Commentaries:
People's Commentary (NT)
Acts 20:17
Called the elders of the church. No mention has been made before
of their appointment, but it was Paul's custom to "ordain elders in
every church" (Acts 14:23). These elders were also called "bishops"
(Revised Version) in Acts 20:28. In apostolic days there was a
plurality of elders in every church; these elders were "bishops", or
"overseers". There was no distinct episcopal order. This is admitted
even by the advocates of an episcopate. Dean Howson, of the Church of
England, declares ("Acts", p. 475) that no special order of bishops was
created in the lifetime of Paul, or the apostles, but he dates their
origin about the close of the first or beginning of the second century.
Prof. Rothe, of Heidelberg (quoted by Lightfoot on Philippians),
supposes that after the martyrdom of Paul, Peter and James the
necessity was felt for a general supervision, and that this gave rise
to the appointment of diocesan bishops. By the admission of all
scholars, the episcopal order is "post"-apostolic.
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Acts 20:17
Philippians 1:1
1 Timothy 3:1
Revelation 1:5
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