Elders, Bishops, Head Pastors. Are they biblical? Part Two

Who are the legitimate leaders and who are the imposters?

When G- led the Apostles to plant churches, who did they ordain?

“Confirming the souls of the disciples, [and] exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.” Acts 14:22-23

When Sh’aul (Paul) and Barnabas wanted a decision concerning circumcision, who did they go to?

“… should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.” Acts 15:2

Who received them?

“And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and [of] the apostles and elders…” Acts 15:4

Who considered this important matter?

“And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.” Acts 15:6

Consistently throughout the rest of the bible, who was it that received Paul into their midst, that Paul sent letters to and Paul called into a meeting with?

Elders, Elders and Elders.

There is no doubt that the Apostles were leaders. That goes without saying. However, right there with the Apostles were the Elders.

Isn’t it interesting to note who’s conspicuously missing?

Elders, Bishops, Head Pastors, etc. Are they biblical? Part One

One the continuing problems within the Body of Christ is the establishment of a hierarchy from which men attempt to rule over the flock. They do this even though Y’shua says in Rev 2:6:

“… thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.”

And in Rev 2:15:

“So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.”

Here in these two verses, we have Y’shua stating that he hates the deeds and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. But who are the Nicolaitans? Let’s look at what the word actually means as quoted from the Schofield Reference Bible.

"From Nakao, to conquer and Laos, the people or laity. There is however, no ancient authority for a sect of Nicolaitans. If the word is symbolic, it refers to the earliest form of the notion of a priestly order, or clergy, which later divided an equal brotherhood into priests and laity. What in Ephesus were deeds (Rev. 2:6) had become in Pergamos, a doctrine (Rev. 2:15)."

The Nicolaitans were and are those who divide the flock into the laity and those who rule over them with unbiblical principles and/or doctines.