blhowes
Puritan Board Professor
In the thread that Ralph started called "Can a father baptised his household (without a pastor) ?", Matthew gave a link to an article he wrote called [u:f6be712d93]Who May Administer the Sacraments[/u:f6be712d93]where he explained his position - a very interesting article. I had a question about something he said in the article, but thought it might be a little off topic, so here's yet another thread.
One thing that's always puzzled me is how, in the "great commission", we can say that part of it (Go ye into all the world...) is a command for all Christians, but the command to baptize is just for pastors or elders of a church. That just didn't make sense. Matthew's article covered that objection, though not how I expected.
[b:f6be712d93]In the article, Matthew wrote:[/b:f6be712d93]
The Greek text here bears out the relationship of the command to teach and baptize to the eleven - not to all Christians.[18] Jesus is instructing the Apostles to teach and baptize. This has no reference to all Christians inclusively, but does have reference to the extension of those who hold the office of the church. It should be evident that in this text we should conclude that it is "...Christ's stipulation that the pastorate fulfill its Great Commission to preach and administer the sacraments."
For I don't know how many years, I've been taught that when Jesus said "Go ye..." that this was a command to all Christians. I've never questioned it or studied it - it seemed pretty cut and dry.
I'll have to give what Matthew said a little more thought, but I wonder if others agree (or disagree) that the command to "Go" in the great commission is directed to those ordained to the ministry, as opposed to all Christians.
Bob
[Edited on 1-8-2004 by blhowes]
One thing that's always puzzled me is how, in the "great commission", we can say that part of it (Go ye into all the world...) is a command for all Christians, but the command to baptize is just for pastors or elders of a church. That just didn't make sense. Matthew's article covered that objection, though not how I expected.
[b:f6be712d93]In the article, Matthew wrote:[/b:f6be712d93]
The Greek text here bears out the relationship of the command to teach and baptize to the eleven - not to all Christians.[18] Jesus is instructing the Apostles to teach and baptize. This has no reference to all Christians inclusively, but does have reference to the extension of those who hold the office of the church. It should be evident that in this text we should conclude that it is "...Christ's stipulation that the pastorate fulfill its Great Commission to preach and administer the sacraments."
For I don't know how many years, I've been taught that when Jesus said "Go ye..." that this was a command to all Christians. I've never questioned it or studied it - it seemed pretty cut and dry.
I'll have to give what Matthew said a little more thought, but I wonder if others agree (or disagree) that the command to "Go" in the great commission is directed to those ordained to the ministry, as opposed to all Christians.
Bob
[Edited on 1-8-2004 by blhowes]