ἐπίσκοπος (Episcopos; Presbyteros; Overseer; Bishop; Elder)

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Etymology

The term “episcopos” is a transliteration of the Greek word ἐπίσκοπος. It is usually translated “overseer” or “bishop.” The plural of ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos) is επίσκοποι (episkopoi).

 

“Episcopos” in the Bible (the LXX, Old Testament, and Deuterocanonical Literature)

The Septuagint (LXX) (the Greek translation of the Old Testament) used the term “episkopos” before it took on any ecclesiastical meaning. “Episkopos” occurs 14 times in the LXX in reference to a person (Numbers 4:16; 31:14; Judges 9:28; 2 Kings 11:15, 18: 12:12; 2 Chronicles 34:12, 17; Nehemiah 11:9, 14, 22; Isaiah 60:17; 1 Maccabees 1:51). In such cases it means “one who is in charge,” “an overseer.” It can refer to one who oversees:

1. an army (e.g., Num 31:14; 2 Kgs 11:15)

2. the temple (e.g., 2 Kgs 11:18)

3. a people group in some political way (e.g., Neh 11:9, 22).

 

It can also refer to God, who is the ultimate overseer over humankind (Wisdom of Solomon 1:6).

 

“Episcopos” in the New Testament

In the New Testament, the term appears four times in reference to a person other than Christ (Acts 20:28; Phil 1:1; 1 Tim 3:2; Titus 1:7). In these four instances, it refers to one who is appointed as a leader of the church to look after the physical and spiritual welfare of God’s people. It is also used once of Christ, who is the overseer of the souls of humanity (1 Pet 2:25).

“Episcopos” in Acts 20:1–35. In Acts 20:17, the Apostle Paul arrives in Miletus and sends word to the “elders of the church (τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους, tous presbyterous)” in Ephesus. He offers final words of instruction in Acts 20:28: “Be alert for yourself and for all the flock, among whom the Holy Spirit placed you as episcopoi, in order to shepherd the Church of God, which He purchased through His own blood” (author’s translation). In Acts 20:17, Paul addresses the “presbyteros” (πρεσβύτεροι, presbyteroi) of the church in Ephesus, but he refers to them as “episcopoi” in Acts 20:28. In this passage, there is no apparent distinction between a presbyteros (πρεσβύτερος, presbyteros) and an episcopos—both terms describe appointed leaders of the church who are responsible for the physical and spiritual well-being of God’s people.

“Episcopos” in Titus 1:1–7. In Titus 1:1–7, the author explains the reason Titus was left in Crete: “So that you might organize what was left behind, and that you might appoint presbyteroi throughout the city, just as I have instructed you” (Titus 1:5, author’s translation). As in Acts 20, Titus 1 uses the words “presbyteros” and “episcopos” interchangeably. “Presbyteroi” appears in Titus 1:5, while “episcopos” appears in Titus 1:7 as the author describes qualifications for such a leadership position: “For an episcopos must be above reproach.”

“Episcopos” in the Early Church

Clement of Alexandria

First Clement (ca. ad 95–100) uses the same terminology in a similar way. 1 Clement 42:4 speaks of the apostles appointing “their firstfruits” as “episcopoi and deacons” (e.g., Dix, The Shape of the Liturgy, 111–2). 1 Clement 44:5 then refers to those same people as “presbyteroi.” Thus, the terms remain interchangeable even at the end of the first century (see Jay, “From Presbyter-Bishops to Bishops and Presbyters,” 135–6).

Ignatius of Antioch

By the time of Ignatius’ seven letters (approximately ad 110), a distinction between “episcopoi” and “presbyteroi” had emerged. For example, in the To the Magnesians 2.1, Ignatius praises Damas (the Magnesians’ episcopos) and Bassus and Apollonius (their presbyteroi) as people of distinct offices. The To the Magnesians 3:1 likewise evidences a distinction. Here Ignatius exhorts the Magnesians to follow the example of the presbyteroi in respecting the episcopos, even though the episcopos is young. These passages demonstrate that the two terms are no longer used synonymously and that the elders are hierarchically subordinate to the bishop—as would be the case thereafter.

Reasons for Development

The need for the distinct office of episcopos in the post-apostolic age is understandable. As more churches (and with them more elders) arose, there was a need for individuals who could maintain order and authority amongst these churches. The implication from Ignatius’ writings is that the churches were not wholly obedient to the bishops yet—the exhortation for the congregations to obey their episcopoi is a predominant theme in each letter. For this reason, Ignatius even goes so far as to say that since Christ is absent, an episcopos stands in the place of God, while the elders stand in the place of the apostles (Ignatius, To the Magnesians, 6.1).

Bibliography

Beyer, Hermann W. “ἐπισκέπτομαι (episkeptomai); ἐπισκοπέω (episkopeō); ἐπισκοπή (episkopē); ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos); ἀλλοτριεπίσκοπος (allotriepiskopos).” Pages 608–20 in vol. 2 of Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Edited and translated by Gerhard Kittel. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1964.

Coenen, Lothar. “Bishop, Presbyter, Elder.” Pages 190–2 in vol. 1 of New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology. Edited by Colin Brown. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986.

Dix, Dom G. The Shape of the Liturgy. London: Dacre Press, 1978.

Jay, Eric G. “From Presbyters-Bishops to Bishops and Presbyters.” The Second Century: A Journal of Early Christian Studies 1, no. 3 (Fall 1981): 125–62.

Rohde, Joachim. “ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos).” Pages 35–6 in vol. 2 of Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament. Edited by H. R. Balz and G. Schneider. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1992.

Robert C. Kashow