Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

THE APOSTOLIC OFFICE.

Matt. xxviii. 18-20.

AND JESUS CAME AND SPAKE UNTO THEM SAYING, ALL POWER Go YE,

THERE

IS GIVEN UNTO ME IN HEAVEN AND IN EARTH.
FORE, AND TEACH ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME
OF THE FATHer, and of thE SON, AND OF THE HOLY GHOST;
TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS, WHATSOEVER I
HAVE COMMANDED YOU; AND, LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAY, EVEN
UNTO THE END OF THE WORLD. AMEN.

Ir appears, from the holy Evangelists, that our Saviour Christ, soon after the commencement of his public ministry, elected a number of men, and, at three different times, appointed and empowered them to preach his gospel, to administer his holy ordinances, and to govern his church.

Their first election is thus mentioned by St. Mark, iii. 14, 15:"And he ordained (or appointed) twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses, and cast out devils." The names of the twelve are mentioned. St. Luke, vi. 13, has thus recorded the same transaction: "He called unto him his disciples, and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles." Here, too, their names follow. At this, their first election and appointment, they were named apostles; ordained to be with him, that he might send them forth to preach and work miracles.

After some time, he enlarged their commission, gave them further power, and sent them forth to preach. Of this second appointment, or ordination, St. Mark vi. 7—13, has given us information: “He called unto him the twelve, (whom he had before appointed to this work) and began to send them by two and two;" and gave them directions how to exercise their ministry. "And they went out and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them." St. Luke, ix. 1-6, recording this second appointment, says, "He called the twelve disciples (whom he had named apostles) together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases; and he sent them to preach the kingdom of God," which they did; "they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where."

It is evident, that between the first and second of these appointments or ordinations to the ministerial office, some considerable time elapsed, during which Christ wrought several iniracles, spake a number of parables, and gave his disciples much instruction. It is also evident, that in this second commission their power was increased, and their office enlarged. They were sent to preach the gospel; and we learn from St. John's Gospel, iv. 1, 2, that they were commissioned to baptize; that they made and baptized more disciples than did John the Baptist. St. John the Evangelist, xv. 16, also informs us that Jesus said to his apostles, "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and have ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit." And that they had gone and brought forth fruit, had preached, baptized, and wrought miracles with great success, is seen in the texts above referred to. Their final appointment to the highest grade of the Christian minister was after Christ had risen from the dead, as we read in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John.

Soon after the second ordination of the twelve, "the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them" forth to teach. Thus it appears that during Christ's ministry, there were three different orders or grades of preachers. First, himself, acting as the high-priest or bishop, in his own person, and governing the church; secondly, the twelve; and, thirdly, the other seventy.

The law given by Moses was a shadow of good things to come; it in all things typified the gospel state, and is called "a schoolmaster to bring men to Christ." And, accordingly, it had the three orders of the ministry—the high-priest, the priests, and the Levites with different and distinct powers and duties.

These facts prepare us to expect that the like number of grades in the ministerial office would be continued in the church after Christ had ascended into heaven. And this expectation is very much confirmed by two other facts, which from the scriptures are evident. First, that Christ, immediately before he left the earth, advanced his apostles to that rank in his church which he was leaving. "As (he says) my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." And the apostles so understood their commission ; they claimed to be ambassadors for Christ, as though God besought men by them; they prayed men in Christ's stead. The other fact is, that not long after, ministers of a new order were ordained by the apostles, called deacons.

St. Matthew informs us that Christ, in giving his apostles their final commission, begins by saying, "All power is given unto me, in heaven and in earth;" showing that he had authority to ordain them to any ministry. And then, as St. John tells us, he mentions the ministry, which he actually did give them; such as the Father had given him; he appoints them to the office which he was leaving. Christ glorified not himself to be made an high-priest, but

had, like Aaron, his type under the law, a regular call to the office; nor did the apostles take the honor to themselves; they were sent by Christ, as he was by the Father.

By comparing the Evangelists, we learn what were some of the powers committed unto them. First, to exercise discipline and govern the church: "Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained." This is sometimes called the power of the keys; authority to admit members into the church, and to exclude from it such as they should judge to be unworthy. They were also commissioned to go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,* and teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever Christ had commanded them, promising salvation to those who should believe and be baptized. He also promised to be with them even to the end of the world, evidently meaning them and their successors in the same office.

Other powers, though not particularly expressed, are also implied. They were sent by Christ, as the Father had sent him, and, of course, to minister in the church as he had ministered, and to appoint such ordinances as the new dispensation might render expedient; such as ordaining to the ministry, administering the Lord's supper, laying on of hands in confirmation, and appointing the order of deacons.

Our Lord added: "These signs shall follow them that believe in my name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall

* Before Christ's resurrection, they had not been commissioned to baptize in the name of the Trinity; they probably, then, administered the same baptism of water unto repentance, as did John. We cannot reasonably believe that Christ authorized two different baptisms at the same time.

« ПредишнаНапред »