What is the public ministry? Why did God establish it?

People and churches have a wide variety of opinions about the public ministry and who may hold the office; but the Bible, which is God's Word, reveals to us God's will in regard to public ministry, what it is and who may hold the office. And so, we consider the questions: What is the public ministry? Why did God establish it? and Who may hold the office?

While God has given to all true believers the right and duty to preach His Word and administer the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper, He has also commanded Christians to gather together and call faithful men to publicly preach and teach God's Word and administer the Sacraments among them and in their stead.

In 1 Peter 2:9 we read: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light" Thus, all Christians are priests to God and are called to proclaim His wonderful works.

Before His ascension, Jesus said to His disciples: "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world" (Matthew 28:18-20). Jesus also told His disciples (John 20:21-23): "Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." Also, in Mark 16:15-16, believers are commanded: " Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned." And, in Luke 24:46-47, Jesus said: "Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."

Of the Lord's Supper, which Christ Jesus instituted on the night of His betrayal, Jesus said: "This do in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24); and "This do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me" (1 Corinthians 11:25).

Therefore, all believers and disciples of Jesus to the end of time have the right and duty to preach forgiveness of sins in Jesus' name, to baptize in the name of the Triune God and to observe the Lord's Supper.

The Word of God, however, also speaks of God appointing ministers to oversee congregations and to feed and nourish God's flock with His Word.

In Jeremiah 23:3-4, the LORD God said: "And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD." He also adds the injunction to those feeding God's flock: "He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully" (v. 28).

In Hebrews 10:25, God commands His people not to forsake "the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." In Acts 14:23, we learn that the apostle Paul and his companions "ordained them elders in every church, and ... prayed with fasting," and "commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed." To the elders of the church in Ephesus, Paul said: "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood" (Acts 20:28). To Timothy, Paul wrote: "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine" (2 Timothy 4:1-2). Paul also commanded Titus to "set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city" (Titus 1:5). The Word of God also says that our Lord Jesus Christ "gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:11-12).

Thus, we see that believers are to gather together in congregations to hear and learn God's Word; and men are to be called as shepherds and pastors to oversee the church of God, feed God's flock with His pure and unadulterated Word and administer the Sacraments among them according to Christ's institution.

The qualifications for men to be chosen and called as pastors are given us in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9, and only men meeting these qualifications are to be entrusted with the pastoral office. According to 1 Timothy 3, those qualifications include being "blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; one that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity ... not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil." In Paul's letter to Titus, we learn that these qualifications also include "holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers."

Though the public ministry of Word and Sacrament exists by the will and command of God, those holding this office have no authority and power but the Word of God (1 Peter 4:11; Hebrews 4:12; Romans 1:16-17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). Thus, obedience must be rendered to the public ministry only when the Word of God is faithfully proclaimed and applied.

The Bible commands: "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you" (Hebrews 13:17; cf. Luke 10:16).

Though it has become popular in our day to put women into the office of the public ministry, God's Word says, "Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law" (1 Corinthians 14:34); and, "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence..." (1 Timothy 2:11-12). In obedience to God's Word, followers of Jesus reject as contrary to God's will, and as sinful, the current practice of placing women into the public ministry or into other positions or offices where they must teach or exercise authority over men.

Randy Moll is the managing editor of the Westside Eagle Observer and also the pastor at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Rogers. He may be contacted by email at [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author.

Editorial on 11/16/2016