Magyar Református Egyház

CHAPTER XVIII

Of The Ministers of The Church,
Their Institution and
Duties

GOD USES MINISTERS IN THE BUILDING OF THE CHURCH. God has
always used ministers for the gathering or establishing of a Church for himself,
and for the governing and preservation of the same; and still he does, and
always will, use them so long as the Church remains on earth. Therefore, the
first beginning, institution, and office of ministers is a most ancient
arrangement of God himself, and not a new one of men.

INSTITUTION AND ORIGIN OF MINISTERS. It is true that God
can, by his power, without any means join to himself a Church from among men;
but he preferred to deal with men by the ministry of men. Therefore ministers
are to be regarded, not as ministers by themselves alone, but as the ministers
of God, inasmuch as God effects the salvation of men through them.

THE MINISTRY IS NOT TO BE DESPISED. Hence we warn men to
beware lest we attribute what has to do with our conversion and instruction to
the secret power of the Holy Spirit in such a way that we make void the
ecclesiastical ministry. For it is fitting that we always have in mind the
words of the apostle: “How are they to believe in him of whom they have
not heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? So faith comes from
hearing, and hearing comes by the word of God” (Rom. 10: 14, 17). And also
what the Lord said in the Gospel: “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who
receives any one whom I send receives me; and he who receives me receives him
who sent me” (John 13:20). Likewise a man of Macedonia, who appeared to
Paul in a vision while he was in Asia, secretly admonished him, saying: “Come
over to Macedonia and help us” (Acts 16:9). And in another place the same
apostle said: “We are fellow workmen for God; you are God’s tillage, God’s
building” (I Cor. 3:9).

Yet, on the other hand, we must beware that we do not
attribute too much to ministers and the ministry; remembering here also the
words of the Lord in the Gospel: “No one can come to me unless my Father
draws him” (John 6:44), and the words of the apostle: “What then is
Paul? What is Apollos? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord
assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but only God gives the growth”
(I Cor. 3:5 ff.).

GOD MOVES THE HEARTS OF MEN. Therefore, let us believe
that God teaches us by his word, outwardly through his ministers, and inwardly
moves the hearts of his elect to faith by the Holy Spirit; and that therefore we
ought to render all glory unto God for this whole favor. But this matter has
been dealt with in the first chapter of this Exposition.

WHO THE MINISTERS ARE AND OF WHAT SORT GOD HAS GIVEN TO THE
WORLD. And even from the beginning of the world God has used the most excellent
men in the whole world (even if many of them were simple in worldly wisdom or
philosophy, but were outstanding in true theology), namely, the patriarchs, with
whom he frequently spike by angels. For the patriarchs were the prophets or
teachers of their age whom God for this reason wanted to live for several
centuries, in order that they might be, as it were, fathers and lights of the
world. They were followed by Moses and the prophets renowned throughout all the
world.

CHRIST THE TEACHER. After these the heavenly Father even
sent his only-begotten Son, the most perfect teacher of the world; in whom is
hidden the wisdom of God, and which has come to us through the most holy,
simple, and most perfect doctrine of all. For he chose disciples for himself
whom he made apostles. These went out into the whole world, and everywhere
gathered together churches by the preaching of the Gospel, and then throughout
all the churches in the world they appointed pastors or teachers according to
Christ’s command; through their successors he has taught and governed the Church
unto this day. Therefore, as God gave unto his ancient people the patriarchs,
together with Moses and the prophets, so also to his people of the New
Testament he sent his only-begotten Son, and, with him, the apostles and
teachers of the Church.

MINISTERS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. Furthermore, the ministers
of the new people are called by various names. For they are called apostles,
prophets, evangelists, bishops, elders, pastors, and teachers (I Cor. 12:28;
Eph. 4:11).

THE APOSTLES. The apostles did not stay in any particular
place, but throughout the world gathered together different churches. When they
were once established, there ceased to be apostles, and pastors took their
place, each in his church.

PROPHETS. In former times the prophets were seers, knowing
the future; but they also interpreted the Scriptures. Such men are also found
still today.

EVANGELISTS. The writers of the history of the Gospel were
called Evangelists; but they also were heralds of the Gospel of Christ; as Paul
also commended Timothy: “Do the work of an evangelist” (II Tim. 4:5).

BISHOPS. Bishops are the overseers and watchmen of the
Church, who administer the food and needs of the life of the Church.

PRESBYTERS. The presbyters are the elders and, as it were,
senators and fathers of the Church, governing it with wholesome counsel.

PASTORS The pastors both keep the Lord’s sheepfold, and
also provide for its needs.

