Abstract
In this article several of the texts from the letters of St Paul used to support the words describing the ministry of a priest in the declarations for a priest in the Church of England ordinal are explored. The texts are examined in their original context and then compared to their apparent intent in supporting the nature of ministry being described in the ordinal. This comparison and contrast suggests some creative use of the texts in the ordinal. But the comparison also illumines how the rich language Paul used about ministry in his letters can inform our understanding of ministry today.
Much of the language about ministry that we find in the ordinal for the ordination of priests in the Church of England is drawn directly from Scripture. A good deal of it is taken from the teaching of Jesus recorded in the Gospels, but some of the words and concepts come from St Paul. In the study edition of the Common Worship Ordination Services, the declarations for the ordination of priests make reference to about twenty-two verses in the Pauline corpus. 1 These verses range across the entire Pauline corpus.
The letters of St Paul are primarily pastoral letters, letters exercising ministry. They are not only examples of ministry but also tell us about Paul’s personal understanding of his ministry. This paper explores the key Pauline texts listed as references for the declarations for priests in the ordinal. By looking at these texts we can reflect on what Paul’s teaching and ministry has to say about the nature of ministry today.
The word translated as ‘a minister’ is diakonos, as ‘ministry’, diakonia, and as ‘to minister’, diakoneō. These words stem from the words referring to table service by a servant, respectively, ‘servant’, ‘service’, ‘serve’. 2 In the Gospels Jesus describes himself in these terms: Luke 22.24–27; John 13. He also uses this term to describe the role of his followers: Mark 9.35; 10.43; John 12.26. The Church appears to have quickly adopted this terminology which included the use of the term, ‘slave’, doulos (Rom. 1.1; 16.1; Eph. 6.21; Col. 1.7, 23; 4.7; Phil. 1.1). The English words for ministry derive etymologically from the Latin, ministerium, which is the Latin equivalent for the diakonia word group.
The Pauline texts referenced to describe the role and ministry of a priest are listed in the order which they come in the declarations: 2 Cor. 5.17; 1 Cor. 4.1; Col. 3.16; 2 Tim. 4.2; 1 Thess. 5.14; 1 Tim. 2.1; Eph. 4.11–13; 2 Cor. 3.18; Col. 3.10; 1 Thess. 5.23; Gal. 2.5, 14; 2 Cor. 4.4; 1 Tim. 1.11; 2 Cor. 5.18–19; 1 Tim. 3.5; Titus 2.7; 1 Cor. 3.9; Phil. 1.5; Col. 4.11; 1 Thess. 3.2; 2 Tim. 1.6; 1 Cor. 6.20; 7.23; 1 Cor. 4.1–4; 2 Cor. 6.11, 13. It is not possible to comment on all the texts referenced. Our focus will be on a selection of those texts which seem to offer description or instruction by Paul about ministry, taking them in the order they are listed.
First, 1 Corinthians 4.1 – Think of us in this way, as servants of Christ and stewards of God's mysteries 3 – provides a key text to support the title ‘steward’, as one of the three interesting titles given to a priest in the declarations: messengers, watchmen and stewards. Earlier in the declarations priests are called ‘servants’ and ‘shepherds’. ‘Steward’, oikonomos, is a technical word to designate someone put in charge to manage a household or an estate or in the civic realm as a community official overseeing property or funds (see Rom. 16.23). 4 It is only used in the New Testament to refer to a minister or ministry in 1 Corinthians 4.1, 2, and of ministry in 1 Peter 4.10.
The title in 1 Corinthians specifically refers to those who have had a form of apostolic ministry at Corinth: Paul, Apollos and Cephas. The title is further qualified in 1 Corinthians 4.2 where the stewards are required to be trustworthy. In 1 Corinthians 4.1, the steward has a particular role of managing the mysteries of God. The contents of these mysteries are explicated in some small way in Ephesians 3.1–6, referring particularly to the inclusion of the Gentiles, and in 1 Timothy 3.16, referring to the incarnational ministry of Jesus and his ascension.
This concept of stewardship is further alluded to at the end of the declarations where, in reference to being entrusted with God’s flock, it is stated that priests will have to render account to God for their stewardship of God’s people. 5 In the footnote of references for the declarations at this point this stewardship is also linked with two management parables, Matthew 25.14–30 and Luke 12.42–46, which may or may not be analogous to a description of Christian ministry. 6 It does appear that the declarations are linking stewardship with shepherding. The senses for these two ideas while perhaps similar at a general level (oversight, looking after) are not really the same. The shepherd’s role is more all-encompassing and includes an aspect of care or engagement not expected of the more specific and technical sense of the steward. 7
Two issues stand out from the Pauline texts on stewardship. First, is this stewardship distinctive to the apostolic role? Perhaps it is in the context of the discussion in 1 Corinthians 4. But it seems reasonable to see an implicit extension of a stewardship of the mysteries of God to those whose role it is to make known these mysteries in each and every generation. Second, the title ‘steward’ is clearly a ‘management’ term of the first century which is adopted and applied to the Christian minister and his ministry. Does this bear some consideration as management speak is more commonly used to describe ministry today? 8
The declarations continue after these three titles to state that the priest should ‘teach and admonish’. This enjoinment is referenced to Colossians 3.16: Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. In the context of the letter, this verse comes in a hortatory section instructing the whole Church in the distinctive ways of a Christian community with specific application to worship (Col. 3.1–17). 9 It is doubtful that it is a particular instruction to a recognized ministerial office. This verse is in contrast to and deliberately echoing Colossians 1.28. In this previous verse it is the apostles’ and apostolic delegates’ task to proclaim, warn (same Greek word for admonish) and teach. Perhaps it would have been better to reference this text. But priests are not wholly set apart; they are part of the congregation. Their discipleship includes letting the word of Christ dwell in them so as in leading worship to teach and admonish and to sing the words of Scripture with gratitude.
