Ignatius and Bishops

The writings of Ignatius have long been used by Catholics to uphold the regional office of Bishops over multiple cities. Ignatius wrote after the death of the last Apostle.

His writings actually disprove the Catholic practice but can be used to show changes being made.

Ignatius was writing from Smyrna to several cities before his death. His writings describe the current government of the churches, as he was supporting it.

Bishop

Presbyters

Deacons

Writing letters to the churches would introduce his ideas even if it was not fully implemented yet. The congregations might read his letters and think they missed a distinction in the offices. The apostles were passed and not alive to correct him.

This of course was unbiblical because the letter to Titus uses Bishop(episcopos) and elder (presbyteros) as the same office. The words presbyteros ond Bishops are used together in Acts 20:17 and Acts 20:28. All Elders were Bishops.

Tit 1:5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders (Presbyteros) in every city, as I had appointed thee:

Tit 1:6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

Tit 1:7 For a bishop (episcopos) 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 1:8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;

Tit 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

So that Titus was to appoint multiple bishops/presbyters in each city.

This is upheld by Thayer's Greek Lexicon below.

Ignatius upholds this formula in some of his letters.

The epistle to Philadelphia he writes

And if ye are willing, it is not beyond your power to do this, for the sake35 of God; as also the nearest Churches have sent, in some cases bishops, and in others presbyters and deacons.

Notice: close cities had their own Bishops in his description. Thus the term Bishop at the time of Ignatius and in his mind was a local church office, not a regional office. It had not fully evolved yet.

Since he was writing from Smyrna he very clearly says there were multiple Churches in and around the city, each having at least one bishop it appears. Sending Bishops did not specify the number per congregation,only that there was at least one per church.

Epistle to the trallians

I salute you from Smyrna, together with the Churches of God which are with me, who have refreshed me in all things, both in the flesh and in the spirit.

It is evident from Ignatius that the churches had not yet grown into a Catholic formula, but had slightly moved away from the New Testament government. They had begun to separate the office of Bishop and Presbyter (elder).

Ignatius would say Polycarp was Bishop of the Smyrnans even though they had multiple congregations, breaking with the Phillippean form of church govt. revealed in the Phillippean letter from Paul. It is possible they had a plural number of Bishops at one point but Polycarp was the only one left. So the change in Bishop as a local office into a city wide office could have come because many were killed or arrested, leaving one man as the only ordained elder in a city. All congregations looking to the one man for guidance.

This wasn't biblical, but reality, but isn't God endorsing the idea.

Php 1:1 Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

Phillippi did not have a singular Bishop over city wide or area congregations, but had a plurality of Bishops.

His letters show a change in office designation locally, but not Catholicism.

The question is, was he sincerely wrong, or was he employing trickery to insinuate a new church office, or was Polycarp the only left.

Again Thayer says Bishop and Presbyter was used interchangeably among Christians.

G4245

πρεσβύτερος

presbuteros

Thayer Definition:

1) elder, of age

1a) the elder of two people

1b) advanced in life, an elder, a senior

1b1) forefathers

2) a term of rank or office

2a) among the Jews

2a1) members of the great council or Sanhedrin (because in early times the rulers of the people, judges, etc., were selected from elderly men)

2a2) of those who in separate cities managed public affairs and administered justice

2b) among the Christians, those who presided over the assemblies (or churches) The NT uses the term bishop, elders, and presbyters interchangeably

2c) the twenty four members of the heavenly Sanhedrin or court seated on thrones around the throne of God

Part of Speech: adjective

A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: comparative of presbus (elderly)

Citing in TDNT: 6:651, 931