In many church-settings I see Bishop is a popular title, but according to the scripture, what does it say a Bishop is, without opinion, but only Biblical evidence?

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Elder, Bishop, Overseer

A few notes on the Bible's teaching regarding elders, bishops, and overseers:


The Bible teaches that there are to be overseers in each congregation referred to as elders [Greek = presbuterois] or bishops [Greek = episkopois].

That the word "elder" refers to the office of "overseer" is evident by comparing a few passages of Scripture. Notice in the two verses below from Acts 20 that Paul refers to the same elders [presbuterous] in verse 17 as overseers [episkopous] in verse 28.

"And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders [presbuterous] of the church." (Acts 20:17)

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers [episkopous], to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." (Acts 20:28)

Peter also makes clear that elders are overseers:

"The elders [presbuterous] which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder [sumpresbuteros = "fellow elder"], and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight [episkopountes - a verb form of the word] thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind" (1 Pet. 5:1-2)

And the same Greek word translated as "overseers" in Acts 20:28 is elsewhere translated "bishop." "Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops [episkopois] and deacons" (Php. 1:1)

"A bishop [episkopon] then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach" (1 Tim. 3:2)

"For a bishop [episkopon] must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre" (Tit. 1:7)

Thus, it seems that elder and bishop both refer to the same office of overseer. Presumably, "elder" (presbuteros) denotes the authority of the office because it has a reference to age, and "bishop" (episkope) denotes the function of the office because it carries the meaning of oversight...

by Stuart DiNenno
Amen.

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