Another significant verse referenced to support the declarations is 2 Timothy 4.2: Proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favourable or unfavourable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. In the declarations the bishop reminds the priests that they are to unfold the Scriptures (Luke 24.27, 32) and ‘to preach the word in season and out of season and to declare the mighty works of God’. 10 The preaching aspect is supported by the 2 Timothy text. In this text, Timothy is charged, or solemnly urged (2 Tim. 4.1), to preach the word particularly because there is a concern that people are turning away from the truth to myths (2 Tim. 4.3–4).
Proclaiming the gospel was an essential element of Paul’s ministry (1 Cor. 1.17; 9.16; 2 Cor. 2.12). And this is the ministry he confers on his apostolic delegates like Timothy. It is also a facet of ministry he sees other Christians engaged in (1 Cor. 9.14; Eph. 6.15; cf. Rom. 10.14–17). The content of his message is never summarized wholly or consistently in his letters. Across his writings we learn that Paul’s preaching was Christocentric focusing on Christ crucified (1 Cor. 1.23), the Resurrection of Christ (1 Cor. 15.12), and Jesus as Lord (2 Cor. 4.5). 11 His was an evangelistic ministry seeking to convert Gentiles to Christ (Rom. 1.5; Gal. 1.15–16).
The declarations see the priest today as in some way continuing this ministry. Within a threefold description of the priest’s responsibility of handling Scripture (unfolding, preaching, declaring), preaching seems to correspond to this Pauline sense of proclamation, not only to make known the good news about Jesus Christ but also to embrace a wider sense as implied by the 2 Timothy 4.2 text in which preaching includes teaching the Scriptures.
In another sentence in the declarations we read: ‘they are to resist evil, support the weak, defend the poor, and intercede for all in need’.
12
Two texts are referenced for this sentence: 1 Thessalonians 5.14, And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them; and 1 Timothy 2.1, First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone. The text 1 Thessalonians 5.14 supports the duty of supporting the weak. This admonition by Paul is another general hortatory text for the whole Church made clear by the vocative, ‘brothers’, translated ‘beloved’ in the gender neutral
The call to intercede for all in need is supported by 1 Timothy 2.1. Paul is giving Timothy instructions for his ministry in Ephesus. Timothy is a co-worker with Paul who has been dispatched to Ephesus in the role of what is basically that of an apostolic delegate. Timothy is facing some challenges and Paul writes to bolster him and to give some specific advice. Interestingly, Paul’s first enjoinment for the church is to pray and to pray for all ‘men’. Taking this general instruction, the declarations for a priest apply it to the priest’s role. The concatenation of words found in the biblical text translated, ‘supplications’, ‘prayers’, ‘intercessions’ and ‘thanksgivings’ is summed in the one word, ‘intercede’. The priest is to be a person of prayer who prays for all people.
First Corinthians 3.9 states: For we are God's servants, working together; you are God's field, God's building. In the declarations, this verse supports the concept of working with fellow servants for the sake of the kingdom of God. 13 The text itself is part of Paul’s discussion about Apollos’ and Paul’s ministry in Corinth in an effort to diffuse divisions that appear to have emerged over loyalty to different leaders who ministered in Corinth. Paul implies that they are working together, each playing a particular role: Paul planted; Apollos watered (1 Cor. 3.6). The term here is not actually ‘servant’ but ‘fellow/co-workers’, sunergos. Whatever the actual extent of Paul’s collaboration with others in his ministry, he advocates a sense of working together. He frequently refers to co-workers using this term (Rom. 16.9, 21; 2 Cor. 8.23; Phil. 2.25; Philem. 1). In this discussion there is an implicit distinction between the servants or workers and the persons being served who are described as a ‘field’ and ‘building’. In conjunction with other texts, this text implies that the minister is to work together in harmony with other ministers by sharing the similar and distinctive ministries.
While only sampling a few of the Pauline texts that are referenced in the declarations for a priest, it is clear that some interesting interpretation of Scripture is embedded in the declarations. The priest is one among the body of Christ: so those general instructions which shape the life of a Christian are to shape the ministry of a priest. In addition, some aspects of ministry in the declarations are drawn from texts which describe the ministry of Paul himself and of his delegates. The overlap with priestly ministry today is not always clear but the tasks described seem to fit the work of a priest today. And finally, the use of the term ‘steward’ is distinct in that it takes a title for a technical secular role to describe Christian ministry.
In exploring the Pauline texts which are referenced in the declarations for a priest in the ordination service, one sees that many of these texts are rich in insight for supporting what the declarations state. In some cases, the declarations have taken liberties with the text especially in taking general instructions to all Christians and applying them to the specific role of a priest. Some of the terms and ideas Paul uses for ministry are roles and actions in his society which he applies to Christian ministry. By looking at these texts, one gains a broad understanding the variety of ideas and concepts Paul used in discussing the nature of ministry in the different situations and contexts that his letters address. One caveat must be that Paul’s ministry was apostolic and in that sense was distinct, but none the less his understanding of his own ministry speaks to those who aspire to be a messenger, watchman and steward today.