Leadership patterns and the development of ideology in early Christianity

Sociology of Religion, Winter, 1997 by David Horrell

Colossians and Ephesians reveal little directly about structures of leadership in the churches of their time.(10) In Colossians a number of Pauline co-workers are mentioned, most of whom are mentioned in Paul's short letter to Philemon. These leading figures are described using typically Pauline appellations -- deacon, servant of Christ, fellow worker, etc. (see Col 1: 7; 4: 7-17)(11) -- though without much being revealed about their precise roles and functions. If their mention in the letter is a pseudonymous device, adding a sense of authenticity by mentioning Pauline companions known from Paul's Letter to Philemon, then we can attach even less significance to any evidence we might glean from these references. Some evidence of the household basis of the congregations is glimpsed in the reference to Nympha, a woman in whose home a congregation meets (Col 4: 15).

Personal references to leaders are almost entirely absent from Ephesians, the exception being the mention of Tychicus in 6: 21-22, though this reference is lifted verbatim from Colossians 4: 7-8 (a sign of the pseudonymity of Ephesians, if not of Colossians, assuming the priority of the latter).(12) The writer of Ephesians clearly regards the "apostles and prophets" as the foundational leaders of the church, along with "evangelists, pastors, and teachers" (3: 5; 4: 11-12) though we team nothing from the letter about who is regarded as legitimately fulfilling such ministries.

In the Pastoral Epistles, however, we find considerable attention given to appropriate structures of leadership and to the qualities and behavior required from leaders. Here it is clear that the leaders of the churches are resident members of the communities, specifically mate heads of households. The leaders are referred to as episkopoi, diakonoi, and presbyteroi, although little is said about their roles and responsibilities that would enable any clear distinctions to be drawn between the functions of the different "offices." More attention is given to describing the qualities which must characterize such leaders. As has often been pointed out, these are essentially the stock characteristics of decent and respectable well-to-do persons in Greco-Roman society (Verner 1983: 147-60; Towner 1989: 241; Hanson 1982: 35; Onosander De imperatoris officio 1:1). The bishop or episkopos, among other things, "must mange his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way -- for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God's church?" (1 Tim 3: 4-5). Deacons likewise must "manage their children and their households well" (1 Tim 3: 12); this wording is surely an indication also that such households often included slaves as well as wife and children.

1 Tim 5: 17 is an important and revealing reference. The elders who rule well (the verb proistemi is used as in Rom 12: 8 and 1 Thess 5: 12), especially those who labor in word and teaching, are to be considered worthy of "double honor," which should most probably be taken as a reference to a level of financial support (Hanson 1982: 101; Campbell 1994: 200-204). The legitimation then given in verse 18 for the support of elders -- resident leaders in the community -- is particularly noteworthy, for it uses two citations, both of which had been used in earlier times to legitimate the material support of itinerant leaders. The citation from Deut 25: 4, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain," is used by Paul in 1 Cor 9: 9 to underscore the right of the travelling apostles to support. The second citation, apparently referred to by the author of 1 Timothy as "Scripture" (graphe), along with Deut 25: 4, is the proverb of Jesus from the synoptic mission discourse which explains why the itinerant apostles can expect their support from others: "the worker is worthy of his wage" (Lk 10: 7; cf., Mt 10: 20). These scriptural and dominical legitimations for the material support of itinerant missionaries have here become legitimations; for the support of resident elders.