voting for pastors

[Scott Pitta]

Very interesting.

Appointed in the NIV.

χειροτονέω is translated as "chosen" in 2 Cor. 8:19.

It literally means stretch out the hand.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Scott Pitta

Very interesting.

Appointed in the NIV.

χειροτονέω is translated as "chosen" in 2 Cor. 8:19.

It literally means stretch out the hand.

How much college did you need to find that in a concordance?

Literally means to vote.

[Scott Pitta]

I looked at my Greek NT online and then in my hardbound edition of BAGD.

[aegsm76]

I think we could also look at the decision making used when Peter testified about God giving the gift of the Holy Ghost to the Gentiles.
Also, when the decision was made as to what instructions to give to the Gentile believers?
EB?
SP?
Thoughts?

[Scott Pitta]

Apostles lead the church, Or, they did so in the past. Both Peter and Paul did so. Other apostles wrote scripture.

It seems good to the Holy Spirit and to us...Acts 15:28. This gives us a glimpse of the process at the council of Jerusalem. Key figures reported to the body and to the apostles.

Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers. 23 With them they sent the following letter (Acts 15:22). They met. They made decisions. They chose selected persons.

They chose (ἐκλέγομαι) a different word than used to determine table waiters.

[Scott Pitta]

ἐκλέγομαι is used by Luke 4 times in Acts 1:24, 6:5, 15:22, 15:22.

See also Luke 6:13 to describe the calling of the 12.

Mind you, I am on my first cup of coffee and have not thoroughly researched this word. But t appears that Luke uses the word in a non theological way, the same way it is used in other Koine literature. Paul and the others use it in a theological way.

[jediwill83]

I think they need to use Musical Chairs to decide. Maybe use I'll Fly Away as the song. ;-)

[Steven Avery]

Acts 14:23 (KJB)
And when they had ordained them elders in every church,
and had prayed with fasting,
they commended them to the Lord,
on whom they believed.

The "they is Paul and Barnabas".
And I believe this is clearly not voting, it is an eldership ordination.

This is something I reviewed about a decade back, with back and forth with a Congregationalist who often writes against the AV.
And I could add some sources.

Here is the closest match in the NT:

2 Corinthians 8:19 -
And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace,
which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:

Does Acts 14:23 Indicate a Vote? (2017)
--By Terry Carter
http://www.summit1.org/GUN_Vol_30__1...rry_Carter.pdf

It is a good article, even if it does stray from the AV.

Chrystostom notes Paul's ardor:

NPNF1-11. Saint Chrysostom: Homilies on the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistle to the Romans 195
Homily XXXI.
Acts XIV. 14, 15
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf...l#vi.xxxi-p0.1

And when they had appointed for them elders in every Church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.”
Do you mark Paul’s ardor?—Then other consolation: “Commended them,” it says, “to the Lord.

There seem to be early texts that talk of the consent and approval and approbation of the church. So they are not to be bypassed in an authoritarian manner.

The Congregationalist position is given a good representation by:

Lyman Coleman (1796-1882)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyman_Coleman

The apostolical and primitive church : popular in its government, informal in its worship : a manual on prelacy and ritualism carefully revised and adapted to these discussions (1869)
Lyman Coleman
https://archive.org/details/apostoli...00cole/page/50
p.50-86
https://books.google.com/books?id=4LkMAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA53 - 1844 edition

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Exactly, they had a system in place to allow the Holy Ghost to choose.

Looks to me like there were several dynamics involved: prayer, the speaking of the Holy Ghost, and God ordained in-place leadership giving guidance, wisdom, etc. A good example of this in action is found by observing how Paul went from Saul the persecutor to an apostle. He was called by God directly, but was confirmed by elders during a red-hot Holy Ghost prayer meeting, and then recognised by the eldership of the wider Christian community.