26.9 Of The Bride: The Laying On of Hands

Table of Contents

The Text

1 Peter 5:1-5 (CSB) I exhort the elders among you as a fellow elder and witness to the sufferings of Christ, as well as one who shares in the glory about to be revealed: Shepherd God’s flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but willingly, as God would have you; not out of greed for money but eagerly; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. In the same way, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. All of you clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because
God resists the proud
but gives grace to the humble.

The Chapter

The way appointed by Christ for the calling of any person, fitted and gifted by the Holy Spirit, unto the office of bishop or elder in a church, is, that he be chosen thereunto by the common suffrage of the church itself; and solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer, with imposition of hands of the eldership of the church, if there be any before constituted therein; and of a deacon that he be chosen by the like suffrage, and set apart by prayer, and the like imposition of hands.

The Confession

The way appointed by Christ for the calling of any person, fitted and gifted by the Holy Spirit, unto the office of bishop or elder in a church, is, that he be chosen thereunto by the common suffrage of the church itself

Acts 14:23 (CSB) When they had appointed elders for them in every church and prayed with fasting, they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.

and solemnly set apart by fasting and prayer, with imposition of hands of the eldership of the church, if there be any before constituted therein

1 Timothy 4:14 (CSB) Don’t neglect the gift that is in you; it was given to you through prophecy, with the laying on of hands by the council of elders.

and of a deacon that he be chosen by the like suffrage, and set apart by prayer, and the like imposition of hands

Acts 6:3–6 (CSB) Brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” This proposal pleased the whole company. So they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a convert from Antioch. They had them stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

When the time comes to appoint the elder or the deacon, when they have walked with the elders, made sure they meet the qualifications, when the congregation knows the candidates and wants them to serve as their minister, there is not a mere offer letter and a start date given by HR to the candidate as though this is an ordinary job.

Ministers called and appointed are displayed and tried in front of their congregation while the elders lay hands with anointing and prayer. They stand before God and the church they are now appointed to the called.

Their lives will look different from now on.

John 21:15–19 (CSB) When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.” “Feed my lambs,” he told him. A second time he asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.” “Shepherd my sheep,” he told him. He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved that he asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” “Feed my sheep,” Jesus said. “Truly I tell you, when you were younger, you would tie your belt and walk wherever you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will tie you and carry you where you don’t want to go.” He said this to indicate by what kind of death Peter would glorify God. After saying this, he told him, “Follow me.”

Ministers are to feed his lambs, shepherd his sheep, feed his sheep, and lay your life down for his church.