TEACHERS. The teachers instruct and teach the true faith
and godliness. Therefore, the ministers of the churches may now be called
bishops, elders, pastors, and teachers.

PAPAL ORDERS. Then in subsequent times many more names of
ministers in the Church were introduced into the Church of God. For some were
appointed patriarchs, others archbishops, others suffragans; also,
metropolitans, archdeacons, deacons, subdeacons, acolytes, exorcists, cantors,
porters, and I know not what others, as cardinals, provosts, and priors; greater
and lesser fathers, greater and lesser orders. But we are not troubled about
all these about how they once were and are now. For us the apostolic doctrine
concerning ministers is sufficient.

CONCERNING MONKS. Since we assuredly know that monks, and
the orders or sects of monks, are instituted neither by Christ nor by the
apostles, we teach that they are of no use to the Church of God, nay rather, are
pernicious. For, although in former times they were tolerable (when they were
hermits, earning their living with their own hands, and were not a burden to
anyone, but like the laity were everywhere obedient to the pastors of the
churches), yet now the whole world sees and knows what they are like. They
formulate I know not what vows; but they lead a life quite contrary to their
vows, so that the best of them deserves to be numbered among those of whom the
apostle said: “We hear that some of you are living an irregular life, mere
busybodies, not doing any work” etc. (II Thess. 3:11). Therefore, we
neither have such in our churches, nor do we teach that they should be in the
churches of Christ.

MINISTERS ARE TO BE CALLED AND ELECTED. Furthermore, no
man ought to usurp the honor of the ecclesiastical ministry; that is, to seize
it for himself by bribery or any deceits, or by his own free choice. But let
the ministers of the Church be called and chosen by lawful and ecclesiastical
election; that is to say, let them be carefully chosen by the Church or by those
delegated from the Church for that purpose in a proper order without any uproar,
dissension and rivalry. Not any one may be elected, but capable men
distinguished by sufficient consecrated learning, pious eloquence, simple
wisdom, lastly, by moderation and an honorable reputation, according to that
apostolic rule which is compiled by the apostle in I Tim., ch. 3, and Titus, ch.
1.

ORDINATION. And those who are elected are to be ordained
by the elders with public prayer and laying on of hands. Here we condemn all
those who go off of their own accord, being nether chosen, sent, nor ordained
(Jer., ch. 23). We condemn unfit ministers and those not furnished with the
necessary gifts of a pastor.

In the meantime we acknowledge that the harmless simplicity
of some pastors in the primitive Church sometimes profited the Church more than
the many-sided, refined and fastidious, but a little too esoteric learning of
others. For this reason we do not reject even today the honest, yet by no means
ignorant, simplicity of some.

PRIESTHOOD OF ALL BELIEVERS. To be sure, Christ’s apostles
call all who believe in Christ “priests,” but not on account of an
office, but because, all the faithful having been made kings and priests, we are
able to offer up a spiritual sacrifices to God through Christ (Ex. 19:6; I Peter
2:9; Rev. 1:6). Therefore, the priesthood and the ministry are very different
from one another. For the priesthood, as we have just said, is common to all
Christians; not so is the ministry. Nor have we abolished the ministry of the
Church because we have repudiated the papal priesthood from the Church of
Christ.

PRIESTS AND PRIESTHOOD. Surely in the new covenant of
Christ there is no longer any such priesthood as was under the ancient people;
which had an external anointing, holy garments, and very many ceremonies which
were types of Christ, who abolished them all by this coming and fulfilling them.
But he himself remains the only priest forever, and lest we derogate anything
form him, we do not impart the name of priest to any minister. For the Lord
himself did not appoint any priests in the Church of the New Testament who,
having received authority from the suffragan, may daily offer up the sacrifice
that is, the very flesh and blood of the Lord, for the living and the dead, but
ministers who may teach and administer the sacraments.

THE NATURE OF THE MINISTERS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. Paul
explains simply and briefly what we are to think of the ministers of the New
Testament or of the Christian Church, and what we are to attribute to them. “This
is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries
of God” II Cor. 4:1). Therefore, the apostle wants us to think of
ministers as ministers. Now the apostle calls them rowers, who have their eyes
fixed on the coxswain, and so men who do not live for themselves or according to
their own will, but for others–namely, their masters, upon whose command they
altogether depend. For in all his duties every minister of the Church is
commanded to carry out only what he has received in commandment from his Lord,
and not to indulge his own free choice. And in this case it is expressly
declared who is the Lord, namely, Christ; to whom the ministers are subject in
all the affairs of the ministry.

