Four orders
Some will tell you that in Ignatius of Antioch's writings he recognized the "four orders" of Church government.
To understand these comments of Ignatius of Antioch on the offices of Bishop, Priest, and Deacon etc. you will need to understand how these words were used by him. And, more important, how the words were used in scripture and defined from an early Christian point of view through their historical practices.
The New Testament does mention that all four “orders” which people now say "are necessary to the proper," and form the government of the Church.
The Church is legally defined as one form of government, and by scripture "a kingdom" is appointed to be that government of Christ but prohibited from exercising authority one over the other.
These orders are often listed as:
- laity,
- deacons,
- presbyters or elder,
- bishops
The term laity is just the Greek word for people who are in relationship with the Church, from the Greek ekklesia. The laity are all the people who gather in free assemblies in faith, hope and charity according to the purposes of Christ.
A presbyter is the Greek term for an elder, but simply untranslated. An elder or presbyter in the Greek "means old man or oldest man in relation to a family group as is counted as the head of a family.
A presbyter or elder by nature is first a member of the laity. One of these elders may be appointed to fulfill a task for the people or for the Church. They are not appointed elders, but are elders who are appointed.
(See Ignatius of Antioch .)