Office
The word officer today can mean someone in power either over people or things for which they are responsible. It has been defined as "a holder of a public, civil, or ecclesiastical office."
We see a word in the Bible's New Testament translated officer some 11 times[1] but also translated servant[2] and minister.[3] The word is huperetes[4] which can refer to an assistant to a judge, or a soldier or police officer or anyone who serves someone else.
The word is often translated officer when referring to the government agents who opposed Christ but servant when used by Christ or his followers to reference ministers of the Church or Kingdom of God at hand.
This might lead some people to think that Jesus did not appoint officers. He clearly did appoint men to take care of the business of the Kingdom of God at hand and He called those men the ekklesia or church. He also restricted them from exercising authority one over the other.
Christ was appointing a kingdom to His little flock.
The word huperetes was from the word eresso meaning to row. We all know we are to live by faith, hope and charity and the perfect law of liberty. Which means that we need to take care of one another. That is what Religion use to mean before Modern Christians allowed the word to be redefined. Pure Religion was taking care of the needy of society without the covetous aid of the Benefactors and their officers of the World nor the Fathers of the earth who exercised authority one over the other through their public officers.
Abraham, Moses, and Jesus knew hard times come. Which is why there were instructions about choosing Seven Men in the Old TestamentCite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag of Christ in Acts 6:5.
When Jesus came Rome and Judea had already shifted from free societies and Republican form of government to centralized socialist welfare states.
Jesus said that their Corban system of welfare made the word of God to none effect so He took the government from one group and gave it to another ... as he foretold in Matthew 21:43:
- "Therefore say I unto you, The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof."
Of course at that time those Pharisees were exercising authority one over the other which is why they were not bearing fruit.
The Covetous Practices of Socialism or even the slothful practice of forsaking to come together and form that network of charity "corrodes not only the economy but the human spirit itself"[5]
We again see in Luke 12:32 Jesus tells His little flock that He would appoint them the kingdom.
- "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:32
These officers or servants of His appointed government were not to be like other governments.
- Luke 22:25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye [shall] not [be] so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
The phrase "But ye [shall] not [be] so" does not mean there is "no formal government offices or officers." But merely that what they received was freely given. This made His government a true government of the people, for the people and by the people.
Clearly he appointed "formal government offices or officers" but he allowed the people to fund those offices by a freewill choice, leaving the power of government in their hands.
In fact what he says and what we see says there were those who where "chief among them" and you knew who they were by how they served a body who did not forsake the gathering together.
These men were appointed to offices of service and we see them appointing others. They were not a scattered flock.
It is absolutely clear that there were leaders and bishops and ministers by the text and the historical record says so too.
Jesus said to his little flock, not to the people in general
Luke 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
which we see him do in Luke 22:29
Then we see them appoint other men with the laying on of hands and when the people need services they look to the people who were the little flock. What did they do? They said:
Acts 6:3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.
Note they did not say we will appoint someone.
They said you pick them and we will appoint them.
That was because they were " formal government offices or officers." but did not exercise authority over the people.
They did do a job of serving people in a vast network as the Roman system fell.
Some day all over the world there will likely be chaos with millions of people needing to move or need assistance because of man made and natural disasters. To not have the foresight and wisdom to seek a network of caring people who love one another in good times nor neglected to serve one another in free assemblies would be foolish and slothful. It certainly would not be as wise as the serpent nor as harmless as a dove.
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Footnotes
- ↑ : Matthew 5:25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer <5257>, and thou be cast into prison.
- John 7:32 The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers <5257> to take him.
- John 7:45 Then came the officers <5257> to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?
- John 7:46 The officers <5257> answered, Never man spake like this man.
- John 18:3 Judas then, having received a band of men and officers <5257> from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons.
- John 18:12 Then the band and the captain and officers <5257> of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him,
- John 18:18 And the servants and officers <5257> stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself.
- John 18:22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers <5257> which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?
- John 19:6 When the chief priests therefore and officers <5257> saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.
- Acts 5:22 But when the officers <5257> came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,
- Acts 5:26 Then went the captain with the officers <5257>, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
- ↑ : Matthew 26:58 But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants <5257>, to see the end.
- Mark 14:54 And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants <5257>, and warmed himself at the fire.
- Mark 14:65 And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants <5257> did strike him with the palms of their hands.
- John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants <5257> fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
- ↑ : Luke 1:2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers <5257> of the word;
- Luke 4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister <5257>, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.
- Acts 13:5 And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister <5257>.
- Acts 26:16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister <5257> and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
- 1 Corinthians 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers <5257> of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
- ↑ 5257 ~ὑπηρέτης~ huperetes \@hoop-ay-ret’-ace\@ from 5259 and a derivative of eresso (to row); n m AV-officer 11, minister 5, servant 4; 20
- 1) servant
- 1a) an underrower, subordinate rower
- 1b) any one who serves with hands: a servant
- 1b1) in the NT of the officers and attendants of magistrates as — of the officer who executes penalties
- 1b2) of the attendants of a king, servants, retinue, the soldiers of a king, of the attendant of a synagogue
- 1b3) of any one ministering or rendering service
- 1c) any one who aids another in any work
- 1c1) an assistant
- 1c2) of the preacher of the gospel
- For Synonyms see entry 5834 & 5928
- 1) servant
- ↑ “I’m enjoying the irony of American Sanders supporters lecturing me, a former Soviet citizen, on the glories of Socialism and what it really means! Socialism sounds great in speech soundbites and on Facebook, but please keep it there. In practice, it corrodes not only the economy but the human spirit itself, and the ambition and achievement that made modern capitalism possible and brought billions of people out of poverty. Talking about Socialism is a huge luxury, a luxury that was paid for by the successes of capitalism.” Garry Kimovich Kasparov is a Russian chess Grandmaster, former World Chess Champion, writer, and political activist, considered by many to be the greatest chess player of all time.