Presbyter

Presbyter (ˈprɛzbɪtər) is an honorific title for Christian clergy. The word derives from the Greek presbyteros, which means elder or senior, although many in the Christian antiquity would understand presbyteros to refer to the bishop functioning as overseer. The word presbyter is used many times in the New Testament. In modern Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican usage, presbyter is distinct from bishop and (in English) is synonymous with priest. In other Protestant usage, for example, Methodism, presbyter does not refer to a member of a distinctive priesthood called priests, but rather to a minister, pastor, or elder. The word presbyter etymologically derives from Greek πρεσβύτερος (presbyteros), the comparative form of πρέσβυς (presbys), "old man". However, while the English word priest has presbyter as the etymological origin, the distinctive Greek word (Greek ἱερεύς hiereus) for "priest" is never used for presbyteros/episkopos in the New Testament, except as being part of the general priesthood of all believers, with the first Christians making a distinction between pagan and Jewish priests and New Testament presbyters. The earliest organization of the Church in Jerusalem was according to most scholars similar to that of Jewish synagogues, but it had a council or college of ordained presbyters (πρεσβύτεροι elders). In Acts 11:30 and , we see a collegiate system of government in Jerusalem though headed by James, according to tradition the first bishop of the city. In , the Apostle Paul ordains presbyters in the churches he founded. The term presbyter was often not yet clearly distinguished from the term overseer (ἐπίσκοποι episkopoi, later exclusively used as meaning bishop), as in , Titus 1:5–7 and 1 Peter 5:1. The earliest writings of the Apostolic Fathers, the Didache and the First Epistle of Clement for example, show the church used two terms for local church offices—presbyters (seen by many as an interchangeable term with episcopos or overseer) and deacon. In Timothy and Titus in the New Testament a more clearly defined episcopate can be seen.