MINISTERS AS STEWARDS OF THE MYSTERIES OF GOD. Moreover,
to the end that he might expound the ministry more fully, the apostle adds that
ministers of the Church are administrators and stewards of the mysteries of God.
Now in may passages, especially in Eph., ch. 3, Paul called the mysteries of
God the Gospel of Christ. And the sacraments of Christ are also called
mysteries by the ancient writers. Therefore for this purpose are the ministers
of the Church called–namely, to preach the Gospel of Christ to the faithful,
and to administer the sacraments. We read, also, in another place in the
Gospel, of “the faithful and wise steward,” whom “his master will
set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time”
(Luke 12:42). Again, elsewhere in the Gospel a man takes a journey in a foreign
country and, leaving his house, gives his substance and authority over it to his
servants, and to each his work.

THE POWER OF MINISTERS OF THE CHURCH. Now, therefore, it
is fitting that we also say something about the power and duty of the ministers
of the Church. Concerning this power some have argued industriously, and to it
have subjected everything on earth, even the greatest things, and they have done
so contrary to the commandment of the Lord who has prohibited dominion for this
disciples and has highly commended humility (Luke 22:24 ff.; Matt. 18:3 f.;
20:25 ff.). There is, indeed, another power that is pure and absolute, which is
called the power of right. According to this power all things in the whole
world are subject to Christ, who is Lord of all, as he himself has testified
when he said: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me”
(Matt. 28:18), and again, “I am the first and the last, and behold I am
alive for evermore, and I have the keys of Hades and Death” (Rev. 1:18);
also, “He has the key of David, which opens and no one shall shut, who
shuts and no one opens” (Rev. 3:7).

THE LORD RESERVES TRUE POWER FOR HIMSELF. This power the
Lord reserves to himself, and does not transfer it to any other, so that he
might stand idly by as a spectator while his ministers work. For Isaiah says, “I
will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David” (Isa. 22:22), and
again, “The government will be upon his shoulders, but still keeps and uses
his own power, governing all things.

THE POWER OF THE OFFICE AND OF THE MINISTER. Then there is
another power of an office or of ministry limited by him who has full and
absolute power. And this is more like a service than a dominion.

THE KEYS. For a lord gives up his power to the steward in
his house, and for that cause gives him the keys, that he may admit into or
exclude from the house those whom his lord will have admitted or excluded. In
virtue of this power the minister, because of his office, does that which the
Lord has commanded him to do; and the Lord confirms what he does, and wills that
what his servant has done will be so regarded and acknowledges, as if he himself
had done it. Undoubtedly, it is to this that these evangelical sentences refer:
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind
on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be
loosed in heaven” (Matt. 16:19). Again, “If you forgive the sins of
any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained”
(John 20:23). But if the minister does not carry out everything as the Lord has
commanded him, but transgresses the bounds of faith, then the Lord certainly
makes void what he has done. Wherefore the ecclesiastical power of the ministers
of the Church is that function whereby they indeed govern the Church of God, but
yet se do all things in the Church as the Lord has prescribed in his Word. When
those things are done, the faithful esteem them as done by the Lord himself.
But mention has already been made of the keys above.

THE POWER OF MINISTERS IS ONE AND THE SAME, AND EQUAL. Now
the one and an equal power or function is given to all ministers in the Church.
Certainly, in the beginning, the bishops or presbyters governed the Church in
common; no man lifted up himself above another, none usurped greater power or
authority over his fellow-bishops. For remembering the words of the Lord: “Let
the leader among you become as one who serves” (Luke 22:26), they kept
themselves in humility, and by mutual services they helped one another in the
governing and preserving of the Church.

ORDER TO BE PRESERVED. Nevertheless, for the sake of
preserving order some one of the ministers called the assembly together,
proposed matters to be laid before it, gathered the opinions of the others, in
short, to the best of man’s ability took precaution lest any confusion should
arise. Thus did St. Peter, as we read in The Acts of the Apostles, who
nevertheless was not on that account preferred to the others, nor endowed with
greater authority than the rest. Rightly then does Cyprian the Martyr say, in
his De Simplicitate Clericorum: “The other apostles were assuredly
what Peter was, endowed with a like fellowship of honor and power; but [his]
primacy proceeds from unity in order that the Church may be shown to be one.”

