Polycarp and Elders

The separation of the office of Bishop from Presbetery is often taught through Polycarp, saying Polycarp was the Bishop of Smyrna as if the offices bishop and presbyter were different. Yet the writings of Polycarp do not lend support to the idea.

Polycarp does not use the word Bishop but the Jewish word presbyter. He acknowledges there are multiple presbyters with him in his letter to Philippi.

Polycarp, and the presbyters2 with him, to the Church of God sojourning at Philippi: Mercy to you, and peace from God Almighty, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour, be multiplied.

He does not call himself a Bishop, though the commentators on his work say or imply he was a Bishop over the Presbyters. From his own works one cannot prove he saw a separation in the two offices. They are the same office from two different cultures and two different languages.

Quite the opposite, it seems he uses the Jewish word Presbyters as the office over the churches as would be normal if taught by an apostle from Jerusalem. Since most teach he was a disciple of the Apostle John this would be consistent. Polycarp never teaches separation of a Bishop from the presbyters.

Wherefore, it is needful to abstain from all these things, being subject to the presbyters and deacons, as unto God and Christ.

From Polycarp's writing it is clear to me that Polycarp did not divide the two offices, he used the Jewish word as if taught by an apostle who used the Jewish word.. Yet the footnotes of the epistle describing his death says,

1 The title of this Epistle in most of the mss. is, “The Epistle of St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna, and holy martyr, to the Philippians.”

2. He could not give the title if martyred, already passed.

Thus it was given this title later. In this letter following his death the writer from Smyrna only calls him a Bishop, he never says he is the only Bishop. He is called a Bishop of the church itself.

Polycarp was one, having in our own times been an apostolic and prophetic teacher, and bishop of the Catholic Church which is in Smyrna. For every word that went out of his mouth either has been or shall yet be accomplished.

Thus it is not prudent to assume they used the term Bishop any different from presbyter. The Apostles John and Peter used the term presbyter exclusively in describing themselves, as did Polycarp in describing local leaders.

2Jn 1:1  THE ELDER, To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have come to know the truth,

The English word elder being the greek presbyter.

3Jn 1:1  THE ELDER, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth:

Peter only uses Bishop in relation to Christ, as the supreme overseer of their souls.

1Pe 2:24  who Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, in order that having died to sins, we might live unto righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.

1Pe 2:25  For you were like sheep going astray, but you have turned back now to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

We should fear him who can destroy both soul and body, Christ the overseer.