Homer wrote:Hi Paidon,
Thanks, but I was aware of all those; I tried that experiment. I still think it doesn't work very well in the passage regarding the elders. What is needed is proof that malista can not be a homonym. There are said to be many in ancient Greek.
Examples:
-“amaxa” (alpha -mu-alpha-csi-alpha) meaning “Great Bear” and “car” as in “the car of the sun”
-“amaurosis”( alpha-mu-alpha-upsilon-rho-omega-sigma-iota-sigma) meaning “eyesight failing” and “denigration”.
-“arktos”(alpha-rho-kappa-tau-omicron-sigma) meaning “bear”, “Great Bear”, “crab”.
-"kalux”( kappa-alpha-lambda-upsilon-csi) meaning “chalice”, “earrings”, “pod”.
-“narthex” (nu-alpha-rho-theta-eta-csi) meaning “stick”, “thyrsus”, “box”, “slipcase”.
Hi Homer,
The expression
"τοῦτ᾿ ἔστιν" unambiguously represents in Greek a meaning equivalent to the English expression ‘that is’ or ‘namely’
(see Matt. 27:46; Mark 7:2; Acts 1:19; 19:4; Rom. 7:18; 9:8; 10:6, 7, 8; Philem. 12; Heb. 2:14; 7:5; 9:11; 10:20; 11:16; 13:15; 1 Pet 3:20). 'Malista', by contrast, would be confusing if it were used with this supposed meaning, because it very often has the meaning
‘especially’ in the very same types of context. Therefore, given the common and availability of "τοῦτ᾿ ἔστιν", why would a greek speaker
avoid it and use another expression that most commonly has another meaning?
Furthermore, there is no conflict with "malista (above all, specially, etc..)" with 1 Timothy 5:17. Note the following:
There are three terms used in the New Testament to describe church leaders, they are: "bishop, elder, and pastor." The most widely used New Testament designation for local church leaders is "elders."
Elders—"leaders in the church", is used
72 times in the New Testament.
Bishops—"guardian or overseer", is used
5 times in the New Testament and plural in nature.
Pastor—"shepherd," which means to protect, feed, care for, and lead. It is only found
once in the New Testament.
(Eph. 4:11)
Ephesians 4:11 NASB, And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers,...
Therefore, Pastors are not distinct from bishops or elders. The terms are simply different ways of identifying the same people. Textual evidence indicates that all three terms refer to the same office. We read:
1 Peter 5:1-5 (NASB) Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.
Hence, Peter instructs
the elders to be
good shepherds as they oversee the flock:
Additionally:
Titus 1:5-7 NASB, For this reason I left you in Crete, that you would set in order what remains and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, namely, if any man is above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion. For the overseer must be above reproach as God's steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain,...
Titus, who was an apostolic representative, was to appoint "elders," then he begins to give their qualifications; and then in verse 7 says, "the overseeer," which is the Greek word episkopos. The elder is to be a good overseer. So, according to the New Testament, the leadership or pastoral oversight of the local church is to be shared by all men in the church who qualify and desire the work.
Church leadership is a team effort. Every place in the New Testament where the term
presbuteros is used,
it is plural except where John and Peter use it to speak of themselves. The norm in the New Testament church was a plurality of elders. There is no reference in all the New Testament to a one-pastor congregation. Today's tradition of a single pastor leading a church is not the biblical norm, but can be considered a violation of the scriptural pattern.
Nevertheless, ALL ELDERS TEACH and SHOULD TEACH.
Time and Talent, along with the fact that The Holy Spirit of God is free and sovereign in his bestowal of gifts
(1Cor. 12:11) for the edification of the church, do allow for both distinctions in the context of
1Tim 5:17. Therefore, there is no confusion on the matter, for it is clear; some elders discharged their duties exceptionally well, and were thus to be considered worthy of “double honor”. Of this larger set of elders, it is especially important that a smaller subset, those who work particularly hard at preaching and teaching, be recompensed accordingly.
In other words, if 10 men on the USA team beat the world record in the 100 meter sprint, clearly they worked hard to achieve this. However, 2 of these athletes took on the work as additional trainers, to the team, and were directly responsible for the success of these exceptional athletes, to include themselves. Therefore, they are set apart as first to be recognized amongst the best of the best, when the situation deems necessary.
God Bless.
