dabney would agree. He points out that the history of the word elder is associate with one who rules. He then asserts that it is incredulous to think that this term would then be applied to an officer whose prominent role is preaching/teaching, and not applied to those who now rule or govern God's people. (Paradigms in Polity 547)
        
        Ruling elders take on ecclesiastical responsibilities such as administration or order and disicpline (Lucas 142)
        
        The PCA BCO states that ruling elders should also "cultivate zealously their own aptness to teach the Bible and should improve every opportunity of doing so." (BCO 8-9)
        
        Robert Reymond argues that Ephesians 4:11 is arguing for pastors and teachers as one office of teaching and ruling elders due to both Greek nouns being placed under a single article (Perspectives 121)
        
        1 Timothy 3:1-7 is used to demonstrate that all elders are to be must be apt to teach, and therefore justify the one office of elder. However, possible one alternative to understanding this passage could be that Paul is speaking only of ministers of the Word, but with the generic name of elder. I think a better alternative to understanding this passage is that he listed all of the comprehensive qualifications, just as the husband of one wife is only a necessary qualification for those elders who are married. (Rayburn 111)
        
        Dabney makes the case for the different classes of the one office of elders by pointing out how many of the primitive churches in Scripture were described as having a plurality of elders (Acts 14:23, Acts 20:17, Philippians 1:1, Titus 1:5). While it is possible that some large churches had multiple pastors, Dabney claims that it is a giant stretch to assume that all of the small primitive churches had a host of pastors. (Paradigms in Polity 548)
        
        Witherow claims in the New Testament one never sees the terms bishop and elders together. His reason is because these two terms refer to the same office. (I will Build my Church 108)
        
        Additionally, he uses Titus 1:5-7 to show that both elder and bishop are used interchangeably to prove that the same office is being referenced. (I will Build my Church 109)
        
        He takes on the claim that three office proponents make when they state that all bishops are elders, but not all elders are bishops. He uses Acts 20:17-28 to show that Paul invited the elders of Ephesus to meet him, and when face to face with them, he addresses them as overseers which elsewhere in Scripture is equated with bishop. (I will Build my Church 110-111)
    - - This fear comes from the history of the early church where the bishops were understood as pastors, and a hierarchy developed where the bishop from the most influential city would represent a region of churches, and eventually the pope of Rome solidified himself as the ultimate one that all other officers in the church were to submit to. Those who hold to a two office view have expressed concern that a three office can open the door to prelacy.
        
        This is why the PCA insist there is an equal number of "teaching" and "ruling" elders represented at assemblies of the church. (Rayburn 107)
        
        Yet, one must question how episcopal polity began in the first place. It seems much more likely for this deviation to occur through an abusive understanding of the minister of the Word and the ruling elder holding different offices, than it would under a two office view recently introduced into the church.
  - - - Charles Hodge states the two office theory harms the office of the minister by implying that the minister's right to carry out his responsibilities is obtained from the congregation rather than by virtue of his office as the Bible asserts. (Order in the Offices 74)
    - - Egalitarians like to do away with distinctions, and this tends to lead to a bringing down of one entity as opposed to elevating the other.
        
        Ian Murray asks "Upon what grounds should such a title as 'pastor' be restricted to one if the word in the New Testament is descriptive of all elders?" (Order in the Offices 248)
- - - - The question we need to answer is whether or not the Old Testament presents a picture of elders who were ruling and judging but not necessarily teaching.
        
        much of the defense surrounding a two office view is built upon the New Testament while neglecting the Old Testament.
      - Elder is an Old Testament term that is picked up in the New Testament without further commentary introducing novel practices within this standard concept. (Rayburn 108)
        
        This was a term that the early church would have associated with Old Testament imagery of rulers and not teachers. (Rayburn 110)
      - Elder in the Old Testament is a representative role that is evidenced starting in the book of Exodus. (Rayburn 108)
        
        It's function was to rule and judge. (Rayburn 109)
        
        Rayburn states "There is no evidence that the ministry of the Word or the teaching of the law was ever assigned to this office or that ability to teach had any bearing on qualification for it" and he cites Ezek 7:26 and Jer 18:18. (Rayburn 109)
        
        The priests and Levites were the ones in charge of the ministry of the Word. This tribe was set apart for this special purpose by the Lord, and were not representative of the people. (Rayburn 109)
        
        Matthew 21:23 shows this distinction in the New Testament along with Matthew 26:3.
        
        Priests are associated with the prophets due to the shared responsibility in teaching, but one will not find elders to have this same association. (The Elder 111)
    - - The question we need to answer is whether or not the New Testament presents a picture of elders who rule apart from another set of rulers who are also commissioned to minister God's Word.
        
        There are two uses of the term elder in the New Testament. One is used to generically apply to the leadership of the church, and at other times it is used to speak specifically to those whose responsibility is to rule.
        
        In 1 Pet 5:1, 2 John 1:1, and 3 John 1:1 the term "elder" as applied to both Apostles and elders, much like how Sanhédrin is used to designate priests and elders. (Rayburn 110)
        
        What are we to make of the term elder sometimes being used to group together ministers and ruling elders, and at other times refer only to ruling elders? The Greek text teaches us that while all bishops are presbyteros, not all presbyteros are bishops.
        
        The term elder can encompass more than one ecclesiastical task or office, and the burden falls upon those who claim that the pastor and ruling elder are the same to prove the case. (The Elder 105)
        
        Cornelis Van Dam boldly asserts that there is no place in Scripture where the gifting of teaching and exhorting are linked to ruling, and in fact, they are always separated. (The Elder 105)
        
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        The answer is yes, God has validated the office of ruling apart from teaching. To limit the ruling of the church to only those who can teach is to clericalize the church. (Order of the Offices 65)
  - - - PCA BCO 1-6 distinction between their ordination, thus causing a ruling elder to have to be re-ordained to the exact same office.
      - Discipline: teaching elder = presbytery (ruling elders = session)
      - Member: teaching elder = presbytery (ruling elder = congregation)
      - Preaching and Sacraments = only for the teaching elder
      - Education: teaching elders = most often a M.Div. (ruling elders - not the case)
      - Full time ministers receive compensation for their work, but this mandate is missing concerning the ruling elder (The Elder 117)
  - - - The two office raises reasonable considerations that the third office should be able to address. The minister and the elders share much in common. They both govern, and some share in some teaching/preaching responsibilities, they are both servants of the same master, and they are both servant leaders to the same flock (Dickson 65 The Elder and His Work.
- - - - A benefit of the three office view is that it protects from Tyranny by providing a form of checks and balances since there is parity between the two offices. The two office view more easily allows for the power to be located in the most dominant. (Order in the Offices 251)
        
        It also provides leadership by designating a leader among the rules. (Order in the Offices 251)
        
        Yet another benefit is how the three office view promotes the primary focus of the minister on the Word of God.
        
        As we have examined the documents of those who advocate a two office view, along with evidence from the Old and New Testament, one is left to conclude that the office of a minister of the Word and a ruling elder are distinct and not shared. This examination revealed that those who God has called to minister his Word, and those he has called to exercise rule over a local congregation have distinct membership, are answerable to different disciplinary authorities, have different educational requirements, have different responsibilities, and perhaps most importantly the have different ordinations.