WHEN AND HOW ONE WAS PLACED BEFORE THE OTHERS. St. Jerome
also in his commentary upon The Epistle of Paul to Titus, says something not
unlike this: “Before attachment to persons in religion was begun at the
instigation of the devil, the churches were governed by the common consultation
of the elders; but after every one thought that those whom he had baptized were
his own, and not Christ’s, it was decreed that one of the elders should be
chosen, and set over the rest, upon whom should fall the care of the whole
Church, and all schismatic seeds should be removed.” Yet St. Jerome does
not recommend this decree as divine; for he immediately adds: “As the
elders knew from the custom of the Church that they were subject to him who was
set over them, so the bishops knew that they were subject to him who was set
over them, so the bishops knew that they were above the elders, more from custom
than from the truth of an arrangement by the Lord, and that they ought to rule
the Church in common with them.” Thus far St. Jerome. Hence no one can
rightly forbid a return to the ancient constitution of the Church of God, and to
have recourse to it before human custom.

THE DUTIES OF MINISTERS. The duties of ministers are
various; yet for the most part they are restricted to two, in which all the rest
are comprehended: to the teaching of the Gospel of Christ, and to the proper
administration of the sacraments. For it is the duty of the ministers to gather
together an assembly for worship in which to expound God’s Word and to apply the
whole doctrine to the care and use of the Church, so that what is taught may
benefit the hearers and edify the faithful It falls to ministers, I say, to
teach the ignorant, and to exhort; and to urge the idlers and lingerers to make
progress in the way of the Lord. Moreover, they are to comfort and to
strengthen the fainthearted, and to arm them against the manifold temptations of
Satan; to rebuke offenders; to recall the erring into the way; to raise the
fallen; to convince the gainsayers to drive the wolf away from the sheepfold of
the Lord; to rebuke wickedness and wicked men wisely and severely; no to wink at
nor to pass over great wickedness. And, besides, they are to administer the
sacraments, and to commend the right use of them, and to prepare all men by
wholesome doctrine to receive them; to preserve the faithful in a holy unity;
and to check schisms; to catechize the unlearned, to commend the needs of the
poor to the Church, to visit, instruct, and keep in the way of life the sick and
those afflicted with various temptations. In addition, they are to attend to
public prayers of supplications in times of need, together with common fasting,
that is, a holy abstinence; and as diligently as possible to see to everything
that pertains to the tranquility, peace and welfare of the churches.

But in order that the minister may perform all these things
better and more easily, it is especially required of him that he fear God, be
constant in prayer, attend to spiritual reading, and in all things and at all
times be watchful, and by a purity of life to let his light to shine before all
men.

DISCIPLINE. And since discipline is an absolute necessity
in the Church and excommunication was once used in the time of the early
fathers, and there were ecclesiastical judgments among the people of God,
wherein this discipline was exercised by wise and godly men, it also falls to
ministers to regulate this discipline for edification, according to the
circumstances of the time, public state, and necessity. At all times and in all
places the tule is to be observed that everything is to be done for edification,
decently and honorably, without oppression and strife. For the apostle
testifies that authority in the Church was given to him by the Lord for building
up and not for destroying (II Cor. 10:8). And the Lord himself forbade the
weeds to be plucked up in the Lord’s field, because there would be danger lest
the wheat also be plucked up with it (Matt. 13:29 f.).

EVEN EVIL MINISTERS ARE TO BE HEARD. Moreover, we strongly
detest the error of the Donatists who esteem the doctrine and administration of
the sacraments to be either effectual or not effectual, according to the good or
evil life of the ministers. For we know that the voice of Christ is to be
heard, though it be out of the mouths of evil ministers; because the Lord
himself said: “Practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what
they do” (Matt. 23:3). We know that the sacraments are sanctified by the
institution and the word of Christ, and that they are effectual to the godly,
although they be administered by unworthy ministers. Concerning this matter,
Augustine, the blessed servant of God, many times argued from the Scriptures
against the Donatists.

SYNODS. Nevertheless, there ought to be proper discipline
among ministers. In synods the doctrine and life of ministers is to be
carefully examined. Offenders who can be cured are to be rebuked by the elders
and restored to the right way, and if they are incurable, they are to be
deposed, and like wolves driven away from he flock of the Lord by the true
shepherds. For, if they be false teachers, they are not to be tolerated at all.
Neither do we disapprove of ecumenical councils, if they are convened according
to the example of the apostles, for the welfare of the Church and not for its
destruction.

THE WORKER IS WORTHY OF HIS REWARD. All faithful
ministers, as good workmen, are also worthy of their reward, and do not sin when
they receive a stipend, and all things that be necessary for themselves and
their family. For the apostle shows in I Cor., ch. 9, and in I Tim., ch. 5, and
elsewhere that these things may rightly be given by the Church and received by
ministers. The Anabaptists, who condemn and defame ministers who live from
their ministry are also refuted by the apostolic teaching.

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