John,
As a RB, presumably, you would agree with the plurality-of-elder rule principle for a particular congregation. So, an extended discussion of the validity of a local session is probably superfluous.
The matter of presbyterys and larger (more encompassing bodies) such as synods and assemblies is an application of the principle of catholicity (universality) and unity of the church over which Christ is the head. We are all members, one with another, and not just to the handful (or several hundred) people to whom we have made formal vows. The connectionalism espoused by presbyterian government presupposes that it is possible and right to have formal accountability between particular congregations, not merely within them. And that there is a principle of "appeal" that goes beyond the local leadership.
One could begin a defense of understanding of presbyterianism in either Testament. In the OT, starting with the tribes, there were recognized elders and heads, Ex.4:29; 24:14, where is appears as if Hur is a leader among the heads of the clans. Ex.18 includes the organization of the one people of God (or church) under a system of graded courts, by whom the people had appeal, and cf. Num.11:16-24. A system of elder rule continued, even in the days of the kings, 2Sam.5:3; 19:11; 1Ki.8:1, etc.
The "Sanhedrin" (in the days of Christ) was the highest governing body of the people, comprised of representatives from the nation.
The Sanhedrin was, at and before the time of Christ, the name for the highest Jewish tribunal, of 71 members, in Jerusalem, and also for the lower tribunals, of 23 members, of which Jerusalem had two (Tōṣephtā' Ḥăghīghāh 11 9; Ṣanhedrin 1 6; 11 2).
from ISBE article, "Sanhedrin", ed. James Orr
This was the body that condemned Christ. Lk.23:50 refers to Joseph of Arimathea as a councillior, and Nicodemus also appears to have been one of the number in those days. The point is, that consistently in Scripture the people of God are governed by recognized elders who are from the body (laymen), and by those whom God has selected and ordained to positions of responsibility (ministers).
The churches in various places planted by the apostles continued under the jurisdiction of the apostles. Furthermore, Paul could write one letter to a whole city of individual congregations, as to "the church" in that place, see 1Cor.1:2. The sheer numbers of Christians (even if early on, such could only have been in the hundreds of members) in the cities, and the paranoia of secular government, coupled with the poverty of many Christians and the impossibility of meeting in large crowds, leads inexorably to the realization that the "church" in Corinth (and elsewhere) must have been spread over a number of congregations. This conclusion is also borne out by Paul, writing from Corinth to Rome (Rom.16:23), " Gaius my host, and of the
whole church..." The adjective "whole" at least implies Paul has something in mind that goes well beyond a single congregation.
Rome itself has several particular congregations (churches) mentioned in Rom.16. It is very possible that the Roman situation had not (in fact) lent itself to true catholicity of the churches, as Paul had effected from the beginning in the places he ministered. While "saints" and "church" or "churches" are coordinated in 1Cor.1:2, 2Cor.1:1, cf.1Cor.14:33 and 16:1, it seems clear that by "church" Paul envisions organization and government, and "saints" individualism (and possibly the absence of a degree of organization). Paul
cannot write to THE "church" in Rome, instead addressing himself to the "saints" (1:7), while he acknowledges no less than seven particular organized congregations (ch.16), which are also "churches" in their own right, having some form of organization and leadership.
So, the noun "church" is applicable to particular congregations and to self-governing bodies that extend over a whole geography. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the last book of the Bible, Revelation, that contains
seven letters to whole cities, including Ephesus (which may have been by AD 100 the most "churched" city in Asia). Of course, "church" also extends to the true, universal church, which is worldwide; and even beyond that invisible body to include both the church-militant on earth and church-triumphant in heaven.
The organization of the particular churches in these cities in a single church-body through its combined eldership (presbyters) simply reflects the inherent unity of Christ's body. But it doesn't dissolve the particularity of its member-churches. In Presbyterianism, each particular church exercises the "whole power" of the church, not just a little sliver of that power. The particular church may need to yield to the greater weight of combined wisdom of MORE of the church gathered to assess a matter they have already addressed, or handed down to them as a matter not considered before; but this is naught but submission to the brethren, to which all should strive.
Nor does a thinking Protestant doubt that church-authority can be abused, but the distinction we make (contra the papists) is that infallibility does NOT reside in any particular church body--thus making its dictates beyond appeal. In the end, each man must obey God rather than man. But that sword cuts both ways--and the person who has fled a particular church, being unwilling to submit to her discipline, shall be taking his chances for exoneration to the judgment of God, if he is not received by another, more faithful church in this world.
As for the largest church-judiciaries, gathered for business and deliberation (for matters pertaining to the whole church), the NT precedent is Act.15. Representatives of various smaller church-bodies send their federal representatives to sit in council with the other representatives, to act in government for the church-as-a-whole.
Our goal in Presbyterianism is to faithfully represent the unity of Christ's church, under the Scriptures, through a common confession, and instruments that allow us to function deliberatively, fairly, and orderly as one organic whole--while we also delight in the Presbyteries (or regional churches); and in the particular, individual church-congregations that make up the whole. Unity in diversity.
Christ is still the head of his church.
The Apostle's still rule this church--through their writings, and the OT bequeathed to this age from the previous one--the Scriptures.
The Ministers serve the whole church, their Presbytery, and particular congregations, as successors and second-fiddles to the Apostles and first Evangelists (2Tim.2:2).
A whole host of elders also sit in council in and over the churches that have elected them, and appointed them to assist the Ministers in directing the course of the whole church.
Meanwhile, church-history serves many generations of the church as its handmaid, preserving the facts of history (the good and bad) and much of the wisdom of those who have served their time, and have gone to their rest, Rev.14:13.
Back even in the 70s a lot of Philly area charismatic leaders who wanted solid bible training went there.
