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Old 08-21-2007, 07:38 AM
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JohnOwen007 JohnOwen007 is offline.
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Well I may as well start an argument given that I'm not a Presbyterian.

I struggle with whether the so-called "ruling-elder" can be justified from Scripture given the paucity of evidence. The so-called classic verse used to prove such a position is 1 Tim. 5:17 isn't, in my mind, good enough to justify the distinction between the teaching and ruling elder:

1Tim 5:17 "The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially [malista] those whose work is preaching and teaching."

The word for "especially", malista, could mean "especially". But it has another meaning being "namely, I mean". The former rendering leads to a certain ambiguity (are the so-called "ruling elders" to deserve double honour or not). And the latter rendering fits better with the notion that all elders in 1 Tim. 3:2 must be "skillful in teaching" (didaktikos).
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